EngagementAnnouncementIdeas forSocial Media (2)

Before I jump into this next post, I recently reached 50 followers and wanted to say a quick THANK YOU! After becoming self hosted through Bluehost, which you can get here, I realized that my posts were no longer showing in the “reader.” Therefore, I’ve had to work harder to gain followers and it’s definitely been more challenging than I thought. So, a HUGE THANK YOU is in order to all those who have followed me.

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Now onto the post. I recently watched a free webinar by Melyssa Griffin explaining tips and tricks on using pinterest. To be honest, I was pretty clueless as to how pinterest worked or how it can be effective in gaining more viewers. But, after watching this video, I feel like I have more knowledge on how it works and wanted to share a couple things I learned. Unfortunately, the webinar that I watched doesn’t seem to be available anymore but if you are interested in watching any of Melyssa’s other videos, check her out on youtube. You can also check out her website here.

1. Pinterest Is Similar To A Search Engine

Pinterest is more similar to Google than it is to Twitter or Instagram. Therefore, your hashtags are irrevelant and unecessary. Instead, you want to focus on descriptions that people would be searching for like they do on Google. It’s also important to use more than just one word descriptions. For example “ootd” is a very generic search term and will most likely get lost in a sea of thousands of other “ootd” pins. Instead, use terms like “how to wear white in winter” or “ways to wear leopard flats.”

2. Become a Curator Not A Hoarder

It’s important to remember that your pinterest is for your viewers and NOT for you. For example, if you’re a travel blogger, your viewers probably don’t want to see pins about kale salad or home decor. So, make sure everything you pin will attract the right audience to your blog.

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3. Include Your Content In Your First Board

When you are organizing your Pinterest boards, make sure you put all of your own pins from your blog onto your first board. You want people to see your own pins first in order to draw attention to your blog and hopefully convert them into readers. You can easily drag and drop this board to the front.

4. Pin EVERYTHING From Your Blog

Make sure to pin EVERY image from your blog. This includes all featured images that have titles on them. I wasn’t doing this because I didn’t realize that pinterest was more like a search engine than say, Instagram. You’ll see below that I pinned all my “featured images” to the first board.

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5. Free Updates Page

This wasn’t a pinterest tip but I thought it was a good idea. Melyssa suggested to add a page in the menu offering “free updates” with an opt-in page. She made a valid point saying that a viewer is more likely to opt-in to receive emails if they actually have to go to the page to do so.  A viewer is less likely to sign up for emails from one of those annoying opt-in pages that flash when you first go to th website.


I only recently implemented all of these changes but in the past couple of days, I’ve noticed I’ve gotten a few visitors from pinterest that I otherwise wouldn’t have had. Like, everything in life, this is going to take some time but I’m willing to continue to make upgrades and wait patiently for greater results.

So, what do you think of these tips? Have you tried any of them? Don’t forget to check out my Pinterest here!

p.s. here’s an outfit pic I wore over the weekend because this is a fashion blog after all.

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SHOP THE LOOK:

Diana

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I find men very difficult to shop for and find it even more difficult to shop for my dad. My dad makes it especially hard because he loses his s**t when he gets a gift card so that’s always a non-option. It’s also hard to find affordable dad gifts so I put together this list of gifts under $50 to help you out!

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1. Polo Tee – I think every dad needs a good polo tee for those golf days. 40% off and less than $27!
2. Pilsner Glass – For the beer lover. 33% off and less than $24!
3. Gingham Dress Shirt – For the dapper dad. 40% off and less than $29!
4. BBQ Tools – For the griller. On sale for less than $32!
5. Funny Socks – For the dad who loves funny socks, these are so cute! Under $10!

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1.Walking Dad Shirt – My dad loves the “Walking Dead” along with many others! $9.99!
2. Ice Cream Spoon – For the ice cream lover (like my dad!) $15.99
3. Guitar Picks – For the musical dad. $7.99
4. Personalized Hammer – For the handyman and dad who can fix anything. $13-$15

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  1. Original Penguin 3 Piece Set – Includes Tie, Pocket Square, and lapel for under $25!
  2. Shorts with Belt – On sale for just $17.99!
  3. Reebok Running Shoes – For all the athletic dads out there! On sale for $34.99!
  4. Shoe Shine Kit – For the fellas who always wanna keep their shoes lookin’ good. $16!

If you’re wondering what I decided to get my dad this year, the answer is this raft. He’s a huge camper and spends a lot of time in the lake drinking beers so I thought this raft was perfect! PLUS it’s valued at $250 and reduced to $45 shipped with code BDMARINA617. You can grab one here 

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There you have it! What did you get your dad this year?

Diana

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Much like everything else in my life right now, I’m a bit behind on my latest Stitch Fix review. In fact, I’ve held on to my returns for about two weeks now and and have received several friendly reminders to return my items. Luckily the SF police haven’t come after me yet.

In case you’re not familiar with Stitch Fix, here’s a quick rundown:

1. As soon as you sign up, you fill out a quick style profile with your preferred styles and measurements. It helps if you have a pinterest board linked so your stylist can see all of the pretty clothes you have pinned.

2. Schedule your first fix  here (This is my referral link…if you use this link, I will get a small credit.) You will be charged a $20.00 styling fee, however this fee gets used towards anything you purchase. For example, if you keep a $48.00 shirt, an additional $28.00 will be charged to your card.

3. Five days within your scheduled fix date, a pretty little box will arrive with 5 items (clothing, scarves, jewelery, handbags, and now SHOES!) You can pick which items you would like on your profile, so if for example, you don’t want shoes, you won’t get shoes.

4. After you’ve tried on all your goodies, you have 3 days to decide what to keep. Log on to your  stitchfix account and checkout. Return the items you didn’t keep in the pre-paid envelope. Then order your next fix and so on and so forth!

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please read my disclosure.


First and foremost, I need to give a shout out to my stylist, JoJo, that girl deserves a raise! I didn’t have any specific requests , so I told her to surprise me and oh my stars, she did not disappoint. I love that she always sends me items that pair well together and will reference items from previous fixes that will pair well with the new items.

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First up was the Fun2Fun Nicolet Lace Up Back Top. Size XS ($44)

Fun2Fun Nicolet Lace Up Back Top

Fun2Fun Nicolet Lace Up Back Top

I paired this top with dark jeans and my Nine West floral flats (on sale here) from a prior fix, like Jojo suggested. I thought this top was gorgeous but was just a little more flowy than I prefer.

Status: RETURNED


Next, I paired the Eden Society Finnigan Twist Back Top, size XS ($48) with the Vigoss Pixie Distressed Frayed Hem Denim Short, size 2 ($48,) and the Toms Seasonal Slip-On Flats, size 6 ($59) Please excuse my extremely bruised knee, I took a tumble the other day.

Eden Society Finnigan Twist Back Top

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I loved this entire outfit! Can we just take a minute to admire these adorable shoes? I mean, they have lemons on them for gosh sakes! How could I say no to those?

Also, the shorts were  a good length and the top is even cuter in person. I wanted to keep the shorts but my budget wouldn’t let me. I also thought I could find vigoss shorts for cheaper.

Status: Top: Kept
Shorts: Returned
Shoes: Kept

Here’s another picture of the shoes because, I repeat, they have LEMONS on them! You can buy a pair here, if you find yourself as obsessed with these shoes as I am.

Toms Seasonal Slip-On Flats


Okay, I’ve saved the best for last! This is probably my favorite outfit I have ever received from Stitch Fix. This outfit included the top and shoes previously pictured plus the Kut from the Kloth Kate Distressed Boyfriend Jean, size 2P ($88)

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Stitch Fix Review Spring 2017

As much as I loved this outfit, I already own a pair of white jeans and these ones were actually a little tight. They didn’t have an exchange so I figured I could create the same look with the jeans I already own.

 

So, there you have it. What do you think? Did I make the right decisions?

p.s. Don’t forget to check out my facebook page that features sales & deals on some Stitch Fix brands.


*This is not a sponsored post and these are my own reviews but if you use my link to sign up here, I will receive a small credit*

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Hi guys! It’s that time of year again, the Nordstrom half-yearly sale! Although not quite as good as the Anniversary sale which is taking place on July 21, 2017 (mark your calendars,) there are plenty of good deals to be had! Don’t forget, Nordstrom always offers free shipping + free returns, so you can shop worry free! All items I chose are under $60! Here are my top picks (all items are clickable)! 

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please read my disclosure.

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  1. Stripe Racerback Maxi Dress (40% off = $38.98) – Maxis are perfect for Spring and Summer weather. 
  2. Hinge Off The Shoulder Top (50% off = $24.50) – This off the shoulder trend has been so popular this Spring, I want to carry it into the Summer months with this short sleeve option. 
  3. Street Level Bag (50% off = $27.98)
  4. SP Black Skinny Jeans (40% off = $34.80) – I know that Stitch Fix carries this brand so, I’m excited to try these for a discounted price! ns45.jpg
  5. Gibson Peplum Top (40% off = $29.40) – Anything with “flouncy bell sleeves” in the description is a winner in my book. 
  6. PST Cross Front Tee (40% off = $20.98) – I have been obsessed with these cross front tees all Spring and I can’t seem to get enough of them! Available in two colors. 
    Lush Camisole 
    (40% off = $17.40) – Perfect layering piece.
  7. Socialite Stripe Cross Back Shift Dress (40% off = $20.40) – Great for those summer days with a pair of fashion sneakers and easy to throw a denim jacket over at night.

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  8. TopShop Light Pink Jeans (40% off – $41.98) – I have been on the hunt for an affordable pair of light pink jeans and these fit the bill. 
  9. Lucky Brand Lace Up Flats (40% off = $41.37) – I love the look of these + they’re Lucky Brand so you know they’re going to be comfy!
  10. Caslon Denim Jacket (40% off = $47.40) – I have a darker colored jean jacket that I am constantly wearing and am in need of a lighter color one. 
  11. Vigoss Cropped Jeans (40% off = $40.80) – I love cropped jeans for those in-between weather days where it’s not quite shorts weather and not quite pants weather.

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12. Kut from the Kloth Connie Skinny Jeans (40% off = $53.40) – I love this brand of jeans! They really are fantastic and I love the light was of these skinny jeans. 
13. Vince Camuto Bell Sleeve Blouse (40% off = $53.40) – I am a lover of all things bell sleeved and check out that color! 
14. Sole Society Bootie (40% off = $53.96) – Not only are these adorable looking but they also look super comfy!
15. French Connection Dress (40% off = $58.80) – This dress is just adorable! No other words needed.

Phew, there’s all my top picks under $60! So, go ahead and fill up your cart and remember to simply, “blame it on the deal!”

Diana

 

 

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Well, folks it’s time for another installment of what’s in my cart Wednesday! So many good sales and deals this week, it’s gonna be tough narrowing down what I actually buy. Let’s get started, shall we?

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please read my disclosure.


First off, Kate Spade announced a surprise sale the other day that runs until May 19, 2017 with up to 75% off items! Plus free shipping over $99! 

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Black Tote ($99, regularly $299) – Such a good deal for a large Kate Spade tote! It also comes in four colors…decisions, decisions.
Earrings ($19, regularly $49) – I’m typically a hoop earring girl but these are just too cute to pass up! 
Clutch ($62, regularly $248) – I mean, this is almost a $200 difference! Again, too cute (and cheap) to pass up! 
Phone Case –  $(19, regularly $39) If you could currently see my phone case, you would understand why I need a new one.

 

Next, of course, is Nordstrom. I don’t think a day goes by that my Nordstrom cart is empty. Here’s what I have this week (all on sale!)

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Bobeau High/Low Cardigan (40% off) – I know Spring/Summer are coming but I always need a good cardigan to throw over tops when the sun goes down at night.
Lush Cold Shoulder Dress  (40% off) Not much to say about this one other than it’s just adorable! 

Steve Madden Ecntrcqt Sneakers
 ($41, regularly $59.95) I already own these in black but I love them and if you know anything about me, it is that I am obsessed with blush! 

Bobeau Ruffle Top (40% off) – I’m all about ruffles this season and this short sleeved top is perfect for the upcoming warmer weather!  
Necklace ($9.49) – I own a very similar necklace in white that goes with everything, and I wear it constantly. I MUST add a pink one to my collection.

 

Last but not least, my Amazon cart has a couple items at phenomenal prices!

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High Wasited Bikini ($19.99) – After the amount of donuts I’ve been consuming this year, high waisted bikinis are looking better and better!
Chifon Blouse ($13.99) – This looks adorable and is available in 7 colors! 
City Classified Sling Backs (some sizes are $21! All under $25) – These are exactly the type of shoe I have been searching for and they’ve gotten really good reviews.

And there you have it! Do you have anything waiting in your cart that you’re dying to purchase?

Diana