Christmas Gift Ideas for Women

Butter London Steampunk Ball Set of Nail polish, $39. This is a good mix of holiday colors, and some riskier ones that she wouldn't always buy for herself.




 

NYX The Curve Eyeliner, $15. Everything Benefit's They're Real should have been. The curved design is the only way I can do a cat eye. It doesn't smudge, and the liner lasts for months without drying out.





Real Techniques Core Collection Brush Set, $17.99, These brushes are so soft, and really amazing quality for the price. This is a good set to get her started.

Sonia Kashuk Vanity Cup, $7.99. Perfect for displaying her knew makeup brushes!






TOMS for Target Crew-neck sweater in grey or cream, $32. Who couldn't use a warm grey sweater? It's great for under a button-up, dress, or a skirt and boots. The purchase of this sweater also gives a warm blanket to someone in need.





Teavana White Chocolate Peppermint Tea, $39.95. This tastes SO good, like the Starbucks version, but without the guilt.





Victoria's Secret, get free eye mask and slippers with code: SLIPPERS, $52. Everyone needs a new pair of pajamas. Most of us still wear missed matched, old t-shirts for pajamas, but a cozy, matching pair gives a valid reason to put PJ's on immediately after arriving home from a long day of work.



Jewelmint Pegasus earrings, $29.99 (look out for sales and special deals on JewelMint.com) The Olson twins are the main designers for JewelMint. Their minimal, but abstract pieces can work on anyone, even if she isn't a fashion risk-taker.





Target crew cozy socks, $3. These are so comfy, and they make fuzzy socks feel a little more stylish with the leopard print.

Aerie Cable Knit Skinny Knit Jogger $34.95. Perfect for around the house...and maybe the grocery store on a cold day.

Sole Society Mckinley Printed Weekender, $69.95 This bag comes in two other cute prints as well. We all have to leave our home for a night or two at some point. This makes it a little more fun to pack.

Boots Beautiful Skin Hydrating Mask, $13.59. This is the most amazing, hydrating mask for the winter. When her face gets dry during the winter, one 10 minute application will get her hooked on this product. Here is a gift set with the moisturizing hot cloth cleanser and the mask. I have tried the No. 7 line, as well as the Botanics line, and have loved every single thing I have tried by Boots.





Forever 21 Belted Robe Coat, $44.90, Size XL-3X, $54.90 found here. This is a classic coat; the silhouette has been around for decades, its a neutral color, and there is no trendy hardware.

Holiday Dresses Under $100

Forever 21 Size XS-L, $32.90

Forever 21 Size S-L, $29.90

The Limited Size 0-16 (petite available)
$89.95 (currently 50% off)

The Limited Size 0-16, (petite and tall also available)
$168 (currently 50% off)

H&M Size 2-14, $69.95 

H&M Size 2-14, $39.95 

Ann Taylor Loft Size 00-18, $98 (currently 40% off)

PLUS:

Torrid Size 0-5 $74.50

Forever 21 Size XL-3X, $27.90

Torrid Size 12-28, $68.50

Forever 21 Size XL-3X, $19.90 (also comes in red)

Torrid, Size 0-3 $28.98

Forever 21 Size XL-3X $24.90

The stores have been stocked with dozens of holiday dresses, giving us an excuse to buy something new to get us "in the spirit". Here are several that I liked for this season, I tried to give a few different styles for different ages and body types. Most are work appropriate, too. These can all transition from Thanksgiving to New Years.  Next up: accessories, shoes and coats for this winter. Enjoy!

Graphic tee + Slacks

AEO graphic tee
JC Penny MNG by Mango Slacks, similar here and here
The Limited Leopard belt
Target glitter pumps, similar here and here
Kate Spade quilted bag, similar here
Men's Kmart watch, similar here

Here is another look with a graphic tee, as promised. This time I took a graphic tee from American Eagle, sized up two sizes, and have been wearing this top with leggings, skirts, and also slacks. I like this graphic shirts with slacks together because its a refreshing change, and is still work appropriate, especially with a blazer. The slacks, heels, and belt are what bring the outfit together and give it more of a professional vibe. Everything I am wearing was purchased on sale or clearance, and all are pretty versatile pieces. Find an (appropriate) graphic tee, tuck it into slacks, double-check your office dress code policy, and try it out! This can be made more casual with skinny jeans as well. This is also a safe first step for those of us who ONLY wear t-shirts all of the time. You don't have to look frumpy in a t-shirt! Do make sure it is not too over-sized, over-worn, and appropriate for the setting you're dressing for. Enjoy!

Cali

Graphic Tees

Mens' Target Star Wars tee
JC Penny Fluted Skirt, similar here
Piperlime BCBGeneration Heels, similar here and here
Banana Republic belt, similar here
Kate Spade Quilted Leather Bag, similar here
Target Bracelet, similar here

I bought an Arrested Development t-shirt from the Men's department of Target a few months ago, and I was really pleased with the fit and feel of it. It seems like Forever 21 and American Apparel try to make women's t-shirts with this same softness and slouch, but are not usually very successful at it. I like slouchy t-shirts for running errands with shorts or leggings, but I also like them dressed up. This is just another way to rework some of your skirts you already own. Tuck it in, add and belt, and then you can either play it up with heels to make it dressier, or down with Keds or Converse. Target has a several different awesome Star Wars t-shirts (like this one), along with some classic movie shirts like Jaws, and even Game of Thrones...I will limit my self to just three...or four...Stay tuned for my blog post later this week, which will feature another graphic t-shirt for a business casual setting. Thanks for reading!

Cali

Heels + Socks

Forever 21 Coat, similar here
Forever 21 silk dress, similar here
Kate Spade Saturday heels, similar here
Target socks, similar here
Vintage Gucci clutch
Lips, NYX soft matte lip cream in Prague

This trend is nostalgic for me. I haven't "exposed" my socks since I had an excuse to as a kid in the 90's. I know some people think that fashion trends are materialistic, and that recreating a trend from the runway makes you a follower, but that is not how I interpret it. It's like a recipe. We search cookbooks and Pinterest looking for new recipes because we get tired of cooking the same things. There are trendy chefs, vegetables, genres of foods and cooking appliances (think crockpots, food trucks, and Truffle Mac N' Cheese), but that's okay. It puts a spotlight on something that has been forgotten and unappreciated. Fashion does the same thing. I know I have said this before, but I don't adopt a trend to fit in; I adopt new trends because they are inspiring, and give me a fresh take on items I already own, or things that would be a nice addition to my closet. So back to heels and socks. Where have socks been all this time? Did this trend come out of nowhere? Not really. If you think about it, "leg wear" has slowly been working its way back into fashion. First, it was knee high boots with socks (which I still love), then we started seeing tights again, opaque, colored, printed and FLEECED-lined. Amazing. Then leggings, and now socks with heels and boots. When you start looking at fashion objectively, you will start to see the evolution of it, and the jumping off points that designers spring from. Ultimately, they are just reinventing trends from past decades, but freshening them. As you can see with this small evolution in just leg-wear, many 90's trends are back. The grungy, sporty, loose-fitted vibe of the 90's is evolving.  I would ease into this trend with some thick, chunky socks and a pair of ankle boots. Try it with leggings and an over sized sweater (socks outside the leggings), or a flowy dress and big sweater over it. The look of sportswear is becoming our new everyday uniform. Enjoy it while you can. It's comfortable, and in this case, it keeps your feet warm. Thanks for reading xx

More examples:

Wedding Attire: Spring to Fall Weddings with one dress

 

Somehow, my age snuck up on me. My fridge is full of "Save the Dates". Luckily, I love going to weddings, and I love getting dolled up.  This past Spring I realized I needed a good party dress that could effortlessly flow from my Spring/Summer weddings to my Fall/Winter ones. This is all about accessories and how easy it can be to alter the feel of a dress. I bought this dress at Asos for $80, so I wanted to make sure I would get a few uses out of it. This pink dress has been more versatile than I was expecting. For the wedding in March, I wore it with some nude heels and a vintage navy blue clutch (from Savers). This Winter, I will be wearing it with my coat pictured above, closed-toed suede shoes and sparkly clutch. It's still warm in Arizona, so I may not need a jacket, but if I do, this one from JC Penny works amazingly well (It was only $40!). The sheen of the jacket also pairs well with the sheen of the dress. Try taking a party dress like this and see if you can morph it's look into the appropriate season with accessories. If you're anything like me, you won't have a choice, I'm booked solid through next year with weddings!

Small changes in the accessories: 

Asos party dress, similar here
Zara heels, similar here
Free clutch, similar here
JC Penny Coat, similar here

Colored Leather + lightweight blouse

Beaded shell, Forever 21, similar here
Forever 21 leather mini skirt
Leopard sandals, similar here
Vintage Gucci clutch
Betsy Johnson Wayfarer, similar here

Colored leather doesn't need to be extreme, and its actually a good way to use your neutrals without having a boring outfit. I was finding a lot of colored leather skirts, and I thought  they would be a good way to wear Fall clothing while still staying cool. The good thing about leather (or faux leather) is that its such a unique texture, and even looks good when it is paired with the same color, as well. For example, you could pair a burgundy leather skirt with a burgundy sweater, and the mix in textures between the fabrics makes a really interesting outfit. I chose to use a lightweight shell with this outfit because I liked mixing the toughness of a leather shirt with a really girly, beaded blouse. Leopard print matches so well with so many things, I couldn't pass up pairing them with the cream and burgundy.

Here are more leather skirt and lightweight blouse combos below. Thanks for reading!