holiday shopping

Fall/winter 2013/2014 street style trend: monogram

 in General Fashion / Shopping  tagged fall 2013 / holiday gift ideas / holiday shopping / holidays 2013 / monogram / street style trends / winter 2014 by

monogram gifts fall 2013

Salt & Pepper Set / “D” necklace / iPhone case / Glass Plate / “A” necklace / Clutch

One of the biggest trends on the street right now is monogram. Fashionistas are monogramming everything from handbags to jewelry to sweaters. This personalization trend has not enjoyed such a bounce in popularity since SATC!

Monogrammed items fade in and out of style. Monogrammed sweaters were huge in the 50’s and 60’s, while the 1980’s enjoyed monogrammed necklaces and sweaters. Initials graced handbags and luggage in the 1980’s and 1990’s while “Sex and the City” gave new life to monogrammed necklaces in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. In 2004 the ultimate “IT” handbag was a color blocked shoulder bag with a single initial on the front. Since then, the monogram has faded towards the back of every Fashionistas closet; until now.

As we head towards winter 2014 and the holiday 2013 season, the monogram is huge. Not only are Fashionistas buying monogrammed items for themselves, monograms will be the hottest gifts to give, and receive, this upcoming holiday season. So, if your closet is lacking in the personalization department, this is the perfect time to pick up a monogram necklace, clutch or sweater. This is also the perfect time to start placing orders for personal, monogrammed holiday gifts! Love it!

I found a few fabulous items around the web you can personalize for yourself or that special someone this holiday season. Hope you love them! Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 😉

Shop the monogram trend:

C Wonder will open their first Silicon Valley store on November 1, 2013 at Santana Row!

 in Announcements / Bay Area Fashion / Events  tagged c wonder / holiday gift ideas / holiday shopping / holidays 2013 / local shops / santana row by

C. Wonder, the fabulous online gift shop which features amazing gift items, is opening a store right here in Silicon Valley! That’s right! C. Wonder is set to open a new store front at Santana Row on November 1, 2013. This is perfect timing for holiday shopping!

On November 1, 2013, C. Wonder will be celebrating their grand opening with everyone who stops in the new store! Here are a few fabulous things to look forward to on opening day at C. Wonder, Santana Row:

  • Mystery cards for the first 100 customers!
  • FREE gift with purchase of $40 or more! (I heard it is a really cute, limited edition tote bag!)
  • Wheel of wonder 12pm-5pm: One lucky customer get to spin the Wheel of Wonder for a chance to win C. Wonder products and VIP perks! Love it!
  • There will also be sweets, treats, beverages and much, much more!

C. Wonder has beautiful jewelry, home items and clothing which make special gifts for any occasion. I picked out a few of my favorite items from C. Wonder and assembled them into the shopping widget below. Look for these amazing gifts in store when you visit the new Santana Row location! Hope to see you there!

 

How To Survive Black Friday

 in General Fashion / Shopping  tagged black friday / holiday shopping / holidays 2010 by

How to survive Black Friday is a skill every Fashionista needs to master. Black Friday is one of the most popular shopping days of the year and generates large amounts of revenue for shops. Shoppers tend to go to the stores and malls on Black Friday for a variety of reasons ranging from sales, limited time discounts, family tradition, curiosity, nothing better to do; the list goes on. Whatever the reason is that we, as Fashionistas, flock to the mall the day after Thanksgiving, we need to survive by maintaining our energy and staying focused.

If you are a seasoned, day after Thanksgiving shopper, then this guide is mere entertainment for you. BUT, if you are venturing to the shops for the first time on Black Friday, this guide will help you stay fresh and focused for shopping success!

1) Wear a cross-body handbag. The last thing you need to fiddle with is a handbag while carrying ten shopping bags. Do not attempt to wear a fanny pack. Even if you have a Louis Vuitton fannypack, it is still a fashion don’t. Sell that thing on eBay and buy a decent cross-body bag!

2) Leave the 4″ Prada pumps at home. There is a good chance you will stand in multiple lines which are 30 minutes long. This is a time for heels that are no higher than 2″ tall. Or, better yet, wear a fabulous pair of Balenciaga ballet flats. Your feet will thank you 

3) Bring your own shopping bags. Let’s turn Black Friday into Green Friday. The reusable totes that we use at the grocery store can also be used at the mall. Take out the plastic bottom and fold them into your handbag. Then you can pull them out when you purchase something. The fabulous thing about the reusable totes is that the straps are long enough to wear on your shoulders; this frees up your hands for more shopping. Love it!

4) Keep a Pez dispenser in your handbag. Standing in line for 30 minutes in order to buy a $10 bobble head can make any Fashionista hungry, or worse, drop your blood sugar. Keep a cute little Pez dispenser in your purse for a quick sugar fix while you are stuck in line. If you do not own a Pez dispenser, they can be found at Target Stores. Any candy will work, but Pez dispenser’s are slim and easily fit into small spaces inside of a handbag, as well as the lipstick pocket that some handbags feature inside such as Chanel.

5) Buy something for yourself. While getting your Holiday shopping done is fine and dandy, you deserve a little somethin’ somethin’ for yourself. Treat yourself to a fabulous pair of Chanel rain boots, a Balenciaga Handbag or a Loro Piana wrap. Why not, you deserve it!

6) Arrive early, leave early. Arrive at the mall thirty minutes before the shops open. This way you can park close to the door and you will be there when the stores open. Treat yourself to a cup of coffee or cocoa while you wait for the shops to open their doors. Since most shoppers will arrive around 1pm, you will be done shopping and at home with your feet up by the time the shops get really crowded. Fabulous!

This is a great time of year to shop, so have fun while doing it! Happy shopping and stay fabulous.