Terra McBride: Love Nothing More

February 11, 2018 by Bree Fesh in Interviews

As many of my longtime readers know, ever since I started my blog I try and squeeze in a few interviews with my fellow bloggers and creatives each year. Well, this year, I am trying something a little different and am trying to have a new face on here each month! I have decided to do this because I feel it is incredibly important to stay connected in the community and feel that it is a great way to meet other bloggers and artists, as well as provide my readers with some new content to check out!

This month, my first interview of 2018, I'm thrilled that I had the opportunity to interview a fellow blogger and Pittsburgher, Terra McBride. For those of you who do know know Terra, she is the face behind the fashion and lifestyle blog, Love Nothing More, and she is honestly one of my personal favorite bloggers. For one, her writing style is open, relaxed and incredibly welcoming, and of course like any fashion blogger, she has killer style. But that's enough of me talking about her, so let's get to the interview and you can see all of these things for yourself!

Terra McBride: Love Nothing More

Bree Fesh: When did you first develop a love of style and an interest in the fashion world?

Terra McBride: Fashion has been a huge interest of mine since I was quite young. I would spend countless hours pouring over my Sassy and YM magazines, trying to figure out how to copy the fashions and hairstyles on display. I distinctly remember watching every episode of MTV’s House of Style with Cindy Crawford and Fashion Television on VH1 with Jeanne Beker. That’s how I first discovered André Leon Talley, as a matter of fact. He was often interviewed for Fashion TV after shows.

I started sewing when I was six years old. But I never considered fashion as a career path. I’ve never thought of myself as very creative and when I was younger, I thought I’d grow up to be a psychologist. So I kept fashion at arms length. Until a friend shared a style blog with me. The blogger was based in NYC. I searched for something similar in Pittsburgh. There wasn’t anything like that at the time, so I decided someone needed to show off our beautiful city and feature the boutiques we had available. And my first blog was born!

BF: When did you first start your blog, Love Nothing More, and what made you decide to start it?

TM: I’ve been blogging since 2009. But I took a hiatus between 2013-2015 when I changed jobs and I was asked to quit. To be honest, I was burned out. With my old blog, I carried my camera with me and took my own pictures with a tripod and a remote every single day. After I had my daughter, I just wasn’t loving it anymore. The break was a great opportunity to reset my priorities and figure out exactly how I wanted to approach things the second time around.

I started Love Nothing More in December 2015 because I missed the community and the outlet. It’s so exciting to see how fashion and personal style blogging has changed. Hopefully my voice adds a unique perspective to the conversations happening!

BF: You mention in your "About Section" that you moved to Pittsburgh, at first just as a pit stop, back in 2006. So I'm curious, where are you originally from, where were you initially headed, and what made you decide to stay here in the 'Burgh?

TM: My hometown isn’t so far from Pittsburgh. I’m originally from Meadville, PA, straight up I-79 and just south of Erie. I always felt like a big city girl stuck in a small town though, so I knew I’d leave at some point. And I did. I lived in Washington D.C. for a couple years working for the Pennsylvania governor as part of the lobbying office down there. Eventually, I moved back to Meadville for graduate school. I always told myself that move back would be temporary. So my intent was to head back to D.C. after grad school to be with my friends there, but I bumped into an old high school classmate who stole my heart.

His company had plans to open an office in the Pittsburgh region and they wanted him to spearhead that initiative. I figured Pittsburgh was a step in the right direction. So when the time was right, I started searching for jobs. I landed at the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and, because my work was deeply involved with the rejuvenation of downtown, I convinced CJ to get an apartment in Downtown Pittsburgh. We were entrenched in the city experience from the beginning. We took full advantage of our central access to everything Pittsburgh had to offer. We could feel that something special was happening here. When our friends from Chicago and Philly would visit, their reactions were always shock, because they thought Pittsburgh was dirty and boring. But it was quite the opposite. It didn’t take long for me to get over myself and recognize that Pittsburgh suited us quite well. It was just big enough and just far enough from my hometown to satisfy my need for city life. And it was just small enough and close enough that we could stay connected to family and build an amazing life for ourselves. Eventually, CJ asked me to marry him on the rooftop deck of our apartment building with the city rising up on one side and the river flowing on the other. Saying yes to him and Pittsburgh are my two best life decisions!

BF: Also in your about section, you mention if we were to meet in a pub, one thing you would want to talk about is the best vegan meal each of us have ever had. So, I'm curious, are you vegan? And if so, what is one of your favorite dishes, because about the only vegan thing I can make is a salad!

TM: The best way to describe my choice is that since 2009, I’ve followed a strict, vegan-inspired diet. I still wear silk, wool and leather though. I have a few favorite vegan dishes but two of my go-tos are Oh She Glow’s Mushroom Risotto with Caramelized Onions and Protein Power Goddess Bowl. Both are hearty and flavorful, which makes them incredibly satisfying. Plus anytime I hear the word caramelized or goddess, I tend to get on board.

BF: Though your blog's focus is primarily on fashion, it also covers topics ranging from health and lifestyle as well. This being said, what is your favorite topic (or favorite topics) to write about?

TM: This is a difficult question to answer because it really depends on my mood and what I’m experiencing in my life at the time. I guess my favorite thing to write about is my honest life. What am I wearing? What is life with my daughter like? How am I trying to be my best self? How am I succeeding? How am I failing? I hope that what I write resonates with people but in the end, all that matters is I put my real self out there.

BF: I love that you have a list of some of your favorite blogs on your page, it’s quite refreshing to see bloggers support one another with how competitive our field can sometimes be. So, in your opinion, why do you feel it is important for bloggers to build one another up within the community?

TM: Well, that’s how things were when the fashion blogger community started. When you made the decision to blog, you did it because you wanted an outlet for your thoughts, a place to be creative and to meet like-minded people. Not because you wanted to be a professional blogger. Having a blogroll was a way to say, “I enjoy how these people present their perspectives and I think you should know them.”

We need to lift each other up for lots of reasons, not the least of which is because it’s the right thing to do. I believe it’s important to embrace the full spectrum of perspectives on fashion, culture and style. It enriches our broader community. And you know what? There are lots of points of view that I appreciate even though they’re not my own. I think it’s rather arrogant to believe I could offer everything my readers could ever want on my blog. Sharing other blogs means I get to serve up a richer experience for my own little Love Nothing More community! Plus, I love the idea of amplifying the voices of other people.

BF: With the last question in mind, do you have any advice for bloggers that are just starting out? If so, what is it?

TM: My advice has always been the same: BE YOURSELF. Authenticity has been and always will be the secret to long-term success. If you wouldn’t enjoy something as a reader, then don’t do it to yours. Don’t work with brands that you wouldn’t use your own dollars to support. And don’t be afraid to say no when something isn’t a good fit.

BF: Considering you run a style blog, you obviously have killer fashion sense (and I admittedly stalk your Instagram and get a slight case of wardrobe envy every time), so who are some of your biggest style inspirations?

TM: You flatter me! Thank you :)

My answer to this question seems to morph daily. I’m such a Gemini. Ok, soooo… my biggest style inspirations right now include but are not limited to Michelle Williams (that hair!), Jacey Duprie, Geri Hirsch, Nicole Richie, Blaire Eadie and Krystal Bick.

BF: From reading your blog, I noticed that you also love Stranger Things, being a huge fan of the show myself, I just have to ask, who is your favorite character?! (Mine is Hopper!)

TM: Best question ever. Yeah, I love Hopper! And before I rewatched the entire series I probably would have agreed with you. But when I went back to the beginning, knowing where Joyce Byers ends up, her character arc is the one I appreciate the most. On the surface she seems like a quivering, helpless mom. But she was fighting, alone, to keep people focused on what she knew to be true. She always believed her son was alive. When she told Hopper kids bullied him and called him gay, Hopper says, “Is he?” And her response without pause is, “HE’S MISSING.” She never gave up on him. She hovers over him in Season 2 but come on! Of course she does. She kept communication with Will open and got him to explain what he was seeing so that she could help him. I see myself in Joyce as a mom and as a strong woman. JOYCE BYERS 2020!

BF: Recently, you wrote a guide on how to shop for luxury items at discounted prices online, which was super helpful by the way, and I urge those reading this to check it out here. So, if you have one, what is your favorite luxury steal that you're styling right now? (Personally, I'm super envious of the Helmut Lang blazer.)

TM: Oh, thank you so much! That blazer just won’t quit. It’s got to be my most valuable piece in my closet, especially when you consider price per wear. Second to that is probably my red Céline sunglasses that I snagged from eBay. They always make me feel sophisticated, even in jeans and a t-shirt.

BF: Last but not least, since I know you're a music lover, what are the top five bands you think everyone should give a listen to right now?

TM: AWESOME question!

My Top Five Bands RN…

Post Animal - Since we’re talking about Stranger Things, Joe Keery (Steve) used to be in this band. He had to quit because he couldn’t dedicate the time to touring. Boo. Start with “When I Get Home.”
Faces On Film - Start with “Daytime Nowhere”
Night Moves - Start with “Only To Live In Your Memories” and move on to “Carl Sagan”
Cool Ghouls - Start with “The Mile”
Natural Child - Start with “DTV”

What do you think of Terra's advice, and which look of her's here is your favorite? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic!

Can't get enough of Terra's style? Be sure to subscribe to her blog Love Nothing More and follow her on Instagram at @spicymeatball! Later, babes.

Xx, Bree

Marah Frank: Blogger

March 19, 2017 by Bree Fesh in Interviews

Recently, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to once again return to one of Pittsburgh's excellent restaurants, The Urban Tap. For those of you who are new to my blog, you are probably wondering why the experience is so surreal to me, right? Well, the reason it is, is because though The Urban Tap is just your run of the mill, South Side eatery, it is also the place I met with two lovely ladies, almost two years ago for my blog's first ever collaboration. So as I stepped through the doors of Urban Tap to prepare for this interview with another young, talented, and rising blogger, the whole experience became very nostalgic to me. This was the place where I started and now it is coming full circle, only now I've grown so much since then, and couldn't be happier about where I am today. So as I sat and waited for my interviewee to arrive, I began pondering how much my blog has broadened since the end of last year:

From covering large fashion events, collaborating with major jewelry retailers, adding more lifestyle posts, and lastly, my most favorite addition to my blog's categories: interviewing other artists and bloggers. Just in case you haven't sensed a pattern here, I am thrilled to announce that I will now have a monthly segment dedicated to interviewing different bloggers, artists, and shop owners! And now that you have that information, let's get on to what you really came here for, and discuss the lovely, Marah Frank.

Meet blogger, Marah Frank

My first impression of Marah when speaking with her through texts and emails is that she seemed like a slightly shy but very sweet girl, however once I met her in person I have to say that she has a commanding presence and is incredibly personable. For those of you who have not yet heard of Marah, that is probably because she only stepped onto the blogging scene last fall and prior to the was primarily a YouTuber. But let me tell you, she definitely has a knack for what she is doing. Marah's blog (marafrank.com) covers a variety of topics including faith, fashion, and travel, and along with that her website also has an impeccable layout to boot! And though you will be reading her interview shortly and will see this for yourself, I have to say that this girl is bright, fun, and is totally going places.

Aside from her bright and fun personality, another of of the first impressions I had about Marah was that her style was incredibly on point, but after all, she is a fashion blogger. The reason I loved Marah's outfit choice so much is due to her perfect pairings. Though many people tend to disagree with me on mixing patterns (my mum being one of them) I want to take this time to point out how fabulous Marah's striped shirt looks with her floral kimono--see fashion rules are made to be broken. Aside from pointing out that fact though, the reason why I really love this pairing is because the lightness of the shirt adds contrast to this outfit, but due to the darker stripes, this contrast isn't too stark, making these two pieces a perfect pair. To complete this cute, casual, outfit, I also really liked the way that Marah accessorized this look. I feel that her white pendant necklace adds just the right amount of shine to this outfit, without being over bearing, and then her tan booties are the perfect way to tie her whole outfit together due to the fact they match the tans of her kimono perfectly.

Bree Fesh: Okay so to start off, since I admittedly didn't gather this information from you while we were setting up this interview, though I know you're from the 'Burgh, what part are you from? Also, how old are you, because initially I was going to get us a pitcher of mimosas but then it dawned on me that I didn't even know if you were legal!!

Marah Frank: *Laughs* Unfortunately, I am not legal yet, but in a few months I will be! But to answer your other question, I am from Murrysville.

BF: So what got you interested in fashion and led you to start your blog?

MF: Ever since middle school, I have been very interested in fashion and experimenting with my personal style. And even though this is a little silly, there was a book series that I read in middle school called Clique, and though looking back its a terrible series, at the time I really liked it and it also got me very interested in fashion. Same with other book series such as Gossip Girl.

BF: How long have you had your blog?

MF: Well, before I started my blog, I actually had a YouTube channel first because I am very interested in videography, and am actually heading to college for it in the fall. But the reason I decided to start a written blog is because I felt that it was a great marketing tool and would get me some more notoriety. So I started my YouTube channel in 2015, and then my blog in the fall of last year, 2016.

BF: Okay, one last question because I am very curious, what hosting site do you use? I just absolutely love your blogs layout and think it is so well put together!

MF: Thank you! And actually, my dad is a web developer on the side so my blog is self hosted and he helps me out with all the coding and the layout.

One Last Look

What are some things that got you into blogging? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic! Also, to see more of Marah's work, head over to marahfrank.com and you can also see the article she wrote about our different styles here! Later, babes.

Xx, Bree

Marvelous Makeup (Feat. Makeup by Bailey Waterbury)

February 19, 2017 by Bree Fesh in Interviews

If you know me, you know that I know nothing about makeup. Sure, sure, I know enough to keep myself from going out in public looking like Mimi from The Drew Carey Show, but other than some simple techniques, I am by no means a makeup artist. However, that is not the issue for my friend Bailey, in fact she has been working as both a freelance and retail makeup artist since 2015, and let me tell you, this girl knows her stuff. Recently, I was fortunate enough to not only sit down with Bailey and interview her about her craft for this collaboration, but also had the opportunity for her to style my makeup look for the latter half of this post!

Bailey Waterbury: Makeup Artist

So by now, you're all probably wondering how I know Bailey. Is she a makeup artist I met at one of the runway shows I've attended? A stylist for one of my many photo shoots? Well, not exactly anything that glamorous, Bailey and I actually met in our freshman year of college at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Both her and I were there studying photography, and though we initially got off to a rocky start, by our junior year we became friends and began working on a handful of photography projects together. The one thing I always noticed about Bailey in her photography work was her precision and he attention to detail, which also shows in her makeup artistry. So needless to say, I was thrilled that when I reached out to her she was more than happy to do yet another collaboration with me, and as always, I was absolutely amazed by her work.

Bree Fesh: To start off this interview, when did you begin practicing makeup artistry?

Bailey Waterbury: Well, I was always very interested in makeup, especially being a photographer and wanting to work in runway or editorial fashion. So, I'd have to say that I began practicing and experimenting with makeup my sophomore year of college. And in 2014 I became completely immersed in the makeup artistry world when I began working as a cashier at Sephora, and then went on to become a makeup artist in 2015.

BF: I know you were living in Arizona for a while back in 2015, did you continue working as a makeup artist for Sephora while you were there? If so, which part, and was working as a makeup artist in a more heavily populated area much different than working here in Pittsburgh?

BW: Yes! I continued working as a makeup artist for Sephora while I was living in Arizona, and I was in the Scottsdale location. I have to say that it was quite a bit different just because Scottsdale is such a travel destination so you are constantly meeting new clients and trying different things, I must say I did like that challenge though. Personally, though I love the Sephora I am working at here in South Hills Village, I feel as though I am not being pushed enough. I really love trying new looks and techniques and unfortunately here, it seems many people just like simpler, classic makeup.

BF: Since I know you also have great photography skills, I'm curious to know if photography is still your greatest passion, or has makeup artistry surpassed it?

BW: Originally, I wanted my photography and makeup artistry to go hand in hand so I could both style and photograph my models, however as I grew more skilled with makeup, I began to really fall in love with being a makeup artist. So though I still love photography, and honestly wish I could do more with it than I have been lately, I do think that it is safe to say makeup artistry is my main passion.

BF: Recently you've started your own makeup artistry Instagram page titled "bayyylien", what are your goals with it, and do you ever see yourself expanding outside of Instagram and potentially starting a blog of your own?

BW: The reason I started my page, bayyylien, is because I really wanted my art to stand on its own, opposed to constantly posting selfies to my personal Instagram *laughs*. However what I would like to achieve through bayyylien is to grow, and work with other artists. The types of people I would like to connect with are those who are either interested in conceptual art or even couture fashion. As for starting a blog i haven't even thought about that yet! I could see some potential in doing so, however before I decide on it, I would like to grown my Instagram's following first as well as start a YouTube channel that features makeup tutorials.

Plum Seduction

As I mentioned earlier (and as you can see above), Bailey was kind enough to actually do my makeup on top of letting me interview her for this collaboration! However, you're probably wondering how exactly we decided on these colors, so let me give you a little run down before I dive in to the complete look and outfit.

First of all, I have to be honest, not knowing anything about makeup and being an artist myself, I gave Bailey full reign of this makeup look. To plan it though, Bailey had asked me to simply pick out an outfit that I would like to model, give her the color scheme, and she'd work from there. So the night before our meeting I simply sent her some quick snapshots of my outfit so she could get her pallet ready, and needless to say she couldn't have done a better job at pairing!

For starters, I just have to say that Bailey's clients are in for an absolute treat when working with her. Bailey isn't only incredibly talented, but she is also highly personable and fun to work with as well! Before starting the process, Bailey made sure I was comfortable and walked me through the steps as she was doing them. She also has the patience of a saint and gave (much needed on my part) direction well as to what she needed me to do. So for this look, Bailey chose to style me using the following products:

Skin Care:

Color:

Lastly, about the outfit I chose to style for this collaboration. For this post I decided it would only make sense to style clothing from two Pittsburgh boutiques since I was working with a Pittsburgh based makeup artist, so I chose to style this sweater from ModCloth as well as this gorgeous skirt from Terry Jolo Brand. The reason I chose these pieces is because I like their cool winter look. The white sweater and purple skirt complement each other perfectly and create a nice contrast. To add the finishing touches to this look, I chose to pair these items with my Jenny Bird Flagstaff Earrings, my Hermes Pop H necklace layered with this Kendra Scott pendant, black tights, and a pair of high heeled booties, making this look casual yet sophisticated.

One Last Look

What are some of your favorite makeup looks? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic! Have a marvelous makeup look of your own that you'd love to show off? Feel free to tag me in a post or on your Instagram story at @StarkRavingChic.

Also remember, if you want to see more of Bailey's awesome skills, be to follow her Instagram account @bayyylien! Later, dolls.

Xx, Bree

P.S. Pssssst! If you love the jewelry I styled in this post as much as I do, you can try Rocksbox for a whole month 100% FREE when you sign up using my promo code "starkravingchicxoxo". Don't know what Rocksbox is or how it works? You can read all about it, here!

Also, in case you haven't heard, I am now a proud member of rewardStyle and LIKEtoKNOW.it! Meaning you can shop straight from my Instagram feed when you click here or here. Don't know what LIKEtoKNOW.it is all about? Learn more, here!