Luxe for Less: Be Glamorous This NYE on a Budget

Luxe for Less: NYE Style by theclosetbychristie

The most important part of ringing in the new year is reflecting, aspiring, and companionship. We gather with our loved ones and dream of a more amazing year while we wait for the famous ball to drop. But... it doesn't hurt to look good while we do it! 

New Years Eve is one of my personal favorite holidays when it comes to fashion because it's all about the glitz and glamor. Luxe takes on a whole new meaning as we drape ourselves with glitter and tulle and step into our finest pumps. With all of the great deals still in tow from Christmas, you don't have to spend a lot to look fabulously glamorous!

DREAM LOOK

theclosetbychristie on Polyvore

Alice + Olivia Mauve Cropped Fur Jacket // Alice + Olivia Princess Layered Tulle Dress

Diane von Furstenberg Bethany Pumps // NLY Accessories Party Clutch

Kluster Onyx Pyrite Rockstar Bracelet // Express Cluster Dangle Earrings

If I had somewhere fancy to go, this would be my dream outfit. It has all of my favorite things- tulle, glitter, and faux fur! I also love the chic, simple color palette of black, silver, and gunmetal with an unexpected splash of lavender on the faux fur coat. It's so fabulous that it would certainly make the paparazzi do a double take! There's just one problem... it's too expensive! The accessories are affordable but the bulk of this look is made by top designers.

BUDGET LOOK

 theclosetbychristie on Polyvore

 

Sally & Circle Black Tulle Dress, Nelly //  Jane Norman Short Faux Fur Coat

Express Glitter Cut-Out Clutch // Sole Society Black Suede Pump

Kluster Onyx Pyrite Rockstar Bracelet // Express Cluster Dangle Earrings

 

Here I styled a new budget-friendly look based on the original luxe dream-look. I kept the same simple color palette, except I traded out the splash of lavender with a touch of burgundy. Even the dress silhouette remained! This just goes to show that you can absolutely style a luxury look while on a budget! 

 

What are you ladies wearing for New Years Eve? Did you get any good deals?

 

 

Our Year In Photos: Reflecting On Lessons Learned

It's almost 2015! Can you believe another year has gone by? As we look ahead towards 2015- a year we hope to be successful, happy, and healthy- it's important to reflect on the past year to acknowledge and celebrate our successes and learn from our mistakes or misfortunes. 

2014 was a pretty good year for me and I didn't realize until now just how awesome it was! I looked back at memories that seemed like ancient history and said 'wow, that was this year?' A lot was packed into these 12 months! Take a look--

CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS

I have always been career-focused and ambitious, so these milestones are important to me. It's so easy to achieve and then quickly move onto the next goal, but we should all celebrate the stops along the way. How will we ever be successful if we don't look back and evaluate what was great and what wasn't so great?

 - Earned a promotion! It was exciting to move onto a new role with new responsibilities.

 - Planned and executed a large grand re-opening party for the hotel I work at 

   (with a fantastic team, of course!)

 - Met Ariana Huffington at a book signing event

 - Thoroughly enjoyed the many fabulous and talented colleagues I am so lucky to work with

 - Learned valuable skills and improved old skills

 BLOGGER MILESTONES & ADVENTURES

This blog has taken me on many exciting, unexpected adventures and this year was no exception!

 - Celebrated a one-year blogiversary in January

 - Attended the Lucky FABB West conference and met Eva Chen!

 - Vacationed in Los Angeles alongside two fabulous bloggers- Alexandra from Glory Boon 

   and Monica from Jersey Girl, Texan Heart 

 - Attended the Lucky Magazine and Movado New York Fashion Week event

 - Upgraded to my own 'dot com' domain and improved our look

IN GOOD COMPANY

And of course, this year would not have been this amazing without all of the people in my life!

 - Attended many weddings, including that of two of my closest friends

 - Made a lot of fabulous memories with friends and family, including Paisley

 - Attended blogger meet-ups and made some really incredible new friends

ONTO NEW ADVENTURES....

We just never know what's going to happen next. 2015 could bring anything! One big goal of mine for this coming year is to learn and practice photography and videography using my new camera. I have been having a blast for the past few weeks snapping the pictures in the collage above and calling myself an amateur photographer! I want to focus on my creative side by learning these skills, in addition to editing and graphic design.

A few lessons I learned...

 - Just do it! Sometimes I play it safe and shy away from taking chances, but this year I practiced putting myself 'out there' and diving head first into new situations and opportunities.

 - Never settle into comfort. I like to study and read about successful people, hoping to learn a thing or two. One thing that seemed to be a common theme is to always do things that challenge you and bring you outside of your box. As soon as you feel like you are juggling with ease, add another ball!

 - It's all about the people. It doesn't matter where you are or what you're doing- the only thing that matters is the people you are with!

What did you learn this year? What are your hopes for 2015?

Linking up with these fabulous ladies!

How To Style The Perfect Christmas Photo Card

When you're passionate about fashion, everything is an opportunity to create a new look or play with pairings. The annual Christmas card is not an exception! 

My vision this year for Paisley's look was Christmas plaid. If you've been following along with my blog, then you'll know how completely obsessed I've been with plaid lately. So naturally, Paisley had to wear a large plaid bow! My sister, Laurie, and I chose holiday colors to compliment Paisley's look.

THE LOOK: Plaid Flannel Old Navy Top // Banana Republic Pullover Sweater 

LC Lauren Conrad Jeggings // Pointed Toe Metallic Snakeskin Pumps (similar)

THE DETAILS: Old Navy Gem Necklace (similar) // LC Lauren Conrad Studs

I made Paisley's bow myself with plaid ribbon and a metal hair clip from Michaels. She watched me make it and I could tell she knew it was for her. She strutted around with it like she felt so special that it was made just for her!

Merry Christmas, friends! What's everyone doing for the holiday?

Linking up with these fabulous ladies! 

Pumps and Pushups // Feel Great Fashion //  The Pleated Poppy // My Girlish Whims 

Because Shanna Said So // Style Elixir // Transatlantic Blonde

 Get Your Pretty On // Classy Yet Trendy

Tri-State Blogger Secret Santa

It's almost Christmas!! With the holiday being just 3 days away, I'm particularly in the Christmas spirit. What has made this year so much fun for me is being involved with several secret santa exchanges. It can be challenging but I just love shopping and wrapping holiday gifts!

This year, my fabulous blogger friend Monica, of Jersey Girl Texan Heart, arranged a Secret Santa for our tri-state blogger network. We also did this last year, but now our little group is getting bigger so it's even more of a surprise! It's so much fun waiting for the gift to come in the mail and wondering who it will be from! My gift from Alexandra, of Glory Boon, came on Friday.

It's a beautiful compact mirror that says 'Selfie!' How perfect! I loved the presentation of this gift. It's so bright and festive! The best things come in little boxes with big bows! Thanks, Alexandra!!

I hope you're all having fun giving and receiving this holiday season, too! What's your favorite part of the Christmas season?

Friday Favorites (Linkup)

Express Bar Accent Envelope Clutch // kate spade new york Correspondence Cards

kate spade new york Mini Maise Bag // Spred Fashion Tulle Midi Skirt

Jennifer Lopez Gold Glitter Ankle Boots, Kohl's

Happy Friday! How was everyone's week? I hope it was as fabulously busy as mine! Being just a week out from Christmas, there wasn't a spare moment for me. I had a few last minute gifts to pick up and wrapping to do! This year I chose a 'modern Christmas' style for my gift wrapping, which included a black and white color palette with splashes of gold and red. Keep an eye on my Instagram to see the finished product!

Here's my Friday Favorites for the week!

1- Express Bar Accent Envelope Clutch, $28
I have this clutch in black and it is absolutely fab! It has a gorgeous silhouette and the best part- it fits all of the essentials! Most clutches barely fit a lipgloss but this one is completely functional. I love it in this multi-color gold.

2- kate spade new york Correspondence Cards, $25
Some may say that stationary or note cards are outdated, but the truth is- nothing feels more special than a handwritten 'thank you.' I feel that it's even more special these days because it's not the norm. It's definitely more memorable because it's so rare! These hot pink note cards are so cute!

3- kate spade new york Mini Maise Bag, $198
This handbag is amazing- need I say more? I first saw it online and loved the shape and color. Then I caught a glimpse of it in a storefront window and fell in love!

4- Spred Fashion Tulle Midi Skirt, $48
Midi skirts are so fabulous! I just love the style. It's so chic and elegant! The tulle fabric makes it even more feminine.

5- Jennifer Lopez Gold Glitter Ankle Boots, $40
I just bought these boots and I love them! The silhouette is a perfect winter staple and the color is really unique. Most boots come in black, tan, and mahogany- but these are gold shimmer! Dazzling!

Have an incredible weekend, ladies!

Now it's your turn! Join our linkup!

Friday Favorites is all about sharing and promoting your favorite things! Whether it's an outfit post, a round-up of new obsessions, or a new DIY project- I want to hear about it. Every Friday I'll post my current favorites and you can link-up to share yours!

Socialize with me! Find me on any or all of the following:

       

Socialize with others! Check out some of the fabulous bloggers linking up with us and let them know you found them here. Most importantly, be sure to follow our etiquette and comment on the blogger that linked up before you.

Let others know about our linkup! Spread the word so we can 

all make even more friends! Grab a button or mention us in your post.

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Stay Warm this Season with Winter Accessories

It's officially coat weather! This winter has actually been tolerable so far but if it's at all like last year, we may have a few polar vortexes ahead of us. I really don't like the cold weather, so I try to make it fun for myself by playing with coats and winter accessories! I just love switching up my coats and styling them differently each time I wear them. Hats, earmuffs, scarves, gloves- I can never have enough!

I got this burgundy coat on sale at Old Navy a few weeks ago. I have been obsessing over burgundy all autumn long so when I saw this, I just couldn't resist! It was a complete impulse buy, as usual. Luckily Pantone just announced burgundy- or marsala, as they call it- the color of the year for 2015! That means I should get a lot of wear out of it.

This coat is lightweight, but it has been perfect for this in-between weather we've been having here in NJ. Today was 50 degrees!

THE LOOK: Burgundy Old Navy Swing Coat 

 Bear Earmuffs (similar) // Old Navy Plaid Flannel Top

I got these earmuffs last year at Bed Bath & Beyond. I love them because they have a sort of rustic look to them and they are super cute! Want a pair of your own? This online shop- Nirvanna Designs- has some really unique, crochet earmuffs.

Linking up with these fabulous ladies! 

Pumps and Pushups // Feel Great Fashion //  The Pleated Poppy // My Girlish Whims 

Because Shanna Said So // Style Elixir // Transatlantic Blonde

 Get Your Pretty On // Classy Yet Trendy

Friday Favorites (Linkup)

J.Crew Factory Fair Isle Sweater // H&M Cable Knit Hat 

Lorde, 'Yellow Flicker Beat,' Mockingjay Soundtrack  

Nine West Emory Ankle Booties // kate spade new york Gold Glitter Studs

Another week passed, another Friday is here! That means, more favorites!

1- J.Crew Factory Fair Isle Sweater, $98

I've been seeing fair isle print everywhere lately! Literally... everywhere. It's mostly a print for sweaters, but I just bought a cute knit hat in fair isle print. Some of these sweaters come in neutral colors, but I've found that most are made in a pattern of bright colors. That is so fun for the winter! That's why I chose this J.Crew Factory sweater. It has a unique combination of colors that just work!

2- H&M Cable Knit Hat, $13

I have also noticed a lot of these pom-pom knit hats. They're so cute! And hey, based on the snowy winter we had last year, maybe we should stock up on these!

3- Lorde, 'Yellow Flicker Beat' (on the Mockingjay Soundtrack), $14
Lorde is so cool and I still find it hard to believe she's only a teenager because she really seems to know who she is. I think that's why we have all fallen in love with her! This new song from the Mockingjay soundtrack, 'Yellow Flicker Beat,' has been popping up on the radio and I really like it!

4- Nine West Emory Ankle Booties, $50
I have really been admiring these booties with the ankle cleavage. As much as I love ankle booties, certain pairs can cut off the leg, making it appear shorter. These ones elongate the leg! Given that I'm only 5'1, maybe I should invest in a few pairs!

5- kate spade new york Gold Glitter Studs, $38

I love glitter! I love kate spade! Need I say more? Of course these made my favorites list! I especially love this pair for right now because it's a pretty gold that's nice and festive for the holiday season.

Now it's your turn! Join our linkup!

Friday Favorites is all about sharing and promoting your favorite things! Whether it's an outfit post, a round-up of new obsessions, or a new DIY project- I want to hear about it. Every Friday I'll post my current favorites and you can link-up to share yours!

Socialize with me! Find me on any or all of the following:

       

Socialize with others! Check out some of the fabulous bloggers linking up with us and let them know you found them here. Most importantly, be sure to follow our etiquette and comment on the blogger that linked up before you.

Let others know about our linkup! Spread the word so we can 

all make even more friends! Grab a button or mention us in your post.

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