Hey - I’m glad you stopped by. Welcome to my Substack. You can subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and website. Never miss an update.
What is this?
I already have a blog, Blueprint for Style; but this is where you can expect to see in-the-moment travel content, personal essays with an angle of what if…, but what about…, or I wonder if…, and that one item that has piqued my curiosity as a luxurious necessity (perhaps a strong word but maybe not…).
This popped up because I wanted a less formal place to share my favorite things based on everything I have my little hands in including writing, philanthropy, and passion projects. I’ve had the blog for a little over 12 years but, before that, I spent 15 years doing operational revenue cycle consulting in health care…180 degrees, right? And before that, I went to graduate school in the Pacific Northwest and undergraduate in the Midwest before that.
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Who Are You?
Hey, I’m Monica. I am the founder and driving force behind Blueprint for Style. While the company started as a way for me to help professional women find their style true, the last 15 years has seen it grow into a name that really represents how to show up as the best version of yourself and I firmly believe there are a lot of ways you can do that but it starts by knowing what works well for you.
The Scorpio in me wants to “do” immediately and the curious George in me wants to “understand” and “analyze”, and that showed up in how I helped my friends, and then clients, look their best. I’m a firm believer that it doesn’t take a lot but the right pieces can make a BIG difference in how you feel and, thus, how you show up. And it’s not always the most expensive item but you also have to be willing to invest in the best!
The plan is to share more thought-provoking pieces along with “that” item as well as travel style insights here.
I’m mixing in dollop of real life with luxe aspirations and living with budget concerns and a little dose of ‘you only live once’ sprinkled on top - that amidst the meatier essays. And essays is a strong word…think more rambling but insights takes about something that I’ve been noodling on, or been talking about, or heard a lot about from clients/friends or through ear-hustling.
Oh yeah, I love accessories because I believe they are the glue to any great outfit. I’m a huge advocate of sustainable fashion because I realize how dirty the fashion industry is and the amount of waste we create. Not to mention that we live in a world of excess and need to learn #lessismore. Enough about that… I also feel strongly about beautiful things, wellness, and skincare/beauty. Bundled together, that just means I am a little fanatical about doing the work to show up as the best version of myself because I know that only happens when I treat my body and skin right - from the inside out.
Why Should I Subscribe?
There are millions of Substacks out there - my friends have some awesome ones (please ask me for recs) - but I hope you’ll subscribe to mine because I’m real, and funny, and genuine but I also know a lot (of random facts, lol). I try to be efficient and helpful so you can be informed when making style decisions. I’ve put a lot of time, talent, and treasury into researching and testing items, so when I make a recommendation it’s because I love it.
I am a complex mix of bargains, consignment, high-end, couture, and edgy living and although I aim to share a little of everything from save, spend, and splurge, my natural proclivities are for the few and fabulous - but you get it all for free!
Welcome, xx monica
