Holiday Gift Guide

It's that time of year again - Christmas!  Hooray! However, some of us can get really overwhelmed when it comes to shopping.  So, here is a short list of great gifts this year...

 

For the trendy girl, cat-eyed sunglasses are all the rage.  Celebrities have been sporting them for months.  My top three pics are these Tory Burch, Kate Spade, and YSL ones.  All a little different and unique but all so chic and any trend-setter will love them!

 

For the busy girl that is always running around town in her casual clothes, a great find are these Frye flats.  Everyone knows Frye boots and how lusciously soft they can be.  Well, these flats are just as soft and yummy and are only $128.  They are extremely comfortable and the perfect addition to any casual outfit!

For the name-brand loving girl, Chanel has come out with a new fragrance this year, CoCo Noir.  It smells great and if packaged beautifully.  And at $98, it's a fraction of the price of anything else Chanel so any name-brand lover will cherish it!

 

For the party girl that loves to go out on the town, this silver, almost pewter, Cole Haan wristlet is a great find.  It's not sooooo small like most wristlets that you can't fit all of your stuff in.  It's a little bigger so you can put your smart phone and make up. She can even fit a small camera to capture the night out!  And, at only $68 it's a great gift.

For the luxury loving girl, this Rowallan of Scotland Jewelry Box will look like her very own treasure chest.  It's leather covered, has 12 drawers, and has a lift-out travel box for all her special pieces.  It is pricey at $525 but Louis Vuitton's version is over $5000 so it is actually a steal.  Any woman would feel like a queen with crown jewels with this case!

For the wine lover, why not give a gift that keeps giving.  Gift a membership to a winery and every month, she will receive a shipment of wine.  One of my favorite vineyards is Frank Family but there are so many to choose from with all types of price ranges.  Any wine enthusiast would love this gift!

 

Now moving on to a hostess gift....so many of us spend nights or weekends at guests houses over the holidays and we go to so many holiday parties that we need ideas for hostess gifts.  One great find is this hand lotion by Gianna Rose for only $22.  You can get it personalized with the families last name's initial for a special touch.  It will really show the hostess that you thought ahead and really appreciate their hospitality

 

We certainly can't forget the men in your life.  For the sports-loving man, a travel table tennis set from Restoration Hardware is sure to be a winner.  It comes in a great box so he can travel with his ping pong set to any party or vacation.  Sure to be hours of fun and at only $35 it's a great stocking stuffer. 

 

For the handy man, the new Cabela's Leatherman one-hand tool has plenty of his gadget needs.  And, it's only $70 so it's a great gift.  

 

Lastly, for the bourbon drinker, get him his own personalized bourbon barrel from Maker's Mark.  It's a little more pricey at $100 but he will sure to feel like part of the distilling process with a barrel with his name on it to hang in his bar.

 

So start your holidy shopping and have a very Merry Christmas!

Brocade it!

Looking for another fall trend? Well, feast your eyes on Brocade.  Fall runways were filled with these embellished skirts, shirts, dresses and pants.  Brocade is simply a rich fabric with a raised pattern - usually gold or silver - but this season we are seeing all colors and even tone on tone brocade pieces.  This intricately woven fabric can bring the perfect regal elegance to your favorite modern silhouettes - think Marie Antoinette. 

 

Celebrities such as Anne Hathaway, Selena Gomez and Kristen Stewart have been rocking this trend all over the red carpets.  And, Carrie Underwood even wore brocade shorts for a more casual look while performing on stage.

 

 

If you are feeling a little overwhelmed by such bold, over-the-top opulent fabric remember the brocade pattern can look like anything from metallic jacquard print to just foil embellishments.  And, it can even be done in the same color as the background fabric - so as not to stand out so much.  If a dress isn't your thing, brocade can be found in pants, skirts, leggings and even shoes.

So embrace your inner royalty and wear brocade.  You are sure to turn heads when you walk in the room in this luxurious trend.

Gold Goddess

Another great fall trend is metallic gold. I hesitate to say “It’s back!” or "Here's a new trend" because metallics never really go away. However this fall most designers decided to make gold one of the focuses of their fall runway shows.  Celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Moss have already been sporting the look. (Remember that fall runway shows happen months ahead of the fall season.  Celebrities get their hands on the goods way before anyone else)

Remember that gold has come a long way.  It's no longer just okay to wear gold for holiday parties.  Gold now transcends all seasons and all times of day.  However, some people may find it tacky to rock the head-to-toe gold look but don't worry; there are plenty of options out there. If a total gold dress isn't your thing, try a gold shirt under a jacket or blazer. There are also plenty of short, pants and jacket options out there. Pair with black, white, or camel and you are sure to look chic. 

And for those of you that want to embrace the trend but just find it hard to walk around town in all that shine, try a great gold pump or handbag. With so many options, there really is no excuse for us not to be gold goddesses this fall!

Think Pink

For more than 25 years, October has been National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  And, nowadays, plenty of companies give us charitable fashionistas a chance to participate by getting a great chic item so we can all support the cause and look great doing so.

 

Tory Burch has quite a few options this year.  My favorite is this pink hard shell IPhone case.  So cute and girly - perfect for your inner princess.  Tory Burch is donating 15% of the purchase of this item to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.   Scoop NY is featuring this great animal print scarf.  And, with winter just around the corner, remember scarves are a great way to make a dull white t-shirt and jeans into a polished, chic look.  30% of the proceeds from this Yarns Pink Leopard Scarf will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

 
Beauty companies are really stepping up this year.  There are plenty of options to pick from this October.  My top three favorites are Smashbox, Aveda, and Bobbi Brown.  Smashbox is giving us a great way to think pink with their Be Legendary lip color to coordinate with the BCA ribbon. $5 from every purchase of this lipstick will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. 

Perfect for dry skin is Aveda's hand relief.  And, during the month of October, Aveda will donate $4.00 from every bottle to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  Lastly, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics gives us a great Illuminating Bronzing Powder in Pink Peony.  Bobbi will be donating $10 of every sale of this set to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

 

So empower yourself and others and Think Pink this October!

Spring Runways 2013

With all the cooler weather, most of us are thinking of fall and fall fashions, which is what we need to be doing.  However, the fashion world is already prepping for spring.  New York, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks all just finished up.  And, the major fashion houses did not disappoint.  The runways were filled with beautiful florals, bright stripes and most of all, my all-time favorite color combination - black and white.  Every fashion house from Michael Kors, to Marc Jacobs to YSL to Chanel were filled with black and white.  Here are a few previews of the runway shows....

Today's Chanel show was the ultimate highlight of all the trends.  Filled with black and white, over- sized pearls and a showing-stopping bag.  Karl Lagerfeld out did himself on the black and white trend and created an over-sized white beach bag.  It's basically the size of a hula hoop and the fashion world can't stop blogging about.  So fun!

 

I know spring is an entire season away, and we can barely wrap our heads around fall trends.  But you will be seeing this bag in magazines and celebrities will probably start wearing these spring trends to the Oscars and throughout the winter.  The fashion gurus will be talking and so can you!

Fall Trend: Burgundy

Labor Day has come and gone, which means summer is over and it's time to get ready for the fall - even though it will probably be 90 degrees for the next 2 months!  Nonetheless, the rest of the world is gearing up for the fall and we need to too. 

One huge color trend for the fall is burgundy.  This bold, Bordeaux hue was seen on most fall runways including Alexander McQueen, Zac Posen, Herver Leger and so many more.  And, the color was seen in all shapes and sizes - dresses, jackets, skirts, tops, jeans, leggings, and accessories.  So, if you are a little sheepish with the bold color, try just a handbag, shoe or hat. 

You should think of burgundy as a much more exciting way to transition into fall without having to wear army green and brown.  So, there is no reason to not to embrace this great trend!

Peplum kind of Fall

Another hot trend that is carrying over to the fall is Peplum dresses, skirts and tops.  You could not miss all the peplum dresses that have been all over popular culture.  One of the newest style icons, Kate Middleton, really put this trend back on the map.  And, Hollywood celebrities followed suit.  From long to short, skirt or dress, solid colors or two tones, this ladylike trend is everywhere.

 

 

However, here's the catch, since most of us have hips, this trend just doesn't flatter every body type.  And that okay.  There are plenty of other trends to take part in this fall.  However, if you love the trend and want to take part, try wearing a monochromatic look, especially black or grey.  The all over color will help to slim your hips, while the peplum skirt will accent your small waist.  No need to over accessorize with this look - let the peplum be the star and wear simple pumps and earrings.  Whether you wear a peplum dress or top, your ladylike style will shine.