Neiman Marcus holiday gift guide + Jo Malone set giveaway!

Burberry Daylesmoore coat sz 2 (sleeves shortened), Hunter Tour boots sz 5, J.Crew hat

I'm excited to partner with Neiman Marcus this holiday season and share some of my favorite gift picks ~ I'm usually the biggest procrastinator, but have gotten a jump start this year taking advantage of the promos around this time! They have a gift card promo going on right now for Cyber Monday, plus free everyday shipping, returns, and gift packaging. I am giving away one of my favorite gifts from their Christmas Book this year...read on below for details!


Here are my top gift picks which friends & family are bound to love (and I surely wouldn't mind finding any of these under the tree for myself!)...

For best girlfriends (or yourself): Jo Malone gift set - I don't wear much fragrance but I love, love Jo Malone fruity ones (and Nick likes to steal a pump or two every so often). This set has some of their most popular ones in a gift-ready package, and allows for layering of scents to create your own mix!

For mom, MIL or sisters: Button or Bailey Bow Uggs or customize your own (all of which are currently 20% off!) - I admit Uggs are still my shoe of choice when I just want to be super comfy and warm...I also keep a pair just for at-home wear against our ice cold floors. You can't go wrong with the classic but the bailey bow style is adorable.

For makeup-loving friends: Clinique A Case of the Pretties Palette (a $129 value for under $30), Lancome mascara value sets on some of their best-selling eye products, or the YSL Glossy Stain gift set of 4 lip products (the stains are usually $36 each).

Splurge treat for self: the limited-edition jeweled Manolo Blahnik butterfly shoes

For the men in your life: reversible Ferragamo belt kit - a discreet & functional luxury gift that won't ever go out of style.

For a secret santa exchange with your girlfriends - Deborah Lipman mini polish set (also in neutrals for just $34) - I love scoping out all the mini polish variety sets that come out around the holidays, as I'm rarely able to finish a full-sized bottle without it becoming gloppy or separated. 
I also wanted to help kickstart your holiday gifting with a little giveaway! I bought a set of my favorite item from the list above for one of your friends or loved ones (or yourself!) to enjoy. To enter to win a Jo Malone gift set: fill out the quick Rafflecopter giveaway form below by Friday, December 4th midnight EST. 1 winner will be selected at random using the app; limit one entry per person and entrants must be 18+. Giveaway is open to those with a US-based address only - sorry international friends!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to Neiman Marcus x Shopstyle for sponsoring this post!

Tartan scarf + red Hunter tour boots

Lord & Taylor scarf ("ivory" - extra 20% off w/ VETSDAY)
  Bobeau cardigan in xsp, Ann Taylor cashmere (current year's version)

Hunter packable Tour boots sz 5 (also at Zappos in 5 colors), Jolt jeans sz 00

This comfy outfit from last weekend remixes several of my older favorite pieces. I also learned my lesson to always check the weather before embarking on a long day of errands wearing rubber boots - it was damp and gloomy when we left the house, but turned out to be the most beautiful day without a drop of rain! Ended up feeling a little silly in these all day but on the plus side, the bright color kickstarted my holiday spirit early this year (along with the red cups debut & tree lights going up in Boston on the same day!).

Speaking of rainboots, I've been getting tons of clarifying questions this month about my Hunters so wanted to link back to my past detailed review of their adult Tour vs kids boots. Over the years I've tried on dozens of rubber rainboot options and the Tour are hands-down my favorite for style, fit, and comfort. Their adult original (sold at Costco now, apparently!) were not comfortable for my shorter legs, and I haven't gone back to my kids ones in a long time because these are much more lightweight, pliable, and more visually lengthening in my opinion. I walk miles in them around the city and haven't had any quality issues yet, fingers crossed! Out of the two red Tour options now mine are the "military" red.

Madewell mini transport tote (3 colors) - can do a detailed review if anyone's interested!

This tartan scarf is pretty old from Lord & Taylor but they bring the same one back each year! I love my big blanket scarves for blustery days, but for mild weather, a lightweight one like this is perfect for adding a punch of pattern to a plain outfit. It's less full of a scarf than what it appears to be in the stock photo.

I also wanted to give an update on these Jolt girlfriend jeans now that I've been wearing them for a a few months. Initially (read my review here) I was on the fence about keeping them because they are more bleached than I typically like. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find better-fitting denim with larger distressing holes like this, and also with the hole placement actually hitting near my knees. I kept these and have been pretty pleased, but I do wear a thin belt to close the waist gap of a size 00. I wasn't sure whether I wanted these more as a slouchy "girlfriend" fit or closer to slim skinny jeans, and finally decided on the latter because I wanted to wear them more with tall boots. I had been keeping them out of the dryer to maintain a looser fit, but machine dried them for a first time (after these photos were taken) and they shrunk a bit down to the slim skinny fit I wanted. With the cuff unrolled they hit right at the base of my ankles with no alterations needed.

On an unrelated note, wanted to mention that Anthropologie just started a rare 20% off sweaters & tops promo with code TOPITOFF, ending this weekend! If you bought a top or sweater recently, they have a price adjustment policy for purchases made within 14 days which you can call or email to request (I've done this on past orders and it was a pretty easy process). You can see the curved cable poncho on me here and here, and another sale suggestion is this intricate lace peplum blouse (starts in 00 petite in 3 colors) to wear over skinny bottoms for a night out. I haven't tried it on myself but it has a few 5-star reviews.

Yellow & Grey // Join me at Anthropologie San Francisco

Curved cables poncho in xs reg (3 colors; also comes in petites) + Ampato cowl scarf c/o

Hunter packable tour boots ( see my review), Paige petite ankle jeans sz 24P c/o

Happy Friday! I'm so excited to share I'll be hosting a style party at Anthropologie in San Francisco, on Thursday, November 12th from 6-8PM! There will be snacks, bubbly and of course shopping (the Union Square store has a sizable petites selection). I would absolutely love to meet some of you who live in the area.

We were shooting in the park when this sweet pup ran out of nowhere and sat herself at my feet, posing for the camera. Nick took a few shots then stopped to check the photos, and she ran over and sat with him craning her neck. It was the funniest thing! Her owner finally caught up and said she loved to be in photos : )

This is my first time trying on Paige petite jeans - I don't see their jeans in petite sizing very often! This particular color and cut is a dark blue legging jeans with a higher-waisted top for "control," and the length was just right on someone my height for wearing with flats or heels (I cuffed the bottom up once with higher-top booties). The size 24P has a 26" inseam and my guess is the length will vary a bit with size. I wore my BP booties with this outfit but packed Hunters for the walk as it was so wet outside. 
A looser knit top and skinny bottoms has become my casualwear uniform as of late, as I'm sure you guys can tell. I thought this poncho sweater was adorable while in store and see that it's also available online in petites (although small sizes mostly gone). I had thought an XS regular was a good fit for a poncho, and even the sleeves hit right above the wrist on my short arms. The sweater is longer in the back than the front, and I envision the petites sizing to be a shrunken version overall for it to fit more like a regular sweater than a poncho/cape. I love the swingy shape of ponchos, but a downside that I learned is you can only wear a looser-sleeved or cape coat over it due to the connected underarm area.

Really looking forward to meeting some of you in San Fran! Would also love some food & to-do recommendations from SF locals!

Rainy Day Classics

Hunter Rainboots sz 5, Burberry trench (old, sz 2 with sleeves altered), Clinique lipbalm

Prada tote, H&M scarf, Talbots tee sz petite P, J. Brand jeans sz 24 (old, similar)

On dreary rainy days I love incorporating a pop of color to brighten up my outfit. These Hunter "Tour" boots are the perfect statement piece that's not only functional, but surprisingly easy to style. They are still the slimmest-calf and lightest rubber rain boot I've found. As mentioned in my older review, these are designed to be roll-able and packed away for travel so are very pliable as well. I also own the green color and both get quite a bit of wear.


I also wanted to share another color of the Clinique Chubby Stick (am obsessed with these)...they come in "intense" for more pigmented color and also regular, which are great for those just starting to experiment with lipcolor. I have dry lips so love that they glide on and keep my lips moisturized like a lip balm, but also have build-able color. I have the regular for daily wear and a few of the intense line for bolder looks. I'm wearing "mightiest maraschino" here which is a vibrant cherry red with a tint of fuchsia.


I kept the rest of my outfit neutral with a hint of print - there's something very basic but classic about pairing red with shades of tan. This caramel Prada from 3 years ago is still one of my favorite bags in my collection, and has held up really well with the addition of a base shaper. I'm not afraid to take it out in damp weather (with an umbrella, of course) due to the water-resistant saffiano coating. As some of you may have seen on Instagram, I've been shopping for a new bag and this red Prada Promenade is a serious contender, given how easy to maintain the material is from my experience.

Thank you to Neiman Marcus x ShopStyle for sponsoring this post!

Snow day: Taupe + greens

Sole Society scarf, J.Crew coat, faux pearl stud earrings (similar)

Hunter tour boots (my review), leather gloves (similar for short fingers; review)
J.Brand Maria jeans (sz 24 hemmed), Pasotti umbrella

I woke up this morning, peeked out the window, then jumped up and down on the bed like a child on Christmas morning shouting "it's a winter wonderland!!" to an irked and groggy Nick. Winter storms are not my cup of tea, except for the first few hours of a fresh snowfall when everything is white and picture-perfect. I wore this outfit for our morning wedding planning meeting to discuss riveting topics such as plates and tablecloths.

I had been eying this scarf for a while, and finally pulled the trigger after realizing how functional an over-sized scarf is in my current commute (and then at my desk to alleviate mid-day chills). The biggest scarf in my collection was previously the ASOS plaid, which I typically "turtle" myself inside by wrapping it all around my head and neck. It's hard to gauge the material of scarves online, but I was super happy with the quality of this particular one.


The material is a 30% wool, 70% acrylic blend and is very soft against the skin. Weight is light but warm as you build up and wrap the layers. It's a large rectangle instead of a square, which makes it a little easier to do the draped style I'm wearing here without too much excess volume piled at the chest (with a square, just fold it in half first to get the same look). It's so wonderfully comfy, the day I got it in the mail I rolled myself up inside and promptly dozed off.

The size of my scarf measures about 78" x 40" -  the website says 78" x 22" so I wonder if they folded it in half to measure, With this roomy rectangular shape, I'm looking forward to also trying a belted poncho sort of look with it next!
PS - several of you have asked about this umbrella...I received it as a present a while ago and absolutely loved it but couldn't find it available for sale. I finally found the brand and had a small heart attack since it is quite pricey!! Now I must protect it dearly in windstorms so it doesn't suffer the sad "inverted" fate of most umbrellas in Boston.