So this weekend I attended Cocktails with Claire at the B Loft in Atlanta. Yes, you read correctly, I am talking about Claire Sulmers the founder/owner of FashionBomb daily. As a lifestyle & fashion blogger I was so excited to finally meet her in person. I follow her social media pages and have read many of her fashion articles on her website and Vogue.it page. One of the things I admire about Claire is her diligence to work hard on her craft in the fashion field. And I also admit, it’s amazing to see a beautiful brown girl doing what she does best as a entrepreneur in her field.
Cocktails with Claire called on all fashionistas, bloggers, entrepreneurs and the like to meet & greet, for mingling, shopping, and the partaking of some cocktails of course. Initially I wasn’t even supposed to be there. I remember seeing the promo on Instagram but didn’t bother to look into because I knew that the tickets would be sold out. However a good friend of mine text me the day before inquiring about it and even encouraged me to check it out. I eventually did go to the website and was lucky enough to get a ticket before it sold out. I was glad I could make the event!
Upon arrival you could see the red carpet rolled out and all the goodie-bags for attendees at the front. The night consisted of local vendors displaying the latest on fashionable trendy pieces ranging from fancy fur coats to Christian Louboutin shoes, among others. The styles on the scene were phenomenal! Let’s just say, Atlanta folks can dress their butts off! After mingling, eating tasty hor d’oeuvres, and networking with other entrepreneurs we broke into the fashion panel that consisted of Claire Sulmers, celebrity stylist Daniel Hawkins, Marlo Hampton of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, Makeup Artist Latasha Wright, and celebrity photographer Derek Blanks. Each individual was transparent and shared their own experiences in the profession they are in. The advices given were not only great but it also provided a better perspective on this the journey to entrepreneurship. We all know that it takes a lot of work to go after your dreams and that there’s a possibility of hitting stumbling blocks; however the message I took from the panel was much more different from what I expected.
One of the take-aways from the panel and overall experience was staying true to yourself no matter what you desire to do or be. It’s easy to lose yourself trying to blend in or conform to what seems to be the “it” or the norm. Many times the norm will cause you to compromise what true and real to you. We are gifted and filled with talents and that is enough to make one successful in chasing our goals and dreams. I walked away knowing that no matter what I pursue in life, I must always stay true to myself. Overall, I had a great time at Cocktails with Claire. I was able to connect with many like-minded people traveling this entrepreneur train. My hope is that every single person become successful in all of their endeavors.
