my everyday style: plaid + pom poms + everything nice!

I am SO excited to be kicking off the holidays here on the blog. It may be a tad bit early - but I have a good chunk of my holiday shopping and planning in the works or completed already and I have a feeling some of you other gals may be feeling the same way.  Or if you aren't - then hopefully this holiday inspiration is coming at the perfect time for you!

I absolutely love brainstorming holiday outfits this time of year.  I don't usually have a lot of formal events on the calendar - but instead quiet and cozy events with friends and family that call for casual but festive attire.  I love to have the classics on hand this time of year to mix and match into festive outfits.  A fun pom pom sweater, a gorgeous plaid top, anything bright red - like this coat or a scarf would do - and a pair of classic shoes like these penny loafers make for the perfect festive wardrobe mixers.  Just having a few festive pieces on hand can really make it easy to pull together holiday looks.

In other news, I finally pulled the trigger on the cropped boot cut jeans that I had been eyeing all fall. This trend may not be for everyone, but I love that it's something a little different from my standard of skinny or straight legged jeans.  And since I'm a little on the short side I have a tough time pulling off the flare jeans without wearing sky-high heels.  So this is a fun middle ground.  Have you tried this trend yet? Would you?

Outfit Details:

Coat, J.Crew (this one, or this one is less expensive, or a longer version)

Necklace, J.Crew Factory (similar or similar)

Plaid Top, J.Crew

Pom Pom Sweater, Banana Republic (also available in navy or white!)

Jeans, J.Crew (under $100!)

Penny Loafers, J.Crew (or love these too for a little cheaper)

Sunglasses, Tory Burch

Clutch, Clare V

holiday party dresses for all budgets!

The most wonderful time of the year is upon us friends!  The holiday season is a personal favorite of mine and all the fun kicks off about this time every year.  I love the anticipation of Thanksgiving that builds up to the excitement of Christmas - from special times with loved ones, to finding that perfect gift, the perfect wrapping paper and the glittering parties and quiet time spent with loved ones. I love what the holiday season brings!

Today I pulled together a really great round-up of holiday party dresses at all budgets that I think you will love.  If you've got a soiree or two on the calendar for the upcoming season, I have the dress for you...

And if you are looking for more casual holiday outfits... stay tuned, those are coming to the blog in the coming weeks as well! Enjoy and cin-cin!

shop dresses under $100...

lace overlay

red high-low

off the shoulder (love the dark green!)

sleeveless pleated

shop dresses under $200...

navy blue silk

velvet cut-out

white strappy shoulder

black off the shoulder

the bling!

burgundy velvet pumps

gold heel velvet sandals

glitter heel green pumps

tassel earrings

fringe earrings

black clutch

glitter clutch

Or shop the post below...

3 easy shop-your-closet holiday party looks!

Yesterday on Instagram I pulled together three easy holiday party looks by shopping my own closet.  I'm always surprised at what I can pull out of my closet in a pinch… so here are my tips and tricks on how to shop your closet this season. I hope you find them helpful!

above: I love this casual but pulled together look.  Here I pulled together a blazer with a graphic tee and paired them with boyfriend jeans and some black heels and a bold necklace.  This is perfect for New Years Eve with friends or for a casual Christmas Eve look.  The boyfriend jeans paired with black pumps are an interesting contrast that is also really easy to wear.  A nice small bag is the perfect way to carry your lipstick and phone.

above: This ultra festive look is perfect for a Christmas party with friends. If you don't own a sequined striped top… just pair an ultra blinged out necklace with a standard striped top.  Black jeans and flats make this outfit classic and easy to pull together. Some bold tassel earrings are a fun addition!

above: One way to make an outfit instantly festive is to add some gorgeous earrings and a faux fur scarf (I love this one or this one!).   This tasseled tank could easily be paired with a black skirt, jeans or black trousers depending on the event you are attending.  Nude pumps are always in season and are a gorgeous addition to this look.

So which outfit is your favorite? Shop the pieces below...

10 gorgeous holiday style finds!

Let's admit it… the holiday season is such a fun time of year to get dressed!  Leather, sequins, cozy wool, a little bling and killer heels all come out to play this time of year - and the outcome is pretty darn fun!  Not only is it holiday party season, it's a party in your closet this time of year too.

What lady doesn't love an excuse to dress up a little, swipe some red lipstick and sparkle in their own special way?  With that in mind, I pulled together some holiday inspired pieces today.  It's so easy to mix and match these styles for some killer holiday looks.  Remember it's all about texture this time or year… wool, leather, sparkle and shine are the name of the game.  Make sure you are having some fun with it… it's the happiest time of the year after all.

black/gold clutch, plaid top, sequin tank, cream scarf, ring, cream blazer, red bow bag, faux leather leggings, lace pants, fair isle sweater, red ankle-strap heels, earrings

or shop the pieces here...

how to style: fair isle for winter!

There is nothing like bundling up in a cozy fair isle sweater for the holidays and winter!  They are insanely cozy and warm and exude winter style.  Here I rounded up some of my favorite ways to style fair isle sweaters and some of my top picks for this season…

Some of my favorite stores are stocking some really adorable fair isle sweaters this season.  I especially love the options with tiny pops of red.  They just seem so festive!  My favorite way to style a fair isle sweater is with jeans and boots… but below you can see some really cute outfit ideas including pairing fair isle with skirts, leggings, boyfriend jeans and even dressed up with heels.  There are so many great ideas here.

I hope you have some fun styling up your new fair isle this season!

one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight

Shop additional fair isle sweaters below…

Holiday Style with Nordstrom!

Besides decking the halls and spoiling my loved ones with gifts and treats - the parties have to be one of my favorite parts of the holiday season!  I love getting all dolled up, donning a super fabulous dress and  hitting the town to celebrate the holidays!

Today I am collaborating with Nordstrom to chat holiday party dresses.  Do you have yours yet!?!?

Hands down Nordstrom has the best selection of party dresses this time of year - I mean drool worthy! What is even better is that for all the amazing dresses they carry there truly is something for every budget - which is equally as important.   Nordstrom is your one stop shopping spot for holiday apparel from head to toe.  I recently spent an indulgent amount of time in their dress department shopping and trying on some seriously gorgeous holiday frocks. When I put on this little lace number I instantly knew it was "the one" - you know that feeling!?!? It's like fireworks, best feeling ever.

This little lace number is just a touch stretchy so it's super comfortable wear.  I really loved the zippered back which is super modern while the length and silhouette is very classic. It's the best of both worlds. And the v-neck back makes it super flattering.  This dress is a real winner… here I paired it with neutral heels and a shawl.  But you could also go with black shoes or add a little edge to the look with a leather jacket.

Let's chat quick about these shoes too… because, I'm in love.  The leather is butter, butter soft making them insanely comfortable.  Plus, the nice low heel is perfect for non-heel wearers… like me (since hurting my ankle last spring, heels are almost impossible but these were great! No pain at all!) so if you aren't really into heels but you want to try one for the holidays… this is the pair.  And they come in a ton of colors too!

Now for the look… keep reading below to see my top dress picks for YOUR holiday parties…  Plus, don't forget the Nordstrom Clearance Event is happening right now too… so there are some awesome deals to be had!

Outfit Details:
Dress, Nordstrom - ℅
Shawl, Nordstrom - ℅
Clutch, Rebecca Minkoff via Nordstrom - ℅
Shoes, Vince Camuo via Nordstrom - ℅

Shop my look here…

Shop my top picks for holiday dresses from Nordstrom here...

This post is sponsored by Nordstrom and Shopstyle.  All opinions are my own.

Thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog.