Happy Thanksgiving!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with their loved ones. I had the BEST Thanksgiving ever with my family. My Uncle Peter surprised us by coming all the way from Poland yesterday! It's been 3 years since he's been here and we all have missed him so much. It was a priceless moment when he walked into my aunt and uncle's house and said, "Happy Thanksgiving!" Nothing could beat a family reunion. 

Today, I worked my first Black Friday and it was not as crazy as I thought it would be. I made some good sales and met some new and current clients. It was a fun day! Hope some of you got some great deals if you made it through Black Friday. I am thankful that I have such a great family, friends and a job that I love. I hope everyone enjoys the start of the holiday season. Did you start  decorating for Christmas yet?

Love,

Olivia <3

Sylvia, Robert, Krzysiu and I welcoming our Unlce Peter!

A very Happy Thanksgiving, indeed :)

Christmas Tree at Fashion Outlets of Chicago

Cozy Cardigan

I recently received a mini Loft catalog for the holidays. I found this beautiful cardigan sweater made from alpaca and lamb wool. The beige color would go with so much and I feel this sweater would be perfect for layering. I always seem to have a go-to cardigan and this could be a possible "go-to" for me. The snow is falling and it's time to dress up extra warm. What's your "go-to" item right now?

Love, 

Olivia <3

Cozy Cardigan in "Sandy Pearl"

Shop Le Monde

Today, a German fashion blogger stopped by my store today. She took some pictures of the store and we exchanged blogs. Her name is Mehrnaz and her blog is Shop Le Monde. You should definitely check out her blog for some fashion and beauty inspirations.  She took a trip to Chicago for a few days and I hope some picture from Herve Leger will end up on her blog. From one blogger to another, for the love of fashion!

Love,
Olivia <3

Mehranz from Shop Le Monde. (I love her style!)

Elle: Ballet-Looks

I tore off this inspirational spread from my Elle magazine. I love ballet-inspired clothing like flats, tulle, pastel pinks and bows. This page has all the things I love; feminine and fun at the same time! I tear out pages from magazines that I put in my fashion book, wall and door. That is one reason I keep on subscribing to fashion magazines, although I do feel that magazines are becoming less popular these days. Do you still read/subscribe to magazines?

Love,
Olivia <3

Christmas Peak

Is it too early to listen to Christmas music? I may or may not have already started. Maybe it's because we have decorations and Christmas music at work. Maybe it's because we started decorating early at my house. Or maybe it's because I have been watching old Christmas videos at my grandparents' house. Whatever it is, I am really excited. :) The Daley Plaza will be hosting it's 100th Anniversary Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on November 26. The Joffrey Ballet and Elf the Musical will perform. That is also when the Christkindlemarket will open! This year has really flown by, but I am happy it's getting close to the best time of the year. 

Love,

Olivia <3

My sister and I, Christmas 1993

My first Christmas ornament :)

Our Polish ornament

Music from one of my favorite Christmas movies.

Kate Spade

I keep on finding amazing pieces at Kate Spade. Pastels, bows and sparkles(oh my!); all of my favorite things. Too bad I have expensive taste! I cannot wait until these items go on sale. Otherwise, I have been very good this year, Santa Claus. ;) 

Love,

Olivia <3

Maraschino Coat with my favorite Blush Beau Bag

Blush Coat

Glitter Heel

Ready for Black Friday

Are you a Black Friday shopper? I sure am, but this year I will be working Black Friday instead of scoring some deals. I think the concept of Black Friday should be more for fun shopping than the pressure of finding items you "need" to buy. Every year I go shopping with my cousin, Natalia, and we always find some good Christmas gifts to start off the holiday shopping. In 2011, we shopped for 8 hours straight! This year, I plan on stopping by a few stores before or after work. I will be working from 5 a.m.-4 p.m. Hopefully I can score some good clients that day. ;) What are your plans for Thanksgiving and Black Friday?

Love,
Olivia <3

Having my holiday drink before Black Friday shopping, 2011

My Love For Bows

If you did not know, I have quite an obsession with bows. ;) I can honestly say it is my signature style. My sister  spotted some great bow pieces today from Fashiion On Fire. Thanks Sylvia! Check out the site if you are also a fan of bows. I found some favorite things for a good price. Merry "early" Christmas to me! What is your signature style?

Love,
Olivia<3

White Bow Back Dress, $58

Red Bow Shorts, $38

Red Lucky One Dress, $58

Throwback Thursday: Red Dress

This is a throwback of me wearing my favorite red dress at Christmas 2011. I purchased this dress at Express on Black Friday 2011. Red is a perfect color to wear for the holiday season. I wore it with silver chandelier earrings, black sheer tights with a sparkle back seam and my absolute favorite black pumps with a big sparkle bow in the back. This was one of my favorite Christmas outfits I had.

Here are similar options you can purchase now: Red Dress, Black Sheer Tights, Chandelier Earrings and Sparkle Heels. 

Love,

Olivia <3

Christmas 2011 Party 

A close-up of my black bow heels <3

Style Spotlight: Pastels

Here is a fabulous outfit I spotted on Instagram. This is model/DJ Harley Viera-Newton. I absolutely love her light blue winter coat. The style of it is laid-back, yet classy. The contrast of her blue coat with a pink bag and black underneath simply works for colder days that need a little boost of happiness. I am happy that pastel colors are in style this season, instead of only for spring. Lately, I've been loving pastel pieces at Kate Spade. What colors do you like to wear this time of year?

Love,
Olivia <3

Fashion Read

I am currently reading Secrets of a Fashion Therapist by Betty Halbreich. The author has been a personal shopper for thirty-plus years at New York City's Bergdorf Goodman. I love reading her style advice on building a wardrobe and communicating with her clients. One tip that I picked up so far was that "building a wardrobe is like decorating a home. You do not want to buy everything in one shopping spree and call it 'done.' Your wardrobe and home should evolve with your lifestyle and the things you love and make you happy." :)

Love,
Olivia <3

New lookout: winter coat

I am currently on the lookout for a new coat. I know I don't necessarily NEED one, but I would like one, instead. ;) I have always liked the pea coat and trench coat. Right now I love baby pink and I think that would make a great statement during cold, winter months. Here are some options that I like at the moment.

Love,
Olivia <3

 Betsey Johnson

Burberry Brit

The Outnet

Today I got a chance to check out The Outnet. The site is filled with amazing clothes and accessories from designer brands, including Herve Leger. :) I even found pieces that are currently in my store. I don't know why it took me so long to check out this site. You can score some great deals for outlet prices! I also got into Etsy. At the moment, I like their fashion illustrations and greeting cards. I think I might find some great, unique Christmas gifts on both sites. What fashion sites do you follow/recommend?

Love,
Olivia <3

My kind of heel :) 

"Nicholas Kirkwood" $430 from $1,195 @ The Outnet

Throwback Thursday: Going out during colder months

I used to love going out after a week of classes in college. Even if it got cold, I always found an outfit to wear. One outfit I loved to wear is a black skirt with boots and tights. Option 1: I tucked a white/black lace top into a black skirt with black sheer tights and heeled boots. Upon arrival to the party I wore a beige moto jacket. Option 2: I used the same combo for the bottom paired with a navy/burgundy top with sheer sleeves. Cold weather shouldn't stop you from having a fun night out.

Love, 

Olivia <3

Option 1: Top-Express; Skirt-Express; Tights-Express; Boots-Kohl's

Option 2: Top-Express; Skirt-Forever 21; Tights-Express; Boots-Kohl's

Baby It's Cold Outside

It really is getting cold outside. My best friend, Sabrina, and I ate Chinese food at P.F. Changs and shopped around Woodfield Mall. Sabrina bought two beautiful winter coats from Express and we both got scarves from H&M. We wore red lipstick and drank seasonal drinks from Starbucks. It was a much needed girls' day. I'm loving this time of year and the wait for the holidays. Have you purchased a new coat or tried a seasonal drink yet?

Love,

Olivia <3

Sabrina in her red coat

Me trying on a cute moto jacket (waiting for Black Friday)

Our holiday drinks (Gingerbread and Pumpkin Spice Latte) with our lip stains ;)

Stationery

Today I found a great stationery company: Dear Hancock Paper Goods. I have always loved personal stationery and this company caught my eye with their designs. A hand-written note can really make someone's day. "The Beauty Desk" is one of my favorite designs that I spotted. If you want to check our the site, they also have great greeting cards, especially for the holidays. :)

Love,

Olivia <3

"The Beauty Desk"

"Giant Snowball"

Things I am excited for :)

I can't believe it's already November. This year is going by so fast and it has been so eventful. I think it's been the best year so far! I'll post all my favorite things about this year later on. Here are a list of things I am excited for the rest of the year. What are you excited for?

Love,
Olivia <3

Things I am excited for:

 Thanksgiving

Christmas Decorating

Christmas Baking

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

Christkindlmarket

Ice Skating at Millennium Park

Run for Chocolate!

Today I woke up bright and early to run the Hot Chocolate 5K Race in Chicago with my sister, Sylvia and friend, Jodi. It was a beautiful fall day to run and with the time change, we got an extra hour of sleep. ;) The race supplied us with a fleece sweater to run in. After the race, we got hot chocolate with bananas, marshmallows and treats to dip into chocolate fondue. YUM! I love running 5K races, even if it's a little cold outside. Can't wait for the next 5K! :)

Love,
Olivia <3

Jodi, Sylvia and I after the race.

Hot chocolate with treats for fondue

Sylvia and Jodi showing their chocolate mugs.

BCBG Outfit

Here are one of the outfits I got from BCBG. I absolutely love the top, especially the lower back opening. The side flaps make me feel like Super Woman. ;) The pants are a dressy legging with side zippers and are a fun change from regular black dress pants. Black heels complete the look with some earrings and a bracelet. Simple, yet chic for work!

Love,
Olivia <3

Halloween Recap

I had a blast on Halloween Night! I visited NIU to celebrate with my friends and bumped into a lot of people I haven't seen in awhile. My Krewella costume was a success! There were a lot of unique costumes this year such as Cruella DeVil, Forest Gump, Beer Pong and Loofahs. I love when people embrace their creativity through what they wear. Here are some pictures from the night. :)

Love,
Olivia <3

The "Krewellas" of the night!

Krewella, Cruella DeVil and Sexy Cop.

A pumpkin princess!

Aliesha as "Kitty" and I as "Krewella"