With the holidays comes the festive parties, and if there’s ever a time to bring out something sparkly or gold, it’s now. Some of them call for tacky Christmas sweaters or casseroles; others call for something a little more sophisticated.
Macy’s has such a huge assortment of holiday dresses, and I love their selection of elegant pieces that are appropriate for all ages. I remember shopping there as a teenager, and now as an adult venturing from the juniors section to more mature looks, I can still find something for almost any occasion.
I chose this Calvin Klein brocade dress because of the gorgeous material and muted colors that still provide a little glam with the gold and off-the-shoulder touch. Add a rich berry bag and ladylike brooch, and I think this look would be perfect for a holiday party that you could still wear throughout the year. If you’re like me, you’re always looking for dresses to wear to weddings! I think this one can go either way, but something about the touch of gold just feels perfect for this season.
dress c/o Macy’s (also available in petite here), also love this one and this one | heels – Stuart Weitzman, similar look for less here | bag – Lumilla Mingus, similar look for less here | sunglasses
Do you have any holiday parties on your calendar that you’re shopping for? And can you believe that Thanksgiving is around the corner? Like… how did that happen already?
When I spent over an hour everyday in the car driving to and from my desk job, I really discovered the glory of podcasts, and from there my love has continued to grow. At the time, I only listened to two or three… but now I’m always on the hunt for the latest and greatest!
I think one of the biggest reasons I love podcasts is that I will listen while editing photos, walking the dog, cooking, cleaning, etc. I get bored fairly quickly, so it’s a great way to stay engaged with something while continuing to work without turning on the TV and sinking into the couch.
Above are just some of my favorite listens, but I’m going to dive a little deeper and list a few extra of what I think are the best podcasts I’ve listened to this year.
COMEDY:
LadyGang– Some episodes are very #girlboss and inspriring, others can be a little crude for my taste, BUT I love that the three girls narrating are a Hollywood TV host, actress and social media superstar/online boutique owner. They often have much different viewpoints on the same topics, and they’ve interviewed some well-known women in the industry that provide some great girl-power advice.
Anna Faris is Unqualified– This is a new listen for me after reading all the rave reviews. I fell in love with Dax Shepherd after binging Parenthood, so I’ve listen to her interview him and it’s pretty great. I can see why it’s a good fluff listen!
Straight Talk with Ross Matthews – My mom actually got me hooked on this. It is laugh-out-loud hilarious, and a feel-good podcast for sure. Not to mention that when Ross gets heartfelt, he has some really amazing advice for listeners that you can always apply to yourself. Comedy with a touch of motivational speaking – I like it.
Juicy Scoop with Heather McDonald – My mom also told me about this one, which I wasn’t sure I would be into at first. However, I’m a big Chelsea Handler fan, so I deemed it worth a listen. It’s funny, and if you like the gossip mags and websites, you can basically save your $$ and listen to this podcast instead. Celebrity scoop and juicy stories about real life scenarios… it’s like US Weekly and Lifetime all rolled into one.
Bitch Sesh – As a lover of all things Real Housewives, this is my favorite comedy podcast. If you follow any of the shows, this podcast is beyond hilarious. I laugh out loud in every single episode, and I was also a HUGE fan of Casey Wilson who plays Penny Hartz from Happy Endings (we own all the seasons of this show, #love). When I heard she was one of the hosts, I knew I’d be hooked!
TRUE CRIME:
Serial – The series that got me hooked on true crime podcasts. I give it a 10 out of 10. Season one rocked my world, but sadly I didn’t find season two as captivating. If you want to get started in this category of podcasting, this is where you start! PS – if you liked this podcast, you should watch HBO’s “The Night Of.” Amazing.
My Favorite Murder – I mentioned on Friday that I heard about this podcast from this blog, and I’ve been binging ever since. Like, binging so hard that I’ve been triple locking every door in the house and Christian has had a Come to Jesus with me to reel it in (and I know he’s right). I was on the phone with my sister and was casually talking about how you can’t trust anyone… and she was like, are you still listening to that crime podcast 24/7?!
If you’re a true crime addict, this series is for you. Not to mention the hosts are quite hilar AND dig back to 1800’s – one of which being a story from the Tower of London that I just visited (London travel post here)! Just check out some of the taglines in their shop – it even made Christian laugh. I feel like I’ll be getting this mug from him for Christmas.
I do wish the title was something different, as it does appear to make light of situations that are truly devastating. I don’t think true crime stories and mysteries are for everyone, and while there is always something to learn about protecting yourself, following your gut, being careful, etc., sometimes ignorance can truly be bliss. It’s like those who choose not to watch the news – I get it! I do enjoy when they talk about the survivors (usually female survivors). Talk about bada$$ chicks. Always fight back!!! Ok my PSA is officially done.
Accused – I finished this is a weekend and it was really good.. Very Serial-esque, except the verdict of the accused was the opposite (innocent).
Last Podcast on the Left– This is probably my least favorite of this category, but still worth an honorable mention. It’s a little hard for me to keep up because I feel like they’re so many people in the room chatting over each other, BUT they cover some seriously front-page mysteries, and they do a ton of research. It causes you to really rethink your opinion on some of notable cases you’ve heard about for years.
Criminal– I’ve only listened to one episode of this podcast, but I like that it covers different situations – people who have been in the wrong and who have been wronged. Every episode is different, and it’s definitely fascinating.
BUSINESS:
Girlboss Radio with Sophia Amoruso – Duh. Sophia Amoruso is THE boss. She interviews other female powerhouses, and it’s full of great financial advice and just overall bosslady-ness.
Being Boss–A great podcast for learning new organizational tools in your business, along with taking note from other entrepreneurs on their own trials and errors. I have complete respect for anyone willing to let others learn from their mistakes. Preach on!
The Lively Show – My sister got me hooked on this podcast a year or so ago because there are lots of great interviews (all categorized so you can easily pick the areas that interest you most) with bloggers, business experts and minimalists. Over the past year it’s ventured a little further from the areas that interest me most, BUT if you dig back to the earlier parts of the podcast, there are some really great episodes.
If you love podcasts already, I hope some of these will interest you. If you don’t yet listen to any but think you could enjoy them while driving, exercising or cooking – I hope this will be a short guide to a few listens that will bring you some entertainment!
And of course, if you have any podcast recommendations that you think I would enjoy – there’s always room for more! Thanks so much for reading, and if you have any recommendations for similar roundups you’d like to see on CBL, I would love to hear! XO –
– adding the 1″ and 1.25″ clip barrels to my T3 and am completely addicted –
– a new toothbrush that makes me feel like I’ve gone to the dentist every time I use it (which is amazing) AND you guys can get 75% off with code sonick! –
– expanding my collection (and addition) to silk cami and short sets with this pretty top and short –
Happy Friday! I’ve had a quiet and peaceful week in California, using my time at home to do those really fun things like clean out the laundry room and my 190343489987 bottles of beauty lotions and potions in the bathroom. I’ve become that woman who waits until Christian gets home exhausted at 10PM, and I’m like, “hey honey – look at this drawer I organized!!!” Luckily, I married a man who (even if he’s totally faking it), high-fives me and admires my newly organized drawer with me.
I’ve had a little something to help me with the purging… a few new podcasts. If you have been reading CBL for a while, you probably know that I can fall really deep in true crime anything. The People v. O.J. Simpson, the JonBenét Ramsey CBS Special, Serial Podcast, documentaries, The Night Of… this is probably not good for someone like me to do who is often home, alone – but I can’t get enough. Thanks to this blog post, I started listing to this podcast, which led me to this podcast, which led me to a listening binge of true crime podcasts.
As for the weekend, I, again, have no plans and am thrilled about it. Next weekend I have some special wedding anniversary plans with my guy, so I kind of love that I have some time to look forward to it rather than blindly wandering into the next to-do on my calendar!
Tell me your weekend plans – and if you also love falling into a true crime tunnel, I need to hear about it! And if you’re interested in some serious beauty swag, be sure to enter yesterday’s giveaway. Thanks so much for reading! XO –
I am fortunate to receive lots of beauty swag to try, but one’s face is only so large and I think it’s time to share the wealth. I have set aside a few goodie bags to host some beauty giveaways for you guys, so I’m excited to get started today!
I’m including the brands of products that I use regularly (and that you’ve seen on this blog if you’ve checked out any of my beauty posts!). I wanted to include a combination of beauty and skincare, and in follow-up giveaways I’ll be putting together similar groupings of products.
1. Follow me on Instagram (if you aren’t currently) here! IF you’re not on Instagram, “like” the CBL Facebook page.
2. Comment on this blog post with which beauty product you would be most excited to try! AND include your insta-handle (or name on Facebook) so I can be sure you followed!
I hope you guys are excited about these goodies and stay tuned – more fun giveaways to come! Thanks so much for reading and following along – XO –
11/11/16: And the winner is… Emily Dixon!! Thank you so much to everyone who entered, more beauty/skincare giveaways to come!
With Thanksgiving around the corner (doesn’t everyone love a holiday centered around eating!? I know I do), it’s time to think about stocking up on a few hostess gifts for the parties and get togethers that are going to fill the weeks ahead.
In my case, I usually don’t think about hostess gifts until the day of the event – thinking, “oh wait! I need to bring something!” Which is why my go-to is often a nice bottle of wine or an orchid (still great gifts!). BUT, I wanted to round out some of my favorite picks that I know I would like to receive, and they’re all under $50.
I think two of the best and most simple gifts are candles and some flowers in a pretty vase that can be repurposed. I love new flower vases – I use them all of the time!
AND it must be said that Shopbop is having a surprise sale that’s three days only. You can get up to 40% off select styles here, so see if that off the shoulder dress or scarf you’ve been eyeing has been marked down.
Thanks so much for reading! And if you have given or received a great hostess gift in the past, I’d love to hear! XO –
If you guys follow me on Instagram or Snapchat (CBLied), you may have seen that I recently spent a quick 48 hours in Las Vegas with some girlfriends at The Venetian Hotel! Fun fact: I actually stayed at this hotel for my first visit to Las Vegas… with my family when I was in the 7th grade. Ha! This was my first time back, and it was even larger than I remembered.
We had the best time just hanging out in the hotel. From dining at Delmonico, Bouchon, Lavo, SushiSamba, Yardbird and Tao to hitting the Canyon Ranch Spa and hanging by the pool – it’s amazing how much fun stuff you can do inside the hotel alone! We also hit a life bucket list by going to the Britney Spears concert (she looks incredible – rock hard body, no joke!) and saw BAZ.
I wanted to share an Instagram + iPhone roundup of photos snapped during the quick trip – but I can’t believe how fun and quickly the time went by! Going to Vegas with your girlfriends (in my opinion) is the best way to do Vegas. Always!
Sometimes there are outfits in your closet that you seriously cannot wait to wear. That’s how I felt when I snagged this look at Nordstrom last week! Now that I’m back from traveling for quite a while, I wanted to pick up some new cozy fall pieces for November and December. I had my eye on this scarf, but I was hoping to find a few more clutch pieces.
Lo and behold, when I saw this turtleneck (in four colors, what whaaatttt), I was 100% sure it would be “in the basket.” I sized down one size, and it’s still super roomy and cozy – perfect for a day of Halloween candy-eating (I look down and suddenly it took my four mini kit kats to write this blog post, #noshame) or even Thanksgiving weekend!
I layered it over a striped collared shirt, and I think this might be my favorite outfit I’ve worn in quite a while. While I was at Nordstrom stocking up on fall staples, I had to snag this sweater too. Those sleeves. So good!
sweater – comes in 4 colors (I’d recommend sizing down), also bought and love this one | scarf – comes in 3 colors! | denim – these are the Jamie high waisted ankle grazer jeans. I got them in this color and black in-store! The most similar ones I see online are here and here, but look in your local store! | heels, similar look for less here and here | sunglasses – only $12 | bag, also love this one | similar shirt here, here and here | lipstick in Safe Word Matte (loooooove this new lip collection)
Thanks so much for reading! And if you’ve picked up some sweater perfection this fall… you need to tell me about it. Seriously! XO –
And PS – Happy Halloweeeeeennn! If you guys have little ones, I hope they have some great costumes! I have 9 nieces/nephews under 9 and so far my favorite costume I’ve heard about is my three year-old nephew Wilson as a dinasaur. He has the “raaawwwrrr” down with it!
I think it’s always a personal goal of mine to add more fun to my closet. It’s so tempting to add more neutrals and classic pieces because yes – that’s practical and a great investment. BUT, sometimes nothing makes you happier than a fun, playful piece of clothing or accessory.
When I saw this top at Neiman Marcus Last Call, I knew it had to be mine. I love this rich berry color for fall, and the feathered trim is too cute. It is available in black online, and I think it would be so fab for a holiday party or even NYE! Best of all? It was also 30% off the already reduced price. Right now you can get an additional 30% off women’s ready-to-wear, shoes and jewelry site-wide (excluding clearance items).
SO if you’re on the hunt for a flirty dress, sequin top and skirt combo (obsessed) or a velvet bomber – you can snag an additional discount.
top (30% off), also love this one (30% off) and this one (30% off) | similar leather jacket here (40% off) and here (30% off) | denim (30% off), also love these and these (both 30% off) | bag – found in-store, love this one and this one (both 30% off) | similar sunglasses here and here (both 30% off) | love these pumps (50% off) and these (30% off)
Thanks so much for reading! And if you’ve ever scored a major steal at Neiman Marcus Last Call, I need to hear about it. And now! XO –
I’ve told you guys that I’m late to the navy-train, but I’m onboard and really diggin’ it these days. And while we’re all loving jeans and sweaters right now, sometimes it feels really good to put on a pretty dress and heels! In fact, when Christian snapped these photos, he asked that I wear this to our date night tomorrow night. No joke!
I’ve been shopping for cocktail dresses at Saks for years, and I can think of one black dress in particular I wore for at least seven years before finally retiring. I’ve always eyed Hérve Léger, but when you try on one of their dresses… you see why it’s a special piece. I love how thick and smoothing the fabric of this dress is, and I know I can wear it so many different ways. This time I paired it with a white boyfriend blazer, but I have a new leather moto jacket that I think would look awesome with it along with OTK boots.
The older I get, it’s about quality over quantity, and you definitely find quality in Hérve Léger pieces. I know this little navy dress is going to be perfect for holiday parties around the corner!
I shared my guide to London here and Amsterdam here, but I wanted to finish the trip off with an Instagram roundup from the two weeks abroad! I don’t typically do these kinds of posts, but I ditched my DSLR camera for so many days along the way, that I wanted to share some of my favorite snaps and outfits with you guys.
If you have any questions I haven’t answered about London, please feel free to drop a note!
I’ve been a lover of handbags for as long as I can remember. I tend to lean toward neutrals, but when I was recently packing for New York I realized that I was in need of a medium-sized black bag. I have a great small black handbag, but it’s not big enough for my all-day travel essentials – mophie, wallet, phone, lip gloss, compact, gum, cough drops… you know the drill.
SO, when I spotted the Miss Sicily bags at Luisa Via Roma, I thought it could be the one. It’s a great size, and once I started googling images of girls styling it – I loved that it was a chic bag that you don’t necessarily see everywhere (sometimes when everyone seems to have the same bag it looses some of it’s sparkle!). And I mean… this pink one is some kind of cute.
And this post can’t go without mentioning Notting Hill… the dreamiest! Hugh Grant… are you there? When I traveled to London and Amsterdam, I was more interested in playing tourist and snapping some Instagrams along the way. I wore flats most days, so I didn’t plan on shooting any outfit posts, BUT when I had the opportunity to shoot with Lyndsey in Notting Hill, it was too good to pass up! Love that I can hold onto these images… and this pretty new bag.
It feels like there are a million reasons to love fall, but for me, a great season tablescape is definitely one of them. I’ve never had the opportunity to host Thanksgiving, BUT one of these days when I have a real dining room, I love the thought of decorating a table for our family and friends.
Or maybe I’m saying this as I continue to binge-watch Parenthood (I just started season 5)? Looks like I’ll need to move back to the South or have a ton of children if I’m going to compete with the Bravermans!
Some of my essentials for hosting are great candles (I have inexpensive Big Lots candles for everyday and my fancy Diptyque for guests, are y’all like that?), linen napkins and pretty wine glasses. I love the thought of adding these placemats, and anything antler is right up my alley.
Have you hosted your family for a holiday meal? Was it a fun experience or stressful? For the past two years we’ve spent Thanksgiving in LA with my brother’s family, and the second year went way smoother than the first. I think sometimes it just takes a little practice! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
