On Vacation

Greetings from Ohio! Assuming the winter storms didn't cancel my flight (and that the Mayans were wrong) I got into Columbus late last night. I'll be spending the next 10 days with my family and returning to Boston to spend New Year's Eve with my sweetie. I've only been able to see my family once a year since moving to Boston, so I always try to make the most of the time we have together.

Today my mom, sister, and I are getting family pictures done. It'll be the first time we've had professional family pictures in over a decade and the first time ever with just the three of us. I can't wait to share them with you, but in the mean time here's one of my favorite pictures of the three of us from Christmas 2008. Little sister is about a foot taller now!

I probably won't be very active in the blog world until after the new year. I'm hoping I can persuade my sister and mom to be act as my personal photographers while I'm here, so that I come back with lots of outfit photos to share. I do promise to tweet lots of pictures. I guarantee there will be cookie decorating, an animal print themed Christmas tree, and more matching pjs so make sure you follow me on twitter!

Happy Holidays to you and yours. See you in 2013!

Holiday Wishlist Part 2: Stocking Stuffers

I apologize for doing so many wishlist posts lately, and not so many outfit posts. Sometimes life gets in the way of taking pictures, and I'm learning to be okay with it.

A few weeks ago I shared a few of the items on my holiday wishlist. This week I thought I'd share some of the items I'd love to find in my stocking Christmas morning.

This adorable Stocking. Y'all know how I feel about polka dots!

Stila Major Lash Mascara- This is my go-to mascara. It doesn't clump, has a tiny applicator brush, and it's under $10!

A Tea Ball for brewing loose leaf teas.

Some Smashbox Mega Tint lipcolor in a peachy tint for every day wear. I love, love, love smashbox lip glosses, so I've been wanting to try this.

This sparkly Rose Gold Colored Ring from Dorothy Perkins is also under $10!

For my at home manicures I'd love some Ridge Smoothing Base Coat by Essie and these beautiful lacy Sally Hansen Salon Effects.

... and lots of chocolate!

What stocking stuffers do you have your eye on?

Weekly Wishlist: A Little Sparkle

In college I had a lot of sparkly clothes in my wardrobe. When I graduated and stopped going to dance parties I got rid of a lot of my "going out" clothes. Gone are my sequined party dresses and glittery belts. As a result, I struggle when it comes to putting together outfits for events that require "cocktail" attire. I want to invest in some sparkly basics that can be remixed for formal events, or just for days when I feel like wearing a little something sparkly.

image via DSW.com

Plenty by Tracy Reese Naia Wedge Bootie- $129.95 at DSW

It's boot weather in Boston about 60% of the year, so these sparkly little booties would definitely come in handy. I can see them with a cocktail dress and some funky patterned tights for an event, or with opaque tights, a black pencil skirt and a sweater for the office. 

image via forever21.com

Cropped Sequined Jacket- $29.80 at Forever21

This color is listed as bronze on the website, but I think it looks more like a rose gold color. I'm a little obsessed with rose gold jewelry right now, so I love this little cropped jacket. I'd use it to dress up jeans and a tee.

image via Nordstrom.com

Adrianna Papell Sleeveless Lace Sheath Dress- $140 at Norstrom

This dress isn't technically sparkly, but it's lacy and it's one of my favorite colors. It's sleeveless so it could be layered in cold weather or worn alone in warmer weather. There's also a 3/4 sleeve version if you don't like showing your arms.  I would style this dress with a sparkly blazer and pumps for an event, or with a cardigan and flats for the office. 

image via oldnavy.com

Braided Sparkle Belt- $8 at Old Navy

I love a braided belt, and this one is covered in pewter sequins! At $8 I'm strongly resisting the urge to order it for myself right now.

image via forever21.com

Sequined Scallop Skirt- $24.80 at Forever 21

Quality at Forever 21 is always a gamble, but how beautiful and delicate is this skirt? The sequined arches give it an art deco vibe, which I love. I think it would look great with a simple black sweater.

Which is your favorite?


PS: I did some blog design changes yesterday with my limited tech abilities. What do you think?

 

Smart Polka Dots

It's no secret I love polka dots. I have three polka dot dresses in my closet (1, 2, 3) and I've been trying REALLY hard not to buy any more, so I was delighted to see this dress on Gwynnie Bee! Borrow a work appropriate polka dot dress whenever I want? Yes please! And the color is divine. It reads as navy in photos, but it's more of a really deep plum color in person. I kind of want to wear it again before I send it back, but there are so many other pieces I want to try! 

Outfit: Dress- Eliza J via Gwynnie Bee; Boots- Madden Girl (similar); Tights- H&M

I wore this dress to work and also to a panel discussion on Boston Fashion hosted by Boston Globe. The discussion "Boston Fashion is Smart" was co-moderated by Jay Calderin of Boston Fashion Week and Chris Muther, a fashion reporter for the Boston Globe and featured some really cool panelists. The discussion focused on how fashion in Boston is evolving and coming into its own. 

While a lot of the discussion was a little too high fashion oriented for my taste- one point of discussion really resonated with me. The features that Boston is often criticized for are actually its strengths. Being a "college town" actually gives Boston its character- it is the ever changing population of students and faculty that make Boston a global city! 

Autumn 2012 in Review

I can't believe it's December already! I know winter doesn't officially start until the winter solstice on December 21st, but I always think of December 1st as the unofficial start of winter. With that in mind, here is a look back at some of my favorite outfits from Autumn 2012.

There are definitely some trends in my fall favorites. I loved cobalt, mustard yellow, horizontal stripes, and my denim jacket! Which outfit is your favorite?