Gift Guide for Men

Hello ladies,
We're only a week away from Christmas. If you're still missing a couple of gifts for a man in your life, then read on! Today I'm going to be sharing some last minute gift ideas for the men in your life - your husband, father, a male friend, brother, etc.These are items I've gotten my husband and father over the years and they have loved them so they are tried and true.

Don't forget to sign up for EBATES where you can get cash back for your online purchases (if you sign up through my link, you'll get $10!). My account already has over $200 from November and December along! (they have been doing as much as 15% cash back on stores due to the holiday season).

For Frequent Travelers:

NOISE CANCELING HEADPHONE


These headphones have been a game changer - my father has owned the Quiet comfort 25 for years and every time I travel with him, I get so jealous that he can just put those on and completely block out the airplane noise as loud neighbors or crying infants. My husband bought my a pair of the QUIET COMFORT 35 earlier this year since I fly overseas quite frequently for work.
These are the wireless versions of the older Quiet Comfort 25s, but can still connect to a aux cord that comes with the headphones. These also don't require batteries and come with a USB charger.

Price: $350

Sale: $299 HERE. 

Quiet Comfort 25 for $129 HERE

Thigh-high Tights That Actually Stay In Place

Today I'm coming at you with a review on a pair of thigh-high tights.

When VienneMilano reached out to me and asked if I wanted to try a pair of their thigh-highs, I must admit - I was beyond intrigued because this is not something I typically gravitate towards.

I am wearing a pair of MATTE BLACK tights with a striped band.

Despite being a medium weight, these stay rather opaque which is something I really like in tights.

Vienne Milano is a luxury hosiery brand and prides itself in their high quality thigh high tights. All the tights are made in Italy and made for woman who want to "reveal their style and confidence by being sophisticated, playful and seductive in every occasion."

The texture is extremely smooth and has amazing stretch. It is medium weight, which I think is perfect for this winter to spring transition weather. Thicker tights may be too warm at times, but the thigh-highs allow your legs to breath.


I have definately tried other thigh-highs in the past, but was never a fan mostly due to the fact that they start sliding down my legs and the constant pulling to fix it is quite unattractive. The Vienne Milano's is the perfect solution (and this is definitely my favorite feature) - the entire band is lined with a thin strands of silicone lining which prevents any sliding! I wore these out all day and I must say, I did not have to tug on them at all.

At Home Workouts

Working out has always been a struggle for me during the cold winter months. I love to run, and take full advantage of great outdoors during the warmer months and mix in 3-4 gym visits during the week for strengthen and weight training, but I find myself finding excuses to not go to the gym during the colder months.

There are just a few items you should have on hand at home for a full-body workout.

• Thick yoga mat
• Light weights (I have 5 lbs and 8 lbs). Light weights are key if you want to tone, not build large muscles 
• Yoga ball (make sure to get the right size for your height)

ABS:

• AB VIDEO: I consider myself to have strong abs, I have no problem doing 200 without being tired, so I find it challenging to find ab workouts that really work my abs. However I love doing Blogilates EXTREME AB video. I can definitely feel my abs hurting after doing this video through once, but sometimes I will do this workout twice back to back if I want to focus on my abs.

• YOGA BALL PASS: This is definitely one of the more difficult exercises for me. You lay on your mat for extra back support and extend your arms and legs straight. You start with the yoga ball in your hands and make a V-shape with your body and pass the yoga ball to your feet, then lay back down and extend the arms and legs. You pass the ball back and forth and repeat for 20. I try to do 3 reps of these and by the 2nd, my abs are shaking.

This is killer! Picture is from Women's Health

• Hip Dips. I absolutely love doing this! Get in a plank position on your forearms and lower your right hip to the ground, while maintaining the plant, get back to plank position, then dip your left hip to the ground. Repeat this 30 times, 5 reps.

Photo from Sassyfitgirl

CARDIO
I also try to do some cardio at home when I can't get to the gym. However, I loive in a condo and try to avoid jumping up and down and annoying my neighbors. So here are some quieter cardio workouts that are apartment or condo friendly.

• MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS: using a yoga mat or 2 for more cushioning (and quieter), I love doing mountain climbers (pictured below). I typically do 5 reps of 30 to get my heart pumping. The bonus here is, not only is this cardio, it also works your core at the same time!

You can do these quickly or slowly depending on your level of comfort. These images are from popsugar

LEGS:

• Lunges are a great way to work your legs. I try to squeeze these in while watching TV.

Photo from StyleCrazy

I also find cute workout clothes helps with motivation! Here are some of my picks. I have several of these and love them all!

Old Navy Reviews and Sale

I took a quick trip to my local Old Navy last night for a pair of mittens I spotted online.
While browsing the store, several items caught my eye.

The RUFFLE HEM SWEATER (reg. $34.99) is marked as $8.99 in store and $19.00 - $23.00 online depending on color.
Here I'm wearing the XS (I'm 5'4, 103 lbs). I love the fit and length of this sweater, my only complaint is that it sheds quite a bit. The black tank top I layered under this was covered in white lint. I thought it was still worth it for $8.99, nothing a lint roller can't fix.

RUFFLE HEM SWEATER - XS

I'm in love with this lavender color, however my size was sold out in stores as well as online.

J.Crew Wool Topcoat Review

Who doesn't love a classic wool camel coat?  I've been on the hunt for one for quite some time. Today  I'll be sharing this camel coat from J.Crew Factory.  They are currently still running 50-60% off winter items.

I tried this WOOL TOPCOAT in the color saddle.  I'm wearing a 00 here - I'm 5'4 for reference. The coat is a good length, it hits my at my lower thigh. The shoulders fit perfectly and the fit is good, the body is giving and allows room for layers underneath. My only hesitation is the sleeve length being 1-1.5 inches too long, it hits me half way down my thumb.

Here I folded the sleeve in 1 inch and it's perfect

Note the long sleeve length 

Oversized Sweater Review - 50% sale

Hello ladies! I've been traveling a lot for work and have neglected this blog for the last couple of months, my appologies.
Today I'm coming at you with some sweater reviews and the best part is they are all currently 50% off!

I want to mention that if you shop through EBATES you will get 2-18% cash back. I receive a check every quarter with my rebate.

CABLE KNIT CHENILLE SWEATER
This sweater is an oversized chenille sweater with a cropped fit - it's hip length for me (I'm 5'4 for reference). The boatneck makes the sweater super versatile - you can wear it as a boatneck and off the shoulder like I did below.  I love the balloon sleeves and overall loose fit and the cropped length allows it to be oversized without being too large. I'm wearing an XS. This sweater retails for $79, however is currently $39 with the 50% sale.

SHAKER KNIT SWEATER
This is an oversized v-neck sweater that can be worn wrapped over a shoulder of off both shoulders. I fell in love with this mauve color. I'm wearing an XS and is still a little too loose for my liking. I think a XXS would have worked better. This sweater is currently under $30 from $60! It's a great steal if you're on the hunt for an oversized sweater or would make a great gift that won't break the bank.

DIY - Simple Holiday Decoration

Hello everyone, just a quick DIY post today. With the holidays just around the corner, here's a simple holiday DIY for your home using extra ornaments and other items laying around your home.

I'm sure we all have extra vases or glass containers laying around that are empty in the winter time.

What I love to do is use extra tree ornaments and lights to fill the vases.

I use the same ornaments I use to decorate our tree so the entire house has a cohesive look.

Here I have a pilsner vase with medium sized ornaments and white lights. The lights bounce off  the ornaments and creates a beautiful glow.

Sam Edelman Ankle Boots Review

I've been on the hunt for a pair of versatile black ankle booties to wear with both jeans as well as more office appropriate outfits.

I recently ordered two pairs of Sam Edelman booties - the BLAKE BOOTIE and the CAMBELL BOOTIE. I was able to get Nordstrom to price match the Lord and Taylor sale.

BLAKE BOOTIE: Retail $159, purchased for $92. The sleekness and pointed toe of this boot immediately caught my eye and I was beyond thrilled when I received these boots. This is made of beautiful, soft, sturdy suede and has a rubber bottom making them easy to walk in. The padded souls along with the chunky 3 inch block heel make these so comfortable to walk in!

Cole Haan Sale Picks

COLE HAAN is currently having their semi annual sale where everything is 30% off with code FALLEVENT.

Definitely take advantage of the savings and grab a pair of ankle booties or boots if you've been on the hunt for a pair.

I have the MARINA over the knee boots and absolutely adore them. These retail for $500, but are $350 during the sale. The price is still a bit steep, but I think it's well worth it because it's so versatile. The material is soft and molds to your legs. These are perfect for those with smaller calves. I purchases mine two years ago during the Nordstrom Fall sale. Below are several ways I've worn these boots - over jeans, with a skirt for work, and with a dress over tights.

A few other pairs of boots caught my eye as well. These would have been high contenders if I didn't already own 4 similar pairs of ankle booties.

For a more sleel/work appropriate bootie, the NARELLE is great.

The HAYES booties are amazing for everyday casual wear- these retail for $280 and are on sale for $196!

Happy shopping!

REVIEW- Ann Taylor Gusset Crossbody Bag

I took a trip to my local Ann Taylor store to browse through their sales items, but specifically I wanted to see the GUSSETT CROSSBODY BAG in person. I didn't think much of it when I initially saw it online, but after seeing it on JESS, I knew I wanted one.

Most of the colors were available at the store, but only a few remain available online. I intended to purchase the burgandy one because I loved the little tassel on it, however after seeing it in person, it was a little more brown than I would have liked. Another difference I noticed with the burgandy one was the entire outer perimeter of the purse was lined with a suede border, which meant more maintenance.

After trying on all the colors, I finally narrowed the color choices down to 3 - gray, burgandy, and red. I ended up purchasing the red since I don't own a true red purse, and my husband liked that one the most. The red is a true vibrant red which I adore! For those of you who don't have a neutral colored bag, I highly recommend the gray - it goes with practically anything. I would have definitely purchased the gray if I didn't already own a gray bag. I have THIS ONE by Rebecca Minkoff.

This bag measures 10 inches long, 6 inches tall and about 1.5 inches wide. It has two zipper pockets, which I love and comes with several slots for cards, etc. when you don't want to carry around a bulky wallet.

Using it as a clutch with the straps removed

The straps are removable so can be use as a clutch - this would be great for day to night transitions.

The straps are removable and can be converted to a clutch

Love the size of this bag and the length of the strap is perfect - lays right at my hips

Attached card holders

Hope you find this helpful! Happy Shopping =)

2016 Kate Spade Planner Review

I received a large KATE SPADE PLANNER from one of my coworkers as a gift and wanted to review it for everyone.

This planner comes with complete with a folder, monthly and weekly spread, a notes section along with an events page. Some may justify the hefty $36 price tag with the brand name, design and all these sections, but I could never get myself to pay that much for a planner. However this planner is currently on sale for $25 ($19 in store).

I have the large size, which is not that big, actually. It's 9 x 7 inches and about 1 inch thick. There is also a MEDIUM SIZED PLANNER that is about 1.5 inches smaller on all sides (7.7 x 5.5 inches, also about 1 inch thick). There are also several different  designs - gold dots, blue with quotes, and white with drawings.

I love the simple look of this planner and the gold foiled numbers on the cover.
Below are pictures of the sections mentioned above:

When you open up the binder, the first page looks like this - there's a place for your name and a small plastic folder (I printed out a 'month at a glance' chart and added it in).

This little folder is great for small pieces of paper, reminders etc.

Here is what the monthly view looks like. There is a note section on the left hand side. I have to admit it's a little difficult writing there with the rings in the way (if you're a righty).

Monthly page - contains a note section on the left

Weekly view

SALE ALERT: My Favorite Pieces from J.Crew and Nordstrom

I wanted to share some of my favorite J.CREW fall/winter staples and accessories that are currently on sale.
First up are vests from J.CREW and J.CREW FACTORY.
The J.CREW EXCURSION QUILTED VEST is originally $125 (I purchased mine last year for about $85), but they are now on super sale for ~$58 with code "MUSTSHOP."

I'm wearing XXS regular

The FACTORY QUILTED PUFFER VEST is now on sale for $59.99 (no code needed). I have this vest in red and black.

I'm wearing XXS

Post Christmas Sale Reviews//Nordstrom's Half-year Sale and Planners

I'm doing some quick review on items that are currently on sale at Nordstrom during their Half Year Sale.

The first is the LUSH "PERFECT ROLL TAB SLEEVE" TUNIC. These are marked down from $42 to $25.
I am wearing the XS in the color legion blue. I love this thicker chiffon material because it's not see through. The length is definitely longer (30 inches), but again this is a tunic style. It reaches mid thigh, which I think is great when worn with leggings and boots. You can also tuck it in and wear it as a looser fitting blouse like I did.

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I do want to mention the neck line is a little lower and you can definitely see part of my bra if the collar moves a but, so it may be a good idea to wear a tank underneath

There is an array of colors online and they are all marked down to $25. I love how versatile this shirt can be, so ordered it in the new olive, and the tawny port.




The second item is the VINCE CAMUTO HILLSY BOOTS. I purchased these boots back in September after seeing numerous positive review on popular blogs and have worn these a ton!
They are extremely versatile and can be worn in the spring, fall, and warmer winter days. I originally purchased these for $158, and they are now marked down to $95, making it a 40% discount.




Lastly, the BP COLOR BLOCK BLANKET SCARF - I purchase this in Navy multi for $30, but is now 50% off for under $15. I wanted to try out the blanket scarf trend this year. I was a little hesitant because these scarves can often overpower my small frame, but when worn correctly, can be extremely stylish while keeping you warm!
I love the array of colors on this scarf because I've been able to pair it with pieces that have the same color as any of the colors on the scarf.

Here, I've paired it with a gray sweater.

Pairing it with an olive green sweater.

I want to mention that if you shop on NORDSTROM using EBATES,  you can earn cash back. I have been using this site for about 5 years now and have received over $600 in checks. I use this site for shopping on almost everything, including movie tickets on FANDANGO.


On an unrelated note. I have been a huge fan or weekly/monthly planners ever since my college years and used them avidly during law school. To make planning  a little more fun, I always look for fun planners and love to color coordinate items. I stopped my my local Marshalls and ran into a huge collection of 2016 planners, all of which are less than $10. Here are some examples of the cute planners that were available. I wanted to mention this in case any of you are big fans of planners. I picked up a gray one one with copper details.

Happy shopping!

Holiday Outfits Ideas// Holiday Tartan

Christmas is right around the corner and I wanted to share some simple outfits ideas you can try using pieces you may already have in your closet.


I love layering statement jewelry with colored sweaters or tartan shirts.
I've paired an old red JCREW SWEATER with a JCREW STATEMENT NECKLACE. I think the touch of sparkle makes the sweater so much more festive.



Using the same necklace, I've added some sparkle to a plan tartan/plaid shirt. This is one of my all time favorite plaid shirts I own. It's by RALPH LAUREN. the multitude of colors makes it an extremely versatile piece, and is perfect for the holidays!

You can add all sorts of statement necklaces to simple pieces like these. Below are a few of my all time favorite statement pieces.
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Recent Finds and Instagram Outfits

I wanted to share some outfit details and recent finds with everyone since several followers had asked me on Instagram.

The first is a very casual, yet put together outfit. It gives off the sense of “I woke up like this.”I layered this BLANKNYC FAUX LEATHER JACKET over my gym clothes (yoga pants and a loose grey T) and switched gym sneakers for a pair of KED'S CANVAS CHAMPION SNEAKERS. To keep warm I added this HUNTER GREEN SOLE SOCIETY WOOL PLAID SCARF (also SEE HERE). For my bag, I'm wearing my LOUIS VUITTON BANDOULIERE (REVIEW HERE, SEE ON ME)
I purchased this jacket earlier last year and have worn it to death. I was hesitant and wanted to return the purchase initially because the jacket was a little too edgy for me as I tend to gravitate towards more classic pieces. However, I quickly learned that this jacket would become one of my staples during the fall/ early winter and even spring time.

Recent Jewelry Purchases & Reviews

I didn't do any shopping on Black Friday this year, and instead took advantage of online sales during Cyber Monday.

NORDSTROM is one of my all time favorite stores (hassle free returns, and great customer service). They were having an extra 25% off of sale items between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, so I browsed the sale section almost everyday during the period and made several different orders. I'm reviewing some jewelry pieces I picked up during this sale.

Side note - this HORLOWE AND GRAHAM SLUB TEXTURED JACKET is probably one of my favorite purchases this fall. It's still available online for $49.95. The texture is great and makes it look more expensive and dressy than what it actually is (a sweatshirt, essentially). For reference I'm wearing PXS.

First up is the TRIPLE CHEVRON NECKLACE

I was a little skeptical about this necklace when I placed it into my shopping cart since the final price was only $5.98 on sale from $20. I was pleasantly surprised when this arrived a couple of days ago. The quality is great, and the material looks more expensive than it is. The chevron has little hammered details on it (you can see this on the close up picture below.)

Adding simple pieces like this to a very basic top can elevate the entire look. I love wearing these by themselves, or even layering several delicate necklaces together for a more modern edge like I've pictured above.