A Body Positive Standard

Photography: Coco Michele 

"The one thing you can control is how you treat yourself. And that one thing can change everything". 

I can easily say 2018 has been the year of the woman. With nothing being left unsaid, from equality to the "me too" movement the stance and openness on body positivity has been the most impactful (for myself and millions of others). I am so beyond excited to see and hear stories of women finally starting to feel comfortable in their own skin and realizing that its okay to love themselves as they are.

To my 15 year old self; you will learn to love every Latina curve and embrace it because they will someday inspire others who don't know how to.

I have had the idea of putting out this post for over a year now. Meanwhile I had no idea how or when I wanted to post something like this, I clearly had no clue at the time who I would even include in this collaboration. As a blogger/influencer, I constantly see postings, articles, and talks on body positivity, but I have never seen a petite blogger (like myself) ever wanting to share a platform with a plus size babe.

There was no better person I could have ever collaborated with in this vision than my own cousin. Being a plus size girl, she has openly struggled in the past with embracing the body she was blessed with. She stepped into a career that at the time was blinded to nothing other than sizes 0-4 and termed a size 6 as "plus size". I believe she is a trailblazer for her self and many others in the industry. She holds a place as design director at one of the hottest plus size brands, Eloquii and inspires women each day to positively embrace their curves just as she has learned how to.

As Latinas, we can both agree that our culture comes with molds that are slowly changing + being accepted. The Hispanic culture can go both ways. "If you're overweight, you're healthy" or "If you're thin, you're unhealthy", why is this stigma still a thing in 2018?

I really wanted both of us to wear something really similar for this post. It signifies how we are one and numbers don't define us. My 5'1 size 4 petite frame can wear the same, feel the same, and slay the same as a size 16. 

There are so many young girls and women that still struggle with body image and get bullied for it everyday. We're here to tell you that its OKAY. It's your right to be free and feel free. You cannot let society determine how you should love yourself.

I feel incredibly blessed to have a platform where I can express myself and come to together with anyone I'd like. The Latina in me can't help but to try to break barriers and molds within this industry and set a path forward for any aged girl who feels like they don't have a place because of their body image whether you're plus sized or even petite girl like myself with curves. 

Until next post, 

Xo

Things I've Learned From Being My Own Boss

Photography: Coco Michele 

It's been roughly almost three years since I have officially been a business owner. Being a owner of a corp or even your own boss can mean a entirety of things, situations, and experiences. 

I'll be honest with you, when I decided to take The Fashion Muse to another level and create a legal corporation for it, I was SO clueless. Gladly, my father is a business man and a boss of his own and with his guidance I started to understand somewhat the nature of what all this meant. 

I'll be the first to admit that at 23 years old, I never saw myself as an owner of any kind of business nonetheless my own bossy boss! It's hard work.... and starting up something from scratch is even harder but the benefits of doing this for your self are endless. 

I have never been good at numbers, time management, and obtaining organizational skills (true story) Which is everything you need to have to be a business owner, and much more.... However, situations and experiences force you to change and adjust. Even though I wasn't necessarily blessed with those qualities, I was blessed with the talent of branding, communicating, and persuading. I can easily say, those three qualities have led a way for me. 

Many wouldn't think that being an influencer or a blogger required any kind of work in the business field but actually, IT ALL DOES. Being my own boss has made me into a one woman show and what I would call a full time job. From accounting to legal contracts, I've had to learn it all. 

I have easily underestimated myself so many times within all of this, and have even second guessed the goal behind it. I can't sit here and sugar coat everything, because that doesn't exist. There are months where I've had to pull content out of the air and not know where my next brand partnership is going to come from - this is why content planning and financial planning is so crucial. 

I consider myself a hermit crab at heart... Although being very open with you all is easy for me, the nature of my work has allowed me to work from home 95% of the time. Up until this point, I have had to grow tough skin with others and even brands I have shared partnerships with.

I really hope sharing some pieces of my story can help, especially if you're looking to become a business owner yourself! 

Until next post, 

XO

The 1 Coat you need this fall

Photography: Coco Michele

| SHOP MY LOOK |

Trench Coat c/o Akira (I'm wearing a small + it's currently ON SALE) | Python Boots c/o Miss Lola (use code: FASHIONMUSE for 15% off) |

We are in full fall affect and every autumn season there are always certain pieces that stick out for me the most as "fall essentials". In Miami, it's so difficult to pin point a major item that is a need for the chilly or cold months since we really don't get that kind of weather. 

I really wanted to put out this blog post because I always get asked how can someone style a fall inspired look if they live in a warmer climate.

However, in the midst of finding pieces that could work for both a warmer fall/winter and a cold one, I came across this trench coat. 

A long versatile trench coat is such a great transition piece to add to your closet, especially if you live in a warmer climate. For the days it gets to 50 degrees here in Miami, this is a jacket I will have on repeat. I styled it as an oversized coat dress because it was nonetheless comfy, chic, and airy! But, I can also wear it thrown over my shoulders and with a pair of jeans.  This piece is a great win - win situation because for those who live in colder weather, this is a jacket you can most definitely layer up with.  

I'm honestly so obsessed with it, it gives me major chic inspector gadget vibes. 

Until next post, 

Xo

25

Photography: CocoMichele

| SHOP MY LOOK |

Pink One Shoulder Mini Dress: TopShop (I'm wearing a S and it fits true to size) | Confetti Gold Heels c/o Miss Lola (use code: FASHIONMUSE for 15% off) 

Custom Ice Cream Cake c/o Divine Delicacies

It's my birthday! Welcome to the birthday blog... I am 25 years (younger, duh). 

Stepping into my mid quarter year, I definitely know I am stepping into it as a wiser more patient and open hearted person than I was a year ago. Twenty four taught me a lot, and I cant wait to see what twenty five has in store. 

This year for my special day, I really wanted to push all gifts aside and focus on gifting others. I truly believe that twenty four taught me the passion of giving back full hearted and it's something I am entering twenty five in with full swing. I am so beyond lucky that I have built this incredible platform with an extensive support system behind it that I can use to my fullest advantage, 

With that said, for the rest of the month of October I have started the fundraiser The Fashion Muse For Susan G. Komen. Since it is breast cancer awareness month, It was my cause of choice. This past year, I have seen many women go through this unwanted circumstance. As a girl who started this whole platform in the hopes of inspiring other women and creating a movement of its kind, this is something I was in need of doing and with celebrating my twenty five years of life was the perfect time to give back. 

I really hope you can join me in donating, any little thing counts. The proceeds will be going directly to the foundation at the end of October. 

Click here to donate

https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/the-fashion-muse-for-susan-g-komen?

I cannot thank you guys enough! With much love always.... 

Until next post, 

Xo 

His + Her's: MVMT Watches

Photography: Coco Michele 

Welcome back to another His + Her's post! I know it's been a couple of months since we have updated this section of the blog, but we love doing these and always plan to bring content together. 

Today, Andy and I have partnered with MVMT watches and we're so excited about it. When Andy and I were first started getting to know each other in our relationship (True Story) he would always mention to me how he totally loved all the MVMT watches and that he would be so excited the day MVMT ever reached out to me to work together on a collaboration. Well, here we are! 

| SHOP HER MVMT WATCH |

Wearing: Magnolia Rose Gold 38mm

| SHOP HIS MVMT WATCH |

Wearing: Eclipse 42mm

We love to wear our watches together, and it's definitely one accessory that is easy to style with your significant other for a monochrome look that will style up the both of you. 

MVMT has created my own personalized discount code for you all to use. For $15 off any purchase, use code: FASHIONMUSE15 at checkout. 

Be on the lookout for more His + Her's posts coming soon. 

Xo

Struggling with Endometriosis

Photography: Coco Michele

Today's post is a little more on the personal end rather than a outfit or beauty post. I really do enjoy the lifestyle side of blogging because it sheds light into the more personal side of my life. A few months back when I published my post on my struggles with anxiety, I received an endless amount of feedback from you all that I would have never imagined. I came at peace knowing that I was never going to be alone in what I struggled in, there was always going to be someone who is going through the same thing or maybe surpassed it all and already went through it. 

With that said, a month ago I opened up on my Instagram stories and expressed why I had been a little missing in action over on my social platforms, I just hadn't been feeling well for months and months and months….. 

Disclaimer: this is just my experience. What may work for me, may not work for you.

It's been a little over a year that I have just not felt like my self (physically, mentally, and emotionally) but most physically. I have ALWAYS been open about my struggles with Aunt Flo - for a lack of better words. It's something that started off normal, and started getting worse with time. 

The feeling of being nauseous, aching, and moody during Flo's monthly visit was something I was used to (I mean, what girl isn't?). My symptoms just started increasing as months went by, and I found myself one night blindsided by one of the worst migraines I had ever experienced in my 25 years of life. This migraine would have been easy if it would have just visited my body alone.... But, it brought some undesired company. With the pain I felt, I couldn't stop throwing up and got to a point that my eye site was going in and out as I laid in bed. It was when I tried to get up and cool off in the shower, where I almost blacked out and fainted - I knew something was wrong. 

I found myself at my OBGYN's office a couple days later to find out that I had the beginnings of something called Endometriosis. 

It has been a very long process to get to the point of finding out what I actually had. I went through 3 different brands of birth control to see if it would help with the pain and easy the process. Many of those brands either made me sick or made the ones around me sick because of the terrible b**** it made me.... I also found myself in a bit of a funk with depression, and I am someone who has only struggled with anxiety in life, but never depression. I was constantly sad and angered and I did not understand why. During some moments, I was so down that I questioned so many things that were always beneficial things to my life. It was the damn birth control pills that were doing this to me....

When I found myself at the doctors, not only did we find out about my Endometriosis, but we found a baseball sized cyst growing on my ovary. It was something that birth control could diminish on it's own without having to get a minor surgery to remove the cyst. Gladly, that cyst did disappear within a months time of taking the birth control. 

Endometriosis was something I had already researched on my own, even before my doctor told me about it. It was a scary thought for me, because eventually if Endometriosis isn't treated it could result in infertility and many other unwanted factors. I'm not going to go into major detail on what it exactly is, TMI. 

Trusting God's plan for myself is something  I started believing in more when all this came around. It's HIS plan, and it's HIS vision for me and my life - and I can only trust that. If infertility problems would arise when that time came, it was something I would leave in HIS hands. 

For the moment, I am doing so much better. My doctor was really comforting and explained to me how many woman suffer of this and there is an ending resolution to it all. We came to strategize and figure out what would work for me, and so far the plan has been working out perfectly. 

It was really important for me to put this post out, because I KNOW many of you as women could be struggling with something similar or If not the same and I want you to know that you're not alone. 

I was reached out to by so many of you ladies who had so many questions on this and even were intrigued by what was going on with my health because they were also going through the same thing and hadn't been brave enough yet to go and visit a doctor about it. 

Some times we fall to things we would never expected and it's a matter of having that confidence to get up and say it'll all be OK. Trust the process. 

Until next post, 

Xo

Easy to recreate chic fall look

Photography: Coco Michele 

| SHOP MY LOOK |

Top: c/o Windsor Store | Leopard Skirt: c/o Windsor Store | Bag: /o Lorlie | Black Booties: c/o Miss Lola (use code: FASHIONMUSE) for 15% off

It's been a hot minute since I've posted any looks on the blog, and I apologize! For those avid Muse followers, you know I always continuously publish on the blog. It's been a hectic month of full and amazing projects in the works.

With that said, I'm so happy its officially fall (my favorite season ever) and that we can finally bring out that fall wardrobe! I wanted to put together an easy to recreate look for those who don't really know how to break through with clothing at the start of the fall season. 

There are many trends happening for fall, one of them being animal print. Animal print is so easy to pair with. I went with a super 80s inspired top, but you can also pair the print with graphic tees or even denim. 

This look is super easy to recreate and if you do, I'd love to see it!

Until next post, 

Xo

Trend Alert: Biker Shorts

Photography: Coco Michele 

If you are no stranger to my Instagram, you already know what I am about to tell you - that I am clearly obsessed with biker shorts. There are so many reasons as to why, but I am so glad this trend came about and even more glad that so many of you asked for my take on the trend and how to's when wearing it. 

I previously mentioned how my style has evolved and is always evolving. I also mentioned how I am really into just the more minimal side of style as of lately. This totally leads into why I have been loving to wear biker shorts. They're so simple! Yet, so versatile. 

| SHOP MY LOOK |

Black Biker Short Set c/o Miss Lola | Blue Biker Short Set c/o Lorlie | Oversized Blazer c/o Miss Lola |  Holo Fanny Pack c/o Lorlie (SOLD OUT)

Use code: FASHIONMUSE for 20% Miss Lola purchase 

As seen above, my favorite way to style the trend is to add on an oversized piece (like a blazer or even a denim jacket for a more relaxed look). I do this styling trick because since biker shorts tend to be tight fitted, I like to do something oversized. If I wear biker shorts during the week casually, I also like to pair them with an oversized tee. 

Honestly, I totally remember my mom rocking this trend in the 90's! 

Until Next Post, 

Xo

Side pieces that make for outfit add- ons

Photography: Coco Michele 

The other day I was cleaning and organizing some parts of my closet and I came across a ton of random articles of clothing that I had laying there without barely being used. They were pieces that I once purchased or received that I thought of making outfits out of, but I came to the realization that they were there for much more than just that! These were add ons that I could easily throw into the mix with anything or even oversized men's button down shirts as seen on me!

| SHOP MY LOOK |

Button Down Top w/ Bra c/o: Akira | Lace Trim Biker Shorts: Forever 21(only $5!) | Clear Bangle Bag c/o Lorlie | Small Frame Glasses: Forever 21 (Similar)

I organized all these side pieces into one area of my closet and called it my "grab and go". This section came into a major help when I was running out the door the other day for a meeting and felt like my look was a little bland. I reached for a pair of biker shorts (it's my new favorite trend, by the way) and it transformed the entire look - especially with this statement bag!

Oh and if you're wondering, the bra in this outfit came attached to the top. However, I do have a lot of single bralette bras that are easy to reach for when times like these call. Layering the style can really turn the aesthetic of your outfit to a trendier one. 

Until next post, 

Xo