Altuzarra First Run

I finally got around to trying out my first Altuzarra purchase.  If you followed my last post you know that I buy both online and in-store.  The piece I'm highlighting in this post is an in-store purchase I was highly skeptical about when I first saw it.








This dress had absolutely no hanger appeal to me.  But my mother insisted on adding it to the cart Sunday morning when we were in the store.

I had a meeting with my new boss yesterday (more on that later this week...the Pre-MBA internship), and I wanted to make sure I still had a professional and relaxed feel.  I also really didn't feel like getting dressed up.  Comfort is high priority when I'm getting ready for anything, I constantly toe the line between sweatpants and high fashion.

In all honesty I decided to wear this yesterday because it was the first thing in my eye line when I woke up.  I'll admit I was highly surprised by how cute and comfortable this Altuzarra For Target dress was.

I styled it a little more matchy-matchy than I usually go for, but when you own a baby blue blazer, you try to find an excuse to wear it when ever.  The blazer was a find at H&M (another reluctant purchase), and the heels and jewelery are from J. Crew...and some New York street vendor sunglasses, and a blue hobo sac purse from god knows where.

Granted, the dress is two sizes to big (again part of my high/low buy strategy), but my tailor will get a crack at this dress later this week.

Here are some links to similar pieces:
Altuzarra Dress
Blue Blazer
Hobo Bag
Nude Low Heel Sandals
Crystal Drop Art Deco Earrings

Hope you are having an amazing week so far, until next time.

XOXO,
MacKenzie

Fashion Hunting

I love clothes, but I adore fashion.

It wasn't always that way, but when I fell in love, I fell hard.

There's nothing that gets me more excited than when Target announces a designer collaboration.  It's the perfect mix of high/low fashion, meets hunting, and hand to hand combat (when you get to the store).

My first Target designer piece was a Cinderella blue Rodarte dress.  I never wore it, and it sat in my closet for 4 years, before I reluctantly gave it away to charity when I moved out of my Miami apartment. 

Never fear, I still have the yellow lace sweater from that collection, I wore it constantly to class.

I took a brief break from fashion hunting, except for the moment when I made an early morning trip to pick up a Zac Posen piece.

But things got real in August 2011.  It was a day that will forever be seared in my mind.  My mom and I looked at each other that morning and figured we'd stop by Target after church to see if they had any pieces from the Missoni collection laying about.  We legit felt like we'd been sucker punched.  We had no idea that everyone would descend on the store like locusts.  So from that point on we had a game plan.

When Jason Wu dropped we stood out side in the frigid February air to be the first in the store.  However, we learned an awesome tip from a girl in line.  She had shopped for pieces online that morning, and was supplementing her purchases in store for anything she'd missed. 

A few months later, I requested an insane amount of Christmas gifts come from the CFDA and Neiman Marcus collection for Target...my puppies have designer dog bowls thanks to that collection.  I've worn the Lela Rose dress from that collection more times than I can count, and I love it more every time.

The Prabal Gurung spring collection in 2013 is one of my personal faves.  The floral blazer from that collection is surprisingly versatile.  And the sweatshirts from that collection are some of my best high style add-ons when I'm leaving the gym and need a sweatshirt to add.


Boom! Phillip Lim's collaboration is a wardrobe staple.  I constantly use the leopard print bag from that collection, and the graphic prints are out of this world. There's something exciting about high/low style, and comic book inspiration.  That was also the
the first collection where we (my mom and I), used the web first technique.  Now this is tricky because you have to be up at midnight, and wait between midnight at 3am for something to happen.  I've also learned, trust twitter.  There are some tech savvy fashionists out there, and they know all the tips and tricks for getting purchase links early.
This is also the collection where my mom swears she was elbowed at the door and hit over the head while trying to run/speed walk to get a yellow purse.

Peter Pilotto started out this year's designer collections, and I'm proud to say I got every picture of what I wanted.

Another great tip, don't worry about sizes.  I always purchase my designer Target pieces 1-2 sizes larger and head straight to my tailor (p.s. ladies, get a tailor, they're a godsend).  He tailors each piece within an inch of its life, and the tailoring is what makes it look even more expensive.

Yesterday was an epic hunt for Altuzarra.  I was up at midnight parked in front of my computer, it wasn't until 2:27am that links started popping up on Twitter.  I'm proud to say I got every single piece I wanted, and then some.

My alarm needed to be chic to match the occasion, a sample of the crowd waiting outside the store at 7:30am, and the suit I was hunting for the moment I saw it in the lookbook.

I will post a review of the items when my delivery comes in later this week, but my mom got the Crane sweater in store, and it is just sumptuous.  Thankfully my mom didn't get any elbows to the rib, or shoved, but we make no promises for the next designer collaboration.

Happy Fashion Hunting!

XOXO,
MacKenzie

Don't Step On My Blue Suede Shoes

I'm in the final stages of my MBA journey, and I've put aside a little time recently to talk with women and men in positions I admire, as well as beginning to pursue Pre-MBA internships.

Rather than bore you with all that jazz, I thought would share an outfit I wore recently to an interview.

It's been a while since I did a style post...

Zara's Top, Elizabeth and James Pants, Coach Purse, J. Crew Jewelry and Shoes...and my ever present Nike+ FuelBand.

My meeting was a midday meeting at a coffee shop.  I wanted to not be to formal, but I also wanted to be a little overdressed so the person I was meeting with would know I was taking this moment seriously.  You'd be amazed at how much is projected through clothing...I could write an entire post about the outfits I've worn to recruitment events and fairs, and the feedback I've heard from adcomm members about what they feel my brand is based on what I've worn (Post idea!).

Also the person I was meeting with was creative, so I wanted to use some sort of creative touches to reflect that about myself.

These are all items I've had in my closet for a while but there are links to similar pieces below:
Black Peplum Top
Black Pants
Blue Suede Pumps
Tan Purse
Bib Necklace

I wanted something that utilized my more slimming basics, but had fun in the accessories.  Sometimes you aren't feeling as fit and fabulous and you need an outfit that distracts from the negative self talk and allows you to focus on your inner diva.

One thing I will point out that I should have included were sunglasses, as evident by my squinting.

Hope you all enjoy this post, and let me know if there are any other topics Miss USA or MBA inspired that you'd like to see.

Until next time...
XOXO,
MacKenzie

Essays and Edits

It's been a little while since I touched on the MBA side of this Miss USA to MBA journey.

I'm planning on doing a piece about my decision to take the GRE over the GMAT, and the process I had to go through.

Instead, I wanted to share a bit of an essay I submitted for my Harvard Business School application.  HBS has an amazingly ambiguous "optional" essay.  Optional in the way my swim coach used to say, you don't have to do dry land, it's optional...and then he'd talk about me loudly when he saw me packing up to go home early.  But I digress, in to my swim induced PTSD.

It's staggering how much time and effort went in to this essay.  I wanted it to be a reflection of my character and ethics.  I'm also a huge George Lucas fan (don't worry, this has a point), and he mentioned Joseph Campbell's The Hero With A Thousand Faces as a source of inspiration.  It's about the heroes journey, and I wanted my HBS essay to reflect my heroes journey so far.

I've had the privilege to act as my father's speech writer for the last 4 years, and my writing style has grown so much from it.  The essays were the most exciting part to me, because I felt it was my one opportunity to truly sell myself.

Feel free to leave questions and comments about essay writing.
(P.s. This is just an excerpt, I can't give all the goods away)

You’re applying to Harvard Business School.  We can see your resume, school transcripts, extra-curricular activities, awards, post-MBA career goals, test scores and what your recommenders have to say about you.    What else would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy?

  I remember the day vividly. I was six years old and attending my first end of the season banquet for the Kenwood Country Club swim team. I sat on the floor in front of the stage, while the parents and big kids occupied the tables scattered around the ballroom. My heart skipped a beat every time my coach picked up a trophy, announcing the winner. Girls High Point, 6 & Under High Point, Most Improved, the list continued to rattle on. I was one lone chocolate chip in a sea of vanilla ice cream. I started to feel my little heart sink further with every name. Finally, I heard my name; it felt like I was floating, this was my moment. But, like the final scene from the movie Carrie, my award was a joke. The coach handed me an egg timer, my award, person with the busiest schedule. The coaching staff thought it would be funny to talk about how busy I’d been, juggling horseback riding, summer math immersion program, and swim team.

I watched as my dad leaned over to my mom, I’m guessing he said he was going to bring the car around, because when I looked back, after fixating on a carpet speck to keep from crying, I saw my mom. She mouthed the words “it’s okay”. When the award banquet ended and we stood at the front entrance waiting for my dad, I burst into tears. I have very nurturing parents, but in that moment my mom turned and said, “stop! Now you dry your tears,” she said through my sniffles, “don’t let them see you cry.” “If you don’t like the way they made you feel tonight, you can fix it. You can work and train, and your father and I will support you, but remember this feeling…and don’t ever let anyone make you feel like this, you shut them up with your success.”
...
That night twenty years ago has stuck with me. Whenever I’m faced with what feels like an improbable task, I look at it as an “egg timer moment.”

...

 

XOXO,

MacKenzie

Soul DC

If you follow my Instagram (@MacKenzieAGreen), you may have noticed I have a bit of an obsession...Soul Cycle!

I took my first class over 2 years ago.  My parents and I had just gotten our apartment in NYC, and on a walk around the neighborhood I discovered a Soulcycle near by at E83rd.  I figured anything good enough for Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper was a must try.

I would like to say I enjoyed my first class, but I didn't enjoy it...I became obsessed.  I was sweating like someone was pouring water over my head, and crying like a baby.  There were disco balls, black lights, and lots of positive affirmations.  I took as many classes as I could that week.  And when I went to LA 2 weeks later for my UCLA Riordan Fellows interview (I even roped my lovely Miss AZ Brittney Bell in to going with me), I took a Soulcycle class to get my confidence up and nerves out.

Well you can imagine my elation when I heard Soul was coming to DC a year ago.  Ever since my beloved studio came to town I've been the happiest girl in the world.

My doctor's office was near the studio, so I used to stalk the construction site whenever I went to the endocrinologist

 

I have been in heaven since my first Soul DC.  It's as exhausting, wonderful, emotional, and cathartic for me as I remember.  If you know someone who's done Soul, they probably sound like a cult member.  For someone as Type A as me, it's refreshing to know that I have a place where I can go, and let myself be free.  I don't get caught up in how I'm doing compared to anyone, I dedicate my ride to myself, and just LET IT GO!

The finished product...my sanctuary

Garrett is my Soul spirit animal, and anyone that plays a Britney/Iggy mashup deserves a shoutout

What's not to love about Kathleen, she's killer and aspirational!

I've had a particularly hard past few months professionally, and at times I felt like I was just getting kicked in the teeth.  But there was a moment on the bike in Kathleen's class, where I just let it all out.  I cried like I hadn't in a while.  And because the room was dark no one had to know I was sweaty and weepy.

I could go on for hours about how wonderful Soulcycle is, but you should try it yourself.  And don't say I didn't warn you when class is over and you want to sign up right away, and buy every bit of merchandise they have.

https://www.soul-cycle.com/

Classes are expensive, but believe me when I say, I'm a cheapskate, and I think it's worth every penny.

Maybe if you tap it back in a Rooster class, or Soul Survivor on Saturday, we'll be on a bike next to each other.

XOXO,
MacKenzie