What I have learned

Fashion is an expression of who you are and how you feel. What you wear sets the tone for your whole day. I never understood this until I took this cross country trip. Over the past 75 days, I have met so many people, each with their own sense of style. What I have learned from my new friends is this:

1. Style does not mean having the "latest" items, designer brands, or hottest trend.

2. Fashion can be as expensive or as cheap as you want it to be. $$$$ does not necessarily add style. How you wear it does.

3. One amazing accessory speaks louder than a whole outfit.

4. When possible, wear something that there is a story attached to, and not a story about the debt you incurred buying it.

5. Buy more clothes off ebay. Some of the girls I met with the best fashion sense across the USA taught me this trick.

6. Last, go to your closet TODAY, pick out everything you have not worn in the past 6 months and donate it to goodwill and/or the number of charities that help clothe men and women re-entering the work force. Think back to how much confidence that outfit gave you a few years ago and imagine someone else getting that joy for the first time. Do this TODAY. I promise it will make you smile, and make you feel better about the clothes left in your closet.

Today it is absolutely beautiful in Seattle. We are at the downtown Nordstrom stores, the flagship, and it feels good to be alive. I know Seattle does not get a lot of pristine sunny days, so I really am going to spend the afternoon encouraging people to GET OUT OF THE MALL and enjoy the day (after they pick up a pair of TOMS of course ☺)

2 weeks left and I am looking forward to some long hot showers and the cool breeze of the coast this summer.

Now I know it is clear that my keyboard has not been working so well the past month (by the absence of my blog entries) BUT THE VIDEO CAMERA HAS CAPTURED IT ALL.

Click Here to the latest episodes of the TOMS Tour Chronicle

GOING BACK IN TIME

Like an episode of Lost, my blog will feature flash backs from time to time. The reason for this is quite simple. The days that the most happen are also the days I have the least amount of time to write. Needless to say we were in Texas almost a week and A LOT happened. So, if you were confused how we went from Phoenix (heading to Dallas and Austin) to waking up in New Orleans yesterday, well that is your explanation.

Upon arriving in Dallas, we celebrated my brother�s 23rd birthday with his friends at the Lonesome Dove restaurant in the Ft. Worth stockyards. www.lonesomedovebistro.com Now a few words about my brother Tyler. Tyler has had it tough. He is the youngest child in our family, and continually has to live up to my sister Paige and my prior accomplishments. Paige and I are very ambitious, over achieving, and self-promoting. Tyler is compassionate and laid back. That makes things tough for Tyler, but that has not created an obstacle in our relationship at all. Tyler is my biggest supporter, and the most loyal person I know. Last summer he slept on my couch for three months and worked alongside me each day as we launched TOMS. He then went back to school at TCU and proceeded to get every girl on campus wearing our shoes. Needless to say, it was quite fun for me going to the college bars with him after dinner meeting all the followers of TOMS he had enlisted.



In Dallas, we got into a little bind with a lack of fresh water. Zak, being the enterprising young man he is, improvised.

Later that day we met some cool cats and were deceived by a super model (Erin Wasson) who told us she was a professional roller skater. If it wasn�t for her vocabulary (mainly consisting of rad, epic, and dude) I would not have believed her, but in the end we were fooled�guess things could be worse.

Austin is where we really hit our stride. After settling down in the Shady Grove RV park, we had our first out of town guest. Jenny Feldman, an editor from Elle Magazine had contacted me weeks earlier about doing a story on the TOMS Tour (aka The CRUSADE). Rather than doing the interview on the phone, I invited her to join us in Austin. She booked a flight from NYC and sent me an email about finding accommodations in Austin. I remember laughing out loud as I replied that there was only one place worth staying and that was in the Airstream with us�..I even offered my back bedroom (which pissed Zak off), but in the end she accepted and we anxiously awaited her arrival at the Shady Grove RV Park.

During her short stay, we introduced her to the competitive sport of Bocce Ball, Tequilla Tuesday�s at Don�s Depot, and impromptu acrobatics. And yes, she did sleep with us in the Airstream ☺

I suspect we were Jenny�s �show and tell� on Monday morning in the big apple because the TOMS Tour Blog is now featured on Elle.com�s homepage. And each week as we continue cross country, we will be posting exclusive content (including Zak�s fashion pic of the week) for Elle.com so continue to check it out as well at www.Elle.com

Ok, back to reality. I have a Nordstrom event in 10 minutes and I have not showered since New Orleans ☺ �.Good news is Zak just found another fountain.

Speaking of fountains and bathing, CLICK HERE to see the latest TOMS Chronicle Episode

Peace,

Blake