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Life, Outfits, Travel

What I Pack in my Carry On + Travel Tips and Tricks

What I pack in my carry on, travel tips and tricks

*I have been compensated by QVC for this blog post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

What I pack in my carry on, travel tips and tricks

What I pack in my carry on, travel tips and tricksAfter the airline (thou shall not be named) lost my bag last year, your girl has a small case of travel anxiety which has led me to pack a lot more strategically and efficiently. I devoted last year to traveling as much as I could and definitely picked up some travel tips, tricks and hacks along the way that I wish someone would have told me! Before we get started I figured I would share the crazy, semi-comical lost baggage story for your reading pleasure. If you are just here for the tips and tricks, keep scrolling to the bottom of the post!

BACK STORY:

Last July I flew to Miami for Miami Swim Week. Hands down one of the best weeks ever… until this situation happened. Silver lining: it was on the way home instead of on the way there which would have been an absolute disaster. Anywho, long story short, the last night we decided it would be a good idea to party all night long and go straight to the airport because YOLO. When we got to the airport (early I might add), we decided to check our baggage outside which I’ve never done in my life but alcohol told us this was a fantastic idea. Fast forward to landing in Houston, my bag never showed up.

At this point I was delirious from lack of sleep but was assured by the airline that my bag would show up on the next flight and they would bring it to me. FALSE. It never showed up. I was on the phone with customer service every day for the next week trying to get any sort of update on my bag. I even went up to the airport multiple times to try to get some kind of answers to no avail. I had thousands of dollars worth of product in that bag including ALL of my make up, ALL of my hair products/tools, and ALL of the designer swim suits and clothes I had taken and then been gifted in Miami. The airline couldn’t tell me anything. Supposedly it had been scanned in at check in and then never scanned again. Side note: They scan your bag at every check point (check in, TSA, on the plane, arrival, etc) and mine was just apparently MIA.

At one point they told me my bag might be in the Bahamas which made me LOL. I was all like “my clothes get a tropical vacation and I don’t?!”. I say LOL lightly because I wasn’t laughing. Funny enough though, my friend Kylee was traveling back to Miami the following weekend and offered to look for my bag at the Miami airport. I was sure that she would find it somewhere since I was so sure it had to still be at the Miami airport. Nope. She searched that whole dang airport with the help of a baggage claim assistant and it wasn’t anywhere to be found. I officially gave up hope after this.

I ‘m sure you are not surprised to find out that I had documented this entire process on my Instagram stories. Documented…ranted… same thing. So one of my sweet followers happened to be flying into a completely different Houston airport than I had flown into and messaged me that she thought she saw my bag. There was hope. I drove straight to the other airport and went straight to the baggage claim office. There were only 4 bags and none of them were mine. At that point I decided it was time to come to terms that I would never see any of my stuff again. I went and purchased new make up that day.

Then a miracle happened. Kylee happened to be flying into the Houston airport that my follower had said she had seen my bag. Kylee, who had flown into this airport many times, versus me who had never flown into that airport and didn’t know about the several cages that they store lost bags in, FOUND MY BAG. I woke up to several missed calls and FaceTime videos. It was possibly one of the best mornings of my life. The bag had been exactly where my follower had said it was but I just hadn’t looked in the right spot.

When Kylee found the bag they released it to her no questions asked. All 4 of my baggage tags had been ripped off which meant there was no identifier anywhere on the entire bag that could have tied it to me. No personal baggage tags. No airline baggage tags. No airline barcode stickers. Nothing. Sadly this happens more often than you think where baggage tags get ripped off somewhere during transportation from being on the conveyer belts. Now how my bag even made it on a plane, let alone to the correct city, just wrong airport, we will never know.

Something I learned during the process, if unidentifiable bags are “lost” for more than 30 days they are sold to a huge warehouse in Alabama where your beloved belongings are sold off piece by piece. 90’s kids: I immediately thought of Halloweentown and Gort’s cottage where all of the missing items go. Thankfully after a series of extremely lucky events, I got my bag back in tact, with everything still in it a little over a week later.

What I pack in my carry on, travel tips and tricks

What I pack in my carry on, travel tips and tricks

What I pack in my carry on, travel tips and tricks

TRAVEL TIPS:

NEVER check your bags outside.

The staff outside is employed by the airport, not each individual airline, so if your bag goes missing, the airline isn’t held responsible.

Always put some form of identification IN your bag

On the off chance that your bag somehow does have all of it’s bag tags or identifiers ripped off, you should always have an identifier inside of your bag that can link your bag back to you. This could be a business card, a copy of your driver’s license or passport, or even a print out of your flight itinerary. I was told by the airline it is best to have your phone number and email in case anything ever happens.

Invest in a luggage tracker

I suggest doing your research on which option is best for you but luggage trackers are 100% worth the money. It’s basically like buying insurance on your belongings when you travel and while it might not solve all of your problems should your bag actually get lost, it will at least help figure out the bags location which is more than the airline can do sometimes. The Tile is a popular tracking device that you can stick to just about anything (keys, phone, luggage, etc) and tracks the item via an app on your phone.

Always pack your “can’t live withouts” in your carry on

Obviously this might be a little different for everyone but for me this means jewelry, especially sentimental jewelry, make up, hair tools, designer items, a change of clothes, a couple pairs of underwear, passport, and laptop. To keep these things organized in your carry on I suggest purchasing a couple different bags or pouches. I’m linking mine for you below.

HANDY GADGETS:

Weigher

If you are always that girl at the airport unloading one suitcase to another to get below the 50 pound mark, save yourself the trouble and get one of these luggage scales! If I’m going on a trip where I know i’ll be coming home with more than I’m going with, I make sure to toss this in my bag!

Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are a game changer for your checked bags and even mid size carry ons to keep your clothes organized, wrinkle free and room for more. If you are one of those people that can never find anything in your suitcase, these are for you!

Portable Charger

While you should definitely pack your normal chargers too, never leave for a trip without a portable charger. I can’t tell you how many times these have saved me when I didn’t have time to charge my phone or didn’t have the ability to charge my phone on the go.

Travel Size Makeup/Toiletries

Maybe not a gadget, but if you plan to bring your toiletries and makeup on the plane with you, you are going to need to invest in some travel size products. QVC has a great selection of name brand, travel size makeup and toiletries. You can also use TAKE10 for $10 off of your purchase for new customers!

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Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Twas the Night Before The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Set your alarm clocks because the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale goes live TONIGHT for all cardholders. PSA: it is not too late to get approved for a Nordstrom credit card here. 

12 pm PST // 2 am CST // 3 am PST

There is only one sale of the year that could pull me out of a deep slumber to shop. But let’s be honest it won’t even be a deep slumber because I will hardly sleep! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is literally like Christmas morning minus the part you are the one playing Santa Claus and using real money instead of make believe North Pole money. Nonetheless, it it completely worth it. In fact, the past two years I’ve taken off work the first day of the sale so that I could wake up and shop it! Crazy lady status I know.

TIPS TO GET THE GOOD STUFF

  • Set your alarm! The good stuff will go fast, so if you are dedicated to scoring the best of the best, you will want to wake up early and head to itsallchictome.com where I will have the low down on the best items from the sale. I’ve already gotten a sneak peak at everything that will be included so all I have to do is link everything up when the sale goes live.
  • Make a list– If you’ve already perused the Nordstrom Catalog and know of exact items you want to snag. Write down the exact item name so you can search it when the sale goes live. If not, make a general list. This is mine: Tory Burch work appropriate purse, jeans, sweater, basic tees, and Marc Fisher boots.
  • Filter by category and specific brands that you know and love! Being an avid Nordstrom shopper I know which are popular, budget friendly brands and items that WILL sell out first. See below for my suggestions.
  • Check out my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale drop down menu items (located at the top of my blog). I will add to these right at 2 am CST when the sale goes live will all of the best items and items I expect to sell out first.

POPULAR BRANDS AND PRODUCTS

WOMEN’S CLOTHES:

WOMEN’S SHOES:

BAGS/ACCESSORIES:

If you have anymore questions before or during the sale, please do not hesitate to email me at itsallchictomeblog@gmail.com or send me a message on Instagram! I am happy to answer your questions or send you any links that you might. Good luck friends and may the sale God’s be ever in your favor 😉

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NYFW

New York Fashion Week Tips

I’ve said it so many times but I want to start this post off saying it once more, anyone can go to fashion week! Whether you are a blogger, work in the fashion industry, or it has just been on your bucket list for years, anyone can go to New York fashion week. That being said, you definitely will have to put in some grunt work to get into fashion shows and parties. Since I’ve been around the block, hopefully these tips will get you ready for fashion week too!

BEFORE NYFW

  • Be proactive with fashion show invites– No matter your size, there is a show for you. Some fashion shows will be invite only, but some are open to the public. The key is that you have got to put in the work and reach out to as many fashion shows and event contacts as possible because they are not going to come to you.
    • When should I start reaching out? Start reaching out about 3-4 weeks in advance. Brands and PR firms will not confirm attendance to shows until the week of so this gives you plenty of grace time. I suggest reaching out in order of importance. For bigger brands or parties, I would reach out first as these will fill up faster. For smaller brands, reaching out 1-2 weeks in advance is plenty of time as they will be looking for people to fill their seats.
    • How do I know who to reach out to? When in doubt, email everyone you can find a contact for. Utilize your good friend Google as well as LinkedIn. Each brand’s website should have a PR or marketing email. Contact them. There is an official NYFW show list that is published. I highly suggest going to down the show list, hitting up Google for each brand’s contact and emailing them your pitch. If you can find more than one potential email per brand, even better! If the brand is represented by a PR firm, even better. Contact the PR firm and let them know that you are interested in going to that brand’s fashion show/party.
    • What do I say in my pitch email? I suggest having one generic email for brands and one for PR companies. That being said you should personalize these for shows that you really want to go to or have a connection with. Tell them why you want to go to their show. Have you featured them in a blog post? Link to that exact blog post in your pitch email. For both instances, state the dates that you will be in New York and ask for an invitation to any shows or events that they might be coordinating. My typical email goes something along the lines of this; “Hi my name is Shelbi and I am the fashion blogger behind the blog, It’s All Chic To Me. I will be attending New York Fashion Week September 7-12th and would love the opportunity to attend any shows or events that you are coordinating for ____”
    • Follow up– Make sure to follow up with brands that might not have gotten back to you. They are receiving hundreds if not thousands of emails a day concerning fashion week so if you get to be a week out and you still have not heard from them, send a follow up email. Also, if they come back and say that there is not room, ask to be put on the waiting list. It can’t hurt and chances are people will back out and you will get a spot!
  • Share, share, share! –  Odds are you probably know several other people going whether they are local or far away. Connect over social media and share those contacts! My biggest piece of advice is to divide and conquer. Once you start getting responses back from shows, share the yes’s with your friends and vice versa so that you will know somebody else going! Nobody wants to go to shows alone and this way you gaining hopefully just as many contacts as you shared with others. Win-win!
    • Start a community google doc – My friends and I did this last year and it was GOLD. If you know people going, get a community contact list started early so that you can have all of your contacts in one place. We made sure to add the brand’s name, contact name, RSVP and who all was going to the show.
    • Facebook groups – If you are not already in several blogger or fashion Facebook groups, now is the time to join! If you search “New York Fashion Week” or “NYFW” on Facebook, several should come up and this is where people will be sharing their plans and contacts. If you are already in groups that have bloggers, strike up a conversation to see who is going and if people want to start sharing contacts. This should be a huge tool for you!
  • Make sure you have these tools– If you are not already signed up for Fohr Card and Fashion GPS (download on the app store), go ahead and do that NOW. Fohr Card is a website that brands use to see what your rank is as an influencer. Fashion GPS is an app that brand’s use to send out invites. This makes it super easy once you are there because all of your show invites will be in one place. Each show will also have a ticket barcode that is listed in the app and you will have to pull up in order to gain access.
  • PR firms are the way to go– I cannot stress this enough. While everyone is all hyped up about all of the fashion shows during fashion week, do not forget about PR firms. I’m talking about ones that you have worked with as well as ones that you might have just connected with for fashion week. If you get the chance to set up a meeting with a PR firm that you are currently working with, take it! There is nothing better than putting a face to a name and making a real life connection. This can only help you grow your connection with that firm and hopefully establish a long term partnership.
  • Packing tips–
    • This is your time to dress a little crazy– There are street style photographers EVERYWHERE and the more “out there” you dress the better. Still stay true to your brand but don’t be afraid to wear something you might not normally get the chance to. Now is your time to get creative! You might just find yourself on sone major fashion website 🙂
    • Wear comfortable shoes and bring flats – My #1 piece of advice is to wear comfortable shoes. You will be walking a TON and WILL get blisters so just prepare yourself. Bring bandaids on bandaids because you will need them. If you plan on wearing heels, bring a pair of flats to change into between shows. Something that can fit into your purse is best so that you don’t have to carry your shoes around in your hand (#fashionfauxpaux)
    • There is no need to bring more than 2 outfits per day- From experience, it is best to pack one “day” outfit and one “night” outfit. Chances are the day will be filled with shows and/or meetings all over the city so wearing something that is both cute, functional AND (most importantly) comfortable is a necessity during the day. Do NOT wear heels during the day. You will have enough blisters as it is. As for what to wear for your “day” look, you will see everything! Jeans are certainly not too casual but don’t be afraid to rock a dress or skirt with sneakers. For reference, I will be wearing sneakers with every single “day” look. For night, this is when you can dress up and throw a pair of heels on! Make sure they are comfortable though.
    • Partner with showrooms or local brands– Almost every brand during fashion week will have a showroom that will let you borrow clothes, wear them during fashion week and then return them. This is HUGE y’all for multiple reasons. This way you don’t have to by or pack as much stuff. Less money spent and less crap to lug around! Also, if you have worked closely with any brands back home, ask them if they will let you borrow clothes for fashion week. Odds are they will say yes if you agree to tag in your social media while you are there. This is great exposure for them!

DURING NYFW

  • Getting around town– Most people will use Uber which is why the surge pricing and traffic is INSANE. It might seem like a hassle at the beginning but I promise the subway is the way to go. My first year I spent close to $400 on Ubers alone if that tells you anything. Unfortunately fashion week events are ALL over the city. You will save SO much time, money and stress by using the subway. We asked a local every time we used it which way to go. They are more than happy to help you out. And if you absolutely must use an Uber, grab a few friends to ride with and then use the “Split Fare” function directly in the app.
  • Bring an extra battery– Even if you think you have the longest lasting phone battery there is, bring an extra. Make that two.
  • Arrive to fashion shows early– Even though every fashion show starts at least 15 minutes late, plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before show time to ensure that you get a seat. Chances are if you have a priority standing ticket and are early enough, you will get a seat! If you do have a seat and notice 5 minutes (or less) before the show starts that there is open seating in closer rows, go ahead and snag the seat!
  • Uploading to Snapchat/Instagram– Since you will obviously be sharing your NYFW experience on social media, a quick tip to the wise so that you actually enjoy your experience and don’t piss anyone off. Instead of uploading directly to Instagram/Snapchat during a show/party, take pictures and videos sparingly during the event and then upload everything at once after the event is over. This will ensure you make the most of your time and don’t miss anything! Pro tip: I used my time in Ubers or the subway to catch up on posting to social media.

If I missed anything or if you are just wanting more information on NFYW, including what I’ve worn in the past or how to get invited to shows or brand meetings, the easiest way to find NYFW posts I’ve done in the past, is to type “NYFW” into the search bar on the side bar of my blog or click on any of the below links. If I didn’t answer one of your questions or you would like to ask anything else, leave me a comment or shoot me a DM on Instagram and I would love to help you attend NYFW too!

2017

INSTAGRAM ROUND-UP: NYFW OUTFITS

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK 2017: DAY 1

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK 2017: DAY 2

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK 2017: DAY 3

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK 2017: DAY 4

AN END TO NEW YORK FASHION WEEK 2017

THAT’S SO 70’S DENIM JUMPSUIT

NYFW BLOG TAKEOVER + BEST PHOTO SPOTS IN NYC

2016

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK – DAY 1

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK – DAY 2

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK – DAY 3

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK – DAY 4

 

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Blog Tips, Outfits

How to Grow Your Instagram

Street style: black vest + leather leggings + OTK boots, black on black , all black everything

Street style: black vest + leather leggings + OTK boots, black on black , all black everything

Street style: black vest + leather leggings + OTK boots, black on black , all black everything

Street style: black vest + leather leggings + OTK boots, black on black , all black everything

Street style: black vest + leather leggings + OTK boots, black on black , all black everything

Street style: black vest + leather leggings + OTK boots, black on black , all black everything

Street style: black vest + leather leggings + OTK boots, black on black , all black everything

Street style: black vest + leather leggings + OTK boots, black on black , all black everything

Vest: Similar | Leggings: Nordstrom | Boots: Nordstrom Rack (size down a full size) | Purse: Similar (less than $40) | Sunglasses: Karen Walker

Photography by: Banavenue

The question that I get asked the most since I started blogging is “How did you grow your Instagram so fast?”. When I started out, I think I probably googled the same thing and tried to look to other bloggers for some magic formula that would shoot me to the top. Unfortunately there is no magic formula and while there are certainly tips that I am going to share with you today, remember that what works for one person may not work for another. I am by no means an expert on the subject, but since so many of you have asked over the past year, I thought it was finally time to share how I gained 18,000 followers in one year.

In the beginning…

  1. The “follow to unfollow” method: If you don’t know what I am talking about, I am referring to where someone will follow hundreds of Instagram accounts and then after a few days they will go unfollow every single account. Why would someone do this? Because it get’s their name in front of Instagram accounts that might not have seen them otherwise. It is pretty frowned upon by people who have been in the business for awhile because it is “spammy”. It might be “spammy” but it certainly works and in the beginning, you do what you have to do. So I would go follow about 100 accounts a night, and then go unfollow them 3 days later if they didn’t follow me back. This got me a couple thousand followers. You can download the app InsTrack to easily track who is and is not following you back. At the point that I am at, I do not do this anymore but I felt like it is one that I should still disclose.
  2. Loop Giveaways: If you have been around Instagram for awhile you most likely have participated in one. These are where in order for an Instagram user to enter into the giveaway, they must follow every single account that is hosting the giveaway. It is called a “loop” because it will take you to each host’s Instagram and will bring you back to whoever you started with. If you are looking to get involved in one of these giveaways, they are usually around $20-$30 to be a part of and you can find out how to get in on one by simply asking someone else that has already done one. They should be able to point you in the right direction. Again, these are a little “spammy” because contestants hate having to follow so many accounts. While giveaways are great to help gain followers fast, you will usually see that right after the giveaway is over, you will lose a substantial amount of the following that you just created due to the fact that they only followed you so that they could win a contest, not because they actually wanted to. I still participate in these from time to time but I try to keep it to a minimum. This has probably boosted my following by at least 5,000 followers.
  3. Call on your friends: Sometimes all it takes is asking! Have your friends give you a quick shout out on their social media pages telling their followers to give you a follow. This could be something along the lines of, “Everyone go follow my best friend’s new blog, you can find her on social media with the handle @itsallchictome”.
  4. “Follow Fridays”: I’d say that these are more for bloggers and small business owners. Essentially what you do is get together a group of 4 people that would want to promote each other to their own followers. As you probably guessed, this happens on Fridays. I typically will try to pair up with 3 other fashion bloggers that I genuinely like to follow so I know that they would be people that my followers would like to follow as well. I would suggest trying to stick to promoting other accounts that are in your same realm of business. Whenever you promote a “follow Friday”, you are essentially getting all of the other participants’ followers. The higher the amount of followers that each of the other 3 participants have, the more followers you will get. These do not gain a ton of followers, but they certainly help. Most people will delete the Instagram post after 24 hours.

The must do’s…

  1. Engagement is everything: You must engage with your current followers but you must also engage with potential followers. Both parts to this equation are crucial. Your followers want to hear from you and know that you are a person that is interested in them and what they have to say. On the other hand, it is important to constantly be getting your name out there. So while you might not think that commenting on some random girl’s photo is doing you any good, you are wrong. Each time you comment on someone’s photo, there are new people that are going to see your name. Exposure is everything and it all starts with engaging. When I say engage, I specifically mean liking and commenting on other people’s photos. You should be doing this daily. I would say that I like and comment on about 100 people’s Instagram accounts per day. Make sure that you are constantly following new people and commenting on different people’s accounts so that you are getting a broader reach.
  2. Use ALL 30 hashtags: This is imperative. Instagram only allows you to use 30 hashtags and you should be using all of them. It doesn’t matter if you think that they make your caption look dumb, I promise that everyone else is doing it and you just have to realize that it’s part of the business game. It is important to think of Instagram like a search engine and hashtags are the only way to search for something. Hashtags get users to your page that might not have found you any other way. There are popular hashtags that you can and should use (and I will most likely do another post on that). I would suggest doing half and half when it comes to popular hashtags versus explanatory hashtags. Explanatory hashtags are anything to explain what is going on in the picture. Whether it is an article of clothing, a brand, or an action that is taking place. Think about what someone might search for in hopes to land on your picture. The best way to input hashtags into your photo is by hiding them into a comment right after you post. This way once people start commenting on your post, the hashtags will get hidden unless someone takes the time to go back through your comments.
  3. Getting featured: Tag every brand or company possible in every single photo that you post. Regrams (when a company or account reposts your photo) help grow your following so much and also put your name out there to brands that you might really want to work with. If you know that a company is going to be posting about you on their Instagram account, make sure you ask them to not only tag you in the photo, but to also give you credit in the caption. The bigger the following of the account that reposts you, the more followers that they are sending your way. Getting featured on Liketoknow.it’s Instagram is just about the best thing that can happen. They have over 2 million followers and if you get reposted on here, not only will it send hundreds if not thousands of new followers your way, it also will give you a nice paycheck to boot.

If you have any other specific questions on this topic, please visit my contact page and shoot me an email. I am always happy to help where I can! If you enjoy my blog tip posts like this one, please let me know so that I can keep them coming for you guys!

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Holidays, Outfits

Holiday Party Ready with Elaine Turner

Holiday party ready, holiday style, holiday fashion, Elaine Turner holiday wear

Holiday party ready, holiday style, holiday fashion, Elaine Turner holiday wear

Holiday party ready, holiday style, holiday fashion, Elaine Turner holiday wear

Holiday party ready, holiday style, holiday fashion, Elaine Turner holiday wear

Holiday party ready, holiday style, holiday fashion, Elaine Turner holiday wear

Holiday party ready, holiday style, holiday fashion, Elaine Turner holiday wear

Holiday party ready, holiday style, holiday fashion, Elaine Turner holiday wear

Holiday party ready, holiday style, holiday fashion, Elaine Turner holiday wear

Holiday party ready, holiday style, holiday fashion, Elaine Turner holiday wear

Holiday party ready, holiday style, holiday fashion, Elaine Turner holiday wear

Holiday party ready, holiday style, holiday fashion, Elaine Turner holiday wear

Holiday party ready, holiday style, holiday fashion, Elaine Turner holiday wear

Holiday party ready, holiday style, holiday fashion, Elaine Turner holiday wear

Holiday party ready, holiday style, holiday fashion, Elaine Turner holiday wear

My outfit (all Elaine Turner) // Jacket | Top | Leggings: Bloomingdales | Shoes | Clutch

Margret’s Outfit (all Elaine Turner) // Dress | Booties | Purse | Bracelet

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.

  1. 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.   

  2. 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.                                                                                                      

  3. 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.

1. Comment on this blog post

2. Follow me on Instagram here

3. Follow Margret on Instagram here

*Thank you Elaine Turner for sponsoring this post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Photography by: Banavenue

17 Comments