Happy New Year's Eve Eve

{sweater, sparkly top: old navy  //  jeans: gap  //  wedges: payless}

I can't believe 2012 is right around the corner.  The end of December is such a wonderful time of year - time to spend with family and friends, time to reflect on the past year, and time to look forward to whatever the coming year has in store.

Also, its abbreviation is NYE which just happens to be my last name, and that's pretty sweet too.

This is what I plan to wear on New Year's Eve, but I'm wearing it now as a test run.  I tend to do that.

On the big day I'm thinking fancier hair; maybe some sort of up do that isn't my usual top knot.  But I'm kind of clueless about how to do my hair.  You'd think my sister being a hair dresser would rub off on me, even just a little bit.  But when it comes to my mane, I'm a mess.

What are some of your favorite holiday hair do's?

I wish you all a wonderful evening saying goodbye to 2011 and welcoming in 2012!

**update**

Thank you all for your hair suggestions!!  I didn't think I'd get so many ideas.  You all warm my heart.
I thought you might like to see how I wound up wearing my hair.  I tried the sock bun.  It looks so pretty and is sort of effortless once you get the hang of it, but one piece of advice - this hairstyle is not made for dancing.  My bun must have disintegrated about 5 times during the course of the evening.  Luckily I have awesome friends who:
a. didn't care how silly my hair looked
b. took the time to help me make it look pretty again anyway

caught by surprise

distracting the dj (aka my boyfriend)

Visitors

 

 

{sweater: alloy  //  skirt: old navy  //  booties, tights: payless  //  earrings: handmade}

I may have already mentioned this, but my brother and sister came up from Florida to visit for Christmas.  It was beyond awesome having them here - catching up over dinner & beers, playing a hilarious game of taboo, staying up way too late on Christmas eve, unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning, and cringing over home movies - all together.  These are the moments I live for.

Dancer, Prancer, Donner, & Vixen

{cardi: f21  //  top: old navy  //  jeans: limited  //  boots: steve madden  //  necklace: diy}

I had planned to wear this outfit on Christmas.  I thought the shirt would be a subtle nod to Santa and his reindeer, and would be the next best thing to donning a hideous Christmas sweater (which I can only dream of owning one day).

But as usual, my sister convinced me not to get dressed on Christmas so we could sit around in our pjs all day and not waste any time on trivial pursuits like personal hygiene.

So I wore this the next day while we hung out and practiced hula hoop dancing.

And then she took these photos.

Aren't sisters the best?

Stress-mas Eve

  {sweater: target  //  shirt & sunnies: express  //  jeggings: old navy  //  boots: steve madden  //  necklace: diy}

I'm not gonna lie - taking vacation in the middle of December completely threw me off my Christmas prep game.  Before leaving for Vegas, I only bought 2 gifts, which left lots to do in the one week I had after returning (including crafting gifts and baking goodies).

And so, being the procrastinator that I am, I found myself on Christmas Eve with a to-do list much longer than I'd like to admit.

I hunkered down, put on a comfy outfit, recruited my boyfriend for backup, and got to work.

These photos were taken in a rare calm moment during my very hectic Christmas Eve.

 It was a bit stressful trying to get a lot done in a short time, but hunny bunny and I finally finished around 10pm and drove over to my dad's to have a big family sleepover with my brother & sister who are visiting from Florida.

In the end it was totally worth it.

Bar-ty Girl

{blazer: target  //  tee, tights: old navy  //  skirt: tulle  //  booties: fioni for payless  //  bracelets: f21, target, diy  //  watch: sprout  //  nail polish: 5below}

To me, this outfit kind of looks like something that should be worn to a party.  But instead, I wore it to a bar.  The heels definitely helped my short self get up on those extra tall bar chairs, and also allowed me to hit the floor sooner every time I slid off the seat due to my strangely slippery skirt.

Good times.

PS - Can you believe I got this skirt for only $7.84 (!!!) from tulle on cyber Monday?  Boo yah.  Yes, I just said that.

Always Be Prepared

{sweater, tights: old navy  //  shorts: h&m  //  scarf: target  //  boots: payless  //  watch: sprout}

This is another vacation remix outfit.  I just realized it's very similar to this one, except I wore a different sweater and added a scarf because apparently Las Vegas gets quite chilly this time of year.  We strolled through the garden at the Flamingo Casino and stopped by this pretty waterfall for some photos.

As we continued to walk through the garden, we came upon a gorgeous outdoor wedding area.  I made a mental note that if hunny bunny and I wound up making a drunken impulse decision to tie the knot in Vegas, this would be the perfect place to make that mistake.  I figured if we woke up the next morning wondering what in the world we'd done, at least we'd have some beautiful pictures of a semi-classy place to help us fill in the gaps.

In my opinion, the only thing worse than not remembering your wedding would probably be to have pictures of Elvis officiating it.

Black & White

{blazer: target  //  tee: old navy  //  jeans: limited  //  boots: payless  //  necklace: gifted}

Welcome to another day in Vegas.  We snapped a few quick pictures before going to see the Amazing Johnathan.  He was hilarious, and amazingly neither hunny bunny nor I got chosen to go up on stage (phew).  We're not center-of-attention types if you haven't already guessed.

I know you might not have picked up on that, seeing as how I keep a blog all about me me me.

But really, I don't like all eyes on me.  Kindly look away.

Welcome to NY

{cardi: old navy  //  sweater: gap  //  jeans: limited  //  sneakers: keds  //  scarf: target}

This is one of the outfits I wore on vacation.  Here we are at New York New York.
It was so pretty, complete with replicas of the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, the Chrysler Building, and the Brooklyn Bridge.  Though, I have to say it was a bit inaccurate - the bathrooms were clean, the bushes outside smelled like rosemary, and the people were way too friendly.

It's like the kind of New York that New York wishes it could be.

Cozy

{sweater: alloy  //  leggings: target  //  boots: report, via zappos  // scarf: h&m  //  bracelet: diy using this tutorial  //  earrings: diy}

What better attire than leggings and a big, comfy sweater for doing some last minute Christmas shopping from my couch?  (Thank goodness for free, expedited, guaranteed-to-arrive-by-December 24th shipping!)

What I Want for Christmas:

I'd be happy to find any of these little guys in my stocking.

1.elf mineral eye shadow in a bronzy metallic - perfect for the holidays

2.a mustache.  Yes, a mustache.  (In fact, a few may just wind up in my families' stockings this year)

3.SpiritHood - totally vegan and totally beautiful

4.elf lip gloss in candlelight - so flattering

5.Benefit Mascara

6.bright yellow nail polish - who says it's only for summer?  In 1986?

7.Revlon ColorStay mineral blush in petal

8.bobby pins

9.pretty little earrings 

10.elf blush - because elf doesn't test on animals and nothing costs over $5

p.s. - this is a pre-scheduled post because I will be away until Sunday.  I'll answer comments when I get back!

While I'm Away...

Greetings (again) from Las Vegas!
Since I am presumably out partying/eating/gambling away my bank account and am too preoccupied to take outfit photos, here's what I want for Christmas.
(It's not an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle - I don't want to shoot my eye out.)

1.mini initial necklace {with a J for Johnny ~ my lovely man}

2.watercolor skirt - Francesca's Collections

3.red Toms

4.turquoise statement necklace

5.thick & cozy chunky knit cowl neckwarmer

6.fancy Cuisinart blender to replace my current one that's slowly falling apart

7.green Hunters

8.Aldo boots

9.red jeggings (this pair from Old Navy is particularly comfortable)

10.faux-fur vest

What's on your Christmas wishlist?

Las Vegas Suitcase

This is what's in my suitcase, more or less.  

For this vacation I was determined to get away with only a carry on, something that I would have scoffed at and called impossible for a 7 day vacation mere months ago.  

It wasn't as easy as packing normally is, but then again, I normally just pull pretty things out of the closet and throw them into the suitcase without much thought as to whether I'll actually be able to create stylish outfits with them (I usually can't, and I usually exceed the airline's luggage weight limit, too).

This time I spent a little longer in the planning phase, complete with an excel spreadsheet mapping out all of the remixing possibilities.  (I'm a nerd).

But I think it paid off.

I may not look terribly flashy or colorful, but I will look put-together.  Besides, I'm in Vegas, baby!  It has enough sparkle for the both of us.

p.s. - this is a pre-scheduled post because I will be away until Sunday.  I'll answer comments when I get back!

Jet Setter

{cardi: joyce leslie  //  t shirt & leggings: target  //  scarf: h&m  //  boots: payless}

Remember a few days ago when I said I was going to wear this on my plane ride?

Well, I lied because this is what I'm actually wearing during the flight.

The other outfit was comfortable, but I realized that most of those pieces don't go with the rest of the items I decided to bring.  And on this vacation, I'm all about the carry-on which means packing light and lots of creative remixing*.  

*Stay tuned for tomorrow's post to see what I'm remixing in Vegas.