With only 2 days until Christmas, the holiday looks are in full effect around here. I tend to jump on new trends and wear them like they are going out of style which is completely the case with all of these bell sleeve tops. I seriously can’t get enough of them! I have about 4 other looks coming to the blog that all have bell sleeves and a lot of them have mini skirts too.
I love adding leather into my wardrobe when the cooler weather hits. Leather mini skirts just up the sass level of an outfit. For a night out, holiday party or New Years Eve, leather mini skirts are a great way to add a fun and festive factor. Go against the norm and try an alternative color to black. My personal favorite for the holiday season, is red or burgundy like this one that I am wearing.
I am off to a Christmas brunch with the ladies in my family. It’s a tradition that we do every year and it’s one of my favorites! After that will be a full day of wrapping presents because I haven’t even started. I brought all of my presents to my parents house so that I can steal mama’s wrapping paper 🙂
If you are looking for the perfect outfit for the holidays, whether it is for Christmas, a holiday party, or New Year’s Eve, I’ve got an entire Holiday Look page to help you get inspired.
Now that the countdown to Christmas is in the single digits, all of us last minute shoppers are kicking it into gear. You would think that with all of these gift guides and holiday inspiration that I would have my Christmas shopping done but sadly that is not the case. It wouldn’t be Christmas without a 24th hour shopping trip on Christmas Eve for this girl 😉
Christmas shopping is one of my favorite times of the year so I usually try to make an entire day out of it. So while not all of my shopping is done, I was able to knock a few people off of my list this weekend at River Oaks Shopping Center. I specifically love going here because it truly is a one stop shop for everyone on my list. See some of my favorite places to shop for each person below.
The corporate gal: Ann Taylor, White House|Black Market, GAP
The active one: RYDE, Evolve Fitness Studio, Pure Barre
For Mom: Talbots, J. McLaughlin, Sur la Table, Chico’s
For Dad: Sunglass Hut, Jos A. Bank, Barnes & Noble, Luke’s Locker, V’s Barbershop
Spa gifts: Nail-tique, International Derma Spa, Full Blown Dry Bar
The food lover: Americas, Brasserie 19, Macaroon by Patisse, La Griglia Restaurant
Depending on how successful shopping goes, I almost always reward myself with California Pizza Kitchen and/or Nail-tique for a pampering session. After all the giving season isn’t just for everyone else. You deserve a little pampering too!
So if you are anything like me and have yet to finish up your holiday shopping, River Oaks Shopping Center is a great alternative to battling the massive crowds elsewhere. Cheers to checking everyone off of your list and Merry Christmas, friends!
*Thank you River Oaks Shopping Center for sponsoring this post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
How are we already in the second week of December?! I have yet to even start my Christmas shopping (last minute shopper all the way) yet somehow I’ve managed to plan out all of my holiday event wear! As soon as Thanksgiving is over, I love to start planning out outfits for the remainder of the year. Holiday parties are my favorite! Between Thanksgiving and New Years is when everyone starts to bring out the sequins, leather, suede and bows galore.
The holidays can be hectic which is why having your wardrobe ready for any party, planned or unplanned, can come in handy. I have partnered up with Margret from Style The Girl to share a few tips on how to get holiday party ready.
Classic Outerwear
You’d be surprised that even though we are in the coldest part of the year, something that is most commonly forgotten about is outerwear when it comes to holiday fashion. Outerwear doesn’t have to just be thought of as a means to get you from point A to point B. With so many cute options out there, find a piece of neutral outwear that you can wear to complete your outfit. I am loving this suede statement jacket especially because after the holidays are over it will easily transition to more casual outfits such as jeans and booties.
Add a bold material
Like I said, leather is a fun material to introduce during the holidays. My personal favorite is in legging form. If you are going to a party that is not cocktail attire but still want that “wow factor”, leather leggings will do just that. It is important to find leggings that are going to be appropriate and classy. A thicker material will not only keep you warmer but will also hide any imperfections. My go-tos are these two-tone leather leggings that have both leather and suede in them.
Statement Accessories
I am a firm believer that accessories can make or break an outfit. They can also easily take an outfit from drab to fab! The easiest way to make a statement with your accessories is when your outfit is a solid color. For instance, the majority of both Margret and I’s outfits are black. Because of this we both opted for fun bags and shoes. Bags, shoes and accessories are where you can play with patterns and colors. My jaguar clutch tied my entire outfit together by having both of my clothing colors in it.
Be sure to checkout Margret’s blog for her top 3 holiday fashion tips as they are completely different than mine and just as helpful 🙂 For more of your holiday needs, Elaine Turner is the perfect one stop shop. In fact, Margret and I are dressed head to toe in Elaine Turner. Before working with them I had only seen their purses but they offer so much more than that. Outerwear, clothing, shoes, and jewelry are just a few of what they have to offer! To help get you in the holiday spirit, Elaine Turner is currently running a promotion for 30% all of their bags and accessories with code SANTASFAV. We have also teamed up with them to bring you the final day of Christmas Giveaways and I might be bias but I think we saved the best for last!
GIVEAWAY
Continuing on with the 12 Days of Christmas giveaways, we teamed up with Elaine Turner to give away a Annabella clutch (a $200 value). The winner will be able to select their color choice. Follow the below directions to enter and be on the lookout for an Instagram post later today explaining how to gain extra entries as well.
I can hardly believe that I am turning a quarter of a century. The BIG 2-5! My youngest sister, Kacey, has been building the hype for about a year now. Every month on the 7th, she has texted me with a count down till my birthday to remind me that I am turning a quarter of a century. 25 is a milestone birthday for sure. You aren’t quite yet to 30, but all of a sudden you are half way through your 20s and it kinda starts to feel like you should have your shit figured out. Welp, my shit ain’t figured out one bit.
While there are plenty of things that I have learned in my 20s, there is still so much more to learn and grow. It’s funny how I flip flop back and forth between wanting to become this independent, strong, hard working woman and throwing a tantrum every morning when my alarm goes off. 25 going on 5.
So cheers to 25 years and not having it ALL figured out! But I wanted to go ahead and share 25 things that only took me 25 years to realize. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
1. Spaghettio’s and wine are my dinner specialties more nights than not. If the Kroger cashier judges me one more time for buying wine in bulk… your girl is just trying to get her 6 bottle discount.
2. Coffee is a necessary evil. I say this because I am allergic. I’m talking heart racing and sweat sessions #sexy
3. Time flies by faster and faster each year. Oh to be back in college when I swore I would never make it out of there. What I would give for time to slow down like that now.
4. Your high school bod is a thing of the past. Goodbye perky butt, hello cellulite. O and prepare for everything to change. Hair type, eyebrows (so not on fleek), adult acne, body pains. Everything your mom warned you about.
5. Always take the road less traveled. Even if it is just the stairs vs the elevator 😉 because that’s a good tip in itself.
6. Nobody has it figured out in their 20s and if they say that they do, they are LYING. I’ve come to find out that we are all just children pretending to be adults. Except some of us have to try a little harder than others. That would be me.
7. Friends that you thought would be around to support your wildest dreams will fall short. Others will come into your life unexpectedly and make the biggest impact. Funny how that happens.
8. God never gives us more than we can handle.
9. You are supposed to put more into your savings account than you take out. I swear you’d think they would teach these things in grade school but some of us don’t learn that till our 20s.
10. Girls are bitches. That’s right, I said it. Unfortunately you will never outgrow the girl drama. Some girls just thrive on it. Run from those girls and don’t look back.
11. Surround yourself with people that will tell it like it is. Nothing is more refreshing than the truth.
12. Don’t settle. Not for a boy, for a job, for a promotion, nothing. You simply deserve the best.
13. Hangovers exist. And they suck.
14. Learn to stand up for yourself. Confidence isn’t something you are born with, it’s something that is developed and the more you practice, the easier it will be.
15. You learn to appreciate your parents so much more and also realize it’s mostly because everything that they ever said turned out to all be right.
16. Laughter is the best medicine. It always pairs nicely with a bottle of wine and girlfriends. I hear it’s much cheaper than therapy and a good ab workout too.
17. Be unapologetic for who you are and never ever feel like you have to explain yourself.
18. Your time and energy are so much better spent being happy for other people than tearing them down. Negative energy takes years off your life. Seriously.
19. Cozying up on the couch is pretty much the equivalent of a rager. Fuzzy socks just add to the cool factor.
20. Brunch is always a good idea. It serves as 2 meals now how genius is that?!
21. Every experience, every action and every person shapes who you are. So rid yourself of the negative influences and surround yourself with positivity.
22. You are exactly where you need to be. It may not feel like it, but have faith that God’s plan is far greater than anything you could have ever imagined.
23. If a friendship or relationship feels forced, it’s not worth your time.
24. Mornings are when all of the magic happens. I think mom referred to those as the witching hours but dang are they the productive ones.
25. Everything is temporary. The good and the bad. So I’m learning to soak up the good times and not dwell on the bad.
Well folks, now that I am 25 do I look and sound that much wiser?! Because I’m pretty sure I woke up feeling super mature. That’s probably just the birthday excitement getting to my head though 🙂
GIVEAWAY
In honor of my birthday and continuing on with the 12 Days of Christmas giveaways, I have partnered with Beehive to gift one follower a $100 gift card. Beehive is one of my newest boutique finds with a retro feel to it that I just love. They have locations in Austin and Houston but they also have an online boutique. You must COMMENT on this blog post to enter. For additional entries, complete the below steps. The more you complete, the better your odds of winning!
The holidays have creeped up on us yet again! I could go on and on about how fast this year has flown by but if that’s what it takes to get us to Christmas time, then I can’t complain one bit. As soon as Thanksgiving ends and it becomes socially acceptable to start decorating for Christmas and playing Santa tunes on repeat, I become my happiest (s)elf! Even if Houston doesn’t feel like a winter wonderland, that isn’t stopping me from drinking hot chocolate or watching Christmas movies like they are going out of style.
This year I have been fortunate enough to work with so many amazing brands that have truly helped my small business grow and have allowed me to be able to keep this little blog afloat. Of course, absolutely none of that would mean anything if it weren’t for all of YOU that continually support me and my dreams. So to show my appreciation, I have teamed up with 12 different brands to bring you some pretty amazing gifts to get you in the holiday spirit! You might also see a few appearances from some of my favorite (rein)deers that made my first year of blogging one to remember!
Starting today, I will be giving away a gift every single day for 12 days. Some big, some small, some cozy, some stylish, and some specifically for my Houston ladies. In order to enter each giveaway make sure you are checking the blog every day and also following me on Instagram. While you do not have to have an Instagram, most of the giveaways will require it. Each giveaway will go live at 8 am CST each day and run for 24 hours until the next giveaway is announced. For this particular giveaway series, winners must reside within the United States. I will announce the winners of each giveaway on my Instagram stories so be sure you are following along!
First up, I have partnered with Cacay Natural Oils to gift 3 lucky readers a Cacay Oil set. It was not until this year that I started using oils and now I am forever changed. I love using the Cacay Oil before bed to lock in my moisturizer. I not only have softer skin, but it has helped with my dark circles and is supposed to prevent and fight off wrinkles too! These make the perfect stocking stuffers or Christmas gifts, especially for the ladies that are wanting to up their skin care regimen. To enter follow the below steps. You must have an Instagram to enter in this giveaway.
Don’t forget to check back tomorrow to see if you are a lucky winner and also so you can enter into the next giveaway. Just a heads up that the prizes get bigger and better 😉
