Favorite Fall Trends + $400 NORDSTROM GIVEAWAY

Happy Friday! I've been spending a lot of time organizing old photos and categorizing old blog posts (it never ends). Each session feels like a trip down memory lane, especially seeing all the hairstyles I was obsessed with at the time.

Besides the hairstyles, I came across a few trends and looks that are still blowing up this fall. Make sure to check them out, add to cart, and enter the $400 Nordstrom Giveaway at the bottom of the post. You could walk away as a lucky winner!

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All Things Suede
The burnt hues and rich texture of suede never disappoint. At the moment, I'm loving this burgundy suede jacket but I do have this deep tan skirt in heavy rotation. The offerings extend from jackets, skirts, booties and beyond. Simply put, there's something for everyone.

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Booties w. Hardware
Fall footwear is not about being shy or basic black booties. Instead, it's about blingin' it out. If your bank account can't handle the booties that replicate a disco ball take it a notch down with booties that accessorize with chains, zippers, buckles and pearls.

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Printed / Patterned Pants
Lower temps and cooler, brisk weather doesn't mean you can't share a bit of flair. Yes, the mini skirts and crop tops do need to get shelved. But, your pants can be just as colorful as you. And when it's really cold, I absolutely love printed and shimmery pants for holiday parties and get-togethers.

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Foliage & Floral Dresses
Florals aren't ground-breaking but they are here to stay, year after year. For this trend, in particular, I would recommend investing in a floral dress with an A-line cut. I would wear this trend with OTK boots or black ankle booties as seen in the photo above.

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Chunky Necklaces
Sweater weather brings with it an abundance of chunky jewels to accessorize with. I've been seeing chunky necklaces all over my Instagram but bigger, thicker earrings, bracelets, and rings are trailing right behind it. Confused on how to wear it? Try it with a plain turtleneck for a not-so-basic outfit.

Now for the moment, you've all been waiting for! One lucky winner will get themselves a $400 gift card to buy whatever their heart desires from Nordstrom.

All task entry below is optional; do as many as you like. The more entry you complete, the higher your chances are to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway Not so little fine prints:
  • No purchase necessary. A purchase does not improve your chance of winning. Void where prohibited.
  • Entrant must be 18 years old as of sweepstakes start date and a legal resident of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia or Canada as of start date.
  • Sweepstakes begins Thursday, November 16, 2017, at 12:00 a.m. EST, and closes on Saturday, December, 2017, at 12:00 a.m. EST.
  • Each entrant selected as a potential winner must comply with all terms and conditions set forth in these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all such requirements. Winners will be selected by random drawing. If a potential winner cannot be contacted within fourteen (14) days after the first attempt to contact such potential winner, an alternate entrant will be selected in his or her place from all entries received.
  • Contest is in no way sponsored, administered by, or associated with Nordstrom, Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.

Packing for Berlin | Fall Season

Hallo friends! If you've been following along on Insta, you may have seen a snippet of my Germany/Czech Republic trip and if you've been following along on Insta Story you may have seen those snippets come to life.

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I've never been that far east in Europe so experiencing the culture (& Oktoberfest) was truly amazing, eye-opening, and tasty. I can only hope I do my experiences justice with the travel guides that are soon to follow. 

For this first one I figure it's better to start at the beginning - what I packed for my nine day trip & a few things we did on Day 1. Don't worry, I'll make sure to share my full itinery later.

What to Pack
Less is more when flying away. We'll be hitting 3 different cities via bus & train which means I'll be lugging my own luggage across those city lines. Finding a carry-on that is light, durable, and stylish (had to throw it in there) is key!

Lucky for me, I came across this Ricardo Yosemite Carry-On. Not only is it affordable (under $100) it also comes with a first year quality guarentee.

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A few more things I loved about traveling with my Ricardo Luggage:
- It's super light! At under 7lbs., lifting my luggage into overhead storage and carrying it through tight spaces and over stairs were a breeze!
- There were a few instances of collision that left my suitcase scratch-free.
- The wheels! This is my first time having 360 degree wheels in my life and the difference felt amazing. It makes maneuvering crowded cobblestones, sidewalks & terminals so easy.
- There are pockets and compartments inside for smart packing. No more having to dump out everything little thing to find what you're looking for.
- I am a light packer but I did love how the case is expandable if I went overboard with souvenirs.
- Last but not least the finishing of the suitcase looked so sleek and streamlined; it made me feel like a bonafide traveler

Here's a Look Inside My Suitcase:

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Eastern Europe is in full fall mode and about 20 degrees chillier than New York City. Knowing how poorly I do in colder temps it meant packing layers to stay comfortable during our all-day excursions. I did a bit more digging on the street style scene to narrow down my color palette and realized Berliners love a good black.

I Ended Up Packing
striped bodysuit - white tee - white button-down - striped long sleeve tee - pink champion sweatshirt - black sweatshirt - turtleneck dress - black cotton dress - navy two-piece - black mini skirt - black high-rise jeans - black leggings - pink denim - heavy grey jacket - black moto boots- black vans - pink ballet flats

With an assortment of neutrals and a few pops of pinks, I never felt like I was wearing the same outfit twice.

Don't worry, there's more to follow!

My Favorite Fall Drink - the Blood Orange Margarita!

Happy September friends! I'm sad to see summer go so quickly but I'm so excited for all-things-fall which include comfort food from pizza places open late and cocktails with a sweet kick. I'm partnering with Agavero Orange Liqueur to share a super easy margarita you'll want to add this to your "Must Try" Pinterest board.

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Because this margarita is so easy to whip up in a flash and uses the least amount of ingredients, it's my go-to for spontaneous get-togethers or for dinner parties. The sweet concoction is always a crowd-pleaser and the spicy rim can be customized (or removed entirely) to one's liking.

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The Recipe vv

Blood Orange Marg!


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Now, don't let the name "Blood Orange Margarita" fool you. We won't be squeezing blood oranges until the sun comes up. Instead, we'll be relying on Agavero Orange Liqueur to fool our taste buds into thinking we did. Agavero Orange is a blend of 100% blue agave tequila, infused with the essence of oranges and pure agave nectar. Basically, the perfect addition and complement to any margarita recipe.

You'll Need Per Glass
- 2 oz Gran Centenario Tequila Plata
- .5 oz Agavero Orange Liqueur
- 3 oz pomegranate juice
- lime juice (use 1/2 of a lime)

Use sliced oranges for garnishing!

** Feel free to add a splash of soda water if you find this too sweet!

For the Rim
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp chili powder
- mix both in a small bowl
- rub the rim of glass with a lime wedge
- dredge in the chili-salt mix

** Feel free to skip this step!

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What I like to do is grab my metal shaker, feel it halfway with ice and add in all the liquid ingredients. Cover it up and shake my little heart out. Or, for at least half a minute. 

Afterwards, I set the shaker to the side and prep my glasses with the spicy rim. Life hack, it's a lot easier to pour the rim mix into a flat plate and then dredge your glasses through it. After that, fill the glasses with ice.

Once the glasses are ready, pour in the tasty margarita (using the strainer) and serve with an orange slice.

Now, the most important step - enjoy the drink! 

To learn more about Agavero Orange Liqueur and try out a few other cocktails - head to their website here! Let me know if anything piques your interest :).

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This post is intended for my 21+ readers. Please remember to drink responsibly!