Poshmark's Posh Party: What to know.

One of the highlights of the Texas Style Council Conference will be Saturday night's Posh Party, hosted by Poshmark. Poshmark is an app that makes it easy to list and sell items directly from your closet. Just snap a photo of an item you'd like to sell on your cell phone, upload it to the Poshmark app, transform it with one of the Poshmark filters, and voila! You've created a glam covershot for your listing. Add a description and price for your item, and you're all set.

If you didn't have the opportunity to attend one of the previous Posh Parties in Austin, San Antonio, or Dallas, you're in for a treat! I spoke with Poshmark and got the lowdown on what to expect at the event.

• The theme of Poshmark's TxSC Posh Party is "Party Dresses." Wear a dress that makes you feel amazing! Short or long, vintage or new, tulle or satin, this is your chance to get dressed up and shine.

• Some special TxSC bloggers - including Indiana and I - will be opening their closets at the party and showcasing party dresses they'll be selling through the Poshmark app. Stop by the Poshmark booth at the party and you'll get a chance to see these special dresses up close and in person, and learn how the Poshmark app works as they're listed!

• The best way to be prepared for the event is to download the Poshmark iPhone app before the event (bitly.com/poshmark) so you can participate in the shopping fun.

• Thinking about selling a dress of your own during the Posh Party?  There's no need to pack it with you. Snap a few pics of it while you're home, and the fun ladies of Poshmark will show you how to upload and list it at the event!

Want a chance to make the night even sweeter?  Poshmark will be collecting business cards at their booth and drawing a winner for an iPad3 after the Posh Party (eeek!) Be sure to come by and say hello, learn more about Poshmark and how you can shop the closets of TxSC attendees and women across the country!

- Elissa

Fourteen questions with Julie of Orchid Grey!

There are three things I want to do this year:

1. Visit New York City in the summer,
2. learn how to bake a pie from scratch (I am a notoriously bad cook),
3. and meet Julie of Orchid Grey.

Thanks to the Texas Style Council Conference, I'll be able to scratch that last one off my list. Like many of you, I've been reading Orchid Grey for what seems like forever, secretly coveting Julie's enviable wardrobe, celebrating when she landed her dream job at Modcloth, and admiring her courageous spirit as she relocated to Pittsburgh. Julie has such an easy, approachable sense of style, and she delights her readers with her thrifted finds.

Read through and get to know Julie before meeting her yourself at TxSC!

- Elissa

Elissa: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Julie: Hi, my name is Julie and I'm The Worst at filling out the "About Me" section of anything. I've typed, deleted, and retyped my answer for about 45 minutes. Ok, I had to get that off my chest, let's move on.

A little back story: I was born and raised at the end of a dirt road, on top of a mountain in Maine. My mother frequently says she has no idea where my love of fashion was borne from, but you have a lot of time to dream up weird outfits when you're playing in the woods by yourself. Also, what she doesn't know is that I used to steal all the Vogue's from the laundromat as a child, tucked-under-the-shirt style. Anyways, after going to college for fine arts, graduating, getting married, and living the New England life for, oh, 27 years, my husband and I embarked on The Greatest Adventure: relocating to Pittsburgh, PA so that I could take a position with ModCloth.com as a blog & fashion writer. Besides fashion, art, and nervous talking, I also love cats, cheese, the great outdoors, thrift shopping, and making things with my hands.

E: Tell us about your blog.

J: I started Orchid Grey in 2009 while I was working as a college admissions counselor for my alma mater. I was drawn to blogging as a way to further explore my underutilized closet, and connect with other creative people who loved fashion and exploring personal style. I share my (almost) daily outfits, snippets of my life, and the odd hair tutorial or two.

E: What lessons has blogging taught you?

J: Honestly, the list could go on for miles. To sum it up, I am a kinder, more empathetic, and more tech-savvy individual because of blogging.

E: What role does social media play in your blogging life?

J: Since I work full time- and about 90% of that time is spent in front of a screen- I like to devote as much down-time as possible to being with my little family, the downside of this is that, while I check out all the blogs who leave me comments on a daily basis, I'm not always able to comment back. Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are a great way to connect with my readers, continue the conversation, and answer their questions in more timely a fashion than email (my personal email is a black hole). Social media is also a way for me to share the things I'm interested in that don't always make it to the blog.

E: Can you tell us about any upcoming projects?

J: I'm in dire need of business cards, something other than an old grocery store receipt would be nice, so that is next on my list. I'm also making little changes here and there to the design of my blog, cleaning it up a little. Not very interesting, I know, but necessary. I would also love to start sewing again.

E: What's the best advice you can give to bloggers looking to find their voice?

J: Take a deep breath and just write. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. When I first started blogging, I experimented with many different styles of writing, and eventually I found what works for me. It's OK to not sound poetic, to not sound like a magazine. The way I write on my blog is me, it's a completely different voice than what you'll see in my product writing.

E: What are you inspired by?

J: I'm inspired by people who aren't afraid to be themselves. I love the blog Advanced Style for that reason, all those older ladies know exactly who they are, and you're not going to see them apologizing for it.

E: Before you sat down to answer this interview, you were...:

J: I wish I could say I was doing something exciting and mysterious, but I just brushed my teeth. I live a glamorous life of dental hygiene.

E: Most people don't know that you...:

J: I had a hard time with this one, I tend to be a nervous talker, so in many ways I'm an open book. One thing that I'm pretty sure no one knows: My sister -- who is Autistic and developmentally disabled -- is the one who inspired me to part ways with my job in college admissions, which I was no longer passionate about and pursue a creative career, one preferably in fashion. I realized one day that by being able-bodied, I was given so many opportunities that she won't have, and because of that I needed to live the best life I could. My journey to the job I have now was by no means an easy one, but I have no regrets.

E: Your favorite indulgence is:

J: Thrift shopping. I love the thrill of the hunt, and while I love going with friends, I find thrift shopping alone to be very therapeutic. All that time quietly searching and thinking of the creative possibilities!

E: The next concert you want to go is:

J: I'm not much of a concert-goer, but I'd love to see Lou Reed, Donovan, or Witchcraft.

E: Your friends would describe you as:

J: A strange mix of introvert and extrovert. I can go for marathon lengths without speaking, but as soon as you get me into a social situation, I won't shut up. Also, a cat lady.

E: Your style icon is:

J: As much as she may say she has no style: my mother. Before the Carhartts and hiking boots, there were high-waist bell bottoms, long dresses, and men's sweaters and button-ups.

E: Name three things you can't live without!

J: A cat, some kind of creative outlet, nature.

Rain, rain, go away.

This is the Austin weather forecast for the weekend of the Texas Style Council Conference.  

This stinks.

But you know what doesn't stink? All of our scheduled events - including the thrift workshop and boutique crawl - are still going to take place. So bring your rain gear (umbrellas, rain coats, etc.) and sunny smiles, and get ready for a great weekend. We're not going to let a little gloomy weather ruin our experience. And neither should you!

- Elissa

Ten questions with Grechen Reiter of Hunt.Gather.Style

Grechen Reiter is a powerhouse, though she would hate you for saying that. In addition to being a partner in Hunt.Gather.Style, a vintage pop-up shop with Austin-based bloggers Sydney and Sharon, she runs a conglomerate of blogs, including the wildly successful Grechen's Closet. No one is more educated on fashion blogging ethics, monitization, content and readership than she is. It's no wonder Grechen is in demand as a speaker regarding blogging across the country!

I took some time to catch up with Grechen this week, and she shared her thoughts on blogging and Hunt. Gather. Style, which will be offering vintage at Etctera, Etc on Saturday from 2 -5 pm during the Texas Style Council Conference

- Elissa

Elissa: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Grechen: I'll be 40 this year, I live in Austin, TX, and I'm a professional blogger.  Is there anything else? ;)  I love my work, I love my husband, I love my friends, I love my dog...I just try to keep my head down and work, always moving forward.

E: Tell us about your blogs.

G: All of my blogs are fashion/shopping related, but Grechen's Closet is my first baby - and actually started out as a website (I designed & coded everything myself), not a blog, in 2004. My niche is contemporary women's fashion & I focus on providing as much information as I can on finding those designers online, hopefully with a coupon code!

E: What inspired you to start blogging?

G: Shopping...it's a long story, but I was trying to find an Ella Moss dress that Carrie wore in Sex and the City, had a really hard time getting much information online, so I started by creating a designer directory of where to find over 1,000 brands online.  I also wanted to post outfit pictures - because at that time (in 2004), hardly anyone else was doing it, and especially not anyone who's 5'3" and a size 12...

E: When did you know you were going to be a full-time blogger?

G: I'm not sure I ever KNEW, but I took a chance on it two years after I started my first website.  I was doing well and thought I could do much better if I wasn't also working full-time doing consulting, so I tapered my "regular" paycheck off slowly by going part-time, and then it was gone.  And that's it - since 2006 I've been a full-time blogger and I wouldn't change it for anything.

E: What role does social media play in your blogging career?

G: It kind of waxes and wanes honestly, I've been much more involved on Twitter & Instagram in the past than I am now.  I have a hard time with Facebook, and I'm just getting into Pinterest.  My favorite social medium is Twitter - I used it to interact with my readers & provide them quick, concise information, but I also love the interaction I get with other bloggers.

E: You're considered an expert in the field of fashion blogging. Do you have advice for bloggers looking to turn their blogs into full-time businesses?

G: Take it slowly - let it evolve organically. I could go on and on and on with this subject, but the key is really to let it happen slowly over-time, building partnerships and relationships with advertisers that ultimately will benefit your readers.  Then, make sure your readers are driving all your decisions - that's the only way you'll be able to KEEP making money on your blog(s).

E: In between blogging, you are also a partner in the vintage pop-up shop Hunt.Gather.Style, and will have vintage for sale during the TxSC boutique crawl in 2nd Street. How does vintage influence your personal sense of style?

G: Actually, I'm more of a pre-owned designer duds kind of girl...generally I prefer more contemporary or modern styles over "vintage," but my partners (and fellow bloggers) Sharon & Sydney LIVE in vintage.  I am always in awe of the pieces they find & wear so perfectly; you can never really be sure what items are vintage and which are "new."  And that is really the key for us to buying pieces for hunt.gather.style: they should fit seamlessly into any modern woman's wardrobe.   Our goal is to provide a fun, welcoming atmosphere for women who may, or may not, love vintage to shop for pieces they can easily incorporate into their existing work or play wardrobes.  All of our items (except for some VERY special pieces!) are below $40 and priced to be accessible to anyone.

E: Do you have any upcoming projects you'd like to share?

G: hunt.gather.style has some really interesting things coming up - we're also really excited about traveling to other cities with our vintage pop-up shop! Aside from that, you'll just have to wait and see ;)

E: Apart from blogging and Hunt.Gather.Style, what do you do?

G: Um. nothing? Not entirely true, but my business takes up most of my time.  My husband and I love to travel; we try to take a couple of long trips and a few shorter trips during the year.  And of course, I love to shop - you can find me at the Domain (specifically Barney's co-op) and MOSS Designer Consignment at least once a week.

E: Most people don't know that you:

G: ...would eat candy for every meal if I could - sour jelly belly's or Jelly Babies from the UK specifically.

E: What part of TxSc are you most looking forward to?

G: I'm really excited about the hunt.gather.style pop-up shop of course - our host, Emma, is the cutest thing, and her boutique is fabulous. But I also just love interacting with the bloggers one-on-one; I get so much energy just from learning about what everyone is doing and how they see their blogs progressing.

An interview with Megan Nielsen, independent designer of pretty things.

We at the Texas Style Council Conference are thrilled to have such a variety of sponsors and supporters this year! One of those sponsors is Megan Nielsen, an Australian fashion designer now living in the United States. One glance at Megan's website proves her passion for designing pretty, feminine things. Her designs are a reflection of her nostalgic heart and love of nature. As a child, she loved playing dress up in her mother's wardrobe, and to this day is still inspired by the sweet 70's styles that filled her closet.

Spend today getting to know Megan Nielsen. I know you'll love her as much as I do!

- Elissa

Tell us a little bit about your company. How did you get started? Where are you based?

My name is Megan Nielsen, and I'm an independent apparel and sewing pattern designer. I started my business in early 2010 when I launched my clothing line, and have since expanded to include a line of boutique sewing patterns based on my designs. I love pretty things, so my designs focus on modern feminine pieces with sweet details. I love how clothing can make you feel instantly pretty, and I get so excited knowing that my products are making women feel special.

I'm originally from Australia, but I live and work in Northern Virginia, near Washington DC. It's a wonderfully inspiring area to live!

What inspires you?

When it comes to design I'm inspired a great deal by nature. As an Australian I grew up spending most of my time outdoors - and as a result my main inspirations always come from spending time in nature. My sketchbook is never so full as after an afternoon spent daydreaming in a picturesque location! I'm also a hopeless romantic, and find endless inspiration in my favourite poetry.

What are your three favorite products?

Goodness me that's a hard one! I love all my pieces so much - but if pressed... I think right now I think my favourites are my Darling Ranges dress sewing pattern, Banksia top sewing pattern and the Piedmont blouse from my winter apparel collection.

What are five things our attendees need to know about your company?

I love designing - my company is really built around a love of creating beautiful things, and i think that makes it unique. All my apparel collections are handmade in short runs, ensuring high quality and unique pieces for my customers. Through my pattern line I've begun releasing the sewing patterns to my most popular designs, meaning crafty ladies can now create their own special one of kind designs (I'm really excited about this!). My patterns are made with the goal of making sewing more enjoyable and easy - and are incredibly approachable for new sewers. We are also the only pattern company that also provide a focus on maternity wear as well as clothing for the everyday woman (pregnant women deserve to look pretty too!).

Follow Megan on Twitter at @megan_nielsen and on Facebook!

Packing for TxSC: What to bring, and what to leave at home.

Put down the suitcases, stacks of clothes, and business cards for a moment, everyone. As we're preparing to visit Austin, gearing up for three days of panels, events, networking and learning, there's something I'd like to tell you.

In the craziness of preparing for a blogging conference, it's easy to become overwhelmed. The anxiety of spending a long weekend with 249 other bloggers you may or may not know, in a city you might not have ever been, is enough to whip anyone into a frenzy. There are outfits to plan, and posts to be scheduled, and contacts to make. Before you know it, you're sitting on the floor of your closet having a nervous breakdown and OH MY GOD THE CONFERENCE IS A WEEK AWAY AND I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR STRESSYTIME WHAT SHOULD I PACK FREAK OUT AARRRGGGGHHHH.

It would be easy to stress out at a time like this. It would also be easy to over pack and complicate matters even further. You want to know what to bring?

First of all, here's what not to bring.

Don't bring your anxieties. Unpack your feelings of less-than and what-ifs and don't-belongs.

Because you do belong. You do matter. Yes, you. Whether you have 10 followers or 10,000, you belong. You, with your thrifted skirt and awkwardness and loud laugh and wedge shoes and pink lipstick. You belong.

You belong, because if you didn't, neither would the blogger sitting across from you who almost canceled her reservation at the last minute. Or the blogger with the braids wrapped around her head. Or the blogger whose shoes are killing her. There wouldn't be room for the blogger who is too shy to say hi to anyone and sits alone, but might be the most interesting person in the room. And there wouldn't be a place for the successful blogger, the one with the mass of sponsors and followers and lopsided grin.

Don't bring anything that's going to take away from the sheer joy of this experience. The Texas Style Council Conference is an opportunity to learn, to have fun, to network and to grow, and you needn't bring anything that's going to weigh you down. Because when it comes right down to it, what you wear really doesn't matter. It's not about the skinny jeans or maxi skirt, the platform shoes or the ballet flats, the sleek clutch or oversize satchel. It's not about dressing as someone else, or trying to impress, or hauling out all the big labels.

Because, believe it or not, the speakers and brand representatives and other attendees at TxSC want to meet you. The real you. They want to get to know who you are, and what your talents might be. They don't care about big designer labels. They won't know that you changed ten times before deciding on your outfit that day. You are what matters, and it's you they want to know.

Before you pack a single thing in your suitcase, think about the experience you want to have, and take a moment to appreciate the unique qualities you have to offer. Have the courage to be real and beautiful. Have the guts to be who you are. Pack only what you love, what you feel great in, and leave what's inauthentic behind.

So what should you bring?

Bring excitement. Bring curiosity. Bring comfortable shoes and, yes, business cards, and your camera and two things for the swap and maybe a notepad for taking notes. Bring a willingness to meet new people. Bring questions, and laughter, and an open mind. Bring your most genuine version of yourself, and be ready to share it. That's the kind of stuff to bring to the conference.

So what are you bringing?

- Elissa

Thirteen questions with Kristina of Pretty Shiny Sparkly!

Kristina is a one of the most multidimensional bloggers you will ever meet. A full-time blogger and medical student, Kristina is the woman behind Pretty Shiny Sparkly, a blog that covers fashion, beauty, sequins and other feminine things. She writes with wit and a slightly sarcastic sense of humor, and it's easy to see why she's such a favorite among bloggers (and designers!) Read through and get to know Kristina before the conference - she's scheduled to be a speaker on Panel Four: Blog Balance - Why Your Blog Is Not Your Life.

- Elissa

Elissa: Tell us a little bit about your blog.

Kristina: Pretty Shiny Sparkly is a daily outlet celebrating the feminine aesthetic–and a sparkly thing or two. In it I mostly share my daily outfits (okay, some-what-less-than-daily), but also beauty tips, shopping hauls, gift guides, and the occasional high-end giveaway.

E: What lessons has blogging taught you?

K: Blogging has taught me professionalism, courtesy, how to style myself (you're more motivated when you know many people will see and critique your outfit each day), and has gotten me over my fear of public speaking. I love speaking now! Just try and get me to shut up.

E: What role does social media play in your blogging life?

K: I am an over-sharer when it comes to social media. I Instagram everything, I tweet my random thoughts; I think my fiancé thinks I'm nuts. But I also love hearing from people -- feedback on how one of my outfits or shopping posts inspired someone, asking a question and getting responses back -- it's addictive and totally fun. The only area it doesn't play a part is in my private and (medical) professional life. I never share intimate details (except for the loss of my brother in 2009), and I definitely won't have a Kardashian-type livestreamed wedding!! Off limits!! :)

E: Can you tell us about any upcoming projects?

K: I have a really cool brand ambassadorship coming up (but it's not official just yet so can't share whom, unfortunately!), but for now I'm kind of recuperating from a busy year last year. In 2011 I launched my line with a limited edition piece, spoke at four conferences, did photoshoots in NYC, started Bloggers Do It Better...it's exhausting. For now, at least, I'm back to my normal blogging, plus wedding planning. I did follow up with part two of Secrets to Successful Fashion Blogging, so I give myself kudos for finally getting around to that again.

E: What's the best advice you can give to bloggers looking to find their voice?

K: Finding your voice is so important! I would advise that you sit down to write a post, and begin it addressed to your very best friend. Type "Dear Tracy," (one of my BFFs but of course use your own!) and write as if you are sharing your thoughts with your best friend. You want blogging to be intimate, and you never want to sound like you're on a soapbox or too "authoritative" -- that's what magazines are for. Be intimate and act like you're just picking up a conversation where it last left off. Also, it works really well if you add your own sense of humor (people love funny), and don't get too high and mighty. I always share my insecurities or flaws because that is what makes us human, relatable, and the girl-next-door.

E: What are you inspired by?

K: An easier question would be what am I not inspired by! I of course am inspired by fellow blogger friends, but I also take cues from virtual and retail shopping. I recently styled one of my engagement photo outfits simply by picking up a skirt and a top individually in a store and realizing they looked awesome together as I looked at them in my hand. I translate concepts, not literal outfits, as inspiration. For example, if I love a look someone did with a prim Peter Pan collar top with menswear trousers, I'll incorporate those elements but mix it with my personal spin on things. If that makes sense.

E: Before you sat down to answer this interview, you were...:

K: Taking my engagement photos with my wonderful fiancé! I was up at 5:30am for my makeup artist and we started our session at 7:30am. It was shot by our friends and fellow bloggers, the lovely Bryan & Kendi Skeen of Photographers Skeen (and you probably know Kendi, your keynote speaker!).

E: Most people don't know that you...:

K: ...almost passed out the first time I went into an operating room (I'm about to graduate from medical school in May)--but now, I love being in the OR so much, I'm going into Anesthesiology!

E: Your favorite indulgence is:

K: Where do I start? (I indulge myself a lot.) Dr. Pepper, pricey nail polish (Essie, Butter London, Deborah Lippmann), makeup (MAC & Sephora stores are the black hole to me), magazines (I buy People Style Watch every month. Religiously.).

E: The next concert you want to go is:

K: Probably something at the Rodeo - Houston has the world's largest livestock show & rodeo every year and they are known for their concerts. Taylor Swift, the Black Eyed Peas, George Strait, The Jonas Brothers, Justin Beiber...you name it, they come. Last year my fiancé and I saw KISS! (They were awesome.)

E: Your friends would describe you as:

K: Funny & sarcastic. A magpie. Not afraid of wearing bold outfits (read: I'm NOT subtle). Sparkly.

E: Your style icon is:

K: Honestly I haven't found her yet. Somebody who wears glitter mixed with classic things like oxford shirts. If you find her, let me know. So I can stalk her.

E: Name three things you can't live without!

K: I'll assume we're not philosophical or literal here (like my fiancé, air, water.) My iPhone (hands down), eyeliner, and my Macbook Pro. Can't live without those things (or at least I'd feel like a part of me was missing if I didn't have them.)