It all started with a backpacking trip across Europe. Cliché, right? But there you have it. I was 24 years old, eager to see the world, hang out with strangers and write my way across a continent. So I took off for a three-month, solo stint through 11 countries I’d only read about in history class.

It was during this trip that I discovered a love for fashion. Sure, magazines had shown me that beautiful, cutting-edge fashion was out there, but it had always seemed inaccessible. I hadn’t realized how important presentation and style could be to an individual — or to a culture — until I saw the cool, confident women of London, Paris and Milan.

I still remember watching a hip 20-something cross the street on her way to the tube in London. She wore skinny jeans, four-inch heels and a crisp white t-shirt that clung to her hips in the most effortless way. (This was back in 2006, when skinnies were still shocking to Midwesterners like me.) There was something so cool and elegant about the way she strutted toward the stairs, headed to what I imagined must be some chic cocktail hour, and I knew that in the end, stylish would beat meek every time.

Returning to the states, I began modeling and met stylists, photographers and industry pros. I landed internships with Village Voice Media and Utne Reader and eventually became a staff writer for a local newspaper. From there, I became the fashion editor of METRO magazine, editor-in-chief of Arizona Bride, Minnesota Bride and Wisconsin Bride, and web editor for five bridal websites.

Now, I'm living in Seattle and working as a Senior Features Writer for Nordstrom. I write style guides, trend reports, lookbooks and other fashion-related editorial content for nordstrom.com.

Take a moment to poke around my site and look at my resumé, samples of my writing and fashion shoots I’ve edited and styled. If you like what you see, please drop me a line or connect with me on Twitter.