The Fashion Behind #IFBCON

 jacket: c/o Darling Clothing / top: Zara / pants: Elizabeth and James / shoes: Christian Louboutin / bag: Cambridge Satchel Co. (won at the IFBCON! similar online) / bracelets: c/o Beth Lauren Jewelry bracelet; c/o E.Kammeyer; c/o twistband / necklace and cuff: etc… modern vintage

Christian Louboutin shoes on Emily Kammeyer  and on Liz Teich of Dear Andi

top: Haute Hippie / necklace: c/o Vanessa Mooney

jackets on @robynmward @justmamor @dear_andi and @elkammeyer : Zara

my pants (on bottom): Free People

You may be confused why I’m not posting my usual #FlashbackFriday vintage-inspired post of a style icon or old photograph, but I couldn’t wait to share with you what I’ve been up to.

Bloggers and experts in fashion and social media gathered this week in NYC to network and learn from each other at the International Fashion Blogger (IFB) Conference. Boy, did I manage to do both of those things.

Aside from running into other blogger friends like Really Risa, The Style Darling, Meredith and The New Yorkie, House of Jeffers, and Scout Sixteen, making new friends like Style and Pepper, VLuxeImage, ModeMarteau, and HeelsandCrumpets, advising from top bloggers like The Man Repeller and Susie Bubble, my favorite part of it all was listening to inspiring CEO’s of some of my favorite companies like Warby Parker and Lulu Frost speak.

I’m not normally all that starstruck among celebs or popular tastmakers—especially being I have to style them on occasion—but I was practically shaking after I got the most amazing one-on-one advice from my jewelry designer idol, Lisa Salzer, founder of Lulu Frost.

She and I have a ridiculous amount in common: we’re both the same age, grew up on Long Island, had family that worked with antiques and started our jewelry businesses developed from vintage pieces in the same year. Of course, only one of us is collaborating with J.Crew at the moment, but I love how she figured it all out on her own with trial and error.

Just like how I started this blog after I found diaries of my mother’s that were labeled “DEAR ANDI,” Lisa was driven to start Lulu Frost in homage to her grandmother after seeing her grandmother’s favorite bird outside her window. Sometimes all we need is a sign to make it happen.