Holiday Dressing Cheat Sheet from Blonder Ambitions Blog

I discovered the blog, Blonder Ambitions while visiting my favorite inspiration site Pinterest.com  When I saw this grid, I instantly wanted to share it with my readers because it’s perfect for dressing up during the holiday season.

From the Holiday Office Party to A Holiday Party With Your Girls, KiKi provides style tips that will benefit any girl who’s preparing for holiday fun.  And don’t worry, she also gives the price of products along with a quick breakdown!

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To view the cheat sheet in a larger format, click on the link: Blonder Ambitions.com

Dress Your Best to Meet the Parents: Fashionable, Chic, and Classy

The holidays – like Thanksgiving –  are a stressful time for ladies who will be meeting their man’s parents for the first time.  You must find the perfect look to impress his mom and sisters — one that’s fashionable, chic and classy.

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STEP 1: DO YOUR RESEARCH

No one will be a better judge of the in-law’s judgment than your significant other. Ask him what his moms and sister’s fashion sense is. Check out Facebook photos from past holidays. If they look like East Coast Blue Bloods, dress conservative. If they’re total ex-Berkeley activists, try hippie chic and go vintage.

STEP 2: PACK FOR EVERY OCCASION
Bring one flowery dinner outfit, one semi-sexy outfit for a night on the town with your guy, and one laid back combo for that Sunday morning stroll with his mom. Tiny skirts are best left at home – because you don’t want them to think you’re Miley’s doppelganger – and don’t channel Lady Gaga with uncomfortable fashion ensembles that will just make Granny give you side eye.

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STEP 3: BRING THE WHOLE KIT & KABOODLE
Pack tons of great accessories, especially a statement necklace to glam up any normal outfit. Stella & Dot pieces, for example, can enrich any holiday outfit.

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STEP 4: CHECK IN WITH YOUR FRIENDS
We know you can’t bring your fashionable friends that weekend to help you find your perfect outfit. But you can send them your fashion selfies and ask them for advice. Postelio is the perfect app to quickly and discreetly ask your friends for fashion advice.

About Postelio

Founded in 2012, Postelio (www.postelio.com) allows you to quickly ask friends and family for opinions on the items you like while out making purchases – all through your phone. You can also check out what is trending around you, follow your favorite stores, get top deals, and even earn points that you can redeem for cash or rewards. The platform enables you to quickly reach key friends and family at shopping decision-making times and fashion emergencies. While shopping at our retail partners, you receive deals as you visit the store, helping shopper get great deals, and helping  retailers. Postelio’s first iPhone app was launched in August 2013 and the android app was launched in October 2013.

Christina Aguilera at the AMA Awards: Red Carpet How-To from Stylist David Babaii

The 41st Annual American Music Awards aired yesterday and Christina Aguilera stole the show the moment she stepped out on the red carpet, and again shortly after she took the stage for her moving performance. From head to toe, Christina was the epitome of timeless beauty on the red carpet in a Maria Lucia Hohan crisp white satin gown with a side slit and diamond-shaped side cut-outs at the waist, Christian Louboutin shoes, a Jimmy Choo bag, Lorraine Schwartz jewels, and flawless makeup. Christina’s look was highlighted by smooth, voluminous curls courtesy of celebrity stylist, David Babaii.

Christina Aguilera

Come her emotionally charged performance, Say Something, with A Great Big World, David styled the songstress’ hair perfectly, with an on-trend bun and braided headband. To achieve her look, David explained you need to start with damp hair and blow it out straight with a sleek center part. Then, he took a significant amount of hair at the nape of the neck and braided it tightly, bringing it up and over the head. He secured it with bobby pins and took the rest of Christina’s hair and put it in a low bun, spritzing it with a styling spray to ensure everything stayed in place during her performance.

For fans of The Voice, this style may look familiar. Well known for her platinum locks and refined style, Christina recently took to her red chair rocking a similar ‘do.

When asked what he suggests for those trying to achieve Christina’s look at home, David mentioned “I recommend Christina and whoever else wants luscious thick hair start taking Viviscal because it makes a big difference and helps achieve luscious, thick, beautiful hair.” While he also said Christina’s tresses are gorgeous, not all of us are blessed with that naturally. Viviscal is perfect for anyone who is looking to get thicker, fuller, healthier hair. David takes Viviscal himself and mentioned he strongly believes “good hair comes from within.”

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Gift Giving Ideas: Tis’ the Season for Holiday Shopping

Tis’ the season for Holiday shopping.  It’s that time of the year and this is the perfect opportunity to post a gift giving guide for fashionistas.

Hopefully, we can redeem ourselves from that set of candles we gifted our co-workers last year.  Below, I have provided a few chic gift giving ideas that won’t have you feeling “naughty instead of nice!”

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Statement Sweater
 

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Mini Jambox Bluetooth

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Nail Polish Kits

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Statement Necklace

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Men’s Slip on Sneakers

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Cuff Bracelet

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Leather T Shirt

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Embroidered Yoga Mat

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Perfume Sets

photos are from Pinterest.com

Burberry Prorsum Fall 2013: We’ve Fallen In Love

Burberry has revamped their orignal print to a fun array of hearts galor!  The brand that was once known for it’s sophisticated plaid print has made us “fall in love” with their Prorsum Fall 2013 Heart Collection.

From handbags to blouses, this print looks great with everything and compliments everyone.  Personally, I like to see stylistas mix the print for a more daring look.  With the use of miniature hearts, this was the perfect way to refresh one of America’s favorite brands.

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Photos are taken from Pinterest.com

Beauty Box 5: Beauty Sampling Program, Regimen, and Products Review

Beauty Box 5 is a beauty sampling program where subscribers receive new products in the mail on a monthly basis.  Luckliy, I participate in one of their blogger programs and to my excitement received my first “beauty box” two weeks ago.  Of course, when you receive the products in the mail, you are eager to see if they work with your individual regimen.

In my first subscription box, I was given Aveeno Positively Nourishing Body Wash, Montagne Jeunesse Glacial Cooling Face Mask, Secret Clinical Strenght Antiperspirant & Deodorant, Body Drench Lip Drench, and Bellapierre Cosmetics Shimmer Powder.  Honestly, I have to admit that I love all of the products (and not saying this because I am affiliated with their program!)

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Beauty Box 5 does not send (only) a box of cosmetics but practical products that we want to purchase from our local drug store but not sure if we will like the actual product.

For example, we are now in the winter months and my lips are dry.  I was able to use the Body Drench Lip Drench daily to keep my lips moisturized.  The Aveeno Calming Body Wash is gentle on my skin because (again) we have harsh weather but I also suffer from eczema and having a reliable body wash is a plus for me.

And how many times have we wanted to change our deodorant but hesitant because we’re not sure if it will work with our body chemistry.  I received Secret Clinical Strength Antiperspirant & Deodorant with my box and it was not the size of an ordinary sample.  This was a decent size product and smells really great as well.

If you’re searching for an affordable beauty program with a variety of products, I suggest subscribing to Beauty Box 5 and start changing your beauty regimen with better products.

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Birthday Celebration Recap: Brunch, Tattoos, and The Best Man Holiday

I had the opportunity to celebrate my birthday on Sunday, November 17, 2013.  Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I had a dull birthday.  From my 30th birthday party at Pazo Lounge to the year we had champagne and cake with friends, my birthday has been a day to remember for a long time.  So this year was no exception and we charged into the day with full force!

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Everyone knows that I love a good brunch and since my special day was on Sunday, having a delicious brunch was the perfect start to my day.  We ate at Miss Shirly’s Cafe because this is my favorite brunch spot in the Inner Harbor.  The menu at Miss Shirly’s has a southern flair and has become a new tradition in our family (we also eat there on Christmas Eve.)  I ordered a “Miss Mimosa” to drink along with a Maryland Omelet and Apple – Smoked Bacon on the side. 

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white peplum blouse from shop.stylelifefashion.com | black pumps are christian louboutin | fur vest from local boutique | sunglasses gucci

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From there we left Miss Shirly’s Cafe and I decided to face my fear of needles by getting a butterfly tattoo on my upper back.  I wanted something attractive that will show off my shoulders during the summer months. We decided to have it done at The Baltimore Tattoo Museum which is a very artistic, cool place.  I channeled my inner strength and survived my first (and last) tattoo.  I will share photos once the “butterfly” has healed.

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walking around  and admiring the art at The Baltimore Tattoo Museum

After laughing and exchanging stories, the adventure continued with us having Margarita’s at a local Mexican restaurant.  I love Mexican cuisine, so it was the perfect place to grab a quick dinner.

The evening ended with us watching The Best Man Holiday which is one of our favorite movies (amongst our friends.) We have watched the first movie a million times, so we were very excited to view the sequel.  The Best Man Holiday delivered everything that I had anticipated!  The plot was rich with drama, characters reminded me of old friends, and the setting was absolutely beautiful.

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Honestly, I’ve had really great birthday celebrations but this year was EPIC!  I can’t imagine what we will do next year…maybe ride a motorcycle across the country or something!

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BC Fibre Force Spray Conditioner: Megan Fox Hair Transformation

Megan Fox had a serious case of chemical damage and thermal stress and ONLY products that were able to cure her hair havoc was BC Fibre Force. Below Schwarzkopf Brand Ambassador Amber Dawn dishes on the tress transformation and the NEW haircare collection that Fox now swears by.

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Red Dress and Fashionable Accessories for Holiday Season

Every girl needs a red dress to wear, not just for the holiday season (so that we can look smashing) but also for a dinner date on Valentines Day.  As women, we are reluctante to wear the color red because it’s such a bold hue.  But most importantly, we like to purchase and wear items that accentuate our figure.

The dress below compliments my curves (after having two boys) and my skin tone.  I wanted to give a special touch to the look by adding accessories and wearing a pair of gold chain ankle bracelets.

To find this dress and ankle bracelets click right here: Shop.StyleLifeFashion.com

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Girls Night Out Tips with Jamie Krell

Girls Night Out has been a long time tradition amongst women.  We love the idea of dressing up, planning the night (or what we like to call pre-gaming) and connecting with our friends over a great cocktail or movie.  But to make sure your night doesn’t leave everyone with a case of the “blahs” we have beauty expert Jamie Krell sharing tips for a memorable Girls Night Out.

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photo taken from pinterest

Jamie discusses tips with us on how to create a signature drink, fashion, and even Instagram pics.  This is an interview for any savy girl that likes to spend quality time with her girlfriends!  Take a look at the video below:

Jamie Krell’s Bio

Jamie Krell began her career in the fashion and beauty world working with the costume designer of NBC’s Friends. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The University of Arizona and continued to study fashion design and illustration in London, England.

After gaining invaluable design and styling experience, Jamie began working with E! Entertainment and the Style Network. While at E!, Jamie learned all facets of production and held a variety of positions. Ultimately, she became a producer responsible for booking and producing segments featuring: A-list celebrity stylists, high-profile designers, clothing boutiques, salons, makeup artists, hairstylists, spas and more. Through her television work, Jamie developed strong and lasting relationships with the most elite names in the beauty and fashion industry.

After five years of living in Los Angeles and working in production, Jamie moved to New York City to spearhead a TV division for a major beauty and fashion PR firm. Jamie served as Broadcast Director at the firm for three years, gaining expertise in the field from a different perspective.

Jamie currently travels the country, sharing her style and beauty knowledge with viewers in cities nationwide. She has appeared on: The TODAY Show, The View, The Talk, The CBS Early Show, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, Access Hollywood Live, EXTRA, E! News, E!’s Live Countdown to the Red Carpet, Fox & Friends, ShopNBC, TV Guide, Style Network, msn.com, Better TV, Lifetime, Movie and a Makeover and morning news programs in all major markets on NBC, FOX, ABC, CW and CBS.

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based upon this photo, I’ve decided to wear a tutu for my birthday this weekend