Hey y’all! If you keep up with me on Instagram you probably noticed I was at the rewardStyle conference last weekend (also known as #rStheCon). #rStheCon is a by-invitation annual event geared toward high-performance global influencers and brands. This was my third year attending and I feel really grateful to have been invited again. I’ve talked about this in my previous posts about the conference (see 2016 here and 2017 here), but out of their 11,000 influencers (this number has grown so much over the last few years!) they invite the top 200 to the conference. Obviously a lot of those people are unable to attend for various reasons so they send out waves of invites until all of the spots are filled (or at least this is what we’ve been told).
I was sick and pregnant last year so I was excited to experience #rStheCon healthy and able to enjoy a cocktail or two. It was a jam-packed weekend full of learning, networking and some amazing parties.
Here is a brief breakdown of the weekend along with the details for every outfit I wore!
Day 1
I missed the brand mixer because I was still working (still on that 8-5 grind outside of blogging) but made it to the rooftop pool party hosted by Supergoop that evening. I am so glad I got my hands on some of their setting mist! I am a big believer in wearing sunscreen every day whether that means it’s in your moisturizer or makeup. I usually use this NYX setting spray after putting on my makeup but am going to try this Supergoop one since it is SPF 50! It was so much fun getting to see a lot of the other bloggers I’ve either met in the past or keep up with on Instagram!
I wore an old graphic tank from South Parade and the cutest tropical skirt with a ruffle hem!
Photos by: Angie Garcia
Day 2
Day 2 started early with a presentation by rewardStyle that included a look back at last year’s achievements and what’s in store for the future. I love hearing Amber Venz speak (the founder and CEO) and get her view on the future of this industry. After Amber spoke they had a few brands on stage to chat influencer marketing and then Amber interviewed O.G. blogger Aimee Song (her blog is Song of Style) who has achieved so much and done so much for this industry. The keynote speaker was Kendra Scott and let me tell you after hearing her speak I just fell in love with the brand that much more (I swear it’s not just because she’s Texan). She was so inspiring and it was so great to hear about her journey and get some words of wisdom from her. My top two take aways from Kendra were:
“No is merely a suggestion”
Being in sales the last 7+ years I of course loved this. She also mentioned if you look at “no” in the mirror it reads “on”, ha! She was told “no” a lot just like so many of us have probably experienced yet she kept on going because she believed in what she was doing so much. Just a reminder to not give up when someone tells you no!
“Let your core values be your North Star”
It was so clear she knows exactly who she is and what her brand represents. When running your own business it can be easy to get confused or lose sight of what your focus is because of so many outside voices influencing you. If you know what your core values are and stay focused on those in every decision you make, everything will fall into place!
After a few hours of inspiration it was time for lunch hosted by Banana Republic. I cut out of lunch early because of a special visit from Mila and Ita. She of course got lots of love hanging out in a lobby full of bloggers!
After lunch I had a couple of brand meetings and a class led by Jillian Harris from The Bachelorette! She was adorable and just as energetic and talkative as she is online.
I wore these under $20 pants (size medium) and the prettiest Swiss dot lace top that is perfect for a jeans and heels look or with dress pants worn to the office! I of course had to add my favorite denim jacket (linking a similar one – mine is from Spain!).
I didn’t get done until almost 5:00 so I had to quickly get ready for the Express party that started at 6:00. And by get ready I mean I sat in my friend Jaime’s hotel room for as long as possible and then quickly threw my hair up in a pony tail and chose an outfit (note to self: have outfits planned BEFORE the actual conference starts… you’d think I would know that by now but #momlife I guess).
I ended up wearing this golden wrap dress with the most fun earrings ever (thanks for letting me borrow them, Jaime)! You guys know I normally don’t go too crazy with my earrings but these were so fun and so appropriate for the “fiesta” themed party! I swear I matched the decor lol. I love shopping at Express (anyone else use their coupons and shop their 40% off sales like crazy?) and they were great to work with in the past (so many of you loved this jumpsuit I featured – it’s still one of my favorites!).
Day 3
The next day it was back to classes and brand meetings then lunch with Sole Society! I think they have the cutest accessories and love that they’re affordable! I kept it super casual for the last day and wore jeans and a tee with this versatile lightweight jacket (definitely great for the office, too!). Most importantly I wore flats because my feet were dying from the day before! I love the detail on these slides and can’t believe how cheap they are! They are running out of stock but be sure to check back here to see if they get restocked!
That day happened to also be me and Ita’s anniversary. We decided to do a little staycation at the Stoneleigh and leave Mila with my parents for the night (first time ever eeek!). That night was the big LIKEtoKNOW.it party and it did not disappoint per usual. I wish I had gotten there earlier because I didn’t get the chance to snap a photo of my dress before it got dark! It comes in multiple colors and is so chic! Such a perfect party dress. Anyway, I hung out at the party and Ita went to the Foo Fighters concert (I was supposed to go too but couldn’t miss the party!) then we met up after. Such a romantic anniversary I know… before the party and concert we did have champagne and Shake Shack in our room so at least there was that ha. Can’t believe it’s already been 6 years!
All in all it was a great weekend and I’m so glad I was able to catch up with old friends and connect with some new ones! It was the longest I’ve been away from Mila but it felt really good to dive into that part of my life again. It just made me realize I CAN make this whole working, blogging, mom life work if I really try (and don’t sleep much). Thankfully I was able to be with her Thursday and Friday night and Ita came at lunch on Friday so I could feed her and hang out for a bit. Alcohol may or may not have played a role in me making it through Saturday night without her…
If you have any specific questions about the #rStheCon 2018 or questions about my outfits, leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you ASAP!
Thanks for reading!
