Recently, Banana Republic held a ‘Find Your Perfect Fit’ event. Stylist Beth Scrimgeour and Marjory Brifil from the South Park Mall store in Charlotte approached local influencers for styling sessions.

I was thrilled to be chosen!  We were going to receive a pair of pants of our choice for participating! Then the fear set in. I’m so self conscious of my bottom half. What if nothing fit??? What if nothing looked good on me me??? And oh my, what if I busted the zipper out of a pair????

My journey took place over two days and I had the opportunity to work with both of these wonderful stylists.

Marjory immediately quashed my fears. Each pair she brought me not only fit well but were also flattering!! I was amazed at what these ‘magic pants’ did for me.

I went from thinking I’d just take whatever pair that would fit to not being able to decide which ones I wanted! So I returned the next day to work with Beth. More amazing options were presented by her.

So I did the unthinkable. My anxiety over my body image subsided and I posted pictures of myself in every pair on Instagram for my followers to help me decide.

Eventually I chose The Ryan Pant in grey. They are so classy and so flattering. They even altered them because I’m so short.

This experience was more than a Pants Journey. It was a self esteem journey as well. My advice to my readers is, if possible, work with a stylist. They won’t steer you wrong. They are there to make you look and feel fabulous!

Check out my Instagram Designerdiva1103 to follow my ‘Pants Journey.’ And the next time you walk past a Banana Republic stop by and experience your own journey. And be sure to tell me about your ‘Banana Pants’!

Happy Shopping!!!

Moving from a small town to Charlotte opened my eyes to so many new things.
I’ve been exposed to new cultures and ways I’ve never experienced before.

The tequila flavored ice cream from the Ice cream shop in the Hispanic strip mall was amazing. The many Indian food places I’ve eaten at strewn throughout the city. The African service that’s held at our church.

The Chinese New Year celebrations and Asian Boat races I’ve attended since living here. The Celtic Festival coming up that I can’t wait to attend and enjoy my Scotch/Irish background.

So many new experiences that have educated me and enriched my life. And without the diversity, this city wouldn’t be the Queen City that it is.

To me, each group represents a jewel on Queen Charlotte’s crown. And a crown missing a jewel just wouldn’t be as beautiful or complete.

Christmas celebrations are different in every family. Some cook a huge meal on Christmas Day. Some spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day traveling from house to house visiting family and friends.

In our family, the tradition has never changed. 

Christmas Eve we have a huge feast of every imaginable snack and finger food. 24 hours of A Chistmas Story plays in the background of the chaos. 

At night we open gifts from each other. Christmas Day is reserved for ‘Santa Gifts’ 

Christmas morning, after a pancake breakfast the family sadly scatters. 

Friends and In laws are visited. Lunch and dinners are at different extended family members. Presents are loaded into the car in preparation for the next stop.

But Christmas Eve belongs to just us. It’s ‘our time’ It never changes. Others may participate, but they must tolerate our plates filled with appetizers and the occasional ‘You’ll shoot your eye out’ said  in unison with the tv. 

So what’s your family tradition? Or favorite Christmas memory? If you don’t have one maybe this is the year to start!!

Merry Christmas to you all!!

Charleston is by far my favorite city. After visiting several times I decided to take some younger family members along.

Traveling with children is an adjustment to say the least. But trying to get them to embrace the city’s rich history in the same way I do was proven impossible.
After finally prying them away from the beach we went downtown to the City Market and the surrounding shops.
Trying to explain the history of the City Market was interrupted with “I want a kite” “I want to ride a horse” “look a whole store full of moon pies!”

Moving on to The Battery. The boys were not impressed by Rainbow Row as they would not have liked to live in ‘those girl houses.’

Looking out into the ocean at Fort Sumter briefly kept their interest until they saw the jellyfish. Lots and lots of jellyfish. Just like on SpongeBob. I have to admit I was slightly fascinated as well.

And then they spotted the cannons. They heard nothing I said after that.
Looking back I realized, they saw things from a different perspective. And after visiting several times and seeing the same places perhaps I should looks at the city the way they did.

Of course the history is interesting and important. But sometimes you just have to enjoy the little things. So the next time you travel with children, try and see things through their eyes.

Happy Traveling!

As a self proclaimed ‘bag addict’ my bag envy kicked into overdrive seeing this adorable little bag daily in my Instagram feed.

The long cross body strap, the elegant YSL logo and the tassel … oh that tassel! But the clincher for me was the name.

What ‘Blogger’ wouldn’t want a bag named after their favorite pastime?

Measuring at 4.7 x 4.5 the YSL Blogger bag holds only the essentials. The iPhone 6 fits perfectly. Add a lipstick, keys and your favorite card carrier and you’re all set. An added plus for this football loving gal is its size is ‘stadium approved’ for most SEC college stadiums.

So now you’ll find my pics in your Instagram feed! #yslbloggerbag Happy Instagramming y’all!

One year ago today I took the plunge. After months of wanting to write a blog I finally posted my first one.Picking a name was the hardest part. Family, friends and fellow bloggers were subjected to my good and not so good ideas for a title.

My biggest fear was I would have nothing to write about. But content came easier than I anticipated.

My little blog has grown slowly in her first year. Taking workshops here and there, reading as many blogs as humanly possible and networking with other bloggers has taught me so much.

So I’m looking forward to what the next year brings. Happy First Birthday Living La Vida Diva!!

Happy Fall Y’all!!! Today’s the first official day of fall. But to some of us, Fall is not defined by a date on the calendar.

It could start the day your favorite coffee house serves its first Pumpkin Spice Latte. Or the day your favorite autumn scented candles hit the shelves. 

It could start the day you pull your Bean boots and blanket scarves out of storage. Or the day all the cute fall fashions are displayed in the mall windows. 

All of these things signal the beginning of Autumn to me. But what holds the most significance in the changing of the season has got to be the Fall foliage. 

Growing up, The Great Smokey Mountains was my playground. Watching the trees in those majestic hills turn from their once fresh green to dried up muted tones was never an ‘ending’ to me. It meant my favorite time of the year was upon us. 

So grab your PSL, wrap your blanket scarf around you and enjoy the season.

Have you ever spotted a pair of shoes, fallen immediately in love, then looked at the price tag and your heart drops? Being the shoe addict that I am this has happened to me a lot. 
Walking away is painful. But we have two choices. Save up for them or find a dupe. I’ve done both. 

Sometimes nothing but the original will do. But if the shoe is say, just a fad, or so ridiculously out of my price range I will settle for a dupe. 

So I’m bringing you this blog. A tale of two shoes. These are shoes I own or plan to own soon. There are equal amounts of originals and dupes. 

So don’t give up on that shoe  you can’t live without. There’s always another option. Happy shopping!!!

Growing up in a small town I longed for city living. Moving to Charlotte opened my eyes to so many new sights.

I’ve become fascinated with all the murals I’ve found throughout the city. From Uptown to NoDa, Midtown to Plaza Midwood, these works of art can be seen on the walls and even the sidewalks of this beautiful city.

Two in particular stick out as personal favorites. The sidewalk mural located by the Light Rail dubbed ‘The Magic Carpet’ is so unexpected it became an immediate favorite. And the nerd in me absolutely LOVES the Marvel comics mural in the Plaza Midwood area.

 

Locals and visitors alike, I encourage you to take a page out of my book and explore all the treasures we have right here in our own backyard.