girl gifting

One of the best things about having sisters - who wear practically the same size as me - is that shopping for Christmas is that much easier. Where I struggle with purchasing clothes for others because I can never figure out their size, it's rarely an issue with us. If I think the shoes are comfortable (in my size), chances are so will my sister.

And with all of the deals popping up over the past few weeks, and which I'm sure will be around for the next few weeks too, there's no harm in adding 2 to my cart*, right?

*This year I have vowed off any in-store shopping. It's all online shopping and packages galore!

Here are some sale items I'm considering (and some not on sale, just because):

2013 holiday gift guide: shop local

one // two // three // four // five

six // seven // eight // nine

Small Business Saturday is coming soon, and this year I'm inspired to give gifts that are meaningful and support small businesses. A personalized dog bowl for my sister's new puppy, monogrammed jewelry dish for my newly married bestie, and an adorable animal print for our friends with a new bundle of joy, all supporting local artists and business ladies, are some of my top picks for this giving season.

Do you make a conscious effort to support small businesses?

Sunday sales

With so many sales happening right now, I'm having a hard time not spending too much on purchases I don't really need- so instead, I've already started my Christmas shopping! (And decorating, but we'll save that for another day.)

Old Navy's 30% off site wide sale makes these already-budget-friendly coats even more so (1 and 2). You can also find some great cozy knits that are also budget-friendly. Nordstrom's 40% off sale has these fab shoes and this gorgeous watch for much less than their normal prices. And J.Crew's 25% off sale (when you spend $100) has some great mixed media pieces, like this leather-sleeve top and this sweater. Happy Sunday shopping!

#PhillipLimforTarget social shopping insanity

The Limsanity Twitter storm started Saturday evening here on the East coast and lasted well into the early morning hours. After buying a few items, I told myself I'd go to bed and get up early to hit the suburban Target for the bags, since those were sure to quickly sell out online; but I actually woke up before my alarm and went right online. I was able to score a couple more pieces and a couple of bags. too.

This was my first experience in social shopping, and I have to say, it was far more fun than Black Friday's waiting in line for some crazy-well-priced item. But it was also an inimitable view into the influence others have on a shopper's mindset. I don't think I've shared before that I was an undergrad Psychology student, and in my more recent classes for my MBA, I've been studying consumer behavior... so for me, it was very interesting to see how social shopping turned my "one bag, maybe one top" purchase plan into the following:

Yep, that's 3 tops, 2 dresses, one sweater, and 3 bags. Oops. At least they have a good return policy? There was so much excitement when a new product was launched that it was tough to not get sucked into the thrill.

Shout outs to Hallie and the other crazies awake with me late last night to hit the #PhillipLimforTarget collaboration. If you search the hashtag, you're sure to find many people who were awake and live-tweeting the sale.

So, fashion friends, what's next?

fall prep

It's been feeling like Fall lately here in New England, and I could not be more excited. I have always loved the fall more than any season, so I'm excited to swap out my summer wardrobe of thin tanks and cotton skirts in exchange for leather accents, knee-high boots, and scarves. (Sidenote: I own more scarves than any woman should.)
Here are a few items on my radar as we move from humid summer days to changing leaves and cool nights.

Budget-friendly day dresses

Transitional jackets    

Boots you'll wear all season

Do you have any key Fall pieces you gravitate to?

Gilt City Boston #RaidtheWarehouse recap

I attended the Gilt City Boston #RaidtheWarehouse event on Friday night. I've been to a few other sample sales in the past and bought things because I loved the price and not necessarily the item, so this time I was very deliberate about what I bought.

I fell in love with a Gryphon New York coat, but of course it was a smidgen too small (so then I obviously went item by item in the larger-sized rack to try to find the same coat, but sadly I couldn't find one). I was pleasantly surprised to find a big rack of baby clothes, which is perfect for all of the baby showers coming up. So while I didn't find anything for myself in the end, I did purchase a few gifts for others!

Please excuse the iPhone shots

This dress was gorgeous in person. Brocade, Fall colors... unfortunately it was a few sizes too big.

If I hadn't just bought a few pairs of shoes this past week for a couple of upcoming weddings I'm in, I would have been much more interested in the shoe section. I did find some goodies on the tables, like a pair of Sorel boots for only $39 and quite a few Pour La Victoire pumps, but I left them for others (you're welcome). And there were some good deals in the men's shoe section too (something to remember for the next Warehouse Sale, usually in the fall = closer to Christmas!).

I walked away with two nice, neat little bags of goodies for other people in my life. The item I'm most excited about is a gorgeous Sferra sham that matches my mom's color scheme for her bedroom pillows and was only $5 (!). That's about a 95% savings. Insane.

What's the best item you've found at a sample sale?

I attended the Gilt City Boston Warehouse Sale as a guest of Gilt City Boston. All opinions are, as always, my own.

Gilt City Boston Warehouse Sale August 10

Have you been to a Gilt City sale? Boston ladies (and gents), it's on its way to Space 57 at the Revere Hotel for just one day, August 10. I can't wait to hunt through the goods, which include Vera Wang, Badgley Mischka, Zac Posen... If you're going, and you also wear a size 9.5-10 shoe, watch out. I'll be on a mission!

The Warehouse Sale has those designer brands up to 90% off.

And specifically for the men, they will have John Varvatos, Paul Smith, and GANT, among others.

General tickets to the warehouse sale are sold out, but you can be added to the wait list.

I will be attending the Boston Warehouse Sale as a guest of Gilt City. 

As always, all opinions are my own.

Tuesday Shoesday: feathered friends

On an improptu trip to Nordstrom Rack, I stumbled upon these feathered Michael Kors beauties. Granted, I cannot walk in platforms- but how FUN.

And in case you can walk in platforms, I found them on ebay in a size 6 and 10

May must haves

My May must-haves are a few things I won't let myself purchase, but I stalk them nonetheless.

- While a lot of girls fawn over the color pink, I'd love to add this Cuisinart mixer in baby blue, available at Lowe's, to my kitchen.
- These Zara-style GoMax shoes, which I found on ideeli (I really should just send my paycheck directly to ideeli these days) and these Zara studded sandals that I just cannot get over
- Frette sheets are too expensive for me now, but someday they will be mine. (If you've never slept in them, get to a hotel that has them, and then tell me you aren't stalking them too.)
- A dress with a bow would be sweet for the summertime
- A rose gold ring, something like this, or these mixed-metal rings

Tuesday Shoesday: fashion-forward sneakers

I am obsessed with pumps of all kinds, but today I'm highlighting a comfy shoe choice that is perfect for long springtime walks or sightseeing and won't have you wincing in pain at the end of the day.

I purchased a similar pair of these New Balance 442s specifically to wear last Spring in Paris and London on long days of museum hopping, and I'm so glad I had them. Bonus: They looked cute with my skinny jeans!

Tuesday Shoesday

I actually audibly gasped when I saw that ideeli still had my size in these BCBG Max Azria stunners, and T thought something was wrong - and then he reminded me that we're budgeting for a million different things, and so I had to pass them up. This time. Seriously. How gorgeous are these cut outs!

closet clean out: where to sell your clothes & accessories

So you're cleaning out your closet using the tips I talked about back in January, and then you stand back and stare at the huge pile of stuff you don't need or want anymore:  Now, what do you do with it? In order to do some research on how to get the most for your time and effort (while cleaning out my own closet), I used a few different platforms for getting rid of gently used items.

The contenders

 Probably the most familiar to you is ebay, where you can post items for a "buy it now" price or at an auction for a set number of days (usually 7).

 Poshmark is an online community, similar to Pinterest in view-style, where you can list items for sale. You can take part in "parties", which highlight specific types of items, and others can "share" or "like" your items.

 With Klury you upload photos of your items and they send you a quote, at which point you can decide to sell it to them or decline. It is free to ship the item to them.

At Twice you let them know what items you will be sending and then ship it to them for free. They inspect everything and send you a check.





My thoughts

If you are looking for ease of use, Twice is what you want. Making sure that your items are within their approved brands, with a few clicks of your mouse you can print out a packing slip and send those items on their way.
Cons: They price the items for you, and you won't get top dollar. For example, a pair of Express shorts will get you around $2.

If you have a vintage item or something unique, or something that does not fall into the approved brands of other sellers, head over to ebay. You can list any item, start it at any price you desire, and if it doesn't sell, you only pay a small listing fee.
Cons: You pay a listing fee, though it is small. Your item has the best chance of selling if you start it at less than $1 with no "reserve price" (that is, a price you will not sell below); however, if you do this you are not guaranteed to get as much as you want for the item.



Klury allows you to get a quote on designer items prior to sending them anywhere.
Cons: You have to take time to take photos of each item and upload them, along with a description. They are very selective about items accepted.





Poshmark is an interesting platform. It is definitely time-consuming to follow up on questions from other users regarding each item in your "closet". Depending on how many users you follow, your newsfeed will rapidly change, so items disappear from view quickly:  It is best to join the "parties" and share your items there so that they get enough exposure to sell. On the plus side, you get to price your items, and buyers will negotiate with you within the platform.
Cons: Items disappear from users' view quickly based on how many items are uploaded. It is time consuming to use this platform.


Did I miss any major online hubs for buying and selling gently used clothing and accessories? Have you used any of these? I would love to hear your thoughts!

on trend: denim vests

I'm excited to start a new series, on trend, to talk about recent trends and how to do them right.

Lately, I've noticed a frightening number of jean vests available in various stores, and that frightens me a little bit. 

When I think jean vest I think back to the 1980s' love of denim paired with neon patterns that carried into the early 1990s. Please, ladies, do the world a favor and stay away from this combo of big hair and neon patterns so you don't end up looking like something out of an episode of Saved by the Bell (or, in Kim Cattrall's case, the "before" from SATC).

images via 1, 2

Here are a few ladies who have done the denim thing right recently.

image via

Khloe Kardashian Odom wore a maxi, casual sandals, and relaxed hair with aviators and a pop of pattern.

image via

Kendi layered a tee, jean vest, and statement necklace. The necklace softens the vest, and the pastel skirt gives the outfit an extra girly flair.

image via

(similar dress)

Scalloped hem, neutrals, ponytail, and vest = fab casual look.

dress // scarf (similar at a budget price) // denim vest // mint bag // wedges

guest post: fruit and caviar trends with a NYC Buyer

Today's guest post is from my sister, Amanda, who is a buyer at WiNK in New York City. She is one of the most fabulous people I know, so I asked her to bring some of the NYC flavor to my little Boston-based blog.

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The new Spring trend is fruits and they are all around. 

This past weekend I took a trip to a friend's children's clothing store, My Little Sunshine, that houses some of these fancy Italian fleece duds (you can visit them in the ever-popular Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan). Don't you wish they made these in adult sizes? 

items above by Bobo Chose available at My Little Sunshine NYC

I recently bought a strawberry short suit from LF Stores in NYC (but don't worry, they're in Boston too!) and cannot wait to wear it as soon as the weather turns nice.

The next item on trends is the caviar manicure, originally started in the UK and slowly making its way to us in the States. I had my first experience while in Miami and now I'm addicted. 

You can get your very own Ciate Caviar manicure in Sephora, Bloomingdale's or Nordstrom. My suggestion- order the mini bar online and experience all sorts of caviars at home. 

via

Be light and don't take yourself too seriously this Spring!

wedding registry event at Crate & Barrel

Last weekend I attended a registry event with my sister at Crate & Barrel since her fiancé was on a business trip and couldn't be there. It was great to have a store tour guide take us around at the beginning, and the espresso station was calling to me the entire 3 hours we were there.

so many choices...

Our mom kept wandering away to the yummy cheese spread while Britt and I debated different styles of wine glasses. Honestly, most of them looked the same to me. (Clearly, I am no wine expert.)

I would definitely recommend attending a registry event at whichever store you are going to use for your wedding registry. Not only do you get to really see everything for which you are registering, but it's kind of hilarious to watch the fiancés who want nothing more than to lay down on one of the nearby couches to escape choosing which spatula is better.

springtime toys for little ones

Since T's nephew was born 15 months ago, I can't help but check out all of the great products RueLaLa has available for kids when a new Little Rue sale goes up. Here are three great reasons I love having a little kid to buy for (and by "little kid", sometimes I mean myself).

1. I always wanted a Power Wheels car, but how adorable is this pink pedal car? My sisters and I would have loved this growing up.
2. Going on a picnic? Kites are such a fun summertime toy, and with my love of peacocks I'm drawn to this one. 
3. And who can forget those days in gym class when the parachute came out? Best. Days. Ever. Let's bring that back.

Gilt City Boston Warehouse Sale

This weekend there is a major fashion event happening in Boston- Gilt City's Warehouse Sale! When I read the words "up to 90% off", I got so excited... I'm a sucker for a good fashion bargain.

Aside from top designer brands for women, men, kids and home, shoppers will be treated to specialty cocktails and a DJ all day. (I'm excited to shop with some La Marca Prosecco in hand.) 

Here are some details about what you can expect at the event:

• Friday, March 8th, 9:30-11:30 PM and Saturday, March 9th from 9AM - 5PM (Tickets as of press time are only available for the Saturday afternoon and late afternoon entrances, so hurry!)
• Gilt.com's Women's & Men's fashion and accessories, Kid's clothing and accessories, as well as Home Goods - up to 90% off
• Extras:
• Complimentary Refreshments provided by AQUAhydrate and Coco Cafe
• Onsite bar sponsored by La Marca Prosecco 
• Pretzel Crisps dipping station
• $20 Uber gift card for new users
• Photo kiosk provided by SMART Pics
• Onsite merchandise from featured Gilt Home vendor, Cunill America
• Music by live DJ

 Attendees are also invited to tweet and instagram a photo of what they purchased from the Warehouse Sale by using the hashtag #RaidtheWarehouse to enter to win $100 of Gilt credit.

I will be attending the Boston Warehouse Sale as a guest of Gilt City. 

As always, all opinions are my own.

ready for vacation

That vacation I talked about has finally been booked, and even though it's not soon enough, I'm mentally planning what to bring for our Mexican vacation.

tried and true Old Navy flip flops

Essie "Absolutely Shore"

an easy t-shirt dress

colorful dress from the Prabal Gurung/Target collaboration

blue sunnies

convertible cover up

"out of office" laptop case

I'm also looking at a new bikini (with ruffles, of course) and an easy beach tote.

a confession and a 2-legged armchair

I have a confession:  I am really, really impatient. This can be good, but more often it is not. For example, if I'm driving behind you in a 35mph zone and you are driving 20mph, I am probably fuming in my vehicle and making less-than-desired comments about your driving. You might even hear a little beep-beep.

A secondary example - When I moved into our house (T was already living there), I brought with me an armchair that I thought might be useful. It was a hand-me-down, and I thought I'd put it in my office and have an extra place to sit. Well, that chair was not the most comfortable, it lacked an ottoman, and it just became a place for me to throw my clothes that needed to be hung up.

When I decided I wanted it OUT, I wanted it out then. Unfortunately, it had taken T a lot of time to get it in the room, including door removal, because of its awkwardly large base. So after 5 minutes or so of trying to take the door off myself or getting the chair out (because T was busy with Monday Night Football), I gave up - and the next day came back with a vengeance, and also a saw.

And now the chair is sitting like this in our basement until the next trash day (because with the back legs gone, I could actually move it through doorways), unless someone really wants an armchair with only 2 legs. As much as I love being green and recycling things, my impatience did not allow for this chair to make it on to someone else's house.

On the bright side, at least I was able to stop myself when I thought about buying this dress on ideeli (one of my favorite flash sale sites) for an upcoming black tie wedding. As much as I am obsessed with it, I decided it looks much too bridal. And I'm not about trying to upstage any bride. (You're welcome, friends.)

image via

arm safari

I've always been a big fan of anything animal-print-related, so I'm excited this Fall that there are so many animal-inspired arm goodies available! There are tons of choices, but here are some of my picks for the season.

Where to find them:
1- urban outfitters hawk cuff

2- j.crew peacock bangle

3- baublebar cheetah cuff

4- j.crew cheetah bangle

5- loren hope fox door knocker bracelet

6- baublebar zebra bangle

7- loren hope lion head door knocker bracelet

8- j.crew elephant bracelet