taliasoniaw, Author at Dresses & Democracy

Categories: Shopping

My Dream Wishlist: What I’d want for Christmas if money wasn’t a thing

Like pretty much everyone, I have a wishlist of things I want that I’ll probably never get because well, money is a thing and these things are out of my budget. However, it’s still fun to dream, isn’t it?

So I thought today I’d share a list of what I’d want for Christmas if I (and my family) had unlimited funds! I call it my dream wishlist.

David Yurman Rings (one and two): I love rings. I have five of them that I literally wear every day. These are both so pretty and would be fun to swap out some of my existing rings with to change things up! The first one is super classic, but I do love the pink morganite in the second one.

Gucci Bags, Gucci Bags, Gucci Bags!: If I could have any designer bag, it would probably be a Gucci bag. The top handle one is so pretty and such a classic, chic shape. The brown one would be a great everyday crossbody. The pink one is trendy and a little crazy, but c’mon, it’s adorable!

Sequin Mini Dress: In my fantasy world where I’d get these gifts, I also have a fancy Christmas party to go to. I’d wear this super fun little mini dress in the most gorgeous burgundy/plum color.

Celine Sunglasses: I actually have a dupe for these that I got for super cheap at Nordstrom and wear all the time during the summer. I’d love to have the real thing instead.

Dyson Airwrap: Am I basic for including this? Absolutely. It seems to be on everyone’s dream wishlist this year. However, I’d love to give myself the perfect blowout at home!

Neon Pink Puffer Coat: This one is probably the most realistic of the bunch, and I actually could maybe purchase it for myself. However, the unrealistic part is spending that much on a coat in such a trendy, bright color. This would be so fun to rock in the dead of winter, especially as a bright way to stand out on a snow day!

Golden Goose Sneakers: I think Golden Gooses are so fun, but I just can’t justify the price of them. I don’t love the ones that look really worn or scuffed already, and these don’t have that look. Plus, I love the pink star and leopard print!

Pink Platform Heels: These give me alllllllll the 70s vibes! Y’all already know pink is my favorite color (I mean duh, just look at this gift guide), and this blush color is darling.

David Yurman Bracelet: Speaking of how much I love pink, how cute is this morganite David Yurman bracelet? I love the little pink accents, and it would go great with the ring above!

Chloe Bag: I’m a biiiiiiiiiig bag girl, and Chloe bags are so chic. I know I just went on about how much I love pink, but this light blue is perfect (and it reminds me of UNC, my alma mater!).

Drunk Elephant Skincare Set: Skincare is something I don’t really like to spend a ton on, but I’ve heard such good things about Drunk Elephant. I tried a mini version of a cleanser and moisturizer that I got as the birthday gift from Sephora one year, and it was so nice. However, I couldn’t justify the price of actually purchasing it. This whole set is very expensive but would be super fun to try out!

iMac: This is something I definitely don’t need, yet it would be fun to have. I recently bought a stand and keyboard for my laptop to have it at eye-level on my desk (you can see my setup here) which has been super great for working from home. It would be nice to have a larger screen to work on though!

Categories: Lifestyle, Personal

Meet Talia

Hi! I’m Talia, the woman behind Dresses & Democracy.

I’m a 22-year-old content creator living in the Washington, DC-area but I’m originally from Charlotte, North Carolina. Being from the South is definitely a personality trait to me, and I do consider myself a southern belle. I adore Lilly Pulitzer, believe that iced tea should always be sweet and know that the plural version of “you” is definitely “y’all.”

I’m also part of the pandemic class of 2020, which means I’m a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and also Zoom University (thanks, COVID-19). I majored in media and journalism with a public relations concentration with a double major in political science and a minor in business. I’m currently using this mouthful of a degree by working as a PR and communications intern at a PR firm in the DC area. My internship ends in May, so once it wraps up, I hope to use my experiences and education to do something in political communication or public affairs.

This brings me to another point: I’m totally obsessed with politics. I listen to multiple political and news podcasts on the daily. My favorite form of social media is actually Twitter (I know, shocker that it’s not Instagram) because I love scrolling through it to find out what’s going on in the world (and seeing what my favorite political figures are tweeting). Elizabeth Warren is my hero (I spent six months volunteering for her presidential run). And like I said before, I have a degree in political science because I’m a complete nerd when it comes to everything political. I even moved to DC after graduation because it’s the hub of the American political world. It’s my favorite city in the world, and I feel so so so blessed every day to live in my dream city.

As for my other interests, I’ve always loved fashion and shopping. I’m a total girly-girl, and I pretty much always have a running wishlist of clothing items I want from a variety of places. I love putting outfits together, browsing Pinterest for inspiration and sharing my own looks on my Instagram account. My style can range from classic and preppy (as in lots of J. Crew, Lilly Pulitzer, Kate Spade) to funky and trendy (more Free People and small, unique boutiques). You’ll find a sprinkle of everything fashion-wise here, but a few things will remain pretty constant: I love dressing up, I love a good deal and I love some fun statement pieces. I’m never afraid to stand out with my looks, even if it means getting a few stares in the process. If I feel cute in something, I’ll rock it no matter what. Some of my favorite places to shop are Lilly Pulitzer, Target, Red Dress, Nordstrom and J. Crew.

Right now, I’m navigating life in a new city in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, while also trying to figure out post-grad life and working on my job search. Not going to lie, it’s been hard to adjust to, but I hope to share and be open about that. In addition to sharing my fashion and lifestyle favorites, I want to treat this blog kind of like a diary. I hope you’ll stick around to read my ramblings and musings!

Categories: Personal

Introducing Dresses & Democracy

Hey there! I’m Talia, and this is my blog.

I’m a 22-year-old graduate of the University of North Carolina currently living in the Washington, DC area after spending my entire life in North Carolina. I’m originally from Charlotte but moved to Chapel Hill for college until the COVID-19 forced me to finish out my final semester at home. This makes me part of the pandemic graduating class of 2020, and I now have a degree in Public Relations and Political Science with a minor in Business Administration. That’s a mouthful, but it’s a combination of me being an overachiever and changing my major six times while I was at UNC.

I’ve been creating content online for a few years now. Before this, I’ve had other (probably slightly cringey) iterations of blogs and, most recently, a YouTube channel. I was pretty on and off when it came to all of these endeavors. Phases came and went where I would be super into whatever my flavor of the week was, then eventually my other duties and responsibilities would pile up, leaving whatever I was working on at the time on the back burner.

I posted a YouTube video a few weeks ago explaining more about this, but more so in a YouTube context. However, when I tried to get back into filming videos, I just couldn’t create what I felt was engaging and entertaining content. My days looked largely the same pretty much all the time: wake up, work from home, relax, rinse, repeat. I found myself attempting to film vlogs, but I was left bored and uninspired by the clips I filmed. I couldn’t think of other video ideas that I wanted to film either.

That’s when the thought of blogging again entered my mind. I’ve always been a writer. While I was in school, I would always rather write an essay than take a test, and when I got to college, I intentionally chose classes (and then a major) where I would be doing just that. With videos, I was limited to things I was doing, or could do. With blogging, however, I could write about anything. I could share my dream outfit ideas with pieces I’ll probably never afford (hello, Gucci shoes and Chanel handbags) instead of being confined to only the items in my closet. I could also express myself with written words far better than on camera, where I frequently had to edit out myself saying “like,” “so” or “um.”

That brings us to where we are now. I am starting this blog as a creative outlet and a way to showcase my love of fashion, lifestyle, online shopping and everything in between. I plan to share anything from outfit ideas to recipes to my own ramblings and musings.

I chose the title Dresses & Democracy for my blog as a nod to what I feel are two of my biggest personality traits. “Dresses” comes from my girly side. I love a fun outfit, and I’m a sucker for a cute dress. They’re just so easy to throw on and instantly look chic, plus you don’t have to match two pieces! I wanted something alliterative to go with it, and I’m totally obsessed with politics (remember how I said that I have a degree in political science?). “Democracy” felt like a fun and quirky addition that represents who I am in the blog title. With that being said, I’m sure I’ll discuss what’s going on in Washington on here from time to time, just like I do on my Instagram and Twitter accounts. I’m vocal about my beliefs because they’re, well, what I believe in. Therefore, I’ll stand up for them. I don’t think that political views should be this super hushed and secretive thing that you don’t tell anyone about, so I proudly advocate for mine.

And there you have it! The backstory behind Dresses & Democracy, with a little sprinkle of who I am peppered in as well.