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Hi Darlings, it's been a hot minute since I've posted to A.P.P. & Instagram. I disconnected from the social media since I'm in vaca mode. This week I spent with my favorite family members and friends on our annual Long Beach Island trip. A week filled with champagne, karaoke, the Glessner Girls & great food. And although this year was a little more consumed with work (I ain't mad), I wouldn't trade these moments and memories for anything.

Looking back on the past seven days, I spent some amazing quality time with the people I love and I didn't stop to take pictures that often (oops!), but I was able to capture this maxi dress from Ivory Closet.

Haven't heard of Ivory Closet? Well it's a good thing I'm here to let you in on this wardrobe secret. Ivory Closet is a blogger run women's clothing boutique so you know it's got the goodies. Filled with clothing and accessories, you will find unique and stylish pieces to upgrade your closet without breaking the bank. When I chose this maxi, I was just in the market for a cute maxi dress, but when I received it I was surprised by how great quality it was. (Not to mention I was receiving compliments all over the island.)

This dress, earrings & clutch are compliments of Ivory Closet, an amazing online boutique run by fellow blogger and stylist, Alexandra of City Chic. You can shop my exact look here:

|| dress || earrings || clutch ||

And don't forget, before you buy to enter code: STYLEICON15 for 15% your order.

(But hurry 'cause the code only works until 8/31!)

Talk about some serious back action. This dress offers a comfy chic yet sexy outfit all in one. The back of this dress may be the best feature of this dress.

Now let's talk about the front. I love a little low cut action and this dress offers the best balance. #lowcutfun

Paired with hoop earrings (which are out of my comfort zone, but I LOVE them) and this clutch, you can easily dress this maxi up or down.

Now ladies, I would never leave you hangin' I've teamed up with Ivory Closet to give one lucky winner a $100 gift card which you can enter by clicking here.

It is truly one of my favorite dresses in my closet at the moment. The color, the fabric and the detail is so unlike any other maxi I own or I have seen. So be sure to check out Ivory Closet before this sells out! And I guarantee you will love all the other pieces in their collection too!

Now let's get to know the leading lady behind the brand:

1. What made you decide to start blogging?

It originally started as a way to share the fashion styles that we were carrying at my shop, The Ivory Closet. I unknowingly uncovered a passion and my blog evolved into all things that I enjoy. Fashion, Beauty, Momming, Business, and Lifestyle. It became an outlet to the stresses of running a business.

2. At what point as a blogger did you know you wanted to start your own boutique?

Well the boutique came before the blog but I actually learned while working in corporate America that I am more entrepreneurial minded. I loved climbing the corporate ladder but had this innate longing to create. I would always think “If this was my business I would….” Of course my ideas were very out there and out of the norm for a conservative multi-billion dollar company, I like to coin it “Engineered Marketing Tactics” I was very eager to try my ideas so I decided to take all of the very valuable knowledge I gathered while working in corporate and then put a small business twist on it. While it is SUPER HARD WORK, it is very rewarding and I love waking up every day facing the challenge and trying new and exciting ideas. The stress is there but high pressure situations and stress motivates me. I thrive on it.

3. You have such amazing pieces at your boutique, how do you pick your pieces?

Thank you!!!! I have partnered with specific brands that always deliver quality at a very reasonable price. The brands that we work with also emulate the style that I have set for the brand. We usually attend market but are excited to go out to LA this year to by pass the hectic markets and go straight to the vendors. I like to choose pieces that are unique but not to trendy that they cannot be worn year after year. despite what many may thing, our main clientele is 27 - 36 with the second biggest demographic being 37 - 46! We try to keep pieces that appeal to the woman in this season of her life. Our top selling items are our Lola Slimming Jeans, Coobie Seamless Bras, Ivory Closet Couture Slimming Reversible Tanks, Chinese Laundry Shoes, and of course our blouses and dresses that are eye catching but not too young. Our third largest market are our college girls and you will see more risque styles in our Oxford location with the University of Mississippi being there and all.

4. As busy as you are between two thriving businesses, what do you like to do in your spare time?

“Momming” my husband and I used to go out with friends and socialize the weekends away but after having our little boy, Jack, and the one on the way, James, I truly don’t miss the “scene”

We enjoy cookouts with friends and our kids, chilling and listening to good tunes with a nice glass of wine on our deck, teaching our little boy how to ride his bike or hit the baseball in the backyard, and on Fridays when Jack goes to his grandparents for the night, Ben and I like to hit up the local small business candy store and movie theater to catch a film!

5. What words of advice to you have for new shop owners/bloggers?

Be prepared to give more than your all. Just when you think you have given it everything you got, find more and put it there. Being a new business owner is not a game for the weary. You have to be the kind of person who likes to "eat what you kill", for lack of a better phrase (one of my friends in my Masters Program always used that phrase and it stuck with me)…basically a hunter. Someone who doesn’t wait for the opportunity but hunts for it, thrives on the challenge and all of the stress that comes with it, and finds ultimate satisfaction in the catch! You also have to be agile and extremely flexible to continuous change, always evolving to situations and the environments that will present themselves to you. Most importantly, you have to be a SOLID PRIORITIZER. Know when to work but know when to give your time to those who love you and who you have dedicated yourself to. Your family is always first and you must know when to put it away and give the little one tugging on your dress the attention that they deserve, or even the big one (husband) at that ;-)

Until next time, loves. xx A