What to Wear: New Year's Eve

I have to say, I'm kind of excited for tonight. I said yesterday New Year's Eve isn't my favorite, but I just have a really good feeling about this year I suppose! New Year's has consistently been the one holiday of the year I find myself contemplating for hours on end what to wear. My mom thinks I'm crazy because I do spend that much time each year online shopping and pondering what to wear.

And now here I am... 2014 is TONIGHT. What?! I still have no idea what I'm going to wear. But if I owned any of these fabulous clothes, I would definitely be rocking them. Especially the second look, I seriously saw that skirt and top and fell in love.

A Touch of Red

Maya / Sheer black tight / Michael antonio footwear / Hermès red clutch / FOSSIL hinged bangle / Stud earring set / Boohoo gold waist belt

I really love this dress. The belt adds a really nice touch, and keeping the jewelry simple allows for making a statement with the bright red clutch!

Good As Gold

Vero Moda crop shirt / Forever New mini skirt / BCBGMAXAZRIA leather sandals / Bobelle rose gold purse / Reeds Jewelers earrings / GUESS by Marciano id bracelet

This is my favorite outfit and I would wear it in a heartbeat for tonight! I love the skirt and I love it even more with this top. I don't really think tights would work well to cover up the pasty legs, so I have two words for you: Spray. Tan. (Or use these towelettes by Kate Somerville... They're a favorite of Lauren Conrad and they also have towelettes for your face so you don't look uneven!)

Elegance is an Attitude

Long sleeve dress / Prada pumps / Ann Taylor earrings / Long necklace / Forever New belt

This LBD is so classic and simple; sprucing it up with a belt and a statement necklace does just enough! Pair it with nude or black tights and you're good to go for a New Year's family gathering or  work party.

Alrighty ladies...

Thank you for a fabulous first month! The response to this blog has been so much more than I could have asked for. I hope you all have such an amazing time tonight! Here's to 2014!

xoxo

Monday Inspiration: A New Year

Happy Monday everyone! While New Year's isn't my favorite holiday, I can't help but love the fresh start that it brings. There are two times of the year where I feel like almost anything is possible-- at the start of January and at the start of the school year in late August/early September. The real question is how long I keep up with the goals I set for myself, although last year I didn't do so bad with my resolutions so I guess you never really know!

I usually wait until the very last minute to jot down ideas for resolutions and then I quickly pick three to focus on. Any more than three and you can forget about any kind of productivity in the resolution realm. This year, I've been thinking quite a bit on what I hope to accomplish in 2014. And I have to say, I'm kind of very excited for this year.

So, here's what I hope to achieve in 2014!

1. Run a half marathon.

I did a leg of the Burlington Marathon last May, and I had a lot of fun with it. I always forget how good of a stress reliever running is. I just feel so much more sane when I'm on a steady running schedule, and I thought that aiming for a half marathon by the time 2015 rolls around would be a good way to get back on stay on track.

2. Read more.

I've been browsing Go Book Yourself for books to read this coming year. The majority of my downtime is spent watching bad TV and browsing the internet for something interesting. Needless to say, my brain cells are rotting and I should probably start investing more of my time in reading a good book. Good thing I got a Barnes & Noble gift card for Christmas!

Life After Life

This book sounds so interesting. I've always been really attracted to the idea of all the different courses a person's life can take, and after reading this book's description, it's definitely on my list of things to read.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

I can't believe I haven't read this. No explanation is necessary for why this made my list, right?

Divergent

Confession time. I didn't even know this was a thing until I saw the movie trailer. But the trailer convinced me to read the book so... here it is.

3. Learn how to budget.

If you haven't caught on to my constant mentioning of how poor I am, then I'm honestly surprised. I don't know how I'm going to afford to feed myself next year when I'm living in an apartment. Although I'm fully aware that I live way above my means, and therefore I blame myself for the money predicament I commonly find myself in.

My favorite blogger, Carly at The College Prepster, shared this savings plan in a post she did last month. I automatically knew that it was something I wanted to do in the new year because I figure that my lack of ability to save is at the core of my budgeting problem.

Wish me luck!

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

Weekly Wonders

It's over! My favorite holiday also tends to be the most stressful holiday. Making sure to buy all the important people in your life gifts that you really, really, really hope they love puts a girl under quite a bit of pressure. I'm happy to say I think I did really well this year, although the people I love aren't necessarily hard to please... I mean, my brother got gift cards to every fast food restaurant imaginable and was beyond thrilled.

Anyways, now that Christmas is over and the only thing really left of the holiday season is New Years, I feel like I can finally breathe. Thank goodness! I'm anxiety-ridden enough without gift giving being involved. I know I said it yesterday, but I hope you gave gifts people loved and received gifts that put a smile on your face. 

Here's to the next holiday season, and the last "Weekly Wonders" post of 2013!

Favorite Little Tip

Best Holiday Look

via Little Blonde Book

Favorite Article

20 Mistakes Everyone Makes in their Twenties

Tastiest New Year's Treat

via hello, Wonderful

Best Advice

via The Fresh Hues Blog

Favorite Hair-Do

Have a wonderful Friday and an amazing weekend ladies!

It would be fantastic if you followed me on GFC or Bloglovin :)

xoxo

Best Wishes!

I can't believe how fast yesterday blew by! This is going to be yet another quick post; crazy how I still feel like I have so much to do and the holidays are more or less considered over. 

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday spent with family and friends, good food, and beautiful gifts! One of the kids I nanny told me that her favorite part of Christmas wasn't the presents, that it was spending time with her family... And she was correct (per usual).

Since our family is kind of all over, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are spent with the closest thing we have to family here-- our best friends. I've always enjoyed our holiday get togethers, they've made a world of difference in the celebration of my favorite holiday!

I spent a bit more time than usual this week on Instagram, so I thought it'd be fun to do a holiday round-up of pictures from this week!

The start of my gold Alex and Ani collection...

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

I made these for the holiday cookie baskets I gave to my friends this season! Definitely a recipe to try.

Relaxed and cozied up by the fire with a cup of tea!

My brother and I!

Girls night in with my best :)

And, for those of you who didn't already know it's 25% off sale items at Kate Spade! Now through January 5th with code DECEMBER25.

Yes, I'm well aware I have an obsession.

Happy Holidays!

Have A Very Lilly Christmas!

I honestly don't know a soul who doesn't have some kind of love affair with Lilly Pulitzer. For anyone who follows the brand on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc., then you must know about the #buymelilly campaign that's going on right now. I'm kind of a social media addict, and there are very few brands with as much of a web presence as Lilly Pulitzer. Definitely follow... The things they post are so cute and fun!

The adorable designs, colors that pop, and the signature Lilly look are just a few reasons to love the brand. While browsing through their holiday gift guide I came across an abundant amount of items that I would love to have. Take a look!

#buymelilly ...

Ana Sweater

Shoreline Tote

Skipper Printed Popover

Knock Out Leather Envelope

Maria Boatneck Sweater

Coastal Tote

Kingsley Pullon

Can you blame me for making one of my 2014 style resolutions investing in more Lilly pieces? This is quite the quick post, but it's Christmas Eve after all! I hope you all have a wonderful time with your family and friends. May tomorrow bring you all the things that are on your Christmas wishlist!

Monday Inspiration: Begin Again

Happy Monday lovelies! I hope your weekends were filled with holiday magic and a lot of fun. My weekend, however, was low key. Iced in thanks to this ice storm that's hit New England, I resorted to baking abundant amounts of Christmas cookies and willing my mouth to heal. Friday night, I was able to get down macaroni and cheese-- very possibly the highlight of my week. (Spending a week slurping down smoothies and pudding that soon became tasteless would make you appreciate mac and cheese too...) 

Now that I am finally feeling better, I'm excited to start getting back into some kind of productive routine. Sitting on the couch reading blogs for hours on end makes me happy, but my parents? Not so much. 

With the new year less than a week away, I'm starting to think about my resolutions. Last year, I followed Lauren Conrad's advice and framed my goals for 2013-- something I will most definitely be doing again this year. Set by my bedside, they were a reminder every day of what I wanted to achieve this year, and I have to say I'm excited to start on my 2014 resolutions.

Last year when I wrote my resolutions, I didn't focus on what would make me appear better to my friends or my peers. I really focused on what I thought would help make me a happier person. And I didn't overload my expectations for the year, which made my resolutions so much more achievable.

In 2013, I promised to:

1. Eat more fruits and veggies. Check!

2. Get organized. Check!

3. Focus on being optimistic. Check!

It's so crazy to me how big a difference a year can make. How big a difference six months can make, really! So much has changed, but for the better. I can't wait to see what 2014 holds. 

I saw this list of resolutions on Pinterest, and I think they're all really great ideas. It made me smile because when I looked at it, I found I had also checked off a lot more of the "More" list than the "Less" list.  

Resolutions for a lot of people tend to be something they dedicate themselves to, then get discouraged and forget about. Resolutions that are intimidating won't get you anywhere, or at least they never got me anywhere. Focus on realistic and achievable goals, and give them some real thought. You never know what changes you could make in a year!

I have some sort of idea for what my 2014 resolutions will be, but stay tuned... I'm not telling just yet!

Weekly Wonders

via Philosophy Skin Care

It feels like this week has been dragging on and on. So many things happened in such a short amount of time that I'm just now getting to sit back and think on it. On Monday I wrote about the importance of having faith when life is testing you. It's so important that during darker times you keep your head held high and believe that whatever it is you're going through, you're going to soldier on through it-- and make it out alive. 

For so many, getting through each week is hard. For those who lost a loved one last year on December 14, this week has no doubt been especially hard. What I've found to appreciate the most is that even in light of such a horrific event, people still found hope. To kick off this week's "Weekly Wonders", I wanted to share with you the video below. It brought tears to my eyes. It just has such a beautiful message.

Sandy Hook: "Evil Did Not Win"

16 Ways Twenty-Something Women Rationalize Spending Money

This article is a little bit too accurate... Every single one of my twenty-something friends would appreciate this and I know it. Want to know why I know it? Because when faced with whether or not to eat or buy new shoes, we'll almost always choose the shoes. And this article doesn't make me feel bad about it... Thank you Cosmo.

Favorite Cupcake

Eggnog Cupcakes with Spiced Rum

Get in my tummy, NOW. So perfect for the holidays in every respect.

Prettiest Gift Wrapping Technique

I can't get enough of this gift wrapping job. It's so cute! Definitely check out the link because the ladies responsible for this amazing-ness made a party of it. What better way to take the boring out of gift-wrapping than throwing a gift-wrapping party with your girlfriends? Perfect.

Oh, How Pretty in Pink!

This might be the cutest thing I have ever seen. I don't know what child isn't completely awkward and gross at this age, but kudos to these two little divas because they look wonderful. Also I would like for my daughters to have their fashion sense.

The Peanuts Come to Life in NYC!

I love Christmas, and I love Charlie Brown. This video is so great and has given me yet another reason to fall in love with the city. Channel your inner holiday geek and enjoy crazy people dancing to the tune that will be stuck in your head the rest of the day!

Happy Friday loves!

What to Wear: The Holiday Party

Thank heavens for me that I have no holiday parties happening until next week. I've been struggling since Monday to function properly thanks to having my wisdom teeth removed. I kid you not, I have never had stranger dreams than the dreams that have been brought on by hydrocodone the past couple of days. I'm glad I've been carefully planning what blog posts to do this week so that I was able to stay on top of my game. A LOT of exciting things have happened this week ladies (like hitting 1,000 views in just under three weeks)! To more established bloggers I know 1,000 views is nothing, but to me, it's so exciting that that many people even care to check it out! I can't thank you enough for your comments and continued interest in my blog. It's quickly becoming my baby, and I'm loving it. 

Now, for those of you who do have holiday parties to attend this weekend and this up-coming week, there can be an extremely fine line between what's appropriate to wear to the office holiday party and a friend's holiday party. Big, BIG, difference. Sometimes dressing for work events can really stifle a girl's style, but the most important part of dressing yourself in a professional manner is also creating an opportunity to show off your personality. Nobody responds well to boring, and believe it or not, what you're wearing can be a great conversation starter.

The Office Party

Dressing yourself for a party where everyone and anyone will be in attendance can be very stressful. With office parties, dressing tastefully is a must. You can't go wrong with a LBD and a statement necklace. Make sure the neckline of the dress isn't cut too low and let the statement necklace do all the work. When wearing a little black dress, it's important that you let your personality shine through your accessories. Wearing simple and elegant jewels (and heels!) to compliment the dress and your beautiful flowing curls is a great way to style up a more plain dress. Play it up! Just not too much. With this outfit, I'd also throw on a pair of nude tights-- they're always more flattering than pasty legs in the winter time.

Oasis black cocktail dress/ Somerset by Alice Temperley double breasted coat / Yves Saint Laurent patent leather shoes / ALDO evening clutch / House of Harlow 1960 leather jewelry / Ruby earrings / ASOS chain necklace

Your Best Friend's Holiday Party

This is the party to really let your personality out! Nobody loves you more than your closest friends, and the best part is they'll be completely honest with what they think of your outfit (or at least mine will...). Use your best friend's holiday party as an opportunity to try out a new look. I love the outfit I picked out below, it's a whole lot edgier than what I'd usually wear-- but Christmas and New Years are the times of year to really rock the gold. And I've also been kind of obsessed with bright red lately, hence the cute little bag.

Zoë Jordan gold sequin tank top / H&M black pants/ Rihanna For River Island black sandals / Lulu Guinness red purse / Sole Society bracelet / Betsey johnson jewelry

As I recover, have fun at whatever parties you're heading to this weekend for me! Just not too much fun :)

DIY Christmas Gifts: Hot Cocoa, Cake Pops, and Christmas Mugs Oh My!

It's that time of year.... When I realize I'm poor. I have just enough money to spend on my mother, father, brother, and nobody else. The life of a twenty-something I suppose, or maybe it's just that throughout the rest of the year I splurge too much on myself. 

However, I have fabulous friends who buy me fabulous gifts for my birthday, holidays, and any other day that might seem gift worthy. In all honesty, I really stink at returning the favor. Mostly because I have a terrible memory and important dates sneak up on me like that.

This year I've decided to make a change. Ever since starting this blog I've discovered that I do indeed have a bit of a crafty side, and so in an honest attempt to make up to my friends years of forgotten gifts, I've embarked on a DIY Christmas gift challenge. And while these gifts may not be very extravagant, they are made with love. If you ask me, that's a pretty sweet deal. Check out what DIY gifts I'm loving right now!

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Mix

Lemon Sugar Scrub

DIY Christmas Mugs

Christmas Cookie Mix

Oreo Cake Pops!

Initial Canvas

Glowing Photo Luminary

Scrap Ribbon Tree Ornament

Mani/Pedi Kit!

All of these are thoughtful and kind gifts that can be given to family members, friends, and teachers. Many of them cost less than $10! Perfect for the girl on a budget. And the best part of DIY gifts? You can make them all your own! That scrap ribbon tree ornament? You can count on mine being pink, not green. 

For my girlfriends, my go to would be the mani/pedi kit! All you need is a mini mason jar, mini nail polish, cotton balls, a small nail file, and travel-sized nail polish remover. Voila... The perfect gift for a girl's night in!

Happy gifting loves!