Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. I’m on my way to Dallas as we speak and then on to Denver after that – both for work. I’m getting pretty good at this whole pack 6 outfits into one teeny tiny suitcase thing, let me tell you. Before January’s barely begun, I’ll have touched down in Houston, Chicago, LA, San Jose, San Francisco, Charleston and Orlando!
All this travel means I’ve had to get super-organized around the time I’ll be at my actual home – especially around the holidays. There’s a lot of pressure on women to make the holidays special and magical for their families (even when you don’t have kids), all while looking like a million bucks and planning the perfect parties and gifts. Where the heck do you start?
Well, to be perfectly selfish about it, I start with myself.
Looking my best helps me feel on top of everything else in my life, so I make sure I’ve got my Thanksgiving outfit ideas nailed down. Thanksgiving is one of those holidays where you want to look relaxed, feminine, stylish and seasonal – all at once. Tall order, hunh?! Nope! Here’s my recommended uniform – a comfy midi skirt in one of fall’s jewel tones and a cozy sweater with one of this season’s fun accents (like ruffles – love me some ruffles – the more the merrier). Ladies, if you’ve got the same style goals as me, then there is nothing more comfortable than this get up. And if you live in Georgia where it just now barely turned fall this weekend, then these items are all over the sale racks because stores are already thinking about next season’s product – no joke. In fact, I got this J.Crew top and Anthropologie skirt for under $100 combined! Pair with some colorful suede booties (mine are from Aldo but sold out, so I linked a similar Aldo pair!), some OTK boots, or even a snazzy pair of pointy-toed flats, and you’re golden – just like that t(of)urkey we’ll all be eating soon!
Next, I’ll focus on making sure I’ve got one killer activity in the bag that’s going to be a crowd-pleaser, no matter the guest and no matter the city. Afternoon tea at a fancy hotel is ALWAYS a winner. This past weekend, my bestie was in town and we went to The St. Regis here in Atlanta for afternoon tea. It was a blast. When we lived in Chicago, we used to go The Drake for holiday tea, and when I was in New York, The Peninsula, The Pierre and The Ritz had fabulous tea services. Whether you’re entertaining in your own city or exploring a new one, I recommend looking into this! Most hotels in major cities offer a holiday tea with the usual suspects like clotted cream, lemon curd, cucumber sandwiches and ALL the desserts. Plus, they’ll have holiday touches, flavors, and even Santa! And tea, of course! Go for the house blend wherever you go because it’ll be special to that place only. Don’t forget to dress up! That’s half the fun.
As for gifts? Stay tuned. I’m working on a few different types of gift guides this year – one for women, one for men, one for kids, and one for charitable gifts.
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