Jenna Pardini

NEUTRALS IN PARIS

01.31.2019

Bonjour de Paris! Well, I’m actually back from Paris but still re-living via pictures! It was such a magical day in Paris as the snow started to fall and many people including myself ducked into a cafe to warm up. There is nothing like sitting in a cafe, Eiffel Tower in sight, sipping a cappuccino and watching the locals go about their daily lives. I could have sat there for hours!

I started to freak out a bit about getting my hair wet and soggy, but then I decided to take it all in and enjoy a rare snow day in the most magical city. I wish I didn’t have to head to meetings right after this, I would have wandered the streets all day to hunt down my next croissant.

Anastasia Abramova-Guendel Photography

I have been wearing this plaid coat nonstop and brought it with me on my trip as well. It’s pretty lightweight and easy to get around in. I love the neutral tones and the sophistication. I paired it with a black turtleneck and faux leather leggings which I wore quite often. I could have also added a belt, but that was one accessory that did not make it into my luggage!

I’m sure you can tell from my last post as well, that these boots and pants were on repeat, and I switched up the coat for different occasions. I wore this look to meetings and around town throughout the day. I was a little on the fence about this hat but once I tried it on, I loved it! Its so old school, but its classic I’m super into it.

This is my carry on bag that I sometimes travel with when I dont need an additional roller carry on. This bag is such a great size and super durable. I carried my laptop and notebooks etc while running around the city.

I’m already planning my next Paris trip. It’s one of my favorite cities in the world, there’s nothing quite like it! Have you been?

xx Jenna

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SNOW FALL AT THE EIFFEL TOWER

01.29.2019

Bonjour les amis! I just returned home from an incredible work trip to Paris and Moscow where we enjoyed snow in both cities! The snow in Paris is unlike any other. It’s very rare and the second we got to the Eiffel Tower to snap a few photos the snow started falling! Paris is the most romantic city in the world and the snow only adds to its magic factor. It was truly a moment I won’t ever forget.

Anastasia Abramova-Guendel Photography

I basically lived in these faux leather leggings and booties my entire trip. The leggings are under $100 and so easy to style with many different looks. These boots are a few years old, but I have gotten SO much use out of them! They are also super comfortable, yet stylish for walking about town.

I wore a lot of black on this trip, just changed coats often (which was probably not the best idea for my oversized luggage)! I couldn’t resist this faux fur coat, how fab?! I also feel like this fiddler cap is my signature look in Paris as I’ve now worn it twice in a row for shoots (shhh). With the rain, snow and overall cold weather, hats are a must!

Oh and how can I forget this purse! It’s not a real Gucci, can you tell? It’s only $22!! I wore it all over Paris and Moscow and held up pretty well!

Until next time (or next post) Paris! xx

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EASY STEPS TO REACH OUR FITNESS GOALS THIS YEAR

01.04.2019

This time of year is exciting. We get to set new goals for the year and feel that little reset of motivation. Most of us put health and fitness at the top of the list, some do the whole “dry January” thing, some make it a goal to loose weight or eat healthier. No matter what your goal is for the year, I hope you reach it!

Today I wanted to share a few tips that have helped me reach my health and fitness goals over the years.

My fitness goals are at the top of my list this year as I prepare for our upcoming wedding. I LOVE that reset moment at the beginning of the year when I look at my goals that I’ve written down and feel more motivated than ever. However, a lot of us don’t even get a few months in before we give up. I’m definitely guilty, but when it comes to health and fitness I’ve come up with a few ways to help me stay motivated.

Make small lifestyle changes to start. Don’t think of today as starting over from scratch, instead try to shift a few unhealthy habits. If you take small steps, they will eventually turn into lifestyle habits.

Some ideas to get you going:

If you want to eat healthier, pack your lunch for the week. Skip eating out and prep homemade meals. I find meal prepping to be extremely beneficial. I like to prep my meals for the week each Sunday for the whole week which leaves you no choice but to eat the meal you prepared and think ahead of the nutritional benefits. I usually like to cook a protein (usually chicken), vegetables and brown rice or something along those lines. This year I am going to make it a goal to prep my lunches and avoid eating just because I feel hungry. If you want to cut out alcohol, make baby steps and maybe cut alcohol during the week only, then slowly make your way through the weekend.
If you want to get to the gym: Schedule your fitness classes for the week ahead of time. Most classes charge you if you skip, which will keep you motivated as well! If you aren’t a fan of classes, book a session with a personal trainer. If you are a runner or want to become one, go online and sign up for a race and start training. Commit to something as soon as possible and plan your schedule in advance.
If you want to be healthier in general: drink more water, dedicate some time each day to de-stressing, reflecting or even stretching. Whatever it is you are trying to accomplish, it’s important to set a small goal to start and turn them into lifestyle habits.

Along with making small lifestyle changes, I also like to set checkpoints or smaller goals for myself along the way.

One of the most impactful ways for me to stay motivated to workout or eat better is to have a small goal along my journey. Getting in shape is such a broad goal which I will procrastinate on unless I have a check in point. Do you have an event to go to? Are you going on a trip? Do you have a 5k to run? I like to set different point throughout the year that I can work towards.

This year, I will be setting multiple checkpoints with myself for photoshoots (hello more fitness content!), our engagement party, engagement photo shoot and ultimately our wedding. If you have something fun to look forward to, you will most likely keep up the motivation.

Most importantly, have fun with it!

If you are not enjoying the process you will never make the lifestyle change. You should choose something fun, something you like to do instead of dreading that time in the day when you have to drag yourself to workout. If you want to workout more, try a class you have never taken or explore different avenues (there are so many)! Skipping the pizza and eating a salad instead is never fun (let’s face it) but it gets easier with time. I’ve been eating chocolate all holiday season, but once I cut it cold turkey I really don’t crave it much. It’s really not so bad!

My parents started the Haley Pomroy Metabolism diet about a year ago to loose weight for my brother’s wedding. They have done some dieting in the past, but nothing has stuck. This diet was more of a lifestyle change and they made it fun. They have really enjoyed learning about healthy foods and cooking new meals they would never have tried before. They have both lost close to 80 pounds combined! They made it fun, which has turned into a lifestyle.

OUTFIT DETAILS: SPORTS BRA | LEGGINGS | NORDIC TRACK ELLIPTICAL

OUTFIT DETAILS: TANK | LEGGINGS | SNEAKERS | NORDIC TRACK ELLIPTICAL

Photography: Shannon Righetti

I know it can be a little overwhelming, but if we set small goals and challenge ourselves we can do it! Take small steps which eventually turn into lifestyle habits and make you both healthier and happier. I don’t know about you, but I certainly feel much happier and healthier after changing a few small habits.

Cheers to a healthy and happy 2019!

xx Jenna

HOW TO CREATE GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR

12.30.2018

Happy 2019!! It’s so crazy that another year has passed and we are already starting a new year. I feel like I say this every year but time seriously flies. 2018 has been a truly incredible year for me.

I’ve been sharing quite a few highlights on instagram this past week, it is so fun to reflect on the past year and think about what you can do in the next year to improve in both personal and professional lives. A few of my highlights include travel (two trips to NY for fashion week, Paris, Boston, Mexico, Hawaii), throwing a suprise 60th birthday party for my Mom, working on some dream collaborations including shooting a campaign for Vici Dolls, and of course our engagement which tops them all! This year has been extremely good to me and I’m so excited for what’s to come.

Anyways, I am big on goal setting each year or as I prefer to call it “setting intentions” for the year. Similar to resolutions, but I feel like the word resolutions is so cliche, not detailed enough and usually get thrown out the door in February. Jeff and I sit down together before the New Year to talk about our goals together and do a bit of financial planning to set us up for success. I cant stress enough how much writing down my intentions have helped me over the years!

Today I’m going to share some tips which have helped me write my goals, and also share some of my intentions for 2019.

HOW TO SET GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR:

Write down at least 5 personal and 5 professional goals that you can take action on right away. Sometimes I have more than 5 goals for each, but I like to have at least 5 within each category. Specifically for me, I separate my two jobs into different sections (blog and Marc Jacobs Beauty). I usually start by looking at my goals from the prior year. Are there any that I want to carry over into the next year, but set an even higher goal than the year before?
Be specific. It’s important to be specific as possible to get you thinking about exactly it is that you want to achieve. Instead of writing down “I want to loose weight” be more specific by saying how much weight you want to loose by a certain amount of time.
Make sure your goals are measurable. How are you going to get to the end goal? This is the most important step for me. Write down the steps about how you are going to get there. For example, if you want to loose weight, your steps can be to sign up at a new gym, find a personal trainer or sign up for a 5k.
Your goals should also be achievable. This doesn’t mean that you can’t dream big! Trying to take too big of a step too fast can lead to frustration and we all want to achieve our goals by the end of the year.
Set a timeline and check in. I like to check in and see where I am at least once a month. It helps me level set and gives me a chance to either check things off the list or remind me that I need to continue to work on whatever my goal may be. It keeps me motivated!

Photography by Laurel Creative

Ok, now that I’ve shared my 5 steps to creating intentions, below are some of my 2019 goals for the year!

My personal 2019 intentions:

Complete all wedding planning before the end of the year.

How: Make a detailed list of things I need to do and give myself a timeline and budget for each task. Stay organized!

Make smart financial decisions and have no debt by the end of the year.

How: Make auto payments each month to debt. Make auto payments to all savings accounts each month. Increase 401k contribution to 10% of pre-tax income by the end of the year. (I have a more detailed plan here but I will spare you!)

Get in tip top shape before the wedding.

How: Continue Bay Club workouts at least 4-5 times a week. Sign up for a half marathon. Prep lunches for each week on Sunday and eliminate alcohol during the week (no wine!)

Make more time for family, friends and people I care about most.

How: Set up a date night once a week with Jeff (with no phones or tv time). Reach out to family and friends more often, call them and set up dates at least a few times a month.

Be more spiritual.

How: Go to church at least once a month and read “Jesus Calling” daily devotions. Dedicate at least 10 minutes a day to reflections.

Travel to a country I have never been to.

How: Decide in January when we will take our big Italy trip and start planning.

My professional 2019 intentions:

(I’ve made goals for my job at Marc Jacobs Beauty and blogging, but will share my blogging goals below)

Reach 75k followers by the end of the year

How: Create more content and get more organized by scheduling consistent shoots and detailed posting calendars. Share more of my daily life on stories and ensure my readers feel more connected with me.

Share even more content true to me and my passions. Continue to post fashion but increase fitness content.

How: Schedule a fitness shoot at least every other month. Share more of my daily routine.

Set an income goal for myself: make at least $$$ a month.

How: Reach out to at least one new brand a week. Continue to expand my brand resume and continue to grind! Research different media agencies and decide if that is the right path for me in the future.

Create a clear vision for my brand, strong business plan and media kit.

How: Create a business plan and updated vision by February. Update media kit as I continue to increase my following.

Update my email template.

How: reach out to designer to help me create a more cohesive email design for my posts.

I hope that sharing my goals with you has motivated you to start writing down your own intentions for the year! So excited for what’s to come in 2019 you guys!

DREAM BIG! xx Jenna

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OUR ENGAGEMENT STORY

12.16.2018

YOU GUYS!!! I can’t even believe it, we are ENGAGED!! I have been waiting for this moment my entire life and it was more than I could even have imagined. I knew 8 years ago that he was my person and now we get to make it official!! We are so over the moon.

HOW WE MET

Jeff and I met 8 years ago in October through mutual friends and have been inseparable ever since. We jumped into a relationship pretty quickly, but decided to take our time with the rest. We finally moved in together 6 months ago although previously spending almost every day together. People ask if anything changed once we moved in, and to be honest nothing surprising or different other than the fact that we could call one place our home together. Oh, and Jeff’s a very neat person so he may get annoyed with all my clothes and PR boxes throughout the apartment from time to time. 🙂

THE RING

I knew Jeff was the one, so I haven’t really been in a hurry to get married. It wasn’t until about a year ago that we really knew that we wanted to start a family and wanted to be traditional in the sense of getting married first. Jeff and I have talked about marriage our entire relationship, but we started talking about rings this year. I decided to go ring shopping with my Mom first, which was such a special moment for me. We went to a few jewelers and I decided exactly what I wanted. I came home and shared the details with Jeff, but he wanted to go one more time together so he was sure he knew exactly what I wanted. He’s a perfectionist, what can I say!

I knew Jeff was shopping like crazy (he created spreadsheets from different Jewelers with diamonds he likes, bands he liked, pricing etc. It’s quite the process!) He decided to choose a jeweler in the city that had the diamond he wanted AND the band which was hard to find from the same. He had the diamond flown in from New York and later found out would be sent to his parents house in New Hampshire where it would be waiting for us.

THE PROPOSAL

Let me first say, I had NO IDEA he was going to propose this soon! I had some idea he would do it over Christmas but was so thrown off! His parents recently sold their home which they lived in for almost 50 years and the home Jeff grew up in. We went to their home in New Hampshire for Thanksgiving which would be the last time Jeff and I would be there. It was an emotional time for everyone, as you can imagine it’s not easy saying goodbye to the only house you grew up in. His parents closed on the house the day before Thanksgiving so it was bittersweet.

We had Thanksgiving dinner in their home with his parents and family friends. When the dessert came out, we went around the table and discussed all that we were thankful for. Tears were flowing (especially from me who can’t hold back a tear at anytime). It was Jeff’s turn to tell us what he was thankful for. He shared that he was thankful for the home that shared so many memories, his family, me… then he said that he wanted to create one last memory in the house. He then got down on one knee and asked me to be his forever…

I was shocked! I broke out in even more tears and was so overwhelmed that I forgot to say YES right away! I couldn’t take my eye off the ring either. It is the ring AND the man I have always dreamed of.

It was 8 degrees on Thanksgiving! Regardless of the weather, we took a walk through the woods on Jeff’s parents property for the last time. It was such a special moment.

MY DREAM RING! Its a cushion cut square diamond on a pave band.

Jeff, you are my biggest adventure. My fairytale come true. My soul mate. My best friend. The love of my life. You push me to be a greater person day in and day out. Love is not about compromising yourself. Love is finding someone that only adds to your own joy and shine. You are all that and more. I would say YES a million times over. I love you forever and cannot wait for all that is to come!

xo Jenna

HOW TO SET GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR:

My personal 2019 intentions:

My professional 2019 intentions:

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