New Year's Looks

This outfit features a killer Retrofete dress (I’ve had the wrap version on my wishlist for quite some time), a Balmain bag, and a Gucci barrette, that’s worthy of the ball drop on Times Square.

We all want to look dazzling when we ring into the New Year, but whether we wear a sequin gown that rivals a disco ball, or go for a low-key ensemble with subtle sparkle, we should search for an outfit that fits in with our signature style…and our New Years festivities.

And now for more “subtle” New Year’s ensembles…

The advantage to a day-to-night outfit and something more subtle, is that it’s more versatile. The cost per wear for any sequin piece is going to be extremely high. There are only so many occasion where “shining like a diamond” is appropriate.

And on that note, the more formal the item, the less you will be able to wear it, unless you frequent red carpet events. When pieces are only nighttime appropriate or considered “evening-wear”, we are likely to only wear them a few times a year, if that.

One way around this is to make your outfit New Years-ready with a statement and embellished jacket. A sequin jacket will get much more mileage than a sequin dress…consider this…you can wear a statement jacket atop leather dress for a night out, but also with jeans to dinner. I’ve included a few of my favorite statement jackets that would be the feature for a low-key New Years look.

Another shopping suggestion would be to pick separates over a dress. By selecting a skirt over a dress, you can mix and match it with more casual tops and blouses and make it work for more occasions.

A blazer jumpsuit or blazer dress is a great option to still look put together and wear something tailored, but you can make it more fun and festive with playful accessories, like lighting bolt earrings and an iridescent handbag.

Have a Happy New Year as you dress to impress and pop the champagne.

Holiday Shoe Edit

From Christmas parties to the countdown to New Years, steal the show with statement shoes covered in sequins, rhinestones, and edgy elegance. I have created an entire page of footwear options to cover all your festive occasions. Some are more subtle and transition seamlessly into the coming seasons, while others demand to be paired with a fabulous cocktail dress and a bottle of bubbly.

Check out my Holiday Shoe Edit page for the full visuals and details.

Last-Minute Gifts

In case you are on the hunt for last-minute Christmas gifts, I wanted to offer a selection of items with different price ranges. These are all items that I already own, so obviously I liked them enough to spend my own money on them. Sometimes we need just a little extra-something for a loved one around the holidays, and I think one (or two) or these may just be the thing to wrap under the tree.

The luxe option with the highest price point would be this Valentino cardholder. A festive red would also be a great alternative…especially since I can no longer find this vibrant pink color way anywhere other than re-sale websites like Tradesy or Fashionphile. Nordstrom offers the best color selection by far. In case you love a bubblegum shade as much as I do, this color way is called Giacinto. These cardholders retail for $295.00, but Nordstrom offered over $100.00 off for Black Friday. I expect similar deals to launch, following Christmas Day.

There was also an amazing Chloe cardholder, at a slightly lower price, but the logo covered the entire cardholder, so I thought the Valentino version was more classic and versatile.

Next up is a much more affordable option…a semi-practical one with a fun twist. I am so over the moon with my mini beauty fridge. I found it at T.J. Maxx and grabbed it immediately. It would work for someone who likes to have cool refreshments at-hand at the office, or a beauty and skincare junkie like myself.

I am using it for its designed purpose…to keep my skincare products cold, for a refreshing spa-like experience at home. It could fit several mini sodas, and would be also a cute option for a teenager. I have seen the mini fridges in black and grey, but I have never before seen it in this gorgeous lacquered, glossy baby pink.

Ulta has their own version, though they are charging $89.99, and I got my cute little pink version for $39.99. The pink version I found on FaceTory has a fun retro vibe, but costs $99.00. The rose gold beauty fridge from vanity planet is the net-a-porter version as far as mini fridges go, but will cost you $127.99. I’ve included several other links to mini fridges. The Cooluli version has the most similar look to the one I have and it comes in baby pink, baby blue, hot pink, and even cow print!

For one big gift, I think a mini beauty fridge stocked with a skincare product or two would be perfect. This allows you to really customize the gift according to the gift recipient. Choose a beauty fridge in their favorite color and select a few beauty (or skincare items) from their favorite beauty brand.

I loved this gift idea so much that I decided to wrap it under the tree for my mom. She loves bubble baths and skincare products, so I stocked her beauty fridge with a few products for a luxury bath experience. Because the items I chose were larger, I removed the shelf in the beauty fridge to fit them both in. That’s another advantage to this specific beauty fridge…the shelf is removable.

Speaking of beauty, what girl doesn’t love a luxurious lipstick?

It may be the smallest and most affordable gift all…but good things come in small packages. Of course, this is another item that would fit perfectly in a mini beauty fridge, or you could put it in a sachet bag and hide it on the tree for the recipient to find.

This is is the 2018 holiday lipstick from Nars in Siouxsie. It is a deep, dark red. The bullet feels luxurious, with metallic and magnetic packaging.

Any lipstick in festive packaging will work great as a stocking stuffer, or a little extra something tucked inside another gift. I will list a few lipstick options from current collections below.

I hope these ideas assist you in finishing up your holiday shopping. Instead of buying so many gifts, I think it’s important to consider who you are buying for, what their interests are, and what type of gift they would appreciate. A good rule of thumb when gift giving, is to give something that you would love to receive.

Lately, these beauty fridges have become a bit of a trend, so I would explore your local Marshall’s or T.J. Maxx or explore the links above.

The “beauty” of this gift is that you can customize it for your loved one and give something that can be used and enjoyed on a daily basis. Now that I own a beauty fridge, I look forward to reaching for my chilled moisturizer every morning and evening.

Happy Christmas Shopping!

Farfetch Mini-Haul

Because I was resourceful and did most of my Black Friday shopping at Unclaimed Baggage, I was able to make a few splurges on a luxury retailer. I didn’t want any returns or regrets, so I carefully considered every single purchase. I selected only classic pieces that were lacking in my wardrobe, and that are versatile and lasting.

After comparing my wishlists on Farfetch and Net-A-Porter, Farfetch’s promotion of 30% off on sale items was too good to pass up. I still only bought two items..perhaps the best Black Friday purchases that I’ve ever made…

The white blouse from LoveShackFancy can be worn to dinner, on the weekend, with jeans, or in the Spring with skirts and shorts. It has the perfect amount of crop and puff sleeve and the small is a perfect fit. I have several great statement tops, but needed a classic Victorian style blouse that can be worn over and over.

The square neckline is very flattering and I love how this top highlights the waistline. Paired with high-waisted pants or jeans, this will create a very leg-elongating look.

Now, onto my favorite Black Friday purchase. It is my first real designer belt purchase. I fell head over heels for the pastel pink logo with the pink and black ribbon belt.

I wear black almost every other day, and the pop of pastel pink with that, adds the right amount of color. It is modern and fresh, but still with a feminine touch. It gives any outfit a more statement look and will look phenomenal with black denim.

And let me introduce my new favorite fashion retailer for high-end looking but more affordable fashion…Fashion Bunker. For Black Friday, they offered 25% off full price items.

After a long search for the perfect camel coat, I decided on this light nude option by Keepsake. This brand offers amazing, high quality pieces that look very designer, and Fashion Bunker offers the best selection of Keepsake. I love an ultra pale nude shade…and this wrap style and dramatic lapels is very slimming and modern.

This “Lucky” coat is more special than designer versions I have seen. It also has a much more tailored distinct look than a camel teddy or basic wool coat. And when you get a classic color, you only need to invest in one fabulous coat. I will be wearing this year after year. And I actually love the style more than versions I saw on Net-A-Porter.

I hope you did some resourceful Black Friday shopping. I expect similar sales to continue after the holidays to celebrate Boxing Day.

Unclaimed Baggage

I was extremely selective with my shopping this Black Friday. The only in-person shopping I did was at Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro, Alabama. This place is an absolute gem. Luggage that is lost at airports and is never spoken for, ends up here.

This fabulous black bag cost only $15.00 By replacing the strap, it looks much more-high end than it is, and I have already been wearing it on the daily.

Prices are affordable, depending on the brand of the item. No other Black Friday could beat what Unclaimed Baggage offers on a daily basis. For a handful of brand new dresses and blouses during Black Friday, I paid only $34.00.

To sweeten the pot for Black Friday, Unclaimed Baggage offered an additional 10% of iPads and MacBooks and 70% off winter dresses. This red dress (shown above) only cost $3.00. So essentially, it’s like thrift shopping, but the items are in great condition (with some exceptions of course) and have just been dry-cleaned for you.

One reason I think their selection is so amazing is because when people travel they shop, so most items sadly didn’t make it home with them. More than half of what I bought were new with tags.

Also, when we travel, we are often celebrating and want to look amazing, so we pack the best of the best in our suitcases. Unclaimed Baggage carries brands from Forever 21 to Stella McCartney.

My favorite finds of the day include a Stella McCartney cardigan, an Altuzarra blazer, a leather shearling coat, a Muubaa leather vest, a Rebecca Taylor dress, and a Tory Burch coat.

Unclaimed Baggage makes being fashionable more attainable. When you can find high-end clothing and great brands at a fraction of the price…it’s unheard of. I think Unclaimed Baggage, or stores like it, are a great option if you value high-quality fashion but don’t want to spend all your money on clothes and accessories.

Their inventory was so good that I returned the following weekend. I appreciate that Unclaimed Baggage dry-cleans the items before they are added to the store’s inventory. On my second visit I found this showstopping Balenciaga dress, though it was too tight so it didn’t come home with me. I think this just illustrates, though, the high-end brands and wide selection that Unclaimed Baggage offers…

Loved this Rachel Roy dress. I couldn’t resist purchasing this, with the metallic sheen and ruched detailing.

An ALC dress. The pattern was a bit too bold for me.

Such an adorable dress from Ann Taylor. But after I was told I looked like a cowgirl, I decided to pass on this one.

I hope you found some amazing deals this Black Friday and though I do love luxury, Unclaimed Baggage shows us that we can find exceptional preloved items at lower price tags.

H&M * Giambattista

I am returning this necklace…the letters overlap. The logo concept is lost…

I wanted to offer a review of the extremely hyped collaboration with H&M and Giambattista Valli.

I definitely got caught up in the excitement and put in one order after another of the collection, as one piece at a time went back in and out of stock. There are still a few items that have yet to go back into stock, and those were actually the pieces I wanted the most…

Because Giambattista Valli is known for his couture gowns, the dresses were the hot ticket item.

I purchased two of the jackets…one I am keeping and the other is completely outrageous…not in a good way.

The oversized leather jacket does look very designer, but the arms are made so slouchy and oversized that I look like a linebacker when I wear it…or that I’m trying to achieve a Kanye West/Lady Gaga Vibe. I would literally never wear it. It is unique but not at all practical.

I will definitely be returning the oversized leather jacket. This was one of the pieces I wanted the most…but this just goes to show that it is easy to get caught up in the hype of a new designer launch and buy something simply because it is the “it” piece in a limited edition collaboration.

And when I think of my shopping regrets in the past, I refuse to spend my hard earned money on a jacket that is totally unwearable-I don’t care what collection it is or who the designer is. That is also the reason I didn’t purchase the Kylie Jenner frou-frou dresses that were the first to sell out.

I did manage to get my hands on one dress…the white crystal mini dress with major wedding vibes. I am so lucky to have this…I tried to order the sequin mini skirt and that order was canceled. Another order was lost in transit. But this white beauty is very special, and more wearable than the floor-length gowns in the collection.

Though this show-stopper is more suited for evening and formal occasions, the length makes it more wearable (as far as Giambattista Valli goes.) You could pair it with boots and a leather jacket (or the faux fur white one as shown in the H&M ads.) Because it is white, it is more versatile than a print or colorful dress, and I think in the future I will have an occasion to wear it. While I usually shake my head at investing in party dresses and evening wear, I caved for this collection. I honestly loved so much from this collaboration, but ended up keeping only this dress and the white abdominal-snowman inspired jacket.

You should buy what you love-but also only buy what you will actually wear. I love my purchases (that I kept) from the H&M Giambattista Valli collab, but I only bought 2 items, and those can even be worn together. Shop with caution when you shop limited edition collections and think in terms of costs per wear.