/
07.15.16
#coffeetalk

1. Curious how you both like(d) the Nuna Pipa carseat for your babes?

Brooke: I loved it, we are just switching Avery into a “big girl” car seat now – we bought this one
Meggan: I also loved it! It’s light (for a carseat), has a dream drape, easy to get in and out of the base,  easy to travel with and it’s sturdy. I would definitely recommend it! You can shop it here and here.

2. I was wondering what kind of office jobs you’ve had in the past. We’re you always interested in being in the fashion industry? Meggan – I know you worked at Trunk Club and I wanted to know how your experience was there! If you have any tips for getting your foot in the door to work in fashion I would love to hear them!
Brooke: In college, I majored in PR thinking I wanted to get into fashion PR (now that’s who we work with regularly, but on the other side which is funny). I had multiple internships throughout college, and just found that PR was not my thing. I had a mentor tell me I should look into recruiting, and never looked back. I LOVE(D) recruiting – I think it’s an awesome career path with tons of upward mobility, and you can make really good $$ (most recruiting & sales in recruiting positions are base + bonus or commission)! There are always new job opportunities (I was contacted just last week about a great opportunity in NYC), and it’s a fun, fast-paced work environment. I would definitely go back to recruiting if I wasn’t doing this full time. I LOVED the company I worked for (based in Chicago), and miss being in that office!
Meggan: My first office job was at a media company called Mindshare. There I designed and maintained the intranet program the employees used. It was a good first job and I got a lot of experience but decided to leave for a complete different career path in fashion. I worked at Nordstrom on Michigan Ave and then left after about a year for Trunk Club. I have mixed emotions about Trunk Club. I loved the office, the amazing people, the inspiring meetings, and the potential. But I thought it was going to be a stylist job but it was really just a sales position with a better name. I do not have a sales personality at all and I’m not very pushy so it was hard for me to hit the high goals every month. You do a lot of cold calling and out reach to build your book. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s an amazing company and there are girls (and guys) there who KILL it but it wasn’t the best fit for me. I ended up switching positions within the company and liked that position better. They do sell some awesome clothes and Kyle has got a few custom suits there that he lovvvves! 

3. Meggan – are you doing/following any sort of wedding diet? Brooke – did you follow a wedding diet when you got married? 
Brooke: I didn’t follow any strict diet (before kids, it was much easier for me to get “in shape”), but I ran 3 miles every day on my lunch break for 3 months before my wedding. It was quick, and I grew to love it. My goal was to always complete it in 30 minutes or less. I shed any fat that I had, and felt really great on my wedding day.
Meggan: I’m not one to follow any special diets – I just try to eat clean and workout 3-4 times a week. If I tell myself no carbs or sweets, I’m myself up for failure. I have the Skinnytaste Cookbook and make a lot of recipes from it. They are yummy and low in calories and bonus – Kyle loves them too! But once the wedding gets a little closer I want to start kickboxing. I used to do it and LOVED it. It’s such a fun, high intensity workout and the results are amazing. 

4. I have the honor of being my niece’s God Mother and need a dress for the baptism. I would love some suggestions! 
Congratulations! We love this dress, this one (just bought this! For a more conservative look we LOVE how Lisa styled it here!), this floral one, and this one (obsessed! how is this under $100?!) with nude heels – they would be beautiful and perfect for a church baptism. 
5. Meggan – I will be in Chicago for 3 days and 2 nights in a few months. Best breakfast, lunch, and dinner spots I should hit up?!
I don’t know a ton of breakfast spots but Little Goat, Bongo Room are so good. And if you love donuts, you need to hit up Doughnut Vault and Glazed. My favorite lunch spots are Hampton Social (fun vibe), Three Arts Club (Restoration Hardware), Beatrix, and Summer House. For dinner I would recommend GT Fish & Oyster, RPM Italian (haven’t tried RPM Steak yet but going in a couple weeks!), Green Street Smoked Meats, Big Star, Table 52, Mercadito, Stella Barra, Bar Sienna, Girl and the Goat, and Homeslice. A few places I haven’t been but are on my list are Blackbird, Bohemian House and Grace.

6. What are you guys looking to get from the Nordstrom anni sale? And can you guys post your picks? Thanks!
Brooke: I bought this microderm tool, these boots, this deodorant (everyone raves about this, so I’m trying it!), these flats (in black), these jeans, this vest, this jacket, these sneakers, and this jacket (major major splurge but I’ve been wanting it since last year). This jacket is amazing and now under $100, and I’m planning to stock up on workout gear also – in love with these pants!
Meggan: I got this bra in a couple colors (it’s amazing!), this sweaterthese boots (in grey), these faux leather pants, and this jacket. I’m sure that won’t be my only order 😉 I’m really loving these booties and the tan vest Brooke got!
7. What are your favorite “mom blogs” to follow?
Not all of these are technically “mom blogs,” but they are all moms that occasionally blog about kids (if not all the time). Little Baby Garvin, Designer Bags & Dirty Diapers, Lavender + Laundry (my bestie just started this blog with her mama friend!), and Baby Boy Bakery.

8. I’m new to tanning sprays and self tanning lotions.  Do either of you use either spray tans or self tanning? What are the best ones to use if you are a rookie?
Brooke: Yes! I love this one (my old standard – only have to leave it on for 3 hours max), and this one I recently tried and loved as well (supposedly it’s what they use on Dancing with the Stars & it lasts longer). I just tried THIS and seriously it’s amazing – it’s not a self tanner, it is just a lotion that makes you look tan (but only until you wash it off). It dries really quickly, and I mixed it with lotion to make sure it went on evenly but had zero issues with streaking.
Meggan: I use Jergens Natural Glow and always get compliments on my “tan”. I want to try the lotion that Brooke got too!

9. I’m turning 25 this year, getting married in 2 months and have been a mommy for a little over a year.  With the new changes in my life and working within a school district, I feel that I need to revamp my wardrobe. I’m struggling with finding a balance of staying current with fashion, remaining business respectable (even in everyday life, I’m constantly bending over to pick up/play with my daughter) and keeping my wardrobe simple.  What are the classic staples every wardrobe should include?
We are all about buying classic, staple pieces you can mix + match. Basic tees (we love thesethese and these), a great pair of black pants, a chambray button down, a leather jacket, a casual t-shirt dress, skinny jeans, maxi dress (love this and this), and a cardigan. For shoes you should have a pair of sneakers (what we wear the most!), classic heels, and booties.

10. I am on the hunt for a new work bag. I want something that is large enough to hold a laptop- and ideally, it would have an option of a cross body shoulder strap. Any recommendations? 
We love this one, this onethis one (if you’d consider a backpack!), and this one would be our pick b/c it’s lightweight, easy to clean, and crossbody/shoulder combo! 
11. I have a three month old son (first child), and I pretty much only have him sleeping in Kickee Pants footies. I LOVE them because they have hand covers to protect his fingers from the cold/scratching himself. I’m having a hard time finding 3-6 month pieces with hand covers. I do most of my shopping online, any ideas on where to find footies with hand covers, or alternatives? 
I was the same way with my first, but with my second I just made sure her nails were always trimmed. But if you want to keep them covered, I feel you! What I ended up doing was buying really small, thick baby socks and putting them over her hands because I couldn’t find any footies with hand covers as she grew, so that’s what I would recommend!

12. I’m looking for an amazing dress to wear to a rehearsal dinner. Really trying to dress to impress at this event haha! My dress for the wedding is long & black, so something short (and not black) is what I’m looking for. 
This dress is stunning (and OMG only $70!) and sexy without being too much for a rehearsal dinner – obsessed! This sleeveless version is amazing as well! We also love this one and this one…any of these options will impress! 😉 

Thank you for all the questions this week! As always, you can leave your questions below or email us at brookeandmeggan@somewherelately.com with #coffeetalk in the subject. Have a great weekend babes! xx

M&B