New Years Eve is tomorrow and I have been trying on all the black and gold outfits in my closet. A few weeks ago I shared this gold skirt and then I saw this black bow dress. I am still trying decide on my official NYE outfit, but love the simplicity of a black dress with gold accents. This dress fits true to size (wearing a 0) and hits just above the knee. The peplum hem adds a little movement to the dress and the bow back is a fun surprise. I paired this black bow dress with gold heels and these sparkly pearl earrings. Shop this look and my favorite NYE looks below! xoxo
This weekend we are attending the last of this year’s Christmas parties and my mind has already shifted to New Years Eve parties. I don’t love NYE, but I do love the excuse to add something metallic to my neutral wardrobe! I started with these super fun earrings from J.Crew, then this gold metallic skirt caught my eye and I couldn’t say no. This skirt fits true to size (wearing a 0) but be warned that there is very little stretch and it is not cut for wider hips. This skirt fits me a little tight through the hips, and would probably fit better with Spanx, but it fits perfectly in the waist. I paired the gold metallic skirt with my favorite black turtleneck, black pump and the gold earrings the originally caught my eye. These earrings look much heavier than they are and actually do not pull on my ears at all. Shop this look and some of my favorite black and gold pieces below! xoxo
I have always loved trying new recipes and baking for others but rarely thought about food allergies. In college one of my good friends, who has coeliac disease, challenged me to try some gluten-free recipes so she could enjoy my treats as well. Most of the recipes I tried were just plain gross or had a funky texture. After many trials and adaptions, I found a recipe for gluten-free brownies that you would suspect of being flourless. Now, especially when hosting for the holidays, I always offer a gluten-free option for guests and these gluten-free brownies are a favorite. It was really weird to write a recipe that didn’t list flour as one of the first ingredients, but I have found corn starch to work really well as a substitute. Be sure to check out some of my other recipes for the holidays! xoxo
Whisk together cornstarch, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter and chocolate chips in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add chocolate and butter to the cornstarch mixture. Stir in sugar, vanilla, and eggs until the mixture is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 2 minutes. Stir in pecans.
Pour batter into greased 8-inch square baking pan and smooth top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
Somehow we were lucky enough to not host any major holidays this year (woohoo), and are only having immediate family over for a Christmas meal. Just like my Thanksgiving table, I set our Christmas table with a simple white and gold color pallet. We are still in the process of finding a buffet and artwork (harder than I thought it would be) so I try to keep our table settings as simple as the room. I set the table with the same white linen place mats, chippendale sliver and French provincial china that I used at Thanksgiving and Easter. I added these glass Christmas trees, snowflake napkin rings and snowflake place card holders to bring in the Christmas spirit. I love these glass Christmas trees, because even when the table is not set for dinner, they help fill the space. I debated ordering these napkins from Williams-Sonoma, but I decided on the gold snowflake napkin rings, because they can also be used for a New Year’s Eve dinner. Shop everything on my Christmas table below! xoxo
I usually avoid patterned material and opt for solid colors, but Christmas is the one time of year when all I want to buy is plaid! The past few years I have worn plaid skirts for Christmas and this year I am on the hunt for a simple plaid dress. J. Crew has a fantastic selection of plaid pieces, per usual, and I just loved this long sleeved, bow necktie plaid dress.
This dress fits true to size (wearing a 0) and the fitted waist is very flattering. I love the fact that this dress has sleeves and a pleated skirt. I am also a huge sucker for a bow necktie on a blouse or dress. When I bought this dress online I was that it was called “black watch tartan” and I assumed that the dress had black in it. The darker color in this plaid dress is actually navy, which shows more prominently in person. In the summertime a little navy wouldn’t bother me, but most of my winter shoes and handbags are black so I am not loving the added navy in the plaid. I paired this dress with my favorite strappy heels and gold hoop earrings (both old but I linked similar products below). Shop my look below! xoxo
Growing up, my family put all Christmas presents under our tree and we never had presents in our stockings. My first Christmas dating Alex, all I heard about was his stocking and what he got in his stocking. Last year, we decided to incorporate stocking stuffers into our Christmas traditions and I quickly had to learn how to shop small. We try to find 4-6 fun stocking stuffers that we will enjoy and actually use. I still struggle to find things that fit in the stocking and some end up under the tree. My strict everything must be wrapped with a bow rule applies still applies to the stocking as well, so we can have pretty presents peeking out of the top. Some of my favorite small gifts for him include this Jack Black set, these Christmas socks and the Bose bluetooth speaker. My favorite small giftsfor her include these silk scrunches, Aesop hand balm and a mini Nest holiday candle. To shop all of my favorite stocking stuffers, click the image above or the links below. If you are still on the hunt for great gifts, be sure to check out my annual Holiday Gift Guide! xoxo
