TIME FOR A GIVEAWAY! 

Yikes. Lots has been going on, and I am so sorry for the delay. 

I’m currently in Florida, computerless-ish, (gotta buy an iMac now), and busy x10. BUT I’m SO excited about this giveaway! It’s been a while since I’ve done a giveaway and hair tutorial, so I’m working on both :)

I’m giving away a free haircut and deep treatment totaling a value of $115! Want it? It could be yours. Just leave a comment below with what you’d like to see more of on Your Stylist AJ. Feedback is always great, and with the new Your Stylist AJ website launching SO soon, I’d love to hear what content you really want from me. 

SO that’s it, leave a comment, and the winner will be contacted Saturday :)

XO
AJ 

I’m SO busy that I’m going bananas a bit but mostly LOVING it! 

I’m…

psyched for our new home!

listening to this on repeat

preparing for a TON of travel the next two months

loving opaque pastels (especially on LIPS)

regretting coloring my hair purple.. why did I listen to y’all ;)

shocked at how many of my clients are chopping off their hair lately

hopeful that my new website is completed soon

pondering over what color to paint my paws for our Florida trip in a few days

humbled by how many old acquaintances have resurfaced to rave about this blog 

wishing I could do more shopping!

What’s new with you!? 

XO
AJ 

Make it an awesome day! 
AJ 

If you don’t already own DL1961 denim, you don’t own the perfect fitting jeans. If that’s the case, PLEASE invest in a pair, do your butt the favor, I have! I own them in two denim washes, pink, olive, and I just ordered a new pair yesterday. Oops. 

I own a handful of premium denim brands, NONE fit or flatter like DLs. These puppies have a 4-WAY stretch isn’t all talk. Promise. 

XO
AJ 

One of my dearest friends Emilia documented the love I have for Sammy, and the love he has for his guitar ;) Emilia not only captured our love, but had some SUPER sweet things to say about us on her blog with more images!

Ladies, this is the girl to hire for your wedding. Heck, she’s the one to hire even way before your wedding. And if you’re already married, her Beloved sessions are precious. 

I’ll cherish these photos forever. 

Love,
AJ 

Sharing these photos from a few of my 2012 weddings makes my heart smile! There are few things more contagious than love, and I just can’t get enough of it. I have so much love to give, and am thankful to be constantly surrounded by it. 

My 2013 schedule has been booking up quickly, and I can’t WAIT to witness all the love this year! 

XO
AJ 

Never underestimate the power of a hot pink lip! 

Today is an extra long Tuesday! I have a full day at the salon, a mid-day meeting about a cool new beauty product, more clients, a coffee break with a bride-to-be, and then a graduation party for my no-longer assistant as she’s now promoted and has her OWN chair. THAT’s a day. Couldn’t have done it without my lip color. 

No, really. After a few hours of running around, my makeup looks average, far from it did when I left the house. A lip color with BAM really keeps me looking fresh, polished and awake through midnight. 

Try Candy Yum Yum! I can’t imagine it looking less than glam on anyone!

XO
AJ 

Some of you have already noticed, actually I can’t believe how many of you already noticed, but for those of you who didn’t… I have a confession.

I have a new bag. 

Yep. It’s out there. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I secretly didn’t want my mom to find out and start judging me comparing rent to handbag pricepoint ratios. BUT my mom has now seen the bag, aproooooves of the bag, and the secret is out. (My mom has nothing to do with my finances, she just has this weird mom power that makes me feel kinda bad buying things for myself.)

It’s not THAT big of a deal, it’s a Kate Spade, no Louis over here, and not the Tory I had so openly hinted at wanting! Nevertheless, this bag is honestly my first lady bag. Prior to this, I’ve had seasonal bags, ones that get taken out with the Christmas tree due to their short life span. THIS bag, she’ll be around for a while. 

THE BEST PART IS… I have zero buyer’s remorse. THAT’S when you know you made a good and justifiable big girl purchase. No shame. 

So! This is me, being a bad influence on you, and suggesting that you buy yourself that Christmas gift you wanted and didn’t open. Go get it sista! Life is short, you deserve it, ya-da ya-da… 

XO
AJ 

(huge bummer: the handbag I purchased is no longer available but this bag is VERY similar and almost as amazing)

NOW HIRING!

Thomas West Salon is now hiring! If you’re a recent cosmetology school graduate and looking for amazing training by two motivated rockstars- keep reading! 

Danielle Keller and myself are the educators of Thomas West Salon, and after promoting two amazing stylist to the floor, we’re looking to hire at least one new assistant. Assistants in our program get two hands on cut and color classes every week, and are PAID to learn. 

This is a full time position, and at the end of the program, a full time chair and career at Thomas West Salon awaits. The training is hard work, but with Danielle as your cutting educator, and ME as your color educator, we will help you grow and become the strongest stylist you can be, ready to take on ANY client that walks into the salon. The salon is located in downtown Chicago, right on the river in the Merchandise Mart. 

If you’re interested in working in a creative environment and surrounding yourself with people who want to make you the best you can be please e-mail us at twesteducation@yahoo.com. 

XO
AJ 

Hola senoritas! I’m BACK from Mexico, BEYOND motivated with a zillion ideas and MAJOR smiles!

I really wanted to post my resolutions on Friday, but the swim up bar had some kind of magnetic pull. Oops. 

My beauty resolutions from last year  made for a better 2012, and scored me a gig with Allure magazine earning me $1000 of free Revlon products! THIS year is less about the beauty routine, and more about my goals as a city girl trying to make a better way. 

1. OPERATION HOT BODY Stop talking about my dream body, and create it already! I MEAN it this time. I am going to truly treat my body like the temple that it is. Enough is enough. 

2. GROW YOUR STYLIST AJ I’d like to triple my monthly hits on the site this year. My new site will debut in the next couple months, and I feel like it’s my due date with triplets! I’m SO excited to rebrand to better reflect ME. On the bridal side of Your Stylist AJ, I have a goal of 25 weddings this year. That’s HIGH, but I believe it’s totally achievable for me. 

3. MOVE INTO A BIG GIRL APARTMENT I have moved more than anyone I’ve ever met, from city to city, and neighborhood to neighborhood. This year, I WILL find my new home. To plant my roots, to decorate for REAL, and to create an environment that only makes me better! 

4. MINIMIZE CABS Who do I think I am? I’m about to make public transportation sexy, because spending what I do on cabs everyday is far from cute. 

5. INSPIRE THE HECK OUT OF PEOPLE I love my jobs. All four of them. Everything I do shares the common denomenator of making people happy. It’s a beautiful responsibility. In the past year of blogging I’ve learned that the forced and planned posts get far less attention than the raw real passionate posts. The passion is inspiring. I vow to only post about subjects that I’m currently obsessing over, because posting about nail polish just because it’s been a while since discussing nails, doesn’t do anyone any good. Get excited! 

6. TRAVEL WEST One of my best friends in the whole wide world opened a salon in Boulder that I still haven’t visited. It’s time. A fellow power couple we love and miss lives in LA. We gotta get out there. I left a life in Denver, that I miss, and another fellow power couple lives there. I’ve never been to Coachella, I am dying to go. I would love to see Seattle, but that will probably only happen if a bride books me there! Calling all Seattle brides!

7. EXECUTE IDEAS This one is gonna suck, that’s all there is to it. I am too creative for my own good. I think every idea is the best idea in the whole entire world, until the next one comes along. I reallllllly wanted to launch tutorial videos last year, but didn’t. I failed my mission: Operation Hot Body. I didn’t take the road trip to Nashville and New Orleans with my best friend. THIS year, I’m going to execute my ideas. They’re worthy of it. 

8. ONLY SPEAK HIGHLY OF OTHERS I can feel good about saying I am not a gossip queen. I genuinely don’t enjoy any negative conversations let alone ones about others in a negative way. That being said, I still think this is an important resolution on my list. It’s a good reminder that if you don’t have anything nice to say you shouldn’t be saying anything at all. It’s just ugly. Don’t do it. 

9. READ ENOUGH I’ve already read a whole book this year so far! I’m going to spend my free time  …create time to read more. It makes me a better writer, and opens my mind to more opportunity. 

Happy New Year! Lets all hit the ground running and keep the momentum from there! 

XO
AJ