YSL Kate Bag Review to guide you if you are thinking of getting this purse. I’ve had this bag in my cart for a long time and finally I gave in bought it while we were in L.A. This marks my second YSL bag to date and I cannot be happier as it was all worth it!
It took me a while to get it as it is not in my budget then, second I was contemplating if I can wear it only on formal occasions and thirdly is what color do I really want. So here are my thoughts on this purse.
It is 100% calf skin leather meaning it is durable
It is also made of metal free tanned leather basically means it doesn’t stain. This is what I love about the material.
Measurement: 24 X 14.5 X 5.5 cm / 9.4 X 5.7 X 2.1 inches so there is plenty of space for your essentials. As you can see from the photo below. I can fit my big wallet, Iphone 13 pro max and a lipstick in there.
Love the magnetic closure
The shoulder strap drops at almost 19 inches
adore the gold tone metal making it look elegant
What I love about this purse is its versatility, you can wear it with casual and elegant outfits.
The price is justified with its quality and the color is just perfect t to wear with anything! I love this vs the YSL Kate Bag Small because of the size. I must say this is worth the price!
It’s a new season meaning it is Spring cleaning time! But how to let go of old clothes? There are several reasons why we need to let go of them. Here are some of the why?
Decluttering
In just a year’s time, we can accumulate a lot of things in our closet, especially if you live in a 4 season area where you have to change the type of clothing 4 times a year. This is the time to declutter and make space for new ones. You deserve to have space in your closet to store your high-end items and keep them in good condition, and stay organized throughout the year.
If they don’t fit anymore
Easy for me to say, I am also into the notion that if they don’t fit anymore I will have to keep them because I know I will get back to my old size. But how do you get to enjoy the now if you keep on holding on the old ones that don’t fit? If you hold onto clothes that don’t fit, they are just taking up useful space. If you lose weight or gain weight, it’s ok. Just adapt your wardrobe by first getting rid of the pieces of clothing that no longer fit. Then, invest in new high-quality longer wear pieces.
They don’t suit your current style
Going through my closet, I realized that my style is evolving, the outfits I used to wear then don’t suit me anymore and I have to let them go. If it is not sentimental clothing, I am learning to let go and allow my style to take a new course.
There are also a lot of reasons why people find it hard to let go of things. But let me tell you about the benefits of letting go of old clothes and how it can make you feel like a new person, how you’ll end up with a cleaner and tidier closet.
How To Get Rid of Old Clothes
Here are the tips to get started:
1. Take everything out and identify wardrobe staples.
Let go of the items you no longer need. If there is something you immediately know that you only wore once and never want to wear it again, or that you never ever wear anymore, go ahead and let it go.
But, make sure to not let go of those staples like a white button-up shirt, white T-shirt, tank top, denim jacket, trench coat, denim jeans, ballet flats, blazer, classic pumps, and classic handbags. Basically all the classics that you can wear over time. In the next posts, I can discuss more about making a capsule wardrobe.
2. Stop making piles of clothes, you will probably realize that some of your items still even have a tag on them.
Leaving piles of them in your closet will surely keep a messy mind. It always gets me that way. That is also one reason I always try to reorganize my closet so I can see which one I need to donate, sell and give away to some of my family and friends that I know might like them. Organize the clothes in your closet. Trust me, it will feel great.
3. If they don’t fit anymore, that is also about time to let go of them!
This honestly not the case for me as I maintain my weight pretty well. This goes for my kids’ clothes though as they grow up so fast. For them specially for my toddler. Most of the time they only wear clothes a few times and they outgrow it. I usually put them aside and give it to some friends or co-workers who just had a baby. This prevents clothes cluttering up my children’s closets as well.
4. Visualizing the end result
Just by thinking how your closet will look and being more organized, believe me, it will start to also clear your mind and decrease stress in your environment. Also think about what you’d like the end result of your wardrobe to be. What style are you going for? What is your vibe? This will help you better organize every single piece of your wardrobe.
5. Feeling good about donating?
There is no need to feel guilty about cleaning out your closet and getting organized. You are helping the environment, and helping other people in need too. P
lus when going through all your clothes, you will realize all the clothes you actually have. Maybe even ones you forgot about. And now that you know what you actually in your wardrobe, you can stop wasting money on items you already have. Just remember only keep the basics and the items you wear.
6. You can make extra money by selling some of the gently used items on apps like eBay or Poshmark.
Don’t let anyone tell you that selling clothes online doesn’t work. I have done this many times, you can also follow my poshmarkto see what I sell there. That will also give you extra bucks to buy new items. YAY!
I hope I was able to give you all the good reasons as to how to clean your closet and let go of old clothes.
Hello everyone! And welcome back. Today, I am reminiscing about my family trip to Ocean City, Maryland. We loved our trip so much a couple of years back, we will definitely be visiting again.
There are so many things I love to share to all of you about our family trip to Ocean City, Maryland. We have not been here in like 4 years and here was the post from 4 years ago. For everyone asking on my Instagram, we stayed in this newly opened Aloft Ocean City. The whole family really enjoyed and I know you will too because of all of the reasons I will mention here….
By the way, if you are on the hunt for a cute vacation outfit, see the outfit I wore above. It was very simple, but very comfortable and flattering. I especially love the hat to protect my face and eyes. And the shoes were surprisingly comfortable for my pregnant feet.
9 REASONS TO STAY AT ALOFT OCEAN CITY
1. Accommodations.
The front desk is easy to find and you can ask them for anything! The rooms are very stylish and the interior is just superb, not just for adults but for everyone! Each room features bright white linens and black detailing for a very modern look. You will also find hints of yellow, orange, navy blue, pink, green, and so on in the rugs, couches, etc. The colors make for a very exciting stay.
The beds were super comfy, we got the 2 queen size bed with the Bay view. And I can not lie, the view was spectacular. They even have a Teepee tent for the kids and comes with disposable 3 in 1 toy to play with. How fun? Our everyday view in the balcony was so relaxing facing the waterfront seeing all those people jetskiing, parasailing, canoeing and paddle boarding.
2. Dogs stay free.
Aloft Ocean City graciously allows 1 pet per room with a max weight limit of 40 lbs. This is very convenient for solo travellers, couples, and even families that have a pet you would rather keep nearby. They even have food in the common areas for the dogs. How considerate?
We just didn’t take Mojo with us as we already have 2 kids to take care off. Lol! But, we will keep this in mind if we ever stay in this specific hotel again.
3. Dining.
They have 3 dining options, the Re-fuel open 24 hours and WXYZ Lounge open for dinner with bar and Liquid Therapy for the open bar in the outdoor pool area. Between the different menu’s there is always something different to try.
At the WXYZ Lounge, you will find a menu of American food. The dress code is casual and they have live music during the summer. The Re-fuel is full of grab & go meals, and other essentials you might require during your stay. Hit the Re-fuel on the way out on your busy day. Or, use the Re-fuel as a quick way to grab breakfast. A Liquid Therapy, you will also find American Food, as well as cocktails and other beverages, just by the pool this time.
So if you just wanna stay in and don’t go anywhere you are covered. You wouldn’t be hungry. The location of the hotel is close to other outside restaurants if you want to try something else.
Not many hotels even offer bike rentals, but Ocean City Aloft offers complimentary use of beach cruisers! Wow! They are available for use from 7am-8pm on weekdays and Sundays. We were unable to use this benefit because I wouldn’t be able to bike. But this is something we will surely do next time when we come back after having baby Andi.
5. Complimentary Water Taxi Ride to/from Seacrets Jamaica USA
If you enjoy drinking and/or partying at a bar, you can catch a free water taxi to and from Seacrets Jamaica USA. “A lively waterfront nightspot with several dance floors, tropical cocktails & Caribbean-inspired eats.” This is only weather permitting, of course.
6. Indoor and Outdoor Pool.
Ocean City Aloft offers both an indoor and outdoor pool option. This is really great in case you plan on visiting Maryland in the Fall or Winter. The indoor pools are good to use when it is chilly to swim outside like what happened to us on the second day. I know that my kids appreciated still being able to swim and play in the water. The outdoor pool has nice bar were you can order mocktails, cocktails and some sandwiches when you are hungry. Very convenient. It is by the bay and has the best Sunset view.
7. Activities.
Ocean City Aloft even has a game room where they have different board games and big sized Jenga and Connect 4. The kids loved playing here, and it was nice to not have to pack so many games and entertainment because it was built-in. They also have a billiards, which is very nice for adults who like to play as well. After all, it is vacation. They offer rentals for canoe and paddle boarding as well which we would have tried if I wasn’t pregnant.
I never got the chance to workout but my husband did. It is very nice when hotels have nice, clean gyms so that we don’t have to skip our workouts. Staying in our routine during travel is one way we burn off extra steam and stay feeling healthy throughout our vacations. Although chasing around other children is a workout in itself as well. Anyway, my husband said that in the gym at Aloft Ocean City, they own some of the coolest equipment to have, even state of the art equipment like the Peloton.
The beach is just 2 blocks walking distance from the hotel and can be seen from our floor. Very close and very doable, even while pregnant. The kids really enjoyed the beach as they were able to build sand castles and boogie board. At the beach there are a lot of water sports you can try like parasailing if you are adventurous.
When taking the children to the beach for the day, I recommend bringing some toys for building castles and playing. As well as some chairs, umbrellas, towels, plenty of sunscreen, and some ice cold drinks. Oh, and don’t forget the snacks. Snacks come in handy for everyone and ensure you can beat the heat, adults included.
Family-friendly activities in Ocean City, Maryland:
Old Pro Golf: A fun filled day of mini-golf in an expertly designed indoor course that features Prehistoric Dinosaur and Undersea Adventure. Check out the specials to get a deal on your day of fun.
Jolly Roger Amusement Park: An amusement park fit for the whole family. Attractions within the park include roller coasters, zip lines, swings, and GoKarts. Very fun!
Frontier Town Western Theme Park: This Western Theme Park is very cool and very fun. It was built in 1959 by Bill Pacey and Bill Paten. And it is meant to represent a replica of the old Western towns in the 1880s. Here, you just might come across some Western inspired dancing and even a play pretend bank robbery. As well as train rides, stagecoaches, pony riding and camping, and even a water park.
I hope I was able to give beautiful insights about our recent stay here. You can take my word for it.
Other than these nine reasons to visit Ocean City, Maryland, you can expect great and free wifi 24/7. This is true in the rooms, in the dining areas, in the arcades, and even by the pool. They also offer express check-in for those that need it, as well as conference rooms for businesses to hold meetings, parties, and conferences.
Aside from the restaurants located on-site and nearby the hotel, you can also order cooked-to-order breakfasts. So yummy and so fresh. Breakfast is available daily from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM for a fee. But when you smell how good the breakfast smells as you venture downstairs, you will want to try some for yourself for sure.
The nearest Airport is Salisbury Airport. It is a 30 mins drive away and unfortunately, Aloft Ocean City does not have a shuttle to and form the airport. But with such a short distance, an Uber should relatively inexpensive if you decide not to bring a car. They offer on site self-parking, as well as charging stations for electric vehicles.
If you have any more questions about Ocean City Aloft and our time there, drop them below!
Simply,
Christianne
Photos: Novel (my better half)
This post is in partnership with Aloft Ocean City. All opinions are my own.
Are you looking for a new spot to check out here in the DMV? I recommend you visit this amazing dine in spot: Sisters Thai Alexandria. It is Thai restaurant and also a good dessert place if you just wanna hang out and grab something sweet with your coffee.
Sister Thai Alexandria
Sister Thai Alexandria serves delicious food. In my opinion, Sister Thai Alexandria says it best on their website:
“At Sisters Thai Alexandria we offer meals of excellent quality and invite you to try our delicious food.
The key to our success is simple: providing quality consistent food that taste great every single time. We pride ourselves on serving our customers delicious genuine dishes like: Thai.”
I completely agree and my family does as well! Now that you know what to expect…
Here is my review of Sister Thai Alexandria:
I have tried this Banana strawberry crepe from the Mongolia Dessert Bar on site and oh it did not disappoint. Also this Rose tea latte, the latte I got looks good and very instagrammable but I did not like the taste of it.
Hubby got himself a regular milk tea latte and it is good. As you can see below it looks like you are in one of the cafe in Paris right? That is were you desserts come from, very instagrammable and the desserts are really good, the kids got a matcha ice cream. It is very big that our whole family was able to share.
Photo credit: The above 2 photos are from my friend Iris Lustan.
Now let’s talk about the Thai food.
The food is 5/5 rating for me, it tastes really good and the serving size is big, the presentation is perfect and also the price is very reasonable plus the ambiance and the friendly and helpful staff made our dining experience perfect.
We have not dined in in a while as a family and I am glad we took the kids here. As you can see in the picture they are having a blast. Look how cute the menu’s are? It looks like I am reading a newspaper here… And the bar they serve good cocktail. I got a Yuzy latte cocktail and it was perfect!
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We got the crab friend rice, spicy eggplant with beef, chicken festival fried rice, crispy fillet fish, fried chive dumplings and Thai iced tea. We had at least 4 to go boxes that we ate for lunch the next day. I felt that we had a feast. This is a perfect place for family dine in experience, on a date with someone special or with your friends if you just wanna hang out an catch up.
P.S. they just opened in November, 2020 so support small businesses. They really need it during this time. They do social distancing and have barriers on each table, every staff was wearing a mask and it is very clean if you are concern about the safety and health. Also I have been trying to check out new spots around town, in case you miss this one check it out. If you are looking for restaurants with igloo.
Christmas and New Year’s Eve are approaching quickly. They will both be here before we know it. This means you will probably be receiving all your holiday party invitations any day now. Or, maybe you are throwing your own party this year. Either way, you are going to need some outfit inspiration to get you through the holiday in style. And I am here to help!
This year, don’t sacrifice style because of your budget. Instead, check out my outfit collection below. Today, I’m sharing 4 Holiday Outfits from Amazon under $40 that look expensive. These glam styles for less will save you money for more gifts and keep you feeling cute and confident all season long.
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Look #1: Velvet Holiday Dress
This first look is very chic. I love wearing green during the Holidays and this velvet dress is a winner and is only $30, you can’t beat that! I just paired it with my old black suede pumps and really looks chic, can also be worn for Winter weddings, holiday work parties, and more. If you plan on spending time outside, even just between the car and the party, be sure to grab your long topcoat for warmth. Then don’t forget your silver jewelry and your favorite black handbag.
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Look #2: Faux Leather Pencil Skirt & Blouse
This second look is my favorite! It is really just so adorable and fit for almost any occasion. I have been eyeing some mesh sleeves tops. And these one from Amazon are so good, true to size and really elevates a look! I got 2 of them and here is the other one in black. I paired it with this $17 faux leather skirt also from Amazon and wore it with my old suede pumps. One of the best ways to make an outfit look more expensive is to play with textures. You can see I did that here with the suede pumps, leather skirt, and fabric shirt. They all work together to create a visually appealing ensemble.
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Look #3: Gold Sequin Dress
This is also glam and would be perfect ringing in the New Year’s, as the sparkles truly represent all the Holiday and New Year vibes. This dress is only $37, which again is a total steal. Because this dress is sleeveless, you will want to grab a style topcoat to keep warm. I recommend tan, white, or black to compliment the look. You may even want to add an additional layer of sheer black tights if you think it will be very cold.
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Look #4: Black Pants Holiday Outfit
Last but not the least is these velvet joggers that I truly adore. They are among my favorite pants because they allow me to maintain my comfort with scarifying my style. I haven’t worn any velvet joggers before but the quality of this one is very good! Being paired on a red sweater makes this look simply casual but chic at the same time. They also add an extra element of texture to the outfit that makes it look more expensive.
So now, here are more items you might wanna look at that are also under $40 dollars. All of these are winners and I hope that they inspire you to create an amazing holiday look this season. If one of these really sticks out to you, let me know in the comments below! And tell me your plans for this holiday season. I can’t wait to hear from you.
*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through any links*
Are you tired of wearing this cowl neck sweater every year with the same look? How about Adding more style to it? Yes please! Here are the 3 ways to style a cowl neck Sweater and is broken down into 3 looks below.
Ways To Style A Cowl Neck Sweater
What Is A Cowl Neck Sweater
If you are not sure what a cowl neck sweater is, it is really similar to a turtleneck except that the neck is much looser. Instead of being tight the neck drapes down to help form and accentuate the neckline. Cowl neck sweaters are a great way to show off your neckline and add a touch of skin to your outfit in the fall and winter months.
Although the cowl neck design is common among many types of clothing, you will most likely find the cowl neck detail on sweaters, sweater dresses, and knit tops. Since the neckline is very versatile on cowl neck sweaters, you can style them many different ways.
My favorite thing about cowl neck sweaters is their versatility. With so many ways to wear them, you can wear them again and again without feeling like your outfit is old or outdated. And every time, the outfit will look completely new.
Tips for Styling Cowl Neck Sweaters
When you are deciding which way to wear your cowl neck sweater, here are some things to think about. Where are you going? If you are going to a business / work party, consider look 1. But if you are going for something a little more sexy, go for look 2.
Also consider the weather. If it is very cold outside and you want to keep your neck warm, go with look 1 or look 3 where less of your upper chest and shoulders are exposed. This is also a great way to avoid compromising the style of your outfit with a scarf. Instead, just pull your cowl neck up to keep you warm. (Unless it is too cold.)
Lastly, consider what you will be doing. If you will be running errands, carrying groceries, picking up children, etc. you may want to go for a cowl neck look like look 1 because you will not have a problem keeping the cowl neck in place. Whereas wearing your sweater like in look 2 could be harder because when you move your arms more it will be harder to keep the cowl neck in place around your shoulders.
This is very easy as you just have to pull the neck part in the middle and just form an oval shape if you would like. It is the very common or what we call the traditional style you will see.
Look 2
This one is the trendiest of them all as is the off the shoulder trend. You just have to pull them down to both sides and you can pull it as low as you can depending on how much shoulder you would love to show. This is the current trend I have been loving so much!!!
Look 3
In this look, I must say it is the partial off shoulder look as you only have to pull down one side all the way as far as you can and just leave the other side pulled a little bit making this style like it is one shoulder style.
I have been loving sweaters in this shade of colors during this season as it is very easy to pair with anything especially with anything neutral. All of my outfits here are old and I just linked all items that are similar to them below.
Being an amazon influencer, I have been sharing a lot of my amazon finds across my social media platforms. Here are my top November Amazon Best Sellers. I believe they all are great gift ideas as well. I forgot to add the Iwalk portable iPhone chargerhere.
Fashion
Home
These are the items a lot of my amazon followers love and use the most of last month. Up to this month the hand warmers, the tile locators and the echo family are still making a lot of sales, they are all great gift ideas, I must say they are thoughtful and practical gifts!
How to plan a holiday party is one of the question that you might be having now. Holiday season is coming and Thanksgiving is just a few days away and then goes Christmas and New Year’s eve. Hosting a party is a great way to bring families and friends together. It can also be overwhelming. So I will be sharing some practical and realistic tips on how to plan a great Holiday Party.
How To Plan A Holiday Party
Setting the Date.
You have to choose a date that works best for everyone. Make sure to ask a poll on everybody’s availabilities to make sure your family and friends will be able to attend.
Also setting a budget
Make sure that you have a set budget and stick to it, as inflation is the current dilemma of a lot of people right now. Setting up a budget that won’t break a bank and that will better serve everyone is a must. Don’t stress yourself too much here. The most important part of a Holiday party is not how high your budget is but how everyone is getting along and merry!
Choosing a theme
For this coming Christmas party, my friends and I already came up with a theme. We agreed to dress up in something velvet. This brings some excitement to the upcoming party.
Making Guest list
If you are planning a big party then you might need to make sure to jot down everyone you are planning to invite. If it is just a small list you might just need to send everyone evite. Or what my family and friends do is do an invite on Facebook since most of us are on there and call or text the ones who are not on social media.
Finding a Venue
This shouldn’t be hard if you have a space in your house to host, or if one of your family or friends already volunteered their place. If you plan to do it on an event place or maybe a hotel ballroom, you have to make sure to book the place in advance to make sure you get the place you really wanted that works for everyone.
As for the food
You can create a menu and you can have it catered or if you have enough help you can cook and designate some tasks to some of your family and friends. Or what we normally do on the Holidays, we always make it a potluck. So everybody participates and the host is not so stressed out.
Thanksgiving is almost here so I am sharing my beautiful Thanksgiving Tablescape. We always celebrated with food, gathering with our family and friends. Planning your Thanksgiving menu can be both exciting and stressful and how preparing a beautiful tablescape can be equally overwhelming. During this time, we pretty much cook the same food so we do not have to stress out like a good turkey or ham, green bean casserole, and pecan pie. But a beautifully set table for Thanksgiving can impress your guests, so I am sharing a round-up of tablescapes that y’all can recreate for Thanksgiving.
Black And White Thanksgiving Tablescape
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This black and gold theme Thanksgiving table is one of my favorites. I went out of the box and decorated differently this time. And I do not normally use black but since I switched up the theme of my dining room to Modern French. I had to try putting these sets together adding again my mini pumpkin, gold flatware with this patterned cloth napkin. And I wanted the center of the table simple so we can put all the good food in it. I should say this is a combination of a modern and elegant Thanksgiving Tablescape.
Neutral Thanksgiving Tablescape
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If you do not like stroking colors like black then this is for you. It is so neat and clean and perfect for minimalists, this is very easy to style because of the neutral color scheme. The table cloth is similar to the modern table, you can also add cardholders and gold napkin rings.
Farmhouse Thanksgiving Tablescape
In this nature inspired dining table, the color palette is also very simple. You can also add pumpkins at the center of the table on top of the table runner. Maybe add a linen table cloth as well! I hope I was able to give a better idea in mixing and matching your thanksgiving table setting.
Simple Thanksgiving Tablescape
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This was our thanksgiving table setting last year, just a simple one! I love the wood carved signs here.
Sharing all my Amazon October Best Sellers for Home and Fashion that you should snag, they can be perfect gift ideas too.
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These are the items that most people love in fashion last month. They will be perfect to give to yourself or the fashionistas in your life as a Holiday gift.
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These are the perfect addition to your home and a great gift idea as well for everyone!
