Holiday Party

Dress / Boots (on sale)

Flowy florals have kind of been my thing this year. Particularly when they appear on a backless Free People number. However, I couldn't quite justify wearing one of those to a recent holiday party given (a) the weather and (b) the corporate vibe. I saw this long-sleeved piece and swooped it right up.

I paired it with Rockstuds for the dressy event, but it's just as perfect dressed down with these suede boots. I've never received so many compliments as I did this year at this annual event and was even asked if its A.L.C. (shhh, it's Zara, but you don't have to tell!).

Traveling with Golden Tote

Golden Tote White Top / Zara Jeans / Madewell Heels / Old Zara Scarf (similar only $14!)

Golden Tote White Top / Old Zara Skirt (similar) / Geography 541 Bracelet

Packing for a 10-day trip abroad, when traveling to two very different climates can be a daunting task. At least that's how it felt as I was preparing for my recent trip to the U.K. and Israel.  

How do you plan outfits for weather ranging from 40 degrees and raining to 80 degrees and hot and dry, and events ranging from chic parties in Tel Aviv to long days of sightseeing around London?  

Here's how:

1. Forget practicality - I used to pack tennis shoes, shorts and tank tops for sightseeing trips. I knew it was the sensible thing to do, but when I would arrive in country and pull out the clothes, I'd realize that I didn't even like the outfit. Now I pack clothes that I love to wear. If I love wearing it at home, I'll love wearing it on my trip and as long as I bring more than high heels, I'll be comfortable.

2. Pack the workhorses - have a skirt that goes with everything? That's what you want when traveling. The white linen top shown above was the perfect piece. I wore it out to three different dinners and events, dressed it up with a skirt and down with jeans.

3. Shop BEFORE your trip - if you're at all like me, your favorite piece of clothing is the most recent thing you purchased. Rather than saving all your shopping for your trip, pick up a few things ahead of time. You'll love the new pieces and won't tire of something you wear two or three times. 

Luckily for me, I found out about Golden Tote a couple of weeks before my trip and decided to try their personal styling service. Have you heard about these guys? It's an unbelievable service. You sign up online (you can do so here), fill out an individual style profile, pick one to two items that you know you want and Golden Tote puts together a grab bag of additional items for you based on your profile. You can choose a tote with 2 - 3 items for $49 (tote is around a $200 value) or 5 - 7 items for $149 (tote is up to $600 in value).

I've always been nervous to try a styling service because my body is not exactly a standard shape. Tiny on top and really curvy on the bottom, it can be a nightmare to find things that fit. Golden Tote nailed it with my bag. I got the small tote this time around to get my feet wet, but will DEFINITELY be getting the larger tote the next time I order. It's just so much fun being surprised with items picked just for you

I selected the white linen top shown above and let Golden Tote do the rest. They sent me the checkered fit and flare dress which perfectly accentuated my little waist while not drawing too much attention to my hips and I added on this black maxi that ended up being the second workhorse of my trip keep (more on that dress next week).

Both the top and the dresses packed easily and added enough variety to my wardrobe to keep me from tiring of my options. Also, given that GT lets you add on items to your tote at a discounted rate (my maxi ended up being only an additional $35), I got two dresses (each with their own belt) and a white linen blouse for well under $100 which left me enough money to still do some shopping on my trip. That's what I call winning.

Portland Point of View

Jeans / Shirt / Hat / Chevron Ring c/o / Manic Knuckle Ring c/o / Cross Ring c/o / Heart Ring c/o /Older Belt similar here or here / Shoes 

My husband and I recently had the most amazing weekend in Portland. We ate and ate and ate our way through one of the best food cities on the West Coast. We were there for two nights and made it to five restaurants, two doughnut shops, one ice cream parlor and a paleo-focused eatery to track down our beloved bulletproof coffee. We went to eat and I can safely say, mission accomplished.

This was my outfit for our first day of exploring. The hat was an absolute necessity as it only stopped raining for about 45 minutes and unlike us Angelenos, everyone in Portland goes on about their business when it starts to rain. It's as though they don't notice it happening. The hat kept me dry and this sweater coat from Zara kept me warm. It's not available online anymore, but I went into the store last week and there were still a number of these left for only $39.99.

The jeans are part of Zara's new collection so they'll be easy to pick up online or in-store. They're the perfect amount of stretch and distressed and though mine didn't fit as well on the plane ride home as they did on the way up, that just means I need, as always, to work on my moderation skills.

Remember the folks over at Marshelly's who gave one of you a beautiful ring for Valentine's Day? Well, they also have a great collection or delicate gold rings that I'm obsessed with for achieving that layered look. You can check them all out here. 

2015 Starts Now

Images by Trevor Axt Photography / @trevoraxtphotography

Skirt (on sale!) / Sweatshirt /  Heels (on sale!)

It may be January 5th, but in my world, 2015 starts today. The holiday break is over and it's back to business and real life. Schedules and routines replace sleeping in and lazy days; exercise and clean eating replace Downton Abbey binges and grandma's cheesecake.

If I'm being honest, I have to admit that I'm ready for a return to normalcy - at least for today. I'm certain in a week I'll be dreaming of our next vacation.

If you're not quite ready to let go of the holiday season, this sweatshirt has enough sparkle to keep things festive well into January. And these heels? Let's just say that Gwen Stefani knows how to make shoes.

The skirt, sweatshirt and heels are all currently on sale so this outfit won't break the bank after all that holiday gift-giving.

I hope your year is already off to a healthy and happy start. May 2015 be your best one yet!