Head Out of the Office to Happy Hour with Ann Taylor

After working a 9-5 shift, we could all use some time unwinding with a happy hour cocktail. Happy hours are all about the aesthetic—cute bars, fancy cocktails, and, most importantly, trendy fall outfits.

Ann Taylor has everything you need in order to look both chic and professional when coming straight from the office to happy hour. With Ann Taylor’s sleek dresses, heeled booties, and statement jewelry, you’ll be the trendiest person in the office.

Five Things You Didn’t Know About Engagement Rings

If you are wondering what the true meaning of an engagement ring is and how to choose the right piece for the occasion, based on your traditions, heritage, and budget, you might want to research the topic. Engagement rings are one of the most popular items bought, and some of them purchased by celebrities can cost millions. In case you’re wondering what the most popular designs and customization options are, check out the list below.

They Date Back to Ancient Egypt

In Ancient Egypt, engagement rings were worn on the left hand, on the fourth (ring) finger. The reason for the choice of a finger is that Egyptians believed that there is a vein in the ring finger that leads straight to the heart. The circle was a symbol of eternity, so it symbolized a promise to stay together forever. Later on, in the Roman times, men used the ring to claim their legal right to the woman and their property.

The Most Popular Engagement Ring Portfolio

Today, the most popular engagement ring selection is the one made by Tiffany & Co. The Tiffany setting was introduced by Charles Tiffany in 1886 and is still the most famous one. It includes a six-prong mount and a single diamond. It is elegant and sophisticated and allows the choice of different size and purity diamonds to be inserted. No matter what the main precious metal is, the diamond has to be single. Around 80 percent of American women get a diamond engagement ring from their partners.

Round-Cut Style Is the Most Popular

While jewelry designers have experimented with different shapes in the past, the round-cut is still the most popular one. When it comes to celebrities able to afford unique styles, oval and square diamonds are also prevalent. Check out the latest Celebrity Engagement Trends to find out what makes famous people’s heartbeat when searching for the right ring for their partners.

The Most Likely Times to Shop for Engagement Rings

People generally start shopping for engagement rings in December. The average man spends around three months looking for the perfect design and model. Proposals are most likely to happen during the festive period, however, birthdays, Valentine’s Day, and Thanksgiving are also popular dates.

The Most Expensive Engagement Rings

Paris Hilton, the famous heiress of the hotel chain received an engagement ring worth $4.7 million by her ex-partner, Paris. The 24-carat emerald cut diamond had a canary yellow color. Liz Taylor’s engagement ring from Richard Burton cost $8.8 million. You’ll be surprised to know that Princess Diana’s engagement ring was only 137,200. This ring is being worn by Kate Middleton, her daughter-in-law.

Whether you are shopping for an engagement ring or just would like to know more about the history and the different styles available, the above guide will help you navigate your way around the jewelry shops of the high street and choose the model and cut that will impress your future partner and match your budget at the same time.

Collaborative Post

 

Looking Your Best: Quality Pieces and Seasonal Colors

The last few weeks have been extremely busy.  From moving into a new subdivision to developing my business structure.  Despite the busyness of life, I believe in looking your best.  This concept varies from day-to-day.

Featured Photo Pleated Shift Dress:  New York & Company

For example, crazy school mornings call for leggings and a pull-over.  While afternoon meetings include a blazer, jeans, and flats.  I dress according to the occasion; no heels at the grocery store.

Looking your best doesn’t have to cost a fortune.  Simple quality pieces can update any outfit.  For example, gold earrings, silk scarves, structured handbag, diamond studs, leather belt, and trench coat can pull together last-minute appearance.

Lately, I’m a huge believer in wearing seasonal colors.  Some of us love the classic tone of wearing black but why not try a Lavender t-shirt or Sky Blue earrings?  Fashion can be a fun experience when we coordinate and invest the time!

Leaving the news station with a client.

Belted Shirt Dress Comparison: Forever 21   | Sunglasses:  Target | Blanket Scarf Comparison:  Amazon | Handbag Comparison: Saks Fifth Avenue

Added Color Strip Extensions from Hairdo

Peplum Blazer:  Amazon | Denim Leggings:  Express | Handbag Comparison:  Belk

 

Sasee Chic Online Boutique: Ava and Precious Earrings Product Review

Everyone has a go-to accessory!  It’s the one fashion item that completes your outfit.

My go-to accessory on any given day would be earrings.  If I moved to an island and could only take five items I would pack a t-shirt, mascara, lipstick, sneakers, and earrings.

For me, earrings complete my total look.  They’re small and dainty with a huge impact!

Ava Seed Bead Earrings

 

Earrings are also an affordable way to refresh my wardrobe.   Every season I try to create a capsule closet collection and one way to switch up any look is with a pair of earrings.  They come in a variety of colors and shapes.

I have collaborated with Sasee Chic to help everyone create a stylish look.  Sasee Chic is the newest affordable online boutique that believes in confident women.

The saying goes, when you look good; you feel good.

Wearing Precious Earrings with Denim Jacket

Felicia Todd, owner of the boutique shipped the Precious and Ava Earrings.  Both were well-made and appeared exactly as photographed on the website.

To shop the latest on-trend accessories from Sasee Chic use the 20% off coupon code: SPRING 

Don’t forget to share your looks with hashtags #ShopSaseeChic and #SaseeChic

Buying An Engagement Ring On A Budget: Heirloom Jewelry

There used to be an unwritten rule that a man should spend 2 months’ salary on an engagement ring. There’s no such guideline anymore. It’s more important to buy a ring that you can realistically afford than it is to follow any arbitrary guideline such as that. But engagement rings are expensive, right? How can you buy an expensive piece of jewelry on a budget? By being strategic. Here, we’ll offer some tips to help you purchase that most important piece of jewelry on a budget.

Featured Meghan Markle Engagement Ring Photo from ElleUK

Choose the right setting

Even if your wallet won’t let you buy the biggest diamond in the store, you can get the illusion of a larger stone by choosing the right setting. For example, if you choose a setting that features a ring of smaller diamonds around the centre stone, for example, it will give the illusion of a larger stone, but with a lower price tag.

Go for pavé diamonds

Pave diamonds can make any ring look more expensive. They offer the look of crushed ice, consisting of many small diamonds grouped together. This produces a dazzling, high-end look at a lower price point.

Be aware of size

The price of a diamond goes up exponentially at certain size points. For every carat and half-carat size increase, there is typically a jump in the price, too. One way to sae a few dollars is to do what experts call “buying shy.” Using this technique, look for a diamond that is a little shy of the one-carat or half-carat mark (1.7 carats, for example, as opposed to an even 2) can save you a significant amount of money and you won’t even notice the differential in size.

Opt for gold

Platinum has become a trendy wedding band choice because it has many great attributes, but those advantages also come with a higher price tag. Opting for the more classic gold option will save you a few dollars. If you still want the look of platinum without the high price, choose white gold. White gold isn’t as durable as platinum, but it is strong, resistant to rust and tarnish, and very beautiful!

Pay attention to the cut

Certain cuts of diamonds will cost more than others. Knowing which are the most budget-friendly will go a long way toward saving you some money. An emerald cut, for example, will look bigger than the carat weight suggests.

Buy a set

This can be a challenge if you are trying to surprise your soon-to-be fiancé with a ring, but if you can, buy the engagement ring and the matching wedding band together. By making the purchase in a set like that, you’ll likely get a better deal than if you buy the engagement right now and the wedding band later. Of course, this may not always be possible, but if you can (such as if you are picking out your rings together) this can be a way to save some money.

At the end of the day, choosing the right engagement ring doesn’t have to mean going for broke. There are lots of beautiful and meaningful options at every price point, so there’s no need to spend more than you need to get a special ring for your special someone. Using these tricks, you can find the perfect ring for your partner without spending more than you can afford. Spend as much as you comfortably can, and not a penny more. Your soon-to-be fiancé wouldn’t want you to start out your new life together deeply in debt just so you can buy a bigger, flashier ring.

Collaborative Post

H&M Festive Season Collection: Embellishments and Minimalistic Accessories

If you’re the type of girl who likes cutting edge style on a budget, then H&M is the place for you.  This on-trend, chain retailer can rarely be ignored with its mixture of modern and glamorous pieces.

How many times have you walked over to those big red letters?  How many times have you asked, “Where did you get that handbag?”  Or how many times have you glanced twice at someone’s dress?  If the answer to either of those questions is yes, then you too love H&M.

The festive season collection is now available in-stores or online. From viewing the collection, one can see there’s a metallic shoulder bag, rhinestone earrings, and sweatshirt with tulle sleeves.

H&M is a top pick in general when there’s nothing to wear or when you need some style inspiration!

Supermodel Martha Hunt x Pluma Capsule Collection Inegal

Supermodel and Scoliosis survivor Martha Hunt teams up with PLUMA to create the capsule collection “Inégal” which debuted in June 2017.  Together Martha and PLUMA have created two beautiful and inspiring designs sales from which will benefit two charities: The Scoliosis Research Society and The Curvy Girls Scoliosis Foundation.

 Caroline 1 in Rhodium

($515.00 in Rhodium, and Gold)

Caroline 2 in Rhodium

($440 in Rhodium and Gold)

The “Caroline” necklaces in the Inégal collection benefit The Scoliosis Research Foundation. The two special edition designs are available in rhodium and 24 karat gold, is handcrafted in Italy and made of plated brass plates with leather straps.  Interlocked, the plates emulate vertebrae creating a metallic spine choker.  ​The designs themselves are named “Caroline” after Martha’s mother who gave Martha the love and support she needed to battle the disorder.  “Caroline 1” has scales or vertebrae that are 2 inches in length while the “Caroline 2” has 1 ½ inch vertebrae.

Alyson in Gold

($39)

Alyson in Silver (Gunmetal)

($39)

The “Alyson” necklaces in the Inégal collection benefit Curvy Girls Scoliosis Foundation – an international network of peer-led support groups for girls with scoliosis. Two special edition “Alyson” necklaces, available in gold and silver (gunmetal), are named after Alyson Gerber who is the author of Braced, a novel about a twelve-year old girl’s first year in her scoliosis brace.  With one side emblazoned with “Inégal” and the other with “Resilient,” the piece is meant to celebrate and honor those who have scoliosis.


​Martha Hunt wears the Alyson in Gold ​

“We created pieces that would honor the beauty of the spine, its simplicity, and genius.  The design also calls to mind how integral the spine is to human life and the burden that Scoliosis causes to the people who suffer from it with elegant simplicity, which is also reflected in the name “Inégal” meaning unequal or uneven.” – Brendan Cannon, PLUMA Creative Director

“Brendan Cannon is a friend of mine and has a pure heart.  Together we discussed the idea of designing beautiful jewelry, inspired by the experience of having Scoliosis, the Inégal Collection.  As 100% of the proceeds of this portion of the collection will benefit Curvy Girl Scoliosis Foundation, I want women who wear the “Inégal” collection to feel beautiful and empowered.”- Martha Hunt

The Caroline​ necklaces from ​the Inégal collection are available online at  LUISAVIAROMA www.LUISAVIAROMA.com

The complete Inégal collection is available online on the

About Martha Hunt

Raised in North Carolina, Martha moved to New York City to pursue a full-time modeling career in 2007. She has worked with many high-end brands and designers, and has been featured in top-tier magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Glamour.  Martha has the distinction of being a Victoria’s Secret Angel since 2015.

Martha dealt with Scoliosis from the ages of 14-18 and finally had a spinal fusion at age 18.  It is a physical and emotional burden during adolescent years Martha felt lonely and insecure throughout the process and being able to relate to the thousands of people that undergo treatment for the condition, she’s passionate about spreading awareness. The need to bring awareness combined with how much research has evolved and needs to improve sparked her interest in becoming an advocate.

She visited Capitol Hill during the last two years, on behalf of The Scoliosis Research Society, asking Congress for more funding for all orthopedic research, through the National Institutes for Health (NIH).

About PLUMA and Creative Director Brendan Cannon

Brendan Cannon is the Creative Director of PLUMA, a collection of chic and elegant accessories produced in Italy by some of the premier luxury artisans in the world.

Cannon’s designs reflect the multifaceted lives and sophistication of women who covet and wear luxury accessories. The precise combinations of luxurious elements like brass with molded resin, high-grade leather, and enamel give an elegant sensuality, allowing the jewelry to become a wardrobe staple.

PLUMA debuted as a capsule collection that was shown alongside designer Jason Wu’s Pre-Fall 2013 collection. The ‘Oro’ suite, collaboration between Cannon and Wu, featured the brand’s signature gold links, brass, black enamel and molded resin. PLUMA officially launched with a full collection for the Spring 2014 season. PLUMA has attracted the attention of celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Robert, Vanessa Hudgens, Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez, Sharon Stone, Kate Beckinsale, Lily Collins, Jessica Paré and Julianne Hough, among others.

About The Scoliosis Research Society

The Scoliosis Research Society is a non-profit, professional organization, made up of physicians and allied health personnel. Our primary focus is on providing continuing medical education for health care professionals and on funding/supporting research in spinal deformities. Founded in 1966, SRS has gained recognition as the world’s premier spine deformity society. Please visit www.srs.org for further information.

About Curvy Girl Scoliosis Foundation

Curvy Girls is a network of peer-led support groups that reduce the emotional impact of scoliosis by empowering girls through mutual support and acceptance to become leaders, make healthy lifestyle choices, improve self-esteem while giving back to the Curvy Girls community. The organization was founded by Leah Stoltz when she was 13 years old on Long Island, NY and now there are about 90 chapters in 13 countries, all led by girls with scoliosis between the ages of 11-22. Learn more at www.curvygirlsscoliosis.com.

The Holiday Shopping Season Starts Now! Amazon Opens its Black Friday Deals

Amazon today announced the opening of its Black Friday Deals Store, officially marking the start of the holiday shopping season. The Black Friday Deals Store, available at www.amazon.com/blackfriday, offers deals across every category now through Black Friday. Customers can find deals on everything from toys and electronics to holiday entertaining essentials and wardrobe must haves – all in one convenient location. Today, customers can save up to 30% on favorite toys including Baby Alive Sweet TearsDropmixTickle Me Elmo and more. This holiday season, customers can also expect great deals on premium TVs from brands like LG, Samsung and Sony, as well as popular toys from LEGO, Melissa & Doug, Nerf, Paw Patrol, Star Wars and more.

“We’re excited to officially kickoff another holiday season, bringing customers better deals than ever before on everything they’ll need – from electronics and toys to clothing, home essentials and more,” said Doug Herrington, Senior Vice President of North American Retail at Amazon. “Customers shop Amazon year-round for our great prices, unbelievable selection, and free shipping on over 100 million products. During the holiday season, customers love to discover great deals and must-have holiday gifts for friends and family. Some of the most popular starting points for holiday shoppers are our Black Friday Deals Store, Amazon’s curated Home and Electronics Gift Guides, the Holiday Toy List, the newly redesigned Gift Finder, our Handmade Gift Shop, and Interesting Finds.”

 More Ways to Shop than Ever Before 

  • Voice Shopping: Customers can voice shop with Alexa for tens of millions of Prime-eligible items, including many of the products available in the Black Friday Deals Store and featured in the 2017 Holiday Gift Guides. Available on the Alexa family of devices including Amazon Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Dot, Amazon Tap, and Amazon Dash Wand, as well as screened devices such as the all-new Amazon Fire TV, all-new Fire HD 10 Tablet, Echo Show and soon to be released Echo Spot, it’s as simple as saying, “Alexa, order [product]” and Alexa will find a top-rated product that ships with Prime. Just say, “yes” to buy it. Changed your mind? No problem, any physical product purchased with your voice is eligible for free returns. Customers must be Prime members with default payment and shipping information.
  • Amazon App: The Amazon App is designed to make your holiday shopping fast and easy. In fact, last holiday season, more than 70% of Amazon customers worldwide shopped using a mobile device. Customers can find where their holiday packages are in seconds, use camera search to quickly and easily find the items they want by pointing at an item or barcode, and never miss a deal by setting Watch-a-Deal alerts. Customers can also search and reorder with Alexa. Once Amazon boxes begin to arrive, customers can use the Amazon App’s Package X-Ray feature to scan the barcode and see what’s inside, allowing them to wrap gifts without ever opening the box or spoiling the surprise.
  • AR view: Amazon’s latest augmented reality offering within the Amazon App launched today for customers with iOS 11 installed on their iPhone 6S or later. Using Apple’s ARKit, AR view helps customers make better shopping decisions by allowing them to visualize the aesthetic and fit of products in their own living space. Customers simply open the Amazon App, click on the camera icon and choose AR view. They can then select from thousands of items – from living room, bedroom, kitchen and home office products to electronics, toys and games, home décor and more. Whether customers are buying a sofa or a kitchen appliance, they can overlay it onto their existing living space, move it and rotate it to get a full 360-degree peek in a live camera view to make sure it fits their style and aesthetic.
  • Amazon.com in Spanish: Since adding the option for customers to set their language preference earlier this year, millions of customers have chosen Spanish as their preferred language to shop on Amazon.com and in the Amazon App. Customers can shop, browse and search for millions of products, view their shopping cart, and place orders in Spanish. Customers can update their language settings in their Amazon App, as well as visit Amazon.com and click the ‘globe’ button – located in the navigation bar at the top of their Amazon home screen – to set and begin shopping in their preferred language. Preferred language settings will be saved for future site visits under ‘Your account’ settings.
  • Treasure Truck: Now available in 25 select cities, Treasure Truck is a new way for customers to shop this holiday season. Customers can opt-in to receive notifications from the Amazon App for special must-have offers from Treasure Truck, order the item, and pick-up at the truck all season long. Each time the truck rolls, one hand-picked offer will be available including gifts for the adventurer, foodie, hostess, kids and techie, as well as delicious seasonal food items, and more. Look for the truck at various locations this holiday season.
  • Amazon Books: Now open in Seattle, New York City (on 34th St and at Columbus Circle), Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston (Dedham and Lynnfield), San Diego, San Jose, Portland, Bellevue (Wash.) and Paramus (N.J.), Amazon Books integrates the benefits of offline and online shopping to help customers find books and devices that they’ll love. Whether customers want to discover a new book for the holidays or test-drive an Amazon device, Amazon Books offers gifts for everyone. Browse in-store deals and holiday features like Most-Wished-For-Gifts, Hidden Gem Gifts, the Holiday Toy List and customer favorites like Page Turners: Books Kindle Readers Finish in 3 Days or Less, Local Bestsellers, 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime.

Shop with Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs

Half of the items sold on Amazon worldwide are from small businesses and entrepreneurs, many of which will be offering deals on their products throughout the holiday season. Some of the small businesses and entrepreneurs offering deals include SleepyheadsFurboLightaccentsOwlee and TigerSecu.

Inspired Gifting for Everyone on Your List

  • Curated Gift Guides: Thoughtfully curated and inspired by Amazon product experts and influencers, Amazon’s 2017 Holiday Toy List, Electronics Gift Guide and Home Gift Guide take the guesswork out of gifting and offer customers quick and easy access to the top gifts for everyone on their list.

o   Customers can browse more than a thousand of the most sought-after products for kids of all ages and interests on the 2017 Amazon Holiday Toy List, available at amazon.com/holidaytoylist.

o   Those who want to shop more than 500 of the season’s hottest technology products, from TVs to gaming systems, can do so while shopping the 2017 Amazon Electronics Gift Guide, available at amazon.com/electronicsgiftguide.

o   And customers can browse the 2017 Amazon Home Gift Guide, available at amazon.com/homegiftguide for more than a thousand products for inside and outside the home.

o   New this year, the 2017 Business Gift Guide by Amazon Business is a curated list of more than 200 items designed to make holiday gifting easier for office employees, company clients and colleagues. Available at amazon.com/businessgiftguide, Amazon.com and Amazon Business customers can shop from numerous categories, including Electronics, Grocery, Entertainment, Audio & Accessories, and more. Shoppers can also discover white elephant gift exchange and budget-friendly gift ideas in the Business Gift Guide.

  • Handmade Gift Shop: Support small businesses and entrepreneurs this holiday by shopping Amazon Handmade where all products are handcrafted by local Artisans from around the world. New this year, the Amazon Handmade Gift Shop, available at amazon.com/handmadegiftshop, allows customers to shop handcrafted products for every occasion.
  • Gift Finder: For those in need of additional inspiration, the redesigned Gift Finder helps identify gift ideas when a customer doesn’t have a particular idea in mind. Gift Finder, available at amazon.com/giftfinder, offers a diverse collection of unique, but universally appealing gift ideas across categories. Shop gifts for men, women, teens, kids, toddlers, babies, pets or holiday fun.
  • Amazon Lists: Customers can find and shop friends and family’s Wish Lists at www.amazon.com/yourfriends to give them what they really want this holiday. To customize your own list, click ‘Add to List’ from any product detail page or go to www.amazon.com/yourlists to add multiple items in one convenient location. To save a gift idea in the Amazon App, customers can simply press down on any product image to fling it to the bottom of their screen.
  • Interesting Finds: Interesting Finds, available at amazon.com/stream, is an endless stream of beautiful products that inspires customers daily. There are a number of categories that customers can scroll through including “holiday toy list,” “gadgets,” “workspace” and even quirky customer-curated collections of products like “Nautical or Nice,” “Talk Nerdy To Me,” “Dog Gone Cute Dresses,”  “Rock Your Socks Off” and “Happy Glamping.” Customers can ‘heart’ products they love and we’ll get better at showing them more items like those. Customers can access Interesting Finds via the banner above the search bar on Amazon.com and in the ‘Programs and Features’ section of the Amazon App.

Free Shipping + Convenient Delivery

All Amazon customers can choose from more than one hundred million items that are eligible for free shipping this holiday and all year long. This includes eligible orders of $25 or more shipped by Amazon, as well as free shipping offers from the millions of small business and entrepreneurs selling on Amazon. For customers who prefer to pick up their packages when it’s convenient for them, Amazon Locker is a safe and secure way to receive Amazon packages. Available in more than 50 cities across the U.S., Amazon Lockers are strategically located near offices, major convenience stores, grocery stores, apartment buildings and malls across the country. To learn more about Amazon Locker, visit amazon.com/locker or to find the nearest Locker visit amazon.com/findalocker.

 Fast Shipping, Deals and More with Prime

Prime is designed to make your life better every day including the convenience of fast, free shipping and great entertainment. Prime members can shop thousands of Lightning Deals with 30-minute early access and, with the Amazon Prime credit card, members will earn even bigger rewards this holiday season. Members can also enjoy Free Two-Day Shipping with Amazon Prime, as well as Prime FREE One-Day Shipping and Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery on more than one million items in orders of $35 or more available to members in over 5,000 cities and towns. And, withPrime Now, Prime Members in more than 30 U.S. cities can benefit from one-and-two hour delivery. In addition, starting on November 8, Prime members in 37 cities and surrounding areas across the U.S. will have access to Amazon Key, the new service that radically improves the convenience of receiving deliveries. Amazon Key will allow Prime members to have eligible packages securely delivered inside their homes without having to be there.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

 

33rd Annual Southern Women’s Show Birmingham: Girls Day Out Recap

The Southern Women’s Show is an annual event that takes place in Birmingham, Alabama.  It’s a local tradition for women to view live shows; shop with vendors, and taste delicious southern treats.

This year, I attended the show with my mom and her two girlfriends.  We had an amazing time walking the pink carpet and snapped pictures at the SWS photo-booth. Of course, we shopped at the Belk perfume booth, purchased jewelry, and tasted authentic Cajun candy.

The trade show also included live shows from The Firefighter Fashion Show Benefiting the American Cancer Society and entertainment from The Six Sliders Line Dance / Fitness Ministry.

Attendees registered for fun prizes and participated in cooking demonstrations.  As stated on The Southern Women’s Show website, “the real excitement begins when you arrive!”