The best hairdresser in the world Rebecca Forsyth gave me this process at Bungalow//8 Hairdressing, a lovely salon that has been great to me over the past year. I loved sitting under the hood dryin my hair, flippin through magazines, (I always wanted to sit under one of those!) and the results were just awesome.

So this is my hair now. If I wake up and I haven’t showered and do nothing to it (like I did today), it looks full of body and movement–a style I would have spent half an hour doing before. If I take a shower and scrunch in some curl cream, I have lovely waves. Deep side-parts and hair combs are my new thing.

I’m contemplating trying something even curlier later this year. I’m so addicted to curls now! Big hair is the big thing.

T-Shirt: Forever 21
Skirt: Worthington
Tights: HUE
Socks: Target
Shoes: Dolce Vita
Coat: Target
Bag: Miss Albright

1: Mama’s outfit and Alice’s outfits from our plane ride today. 2: On our way to the airport. Alice wears those glasses everywhere. Now we have two pairs. 3: Fancy shoes and Dave’s indie video games. 4: Nap. 5: Playing her new iPad game, Animal Alphabet. (She said “Yak” today!) 6: Notes passed back and forth between me and Dave on the plane. 7: Napping across our laps. She slept for over an hour this way.

Top: Left of Center; Jeans: Joe’s Jeans; Boots: Henry Ferrera; Bag: Kinies; Lipstick: Hazardous by The Elixery; Alice’s Bag: Skip Hop; Pullover: American Apparel; Polo: Circo; Pants: Carters; Shoes: Pediped

See more details about today’s outfit on my Polyvore page.

xo
meg

1: Mama’s outfit and Alice’s outfit from today. 2. We went to the Waffle House for lunch (we don’t have them in Omaha) where we saw a real cowboy with spurs, and we danced to the Waffle House song that played over the tinny speakers. 2 & 3. Watching little Piper airplanes take off and land at the Deer Valley Airport near Phoenix. 4. Matching sunglasses.

See more details about today’s outfit on my Polyvore page, and I’ll post a more detailed recap of our trip after I get home and upload all of my good photos!

xo
meg

1: Today’s outfit. (Plus gummi bears, which I was all about today. We used to buy them in bulk by color!) 2: Alice making soup in the tub. 3: My love. 4: Explaining plans for our whiteboard at CAMP to my brother so he can buy materials. 5: Alice and I at Johnny Rocket’s tonight.

See more details about today’s outfit on my Polyvore page, the best tool ever for compiling imageboards!

xo
meg

I’m contemplating not doing a new line this spring. The next one I do will be totally in-house, patterned and sewn by me–a look very different from what we have put out in the past. My plan was to use that collection of samples and then start manufacturing the new line for wholesale using a small, ethically-operated overseas manufacturer. I need more time to refine my strategies for executing this goal, and maybe more time to look for partners or possibly investors. I really hate doing things poorly, so I’d rather put this project on hold than rush the process. If I don’t do a new line, I won’t participate in Omaha Fashion Week as a designer, which would be a disappointment to me. So right now I am just trying to weigh all of my options. I could do a smaller, more experimental line for OFW Spring 2012. I could scrap the whole project and instead focus on fundraising and connecting the organization with other influencers in the fashion industry to help support other local designers. I could do nothing and focus instead on my book, CAMP, and current clients. It is hard when you don’t know what the right answer is.

Shirt: American Apparel
Coat: Lauren Moffat
Skirt: Worthington
Tights: Hue
Shoes: Bobbi Blu
Purse: Miss Albright

xo
meg

I was also makeup-free today. I have been wearing hardly any makeup lately–my beauty routine has changed a lot in the last few months. I want to let my skin breathe, and I want people to get to know me without a veil of powder and concealer between us. And I have to tell you, it feels wonderful. I don’t miss the long daily routine, and when I do wear makeup now, it is a lot more fun.

Lipstick, however, will forever be an important part of my routine. It’s part of my identity, and I love it. You twist the bottom of a beautiful shiny tube, pure pigment emerges from inside, and instantly you feel a little more special. Lipstick is hardly makeup, anyway–we all need to wear lip balm. Lipstick is just more colorful.

I discovered my favorite lipstick last August during Omaha Fashion Week–it’s made in Minneapolis by The Elixery, and it’s incredibly smooth and highly pigmented. Before I started using this lipstick, I was a MAC devotee, but now I prefer Elixery lipsticks because they are just as saturated with color, but smoother and very moisturizing. I don’t have to apply lip balm before using them. Even better, each lipstick is vegan and cruelty-free. Sometimes I forget to pay attention to that stuff, so it’s really nice to use a product that is totally guilt-free. They also taste great, with natural ingredients like vanilla, castor seed oil, avocado, wax, and aloe extract. Elixery also offer a flat rate of $5 shipping on all orders from their website. It’s a great product and I hope you try it. Seriously!

Here I am wearing Hazardous, a bright, oversaturated orange, over Twee Pop, a super pale pink. (They are similar to MAC’s Vegas Volt + Snob but not drying at all.)

xo
meg

Shirt: Left of Center
Sweater: Moth
Jeans: J-Brand
Shoes: Dolce Vita
Bag: Miss Albright
Lipstick: Hazardous layered over Twee Pop, The Elixery

I love this coat.

Everyone I run into who has seen it at Anthropologie says “I almost bought that!”

Definitely the best piece of the season. Way to go, Lauren Moffatt.

Working in the studio today on Cyber Monday stuff.
I’ll have lots of pins and headbands.
I’m launching three new kits.
I’m introducing an experimental idea–a subscription club that I will mention again later.
And I actually want your opinion about this–I’m thinking about putting it all on Etsy as well as my own shop.

As a seller, I’m not a big fan of Etsy. It is better for SEO and it’s easier for people to stumble upon your work–when I moved to hosting my own shop on Big Cartel I saw a huge drop in traffic and sales. But I liked Big Cartel better because there was no “community” cattiness, no rules about profiles and linking, I didn’t have anxiety about seeing copies of my work two days after I listed it, and I could customize the look of the shop to my brand.

Being able to customize the look of my shop and the page’s URL was my biggest motivation for the move away from Etsy. My Big Cartel shop could be “My Own Shop.” I could feel ownership of the design, the layout, and the success or failure of the product I shared.

But now, I don’t really care as much about “brand look.” I care more about meaningful interaction with readers and customers, creating content that people like to engage with, and having fun.

More on that later too.

I joined Etsy in 2006 and left in 2010 because I was frustrated with the heavily moderated community and rules about listings and terms of use contrasted with the completely unmoderated landscape of sellers ripping each other off. I wanted more control over my business and Etsy was not a channel I saw as part of my future growth. But with my changing feelings about brand and the results I’ve seen from my move to Big Cartel, I am re-evaluating my strategy. I’ve had a tough quarter and I need those sales. Owning both Princess Lasertron and CAMP Coworking has my resources spread thin right now. I’m an entrepreneur and I take risks. That’s just real talk.

My biggest priority right now after a few years of experimentation is just ease of use for customers. I want it to be easy for customers to learn about me and engage with my products. I don’t want them to have to search. I want them to find it. And then I want to see them share what they like on Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook. People know who I am. I’ve done well for myself. I can leave the brand schtick behind for a while because I have a personality, and maybe going to back to Etsy help me lower some of the barriers that staunch branding has created for me.

More on that later, too.

I like that Etsy does a lot to promote their sellers, and that it’s the most easily searchable database of handmade goods for consumers to find during their gift shopping this season.

So what do you think?

Coat: Lauren Moffatt Sugar Cane Coat
Top: Robin
Skirt: Made for my birthday by Emma Erickson
Socks: Target
Shoes: MIA Girl
Necklace: Erickson Beamon for Target

xo
meg

Mama // Express dress / Forever 21 crinoline / Hue socks / Moulinette Soeurs belt / Merrell shoes
Papa // Slouch Couch tee / Tallia velvet blazer / Seven for All Mankind jeans / MacBeth shoes
Alice // Old Navy jacket / Circo skirt / Circo tights / See Kai Run shoes

I just got a new Roma bag insert and camera organizer from ONA, a company that makes gorgeous camera bags and it’s already another product I can’t live without. I can insert it into my favorite fall purse and it instantly becomes a camera bag, keeping my little Canon Rebel XSi and all my lenses safe and secure inside my purse. With the pockets on the sides, there’s still plenty of room in my bag for my other necessities–keys, sunglasses, lipstick, wallet–but my camera is protected from rattling around among all of my other things.

ONA has offered to give away a Roma camera insert for one of my readers–all you have to do is leave a comment below. Do check out their website as well–I’ve never been able to find a camera bag that was well-designed, not too feminine, and not just plain ugly, and the ONA designs fit the bill perfectly. Their work is amazing. I’ll pick a winner for this giveaway on Saturday at midnight! And dude, spread the word–let’s give ONA some love–you can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Mama: Blouse: Tucker for Target; Sweater: Target; Skirt: Made for my birthday by Emma Erickson; Black and grey houndstooth tights: Hue; Shoes: Xoxo; Bag: BCBG; Camera bag: ONA

Alice: Coat: Old Navy; Pants: Carter’s; Shoes: See Kai Run

Going out the door today: Felt Flower Bouquet Kits for Sandra and JoAnne, a felt flower pin for Marie, shoe clips for Rachel’s wedding

So I know a lot of you are longtime readers, but for those of you who are new and expecting, I give you my week-by-week maternity outfit roundup. Next week I’ll also do a future post as well about my favorite key wardrobe pieces for any cool maternity wardrobe, so keep an eye out for that!

xo
meg

Week 18 :: Week 19 :: Week 20 :: Week 21

Week 22 :: Week 23 :: Week 24 :: Week 25

Week 26 :: Week 27 :: Week 28 :: Week 29

Week 30 :: Week 31 :: Week 32 :: Week 33

Week 34 :: Week 35 :: Week 36 :: Week 37

Week 38 :: Week 39 :: Week 40