Meet Jenn Lake, the Founder of Style Charade 

Hi, friends! My name is Jenn Lake, and I’m the Chicago-based publisher behind Style Charade (Instagram @JenniferLake). Since 2008, I’ve been blogging about fashion, travel, home, beauty and lifestyle. At the same time, I’m a “workfluencer” - I have a full-time job as the EVP of an award-winning PR firm / integrated communications agency. 

Jenn Lake wearing the Mindy Mini Dress! 

I’m really proud of my heritage. As a half-Japanese woman, I’ve always had strangers inquire about my ethnicity, and I love embracing my unique mix and background. Overall, I’m a mild extrovert (especially in big groups), and I truly love learning more about other people.

I launched a bridal blog in 2008 called Third Coast Bride to document our wedding planning process. The site took off quickly, and I really fell in love with the process of creating content. In 2014, I decided to create a more fashion and lifestyle-focused site (stylecharade.com), and it’s been a joy to connect with so many phenomenal women through the blog and beyond. 

Check out Jenn Lake's blog post "Infinite Reasons Why to Love the Mestiza New York Chinoiserie Dress" 

Thankfully, time management is one of my strong suits, and I’m thankful to have found solutions to balance both for more than a decade. At the end of the day, it really comes down to priorities. My full-time job will always be my number one focus. At times, that means posting less to Instagram and the blog… and that’s okay! Furthermore, I really embrace the fact that I can’t do it all. I focus on the channels and outlet that bring me joy, and don’t try to be everywhere (i.e. currently, I’m not very active on TikTok, Twitter nor YouTube). 

Meeting people! From fellow bloggers and content creators to readers and social media audiences, I absolutely love connecting with others. It’s seriously the coolest aspect of my job and blogging. Most important, I’m thankful for the authentic friendships that have been established through blogging. 

A few ways that I empower and invest in myself is putting down my phone and being really present in moments with friends and family. Digital detoxes are critical! I also set boundaries and have learned to say “no” more often to events, activities, and people. I also LOVE travel, and I feel it’s one of the greatest ways to invest in my passions and journey. Lastly, I keep my friendship circle extremely small. I’d rather have a tiny inner circle of friends than a million acquaintances. 

Women are incredible, powerful, dynamic, and they make the world go round - truly! We can do anything we set our minds to. Countless women have mentored me throughout my life, and it sincerely means the world for me to be able to pay it forward to others. 

Where do I start?! Mestiza resonates with my personal style since the company has a unique lens that’s all its own. Pieces from the brand are easily identifiable! I love the classic, timeless, feminine, and romantic aspects of the company. Furthermore, the quality, fits, and fabrics are just divine!

Ultimately, I love styling Mestiza gowns and dresses with classic nude pumps and a beautiful clutch. Mestiza creates the most perfect statement pieces, so they don’t need too many other things to “make” a look. I also love pairing the items with colorful or bold metallic earrings and bracelets.