Today we’d like to introduce you to Anne Marie Simsuangco.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Anne Marie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My story truly began when I decided to take the road less traveled after having my first child. I took time off to recoup, be a stay at home mom, and try to figure out life after giving birth. I decided to take a leap of faith and try something new.
I decided to start my journey and fashion. Having lived in the metro New York City area, this region was rich and full of opportunities in the fashion industry. After a few weeks of feverishly applying for fashion-related jobs, I landed a freelance opportunity as a model assistant fashion stylist. I helped the lead fashion stylist with outfit prep for the model, and also helped out wherever was needed. One thing led to another, and then I went into flat lay styling. I went from assistant to one of the main flat lay stylists for children’s clothing.
Literally, months after starting this amazing opportunity, I had my second child. After birth, I came back, but then slowly came to realization that it was time to head back to the corporate world. Whilst I enjoyed my gig in fashion, I knew it was time to go back.
So off I went, and one thing led to another. Now with three kids, we made our very first move from New Jersey to Houston in 2017. And, that is where Texas Charmed Life was born. I was new to the state, and still in the discovery phase of finding my way about our new home city as well as surrounding cities. Everything about the South is charming – from its cities rich with history to the people that live here.
Life went on, but my passion for all things lifestyle did not die. Texas Charmed Life is a lifestyle blog that expresses my interests in fashion, food, family related, fitness – all the important F’s in my life. 😉 And, that’s how I ended up here in the Lone Star State.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a completely smooth road because life will always present some challenges. It’s truly up to you to rise to the occasion and take things head on.
Having gone from all that we knew (roots in New Jersey) to something we had absolutely no clue about (forming roots in Houston) was a bit challenging at first. However, having some family locally and making some friends along the way helped a lot. I wouldn’t call it a struggle, but a learning journey.
Please tell us about Texas Charmed Life.
Texas Charmed Life is a lifestyle blog. I don’t necessarily specialize in anything. I do like to express myself in ways that others can relate to – travel, family, food, fashion, fitness, and everyday life.
Some bloggers form a niche theme for their blogs or Instagram pages, but I like to cover all bases in terms of what I like to engage with others about.
What sets you apart makes you special. Not all of my posts or instastories are pretty. I like to show everyone the real raw me – from being a sweaty mess after a good workout to talking about topics that others may think is awkward, etc. I don’t hold back, and I just don’t show the “pretty” side of me. I like to expose everyone to my true self.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Favorite childhood memories would be living in Washington Heights. I am a child of Filipino descent, but we grew up in a predominantly Latin American/Spanish area. Our sitter/nanny was Cuban. Our best friend is Dominican, We ate Puerto Rican Chinese food (as we call it – Chino Latino cuisine). Our favorite boy band was from Puerto Rico (anyone else love Menudo?)!
Diversity was what I remembered during my first four years of life in New York. And I absolutely loved it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.texascharmedlife.com
- Email: anne@texascharmedlife.com
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