Happy Thursday! Meet Shannon O’Brien. Between her amazing cheekbones and super warm personality, you will fall in love with her. Shannon is a crazy talented make-up artist, (I seriously never wanted to wash off my smokey eyes), and the blogger behind Cheap Frills and Thrills.

XO
AJ

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FROM THE RUNWAY TO THE AISLE

Let’s be honest.  Not all runway makeup is wearable in an every day situation - let alone your wedding day.  Being recently engaged mysef, I can’t really picture myself wearing THIS on possibly the most photographed day of my life.  What is a trendy-loving bride to do?!  Fear not my fashion-forward brides!  I have sifted through the internet and found some looks from SS13 that easily translate from the runway to the aisle.

1.  LUSCIOUS LASHES -  Easily one of my favorite looks.  Lashes are an instant way to boost the emphasis on your eyes without having to sacrifice the look of being soft and fresh.  The best part is that they can be used with ANY look you go for on your big day.

2.  TROPICAL POUT - A new spin on a classic red.  Try pushing your favorite bright lip color a bit more neon.  Balanced with a soft eye it immediately makes your skin look fresh and bright.  Spring and Summer is the best time to get away with such a fun fresh look.

3.  APRICOT A-GO-GLOW - Soft washes of apricot are a beautiful way to compliment any complexion.  It instantly adds warmth and healthy flush to the skin.  Don’t just limit it to your cheeks!  Blend some apricot into your crease or try an peachy lip to add to the glow!

Don’t be afraid to integrate these trends into your every day look either.  You may be surprised and find your new go to!

Shannon

Hello from Mexico! So glad Emilia is guest posting today! This girl is full of wisdom and constantly makes me want to be better at everything I do. Emilia is the talented photographer of Emilia Jane Photography, and her blog combines love, life, and signature cocktails. Enough said.

XO
AJ

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So! Who knows someone that got engaged over the holidays?? I feel like my facebook has been wall to wall with relationship change notifications the past couple weeks.

Just a few helpful tips for all of you newly engaged lovelies :-) Though honestly, this first little treat is hilarious regardless of your relationship status!

1. If you haven’t yet, go check out http://practicalryangosling.tumblr.com/. A Practical Wedding’s Emily Gutman has crafted these goodies that keep me laughing.
2. Take a hot second to just enjoy being engaged! Don’t rush the planning right off the bat.

3. Have a real chat with your fiance about what you both want your wedding to look like. Maybe it’s in a ballroom with a big band? Maybe it’s just the two of you under a big tree in the middle of nowhere? Whatever you’re dreaming of, talk through it together before you take any further steps!

4. Remember that the marriage is way more important than the wedding! Don’t let the small stuff with planning make you sweat.

5. Hire vendors you trust to do an amazing job. And then let them do it!

6. Drink some bubbly and just enjoy it ;-) Okay…I may be skipping a few steps here. But I promise I’ve hit the most important ones!

XXOO
Emilia Jane

I promised guest posts, so get ready to fall in love with Katie. Katie Haigh is the sassy writer behind kphaigh.com. A marketing project manager and soon-to-be self published author living in Seattle, she is up for anything that involves words, polka dots, coffee, or sticky notes. I’ve been inspired by her since I was a freshman in high school.

XO
AJ
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Most days, I absolutely adore the pants off of the internet. I love being able to Google who the sheriff is from The Young Riders when my sister and I have 90’s tv show marathon over the holidays, and I can’t figure out why he looks familiar. I heart the delicious recipes I find that make it easier to eat healthy. And I nearly burst with gratitude over the crazy easy ability to connect to the people I know and love and the people I want to get to know and love.

But then, some days, the internet throws me into a comparison tizzy. I’m sure you’ve been there too. It can be as impersonal as reading a blog post by someone you’ve never met and feeling like they’ve got it made while you’re still struggling just to figure out what your dream job description looks like. Or as personal as seeing your Facebook feed blow up with picture perfect weddings and old friends writing articles that make the front page of The New York Times.

Whew. Browsing the internet should come with a warning label for high risk of rousing the voice in your head that shrieks in an annoyingly, high pitch that you aren’t good enough.

Which is absolutely not even one measly ounce of true.

So, don’t forget to remind yourself… don’t let comparison steal your joy.

Remind yourself when you’re browsing Pinterest…
that those amazing outfits that you’re pinning are helping you pull together the definition of your style and giving you new ideas to rework your closet.

Remind yourself when you’re reading about the top 20 bloggers to watch…
that every single one of these bloggers started off on post #1 and followed up with post #2.

Remind yourself when you’re reading about home decor and DIY projects that are Martha Stewart perfect…
that you’re not looking at the ten failed attempts or the glue gun burn marks. Seriously, those things get hot.

At the end of the day, you are a rock star whether or not you are like anybody else you see on the internet. You are your own particular brand of awesome exactly the way you are right now.

Katie
kphaigh.com

I have the biggest crush ever on 2013. 

Today was my last on-site wedding of 2012, and my first ever NYE wedding. It was so fun to old hollywood the heck outta those eight beauty queens. Tonight, I had dinner with some of my favorite people, including the crazy hilarious Peculiar Cat, and tomorrow I’ll be on a hot sunny beach drinking something with an umbrella in it. 2012, I made you mine. I’m so proud of myself. My girl Katie said it best, “It’s important to give a shout out to your growth in order to take big leaps moving forward. If you don’t, you risk losing sight of how radically stellar you are. Wouldn’t it be a shame to dream small when you’re already so amazing to begin with?”

To kick off the new year, I have a really exciting week on the blog planned! I’ve asked some of my favorite bloggers to guest post on Your Stylist AJ. The ladies you’re about to meet are full of girl power, doing what they love and sharing it with the world. I know you’ll love their posts!

In other news… HAPPY NEW YEAR! Thank you for playing such a major role in my happiness and success this year. Can’t wait to get vulnerable enough to share my resolutions with you Friday! 

CHEERS, 
AJ 

p.s! I’ve been working with the talented Liz of Super Runaway on my new website and am beYOND excited! Stay tuned ;)

Time to catch you up on what’s been going on the past week!

Had THIS feature on Style Me Pretty! 

Flew to West Virginia to work THIS amazing event  

Stayed in a princess palace with my girl Shannon

Put my extensions back in so I feel like THIS

Went two sleepless days before taking a terminal nap

Been fancying all the Pantone ornaments, iPad cases, etc.

Apartment hunting is my new fifth full time job but haven’t found this pad yet

My neighbors must be judging me for blaring this Christmas JAM

Stupid amounts of OBSESSED with this entire 6 minutes 

I double dog dare myself to make these with GOLD

Have the best Christmas ever! 

XO
AJ 

Lately has been crazy. December is my favorite month for a bazillion reasons, Christmas being the most obvious one, but also- it’s my busiest month of the year and I LOVE THAT. I haven’t had a day off in….? And I don’t have a day off until Christmas Eve, but I’m 100% okay with that!

My weekend was booked with weddings and a photoshoot, where I used the precious flowers above to deliver my “Free People” look. First off- if you were involved, THANK you. I have the most amazing clients and friends who all came together to make this the best weekend ever. 

This week, I’m slammed at the salon, then taking off to West Virginia for an event I can’t WAIT to keep you posted on! THEN, back to Chicago for more salon work, THEN to Michigan to play Santa, THEN Mexico.

DEEP BREATH. This year, has been the most beautiful YET. I’m so incredibly grateful/motivated/happy/tired. The best part is… 2013 is going to be even better. WIth a new website on the way, a new identity, new schedule, new kept promises for all of you, I can’t wait to ring in the new year!

JANUARY AGENDA:

• Resolutions, if you missed last year’s they’re HERE
• New prices… with new PERKS for my brides
• Tutorial filming to be posted March 1st
• Monday-Friday DAILY posts (I SWEAR!)
• A WEEK of juicy guest posts

Have you started mapping out your January? :)

XO
AJ

Serendipity lead me to live in a handful of cities before finding my home and career in Chicago. My job constantly evolves and only gets better with age, like a grandfather with so many stories under his belt, and never less proud to tell them. Hairdressing has lead me into the homes and wedding days of so many beautiful women, and I’ve become one of the guys chatting baseball from behind the chair with my guys. It has lead me to blogging, shares common denominators with my work in the fashion industry, and allows me to be a professional daymaker. 

But what I’ve learned, is that I’m a minority here in this bliss of loving what I do. Now, please don’t mistake this for bragging, I’m not trying to rub it in. I’m genuinely sad if you don’t share the obsession for your own job, what you’re choosing to spend your life doing. My question: Then why are you doing it? And my opinion: It’s never too late. Trust me, there are many days a week I don’t feel my sparkliest, but only I can change that!

Life is short. I know it’s a generic statement, but it’s the simplest truth. Life is flying by! If you don’t love something, change it. If you’re not happy, know that you have to power to be. 

My mission is to be happy. Isn’t everyone’s? Don’t we all strive to be happy? I don’t know if it’s the change in seasons, or the fact that we’re all growing up and facing the challenges of the real world, but I’ve noticed, even in myself, that everyone is a little blue as of late. So I took this weekend to spend some serious time and thought on happiness. What happiness means to me, how to be happier, and how to help others be happier. 

After a long Sunday of reading, and singing, and vision boarding- I’ve got it. I KNOW the FASTEST most efficient way to becoming happier. Now don’t laugh… 

MAKE SOMEONE ELSE HAPPY. 

I mean it. 

If you are unhappy, stuck in a funk, or just kinda blah- make it your mission to start making other people happy. SPREAD HAPPINESS. I promise, seriously, that you will be instantly happy. Find your way to spread smiles, and whether it be dropping quarters in a cup on a cold day, paying a compliment, SMILING, being a good listener, sending a “just because” card with glitter… your optimistic options are endless. Before you know it, you’ve tricked yourself into feeling what you want others to as well. 

So BAM. Do what you love, and spread joy. It’s the holidays, so this is the perfect time to snap out of it and get into it! 

XO
AJ 

Some things to get you through the week:

Music is what feelings sound like. PLEASE listen to Reaching Back by Mike Vial & download it here for free (I’ve had it on repeat for days..)

THIS is the perfect gift for pretty much any chick you know

Made By Girl has a 12 days of Christmas sale and today’s LOVE print is presh

Excuse me while I order this in gold

Stocking stuffer for the hipster in your life 

Stocking stuffer for ME

Some classy ink and then some

I need to live here!

I’m hungry because I’ll be here Jan 1

The most beautiful way to strike a match

LOVE THIS and trying HARD to carry this line in our store 

Winter tanks are sexy. 

In other news, I’m going to try to post in the mornings from now on! I’ll be peering at the computer with one eye open- without makeup -resembling a naked mole rat, BUT you won’t be seeing such and will get to start your day with a little dose of AJ :) Sound good? OH! And I hired a videographer to shoot some tutorials making their blog debut along with my new site in March. GET EXCITED!

XO
AJ 

Last night while I was trying to sleep, my inner critics had way too much Red Bull. My brand is all about optimism and feeling amazing, but I’m human. Today, I’m leveling with you about what it’s like to work behind the chair, rock a bridal business, buy for Bonnie & Clyde, AND maintain and grow a blog. 

Starting a brand and blog calls for some vulnerability. Speaking unfiltered is like handing someone earbuds to your thoughts. Yet, as soon as you have an audience, there seems to be less thoughts.

I doubt my own story. I know I’m cool. Will they think I’m cool? Am I cool? The devil on my shoulder laughs at me, the angel is singing Taylor Swift’s “Mean”.

Falling for the idea that there is a right and a wrong way to blog just happens. I’m not doing it wrong. There isn’t a wrong!

There’s a required balance between social sacrifice and social networking. Cutting out the girl’s night is sometimes necessary because blogging followed by tagging Tory Burch in a tweet might gain some exposure… MIGHT.

I know I’m a badass chick, but when I have writer’s block or ZERO time to post, I feel the pressure to maintain that.

When it gets dark at 4:30 I loose momentum and just wanna watch Homeland.

There’s nothing worse than writing a GREAT post, for it to get two likes on facebook and zero comments. I hear my echo in the distance and give myself a hug, because that’s all I CAN do.

The biggest thing I’ve learned about blogging is that I’ll never stop learning. 

I think to myself I’m only true to my brand while carrying my new Kate Spade and rockin’ the ombre, but it’s about reminding myself that my brand IS me. Me in yoga pants, me with a ponytail, me living in a small studio apartment that I loathe. I’m more than that handbag, and I’m definitely more than the haircolor trend that’s come and will surely go. I’m creative and love to LOVE. I’m… driving with the windows down, using new stationary, and disobeying bedtimes. Goofy and professional. Chevron and neon. Dancing in the grocery story and crying over baseball.  I am me, and only I can define that.

I am Your Stylist AJ. 

                                                             Photo by Emilia Jane Photography

KEEP CALM, AND BE THE BOMB. 

Rock out your Thursday pretties!
AJ