Holiday wishlist & things to get For that Fashion Friend (or Anyone)

I don't usually ask for much on the holidays, but there are a few items I've been particularly fond of myself lately, and I thought I'd compile these together as a holiday wishlist (possible hint hint here).  These would be perfect for the girl in your life who's super into fashion, and seems to already have all of the trendy things.  They'd be equally fitting for... well, anyone, honestly! You can't go wrong with items that are timeless and classic, and will make a person feel their best.  Here is my roundup, with all links and (reasonable) prices listed below. 

                                                   6

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8

1. RMS Living Lumizinizer ($38) - This highlighter is a beauty cult-favorite, easy to use with its multi-use abilities and omni-flattering shine.  Good for both the makeup-junkie and the simple girl who likes a quick touch-up just before running out the door.
2. SKII Face Mask ($17) - Another cult classic.  It's not an everyday mask with the price-tag attached, but amazing for an occasional treat.  I love giving this as a gift, because you get to pamper yourself without any kind of guilt for splurging a bit on it.  You can also get them in packs of 4 if you want to go the extra mile.
3. UGG Luxe Tech Gloves ($75) - Gloves and one of the most handy (pun...intended) winter accessories and this is exactly the time where we are reaching for them, or can't find the other matching one.  These days the touch-phone friendly version is much appreciated.
4. Kate Spade Amaya Sunglasses ($180) - A pair of black sunglasses for that eggnog hangover, in a shape that is universally flattering on most face-shapes.  Any other frame shapes are a risk as far as gift-giving goes. 
5. Diptyque Baies Candle ($34) - Everybody's favorite candle scent.  Chic and luxurious, and will look great in the home.
6. Ravella Amalfi Tank ($110) - Luxurious silk (as worn in my previous post!) that will last forever and be worn beautifully with anything.
7. Pink Lashes Mug ($21.99) - Just a super cute find and very instagrammable!
8. Brooklinen Luxe 4-piece Sheet Set ($158.99) - A set of rich, high-quality sheets is sure to make someone very happy - are there many things people love more than a good night's sleep?

Hope the list helps! Let me know if you have any other suggestions (as I still have some shopping left to do). 
Happy shopping xx

Silky & Timeless Wardrobe Staples

As I develop my style and build my wardrobe, if there's one thing I've learned, it's the importance of having staples that are versatile and made of high quality materials.  I have my guilty pleasures with fast fashion, but as we learn more and more about what is happening in this world and how all of our actions have direct effect, it's hard not to be conscious of your purchases.  
I'm happy to have recently discovered Ravella's beautiful Italian-designed shirts.  When I discovered they were made of 100% silk and of the best quality, I had to try them out.  Not only are they gorgeous, they're well made and will take you anywhere from casual lounging to holiday-party-ready.  I especially love a good camisole top for layering, over and over. 

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The one I'm wearing here is the Amalfi Silk Tank in Caviar Black.  Great for a lazy Saturday lounging st a coffee shop or at home.  I love a top that you can wear at home but still feel good in.  There's something about silk that makes one feel classic, sexy, and powerful all at the same time.  I do a lot of work from home, and what's on your skin creates your mood and how you feel about yourself, and this transcends into all you do and what you create that day.  It's funny that we sometimes have to be reminded- but we need to take good care of ourselves, and that includes treating ourselves once in a while.  Ravella's buttery soft and super luxurious top did just that for me.

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For a holiday look, pair it with a fun pair of sequin pants or a fabulous eye-catching skirt.  Dressed-up but still comfortable is always my favorite option.

Head over to shopravella.com to see more beautiful silk options.  They've got a presale happening until December 17th, so I highly recommend you take advantage of the discounts now.  Have a beautiful week!
xx

This post was sponsored by Ravella, all thoughts and opinions are my own

Fall Fashion & $400 Nordstrom Rack Giveaway!

Dress - Tobi
Shoes - Valentino
Jacket - Rag & Bone

We are right in the middle of the best season and I love to dress to match the surroundings.  Jewel tones, leathers, plaids, & boots! Also, the West Village is one of the cutest neighborhood to walk around when it comes to be time for seasonal decor and festive feels.  Meeting up for coffee and a Saturday stroll before the weather gets too cold is a favorite weekend pasttime.  Not to mention all of the cute little boutiques you can wander into and occasionally find a good item (my best finds are always when I'm not "looking").

To celebrate the season, I've teamed up with my fellow blogger gals to get one lucky reader a little thank-you gift.  What better way to expand your fall wardrobe and prep for colder weather than a Nordstrom Rack gift of $400?  Take a shopping trip with your bestie (cc: Jenna Jordan) or start shopping for gifts for the holidays.  All you have to do is leave a comment and/or page like for the bloggers of your choice.  Enter below! 

Photos by Dennis Christians

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Not so little fine print:

• No purchase necessary. A purchase does not improve your chance of winning. Void where prohibited.
• Entrant must be 18 years old as of sweepstakes start date and a legal resident of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia or Canada,  as of start date.
• Sweepstakes begins Thursday, November 16, 2017, at 12:00 a.m. EST, and closes on Saturday, December 2, 2017, at 12:00 a.m. EST.
• Each entrant selected as a potential winner must comply with all terms and conditions set forth in these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all such requirements. Winners will be selected by random drawing. If a potential winner cannot be contacted within fourteen (14) days after the first attempt to contact such potential winner, an alternate entrant will be selected in his or her place from all entries received.
• Contest is in no way sponsored, administered by, or associated with Nordstrom, Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.

Birthday Vibes

 Frank Jerky and I got together and shot two videos in a day.  It was the first time we were working together and the first time I did any video content.  We had a lot of fun and I look forward to doing more! What do you think about video vs photo content?

Anyway it also happens to be my birthday and to be honest there isn't much for me to ask for.  I've got amazing friends and family that I'm very thankful for, and can only hope to improve myself with another year of great experiences in the books.  Thanks to all who have been a part, big or small! 

Looking forward to the next. 

Thanks to Cutler Salon for giving me a Redken HeatCure treatment- if you have colored (especially highlighted!) or damaged hair, this treatment is amazing.  Hair felt like it was transformed to silk, a contrast from its almost straw-like state after all the bleaching!!   I linked above so you can read about it if you're curious.

xx

Dress - Layana Aguilar

Shoes - Valentino

Hair styling by Hayde Georgakis at Cutler Salon for Redken

Filmed by Frank Jerky 

Returning Home

While I was in Italy, I'd heard about everything that was going on on the other side of the hemisphere.  Though my trip was time I was taking to physically disconnect, I still wanted to be aware of what was happening in the world. So every couple of days, I'd come home at the end of some hours spent exploring, connect back to wifi, and do a brief catch-up on current events.

Most of what I saw during my time away saddened me, much like the way many events have been affecting me lately, and a skip across the ocean couldn't serve as an escape from it.  Nor did I want it to.  I had traveled to this place to rekindle my love with the world we live in and remember how beautiful it is- and of course to find more beauty that I'd never known of.  That, I did.  But I still wanted to be connected.  I didn't want to turn my cheek from the struggles in Puerto Rico, or the fresh news of the senseless acts of a damaged individual in Las Vegas.

This was home, still my world, even 4,000 miles away. 

The thing is, during previous travels, when I turned on the tv, I'd be able to get by without a big story from home that was international breaking news.  I'd be able to continue on and flip through to watch a local comedy with subtitles.  Now, things just seem inescapable. 

As I stood over the Grand Canal and watched gondolas of lovers glide by, I thought about how the very water this city has thrived on for centuries is the same water that had just abruptly taken shelter from thousands back home.

As I stared up at the statues of Psyche & Cupid, and the Three Graces, I'd thought about how humans fought just to live a free life (freedom of emotions, to create, free to think your own thoughts), and now individuals have taken it upon themselves to destroy that very same freedom which one could've only hoped for in the past- and unfortunately, along with that anyone else who these individuals thought might have been living happier lives than their own. 

We live in a world so self absorbed that we think about ourselves all the time (which was necessary to advance the human race this far) yet so socially connected that we are also injecting ourselves into everyone else's business.  Perhaps the problem lies in how we react and handle the information that we discover- which was once private and not shared.  Especially when we don't like what we learn.  Perhaps it is the realization and increased awareness of the fact that people live so differently from ourselves that others cannot handle.

Ironically enough, these hands sculpted by Lorenzo Quinn were created because of his concern regarding global warming and the city of Venice drowning water...

I've been trying focus on the positive lately, but one must be aware of the goings-on of our home and the world as it evolves.  The struggle is in the balance of staying positive while putting energy towards places where we can help to make some kind of progress in a forward direction.  I don't typically write about all of this on here, and I certainly don't have answers, but the current changes are so intense and relevant at the moment that at the very least, our relationships with them need to be addressed, considered, and acted upon.