Well, well, well, friends, our New Year’s Eve plans have officially been set, and it’s currently looking like 100% chance of snow. If you’re going to spend your New Year’s countdown in the mountains in a tiny little cabin surrounded by mostly guy friends and gourmet McDonald’s to eat, then it helps if it’s snowing. I’m just kidding, there’s actually a really bomb Chinese food hole-in-the-wall for dinner. The McDonald’s is for emergency hunger only. Anywho, I’ve been taking a little inventory here of all things cozy to pack for the trip, and I’ve decided that every piece above has made the cut. I mean, fur-lined sneakers that feel like slippers but are totally acceptable outside of the house? Count me in, friend. I’ll wear these with skinnies, leggings, and (let’s face it) probably pajamas while keeping cozy in the cold. And the best part? They’re under $40, along with a slew of other great boots, sneakers, and slippers at Payless right now. Annnnd there are a bunch of heel options if you’re looking to get fancy to ring in the new year. (How GOOD are these mules?) You know, if getting fancy is your thing. But nope, not over here. I’ll be cozied up next to a fire with some of my favorite people. Hope you guys have a great NYE weekend ahead!
Sooo by now I think I’ve worn this little cabi turtleneck 4,795 times, and I’m not stopping anytime soon. It literally goes under everything. Like this dress. And this one. And this little satin and lace cami in today’s post that I loved so much I bought it in two more colors. Y’all, it’s currently under $10, so go ahead and treat yo’self. I spent a couple of days bumming that we didn’t have a Christmas tree this year (#constructionproblems), but then I was like, cheer up, idiot, there are literally Christmas trees ALL around you. And the prettiest place around to take in a little Christmas cheer just might be Lido Marina Village. This place is seriously the cutest – I can’t stay away. It’s also the perfect place to stock up on gifts, so that’s productive, right? Hope everyone has an amazing weekend ahead!
On my perpetual search for all things cozy, you know I’ve got a big soft spot for anything faux fur. I just can’t help myself. Jackets, vests, scarves, accessories, I just love a little something furry to complete any holiday look. I mean, just look at these faux fur little bags and try and tell me they’re not the cutest things ever. This one especially – I need! There’s probably no easier faux fur piece to throw on and go than a vest, so today I’m rounding up some of the best faux fur vests (below) including this super soft cabi version (above). Whether you prefer to go neutral or add in a little color, there’s a little something for everyone, and just in case you need some extra holiday shopping money (and really, who doesn’t?), I’m teaming up with a few other blogger gals to give one lucky reader a $500 gift card to Nordstrom. Spend it on your friends and fam, or spend it on yourself – no judgement here, girl. Just follow the prompts below to enter and check back next week for the winner. Happy shopping, and good luck – hope everyone has a great week ahead!
November is here, guys, and you know what that means? The holidays are coming! Now, while I’m holding off on decking the halls so far (Eric says not until after Thanksgiving, bah humbug…), I think it’s never too soon to plan a little holiday style. And today I’m kicking things off with the perfect look for a holiday-themed night with the girls. If there’s one thing that I think my wardrobe always, ALWAYS needs, it’s a great pair of leather shorts. I’m sure that sounds at least a little bit crazy because leather shorts probably aren’t considered a wardrobe staple for most people, but I’m obsessed. A couple of weeks ago I finally had to retire my beloved Forever 21 pair that I’ve worn 4,789 times (with heels, OTK boots, sandals, with tights, you name it), and so the hunt for a replacement pair was on. Luckily, the search didn’t last long. I popped into the BCBG store while I was in Vegas a couple of weeks ago, and scooped these right off of the sale rack. Now I’m passing on a little bit of the good luck to you because these babies are on sale online as well and still in stock in most sizes. But don’t wait around, because I’m sure they won’t last long. For a girlfriends’ holiday party, pair them with over-the-knee boots (and tights if it’s cold enough), a pretty little tie-neck blouse, and a fun coat or jacket. This one from cabi is a total fave – it’s like a classic pea coat, but it’s made of thick, cozy sweater material. A sparkly little handbag (like this one that’s currently 60% off) adds the perfect finishing touch. Ready or not, the holidays are coming, girl, so you might as well get your wardrobe ready!
Cole Haan Hooded Alpaca Coat, Woven Tote, and Eliza Pump; jeans; sweater tee; necklaceCole Haan ZEROGRAND Oxford, Stagedoor Small Studio BagCole Haan Metal AviatorCole Haan Newburg Bootie, Ellery Crossbody, and Leather Motorcycle JacketCole Haan Grant DriverYou guys, there’s a new store in town at South Coast Plaza, and it’s just in time for your holiday wishlist. Maybe I should back things up a bit here and admit that although I spend hours and hours a day browsing and shopping online, I’m actually a total mall lover. Like, I really love a good shopping destination. Kathleen and I actually discovered this about each other when we randomly ran into each other living our best lives at South Coast Plaza a few months ago. So naturally, we shopped on, did some designer handbag dreaming, and worked up quite an appetite that could only be satisfied with burgers and red wine. Naturally. For a shopping lover like myself, South Coast Plaza is as good as it gets. It’s packed with every store you could ever want to shop, from high end designers to fast fashion favorites and everything in between, and anytime there’s a new store that opens, I obviously have to roam on in there.
And fast forward back to now, when I found myself roaming on in to the spankin’ new Cole Haan store. Y’all, if you have not had your toes in a pair of Cole Haan kicks lately, then I beg you to go give ’em a whirl. The sneakers, loafers, and booties were cushy and so well-made, and I especially couldn’t get over how comfortable their heels are. Walkin’ on a cloud, I tell ya. And the drool-worthy picks don’t stop with the shoes. I mean, will someone please buy me this buttery little crossbody? The leather handbags and accessories are pretty killer, and the outerwear is comfy as can be. Plus, the store is just plain dreamy. You kind of want to go and kick back with one of the giant coffee table books in there. I’m not entirely sure if they’re cool with that sort of behavior though, so don’t go in there and tell them I said that. Do however go up in there and try on a few pairs of shoes. These sneaks are currently at the top of my list, and I’ve got a hot date with South Coast Plaza to make it happen.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by South Coast Plaza, but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make My Style Diaries possible.
In case you missed yesterday’s post, there’s a big ole’ sale going on at Shopbop, and you don’t want to miss it. The jeans that I wear all the time, fringe fall clutch, short-sleeved sweatshirt and sunglasses in today’s post are all included in the sale. Just enter code MAINEVENT16 for 25% off your entire purchase or 30% off if you spend over $500. And a little word to the wise, you don’t want to wait on this one. The sale is only going on for two more days, and fall favorites like booties and over-the-knee boots are going REALLY quickly. Happy sale shopping and happy Thursday, guys!
Just barely Monday morning, and the post-weekend blues are coming in hot. Anyone else wishing they could hit snooze a few hundred more times? Uh huh, join the club, sister. If you’ve been signed up with LiketoKnow.it, you may have noticed that you’ve stopped receiving the emails associated with it. (And if you haven’t signed up yet, what are you waiting for? Sign up here.) There have been a couple of changes to Instagram lately, and with those changes, your LiketoKnow.it account needs to be re-authorized. But don’t fret my pet, it’s a breeze to update. All you have to do is head online and log into your account. And don’t forget – you can always manage the settings in your account so that you receive the LiketoKnow.it emails ASAP, daily, weekly, or even never. So in case you missed these over the past couple of weeks, today I’m rounding up a few recent Instagram shots and showing you where to get the goods. From a cushy new bedroom rug to the comfiest pair of skinnies and even the brightest set of kitchen bowls, these are a few of my favorite things this week.
OK, y’all, I’m a little overdue on this one, but today I’m so excited to share a few photos and thoughts from our cruise to Bermuda on the Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas. If you were following along on Snapchat or Instagram during the cruise, you already know my general thoughts on it, and (*spoiler alert*) I thought it was top notch. I had never been on a cruise before, and I’m not gonna lie – friends and family had warned me that the cruise life may not be my favorite based on tiny rooms, crowded dining halls, and cheesy activities. I don’t know if it’s because we were on one of the newest and largest boats out there, but boy were they wrong. Turns out, cruise life is my best life!
My first impression of the Anthem of the Seas: holy schmoly, this thing is huge. I’m not even sure how many restaurants, bars, and shops were on that thing, but there are enough to eat somewhere new for every meal of the 5-day trip. And when I saw my “tiny room”, I was beyond pleasantly surprised. I mean, this thing was pretty spacious in my opinion, complete with two closets (with plenty of hangers – bonus), a queen-sized bed, couch, vanity area with a lighted mirror, and a balcony that would be plenty big enough for two. There were three pools on the boat, a rock-climbing wall, a surf simulator, bumper cars, and tons (I mean tons) of lounge chairs looking out over the ocean, which was totally more my speed. #CruiseLife
The nighttime activities to me were the best part, and lucky for me, Kathleen was paying attention to the daily itinerary that I somehow failed to read every day. Our first night was spent at Groovy Town, a 70s-themed dance party where a few cruise-happy party goers really got the week started. (Lady with several light-up rings in your mouth, I’m looking at you.) The rest of the week included a Journey cover band (that was seriously dead-on), a rap music dance party or two, and my personal favorite, the silent dance party. Have you guys heard of this genius concept? Everyone in the room has their own headphones with two different stations that are controlled by two different DJ’s in the room. You can switch channels as you please and, based on the colored lights on your headphones, see who else in the room is jamming out to the same tunes. The best part though is when you remove your headphones and see a room full of grown adults dancing like wild animals to silence. So golden. When I’m having a rough day, I’ll always try and remember the sweet little lady belting out Adele like an American Idol audition. You do you, boo. Overall, it was an amazing five days thanks to Royal Caribbean, and I totally could have cruised on for, like, a couple more weeks at least. (I think.) And if there’s a little cruise life coming up in your future, here are a couple of tips from this newbie cruise lover:
Get the beverage package. It’s totally worth it, and not just for the booze. (Although let’s be honest, wine time is anytime when you’re cruising in the middle of nowhere.) With the top beverage package, you can get specialty coffees, smoothies and green juices, and any soda your heart desires.
Be prepared ahead of time for a little motion sickness. Luckily I was unaffected by the movement of the boat (and actually thought that it rocked me to sleep perfectly at night), but other members of our group weren’t so lucky. Plan ahead with preventative meds like the behind-the-ear patches that are available with a prescription.
Pay attention to the daily itinerary. Thankfully Kathleen did, so she let us know about the karaoke night that we loved and the silent dance party. These are nights you definitely don’t want to miss.
Make some friends! One day when everyone else in my group had emails and work to catch up on, I played hooky and roamed downstairs by myself for a bit. I totally met a friend (hey, Mona!) and then got to give input on a New Jersey couple playfully arguing over who was more “tanked” the night before. (For the record, one of them “fell up the stairs.”)
Have a little fun with it! Sure, a 70s dance party may not be your thing, and Journey might not be your favorite band. But if you go in with an open mind and let loose a little, your trip will be worth it times 1,000. Promise!
Disclosure: I was gifted a cruise by Royal Caribbean, but all opinions are my own. I legitimately just LOVED MY CRUISE LIFE! Thank you for supporting the brands that make My Style Diaries possible.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Payless for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make My Style Diaries possible.
If there’s one thing I can’t get enough of, it’s fringe and more fringe. You can imagine my excitement when I found these fun fringed kicks at Payless recently for under $20. Seriously. So excited that I actually bought them in black too. I couldn’t decide which color I wanted, so Kathleen had to smack some sense in me. “Umm, they’re $15. Get both, #YOLO!” Done and done. I picked these up in-store and scooped up the black version online. They’re crazy comfortable and feel so much more expensive than they actually are. Pair them with a skirt, with skinnies, with a sweater dress… The outfit possibilities are, like, endless. Check out Payless on Pinterest for more styles.
I love a good monochromatic look, and this spring and summer, I’m all about incorporating more blues into my wardrobe. This jumpsuit from CAbi is one of those pieces you’ll find yourself reaching for again and again – from day to night, workday to weekend. It’s so easy to dress up or down, and today it’s going down (for real) with a favorite denim jacket and metallic sandals. This bucket bag is available in every necessary color for summer, fits all your crap, and makes just about any look better. It’s a seasonless keeper that I’d definitely recommend.
Jeans; Striped Tee; Grey Sweater; Chambray shirt; Coalition LA jacket (c/o) – similar; Handbag – use code HEY2017 for additional 30% off; Payless sneakers (c/o); sunglasses; Henri Bendel necklace; Kendra Scott ring
You guys, there’s a new store in town at South Coast Plaza, and it’s just in time for your holiday wishlist. Maybe I should back things up a bit here and admit that although I spend hours and hours a day browsing and shopping online, I’m actually a total mall lover. Like, I really love a good shopping destination. 
OK, y’all, I’m a little overdue on this one, but today I’m so excited to share a few photos and thoughts from our cruise to Bermuda on the Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas. If you were following along on Snapchat or 
Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas
Yours truly, 
