Holiday Gift Guide: For The Home

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You know you're getting older when you stop asking Santa for clothes and start asking for home goods. Lately, I've been on a redecorating kick and there's so much decor I have my eye on.  Since we're getting married this summer, we've registered for kitchen electronics, flatware, dinnerware and other important items but didn't register for any decor. I love shopping for home goods myself and picking out a few new items each season.

The holiday season is when we tend to entertain the most so these are some of the items I've asked Santa for this year. I also purchased some of them like this decanter, these coasters and this mug to give to friends. What's on your list this year?

Home for the Holidays

Sweater | Boots (similar here & here) | Vest | Clutch | Leggings | Necklace | Bracelet

When I went home for the holidays last week, I decided to take a break from social media and being virtually connected in general. For me, that meant not blogging, checking email or Facebook or posting pictures on Instagram. It was definitely a challenge (larger than I'd like to admit) but also felt really great to just be present in the moment every minute I was home!

This was the first Thanksgiving day I didn't spend with my own family and it felt really strange but was also exciting prepping for married life. Patrick and I never shared holidays over the past 8 years of our relationship. We just knew we had an entire lifetime of spending them together ahead of us, and we're both so close with our families it was always just easier that way. The morning after Thanksgiving we packed up the car again and headed to visit my family for a long weekend. Being back home always means holiday music playing throughout the house, playing with all my little cousins, Christmas shopping, gingerbread house making, lots of wine and family game nights. It was such a fun weekend and I can't believe it's over but that means Christmas is just around the corner (my absolute favorite!)

This is the outfit I wore for Thanksgiving and possibly the day after and maybe one more time before writing this post. It's insanely comfortable and I'm seriously obsessed with the vest. It's the perfect amount of warmth, especially during the more mild days when I don't need a coat. I've only had it a few weeks but I've worn it so much it's been worth every penny. Plus, it's a classic item that I can bring back year after year. You should also know that I am one of those girls who wears leggings as pants all season long (sorry, I'm not sorry). I do, however, pair them with oversized sweaters that cover what should be covered when one wears leggings. Don't you worry!

Cyber Monday + Holiday Gift Guide

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Tis' the season…for gift guides! I'm celebrating Cyber Monday by accomplishing all of my Christmas shopping. I spent some time over the holiday weekend asking friends and family what they were hoping for this year. I try to do this each year and write down what each person wants. This year I was super organized and emailed myself the list with the corresponding links to each item so my Cyber Monday madness could be knocked out by noon. My first gift guide is a mix of gifts that I'm buying for friends and family and some items I may or may not buy for myself:

If you're planning to do a little shopping today, here's a list of the best Cyber Monday sales and promo codes:

AMAZON: Deals site wide, NO CODE NEEDED

ANN TAYLOR: 50% off site wide + free shipping with code 'EVERYTHING'

ANTHROPOLOGIE: Free shipping site wide + 25% off sale items with code 'XTRAGOOD'

ASOS: 30% off everything with code 'CYBER'

BANANA REPUBLIC: 40% off site wide with code 'BESTCYBER'

BLOOMINGDALES: 25% off almost everything, NO CODE NEEDED

CB2: 15% off + free shipping with code 'SAVE15'

CRATE & BARREL: 15% off full-priced items + free shipping with code 'SAVE15'

GAP: 40% off site wide with code 'BESTCYBER'

GIGI NEW YORK: Spend $125+ & save 20%, spend $250+ & save 25%, spend $350 & save 30%, spend $500 & save 35%

HENRI BENDEL: 30% off all full priced items & 50% off all sale items, NO CODE NEEDED

J.CREW: up to 40% off select items with code 'MONDAY'

J.CREW FACTORY: 50% off Everything + extra 15% off & Free Shipping with code 'TODAYONLY'

KATE SPADE: 30% off everything with code: 'SHINE'

LOFT: 50% off everything with code 'CYBER50'

MACY*S: Free shipping for $25+ & take an extra 20% off with code 'CYBER'

MADEWELL: 25% off  your entire purchase with code 'SHOPATWORK'

NORDSTROM: Take up to 50% off select styles + Free shipping & returns, NO CODE NEEDED

POTTERYBARN: 20% off tables, 30% off all throws, 30% off all ornaments plus free shipping with code 'FREESHIP'

REBECCA MINKOFF: 25% off all orders + Free shipping, NO CODE NEEDED

REVOLVE CLOTHING: take 50% off all final sale items with code 'CYBER50'

SHOPBOP: spend $250+ get 15% off, spend $500+ get 20% off, spend $1000+ get 25% off with code 'GOBIG15'

SOLE SOCIETY: 30% OFF sitewide, NO CODE NEEDED

TARGET: 15% OFF Everything with code: 'CYBER15'

TORY BURCH: spend $250 and receive 30% off + free shipping with code 'THANKS'

WEST ELM: Take up to 25% off + free shipping with code 'SURPRISE' 

How To Maximize A Small Office Space

My favorite thing about our apartment is the amount of natural light it gets. For the past 3 years, I had an office set up in our den that doesn't have any windows. A few months ago I began to realize that I was never working in there. Even when I'd start my mornings in the den, by mid-day I'd relocate to our kitchen or living room. It just felt like I was working in a closet. There wasn't any space in our living room for a desk so I turned my attention to our bedroom. There was a thin area of space that just housed a bench and some wall art so I decided to get creative. I found a small desk that was the perfect size for the wall. I loved that it had a drawer so I had a place to house business cards, notepads and some miscellaneous things that I've accumulated. I decided to keep the bench (not shown) and use it as my desk chair so when I wasn't working I could tuck it right underneath (space saver!). I also purchased fun prints to create a gallery wall that I wouldn't mind looking at each day.

Working from home isn't all it's cracked up to be, in my opinion. It gets lonely and there are tons of distractions. But the most important lesson I've learned is that in order to be productive you need a happy work space. When I'd sit at the desk in my dark den, I thought of every possible excuse I could to walk out and find distractions. Once I brought my office space out into the light, literally, it immediately became a place I wanted to be each day and my productivity directly reflected that. So, if you only have a small space to work within your apartment or home, invest some time into making it a place you want to be each day.  If you're searching for inspiration, Pinterest is such an awesome resource!  Shop some of my favorite home office decor below:

Our Engagement Photos

Dress | Bracelet | Shoes

This post is so close to my heart, I wasn't sure whether I wanted to share it or not. I've loved that our engagement story has been reserved for just our family and close friends, but when I decided to start this website and blog I did it with the intension of sharing my life. Our engagement and upcoming wedding make me so incredibly happy every single day I feel like sharing this glimpse into our life is such a big part of getting to know me.

Patrick and I have been together for a little over 8 years and every single year has just gotten better and better. After college I made so many big changes in my life: new friends, new jobs but Patrick was always a constant. The older and wiser I became, the more I realized each and every day how lucky I was to have him in my life. He's the most kind, loving and selfless person I've ever met and our relationship has always just felt so right and been so easy. After our 4 year anniversary, and a serious talk about wanting to marry each other, we made the decision to move in together. It was the best decision I've ever made {more on that in an upcoming post!}. I'd say the only downside {which isn't even a downside} was that since we already felt married we postponed our engagement until we accomplished some individual personal goals. Patrick was pursuing his architecture license and I started my first business, a fashion-tech company. By our 7 year anniversary, last year, we were both exactly where we had hoped to be professionally and the timing just felt right. 

One week before Christmas, Patrick proposed. It felt like a complete dream. He had told me that my Christmas present was a surprise romantic day in New York City, something I had asked for over a material gift. I woke up that morning ready for possible ice-skating and tree viewing and a show. An engagement wasn't even on my mind thanks to my incredibly sneaky sister who convinced me that it wasn't happening until sometime after the holidays. Patrick had gotten a private key to Gramercy Park {the only private park in NYC} and after a walk around the grounds he dropped to one knee. Even when you sense it may be coming, that moment is indescribable. This insane euphoria pours over you and all I can remember is ugly crying and shaking my head 'yes' a million times. As soon as he placed the ring on my finger, my sister and her boyfriend jumped out from behind the bushes. Her boyfriend is a professional photographer who had captured the moment and my sister had video taped it on her iPhone {something I still watch almost every day}. We all walked across the street to the Gramercy Park Hotel where they had a bottle of champagne waiting for us. Just when I thought the day couldn't get better, Patrick told me he made dinner reservations for just the two of us but when we walked into the back room of my favorite restaurant, both of our families were there. Again came the tears. After dinner, we went to the rooftop of a hotel where a bunch of our friends were, waiting to celebrate. It was just surprise after surprise and the absolute best day I've ever had. 

Taking our engagement photos a few months ago also felt surreal. We talked the whole time while shooting about how the next time we'd be posing for photos would be on our wedding day. The incredibly talented Abby Jiu shot them for us at a gorgeous estate in D.C. Since we're getting married in New York City, we wanted to document having met and lived in this city for so long and this place was perfect. I know people have mixed feelings about engagement photos, but we had so much fun taking them and they felt like a practice round for wedding photos. They'll always bring us back to this time in our life and they definitely are a nice upgrade from the iPhone quality photos around our home. If you're on the fence about investing in them, you definitely should!

Favorite Flannel

Shirt | Jeans | Vest | Boots & here | Tote | Bracelet | Sunglasses

This weekend was really fun and low-key. My future sister-in-law came to visit and we filled the weekend with laughs, great food and endless glasses of wine. This Sunday also marked Patrick and my 8-year anniversary! It was crazy thinking that this was the last anniversary we'd ever celebrate as an unmarried couple. We decided to celebrate in our typical fashion: fresh cuts of filet mignon from the market and a really nice bottle of red wine. Even though we weren't alone, there was something really special about having his sister celebrating with us. 

The weather was so nice on Sunday we decided to walk to the market. I started off with a fur vest over my flannel, but it quickly became an unnecessary layer. This Rails LA flannel was an item I considered an investment last year since it was over $100, but it's paid for itself with the amount of times I've worn it. It's incredibly soft and thin and was really worth every penny. Here are some of my other favorite flannels that I plan to wear all season long:

Fall Sweaters

I love everything about fall: pumpkin spice lattes, roasted butternut squash dinners, the gorgeous foliage (#basic, I know). But fall fashion is definitely my favorite part. There's something so easy and so comfortable about throwing on leggings and a big sweater everyday. For me, working from home, it feels like I'm dressed for the day but also like I'm wearing warm pajamas and I love it. When I have plans at night, I swap out my cotton leggings for some leather ones or jeans and I'm ready to go. 

I used to think of sweaters as an investment: something like, the higher the price-tag the better the quality and longer they'd last. But I was dead wrong on that one. The amount of $200 J. Crew sweaters that I've shrunk is maddening. The truth is, any sweater that's being worn or washed a lot is going to start looking ragged. So, I've been finding some amazing options with price tags that make me a lot happier. Here are some of my favorites for this season:

Wednesday Wants

Jeans | Hat | Bracelet 1 & 2 | Skirt | Bag | Sunglasses | Boots | Poncho | Cape | Shirt | Heels | Tote

I love online shopping but it wasn't always that way. I used to love going to stores and trying everything on but the more I online shopped the more I realized how simple and stress-free it was. I could search for the exact items I was looking for within the categories and price-range I wanted and spare myself the hassle of filtering through endless racks. Also, it really helped prevent me from impulse buying. I always put items in my cart or save them to my favorites list for a few days before making a final purchase decision {seeing your total always helps too!}. Plus, with discount promo codes just a google search away it really can't be beat. 

Lately, I've been eyeing so many new items for fall. This weather has been so up and down but I'm hoping it stays on the warmer side a little bit longer. I'm loving capes and ponchos like this one and this one and running out in easy outfits like jeans and a flannel. I'm planning to invest in a new fall handbag and I've been stalking this Rebecca Minkoff one for long enough. I also love staple accessories that I can wear everyday like these sunglasses and this bracelet.

I budget every month so I'm thinking about purchasing some of the items under $100 and waiting to see if some of the pricier items go on sale over the next few weeks. There's nothing worse than purchasing an item and then seeing it on sale the following week {been there!}, so I try to practice patience when the price tags are high. Or, I give up the less expensive items in order to purchase an investment piece {hello, Rebecca Minkoff handbag!}.

Fall Casual Style

 Jeans | Vest | Shirt | Necklace | Bracelet | Bag | Sunglasses | Booties

A few weeks ago, Patrick and I headed into Virginia to register for our wedding. It was so nice walking around the stores, picking out everything we loved and not having to buy anything (a first for me)! We've been living together for the past 4 years, so instead of the typical 'moving-in together' excitement we're looking forward to what we're calling 'the purge'. Over the years, we've accumulated so many mis-matched plates and flatware and pots and pans, many of which are chipped and scratched. Yes, our joy  about owning matching plates may sound dull, but that's how we'll be celebrating "moving in together" after our wedding and we can't wait! 

This outfit I wore has become my fall uniform. It's so comfortable, basically just jeans and a t-shirt but the vest gives the look something extra. The booties have tassels on the sides that I love and a low chunky heel (something I always need #shortproblems). I'm glad I went with a tote because every store gave us so many folders and magazines to go home with it was nice not having to hold them. The jewelry is from my favorite new designer, Julie Vos - almost everything on the website is gold and I'm obsessed with it all. 

New York Fashion Week

New York Fashion Week is always a total whirlwind of meetings, presentations, shows and insane amounts of networking. This year was my favorite one yet because I was able to represent myself personally in addition to Rack It Up. Thanks to some awesome blogger friends, I was able to attend a few presentations and events and met so many amazing people!

I didn't find any time to take full outfit photos (I promise to get the hang of it soon!), so I covered my personal style and whereabouts on my instagram. The highlights were a GiGi New York cruise around the city, brunching with Marissa, grabbing coffee at Ralph's, visiting the incredible Julie Vos studio, going to the Banana Republic presentation and a few group dinners with inspiring blogger gals. On top of everything, I stayed with my sister at her apartment and was able to bring her as my date to a few events which made the week even better. 

I'm so happy to be back in my bed and to possibly never wear heels again!