Christmas came and went too quickly, and now we're all quickly switching gears to celebrate the New Year! One of the best parts about NYE is celebrating what's to come and no matter what you're doing - staying in, going out or anything in between - there's always room for some sparkles and sequins in your outfit. ;) These are some of my favorite styled looks for New Year's Eve and all of these pieces are affordable and can be mix and matched and re-worn throughout the year, so you'll get lots of use out of everything!
There's still a lot of retailers - more than you may expect - who can guarantee Christmas delivery at this point, which is great, but if you're a super procrastinator and wait much longer you're going to feel like you have no other choice but to go shopping in stores and we all know how crazy and busy the malls are this time of year! If you're an Amazon Prime member (who isn't these days?!) then you're in luck because there's sooo many things that are all still available to get in time for the holiday. There are some things on Amazon that won't arrive so be sure to check your item before purchasing, but I rounded up some of the best available gift options that WILL get to your doorstep by Christmas Eve. You're going to love these and probably want all of them for yourself, too! ;) Get shopping before you're really out of time!
The very last thing to check off on your holiday checklist is likely filling stockings up! These ideas are all things that she'll love and the best part is they're affordable/all under $20. From cute necessities to fun extras she'll love, you can get everything checked off and finished with these finds!
Thank you to Kohl's for sponsoring this post! As always, all opinions are my own.
I am *almost* officially finished with my shopping, minus a few finishing touches! This time of year especially, it's so easy to get caught up in giving gifts and finding things you know everyone on your list will love (which is fair!) and forget all about setting a budget. I'm completely guilty of this but I LOVE gifting. Luckily for all of us, Kohl's has such a great variety of gifts (seriously, there's something for everyone!) and I decided to see just how far $100 would go at Kohl's by purchasing as many gifts as I could for under $100. If you're still searching for some awesome gifts, here's all the inspiration you need to get it done! ;)
Thank you to adidas for sponsoring today's post. As always, all opinions are my own!
Christmas is in LITERALLY about a week. What even?! I'm still shopping and trying to get everything ready, all while trying to take it slow and enjoy the season. Let's just say doing both - and doing both well - is NOT easy. This is the busiest time of year for all of us; being able to enjoy it while also prepping to have everything ready for yourself, for entertaining your friends and family, and for getting all of your shopping and work done in time before the holiday is quite the multi-task to take on, but these holiday prep hacks have helped me (especially lately!) and I think they'll help you, too.
Everyone has that friend/sister/other family member or person on our gift giving list who loses all sense of self control upon walking into Sephora or the beauty section of any given store, right?! Whether you're looking for an awesome gift set, something for the skincare guru of the friend group, grea gift under $100 or a splurge gift, I have you covered! From the classics to the newest beauty products, here's everything you need to shop for the beauty queen on your shopping list:
Whether the traveler on your holiday shopping list travels nationally or abroad, and whether it be for work or fun (or both!), these gift ideas will help them travel in comfort and in style. From the essentials to things that make travel easier and more enjoyable from the second they step on an airplane, there's something here for every wanderluster on your list - and fair warning, you'll want to buy at least a few of these for yourself, too!
I absolutely LOVE baking during the holidays - what I don't love is a lot of prep time, a lot of directions or a lot of steps. I also prefer no-bake but I'll take what I can get, lol! I'm always looking for the best recipes I can make to impress guests when I have friends and family over, and recipes to take to parties and get-togethers over the holidays that won't take a day plus a huge mess in my kitchen to make. Let's face it - none of us have too much spare time every day, this time of year especially, and when there's an amazing holiday dessert recipe like this two ingredient fudge, it needs to be shared!
The very best part of the holiday season is time with family, celebrating and of course all of the lights and decor! I've been working on my dining room table setup for a few weeks now and I'm SO happy with how it turned out! I'm the kind of person who likes a bunch of elements from different styles and I also like to change it up every year - probably makes sense as to why I'm always changing my furniture and decor throughout the year too, hah! For this year's Christmas tablescape I decided on a mix between traditional - your typical reds, greens and garland - with some glam mixed in. I'm a sucker for anything gold, delicate, sparkly and whatever screams luxury/glam. I had a ton of ideas and knew what I wanted it to look like and I'm so happy that it turned out even better!
This holiday gift guide is one of my favorites to date! There are SO many great gifts for every woman on your list, no matter what your budget is. From gifts under $50 all the way to a great splurge she'll love, I have you covered! Check out all of these gifts and check a bunch of boxes off of your holiday shopping list:
'Tis the season for holiday parties galore! Whether it be with friends, for work, family parties, holiday travel and sightseeing or anything else you could possibly think of, there's an outfit for it! ;) I put together a bunch of festive outfits - both casual and dressy - that are perfect for this holiday season no matter what you have going on. I'll be adding more looks throughout the season as well - so if you need inspo, keep checking back for more!
Secret Santa Gift Exchanges with your group of friends are the funnest but can also be really hard to shop for! Even though you probably know what everyone in your group likes and most likely all have similar interests, price limits that you put on your gift exchange really can make it hard to find your idea of the perfect gift. It can be tricky too since it has to be something that anyone in the group will like! Luckily for you, I rounded up my favorite gifts to give under $20 that are great for all of your girlfriends and make the most perfect Secret Santa gifts!
For this month's Currently Craving I thought it'd be fun to share my current favorite Christmas and holiday decor finds! With all of the gift guides happening around here and sales being shared across Facebook and Instagram, getting in a daily dose of *actual* Christmas was overdue. ;) When it comes to decorating and styling, we all have our own specific styles but you really can never go wrong with neutral decor - and pops of color of course! I like to switch back and forth between traditional Christmas decor and more modern-traditional, if that's even a thing! I'll stop rambling and get to the goods - these decor finds are affordable and will mix with any style!
On a budget, have a spending limit within a friend group or just want to find some great deals? These gifts are ALL under $50 and there's something for everyone on this list! We're less than a month away from Christmas so get shopping - these are too good to pass up and some of these finds are pretty genius - I'm talking iced coffee on-the-go and sherpa shoes genius! ;)
P.S., starting next week there will be a new gift guide up every Tuesday and Thursday leading up to Christmas!
This time of year is beyond busy with all of the holiday madness, but it's also a really busy and stressful time for college students. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was getting my semesters-end finals schedule and worrying about tests, papers and getting it all done. And I'm beyond thankful that all of that is behind me, hah! Now that my sister is in college and I see her prepping for the end-of-semester-push, I'm remembering just how stressful it can be. That made me think to put together this gift box/care package to send to my sister - part essentials and part fun items that she'll love and will put a smile on her face during a stressful time of the school year! If you want to put together a box like this for your sister or a friend or family member whose away at school, here's some ideas of what to include:
We all have one friend whose always cold and/or hates being cold, and/or hates being IN the cold... I am that friend. I'm always freezing and hope to live in warm weather 24/7 one day soon and if I'm not cozy or warm I'm not all that happy! Hhaha! These gifts were easy options to pick out for me because they're all things I already have and love that keep me warm during these cold months, or things that I would love to receive to help me stay cozy. Here's some of the best gifts for that always-cold person on your shopping list this season:
The gifts I buy for my best girlfriends and my sisters are always similar and go hand-in-hand so I thought it'd be perfect to combine the two for one, big gift guide with the BEST ideas for your best friends and sisters who 1. have everything, 2. steal your things all of the time and 3. love a little luxury. These are all finds under $100 - believe it or not - and a lot of them, you'd never guess it!
Happy Cyber Monday! So many deals, so little time - we need more hours in the day! ;) I've been looking for the best deals all weekend to share and found 17 of the best picks to gift (and to keep too) plus all of the best deals you need to shop today - no matter what you're shopping for this season there's likely a deal on it today so get going, the best things go first!
Your one-stop-shop for all things Black Friday! It's finally here - one of the biggest shopping days and the official Cyber Week kick off! Black Friday is one of the best, if not THE best day to shop for holiday gifts and anything else you may have been eyeing. Here's every sale happening this Black Friday that you need to know about, check out and shop - all in one place:
Can we all agree that one of the best hobbies is to aimlessly stroll down the aisles of Target and mindlessly add things to your cart that you "need"? I mean it's natural, right?! ;) Target is always fun to shop at because they have such a variety of different, adorable and affordable things - but it's a whole different story when it comes to Target during the holiday season. I'm like a little kid in a candy store seeing all of the holiday home decor! There's so many amazing finds right now so I rounded up the best things you need to add to your cart today!
Let the holiday gift giving begin! I'm kicking this years Holiday Gift Guides off with a popular one - Gifts for the Hostess. I figured it was a perfect time to share this since we're still a few days before Thanksgiving, and if my 10+ ideas of what to bring to Thanksgiving weren't unique enough - then try one of these gifts! For all of the holiday parties, events and get-togethers we have this season with friends and family, don't go empty handed and don't bring something typical either. These gift options are different, colorful, chic and most importantly ones that they'll love! Also ones that you'll be tempted to by two of and keep one for yourself. ;) Get shopping and happy gift giving!
Happy Thanksgiving Week! I can't believe it's already here but also am so excited for it all! This is the beginning of the most magical time of every year for so many reasons - but anyway! Let's talk Thanksgiving and entertaining. If you aren't hosting, you're probably trying to figure out what you can bring on Thursday. We can't all be the best chefs in the world, so if you aren't looking to cook, or you like to but don't want to/have the time to cook or bake something elaborate to bring, there's a ton of options to choose from! Here's a complete guide of what to bring to the Thanksgiving host's house this holiday!
Thank you to adidas for sponsoring today's post. As always, all opinion are solely my own!
Whether you're buying for the fitness obsessed on your shopping list or just a girl who loves athleisure wear (raising my hand emphatically over here! ;), the BEST place to shop for everything fitness is adidas. They have neutrals, bright colors - everything you need to put together the perfect gift. To kick off this season of gift giving, I thought it'd be so fun to share my favorite picks from adidas' current collection and basically what's on my list too! If you have someone who loves fitness, working out and wants to look cute while doing it on your list - here's everything you need (and more):
The holidays are in full swing and Thanksigving is next week. NEXT WEEK. How? What?? I have no idea what's going on, but I'm so excited for the holidays and now is the time to figure out what you're going to wear for Thanksgiving this season! Whether you and your family get dressed up or you stay home/host the holiday, there's something for everyone here including the best leggings (that you can easily dress up) and some of the cutest velvet pieces EVER. Get shopping, you still have time to order before the holiday!
It's the most wonderful time of year in more ways than one! ;) There are so many amazing sales popping up as the holiday season is quickly approaching and one of the best every single year is here - the Sephora Holiday Bonus Sale! It's been opened to Rouge members for a few weeks, but the VIB and Insider days to shop are here! Prepping your skin for all of the holiday parties, events, food you'll be eating and guests you'll be hosting and seeing may require an upgrade or two in your skincare routine, or maybe just a new makeup product that will make your skin glowy and beautiful! Get shopping, this sale is too good to miss!
The struggle is SO REAL when you're cozy on the couch, relaxing and watching TV and you're hungry. At 10 pm. Already had dinner and can't believe that you're actually hungry... That's me a LOT of the time and I know I'm not alone! Eating at night isn't necessarily as bad as you may think - or it doesn't have to be anyway. I know all too well that to eat healthily, you have to find something you REALLY enjoy that'll keep you from going to all of those heavy, carb-filled leftovers you have in your fridge, or that big bowl of ice cream that is calling your name. These are the best late night snack ideas I've tried and have regularly, but also ones you can go to during the day to stay healthier too! For me, the key is eating in moderation and not totally depriving yourself, but when you do indulge, find ways to make it not so bad. Here's my top 10 go-to snacks for when I'm craving something delicious late at night!
Cue the Christmas music, give me all of the holiday shopping ads, and fill my DVR with cheesy Hallmark movies because it's November and I cannot contain my excitement!! I saw the funniest post on Facebook (shared it on my Facebook page, see it here!) about the change come November 1st and seriously relate to it all too well! I did a LOT of shopping in October - there's been too many great finds lately to resist! To narrow it down and pick my favorites of the month for October's edition of Currently Craving, I picked the best under $50 so that everyone has an excuse to do some shopping! ;) Here's the best finds you need to get your hands on this season:
Taking a trip this fall or winter, or headed somewhere cold? These picks are perfect to add to your shopping or packing list for your trip! From cozy in-flight must haves to what you'll love to wear while you're away, these pops of color will help you pack and get excited for your cold weather vacation!
Shopping for the latest seasonal trends is always fun, and buying new and cozy clothing items you love is fun, so buying striped sweaters on striped sweaters is EXTREMELY fun! ;) We've been seeing soo many colorful finds this seasons and especially so when it comes to stripes. I've always loved a good striped piece but with as many striped sweaters there are out there this season, I thought it'd be so fun to see the best of the best at all different price points! There's so many great options and you can't possibly go wrong - and you can style these with nearly anything - dressed up or worn more casually. Double win! Here's the 10 cutest striped sweaters under $50, under $100 and under $200:
I'm willing to bet that everyone can agree that no matter how long a flight is, it feels like all of the moisture is just sucked out of your skin the second a plane leaves the ground. I hate mostly everything about flying and although I don't let it keep me back from traveling, my skin wishes it would sometimes! Between the massive, rapid switch of temperature and the cabin pressure and circulating air for however many hours... It's not fun. For quite a while I always thought it was just something we all had to deal with and there wasn't much to do to fix it but then I realized - who really cares what anyone looks like on an airplane?! I remember flying to Italy one summer a few years ago and shamelessly putting a sheet mask on on my red eye flight. It may not be foolproof to combat the awfully dry air 40,000+ feet above the clouds but it sure did make a difference!
Ever since then I have, again, shamelessly done a full skincare routine on nearly every flight I've been on since and have no plans of stopping anytime soon, hah! On shorter flights I don't go all out (promise I'm not that crazy! ;) but I will wear minimal makeup and use a moisturizer, blotting sheets, etc. to maintain my sanity. I HATE that dry skin feeling and clearly will do anything to stay far, far away from it! Here's my tried-and-true must haves for your beauty bag - that'll also clear TSA - that you need for every flight from here on out:
Italian markets and stores are some of the best places in the world to shop at both for food and other goods. You can't beat true Italian pasta or Italian leather! And when it comes to that Italian leather/products made in Italy, nothing is of better quality than a "Made in Italy" find. It's never, EVER easy to under-pack when going on vacation (right? I mean, I can't be the only one?!) but if you're planning a trip to Italy, I highly recommend leaving some space/weight to bring back allll of the amazing Italian things that you could possibly think of!
Every girl has that one thing they love to treat themselves with - a mani/pedi, new handbag, new shoes, a bottle of wine, bowl of ice cream... to name a few. ;) For me, it's a little bit of everything listed above (lol!) but I am such a sucker for a new pair of shoes. The very last thing I need to buy 99% of the time are new shoes but I can't ever resist! They're my weakness and it's become a little too fun growing my shoe collection! All of that to say, it's fall and with a new season you have every right to buy those shoes you've been eyeing. The weather is so unpredictable this time of year - it can be freezing in the morning and warm up by the afternoon; or 80 degrees one day and 50 the next. All of the pairs of shoes here are perfect for those crazy in-between days and as it begins to really get chilly too (which it is here!). Get shopping, girls!
This post is sponsored by the VELCRO® Brand and Her Campus Media. As always, all opinions are my own!
Raise your hand if you love decorating, but only when it doesn't require a lot of work! When my sister went back to college this year, she had been looking on Pinterest for ideas on how to decorate her room since she's living in her Sorority House this year. She decided on putting up a gallery wall over her bed and I was SO excited to help her put it together! I love making gallery walls and thanks to the new VELCRO® Brand HANGables® removable fasteners, it was easier than ever to put everything up on her walls with no hammers and no nails.
Can 2018 slow down for 5 seconds?! What in the world is going on here?! We officially have three months left until we're celebrating New Years again. I'm baffled over here. Speechless. Don't understand.
While I pick my jaw off of the ground, get to shopping these beautiful favorites from September that are all under $200! Share in my shoe addiction, find out how I'm keeping my tan, see my favorite polish color for fall and more here!
If you're a blogger, vlogger or love taking pictures, then you know the importance of having pretty, bright and attractive photos. It's easy to find fun little things you can add to lifestyle shots, but they aren't always practical items or things you have use for. It's great to have things like these around but it's always ideal to be using things you already love, have and use on a daily basis. If you're in the market for some new decor or home finds, check out these picks that'll look great in your home and that you'll use but also make for great additions to your photos!
Where there's a hot new trend each season, there's likely a dupe for it! I'm all for a good splurge and will always pick quality > price but there's always some really great, less expensive options for the seasons hottest buys. If you're not looking to spend a ton of money but want to get a new trendy buy or just some new fun finds for fall, these dupes are nearly identical to their pricier counterparts and are all just as great of quality! Check them out, you'll be adding a ton of these to your cart today! ;)
It's fun to be a tourist, but it's also really fun to experience a country like a local does in their home on the daily! I like to think that Italy is basically my second home - I go there as much as humanly possible every year and part of me really thinks I'd love to live there 24/7. The atmosphere is completely different than it is in America - there's no real "busy" time of day, or day in general for that matter. Everything is so laid back; the people are relaxed and honestly I find myself feeling so calm and not stressed in the least bit when I'm in Italy. It's such a beautiful country and there's so many things to see, do and experience - and if you want to do things as the Italians do, here's how:
Whether you're an organizer by nature or not (I am, clearly!), having your planner in good shape and having *a* planner that you use is sooo important for every day life. When I was in both high school and college, I would have been totally lost without my planner. I loved using the one they would give us in homeroom each year in middle school - remember that?! - and ever since, I've been a planner advocate! ;) I'm a Virgo which explains me wanting to be as organized as possible and I'm also a very visual person, so having everything written out in front of me helps big time. Every year when I was in school, I looked forward to picking out my planner for the year and nothing really has changed since then! Lol!
Luckily over the years I've come up with some really simple ways to stay organized and keep my planner in check to keep me on top of things. I couldn't imagine not using a planner now, and it goes to show that even after your years of schooling, a planner is so important! From work obligations to events/parties/dinners with friends, travel dates and more, you need a planner to keep you organized. Here's my favorite tips that most definitely got me through my undergraduate years of college, and that I still use to this day:
Every season brings new trends and I don't know about you, but I LOVE going through pages and pages of new arrivals each season and seeing what's new, what I love and what I think is absolutely ridiculous - there's always a few, lol! I've said many times that although I do like fall, I'm 100% a summer girl and I can't believe we're already talking about the cooler weather but it's quickly approaching! If you're looking for some new pieces to add to your closet this fall, these early seasonal finds will have you swooning!
Today is my birthday!! Somehow it's already September, and somehow I'm already 24! Don't really know how either happened, but here we are! ;) I think most of us like to make goals for each year and aim to grow within every 365 days before turning another year older, but I like to judge every year based on the positives that happened rather than harp on the goals I may not have reached. And if anything, try to figure out what made it hard to accomplish something that was on my list. That's what made me decide to put together this list of the 24 things you need to do for yourself in your first 24 years, in honor of turning 24! I've been fortunate to do and see a lot so far in my life and I know there's a lot more on my list, but these are experiences I think everyone should have in their 20s!
Thank you to adidas for sponsoring today's post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are solely my own!
Doesn't it seem like as the summer winds down, the fall and winter months leading into the holidays are always the busiest and hardest to re-adjust to? It's freakin' hard to go from a relaxing summer filled with time in the sun, traveling and beach trips to a full schedule and heavier work (or school) load! If you're finding it difficult to get back on track, these tips have always helped me to regain my focus and hopefully will help you too before the fall really sets in.
There's so many sales going on - I just wish it wasn't because it's the end of the summer! Labor Day Weekend is here and I'm so not ready for it... I need more summer! Has anyone ever "chased summer"? I have a friend who lives basically everywhere... He travels constantly so that he's always enjoying the summer season! In the winter here, he lives in Australia. Kinda cool, no? Thinking I should try it... ;) Anyway, there are lots of great sales going on so to take a break from all of the new arrivals that are taking over stores and our shopping list, I rounded up my favorite summer favorites that are all under $50! Most are regularly inexpensive, and now every single find is on sale and well under $50. Now's the time to get some last minute summer favorites that you can still enjoy for a few more weeks, and get excited about for next season!
One of the best sales of the year, the Sephora Beauty Insider Appreciation Event is here! If you're a Rouge member (God bless your bank account!) you've been able to shop for about a week now but starting today, everyone can shop no matter your status - Rogue, VIB or Beauty Insider. You can get 20%, 15% or 10% off *almost* everything in the store and now is the time to stock up on favorites, try new things you've been eyeing and splurge on something you normally might not have. The only exclusions I'm seeing is on Dyson products and limit three Drunk Elephant products per transaction - so get shopping! Here's my top picks that I think know will become some of your favorite re-purchases ever!
This post is sponsored by Kohl’s. I was paid for this post and received the included home goods as compensation.
After a long and busy day there's very few things I want more than to walk into my bedroom and just relax. There's a lot of early mornings and late nights that include working from my bed but having a comfortable, light and airy and cozy spot I can go to is my dream of a room! I always like to give rooms in my home some updates and a good refresh, especially with a season change and this is a great time to get some awesome deals on new decor. I knew I wanted some pieces that were bright and white, and Kohl's had pretty much everything I was looking for - it was a one stop shop (which never happens, hah)!
When I was still in college I'd have an extensive list of things I needed both before a new semester started and during - I'm a very organized person, but the stress of it all made it feel like I wasn't! Between my four years of undergrad I've learned a lot of what you really need and what you don't as much as you think you will - so if you're heading back to school next month, check out these finds all available on Amazon Prime that you need to get!
Thank you to UpBra for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are solely my own!
Going on a last minute trip to savor summer in any way possible? I know that feeling all too well! If I had my way, summer would never leave. It's my favorite time of year and I know I'm not the only one trying to hold on to every minute of it! I took a week off to go on a (somewhat) last minute beach getaway and tried to challenge myself to packing everything for 7 days, 6 nights into a carry-on suitcase only. It didn't go so well... But now that I've tried and know what works and what doesn't, I know it is possible with lots of maneuvering and forcing myself to be a little less indecisive. ;)
It also will help to save you $$$ to not have to check a bag! It's much easier said than done but all you really need for the beach is a pair of flip flops and a cute bathing suit anyway. Hah! Here's how to pack up for a beach trip in just your carry-on:
Even if you love a good dupe and love to save where ever you can (who doesn't?) there's some things you should spend the extra money on, one of them being your skincare products. I'm a firm believer that you should buy what's best for your skin and individual needs and if it means spending a little extra to get something that really makes a difference, then it's worth it. That being said, there's so many great and affordable skincare products out there that don't break the bank, even if you are looking for a "holy grail" product that you'll love and that's going to do your skin wonders! These picks are all under $50 and are worth every penny:
Have you guys seen one of the newest features on Amazon yet? Their Prime Wardrobe feature is so cool! Basically, you get to try products out that you may have been eyeing before you buy them - it's like having a store's dressing room in your house, and what's better than that? ;) It's such a great and really useful idea and they always seem to be adding new products to their Prime Wardrobe closet. I couldn't believe these finds were included, here's some of the best things to try before you buy:
All of the NSALE craziness is quickly coming to an end this weekend but there's still so many great things in stock! I figured I'd share one last group of favorites to *add to cart* before the prices go up at the end of the weekend. A lot of everyone's favorite things are sold out, but there's still a LOT of really great finds at great prices that you should consider getting - here's the best, still-in-stock picks from the sale:
