#SmackTalks - Take One
Today's #SMACKTALK Topic:
Blogging Babes from the St. Johns Town Center Influencer Dinner
#SmackTalk Doesn't Always Mean Negative
Although, if you watch my rants (or have heard them in person) you know I love to crack on people who need a good dose of reality and or a SMACK to the fucking face but have no one in their life TBH with them. (That is where I come in. Or you come in. Anyone who is willing to SMACK them around with the common sense the good lord gave them, but they are apparently opting not to use. Don't slap baby Jesus in the face like that you dumb dummies; he has better things to do than fool with your foolishness.) You'll come to find a lot of that in this new series, aptly titled SMACK TALKS. (BACKSTORY: Single life Steph's maiden name was Mack. Growing up people often called me variations of Smack {including things like Big Mack - which don't you fucking dare call me that, jerks} and I adopted it as my alias because most employers assigned email addresses by using your first initial and last name, so everyone knew me as SMACK. I then took it on as my personal insta handle, so that is where the SMACK comes from...I am not just referencing someone talking smack...I WAS LEGIT BORN TO TALK SOME SHIT, Y'ALL) but today's INAUGURAL post is all SWEET with a side of sass.
Let's Dish, Bish!
I'd like to introduce you to and talk a little SMACK about my favorite Jacksonville Blogging Babes and dish the details on our beautiful evening at the St. Johns Town Center Influencer Event we attended two weeks ago.
All the best babes in one room at the St. Johns Town Center blogger dinner.
Photo by Viktoriya Chuprov Photography
Bloggers In Attendance
The Usual Babes
By usual, I only mean the babes you've seen in some of my previous posts. I met most of them at events hosted by Flipper Splash over the summer and have come to love these ladies! Seriously, all these blogging babes are the BEST. Not only are they the real deal, but you can ask them all the weird style questions you want, and they never bat an eye.
My Smack Talk about these babes is in no particular order, but we'll start with our HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTEST:
Aubrey Alley | Hello Alley
Chatting up my girl because I needed her to tell me how to stand in photos to look like AWK.
Photo by: Viktoriya Chuprov - Jacksonville, Florida
This sweet little ladybug is THE BEST. I've been following her for as long as I can remember, so I had a smidge of a fangirl moment when I met her this summer but as it turns out she puts on her pants one leg at a time, just like the rest of us. (They may be more fashionable, more photographed, and more profitable than OUR pants, but sister still wears pants. In public anyway. :-) )
When She Won me Over For Life: The day she posted pictures of her shopping at Costco while eating a Costco hot dog. #MyKindofChick
Tanner Mann | The Life of a Woman
Blog: The Life of a Womann - Visit Here | Follow on IG - Here
The resident beauty babe with the most entertaining stories on IG. You also have to check out her YouTube page. She and her hubby crack me up. She is as cute as a newborn baby's butt, and you'll wonder how you lived your life before taking makeup and fashion tips from her. AND SISTER LOVES HALLOWEEN. My favorite day of the year is Halloween, and I live my life hoping to be known as that lady so anyone who can support me in that endeavor is a friend for life.
Danielle | Duchess Danii
That is Danielle in the red next to the giant in the middle. (That giant is me.) Look at those lucious locks. ALSO, holler at your girl Tanner on the far left in those cute pants.
If you've ever wondered what a Barbie would look like in human form, you've found her. (But like an average human Barbie...not the one with weird feet and unique body dimensions. I just mean a too pretty for words, is this what put together people look like in real life sorta thing.) Danielle is a GORGEOUS BRAINIAC who also happens to love fashion. By the way, she is a lawyer in her 9 to 5. So when I'm bitching about fabric swatches and fit samples, this genius is defending the planet. Or maybe reading through contracts, I can't remember. Either way, it's WAY more important than anything I do every day.
Bonus Points for Danielle - She keeps it real. I won't spill her secrets, but one of the first compliments I threw her way was about her hair, and she immediately told me everything I didn't ask but naturally wanted to know. I can appreciate that honesty.
Natasha | Moody Girl in Style
Blog: Moody Girl in Style - Visit Here | Follow on IG- Here
Can you say style crush? I LOVE HER. No one mixes prints and styles better or takes a more perfect flat lay. Although this has never been confirmed, I'm gathering from conversations that she is closer to my age than some of the other bloggers I've met recently. I enjoy chatting with and exchanging messaging with her because I feel less like a not as cool older sister and more like a not as cool classmate. And although she is far more polished and professional than me, she laughs at my nonsense and is ON BOARD FOR MY CHICKEN LIMO OUTING. (If you don't know about Chicken Limos you aren't living your life right.)
My BFF Babes
Sometimes in life, Oprah and Gayle send you people that you know are cut from the same dysfunctional cloth as yourself. These girls are those people. (And don't take offense to the dysfunctional comment. I simply mean they really understand that I am a smidge kooky but love me anyway. We're on that Thelma and Louise shit. Except Cadie wouldn't say shit. She's better than that.)
Cadie | Cadie Fletcher
Cadie and I at our first meeting with our fellow Style Collective babes at a conference in Orlando, Florida. Go figure! We had to get out of Jax to realize we lived in the same city. Cadie is second from the right. I'm once again, the giant in the middle.
Cadie is pronounced like Katie. Or Katy. Or Cady, like Mean Girls. That's honestly when I knew I liked her. Every time I see her name I think of Mean Girls. (And we all know how much I love Mean Girls.)
People don't get much better than this chick right here. She is honestly one of the best human beings I know. And when you think she can't get any better, she cracks a joke and keeps it real just like you and me. AND even though she doesn't look a day over 9 years old she is married to a real cute dude, has a real cute kid, and a real cute house. I am still trying to convince her to take a trip to RI to decorate my new condo, but I am not sure that cute dude and cute kid have signed off on that plan. (I didn't ask the house how it felt, but I'm sure it's fine with it. I'll just sit here in my undecorated dining room waiting for you, Cadie.)
Sasha | The Blonde Confetti
Follow on IG - Here
My BFF Sasha on the left in the IT color for fall.
Did we just become Best Friends?
Sorry, we're not sorry for the events that transpire when we are together. (We cannot be held liable for leading you astray, drinking all the champs, conspiring to cause chaos, and/or forcing you to pose for boomerangs.) Sasha is as real as they come. You know someone is DOWN when you become IG BFFs via DMs before you even meet face to face. AND SERIOUSLY, she is the nicest. She always makes sure to introduce new faces in new places, ensures other people are having fun no matter what, and is always down to snap a good photo for your IG stories. And speaking of said stories, she is the IG stories, QUEEN. I live for her stories. She is #GOALS.
And if that all sounds way too nice and you're wondering what she is doing being friends with a weirdo like me, just know that at the second event we attended together we made more than one stop to after party. And it was a weekday. And she didn't bat an eye. The girl kept rolling. MY DAWG.
Katrice Shorter | High Heels and Good Meals
Blog: High Heels and Good Meals - Visit Here | Follow on IG - Here
I LOVE TRICE. (You got a glimpse of her magic on the event recap post, so you already know. If for some reason you didn't, here's that post. And here is her post I linked to because her recap made mine look like child's play.) Every day when I see her in my feed and stories, I think to myself, "WHY THE FUCK AM I NOT THIS CLEVER OR GOOD?" And she also loves Prince and Selena. Anyone who appreciates both of those legends is alright by me. BUT on top of that, my girl is hilarious. She is also wildly productive and accomplished. She manages to post more fabulously written reviews, attend more events, and slay life in less time than it takes me to try and wing my eyeliner on a Girls Night Out. Her blog is terrific, and you'll instantly feel like she's your best friend.
My New Besties (even if they don't know it or acknowledge it)
Prissy - Rush Our Fashion
THRIFT QUEEN WHO THINKS I'M BONKERS. But I think she's bonkers. AND I LOVE HER. Before meeting her at this event, I had only stalked her on Instagram. And by the luck of the draw, we were assigned to sit next to each other. WE HAD THE BEST TIME. I can't stress this enough. Also, she wore the most fabulous boots I've seen in a long time and am still trying to find a way to get the same one and not make her think I'm trying to Single White Female her ass. Make sure you check out her Vlog because she thrifts better than anyone you know in real life AND always looks like a million bucks.
Catalina - But First Brunch Podcast (but also literally every media outlet in town...TV, radio, smoke signals, etc.)
Podcast: But First, Brunch - Listen Here | Follow on IG - Here and Here
BITCH SO FANCY, she has two Instagrams. Get on her level! She is the epitome of the millennial hustler. You almost want to hate her because her hair is Gretchen Weiner level FABULOUSLY BIG AND FULL OF SECRETS and she just always seems like she is #LIVINGHERBESTLIFE but you can't hate her because she is so chill. If you need a stellar podcast that is entertaining, but also informative check her (and her co-host Jessie, out. Or just turn on your closest radio or tv. There is a distinct chance she'll be there talking or staring right back at you.
Chelsea - Babes Who Hustle
Blog: Babes Who Hustle - Visit Here | Follow on IG - Here
THE MOST INSPIRING BABE(S) IN TOWN. Seriously, I was so pumped to meet Chelsea, the founder of Babes Who Hustle, that I had to avoid her for half the night out of fear I'd say something real fucking stupid. She is a rockstar, and even though I still said something stupid, she now knows that's just who I am and what I do. Under her leadership, her phenomenal team of babes is continuously churning out the most mind-blowing content and motivation on the internets and if you don't read it, GO NOW! I look to these hustlers every single day for life advice, inspo, and to help keep me in the loop on the best Jax has to offer. I am blown away by her business acumen and the growth they've had in one year and if she happens to read this, you're my #WCW every day, bitch. ;-) Anyone reading this probably already follows BWH, but my Mom and Grandma who read this regularly and don't have IG...go sign up for their newsletter. I know you get your emails on your phones. (Chelsea & Mara, now you have two more babes on the bench.) ;-) It's the best I could do for you.
Blythe Brumleve - Brumleve Brands
Website: Brumleve Brands - Visit Here | Follow on IG - Here
This SONOFABITCH. She's a fucking champ, and I fucking love her. ;-) She doesn't know it yet, but I'm going to force her to be my drinking buddy. My idea sounding board. My mentor in life. (Blythe, I'll see you soon. Pencil me in your calendar.) She's blogging, running a business, networking, and being way cooler than you and me all at the same time. One day I'll grow up and adult as well as her, but that day has yet to arrive. Until then, I'll just live vicariously through her.
More Sweet Sass than SMACK this Week
You know, I could go on for days about ALL the babes from that evening, but I assume you stopped reading with clarity around 600 words back so I'm cutting you off now. I wanted to ease you into the new series that will be featured on #TheBorrowedBlog every week. I'll be venturing into videos and sound with the series as well, so make sure to subscribe and stay on top of it.
Leave me a comment below if you loved it, hated it, or wanted more. BUT, if you say you HATED IT YOU CAN SUCK A DICK because I'm doing it regardless so I suggest you say you loved it and want more. (See that's how you SMACK TALK, bitches.)
XOXO,
Stephanie
