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I'm the girl, Gracie. Here at GML you can follow my journey of dreaming, working, eating, loving, dancing, and blogging my way through life in NYC.
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Is it just me or does it seem like getting Christmas gifts for people gets more and more difficult each year? And don’t even get me started on having to get gifts for guys…
As far as gifts for us ladies, though, I did a little brainstorming and came up with a few that I’d personally love to receive myself, and hopefully these ideas will make the gift-getting process just a little bit easier for you. So whether you’re looking for something to buy for a friend or add to your own Christmas list, here’s my:
christmas 2011 gift guide.
for the beauty babe.
Last year my cousin Liz got this Sephora/OPI mini nailpolish set for Christmas, and I just couldn’t get over how much of a perfect gift it is. The set includes 18 assorted nail polishes for under $50. And, considering the cost of a single bottle of OPI, I’m pretty sure you know how much of a steal that is.
for the fitness buff.
For the exercisers of the bunch – I’m loving Champion Sports Bras, which the company was kind enough to send me samples of. They’re comfy, supportive, and seriously cute.
(Because let’s be real – white sports bras weren’t doing anyone any favors.)
And – take it from me – simply wearing cute workout gear and stretching at home for 10 minutes totally constitutes as a “daily workout.”
for the girlie girl.
I’ve admitted before that I’m kinda sorta obsessed with my “G” pendant necklace. Although I got mine from Urban Outfitters, I’d pretty much kill for one of these Sonya Renee personalized pendant necklaces.
Some of them can get a little pricey, but they’re customizable and a classic jewelry piece that will never go out of style.
for the thinker.
Journals are a great gift because they’ll always get put to use in one way or another. And, as someone who journals every day, I’m partial to their therapeutic powers  I really like Barnes & Noble’s selection of journals, which you can order online or find in their stores.
for the foodie.
Oh, how I love French Macarons, let me count the ways…
If you want to make a good gift-giving impression this year, French Macarons from Payard Bakery are the way to go.
Or if you want to go with something non-perishable, these Painted Amaryllis Measuring Cups from Anthroplogie are pretty much just the cutest thing ever.
for the workaholic.
Even with the takeover of online calendars and smart phones, sometimes there’s just nothing like a good old hand-held planner. And the best-of-the-best? A classic Moleskine.
I love my Moleskine planner and plan on getting a new one for 2012. I’ve seen them at just about every book or office supply store, including Barnes & Noble.
So there you have it – a gift idea for just about every type of friend. Now, when can we get past the gifts part and get to the holiday party guide…?
What’s on your Christmas wishlist this year? Any tips for gifting others?
Last week I posted about one of my favorite places to shop in NYC – Necessary Clothing. Luckily for me, they happened to stumble upon GML and kindly offered to send me a few pieces to put together an outfit with! First up – this Birds High Low Unbalance Long Dress, which I’m kinda sorta obsessed with. I love the goldish/camel color and length difference. I’m also a fan of pieces that can be worn every season, and with some wedge sandals I’ll definitely wear this right into the spring. Because my style lately has been more “edgy” than girlie, I instantly knew I wanted to pair the dress with a black boyfriend blazer and black tights.
Belting dresses is always another good option if you want to switch things up a bit.
What are your favorite accessories/pieces to wear with a dress??
I definitely suggest checking out the Necessary Clothing website – they have so many great pieces out right now and too-good-to-be-true prices. And – get this – you can receive 10% off your purchase with promo code “shopblogger” – good now through Wednesday!! So why not go ahead and treat yourself to an early Christmas present, eh?
As someone who is always looking for fun new places to shop, I was excited when Shabby Apple reached out to me and introduced their vintage-inspired apparel. I instantly fell in love with just about everything on their site!
Shabby Apple is all about bringing back the dress, which I just love. Not only that, but according to their website, “because serving women and families is a core value at Shabby Apple, we devote a certain percentage of our net proceeds to charitable causes serving women and children.” Yeah. Love that too.
I couldn’t help but be particularly obsessed with this Gold “Light As A Feather” Necklace. So that’s what I’m offering to give away to one lucky reader!
To enter the giveaway:
1) Like Shabby Apple on Facebook (mandatory)
Another (optional) means of entry:
2) Follow Shabby Apple on Twitter
***Please be sure to leave a comment for each means of entry in order for them to be counted!***
The contest will end on Friday, November 18th at 9am EST. Open to U.S. residents only.
Good luck!
Worth it, right?!
FYI – I just noticed that Necessary Clothing has an online store! So for my non-NYC-fellow-shopaholics-who-like-a-good-bargain…you’re welcome
So, about that…
It started off innocently enough – I was being a good sibling and getting boots for my sister. But I NEEDED jeans. So jeans I bought.
…I didn’t need the additional pair of jeans. Or blouse. Or boots. Oops 
Minor setback. Onward and upward, right…?
Is you.
The most difficult part of not shopping has definitely been putting together my “going out” outfits. You see, I’m not that girl who can throw on an LBD with pumps and call it a day. I like to look different. I like to look like…well, me.
This is what I put together for this past Saturday night.
Shorts with tights is one of my favorite looks for the fall/winter, and it also happens to be a simple way to get creative with “off season” clothes. I paired the shorts with cream-colored tank, a thick belt, and bootz. To tie it all together I wore hooded bomber jacket (bomber jackets are a great investment – I wear mine all the time).
Take it from me – if you’re going out in NYC, don’t try too hard to dress to impress. You’ll have way more fun (and probably be more likely to get past the door too) if you just DO YOU. xoxo G
What does your typical “going out” outfit look like?
I’ve become that person.
….that person who thinks that anything and everything is better when it’s in this city.
AKA I’m an NYC snob. Owning it.
But seriously – this is the city where anything goes – and it’s the city where you can find a bigger, better, and unique version of just about anything.
…Like when your sweet tooth kicks in, we’ve got ice cream. But not just any “ice cream.”
All natural, dairy free, fat free, gluten free banana soft serve from The Soft Serve Fruit Co.
And when crisp autumn Saturdays roll around, we pay a visit the park. But not just any park. Central Park.
The roombud and I took the opportunity to get all dressed up in our girlie fall attire, naturally.
(Which resulted in a photo shoot, even more naturally.)
I’ve actually only been to Central Park a few times – never during the fall – and it. was. perfect. So…romantic!
We did the strolling thing (with Starbucks in hand, of course).
We played. Like 4-year-olds.
And jumped fences. Like 9-year-olds.
Eventually we did the grown-up thing and found a beautiful little spot to read and journal.
After a long day of frolicking around, we enjoy a good night out…but not just any night out.
We have the most fun, weird, and unpredictable nights out.
And then there are my friends. But not just any friends.
I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by the most fun and beautiful people in this entire city. I hate their guts
It was a good weekend.
Are you a “snob” for where you live? Could you see yourself living anywhere else?
My (first of three) Halloween costume.
It was a fun night
With Halloween weekend kicking off tomorrow, I figured I should perform my due diligence of sharing my favorite costume tip with you all. You know…since I’m still in the process of compiling all 3-4 of mine…
Here’s the thing – I get really fed up seeing the same costumes year. After year. After year. And in NYC – where I already know that just about everyone is going to be dressed up as either Lady Gaga or Black Swan – I’m doing everything in my power to go against the grain. So here’s my little secret. You can take it or leave it, but I think it makes Halloween even more fun and…well, weird.
Be your alter ego.
…In other words, if you can’t decide what you want to be, just choose a costume that is the complete opposite of yourself! Sure, you could always go the route of a sexy sailor or Little Miss Muffet, but doesn’t it sound like so much more fun to dress up in whatever crazy outfit(s) you always wished you could wear??
For example, I’m quite positive that my hair is always going to be long and blonde. BORING. So on Halloween, I jump on the opportunity to wear wigs. I may or may not have gotten two this year…one of which is particularly fun…
Here are some tips on being your own alter ego:
- if you’re conservative/a girlie girl, wear head-to-toe black (i.e. the Angelina Jolie look).
- if you’re not a girlie girl, dress up overly-feminine (i.e. a tutu’ed ballerina).
- if you’re usually a fashionista, dress up as a geek.
- instead of going to the Halloween costume store, search craft stores for things like ribbon, feathers, beads, etc; get creative with it!
- get a masquerade mask and wear with an “unlike-you” dress.
- BEST TIP: simply get a wig that is the opposite color of your hair and pair it with fun makeup and an all-black outfit.
Don’t get me wrong – if you’ve come up with a specific costume that is still fun and unique – then by all means, go for it! But I guess my point is, don’t be afraid to get just a tiny bit…weird
What are you being for Halloween this year?
So real quick – can I just say how much I hate fashion terms like the one I just used??
“Fall into fall outerwear!”
“Spring into floral capris!”
Um…I’d rather not.
Anyway, here’s the fall-inspired outfit I threw together for tourist day 2011.
As you can see, leggings and I have a pretty tight relationship. Pun intended. I wear them almost every day when the weather gets cold out, which works in my favor because at least buying clothes for the bottom half of my body won’t be an issue.
The beanie I’m wearing is actually the last “clothing” purchase I made…at the dollar store…for $1.99. That’s New York for ya, I suppose.
And last but not least, I’ve got to say that a longish, belted black coat is a piece that just about everyone should have. It’s a classic – one that won’t leave you spending $100+ on a coat every time the colder weather rolls around.
So, did you get all that? Leggings, dollar store, black coat. You’re welcome.
What’s your favorite fall clothing/outfit?
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