White Christmas at Home

Byron Lars dress c/o (on sale - 20% off everything at Anthro! see my review)
St Nicholas tree, old candle holders (similar), Threshold stool, Farm & Fable stockings

This is the first year we've had a tree up in our condo - Nick would only allow me a short and skinny one, but it sure beats nothing! Since our space is so small, I went with a light, metallic color scheme to keep it feeling open. One of my favorite memories growing up was unwrapping our family's ornaments each December and reminiscing where each one came from (usually the day-after-xmas clearance sale at our local mall, but they were fond memories nonetheless ; ). We have just a handful of meaningful ornaments on our own tree this year, but I look forward to slowly growing this collection, and trying my hand at some of these neat DIYs!

Pendleton plaid mug, Reiko Kaneko gold lip mug

These marshmallow snowmen are so easy to make (with kids too) to spruce up your hot cocoa. I flattened one piece a little for a larger body and then used two toothpicks, one to connect the segments and one for the arms.

We hosted a small gag gift exchange with friends so I pushed our large coffee table aside and lined our living room space with cozy cushions and throw blankets. My affordable Threshold cable throw & BNF pom pom throw are so soft and comfortable! I'm a bit of a blanket hoarder so also splurged on this Hotel Collection pom pom one (would make a great gift as well) which is super substantial and plush, and about a foot bigger than my other ones.

I love switching up pillow covers as an easy way to transition the couch from season to season. They are easy to make as well, if you can find the right materials. I wish more stores would offer just the outer covers instead of full pillows, for those who don't have much storage space!

H&M faux fur pillowcase, Amazon snowflake pillowcases, pom pom throw

Hope you guys enjoy the rest of your weekend! Stay tuned for a special holiday giveaweay!

The best Black Friday 2015 sales (petite-friendly edition)

Ann Taylor sweater c/o (50% off w/CELEBRATE), Baublebar necklace (30% off w/THX), Anthro mugs (25% off w/SHOPTOIT), Kate Spade thermos (25% off w/MERCI)

Target sweater leggings sz S (Sold out - similar in red/white)

Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate! This year, we're staying cozy on Black Friday at home in our PJs. My family used to brave the hectic crowds each year (starting earlier and earlier until my dad would skip dinner altogether) - I've finally convinced them that sales are just as good online, plus you can shop from the comfort of your own couch ; ) Here are some of the best sales, including great deals on a few favorite items in my closet:

Sorel - 25% off some of their best-selling insulated weather boots + free shipping, including my Winter Fancy Lace ii boots (worn here)! These very rarely go on sale and are usually sold out by wintertime. They run a little small - I mistakenly mentioned I have a 5.5 but just checked and mine are a 6! I didn't notice I got the wrong size because they fit fine with thick socks on (for reference, I'm usually a 5 to 5.5 in most other brands). They're not lightweight shoes but they do keep your feet very warm. The Caribou boot is another popular option for even heavier snow conditions, and don't forget functional gifts for your men (Nick has these Cheyanne boots and suggests going up half a size)...


Baublebar - 30% off site-wide w/ code THX, with free everyday shipping & returns. There's several pieces I love from here including the slim bar pendant worn above (I have in gold & want it in silver & rose gold too!) and of course my favorite bib necklace (last worn here). I just picked up this cute personalize-able travel jewelry roll for a gift.

Ann Taylor - 50% off everything with code CELEBRATE. I adore the sweater worn above and the bow heels (both styled in this post; limited sizes left) and just got this luxe faux-fur collar in plum. I also love a good winter white piece for this season. I haven't personally tried this boiled wool jacket or cream sweater dress but they have solid reviews.

Anthropologie - 25% off site-wide w/SHOPTOIT. Reviewed the shrunken Hei Hei bomber jacket + pretty Byron Lars dress in this post and the comfy curved poncho sweater in this post. Also the holiday monogram mugs (pictured above) are back! They make great gifts, esp packed full of goodies (I usually use mine as makeup brush and lip gloss holders : )

ASOS - 30% off everything w/ code BLESSED. Free shipping & easy free returns on orders over $40! Their petites run small and their blanket scarves (I have the tartan & here's another cute one) are oversized & cozy. Also, my bridal shower white lace dress (size up; see on me) is still in stock in all petite sizes & a good price with the promo!

J.Crew Factory: - 50% off everything & free ship over $50 w/ SHIPGIFTS. I've been very impressed by their stuff this season. I just love my tartan popover (try regular sizing if you have longer arms) and pom beanie below, and recently got to try on a few more items pictured below which all fit really well. Here's a peek of how some of the below items look on me in my usual sizes 00/xxs. The new arrival wool-blend topcoat in petites disappeared in the blink of an eye in the camel color, but is still fully avail. in the hunter green. Ladies who can usually wear a 0P or up could try the regular sizing which is still in stock starting in 00. It's a very decent tailored coat for the price, reminiscent of a combo between their lady day + regents coat.

1. wool-blend coat 2. striped dress (I didn't think it ran large in petites) 3. cable sweater 

4. beanie (sold out; similar on sale!) 5. sequin skirt (00p is 12.5" across waist) 6. pants

Nordstrom - extra 25% off many sale items, ends 11/30. Sizes are going quickly, so the best way to shop is to visit their Black Friday sale page and then filter by a category (ie. womens clothing or womens shoes) and your size.

Kate Spade - 25% off your order with code MERCI, and everyday free shipping & returns. The striped thermos pictured above brightens up my mornings, but heads up, you must carefully align the lid when screwing it on otherwise it will leak. My party-perfect structured bow back dress which is very petite-friendly (worn in this post) is already on markdown plus eligible for the additional discount! Other picks are the cedar street harmony mini bag I have, or this highly-reviewed cameron street satchel ($156 down from $348) in a rich burgundy or forest green. Please note items marked down 50% or more are final sale.

7 for All Mankind - amazing 40% off site-wide on designer denim + free ship w/ code BLACK40. I like their ankle skinnies (may fit petites as regular jeans w/ no alterations needed) which start in a size 23. Been eying the leather-look ones in black or mink - let me know if anyone has info on sizing/fit for these!

J.Crew - 40% off select items and 30% off everything else w/ code HOLIDAY. With the addition of their latest sizes 000 and xxxs petite - I imagine the ladies who have to get everything altered must be thrilled at this option! Here's some of my favorites which I haven't seen yet at these prices:
- Wintress Puffer Coat - I love the stylish removable faux fur hood, and the flattering belted silhouette (despite being a puffer). Please note I found the petite sizing to run pretty small and shorter in the sleeves - size up if you want to layer, or try regular sizing if you have longer arms. I have my usual xxsp and after wearing a few times, wish I tried a size up!
- Cambridge cable turtleneck - one of their classics that is often excluded from sale. Runs slim and sleeves fit narrow, so size up if you want it to fit like it does on the model.
- A cropped swing trench is one of my most worn pieces, and I keep mentioning this J.Crew version as the best dupe I've found starting in tiny petite sizing. I can't believe it's still left in all sizes and on major clearance for $54 (from $138)!
- Icon trench - very classic and reminiscent of Burberry style. Often on backorder and rarely on sale, but it's part of the 30% off today.
- I haven't personally tried this, but here's a newer-arrival petite wool Melton coat still left in most sizes and colors at 40% off.
- No 2 wool pencil skirt - a work staple; I have dusty cedar and ivory which usually don't last through bigger sales. I have to get all my pencil skirts altered except this one - the 000 petite has a 24" waist and is a snug fit. Please note this size is much too small for me in everything else at J.Crew...I only size down for the pencil skirts because I like them to fit higher on the waist.

Michael Kors Saffiano Sutton Satchel Review (20% off)

My Prada saffiano tote is still one of my all-time favorite bags, but with the creeping price points (the size I own is now just shy of $2,400) I'm always keeping an eye out for "looks for less" for anyone interested. We've talked about the Tory Burch "Robinson" as an alternative before in the $400 - 600 range, but I recently came across the MICHAEL Michael Kors "Sutton" satchel (6+ colors) in person, and thought it was a pretty good dupe for even less!

MK "Sutton" satchel in navy, J.Brand jeans, Target vest, LOFT utility blouse

Wendy's Lookbook x Baublebar necklace c/o (love!), BP ankle booties

The ones I'm showing in this post are on temporary "price match" markdown at Nordstrom right now (I'm not sure which retailer they are price matching - if you know, please comment!) making it a very fair value at $262. I'm personally not a fan of the large gold MK medallion circle, but once that comes off, I think the bag itself is easily a classic wardrobe staple.

The Sutton satchel comes in three sizes that I know of - small/medium/large. I'm showing the medium in these photos and didn't see the other two sizes at my local store for comparison. I felt this one looked pretty balanced and proportionate on my frame, whether it was carried by hand, on the crook of my arm, or via the adjustable crossbody or shoulder strap. To fit a standard laptop though, my guess is going up to the next size might be necessary.


The saffiano material which I love in general felt durable and scratch resistant, and all of my favorite little features of the Prada double zip tote were carried over to the MK dupe.


Sutton feature summary:
- scratch-resistant saffiano leather
- double zippers at the top of the bag which open into large sectionals, and small zip pocket on the inside
- detachable and adjustable shoulder strap
- magnetic small flap closure
- snap buttons on both sides to either keep the sides folded in or expanded
- attached keyring lanyard, which I enjoyed quite a bit as a chronic key-loser

All three colors shown above are classic, but what really captured my attention was their gorgeous pale blue + gold variation for spring. I ordered this online with the 20% off price matching and will do an updated review once it comes in!

YSL Cassandre flap bag (4+ colors), Tory Burch York tote in small (9+ colors)

Here's two more bag styles I tried on over the past month (am guilty of defaulting to this exact outfit on several occasions...it's just too comfy : ). From the upper left, I've been swooning over all the gold hardware, chevron patterns, and tassel details on Saint Laurent bags. They have a few styles that I feel are very reminiscent of some Chanel classics like the flap bag and the wallet on chain, at quite a bit less than Chanel's current prices.

On the upper right is the Tory Burch "York" tote mentioned earlier this month, shown in the small size. It's a very basic design with a zippered center compartment, made entirely in the coated saffiano leather. I liked the simple lines and especially appreciated adjustable double shoulder straps - I've had so many totes fit well over bare shoulders in the summer, but are a struggle to wrestle on over thick winter layers! I already have my beloved blush pink Ann Taylor gallery tote, so was just trying this one for sizing review purposes.

Do any of you own the MK Sutton satchel? I'd love to hear any thoughts on how to care for it, and how it holds up over time!

Video: How to style a blanket / oversized scarf

Buy similar plaid blanket scarf (just $33!) & other colors / patterns

As some of you may have seen on Instagram, I've been living in these oversized scarves this winter! I actually shied away from the big square size for a long time thinking it'd overwhelm my frame, but after experiencing how warm they are against the elements I'm not turning back! They've been a key part of my daily commute, and also conveniently serve as a shawl for when the office AC is blasting. Through playing around and trial and error, I've figured out a few favorite ways to style big scarves and have demonstrated them in this video:

All of the styles I'm sharing today start with a square scarf folded in half into a triangle, but you can easily adapt for other shapes as well. A few readers mentioned that to cut down on the volume, they actually took scissors to their scarves and cut the square into two triangles. I personally wouldn't do this because I like the volume for warmth (and also the raw cut edge might unravel), but just wanted to pass along this idea...

This has been my personal favorite style - variation #2 of the "handkerchief" in my video:

And the easiest way - variation #1 of the "handkerchief" from my video:

Which is your favorite styling method shown? : )

Life lately + reviews and sale updates

Hello hello! I've been MIA due to a crazy busy month at work, but wanted to share some quick updates & reviews from my Instagram. Nick & I are now on a last-minute getaway for some much-appreciated R&R, so feel free to follow along via IG!

Mossimo vest (check in stores; my review), Gap sweater (old)

Loft petite jeans, Halogen pumps (similar), Sole Society weekender (currently sold out)

First up, a few readers mentioned that this vest was on sale at various Targets (seems like pricing differs store to store), marked down to as low as a mere $10! Readers also suggested downloading the free Target Cartwheel app for an extra discount on sale items. I got my vest for full price at $35 and already thought that was a steal for such a versatile layering piece. While on the note of Tarzhay, I also scoped out this season's version of my beloved Threshold bar cart that you see in almost every selfie pic. The current version has a glass vs wooden top shelf so unfortunately you can't DIY add an under-shelf wine glass holder, but I thought the new look was very elegant in-person. There are so many uses for this cart - I've relocated Nick's whiskies to the bottom shelf and took over the top as a vanity table ; )

H&M cardigan, BR petite sloan pants in navy, Manolo BB pumps (old color)

Ann taylor silk camp shirt (last season's color), Prada bag, LOFT scarf (old)

Here is a very basic work outfit I wore incorporating the H&m cardigan that I posted about recently. I like that it serves as a subtle base print that's easy to build other prints on top of. For any newer readers - I commute to work during winter in boots or wellies then change into heels at my desk.

"En creme" maxi dress (item # 1029329 at Nordstrom) 

Trying on this dress really whetted my appetite for a warm-weather getaway. I had been eying it on Nordstrom's site for a while but was hindered by the harsh reality of what was going on outside my window. I finally ordered it after seeing sizes start to sell out despite being in the midst of winter...
As mentioned on IG, this dress cut for someone taller so the neckline, armholes, and overall bodice was a bit gapping on me and exposed my bust at places. Also the length was long, but that's expected of a non-petite maxi dress and a hem job is easy. The typical solution for the other issues is to have a tailor raise the shoulder straps which shifts everything up. Material is a lightweight poly and is partially lined down to the thighs. I have seen several size pop-backs last week (link is here FYI but currently no stock) and you can check in stores using the item # above if interested.

Bp tunic sweater in navy marl, xs (4 colors, check in-stores too for sizes), J.brand jeans

Bp ankle boots (runs small), Coach court bag from eBay (buy new)

My friend was looking for a tunic sweater similar to my Kenneth Cole one to wear with leggings. I suggested trying this since it had good online reviews plus was on super sale. It was a keeper for her and I tried it on as well...it's an acrylic blend typical of most of my scarves but was so surprisingly soft. This is an XS and is a few inches longer in the back.
The snow gods have been relentless this year! We were spoiled by a garage spot at our past apt, and were not quite prepared for the perils of winter street parking in Boston. Can you spot my car? Of course after we laboriously shoveled this out, a plow truck came barreling through and bouldered a wall of snow/ice against our car, so driving is now once again a lost cause.

Boden rain mac (see my old review for sizing info), F21 hat, Hunter boots (review)

I broke out this Boden rainy day Mac jacket on one of our many snow days. It is a raincoat and not a winter jacket, but I wanted something waterproof with a hood that day so layered up with thick sweaters underneath. It's one of the cutest functional pieces I own so had to share about their newest navy stripe pattern option. Also I have been getting a lot of questions lately about if Hunter boots are warm in the snow. No, no they are not...they are non-insulated rubber boots. I wear them to keep my feet and legs dry and because my commute is rarely in non-shoveled snow. My friend wears hers for extended periods of time in winter and uses re-heatable toe warmer packets inside (the ones made for outdoor sports/activities). I started my search for snow boots too late this winter and couldn't find my size in styles I want...will have to start well in advance this fall!
Leaving you guys with this snapshot of one of my favorite cold day pastimes...curling up on my chair with a piping hot bowl of "dressed up" ramen! A few of you asked for this recipe but all it is is a package of instant ramen + some fresh toppings. Not healthy but it's a guilty pleasure from childhood. My favorites from the Asian mart have to be Mama brand tom yum, Nissin brand tonkotsu and of course Shin ramyum for a spicy option. Fellow instant ramen junkies...what are your favorites?

Winter layers: petite-friendly faux fur vest

Mossimo vest (wearing juniors xs), J.Crew sweater (similar), Converse shirt (similar)

BP Trolley boots (review), J.Brand Maria jeans on sale (mine are frm 2013, sz 24 hemmed)

Chanel wallet on chain, leather gloves (similar good for short fingers - my review)

It's been a hectic few weeks at work so please bear with my sporadic posts! I had been looking for a faux fur vest since last fall but never found one that felt quite right. It's easy for me to to feel like the abominable snowman in too much furry volume. I wanted good coloring and texture of faux fur (which can often look cheap), plus hip-length coverage and slinky fit. The right vest can truly become a wardrobe staple since layering options are endless! I had an H&M one years ago which was adorable, but the very shrunken/cropped style wasn't substantial so I eventually parted with it.

My friend Ping recommended this one from Target of all places and I ended up loving it! I love her simple + chic pairing with a longer cowl-neck tunic sweater. XS in this vest appears to be sold out online, but try the "find in a store" button which is a nifty feature I use often. There were quite a few at the Boston South Bay location just a few days ago. Closeup and back view below:

Back:

I keep going back to basics this season and this outfit is full of them. For those who want to build a wardrobe of pieces that you can style and restyle, a chambray shirt, layering vest, slim black jeans and neutral boots are in my top 10 must-haves for cold weather. These BP boots are now 50% off and I can't recommend them enough (please note from my past review they run about half size small in the foot area)! 
Unlike the vest market, petite chambray shirt options looks to be quite plentiful. If you don't own a good one yet, here's a few that caught my eye around the web that all come in petites and are all on sale today (including this affordable one at J.Crew factory with nice dark coloring):