Merry Wine-mas!

It's that time of year again.

That time of year when it's usually acceptable to get shitfaced around relatives at those awkward functions you have to attend, as long as you're doing it in the holiday spirit. If you're shopping for a wine-lover or you're attending a party and need a hostess gift, these wine accessories are probably just what you're looking for. Because wine makes everything better.

Monogram gold decanter by Roberto Cavalli. Available here. (If you're on a budget, check Etsy.com)!

All That Glitters wine tote by Kate Spade. What hostess or wine enthusiast wouldn't love a bottle of wine or champagne in this cute tote?

Jingle Bell Wine Choker by Williams-Sonoma. Get in the holiday spirit by accenting a bottle of wine with this adorable accessory.

Jules Point Bottle Stopper by Kate Spade. Because why not bejewel a bottle of wine?

Godiva chocolate. Dark gourmet chocolate pairs perfectly with a bottle of shiraz. See other wine and chocolate pairings here.

Monogrammed Stainless Steel Wine Cooler by Williams-Sonoma. This wine cooler with a bottle of bubbly white would be the perfect hostess gift.

Monogrammed Riedel Grape Syrah Glass by Williams-Sonoma. Every household needs a set of monogrammed glasses.

Keep wining. xoxo

Monday Must-Haves

Now that Halloween is over, we can shift our focus.

Instead of thinking about how we're going to craft our slutty Franzia costumes, we can start thinking about planning a beautiful Thanksgiving spread and which wines to serve at our holiday parties. I love this time of year. It seems everyone is in good spirits, and it's a great time to reconnect with old friends and family.

And although it's been warm, I can't stop myself from getting excited for the holidays. Here are my picks to help you gear up for the holiday season.


1. Pretty paper. Thank you notes are a must for the holidays, so why not say it with elegance? I love this anchor note set from the Design Darling boutique.

2. Caramel brûlée latte. IT'S BACK: My all-time favorite drink at Starbucks! I'm beyond excited--after countless PSLs this fall, I'm ready for a change. With the return of the caramel brûlée latte on Nov. 1 also came holiday cups, the gingerbread latte, and the peppermint mocha. The holiday drinks can be really sweet, so if you want to tone it down, try ordering your favorite with only one pump of syrup or an extra shot of espresso.

3. Oxblood nails. This deep red is the perfect color for fall/winter, and it looks beautiful accented with gold. Pictured: Essie in Poor Li'l Rich Girl.

4. Collar necklaces. A great way to add sparkle to any outfit, a collar necklace can make a simple J.Crew t-shirt look like a million bucks.

5. Fleece Shep shirt. My Shep shirt is one of my favorite things in my closet. It's so comfortable and versatile. Vineyard Vines has released a fleece version, and I couldn't be more excited! Also available in Holly green.

6. Sassy mugs. I love love love this mug from Ashley Brooke Designs.

7. Cute slippers. Perfect for lounging and for Christmas morning, these slippers are cozy and cute. Pictured: Muk Luks.

8. Hunter + Rag & Bone. OMG. A collaboration between Hunter and Rag & Bone...what could be more amazing!? Together, they designed this beautiful structured rain boot, also available in a short version. Buy them here.

9. Yoga. I'm reconnecting with my yoga mat this week, and you should too. It's an awesome way to stay healthy and active during the colder months. Pictured: The Mat by Lululemon.

Namaste, betches. Have a great week. xo

Celebrating Movember

Happy Movember!

In case you're late to the party, Movember, or "mustache November," is the time of year men across the globe attempt to grow mustaches. Even if you can't grow a sweet stache, you can still be involved. So how are you celebrating Movember?

Ken Clausen, founder of Lax Stache Madness.

Photo: laxstachemadness.com

Lax Stache Madness

Surrounding the popular endeavors of November is Ken Clausen's Lax Stache Madness charity initiative. The UVA alum/Denver Outlaw launched Lax Stache Madness to rally the lacrosse community to raise money for the Headstrong Foundation, which was founded in memory of Hofstra lacrosse player Nicholas Colleluori. Nick lost his battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a blood cancer, in 2006. Read Nick's story here.

Participants pay $15 to register, and they are encouraged to show off their staches through social media. Though the campaign targets the lacrosse community, anyone can register and receive the perks as a bonus! Read more about Lax Stache Madness and register here.

Things you probably need

Just because you can't grow a mustache doesn't mean you can't participate in Movember! From jewelry to Toms to drink accessories, you can find just about anything you want with a mustache on it.

Ring: Betsey Johnson | Mug: Pier One | Wine opener: Tom Ford | Cufflinks: farfetch.com | Drink decals: Kikkerland

Know your mustaches

Clausen cites Mustaches of the 19th Century to explain the different types of mustaches and other important mustache-related terms. Here are my favorites:

Business Mustache: The work-a-day mustache for both the working class and decent gentlemen. 

Overhand Twist: The twisted end of a handlebar mustache that curves upward toward the eyes. 

Waterfall (also Lip Waterfall): A mustache style where the tips are grown long and allowed droop past both corners of the mouth. The modern mustache style that must closely relates is called a Fu Manchu in the vulger tongue. 

Faceshelf: A beard and sideburn combination grown together into a single line of whiskers. An advanced form of mustachery that should only be attempted by an adept of the art. Also known as The Chester A. Arthur after the 21st President of these United States. 

Handlebar: A mustache grown to have long sides that is held rigid by wax or other products to keep it from dropping below the mouth. Term originated amoung shocked travelers who were gravely assaulted when natives mistook their faces for bicycles.

See the rest of the terms here.

Happy Movember! xo

Monday Must-Haves

Monday Must-Haves
My fall favorites.

1. Bean boots. The absolute best for rainy days, snowy days, and cold days. Check out the College Prepster's post on how to choose the best Bean boots. Pictured: 6" Bean Boots by L.L. Bean.

2. Cozy sweaters. A given as the weather starts to cool down. I love the sparkly embellishments 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target sweater.

3. Fall candles. Yankee Candle and Bath & Body Works are my favorites. Watch for sales at Bath & Body!

4. Flannel. The coziest and best thing you can own in the fall. I love the elbow patches that have appeared this season. Pictured: L.L. Bean.

5. Cords. Despite being one of the most challenging words to spell, cordouroys courdoroys cordorouys corduroys are my favorite alternative to jeans (other than leggings, of course). Paired with boots and a sweater or flannel, they are perfect for a crisp fall day.

6. Puffer vest. For those days when it's cold, but not that cold. J.Crew and Ralph Lauren have some good options. Pictured: J.Crew.

7. Zip leggings. Thicker than ordinary leggings and embellished with zippers, these are quickly becoming a favorite. Pictured: J.Crew.

8. Frye boots. I made a trip to the new flagship Frye store in Georgetown a few weeks ago! It's brand new, and it's one of only four flagship stores in the country. This place is like boot heaven, and it's an absolute must if you're in the area.

Photos courtesy of The Frye Company.

*And if anyone wants to give me a puppy, I wouldn't be too upset about it.

xo

Life Hacks on Not Getting Sick

When the weather gets colder, I get sick.

For the past few years, it seems like it's been inevitable. I go to a huge university with 30,000+ people, and between door handles, people coughing on me, and going out regularly, it seems impossible to stay healthy. But last year, I figured out a few tactics to avoid getting sick, even during the germiest and coldest of winters.

We all know the obvious things we're supposed to do:

• Sleep a lot
• Drink a lot of water
• Eat a clean diet
• Exercise regularly
• Don't touch your face
• Wash your hands and use hand sanitizer often
• Get a flu shot
• Don't touch door handles
• Don't share food, drinks, etc.

But I know I can't always sleep eight hours a night, and sometimes you just have to stuff your face with cupcakes and PSLs. There are some ways to avoid getting sick that you might not have though of yet, and I'm here to tell you what they are.

Wet Ones. Seriously, these things saved me. Carry a travel-sized pack of Wet Ones around with you (you can buy them at Target for about $1) and wipe your phone, laptop, and hands down regularly. I do this every few hours when I'm at school. You don't realize how much bacteria your phone and keyboard pick up every day--it's pretty disgusting.

Take your vitamins. I have a huge jar of gummy bear multivitamins that I take daily, but here are a few more that are important for immunity:

• Vitamin D3
• Vitamin C (so important!)
• Omega-3
• Vitamin B

I also like to take one to two packets of Emergen-C with a glass of water daily for an extra boost of Vitamin C. Hint: It tastes a lot better over ice.

Wheatgrass shots. You might think wheatgrass is for hippie health freaks, but I used it on the reg last semester and definitely saw the benefits. I took two shots of wheatgrass every two to three days, and I've never felt better. It has great immune benefits and gives you an extra energy boost.

Gargle with warm saltwater every night. It sounds silly, but in a 2005 study by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, subjects that regularly gargled with saltwater over a 60-day period showed a 40 percent decrease in upper respiratory tract infections. This can also be effective in fighting off a cold when you feel it coming on.

Drink (alcohol) in moderation. This may be tougher for some of us than others, especially college students, but wild nights of partying might be the cause of sickness. If you do go out a lot, be sure to make up for it by sleeping in the next day. And take it easy whenever possible.

Stay healthy, my friends! xo

Halloween as an Adult (if that's what we're calling ourselves)

Sometimes, I miss how exciting Halloween was as a kid.

I miss the times when it wasn't all about dressing like a slut and getting drunk. When it was just about walking down the street with a pillowcase of candy in your hand, happy as can be. When you would get home and do some serious candy trading with your siblings and friends, and then you would be in bed by 9 p.m.

That being said, I still love Halloween. I've never been into the whole dressing like a streetwalker thing, but I like to have fun with my costumes and get creative. I'm also all about making costumes, so I'm here to show you a few of my favorite DIY ideas.

Lady Liberty & Uncle Sam
Such a cute and easy couples' costume! You can make a crown out of foam and a headband. The challenge here would probably be finding foam to match the dress.
Materials: (for her) foam and hot glue gun for crown, aqua dress, flashlight, foam and tape for flames; (for him) American flag shorts or pants, white shirt, blazer, American flag bow tie, red white and blue hat

Energizer Bunny
Again, such an easy costume. The only thing you would need to purchase is the bunny ears.
Materials: bunny ears; pink top and bottom; wooden dowels and red tape for drumsticks; cardboard, tape and printed Energizer logo for drum

Mermaid
This one is a little more complicated and definitely involves a trip to the fabric store. I love what this girl has done, though! Click here for the materials, step-by-step and more photos.

Peacock
A little less work than the mermaid costume, but still pretty involved. Check out the directions here.
Materials: booty shorts, corset, bra, peacock feathers, blue feathers, hair clip or headband, hot glue

Wonder Woman
I love this costume--so simple and patriotic.
Materials: Wonder Woman shirt (there is a variety available here); different colors/consistencies of paper for the crown, stars and hand pieces; blue tutu; red leggings or socks to be cut up for choker and leg warmers; hot glue

Wine Bottles
Calling all wine-os! This is such a cute group costume.
Materials: dress color pertaining to wine of choice (you could be a bottle of merlot if you wanted to), fabric to match the label, fabric markers, fabric paint, hot glue

Starbucks Cups
I love this as a group costume. I don't know how these girls got the labels so perfect, but it looks like they printed the logos out on photo paper and hot glued them on the dresses.
Materials: white dress, photo paper, printed Starbucks logo, permanent marker
Tip: Make sure to lay cardboard between the layers of your dress when drawing on it with the permanent marker to keep the ink from bleeding through!

Soap & Loofah
A great couples' costume!
Materials: (for her) strapless dress, nylon net material, cord, hot glue; (for him) cardboard, fabric markers, bubble wrap, hot glue

Sushi
Such a cute group costume and so easy!
Materials: white dresses, pillowcases, stuffing, spray paint, green fabric

Captain America
Love the creativity! This is a pretty simple costume, but it would involve some sewing and possibly painting.
Materials: fabric for dress, red socks, cardboard, paint, red gloves

Peter Pan & Wendy
Never grow up.
Materials: (for her): wide ribbon for bow and sash, white knee-high socks, nightgown that can be cut shorter; (for him) green shirt that can be cut up, green tights or leggings, felt and feather for hat, leather for sash, hot glue

Beer Cans
So easy and fun! Collect old beer boxes for the logos.
Materials: strapless dress, blue and silver duck tape, cardboard logos from beer boxes, packing tape

Old Bay Crab

In true Maryland spirit, this is my favorite costume. Be sure to visit David Young's website for more awesome costume ideas, including Colonel Sanders, the Jolly Green Giant and Cap'n Crunch. Now all you need is a friend to dress as the Natty Boh guy!

Materials: cardboard, paint, and lots of creativity to make the crab claws and hat

Franzia

Can you tell I'm a wine-o? This would be such a cute individual or group costume, and so easy to make! I would just print the labels out and hot glue them on the tank tops.

Materials: printed Franzia logo, red or pink tank top, cellophane or other sheer fabric, button from Franzia box, heels

Ice Cream Cones

I love this group costume idea, and it looks relatively easy to make. There's no sewing involved, and the ice cream can be made of old t-shirts with scraps of construction paper hot glued on. Don't forget the red ribbon cherry on top!

Materials: red ribbon, construction paper, hot glue, tan fabric, permanent marker

Happy October and happy Halloween! xo

Currently Coveting: 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target is flying off the shelves.

Seriously--when I got to the Annapolis Target on Friday, there was hardly anything left in my size. Thank goodness for online shopping.

In case you're late to the party, major designer Phillip Lim did a guest collection for Target, and it's currently in stores. I love Target's designer collections because they are cheap, but they don't look cheap.

Anyway, here are my favorites from the 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target collection.

Sparkle sweater. This sweater definitely has a chunkier fit, especially if you're petite like I am. But the sparkle detail makes it feel girly and look classic.

Sparkle peplum tank. This top runs a little bigger than I expected. The neckline is perfect for dressier nights out!

Leopard scarf. For those days you're feeling fierce.

Trench coat. This trench coat appears to be very well made, and it's a steal at $80. Also comes in khaki.

Ruffle tank. I love the fit of this top. It's flowy, but I didn't feel like I was swimming in it. I may or may not have bought it. Also comes in white.

Happy fall! xo

Trends: Paris Fashion Week 2013

Reporting live from Paris Fashion Week.

Just kidding; I wish. But I have been stalking all the top fashion sites so I can bring you the hottest and the latest fall 2013 fashion. So before you run out and go shopping, see what everyone on the runway is wearing in the gallery below.

There is one more prevalent trend I'd rather not mention: Camo. Some of it is blue. Stay classy, Annapolis.

xo

All photos by Harper's Bazaar.

Trend: Statement Necklaces

Statement necklaces have gained popularity this year.

I've seen some beautiful, elegant designs, as well as some tacky, horrendous ones. Is your statement necklace appropriate for your event or day?

Sparkly: Anything jeweled. Think J.Crew. A sparkly necklace emulates class. Appropriate for nighttime events, cocktail parties, and formal functions when you need a little something extra.

Elegant: Tiered, delicate necklaces. Beautiful with solids, but won't necessarily agree with patterns. Appropriate for nighttime events and formal functions.

Proper: Anything with pearls. Always appropriate (see below).

Bold: Colorful, bubbly necklaces. Appropriate for daytime functions and more casual nighttime events. In my opinion, the obnoxious resin neon bubble necklaces can cross over into tacky territory, but not necessarily. A good rule of thumb: If you think it might be tacky, it probably is.

Girly: Floral necklaces. The rose ones have become very popular, but there are so many varieties. These are appropriate for daytime events and can be paired with casual outfits.

Nautical: I love the coral reef necklace pictured above. It would be perfect with a royal blue dress, but could be dressed down even more for a daytime function.

And when in doubt, remember the wise words of Jacqueline Kennedy:

xo

Things to Love About Fall

I can't lie; I'm pretty bummed that summer is coming to an end.

I'm going to miss the warm weather, beach/pool days and most of all, the freedom from responsibility. Fall means writing papers, having to go to class, and being on a schedule.

I don't know about you guys, but these last few months have flown by for me. Since everyone seems to be getting excited for fall, and it's coming whether I like it or not, I figured I would try to get excited too. So here it is: Things I love about fall, in photos.

Judge me, but I love Crispin.

A trip to Yankee Candle or Bath & Body Works is in order.

With the sad disappearance of the Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino comes something great: the Pumpkin Spice Latte. It's basically the only thing I order from Starbucks in the fall/winter (except the Caramel Brûlée Latte, of course). I heard a rumor that PSLs are coming back on or right after Labor Day!

Ok, I don't really love Movember, but I think it's cute how excited the guys get about it. Plus, Ken Clausen's charity initiative is pretty cool. Check it out here.

Yes, I'm excited for college football. But in true Maryland spirit, we all know what I'm REALLY excited for:

Yup, fall ball.

I can finally wear my Lilly Murfee scarves!

I absolutely cannot wait to wear my new Frye Melissa Buttons.

Black Friday is my favorite, but you have to remember to ask yourself: "Would I pay this much for this item if it wasn't Black Friday?" Remember to be a smart shopper. That being said, last year, I got a great deal on a Michael Kors tote that I use every day, and I'm so excited to see what I can find this year.

Even if I don't eat them, they're pretty to look at.

Pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin donuts, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin rolls... Watch out, Pinterest.

The weather is still warm-ish, and I'll be sailing until I need a drysuit (thank God for spray gear).

To close, I leave you with this:

 

Happy fall! xo