NET-A-PORTER End of Season Sale

Along with the Black Friday deals we have the added bonus of the fantastic NET-A-PORTER end of season sale event where fashion fans can snag their favorite designer goods for up to 50% off.

I am a huge fan of shopping the sales (how the hell else am I going to afford designer clothes?), but there are a few things that I like to keep in mind while I shop, because if I don't, I may end up with serious sale remorse.

Would I pay full price for this?

If you don't like it enough to pay full price for it, don't buy it. Something being a great deal isn't enough to warrant a purchase.

What do I own that will go with this?

Sometimes I come across a piece of clothing that is truly amazing, but as much as I love it,  it doesn't go with anything that I already own. If you can't build an outfit around the item on sale, it will most likely just sit in your closet.

Is it in season?

 It's difficult to pass up something you love just because it's out of season, but most of those "perfect for next summer" pieces go into the closet and then are promptly forgotten about. Instead, try and focus on buying items that you can wear right now. If you scroll down and see my top picks from the sale, you'll notice that I chose pieces that I can wear over the next several months or pieces that can be worn all year long.

OK, onto the fashion! These are my favorite items from the sale.

Clothing

J Brand Tabitha Coated Skinny Jeans

Hey, Did You Hear...

Alexa Chung is the new face of Longchamp - WWD

Kanye West needs to get a grip on reality - Fashionista

Kate Moss to be honored at the British Fashion Awards - Fashionista

Black Friday shopping has officially gone digital - USA Today

Victoria Beckham's French Vogue cover & interview are out - The Daily Beast


Happy Saturday!!

Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers

Thanksgiving is over but there is still plenty of leftover food to be eaten. There is nothing wrong with simply have a second (or third!) Thanksgiving meal, but that isn't for everyone. Here are some great recipes to help use up your Thanksgiving leftovers.

Turkey Pot Pie from The Pioneer Woman

Black Friday Sales

J. Crew  - Take 30% off your purchase with the code HOLIDAY

Brooks Brothers - 15% your purchase in stores and online

Ralph Lauren - Take an additional 25% off all sale items

Tory Burch - Take 20% off when you spend $300

Jack Wills - Take 30% off with the code JWGIVE

Club Monaco - Take 30% in stores and online with the code THANKS30

Kate Spade - Save up to 70% 

Madewell - 25% off your order with the code FEAST25

Ann Taylor - 50% off everything with the code ANNTHANKS

Bloomingdales - Save up to 50% at the Big Brown Bag sale

Lord & Taylor - Take 20% off regular priced and sale items with the code THANKS

Saks - Save up to 60% off select items

Neiman Marcus - Take an extra 20% off all sale items

ShopBop - Save 15% when you spend $250

Forty Winks Lingerie Boutique - 15% off with the code THANKFUL

Cusp - Take an extra 20% off sale items 

Nordstrom Rack - Spend $100 and get a $15 gift card

Banana Republic Factory Store - 50% off all items

Brooks Brothers Factory Store - 40-50% off all items

Cole Haan Outlet Store - 50-70% off regular prices

J. Crew Factory - 40% off everything in the store and online

Last Call Neiman Marcus - Take an extra 40% off all items

Happy Shopping!

Image Credit

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope you all have a wonderful day full of family, friends and things to be thankful for!

Shop Local on Small Business Saturday

Each Thanksgiving many of us (including me) get caught up in all of the Black Friday chaos and wake up at dawn to make a mad dash to stores like Target (cheap DVD's) and J. Crew (cashmere sweaters) for holiday deals and steals. The problem with Black Friday is that it excludes many smaller, local retailers because most of them simply cannot compete with the sale prices at larger, chain stores.

To help support small business, American Express is holding Small Business Saturday on November 30 where all AmEx card holders will receive a $10 credit when they spend $10 at a participating small business. All you have to do is register your card and head out to the shops this Saturday. It's a great opportunity to save a little money and help support your local businesses. 

These are the Boston area small businesses that are favorites of mine:

The Tannery

Henry Bear's Park

Bells & Whistles

Quebrada Baking Co.

Raven Used Books

Street Chic: Sarah Jessica Parker

When it comes to fashion on TV, it all started with Sarah Jessica Parker and Sex and the City. Her character Carrie has become such a fashion icon that many people look at Parker and aren't able to move beyond her character. It's a shame that they can't because Parker is a fashion icon in her own right.

I actually prefer Parker's personal style to her SATC character because it's much more practical and wearable, but still very stylish. Yes, she may be sporting a simple pair of skinny jeans but she pairs them with a pair of Manolo Blahnik stilettos and a ladylike black coat that helps make the outfit. She may have no makeup on but you would never know because she's got on a pair of classic oversized sunglasses. It's the kind of easy glamour that other busy women can appreciate and and also emulate. 

Thanksgiving Hostess Gifts

Thanksgiving is the busiest travel holiday of the year with millions of American's taking to the road, the rails and the sky to enjoy a holiday meal with friends and family. Most of us will have the pleasure of attending Thanksgiving at someone else's home and when we do, a small gift to thank our hosts for their hospitality and hard work is always a good idea. These are my favorite holiday hostess gifts.

A bottle of wine is always a good idea. If you know that your host enjoys a particular brand of liquor, you can always give them that instead of a bottle of wine. Just remember two things: (1) This isn't the time to be cheap and purchase that bottle on sale for $4.99 (2) Never insist on opening the bottle that you brought. Your host may have taken great care in choosing the wine for the meal and it's rude of you to insist that they open your wine.

Monday Morning Pick Me Up: Hunter S. Thompson

Hey, Check This Out: Smudge Nail Bar

I love beautifully manicured nails, but I never got into a routine where I regularly got my nails done. When I was an event manager it just wasn't practical to get a weekly manicure because I was likely to ruin it within a few days when I was setting up an event, but now that I work at a desk all day (and stare at my nails as I type on my keyboard) the fact that may nails were unpolished was starting to annoy me. 

Determined to fix my nail fixation asap, I took this weekend to find a new place to start getting my nails done. I know there are nail salons on every corner, but I am pretty particular  about where I get mani's & pedi's. Being the total germ freak that I am, cleanliness is the most important thing for me, along with making sure that my cuticles are all taken care of. 

Smudge Nail Bar in Newton popped out because it got great reviews for both cleanliness and for doing high quality work. I have found that many places can do one of those things, but not the other. At Smudge, all of the nail tools come in sterilized packages like at the dentist's office and they use a fresh nail file and buffer for each person. An added bonus: they don't have jets in their pedicure tubs so you don't have to worry about any bacteria. 

Excited to have found a place that looked good, I called them up yesterday about making an appointment for this morning for a manicure and pedicure. When I made the appointment the receptionist asked me if I wanted a gel manicure or a regular one, and I said regular simply because I had never had a gel manicure before. On the way there this morning I was wishing I had said gel because they last so much longer. Luckily, when I walked in a few minutes early, they were happy to give me a gel manicure instead of a regular one. 

My nail technician was named Pauline and she was very friendly but she didn't feel the need to talk your ear off, which is great.  I brought a book to read during my pedicure and she was happy to let me relax and read while she got to work. A couple of minor gym accidents involving my two big toes led to my nails being in pretty rough shape, but she did a great job fixing them up and making them look beautiful again. She also made sure to trim my nails pretty short so that I won't have anymore nail  mishaps at the gym when I accidentally kick a dumbbell weight. 

I was equally satisfied with my gel manicure. The best part about gel is that they last for weeks with no chipping, but I had heard not so nice things about the acetone soak that is needed to remove the gel finish when you need a new one. Pauline explained that at Smudge they use a non-acetone remove so my nails won't weaken from any chemicals. 

Overall my experience at Smudge was fantastic and I will definitely be going back to see Pauline in December to paint my nails red for the holiday season. 

Hey, Did You Hear...

Jacqueline Kennedy's pink suit can't be see until 2103 - USA Today

The Girls season 3 trailer is here, enjoy! - Refinery 29

Jay Z's Barney's collection debuted...to limited fan fare - Wall Street Journal

J. Crew may be up for sale soon - British Vogue

Giorgio Armani is on a mission to save Italian fashion - The Telegraph

JFK: Fifty Years On

Thanksgiving Cocktails & Beverages

With Thanksgiving just one week away, instead of my weekly cocktail post, I wanted to shine the spotlight on a whole host of fun fall cocktails to enjoy during next week's holiday. I have two reasons for this. One - One can't go on a four day food binge without something to wash it down with. Two - The holidays are hectic and stressful for many of us and if a tasty cocktail can help ease some of that, I say drinks all around!

Pomegranate Cranberry Sparklers from Freutcake

Fall Old Fashioned from Cupcakes & Cashmere

Street Chic: Elizabeth Olsen

I've been an Olsen fashion fan for many years so when the little sis of Mary-Kate and Ashley stepped onto the scene, I had some very high style expectations, and boy did she exceed them! I saw that red velvet suit, and I thought to myself this girl's a winner. 

It's not always easy to look both high fashion and youthful, (just ask Mary-Kate and Ashley) but she always seems to find the right balance. She clearly enjoys fashion, but she doesn't let the clothes wear her, which is something that occasionally happens to her designer sisters. The twins better watch out, because Elizabeth is making a good case for most stylish Olsen.

Thanksgiving Prep: Desserts

If the main Thanksgiving meal is about the turkey then the dessert is about the pie, apple, pecan and pumpkin being the most popular choices. I'm a big fan of pie, particularly apple, but it's always nice to have some kid friendly desserts and something a little lighter for those that would like to enjoy something after dinner, but aren't looking for anything too heavy.

 My grandmother always had a large assortment of pies on hand for Thanksgiving, but she would also include a simple cookie, at least one kind of candy and a cake that kids could enjoy. I know it seems like a lot (it is!) but there was something for everyone. I used my grandmother's Thanksgiving dessert plan when I compiled these recipes.

Pecan Pie from The Pioneer Women 

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp from Ina Garten

Monday Morning Pick Me Up: Mark Twain

Hey, Did You Hear...

Burberry has named a new chief designer officer - Fashionista

The controversy behind Kerry Washington's Lucky magazine cover - Refinery 29

Glamour has appointed a new fashion director - New York Magazine

Jennifer Lawrence dissed The Fashion Police - Huffington Post

Not enough stock to meet the demand for Isabel Marant's line for H&M  - Forbes

Thanksgiving Prep: Sides & Bread

Thanksgiving is a very tradition-driven holiday, particularly when it comes to the food. The majority of the recipes that my grandmother used 20 years ago to cook our Thanksgiving dinner are almost the same ones that her daughter (my aunt) uses today. That being said, there is nothing wrong with changing things up for Thanksgiving and starting a new food tradition.

A great way to experiment with a new Thanksgiving recipe is with a side dish because if not everyone likes it, there are still plenty of other options for them to eat. Keeping that in mind, I wanted to include some recipes that are non-traditional for those of us that are interested in changing things up. The hasselback sweet potatoes recipe from My Recession Kitchen is the one that I will be making for the Thanksgiving lunch at my office next week.

Starches

Heavenly Mashed Potatoes from Spoon Fork Bacon

Thanksgiving Prep: Turkey Recipes

It can be roasted, deep fried, barbecued or smoked, but a Thanksgiving meal isn't complete without some form of a turkey. It may seem easy, just pop it in the oven, right? Sadly, it's a bit more complicated than that and all kinds of things can go wrong. You could get the bird all ready to go and realize that it's too big for your oven or forget to thaw it out three days prior, and end up with a frozen bird.

In order to avoid a turkey disaster it's always a good idea to search out some tried and true recipes that have easy to follow step-by-step instructions. Cooking just a turkey breast is also a great option because not everyone needs to roast an entire 20 pound bird. When you have a small gathering (or a small oven!) a turkey breast is the way to go.

Citrus Rubbed Turkey from Martha Stewart

Thursday Night Cocktail: Mixed Berry & Fig Old Fashioned

Recipe and Photo from The Boys Club

Yield: 1 drink

Ingredients

1 tsp sugar

2 oz mixed berries (any combination to your preference)

1 medium size fig, quartered

2 dashes of bitters

2 oz whiskey

Fig slice, for garnish

Directions

Muddle and stir sugar, berries, fig and bitters in a cocktail shaker.

Add whiskey and stir to combine.

Pour strained mixture over ice.

Garnish with a fig slice

Cheers!

Thanksgiving Prep: Decor Ideas

Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away and, for most of us, the planning process is in full swing. For me, the Thanksgiving menu is the most important part of the planning, but before I delve into that I wanted to talk decor. Christmas decor is much easier to manage because there are so many different options and themes to suit all tastes, but Thanksgiving is a whole other story. If you're not careful, you may end up with a table full of nothing but bland, brown colors.

These are some fun, festive Thanksgiving decor ideas that will incorporate the best fall colors and help create a warm and welcoming table.

Candlelit Mantle with Pumpkins and Gourds

Street Chic: Kate Beckinsale

I don't know what I like about Kate Beckinsale more, her amazing hair or her glam girl style. To be truthful, I could create an entire post on Beckinsale's amazing Hollywood hair, but then this would be a Street Chic post, so I guess I'll just stick to the clothes.

Beckinsale isn't re-writing the style book, she simply wears clothes that flatter her figure (hello skinny jeans and pants), always looks impeccably groomed and throws in some added glamour with her signature over sized sunglasses. 

Veterans Day Sales

There is still time to shop the great Veterans Day sales online! 

J. Crew - Save 25% when you spend $100 with the code GOSHOP

J. Crew Factory - Take an extra 30% off everything with the code BIGSALE

Brooks Brothers - Save 70% on select merchandise 

Nordstrom - Save up to 40% on items for women and kids 

Banana Republic - Save 40% with the code BRSAVE40

Piperlime - Take 25% off dresses and 40% off sale dresses with the code DRESS

Lord & Taylor - Take 15% off with the code VETSDAY

Bonus Sale

The Bloomingdales Friends & Family sale has started! Just type in the code FRIENDS at checkout to save 20% through November 17.

Monday Morning Pick Me Up: Hustle

November Wish List

As you can tell from my November wish list, I am in full-on fall mode, in both the fashion and domestic sense.

For the Closet

Plaid is the perfect fall pattern and I am loving this infinity scarf from Nordstrom. It comes in green, too! I only have a couple of Stella & Dot pieces but when my friend Nicole showed me this necklace, I fell in love with it. A couple of years ago it seemed like I owned 10 sweater dresses and somehow I now have none. When you work in a business-casual environment like I do, the sweater dress and tights combo is perfect for keeping warm at this office during the winter months, and this dress fits the bill perfectly.

Tildon Plaid Infinity Scarf from Nordstrom 

Hey, Did You Hear...

J.Crew ads are coming to TV for the holidays - Fashion Foie Gras

Valentino fashion executive Giancarlo Giammetti's autobiography hits stores next week - Wall Street Journal

Jennifer Lawrence chopped her hair off and it looks amazing! - Fashionista

Natalia Vodianova is expecting a baby next year with boyfriend Antoine Arnault - British Vogue

Lululemon's yoga pant problems are continuing, and it's starting to get ugly - New York Magazine

Thursday Night Cocktail: Quick & Easy Mulled Cider

My office had an afterwork party to celebrate Halloween last week and we usually have beer and wine, but since it was a fall party I thought it would be festive to make some alcoholic mulled cider. My mom always makes non-alcoholic mulled cider over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, so instead of taking to Pinterest to look for a recipe, I just improvised and used her recipe as jumping off point.

Makes approximately 20 servings

Ingredients

2 packets of Simply Organic Mulling Spices (also available at Whole Foods)

1 gallon of apple cider

1/2 gallon of apple juice

750 milliliters (1 bottle) of spiced rum

Directions

Set a large pot on the stove, add the apple cider and apple juice and heat on high. 

Add the 2 packets of mulling spices to the pot and stir. If you have tea bags or a tea infuser you can use those to hold your mulling spices before adding to the pot.

Heat the cider until hot, which can take between 20-30 minutes. Both my apple cider and apple juice went straight from the fridge to the pot so my mulled cider took about 30 minutes to really get hot.

Turn the heat down to simmer to keep the cider hot for serving and remove the mulling spices from the pot. If you are without tea bags or an infuser, just use a hand strainer.

Instead of adding the spiced rum directly to the mulled cider pot, I added 1.5 oz to each mug of cider on request so that everyone could enjoy the cider, even if they weren't drinking.

Leftover cider can be covered and stored in the fridge for a couple of days. Just reheat in the microwave or on top of the stove. 

Cheers, the long weekend is nearly here!

Street Chic: Blogger Edition

Instead of featuring a celebrity or an editor from one of my favorite fashion glossies, I decided to give some props to some of the talented and stylish fashion bloggers that inspire me on a daily basis.

With the help of my favorite reader, Bloglovin, I read nearly a hundred blog posts each day but these fashion blogs are the ones that I am consistently inspired by when it comes to my own personal style.

Blair Eadie from Atlantic-Pacific

http://atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com/

http://atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com/

Style Icon: JFK

The fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy is this month and it's quite clear that many of us are still fascinated by JFK, I know I am. From what I read and researched, he was as magnetic and engaging as any man ever was and I think that is a big part of why so many people are still drawn to him, 50 years after his death.

Along with his magnetism, wit and intelligence, JFK had quite the style. I would even venture to say that he is probably the best dressed president we've ever had (President Obama being a very close second). His style was easy, never forced and he looked as comfortable in white tie and tails as he did in khaki pants and boat shoes. Fifty years on the boys are still taking style cues from JFK, and it's easy to see why.

Monday Morning Pick Me Up: Thomas Jefferson

Hey, Did You Hear...

Fashionista.com

Chanel has debuted their new No. 5 commercial featuring Marilyn Monroe - Fashionista

T Magazine's Luxury issue is out and it's a must read - New York Times

The lovely Liberty Ross is finally talking - Vanity Fair

Reviews for The Dallas Buyers Club are in and Matthew McConaughey shines - Refinery 29

Instagram began featuring ads and some users are livid - Fashionista

Happy Saturday!!

Top Picks from the Ralph Lauren Fall Sale

Ralph Lauren's fall sale is officially on and there are some great fashion buys to be had. These are the items that are on my wish list. 

Vachetta-Suede Short Bootie