Pet Peeves meet Dreams

I love fashion (you'd hope) but it's taken me awhile to get here.  My history with Fashion- mixed with my current resume- have led me to starting Mingo and for my reasoning's behind everything I do...

 

My Mom LOVES to talk about my high school style.  I lived in pajama pants and either a coordinating tee or sweatshirt.  I was also a big fan of pig tail buns... and Doc Martens or Vans... Yup, quite the visual.

 



     

Like these Old Navy Swan/Mingo Flamingo looking ones!  Or I would have killed for Purple Docs! However, I did not wear these two trends together... don't worry! 



In my defense, it was a look that was somewhat in then- similar to today's yoga pant trend- but definitely not considered good style... kind of like Crocs were everywhere but shouldn't have been.  

 

Fast forward to roughly 10 years in the future and I've discovered so much about fashion, style and the importance of presenting yourself.

The truth is in today's society everyone you meet is someone to network with whether you're at the grocery store or at a job interview and let's face it- first impressions matter.

 

Moral of the story?  I want everyone to feel comfortable in their own skin or at least empowered when they wear the brand.  It's all about taking current trends and putting it into a style that works.  Not to mention encouraging people to make it their own. 

 

Mingo Rep Jess and Friend of the Brand Shannon on Valentine's Day

A Perfect example is Jess and Shannon. Shannon rocked her custom white love tee with jeans and vintage inspired jewelry for a clean and sweet look. Jess jazzed hers up with a blazer and messy bun with a gold roped head band.

 

Me- I wear my love tee with a black and gold chevron maxi skirt and black wedges. My super hot 76 year old Grams- she tucks it in her Miss Me jeans with a cami and a jacket.  My mom looks killer with it on for meetings with a pencil skirt and blazer.  No matter who you are you can put a twist on a great fitting tee!

 

 I've started dreaming of the Mingo Couture line (with the help of my super crazy amazing Mom).  My goal with that will be similar as with the tees.  I want great fitting dresses that look good on most body types and can be dressed up or down.  I've started a Couture Inspire Pinterest Board with random thoughts... I'd love your thoughts on fits, colors, design aspects, etc!   

 

Some of my thoughts/questions include:

 

Can everyone pull off cheetah?  Does everyone want to pull off cheetah?

 



  

Bow accents- love or hate? 

 

The best part is we're starting a new contest for a cropped tee of your choice!  So many ways to win including Following us on Pinterest, on Twitter- commenting on this Blog- referring people to join our page AND commenting on our Pinterest Boards!

 

Click here to enter!  http://is.gd/eJD7ZF

 

Good Luck! 

 

XOXO,

 

Tiff



I want it Now...

I've been struggling with this idea for a blog all night... do I write it?  How do I phrase what I want to say? 

So, I decided to go for it in honor of the "believes in dreams," shirts I just ordered... in my favorite color I might add.

So instant gratification is something I struggle with.  I like to see results.  I have absolutely no patience.  However, it's not that I expect things handed to me on a silver platter (don't mistake instant gratification with entitlement) I am perfectly willing to work for it.  I just don't like waiting. 

Case in point.  I'm down 20 pounds... yeah!  However, I want to be at my goal.  I've turned down delicious margaritas, cupcakes (the really original gourmet kind that you feel like you HAVE to try just because you're curious) and pizza, lots of pizza. 

I think every single time you turn down something delicious that is offered to you your body should automatically drop a pound.  How amazing would that be?  Then you would truly be rewarded for willpower! 

Then again I just had a flash of that 90s made for TV movie with Suzanne Sommers where she makes a deal with the devil to lose weight.  I don't remember much more than that- just that it ended badly.  Don't even ask why I thought of that- I had to be super little when it was on!  (just checked on IMDB and it was called Devil's Food... which reminded me of cake... I just said no- another pound gone?)  Since I'm drooling I thought you needed to too.

Click for recipe

Click for Duncan Hines link if you can't resist!

So I figured I'd cave and post a picture of me.  I mean how am I supposed to prove progress to you guys without a picture of me.  This was on my 30th Birthday- with my baby brother- about a month before I started.  You can't see the dress underneath the cardigan but it's already too big and out of my closet- to be donated soon!



How amazingly cute is my brother? Love him SO much!

So what exactly is my point?  You know, speaking of me being off topic sometimes, okay all the time.  My biggest critism on every single paper I wrote from Middle School through College was that I didn't stay on topic for my point =)  I'm trying to improve that with my blog.

My point is that I have so many goals.  I have so many dreams (hence the new shirt in my favorite color) and I want them now.  Doesn't everyone?  However, I'm working towards them and I'm learning that the best way to stay on track is to celebrate the small victories... all the way up until I (you) reach my (your) big goal and then I (you) set a new one!  

Yup that's how my brain works

Okay so I have a tendency to get all touchy feely.  It's something I'm working on I promise. 

In my head I want to be this person that inspires people to create quote posters on Pinterest every time I speak.  



Like this one, Love it, Live it
Click Image for original Link

 In actuality, I think I end up sounding like an extremely wordy Hallmark card.  Since I know I go over the top quite a bit I appreciate the bold, meaningful statements- hence the elegantly simple designs of Mingo. 

(Side Note:  I love Hallmark- I'm from KC, Hallmark is from KC- it's like we're bffs or something.  Support them, buy cards for your loved ones... but you have to buy super cheesy or super random- it's the only way to go.  Slightly humorous doesn't get the point across.) 

(Side Note Part 2:  About 15 separate times I actually started filling out the creative worksheets that Hallmark has on their website to find new talent... I only submitted 1 of the 15.)

(Side Note Part 3:  Hallmark was responsible for the creation of Rainbow Brite, who was my favorite as a child.  I was even in the fan club, but that's a story for another day.) 

That being said I also heard from a few little birdies that my random thoughts are the most entertaining to read so that being said... format change:  the randomness will be intertwined with words of my supposed wisdom. 

So on with how my brain works

Today I decided I'm a little bit crazy.  I talk to people- while they are inside a car and I am not in that vehicle with them.  This happened today on three separate occasions.

1)  When I arrived at a four way stop at the exact same time as two other people I said, out loud, "No, it' okay- you go ahead."  With no hand motions to convey my intentions.  Nope, simply talking apparently to no one but myself.

2)  When I walked right out in front of a car at Petsmart while picking Zoe up at Day camp.  Yes, occasionally my dog goes to Day camp.  She plays and gets her nails trimmed and it's an amazing thing.  Seriously, the first time you saw how excited she gets when I reach for her leash instead of sending her to nigh night (yes, I do say it like that) you would take her to.  ANYWAY- I was almost hit by a car and I found myself mumbling, "OMG I'm so sorry."  Not that he got the message because I kept walking and once again, I forgot the customary wave.

Look at that face =)

3)  I diagnose what happened when I pass fender benders.  Then say it out loud like I'm on CSI.  Sometimes, if I have an audience I'll even pause for dramatic effect like Horatio Caine on CSI Miami.  You don't even want to know how amazing my imitation is if I happen to be wearing sunglasses.   

So moral of the story today:  Buy cards and remember to use polite hand signals when trying to communicate with people inside of vehicles. 

OH and Enter my contest for the size S "Pushing the Limits" tee!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pushing the Limits

I'm reordering "Pushing the Limits" today.  So I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about it because it's definitely one of my favorites (if you want to know a secret- they're all my favorites!)

Original- model Jess Holland

Pushing the Limits is one of my themes for 2013 for a few different reasons. 

First, I've mentioned before that I'm not comfortable in my own skin.  I know I'm intelligent, creative and often entertaining but I still second guess myself because I'm not happy with the way I look.  It doesn't reflect the me that I feel I am or the image I want to project to the world. 

Second, I'm building a brand in a time that a lot of people are struggling with small businesses.  It's a brand that I want to inspire others.  My goal is to have people embrace who they are, what they believe and go on to accomplish amazing things:  personally, professionally and charitably (it doesn't seem like that should be a grammatically correct word... but spell check said yes so I'll go with it.)

So I thought the start of 2013 is a great time to embrace my personal changes and relaunch the shirt in my favorite colors!

SPOILER ALERT

The new design will be on black with a monochromatic teal ink and will be slightly larger so that it looks good on all our styles. 

I'm dying to know- what limits are you pushing this year?

Physical?  Mental?  Professional?  Personal?  Superficial?  Life Changing?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

6 degrees to who?

I love the idea that we're all connected.  I also think that sometimes we forget that we're not that far away from the guy you pass on a street corner or the lady you scream at in a fit of road rage.  So thinking about this led me to the thinking about 6 Degrees of Separation (have you ever played 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon?)

 

 Can you connect them?   (Photo Source IMDB)

 I've also discovered that you can literally type "Bacon number ______" into Google and it will tell you the connections.  Where was this during my high school theater days?  (Yes I know I was/am a nerd =)

So that leads me to thinking about who I'd connect to if I could... and how easy would it be?  If I had to narrow it down I'm thinking...

Ryan Reynolds:  Let's face it he's gorgeous, seems like a genuine guy and I might also get to meet his wife (who I think is gorgeous and amazing!) Plus I wanted an excuse to put his face on my blog!

How can you not love him?  (Photo Source IMDB)

Then I was thinking who would be a great Mingo Spokesperson?  Who lives what they believe?  Who has personality quirks but doesn't hide who they are?  I love celebrities that break out of the mold or who show their less than perfect side!

Could our Mingo fans help us connect with someone amazing?  (Is there someone would wear a tee and maybe get their picture taken?  For almost nothing?)

So who is your top person to meet?  Do you think we could use the 6 degrees theory to make a Mingo connection?  What connection to people do you think we overlook daily?

Me vs. 2013

 

I'm so ready for 2013!  However, while getting ready for the New Year I began to think about how I basically  make the same resolutions every year.  You know the usual:  Take time to smell the roses, get in shape, blah blah blah.  I've also begun to realize that it's almost a trend to break your resolution.  It's like we look to each other for excuses to fall right back into our old habits.

 

So for this year instead of making resolutions I'm setting Goals.  Goals are kind of like creating your life the way you want... then working to make them happen.  Plus it's working towards something, not a matter of breaking a resolution... because we all make mistakes every now and then... and that is how I'm going to take on 2013!

 

1.  Believes in Pushing the Limits: As I stated in my first blog my biggest insecurity is my weight. So instead of a resolution to lose X number of pounds I want to work on getting healthy and comfortable in my own skin.  Since I've been stuck in a rut for quite sometime, making this change will be pushing my personal limits... and I'm ready!

 

2.  Believes in Paying it Forward:  I want to make an impact, it's not a secret, it's one of the reasons we started Mingo.  So this year I want to connect with more organizations, I want to donate more and volunteer more.  I've been so blessed, I want to Pay that Forward.

 

3.  Believes in Love:  I have an unbelievable husband and family (not to mention dog - Zoe) and sometimes I don't think I let them know how much I love them as often as I should.   So for 2013 I want them all to know how amazing they are!

 

4.  Believes in Miracles:  This one is all about my version of smelling the roses.  There are so many miracles that happen everyday- big and small.  I get so wrapped up in the day to day of life that I forget to notice them.  By noticing the miracles of everyday, more fabulousness happens.

 

5.  Believes in Possibilities:   I want to make Mingo a success.  I want to keep hearing stories of what certain beliefs mean to people and their lives,  I want to grow, to donate more, to create more to... well, everything!  That's why I believe in Possibilities, when you believe anything can happen then you don't put limitations on what you can accomplish.

 

What are your 2013 goals?  What are your beliefs?

 

Cheers and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

Tiffiney