Valentines Gift Guide: For Her

Valentine's Day is still 2 weeks away but it never hurt to plan ahead, especially when it comes to gift giving. Here's a list of a few things I wouldn't mind receiving this year...

// I am pretty much a sucker for any Voluspa candle and not only did I like scent of this one but also the pretty pink color. 

// I have yet to jump on the S'well bandwagon but thinking I may have to give in. I love this simple gold version.

// Starbucks giftcard... no explanation necessary. 

// This is the ultimate comfy bra and panty. If you have yet to try this brand, do so, you will not regret it!

// I love the delicate look of these pearl earings, perfect to dress up an outfit or to wear for night out. 

// One can never have too many sleep shorts. 

// These Karen Walker sunnies have been floating around the blog world for quiet some time. While they are pretty expensive, I have heard rave reviews and think they are stunning. 

// One of my all time favorite scents and a good go to for any occasion. 

Whats on your Valentines wish list?

Yours truly, 

Emily Ann 

Please & Thank You

Happy Thursday friends! Thank goodness today is my Friday and I will be off tomorrow and heading home for a long weekend back to Annapolis. I have been working since Saturday and have been totally thrown off this week due to working the past weekend. I can't wait to catch up on sleep this weekend and spend the weekend with friends and family cheering on the Pirates against Navy! Above are a few things that I am currently wanting, especially those boots... love love love. Hope everyone is having a great week! 

Yours truly, 

Emily Ann

Nordstrom Picks

Ever have one of those weeks where nothing seems to go the way you had planned? I am currently having one of those weeks, aka the reason for the silence around here. Last weekend I was in Philadelphia for my cousins wedding shower and got back in town on Monday. Since then it has been one thing after the next of stressful days, more car problems, and not feeling so great. The kicker is there is no time to recuperate or relax because this girl is heading right back up to Philadelphia this weekend for my grandmother's 90th... yes 2 weekends in a row. This morning I am heading to pick up a rental car and will be on the road home to Maryland this evening before it's back in the car Friday morning heading up north. While I can't wait to spend more time with my family up there, I can't help but feel a bit overwhelmed. I promise to do some catching up next week on life, Jackie's wedding shower, and the rest of my travels. However until then, let's talk about something a bit more exciting... The Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale. 

I am thinking any of the above items would cheer me up in no time. 

Yours truly, 

Emily Ann

Please & Thank You

Mildly obsessed with all the above. 

Yours truly, 

Emily Ann

My Favorite Christmas Gifts

Santa, aka my family was majorly good to me this year. It's only been a few weeks since Christmas but I have already put my gifts to good use and am loving them so far. Here's a few of the things that landed under my tree...

1. Ren Glycolic Radiance Mask: I've talked about this mask before on the blog but it truly is one of my favorite masks. I have very sensitive skin and was really hesitant to try something new, especially in the cold dryer months. I use this mask about twice a week and have absolutely loved the results. Not only does it not dry my skin out, it leaves it glowing and feeling soft. It's a bit more then I would spend on a typical facial mask but this one is worth it. 

2. Anastasia Contour Kit: Let me preface by saying that I am no makeup pro and even the idea of contouring used to stress me out. However as someone who has an extremely round face, I learned early on that a good bronzer, blush, and highlight could give anyone cheek bones, as well as define the jaw line. I am still learning how to use this kit and the corresponding brushes but so far it has been great for adding depth and color to just the right places on my face. 

3. Kate Spade Ruby Earings: This was a total surprise from my mom that I was not expecting at all. Ruby is my birth stone and I thought these Ruby studs from my mom were so sweet and thoughtful. I've already worn them a handful of times, especially when I am needing a fun bit of color in my outfit.

4. Long Puffer Jacket by Laundry: I don't have the actual link for this one because I was unable to find mine online. The above picture is pretty close to what it looks like just a few little differences. I had been wanting a longer winter coat since last year and after wearing my mom's North Face one a few times, I decided it was time to get my own. With temps in the teens this week I can tell you it is getting a lot of wear!

5. 3 Day Bender 1.25 Curling Iron: While I can't say I have used this a ton yet, I can say that the few times I have used it my curls have turned out perfect and seemed to last longer. Before Christmas I made the decision to chop a good 4-5 inches off my hair and since have been struggling with ways to style it. One of my favorite looks has been to do a rough blow dry with lots of volume product and add in loose big waves using the curling iron.

6. Fresh Sake Perfume: This is my second bottle of this perfume and while I normally like trying new scents, I couldn't resist making this one of my signature scents. This perfume has a much different smell then most on the shelf and while I can't exactly describe it, I can say that it has undertones of musk, vanilla, and lilly. If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly suggest you do so, it's very light and has become my favorite for everyday wear.

7. What could make a girl happier then a Starbucks giftcard? I got a few of these over the Holidays and loving the extra treat throughout the week! My got to beverage these days is a tall latte with an extra shot of espresso, finished with a dash of cinnamon... perfection.

What were some of your favorite gifts?

Yours truly,
Emily Ann

My Favorite Things- Christmas Wish-list

Happy Tuesday friends! Before I talk about my Christmas Wish-list, I have to mention this past weekend and how amazing it was. I have become horrible about documenting my weekends but truth be told I don't mind it. There's something nice about not paying attention to your phone or worrying about taking enough pictures, simply because your enjoying the moment. 

Friday night I didn't get out of work until late and was so tired I knew it would be an early night. On my way home I stopped and got a personal pizza from Whole Foods and a bottle of wine. I caught up on Greys and Scandal from the night before and was asleep by 10... totally OK in my book. 

Saturday morning I hit the gym for Muscle Pump then ran a few errands and did some cleaning around the house. That afternoon I headed to my friend, Mackenzie's house for some relaxing before a fun girls night out. Mackenzie is my little in my sorority and I am so thankful we are finally living in the same area. Saturday night we headed out for a fun dinner at Sushi Blues and then grabbed a few yummy cocktails at Clockwork. We had such a fun night catching up and enjoying each other's company, it was just what the doctor ordered after a stressful week at work! 

Sunday we continued our girls fun and headed to the mall for a little shopping. We spent nearly forever in Sephora, both being makeup junkies and walked out with some fun new makeup. Next we hit a few more stops before grabbing a late lunch. The rest of Sunday was spent cleaning around the house and getting ready for the week. Like I said... a wonderful weekend!

Now onto my Christmas Wish-list! 

This year I am so anxious to get home for the Holidays and spend time with my family. I normally have a few things in my that I want to ask for but this year I really had to think and do some research. I pulled a few things together and this is what I was able to come up with...

My Favorite Things- Christmas Wish-list by ead0724 featuring gold wristwatches

(One) Nars Cheek Set- Lately I am all about contouring and learning the art of what products to use and wear. I absolutely love Nars and currently use their blush and bronzer. This would be a great product to add to my collection to play a bit more with highlighting and definition. 

(Two) Paige "Huxton" Skinny Jeans- Paige is one of my favorite brands of jeans, they are soft but structured and don't need to be washed after every wear due to stretching out. I am a bit picky when it comes to my jeans and prefer them higher waisted, as well as super tight throughout the leg. 

(Three) Sultra The Bombshell Curling Iron- A friend of my mine has this wand and I can't wait to have it as well. It gives the perfect large barrel curls and looks so natural. I also think that using this wand holds better then using a regular clamp curling iron. 

(Four) Tory Burch Caroline Patent Ballet Flat- Call me absolutely insane but I do not own one pair of Tory Burch flats. I also bought a pair a few months ago during one of the Tory Burch sales but for the life of me could not decide which pair I wanted. I've decided on this pair and couldn't love them more, they go with nearly everything and actually look comfortable. 

(Five) Sam Edelman Penny Boot in Black- When it comes to riding boots, I have always stuck to a brown or cognac color. Black boots have never looked quite right on me until I tried this pair. My favorite thing about these boots is how plain and simple they are, nothing too extravagant, just a basic black boot with button detail. 

(Six) Kate Spade Gramercy Grand Watch- My gold watch broke a few months ago and I still can't believe I haven't given in and bought another one. I love this watch and think its incredibly elegant with the pearl background detail. 

(Seven) Steve Madden Galleryy Pump- Probably one of the things I need most on this list are these nude pumps. They are perfect and would go with so much and are just tall enough without making me nervous I would fall over. Also a steal right now at under $50!

(Eight) GiGi New York Uber Clutch- I have admired these beautiful clutches from afar for far too long now. I love this deep magenta color and would definitely add a gold monogram in the center for an added touch. 

What's on your Christmas wish-list?

Yours truly,

Emily Ann

Let's Talk Handbags

Handbags  are one of those accessories that you just can't live without. They can make your outfit, add a little something extra, and bonus allow you to carry everything you need for the day or night. When shopping handbags are always the one thing you can count on, they won't be too tight or too long or need a zipper adjustment. They are perfect just the way they are, waiting for you to pick them out and style them accordingly. 

When it comes to myself and handbags, I am definitely a tote girl and tend to keep way too much in my everyday bag. People at work joke that it resembles Mary Poppin's bag in the sense that if you need something, I generally will have it. When it comes to going out at night however, I am just the opposite and prefer just to carry a clutch with the basics. 

Let's Talk Handbags by ead0724 featuring Lilly Pulitzer

Ever since I saw a Goyard bag on Pinterest a few years ago I have been completely smitten. I love the material they are made out of and their chic pattern. While I don't currently own one, I thought it would be fun to pretend I did and fill it with what I do own in my real bag. One of my favorite accessories is my Hobo wallet, a gift from my best friend a years ago for my birthday. I absolutely love it and sometimes will just go out with that and nothing else due to the fact that its large enough to fit my phone and keys in the side pockets. I'm also someone that has to have their planners on them all times. It's filled with important dates, reminders, addresses, to do lists, and I'm pretty sure I would feel lost without it. Other basics include my phone (iphone 5c), charger, Kind bar (or almonds), sunnies, and Burts Bees (my favorite chapstick.) On any given day you could also find a number of things include Advil, water bottle, tide pen, or random receipts.

Nights out are much simpler and call for a clutch, card/money holder, lipstick, and external phone charger. When I'm out with friends the last thing I want to do is carry around a big purse or worry about my phone dying. The GiGi Uber clutch is perfect in that its small enough to fit under your arm but large enough to fit what you need for the night. Bonus that they have sales all the time and you can include your monogram.

Ruelala currently has a great handbag guide that you can check out here. This would be great to check out before you head out on your next shopping trip to see exactly what kind of handbag you are looking for for various occasions. I definitely tend to be a "tote" kind of girl but loved all the different looks featured on the guide.

Of course I couldn't be on Ruelala without checkout out the current deals and to my luck found a few great Kate Spade and Coach bags ! Head on over to Ruelala to check out the currently deals and steals!

What type of handbag do you prefer?

Yours truly,
Emily Ann

Shopbop Picks

Shopbop Picks by ead0724 featuring Kate Spade

It's no secret that Shopbop is currently having one of their biggest sales and offering 25% off. This is a great time to invest in great pieces but for a less expensive price then normal. I noticed when I was perusing the site I was drawn to neutral and fall colors, especially this cozy sweater from Splendid. I'm also not normally one to rush through Holidays but with Christmas approaching, it's a great time to get gifts for friends and family! 

Happy Shopping!

Yours truly, 

Emily Ann