Time for another fabulous interview with beautiful fashion blogger Abby Chabra, who specializes her writing style in petite fashion and beauty products. I had so much fun getting to know her and I am so glad she has become an Ivory Closet Style Icon so you will be seeing so much more of her over on The Ivory Closet Blog! Check out her interview here.

You all have sent in several questions for the Guide to Biz Q&A session, some business related some more personal but all in all a great turn out and I am super excited to give ya'll the low down on life as a multi-entrepreneur. Using the word multi because I have my hands in several different companies at the moment, some going great, others are a struggle but hey, that is the nature of being self-employed! Here are 14 questions that you all have asked and I am answering with complete transparency. I will be hosting a second Q&A panel so leave any other questions you may have for me in the comments and I will get to round two!

This year at BlogHer I got the pleasure of meeting Stevie Jewel, a Canadian born rock star fulfilling her dream in Nashville! Her drive and ambition to accomplish her goals are incredible and I am so excited that Stevie agreed to an interview with City Chic Living about her blog and work. Also, check out her Chanel inspired The Ivory Closet Couture line Nashville Tee and shell feather earrings (available at www.ivorycloset.com)

This busy lady does it all when it comes to styling. She will do your shopping, your closet clean-outs, give you fashion advice, and more! Check out the facts on Lauren Draffin in my first interview of the new year! Be sure to check out her fashion in this post...it is all The Ivory Closet!

I am so excited to introduce my new blogging gal pals in our monthly series, launching January 2017, called Bluff City Lights. Each of us have a vested interest in the city of Memphis, in particularly small business, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. We would like to invite fellow bloggers to link up in our monthly post topics and encourage our followers to enter into our monthly giveaways. Now introducing....The BCL Fashionistas.

The fashion blogger behind Living LeReve, Mary Conley, earned her bachelors in Biology from The Ohio State University. Spending her whole life in Ohio she moved to Memphis, TN upon graduating to be with her boyfriend. She worked at fashion boutiques while she figured out which career she wanted. During that time she discovered people around her were interested in what she was wearing and the idea of starting a fashion blog came to life.

Mary starter her styling career while working at boutique and developed a relationship with clients outside of the shop. Her main focus was styling woman and editing their closets until she got the opportunity to style two players of the Memphis Grizzlies. Currently a board member of Memphis Fashion Week she helps plan and organize the week long event while assisting in styling the models through out the shows. As of November, Mary became the stylist and fashion coordinator for Click Magazine. Now married and a new mother to her 4 month old son, becoming a stylist has been her main focus after realizing how much she loves transforming peoples looks.

MEGAN PIPM

COLLINS TUOHY SMITH

Collins earned her Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Mississippi. An exceptional student and influential role model on campus, she was the President of the Student Alumni Council, President of Student Spirit Committee, an Officer for the Kappa Delta Sorority, and an Ole Miss Varsity Cheerleader. A gifted musician, Collins has played the piano since the age of six.

Collins is Co-Owner and the Director of Marketing and Sales at Whimsy Cookie Company in Memphis, TN. Whimsy specializes in custom order decorative sugar cookies, and is sold in their store in Memphis as well as several others across the country. She is currently on the Board of The Making it Happen Foundation, dedicated to changing children’s lives through hope, love, and opportunity. She also contributed to her parents Sean and Leigh Anne’s New York Times best-seller, In a Heartbeat: Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving. Collins expresses her love of fashion through her blog Collins Closets where she takes readers through the journey what inspires her style. She recently launched her consignment store on instagram @collinsclosets where she sells pieces of hers (and her special friends and family) with portion of proceeds going back to The Making It Happen Foundation

 ALEXANDRA NICOLE

Alexandra wears many hats in her home and career life, she is first and foremost a mommy and wife, with entrepreneurship being her skilled trade. She works as a multi-business owner of The Ivory Closet boutique brands and corporation, The Attic Apparel, and Adel Amor Cosmetics, as well as a makeup artist, published fashion stylist, blogger, and business consultant. She launched her blog City Chic Living to share the most current fashion and beauty trends that she observes on her travels to market and Fashion Week, her latest published fashion shoots, health and lifestyle challenges, interviews with fellow entrepreneurs, and other "mom stuff"! Alexandra is a graduate with a Masters in Business and Administration from the University of Memphis and has also studied International Business at Bournemouth University in Poole, England. 

Alexandra has dedicated her work to the empowerment of women via entrepreneurism in our city and it's surrounding economies through fashion, beauty, and lifestyle initiatives. She believes in the support of the church, small businesses, and, of course, the American Dream that our country was founded upon. 

BLUFF CITY LIGHTS

Bluff City Lights was inspired by a quote from Les Brown, "You don't have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great!" The four of us have a desire to accomplish several things through Bluff City Lights, such as seeking out like minded women in Memphis who enjoy fashion and it's latest trends, building a blogging, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle network within our community, encouraging the Mid-south to feel confident in their style and with the freedom and fun of fashion, promoting self confidence in others, and sharing our experiences and support of small businesses and other makers. 

Be sure to follow each of our blogs so that you are notified of our first big fashion collaboration and giveaway with The Ivory Closet launching January 2017!

Mary Conley - Living Lereve
Meagan PIPM - Pretty in Pink Megan
Collins Tuohy Smith - Collins Closets
Alexandra Nicole - City Chic Living 

 

This interview is one of intrigue and wonder. Ms. Natalie Meagan of The Cry Baby Club has such a unique and drawing personality that it is no wonder, success and positive vibes follow her where ever she goes. As a business owner myself, I am familiar with the typical stories of business success, brick and mortars, retail, web stores, and products or services, but Natalie Meagan's business is a story of what seems to be a niche, but when experienced, is an emotional connection that us ladies can all relate to!

 As a female entrepreneur, I just love inspirational stories from fellow business women who have taken the leap into the scary, yet rewarding world of self employment.  Local Memphis fashion and wedding photographer, Madison Yen, has discovered a new love that not only completes her her more passionate side, but has quickly become her full time job.

In my job as a fashion blogger I get to work with incredibly stylish women from all over the world. One of those ladies is Eva, German fashion blogger of Run Eve Run Blog.

We are so lucky to have such influential women, such as Mary Conley, entering the Memphis fashion scene. Last week I got to chat with this awesome and very beautiful mother-to-be during a City Chic Living photo shoot. I learned so much about her career as a fashion stylist, her life as a Grizz wife, and her passion for gardening.