My Current Obsession: Holiday Gift Guides

I know the Holiday season has arrived when the December magazines hit newsstands with their drool-worthy gift guides. Perhaps if I didn’t spend all of my money on hoarding the December issues, I could afford some of their offerings! I’ve narrowed it to my top 3 magazine picks this year so you don’t have to buy them all like me! Read below for my favorites in People Style Watch, Real Simple and InStyle.

1) People Style Watch – My top pick as I “oohed and ahhhhed” over every single page. I fell in love with the items below, especially the Andy Warhol Dom Perignon – what a great gift for art (champagne) lovers!

(clockwise from top left to right)

American Living Red Stripe PJ Set, $42.99 ON SALE; 2002 Dom Perignon Andy Warhol Tribute Champagne, $149 each; Z Gallerie Veneto Suitcase Set, $59.95; Lord & Taylor Notched Bow Leather Gloves, $59.99 ON SALE;  Jonathan Adler “Carb” and “Caffeine” canister set, $34.95 ON SALE;

2) InStyle – One of my regular monthly reads, it’s no surprise that their gift guide made my top 3. It does every year.

(clockwise from top left to right)

XOXO Organic Pillow Cover, $29; Bistro Juicer, $70; Polaroid 300 Instant Camera, $90; Ty Decorative Shower Curtain, $32; Calvin Klein Radiant Salt and Pepper Set, $50

3) Real Simple – Their gift guide is always chock full of amazing and unique gift ideas. There’s a section that features 100 gifts for under $50 this year, making shopping easier on our wallets this year. Thanks, Real Simple!

(clockwise from top left to right)

Heirloom LA’s Lasanga Cupcakes, $36 for 6; Palomino Tea Cup & Saucer, $30; F1 Seat Pak, $28 Plyboo Serving Board (California pictured, other states avail.), $40; Brodmann Blades Ping Pong Set, $90; Modern Alchemy Zodiac Candles, $24 each

Happy Holiday shopping and feel free to leave any great gift suggestions below. I’m always looking for interesting things!

Get Your Spook On With These Halloween Party Favors

Halloween is my all-time favorite Holiday especially if there’s a party involved! Instead of going to an over crowded bar this year I am going throw a Halloween party. I’ve found some amazing party decorations and thought I’d share with you for some spooky inspiration.

Lolita is always a favorite for party ideas and great favors. They have a variety of Halloween cups and mugs, but this Pumpkin Potion Wine Glass ($24 each) won me over. What makes it even better is that each glass comes with a festive drink recipe (pictured above), and is packaged in Lolita’s signature gift box. Grab a few of these for your party and put them back in their box at the end of the night for guests to take home as a gift.

DL & Company has some of the coolest products and they’ve launched a special Halloween collection this year. These Spider Tea Lights (regularly $14) are the perfect addition for my party. Place them all over your house, light them up and dim the lights. DEAL ALERT: The Halloween Collection is 40% off up through Friday, October 22nd.

No time for baking? Leave it to Eleni’s to make you the most fabulous host ever. Trust me – if you’ve ever tried one of their delicious cookies then you know it’s worth the money spent. There are several other Halloween cookies but the Friendly Ghosts ($24.50 for eight) are super fun. You’ll be getting tons of compliments from these!

Etsy is always a great source to turn to for party decor. This Day of the Dead Wreath ($29.99) is a genius idea and the perfect addition to any door. And if you live in an apartment building you can always hang a few of these on your inside walls.

I would love to hear of your fab Halloween decor finds!

xoxo,
JR.

BCA Finds For Everyday Use

You don’t have to purchase something that you’ll never use again just to show your Breast Cancer Awareness Support. There are tons of items that you’ll be able to use throughout the year, so shop wisely! Below are some of my fun finds that can be used everyday:

Believe it or not scarves are always in style no matter what season it is. I use them in summer to jazz up sun dresses, and in winter to keep my neck warm. This Lindsay Phillips Belleview Scarf ($25) is a vibrant pink and orange color and looks amazing with a plain black dress. For the month of October 25% of the purchase price will go to The Young Survival Coalition and The Mammography Voucher Program at Morton Plant Mease Hospital. You can justify it as an amazing new wardrobe piece that will help fight Breast Cancer!

I am pretty much obsessed with my new Philips Sonicare Toothbrush ($59.99) and I’ve never felt like this towards a brush before. Not  only am I cleaning my teeth, but Phillips Sonicare is a proud sponsor of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. In support of Breast Cancer Awareness month in October 2010 and 2011, the company will donate $100,000 to fund breast cancer research. Brush away for BCA!

If there’s one thing I don’t leave home without, it’s my Smashbox Lipgloss. This Limitless Long Wear Lip Gloss in Forever ($21) was created in a limited edition package, and all proceeds from the month of October will go toward the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Not only does the gloss stay on for hours upon hours, but also protects with SPF 15. This gloss looks stunning on top of a dark red lipstick – you’ll fall in love, I promise!

Breast SOS ($65 for 3oml), a signature product from all natural skin care line La Isha, is a must for every woman who wants to keep their breast and decolette area looking youthful. It helps improve overall color, texture and moisture retention of the skin, and helps to eliminate the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, discolorations and restore a tighter, springy resilience. It’s also a favorite amongst Breast Cancer victims as it helps to make breast reconstruction more comfortable for patients with its soothing essential oils. A portion of Breast SOS proceeds will go to the Breast Cancer Fund.

Happy Breast Cancer Awareness shopping!

xoxo,
JR.

Boots, A Dress and A Handbag For Under $100?

Yes, that’s correct. I was able to visit Target while back home in NC. It’s a privilege coming from NYC since you have to travel pretty far by subway to get to a store, and all of the good stuff (especially the designer labels) is gone within a day. Plus it’s extremely hard to carry a lot of stuff on the subway ride home. Anyhow, here are my fabulous finds – all for under $100 total:

There were only 2 pairs of these Dolce Vita Buckle Ankle Boots for Target ($34.99) left and thankfully one of the boxes had my name written all over it. They’re very comfortable, and will look awesome this fall with some of my favorite summer dresses and a blazer.

Nude is the new black so I was extra excited when I saw this Xhiliration Ruffle Dress in Nude ($21.99). It’s a great color for every season and I plan on getting a lot of wear out of this. Cute in summer with some sandals and wavy beach hair, and sexy in winter with tall boots, leggings and smokey eyeshadow.

Can you imagine the disappointment on my face when I scrambled to get online the day Mulberry for Target went on sale, only to find that the Cerise Leopard Crossbody was SOLD OUT ($34.99). I was lucky enough to find one in the Raleigh, NC Target but also discovered Milo.com, a genius website that locates hard to find items within your local area.

What would we do without Target?! Stay tuned for several more great finds for Breast Cancer Awareness month.

xoxo,
JR.

Show Your Support For BCA In A Fashionable Way

During the month of October I’ll be showing several great products that you can purchase to show your support for Breast Cancer Awareness. There’s something for everyone, including the Fashionista, the cook, the outdoors person, the electronics lover, the sports fanatic and so on.  See below for some fashionably fun (and practical) ideas:

Betsey Johnson created a limited edition oversize tote bag ($75) for her 2010 Breast Cancer Awareness collection. This fashionable carry-all will fit just about anything and makes for a great weekend bag as well.  A portion of the proceeds will support two of Betsey’s favorite charities: the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund and the Weill Cornell Breast Center of the Iris Cantor Women’s Health Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, where Betsey herself was treated.

Check out the other items in Betsey’s Breast Cancer Awareness collection. Each item is imprinted with her personal declaration, “I’m A Survivor.

BCBG teamed up with Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation and created these chic BCBG “Dream” sunglasses ($120). They’re the perfect way to show support while protecting your eyes from the sun and they also have inspirational words and phrases are printed on the inside of the glasses. 25% of retail sales from each pair will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure with a guaranteed minimum donation of $50,000.

Simply Vera by Vera Wang for Kohl’s is offering this adorable sequin coin purse ($10) for the month of October in order to show off your support. I hate big bulky wallets and always drop my change in the bottom of my purse, so this is great to cure my habit of loose change…and will help to find a cure for cancer too! It comes in several  great colors including Begonia Pink, Lipstick (pictured above), Rose Shadow and Silver.

100% of the net profit from the sale of this item will support the fight against breast cancer. Visit the Kohl’s Cares® site to learn more.

You can feel and look great with all of the items above and you’ll definitely be putting your hard-earned dollar towards a good cause. Be sure to do your on charities before making a purchase to make sure they’re legit. And stay tuned for more BCA finds throughout the month of October. Happy Shopping!

xoxo,
JR

Mad About Janie Bryant: Dress Just Like Joan, Peggy & Betty

When I heard that Mad Men costume designer Janie Bryant was creating a clothing and accessries line for  QVC,  I became overly excited. Each episode leaves me wanting to head straight to Saraz Closet to search for a Joan-like ensemble.  Her line is called Janie Bryant MOD and the looks are inspired by the 50’s and 60’s with a Mad Men flare. Not only can you now look like your favorite Mad Men character, but you won’t go bankrupt with these fabulous pieces. The collection is very simple and offers lots of layering items in order to accentuate what you already own! Check it out:

Bring out your inner-Joan with the Janie Bryant MOD Reversible Swing Coat ($112). Perfect for wearing over a cocktail dress during fall, and even cute paired with some jeans and riding boots. Slap on some red lipstick and you’ll be instantly transformed. The coat pictured above reverses to a chocolate color – 2-in-1 is always good!

I secretly love Peggy’s innocent “Secretary” look, she pulls it off so well on the show. Janie Bryant created this awesome cardigan ($83.25)  that has a detachable faux fur color. This is a classic sweater that will take you from day to night. Wear it to work without the fur for a more reserve look, and attach the fur for after work festivities for a more sassy vibe.

My favorite collection peice – the MOD 2 Button Faux Fur Coat ($144). It looks just like my grandmothers coat and I can picture Betty strutting around town in this with Sally and Bobby. A great addition to everyone’s winter wardrobe.

My favorite Betty look so far – she looks  sexy and seductive and the jewels are to die for. Janie Bryant created the MOD Timeless Bead Necklace ($44.50) and Timeless Drop Earrings ($29.50) which almost mimic the look pictured above. I am a sucker for vintage and vintage inspired jewelry, and these will definitely be mine soon!

Obsessed yet? There are also a few bags, hats, etc. that weren’t mentioned above – be sure to check them out on QVC.com

xoxo,

JR.

Marchesa SS 2011: Gorgeous Gowns Fit For A Princess Bride

I wasn’t able to attend the Marchesa show this time around but I’ve been drooling over the images from New York Magazine for the past week or so. The collection is very glam meets oriental and I found myself daydreaming of walking down the isle in several of them. The label also offers a separate bridal collection but these were far too beautiful and had to share.

For the edgy, non-traditional bride:

I’ve always loved over-the-top wedding gowns and non-traditional colors. These are perfect for the bride who’s not looking for the “safe” standard all-white gown.

For the Sexy Glam Bride:

The gown on the left is a perfect visual of how I would describe my fairytale  “wedding” dress. These both are glam and glitz, and perfect for the bride who wants to keep in tradition of wearing white while making a statement.

For the reception outfit change:

As Rachel Zoe would say (and probably did over this collection), “I DIE.” I am obsessed with the fact that the dress on the right has a train. How cute would this be for an outfit change for the reception? And the baby doll look of the other dress is stunning. Perfect for any spring cocktail or wedding. Can spring hurry up already?!

And if I’m lucky:

My  10 yearhighschool reunion is right around the corner and if I’m lucky enough I’ll be wearing this amazing Marchesa dress! Again, “I DIE” over it…the color, the bodice, the way it flows. I plan on rocking it with some pretty ridiculous Christian Siriano pumps so stay tuned for pictures in a few weeks!

What do you think of the Marchesa Spring 2011 collection? I image we’ll see heaps of celebrities prancing around the red carpet in a few of these in the months to come!

On My Fall Wardrobe List: A Faux Leather Jacket

Sure, pleather used to be un-cool and it was a crime to be caught dead in something faux, but this fall it’s quite the trend. I found some really cool ones for under $100, as opposed to that lovely $550 Alice + Olivia Luiza Leather Jacket at Bergdorf’ I’ve been drooling over. It’s quite trendy too, so spending that much money on a jacket that I may only wear for one season seems crazy. I can purchase a couple faux leather jackets this season, not feel guilty, and still look super stylish!

Check out these fun faux picks:

This Arden B Leatherette Ruched Jacket ($69.99) hardly looks fake with it’s deep, rich chocolate color and gold metalware. The perfect jacket to pear with jeans and a pair of aviator sunglasses. And right now you can buy one, get a second for $10 – WHAT A DEAL! Perfect for a fall birthday gift or you and your bestie can split the cost of $79.99 and both walk away with the bargain of the century.

The Bisou Bisou Ruffle Pleather Jacket from JC Penny looks strikingly similar to the Alice + Olivia jacket I’ve been eyeing, and is on sale for $49.99. It’s a bit feminine and perfect to wear over a dress with some heels for a night out on the town.

I must confess that I’m a bit obsessed with the designers on QVC these days. K-Dash, the Kardashians very own clothing label, made it’s debut on QVC during Fashion Week and has been a huge success. This K-Dash Faux Leather Motorcycle Jacket is just what I need for riding on my boyfriend’s new bike (if he’ll let me that is). The studded metal on the collar makes it uber sassy, and also comes in an Army Green shade. ON SALE for $89.96!

Forever 21 is always a great place to find affordable, trendy items – you just have to have patience to weed through the crowds and half of the Jersey Shore-like outfits for the good stuff! Their version of the Faux Leather Jacket offers a tailored-like fit and is girly yet tough looking at the same time. The most recession friendly by far at $32.80!

And if you can’t get over the pleather factor but can’t shell out a few hundred bucks for the real thing, try thrifting around (one of my favorite hobbies). This vintage 80’s Leather Bomber Jacket is only $89 – who can resist leather from the 80’s?! Check your local Salvation Army or search online – there’s tons of vintage stores and Etsy.com is a great place to start.

Happy Shopping!

xoxo,

JR.