photographed by jessica attie
Travel days are undeniably better when you’ve got a brand new set of luggage, and we’ve teamed up with our friends at Lo & Sons to send a pair of chic creatives home for the holidays in style. Tiffany Dixon Kerr and Spring Weaver will be leaving their busy desks at GSD&M, Austin’s premiere advertising agency, for some well-deserved time time off to hang with family and friends. A newlywed and account director, Tiffany is known around the agency for her elegant style and always pulled together look. With her full-sized suitcase in tow, she was a perfect match for the smaller O.M.G. bag from the Lo & Sons collection. Spring’s everyday style is very feminine and relaxed — she’s loved for her adventurous spirit and contagious laugh. We outfitted her with the larger O.G. bag and met up with both girls at the Austin Steam Train Association to send them off in style. Has anyone ever looked chicer boarding a train? We think not.
*and don’t miss our holiday giveaway where you can win one of these bags for yourself — click through the slides to find out how simple it is to enter!
Tiffany, where are you headed for the holidays this year?
I’m going to Tennessee. This Christmas is special because it’s the first with my new husband and in-laws. I look forward to spending quality time with them and unplugging at their beautiful Smoky Mountain farm. Oh, and hopefully some snow!
How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style is a mix: something simple, something special, and something fun. My team at work named the combination of chambray and black my “uniform.” Guilty! I love it as a simple palate for colorful earrings or a surprising sparkly flat to pop against. You’ll also normally see me wear something symbolic of my grandfather like a pendant with his birthstone.
What do you love about the Lo & Sons O.M.G. bag?
I love that the bag is as beautiful as it is functional. Because most of the compartments are interior, they keep things organized without the bulk of outside pockets. It looks like a beautiful handbag, not your typical carry on luggage.
I also love the chocolate brown color. It’s rich and complements almost everything. Even though it’s a neutral, it grabs your attention.
Tell us about your position at the ad agency. How might the Lo & Sons O.M.G. bag serve your daily work life?
I am an Account Director at GSD&M. I love partnering with my clients in strategy meetings and on commercial production. My bag needs to be part style statement and part Mary Poppins bag prepared with anything I (or my clients) may need throughout the day- tech, creative briefs, dark chocolate…
We see you’re packing one of our all-time favorite books…
Yes, Occasions is my favorite lifestyle book. I still pick it up for inspiration for hosting in our home. We try to create an atmosphere where friends feel at home spending a lazy Saturday watching college football or like a queen on their birthday when we transform the dining room in their honor.
This book also reminds me to be a gracious guest which is equally important!
Who are some of your style icons and why?
My mom and her sister are my style icons. They’re both authentic and creative and ignore all the “rules.” Aunt Stephanie taught me that the good stuff is not just for guests. She may drink her morning coffee from antique china or pair a St. John blazer with comfortable jeans for a grocery run because they make her feel good.
Looks like you’ve already embraced your new last name. Congrats, Mrs. Kerr!
Yes — we had a small family ceremony in Kansas City in November, and let’s just say the K monogram was well-represented! I used this little bag as my wedding day clutch. Now, it’s perfect to keep the necessities together and drop into a larger bag.
Do you travel much for work?
I travel a lot for work and for fun as often as a can. The Lo & Sons bag is perfect as a supplement piece that easily attaches to luggage or alone as a weekender.
What do you love about traveling?
I love how travel reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously. Getting away makes us more vulnerable and spontaneous.
Any exciting trips on the horizon for 2015?
Yes, our honeymoon next Spring! The where is still TBD. Right now it’s between Antigua and The Amalfi Coast… suggestions welcomed! I also look forward to spending time in Virginia next summer and seeing where my husband grew up.
Spring, where are you headed for the holidays this year?
I’ll be spending a week in Tulsa, Oklahoma, my hometown, where my parents and siblings still live. I’m looking forward to watching a lot of movies with the family, seeing my nephew, and making Christmas cookies with my mom. She has these wonderful Midwestern recipes like marshmallow cornflake wreaths sprinkled with Red Hots and red-and-white sugar cookie dough twisted up to look like candy canes. We sing along to John Denver and the Muppets as we bake!
What do you love about the Lo & Sons O.G. bag?
I’m at the age where I’m really starting to invest money on pieces that I’ll have for a long time, and I’ve been looking for a good weekender bag for a while now. This one’s great because it’s so versatile—small enough to count as a large purse for a carry on but big enough to hold everything you need for a long weekend. One of my pet peeves is having to dig for items I need in my bag, so the selection of compartments and pockets alone was enough to sell me.
Then you must like the key clip feature!
Yes, I always keep my keys separate from everything else in my bag so I don’t have to dig (see aforementioned pet peeve). And I really like that the strap is long enough to use the keys without necessarily having to detach them.
How would you describe your personal style?
A friend once described my style as “girly chic,” and I think that’s pretty accurate. I try to bypass trends that I know won’t look good on me in favor of cuts and pieces that suit my body shape and are always in style—flared skirts; T-shirt dresses; leather jackets; black pumps—but I like to add in little pieces that nod to current trends, such as a geometric necklace or a fluorescent clutch. I almost never wear pants or jeans, even in the winter, and prefer to stick with skirts and dresses. (My mom says this is no different from when I was a little girl.)
One of our favorite features of the Lo & Sons O.G. bag is the hidden side compartment. What would you use it for?
I would probably use this compartment to store my favorite slippers—I live in those when I’m home.
Tell us about your position at GSD&M. How might the Lo & Sons O.G. bag serve your daily work life?
I’m a Proofreader/QA Specialist. I’m currently using the bulky laptop bag IT gave me months ago, and I’d love something like this bag instead to store my laptop, mouse (can’t live without my mouse—I’m miserable with a trackpad), and glasses. I walk from work to ballet class at Ballet Austin once a week, and this bag would be perfect for holding my ballet shoes, tights, leo, and water bottle.
We are totally digging your leather pieces. How do you incorporate texture and color into your personal style?
Right now I’m loving mixing formal, rich textures such as leather, silk, and sequins with casual, basic cotton pieces. I’ve also been wearing black-and-white everything. My lipstick is where I get crazy with color—in the summer I go with orangey reds and splashy fuchsias, and in the winter I like deeper wine and berry hues.
What are a few of your travel essentials?
Since batteries die so quickly, I think it’s essential to have a real, bound book when you travel, as well as a notebook and a pen. I tend to take a trusty favorite with me and pick other books up as I travel. I like to read a mix of classics and bestsellers, and airports are a great place for picking up the latter.
What do you love about travel?
I like that travel is, for me, a personal challenge. It gets me out of my routine and normal surroundings, and as a result I notice different things than I usually would. I go crazy over architecture when I’m in a new place—most of my pictures end up being of, like, random old doors I saw while walking down the street. I also use travel as an excuse to eat everything I can’t easily find in Austin, such as smoked fish, authentic pizza, local cheese. Of course, by the time the trip is over I’d kill for a good ol’ taco from Taco Deli, so I suppose travel also helps me appreciate the good things I have at home.
Any exciting trips on the horizon for 2015?
I’ve been wanting to take myself to see Paris in the springtime for several years now, and I think 2015 is going to be my year. I’d like to travel through the South of France and skip around Spain as well.
AND… a surprise holiday giveaway for our readers!
Which size bag do you like best, Tiffany’s O.M.G. bag or Spring’s larger O.G. bag? Let us know which is your favorite in the comments section for your chance to win your own Lo & Sons travel bag. Bon voyage and happy holidays!
*update: our lucky winner has been selected, and this giveaway is now closed.
