Monday Maven: Juanette

Hi Dolls!
So for my very first Monday Maven feature, I was able to chat a bit with Juanette from Fashion Nette-Work and got her insight on blogging, fashion inspiration and more!
I present to you the lovely Juanette:


styledbyU: What made you begin blogging and what motivates you to keep going?
Juanette: I started my blog to generate interest for my styling/personal shopping business but the blog was very "safe" in those days. It started out mainly as fashion advice and photos of looks and trends and then evolved into what it is now, about my style, trials and tribulations. I must admit I enjoy blogging more now that I've found my voice but the time factor is putting a dent in the time that I can devote to blogging.

sbU: What advice would you give rookie bloggers for building a successful blog?
J: Keep at it and be yourself! I would say make your presence known on other blogs and sites to get exposure. I also have a tendency to look over blogs that are too wordy unless it's broken up by photos, so keep it simple. My attention span is short!


sbU: How would you describe your personal style?
J:Hmmmm, I would say ever changing, one day I'm "sexy secretary" and the next I'm "boho chic." But I get stuck in style ruts and feel that I have to shake things up so I try to challenge myself and will shop my closet or think of ways to update my look without breaking the bank. My style is definitely girlie, I love a dress or a skirt! And I wear heels more often than not so people always say that I look "dressed up" but I can be "my kind of casual" and still feel like me.

sbU: Who is your all-time favorite fashion inspiration, living or dead?
J: I'd have to say Tracee Ellis Ross and Solange Knowles are current style inspirations and I sometimes say "WWJennaDo" (Jenna Lyons, the creative director of J. Crew) when I need to think outside of the box. But my all time fave is Willona from Good Times, I covet her style, I would love to have her wardrobe from the show.

sbU: Tell us something about yourself that we wouldn't know just by following your blog...

J: Hmmmmmmm, it has to be something that I don't mind sharing, lol! I'm a true Jay-Z fan but I think I've mentioned that a few hundred times already. But I've found most people are surprised that I'm such a fan. But I listen to everyone from Jigga to Esperanza Spalding to Coltrane to John Mayer. I also have a "wicked" sense of humor, I like to fancy myself as witty but in a "OMG I can't believe she said that" kind of way. I definitely try to keep it PG-13 on the blog but odds are I've thought or said something waaaaay worse in real life. I call that being a "realist" lol.


sbU: Will you style my outfit for the day?

J: I like dress #2 with some tights and shoe #8 with belt #7 and paired with a cute blazer.

Thanks for agreeing to be featured as this week's Monday Maven Juanette!
Stay tuned for my outfit post from Juanette's suggestion :)

New and Improved!

Top: Not pictured
Pants #10
Belt #10
Shoes #2










This is my outfit for the day, but that's not what I want to talk about today...

I want to tell you about the new and improved blog that this will be from now on! I'm really excited about this, it's going to be oodles of fun.

Check out the blog format I will be doing:

Monday Maven - Once a week feature where I interview a style/fashion blogger I love and admire so we can all get to know him/her better!

Tuesday Treasure - A gem I found while perusing the net during the week. A link, an outfit, a tweet, a quote, a picture, ANYTHING basically that tickled my funny bone, inspired my style, or piqued my interest in any other way.

Wildcard Wednesday - I'm going to be daring and let random.org pick a number, and base an outfit around a clothing item with that number for the day. Wild, eh?

Star-Studded Thursday - I duplicate an outfit inspired by a celebrity or fashion blogger.

My Fashion Friday - I style an outfit via Polyvore or some other medium to show what kind of creativity ensues from this majestic head of mine!

So what do ya'll think! I'm so excited to get started!

Thanks for reading, it only gets better from here :)

P.S. To stay true to the whole concept of this blog, I will still be taking suggestions for my daily outfits. The only days that I wont be wearing outfits suggested by my readers, given I receive enough suggestions, will be Wednesdays and Thursdays. So keep sending in suggestions so that I truly keep being Styled by U!

Better StyledbyU

Hi Dolls!

So I've taken a hiatus due to life getting hectic, but now I'm back and ready to take on this blog to a whole new level! Thanks for those of you who stuck around, and I hope I wont disappoint y'all from this point on! Stay tuned though, great things are about to start happening here at StyledbyU!

Have ya heard?

These four lovely ladies:

Casey from The Wiegands

Ilene from much love, illy

Danielle from Changing Lanes


Jess from Boho Baby Bump

are cohosting a party! It's a blog follower fest, where any and all bloggers are welcome to attend... click on any of their blogs linked above for more info... I've never participated in something like this but it sounds like fun, and fabulous creativity is sure to ensue.
So excited to have run into these blogs and hope you all enjoy them too!

Call for Suggestions

Hi Dolls!

So as you can see, I've been writing quite a few 'Styled By Me' Posts lately. That's all well and good, since I enjoy exploring the style ideas that pop up in my mind everyday, but I'd like to hear what you guys want to see me wear. After all, my blog is oh-so-cleverly titled 'Styled By U' and that's the concept around which it exists!
So let out your inner personal stylist and style me via comments! Feel free to leave as many suggestions as you want, I'll try to make sure to wear as many of them as I can!
Thanks for reading, thanks for following, but most of all, thanks in advance for commenting!

Lots of love,
~elisa~

Styled By Me: Urban Cowgirl

Top (not pictured)
Vest #48
Dress #4
Shoes #14

The crisp cotton fabric of the dress and blouse contrasted with the sturdy denim of the vest made me feel a little bit Wild West the other day when I wore this outfit. That is, until the smog, honking, and ongoing buzz of passers-by, cell phones, radios, car alarms, etc. brought me back to the reality that is my life in downtown Luanda.

Styled By Me: Good To Go

Dress #11
Belt #1
Shoes #11

This was one of those outfits that I just threw on and was out the door just like this *snap fingers*. A shirtdress is so easy to wear and handy on rushed mornings such as this one. Button up, add some neutral shoes and belt, and you're good to go!