♔ WELCOME TO HEART, STYLE & GRACE ♔
A fashion, beauty and lifestyle blog written and styled by Danica Sarza
Residing in Sydney, Australia, standing at just a little under 5ft tall, at 23 years old, I've achieved more than I could have ever dreamed I would have.
Yes, I did fall pregnant at fifteen, and yes, I did give birth to a beautiful baby boy at sixteen. It was immensely difficult to go through, but it was made relatively easy with the amount of support and love from family, friends and my wonderful boyfriend of almost nine-years. I don't want to go into detail, so I've got a Frequently Asked Questions video all about my pregnancy and raising my son as a teenage mother which you can find right here.Even though I've been through more than any other 22-year-old my age, I wouldn't trade having my little guy for anything else in the world. People always ask me if I could go back, would I do things differently? And my answer is always the same - no, I wouldn't. Because even though I would have preferred being 30 and married before having a kid, that kid wouldn't be my Ethan. Simple as that. And my Ethan is pretty amazing. He sure is one special little boy, and I love him incredibly and wonderfully every single day.
Being 13, I never expected to find the love of my life. *CHEESY*
During my first year of high school, I was expecting to make new friends, go to parties, join the softball team and get good grades. Never in a million years would I have thought that the guy I was crushing on would be my boyfriend for almost ten years now.
Henry's been my greatest support and absolute rock. He's the shoulder I cry on, he's the face I kiss everyday, he's my personal chauffeur and he's the father of my son. Not only is he my boyfriend, he's my best friend. I honestly don't know where I would have been in life if it wasn't for his constant love and on-going encouragement. He's always been there to help me pursue my dreams, and is the reason for the smile on my face and for the tummy-ache from all of the laughter. I couldn't ask for a better life partner.
Growing up, I always knew I wanted to have a family. But I also knew I wanted to lead a very successful career life.
When I was 19, I took a step into the right direction and applied to volunteer at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia 2012. Shocked to my core, I was chosen to be a volunteer, and had the chance to work on so many shows of multiple designers who genuinely inspire. For an entire week, I worked as an usher (setting up the show room, and directing first-class fashion industry people to their seats) and as a dresser (steaming/ironing the designer samples, chatting with the models, and ultimately dressing the models for the fashion show.)
Later that year, again, I applied to volunteer at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival Sydney 2012. This festival was a celebration of the success of Australian designers and popular fashion magazine edits. Unlike fashion week, this event was open to the public who had purchased tickets in advance. An upside to working this event was that we got to attend a show of our choice, when we weren't working, of course. Again, at this event I worked as an usher and as a dresser.
While volunteering at two of the biggest fashion events in Sydney, I fondly remember talking to several girls and the first question they would ask you was "so where are you studying fashion?" Right there and then, I realised if I wanted a career in fashion, I would have to enrol myself in the best fashion college in Sydney, and get a head start in my dream. I managed to get a lot of valuable opinions from every girl who was kind enough to lend me advice on which schools were the better fit for me.
After months of researching, I finally came to the decision of applying to The Fashion Institute, and I have to admit, whole-heartedly, it was the best decision I have ever made.
After months of researching, I finally came to the decision of applying to The Fashion Institute, and I have to admit, whole-heartedly, it was the best decision I have ever made.
I've honestly learnt so much since attending TFI, and am so grateful for all of the opportunities which were handed to me during my time there.
I got the chance to listen to guest speakers like Kirstie Clements (ex-Vogue editor and current best-selling author), Tash Sefton and Elle Ferguson from fashion blog They All Hate Us, and fashion stylist Jules Sebastian; all thanks to The Fashion Institute.
TFI was constantly bursting with opportunities for their students. I managed to apply myself to numerous volunteer projects including volunteering for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2013, working as a dresser at the David Jones/VOGUE Australia Bridal Expo, and a Clinique product launch (which I also happened to receive some amazing goodies pictured here.)
But my best and proudest opportunity was my time spent at DOLLY and Cleo magazines. I was a fashion intern in the fashion department for an entire year working on photo shoots, handling pulls and returns, and spending majority of my time in the fashion cupboard surrounded by beautiful, unseen samples. The team at DOLLY/Cleo were incredible and I loved coming in every week. (They were nice enough to give me some freebies also, which you can take a peek at here.) It was honestly the best atmosphere, and I was quite literally living something I could have only dreamed about had it not been made possible by The Fashion Institute. (Bee tee dubs, the magazine industry here in Australia is nothing like The Devil Wears Prada, because trust me, I lived it.)
I can surely say that graduating from The Fashion Institute is one of my proudest accomplishments, considering even just attending a fashion school was one of my life goals and dreams.
My soul is pink. My heart is pink. My style is pink. I wonder if you can guess what my favourite colour is.. Hint: I basically live and breathe pink.
{I also enjoy cream, mint green and occassionally lavender.}
If you like word clouds, you'll love this next bit.
No big deal or anything, but I'm mentally married to Zac Efron and Nick Jonas. Like, I don't know, it just happened *flicks hair and shrugs*
Every girl has that girl gang of style inspirations. But you always have two types; celebrities and bloggers.
We've been coveting the style of celebrities for hundreds of years now {till today, people still talk about that white dress Marilyn Monroe wore}, so celebrities will forever be a girl's main source of inspiration for style.
This girl searches for style inspiration from none other than Lauren Conrad, Ariana Grande, Jamie Chung, Audrey Hepburn (of course), Olivia Palermo, Kourtney Kardashian, and Miss Blair Waldorf (she's fictional but she's damn sassy and stylish.)
Bloggers have impacted the style scene greatly ever since the beauty of the internet came to life, and now, girls constantly look to them for style inspiration.
I can confirm to you now that I have quite a list of bloggers who influence me and my style everyday.
A gathered list can be found right here, but a handful of ladies that inspire me everyday from the top of my head are as follows.
"Nicole Warne of Gary Pepper Girl
Audrey Leighton of Be Frassy
Brione Whitehouse of A Girl, A Style
and Julia Engel of Gal Meets Glam"
These four women would have to be my top four favourites if I had to pick.
Of course other people can impact your style, especially family and friends.
Mum used to dress me in the cutest little outfits as I was growing up {see Styling Growing Up feature} but being the only girl in the family, I can only imagine how exciting and thrilling it was to pick pretty dresses and fancy shoes for a little girl of your own.
It's pretty funny because mum was my inspiration for years, and now I'm hers.
(She's always asking me for style and beauty advice.)
Most people are blessed with several cousins, but me, I can count my cousins on one hand (and trust me, they're awesome!)
My oldest cousin named me her Maid of Honour for her wedding last year; this year, I name her my style inspiration for always.
She's honestly like the sister I never had. Most girls have an older sister to look up to, I had her.
So why is she my style inspiration? Mainly because she can never seem to put a wrong foot forward.
I mean, lady slays every single damn time; I'm pretty sure she can pass off as a model. I feel so grateful to have such a confident, kind and style-savvy woman to look up to.
So, what is my style?
My style is very me. It's a clear depiction of what I like and who I am.
Rachel Zoe said, "Style is expressing yourself without having to speak." and I could definitely second that.
• Girly; I adore pretty dresses, flirty skirts, and anything pink or with a bow on it.
• Classy; I admire the sophistication of a classic red lip, monochrome looks, pearls, and black pumps.
I got the chance to listen to guest speakers like Kirstie Clements (ex-Vogue editor and current best-selling author), Tash Sefton and Elle Ferguson from fashion blog They All Hate Us, and fashion stylist Jules Sebastian; all thanks to The Fashion Institute.
TFI was constantly bursting with opportunities for their students. I managed to apply myself to numerous volunteer projects including volunteering for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2013, working as a dresser at the David Jones/VOGUE Australia Bridal Expo, and a Clinique product launch (which I also happened to receive some amazing goodies pictured here.)
But my best and proudest opportunity was my time spent at DOLLY and Cleo magazines. I was a fashion intern in the fashion department for an entire year working on photo shoots, handling pulls and returns, and spending majority of my time in the fashion cupboard surrounded by beautiful, unseen samples. The team at DOLLY/Cleo were incredible and I loved coming in every week. (They were nice enough to give me some freebies also, which you can take a peek at here.) It was honestly the best atmosphere, and I was quite literally living something I could have only dreamed about had it not been made possible by The Fashion Institute. (Bee tee dubs, the magazine industry here in Australia is nothing like The Devil Wears Prada, because trust me, I lived it.)I can surely say that graduating from The Fashion Institute is one of my proudest accomplishments, considering even just attending a fashion school was one of my life goals and dreams.
My soul is pink. My heart is pink. My style is pink. I wonder if you can guess what my favourite colour is.. Hint: I basically live and breathe pink.
{I also enjoy cream, mint green and occassionally lavender.}
If you like word clouds, you'll love this next bit.
Things I like: sunrises, and sunsets. Chanel, champagne, and candles. Bows, glitter, ribbons, and sparkles.
FAMILY. FRIENDS. FOOD.
FAMILY. FRIENDS. FOOD.
Styling, makeup, writing and photographs.
Winter, stripes, cuddles, snow and blanket forts. Shopping, The Hills/The City, and music.
Weddings, peonies, Too Faced cosmetics, lace, and pearls. Tulips, cupcakes, clouds, marshmallows and Céline. Magazines, The Devil Wears Prada, shoes, and gold. Ballet, Sex and the City, reading, and tutus. Lipstick, macarons, Paris, and chandeliers. Silk robes, Cinderella, Tiffany and Co., florals, and diamonds.
Gondola rides, travelling, and sushi. Forever New, Pretty Little Liars, weekends, stripes, books, Kate Spade, and Benefit Cosmetics. Raspberries, Gossip Girl, townhouses and New York.
Ladurée, tulle, boutiques, Dior, french and mood boards. London, rain, and Christmas. Clueless, eyeliner, chocolate covered strawberries, and giggles. Breakfast in bed, hardwood floors, F.R.I.E.N.D.S, teddy bears, forehead kisses, and tight hugs. Catwalk shows, Alice McCall, playing dress-up, and being girly.
Puppies, kittens and bunnies. Hotels, bike rides, city trips, Topshop, and adventures. Perfume, princesses, and Louis Vuitton. Marc Jacobs, avocados, Forever 21, and frozen yoghurt. The Spice Girls, Tori Kelly and Taylor Swift.
Messy bun, big shirt, Lizzie McGuire, and hot chocolate. Barbie, flower crowns, and fluffy things.
Starbucks, Disney, flats, hearts, stationery, and essie.
Starbucks, Disney, flats, hearts, stationery, and essie.
Love, kisses, and Victoria's Secret. Magic, cookies, and fairies. Waffles, car rides, beach houses, and memories.
Lavender, sleepovers, and fairy lights. Babies, and One Tree Hill. Playing with my hair, my boyfriend in a suit, and singing in the shower. Cafes, cobble stone streets, and city life. White picket fence, dresses, and home decor.
Lemonade; pink and strawberry. Breakfast at Tiffany’s, tea, picking flowers, and blogging.
And that’s just a few things I love..
(There's more, trust me, I'm just blanking pretty badly right now.)
Things I dislike: spiders, soft drinks, and heights. Arrogant people, heat waves, being sick and broken promises. Low quality images, waiting, and shipping costs. Swallowing pills, and orange juice.
No big deal or anything, but I'm mentally married to Zac Efron and Nick Jonas. Like, I don't know, it just happened *flicks hair and shrugs*
Every girl has that girl gang of style inspirations. But you always have two types; celebrities and bloggers.
We've been coveting the style of celebrities for hundreds of years now {till today, people still talk about that white dress Marilyn Monroe wore}, so celebrities will forever be a girl's main source of inspiration for style.
This girl searches for style inspiration from none other than Lauren Conrad, Ariana Grande, Jamie Chung, Audrey Hepburn (of course), Olivia Palermo, Kourtney Kardashian, and Miss Blair Waldorf (she's fictional but she's damn sassy and stylish.)
I can confirm to you now that I have quite a list of bloggers who influence me and my style everyday.
A gathered list can be found right here, but a handful of ladies that inspire me everyday from the top of my head are as follows.
"Nicole Warne of Gary Pepper Girl
Audrey Leighton of Be Frassy
Brione Whitehouse of A Girl, A Style
and Julia Engel of Gal Meets Glam"
These four women would have to be my top four favourites if I had to pick.
Of course other people can impact your style, especially family and friends.
Mum used to dress me in the cutest little outfits as I was growing up {see Styling Growing Up feature} but being the only girl in the family, I can only imagine how exciting and thrilling it was to pick pretty dresses and fancy shoes for a little girl of your own.
It's pretty funny because mum was my inspiration for years, and now I'm hers.
(She's always asking me for style and beauty advice.)
My oldest cousin named me her Maid of Honour for her wedding last year; this year, I name her my style inspiration for always.She's honestly like the sister I never had. Most girls have an older sister to look up to, I had her.
So why is she my style inspiration? Mainly because she can never seem to put a wrong foot forward.
I mean, lady slays every single damn time; I'm pretty sure she can pass off as a model. I feel so grateful to have such a confident, kind and style-savvy woman to look up to.
So, what is my style?
My style is very me. It's a clear depiction of what I like and who I am.
Rachel Zoe said, "Style is expressing yourself without having to speak." and I could definitely second that.
• Girly; I adore pretty dresses, flirty skirts, and anything pink or with a bow on it.• Classy; I admire the sophistication of a classic red lip, monochrome looks, pearls, and black pumps.
Although, I am still very open to trying new looks and styles when I feel like it.
So I'd sum up my style as feminine chic.
"Dreams don't work unless you do."
At 22 years old, I'm aspiring to be a fashion writer, and creative stylist.
I love the feel of writing. Expressing myself and being able to show what I'm passionate about through words is my paradise.
With styling, it's honestly just so much fun. I've always found myself loving playing around with clothes; mix-and-matching different ensembles together, and finding some that just really worked together. That's probably where I found my love and adoration for it. I've had some incredible opportunities at styling, and I've learnt so much along the way. Granted, there's still a lot for me to learn, which is why doing this while working on my blog will be so much fun, and incredibly useful.
Some day, I hope to put both of those aspirations together to create a fashion editor position.
"If you're dreams don't scare you; they're not big enough."
I can safely say that my dreams terrify the living daylights out of me, so this must be a good thing.. Right?
That's my career aspiration. Family-wise, I hope to someday get married, have more beautiful children and live in my dream house somewhere closer to the city.
I personally grew up in the city, and loved every minute of it.
So, where did Heart, Style & Grace come from?
I've devised a little riddle (not really, but here it goes.)
'Heart' defines the love and soul I have for this blog.
'Style' defines the fashion you'll discover.
'Grace' defines the elegance and sophistication I hope to relay.
Thus, bringing you, Heart, Style & Grace.
I truly love it, and I'm so glad it's all mine.
How do I even begin to describe what blogging means to me?
It's my stress reliever. I don't feel 100% without writing, and blogging is that pathway for me.
Whether I'm writing about a fashion piece, a beauty review or going on a rant about something that's ticked me off, blogging's always there for me.
Some people play sports, or dance, or create art as their hobby, this is mine, and I quite love it.
So this is me, and this is my blog.
Welcome, and once again, hello!
♡♡♡
So I'd sum up my style as feminine chic.
"Dreams don't work unless you do."
At 22 years old, I'm aspiring to be a fashion writer, and creative stylist.
I love the feel of writing. Expressing myself and being able to show what I'm passionate about through words is my paradise.
With styling, it's honestly just so much fun. I've always found myself loving playing around with clothes; mix-and-matching different ensembles together, and finding some that just really worked together. That's probably where I found my love and adoration for it. I've had some incredible opportunities at styling, and I've learnt so much along the way. Granted, there's still a lot for me to learn, which is why doing this while working on my blog will be so much fun, and incredibly useful.
Some day, I hope to put both of those aspirations together to create a fashion editor position.
"If you're dreams don't scare you; they're not big enough."
I can safely say that my dreams terrify the living daylights out of me, so this must be a good thing.. Right?
That's my career aspiration. Family-wise, I hope to someday get married, have more beautiful children and live in my dream house somewhere closer to the city.
I personally grew up in the city, and loved every minute of it.
So, where did Heart, Style & Grace come from?
I've devised a little riddle (not really, but here it goes.)
'Heart' defines the love and soul I have for this blog.
'Style' defines the fashion you'll discover.
'Grace' defines the elegance and sophistication I hope to relay.
Thus, bringing you, Heart, Style & Grace.
I truly love it, and I'm so glad it's all mine.
How do I even begin to describe what blogging means to me?
It's my stress reliever. I don't feel 100% without writing, and blogging is that pathway for me.
Whether I'm writing about a fashion piece, a beauty review or going on a rant about something that's ticked me off, blogging's always there for me.
Some people play sports, or dance, or create art as their hobby, this is mine, and I quite love it.
So this is me, and this is my blog.
Welcome, and once again, hello!
♡♡♡
