style | Girl Meets Life | a lifestyle blog by Gracie Gordon

Dolce Vita Collection giveaway!

30 November, 2015 by Gracie 2 Comments

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been a big Black Friday shopper. It’s always been our family tradition to stay home most of the weekend after Thanksgiving to just spend time together, decorate the house for Christmas, and relax.

Cyber Monday, though…that’s something I can get behind 😉 I’m all about online shopping lately - especially when I already know I’m a fan of particular brands.

I’ve you’ve been following me for a while you probably know that Dolce Vita Collection is one of those brands. I’ve shared their handbags, shoulder bags & clutches a few times here on GML and my Instagram.

Dolce Vita Collection Charlotte Crossbody

{Charlotte Crossbody}

Dolce Vita Collection Amber Crossbody

{Amber Crossbody}

Dolce Vita Collection Isabella Bucket

{Isabella Bucket}

And now my newest piece from Dolce Vita Collection is one that I absolutely love - the Juliet Tablet Clutch.

Dolce Vita Collection Juliet Clutch

This clutch is something that has been on my list for a while. It’s the perfect size - both for going out at night, as well as during the day (it literally fits a tablet perfectly). It comes with a strap so you can wear it as a shoulder bag as well.

Dolce Vita Collection

Dolce Vita Collection was kind enough to pass along a special discount code that *doesn’t expire!* Use promo code GRACIE25 for 25% off at dolcevitahandbags.com.

I’m also giving away a Juliet Clutch to one lucky reader! Go ahead and enter below. The giveaway is open until midnight tonight PST, so get your entry in now!

Please note that I was gifted by Dolce Vita Collection for this post, however not monetarily compensated.

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GOOD LUCK! 🙂

what i’m loving right now.

19 November, 2015 by Gracie 6 Comments

Hi hi friends! How is your week going?

Mine has been great - a bit on the busy side as I’m getting all caught up before going home next week for Thanksgiving (yay).

I’m in the process of writing a post that I’m really excited about (hint - it has to do with becoming free from STRESS), but in the mean time I wanted to share a few things I’m loving lately as we go full swing into the holiday season.

FITNESS - Nike Flyknits
I got my first pair of Nike Flyknits a few months ago, and I loved them so much I went back last week and got them in a different color. These are my favorite sneakers ever - they’re super comfortable and light weight - perfect for casual wear but also working out.

Nike flyknit sneakers

FOOD - Juice Press Roasted Veggie Salad
For the days that I’m on-the-go with meetings and what not (which, lately has been at least twice a week), Juice Press is definitely my “fast food” of choice. I’ll be honest - I’m not usually the biggest salad girl in the world. But their new Roasted Veggie Salad is really hearty and flavorful - it tastes like fall! Juice Press stores are only local BUT they ship nationally if you ever want to give it a try (their juices, desserts, etc. are all amazing).

Juice Press Roasted Veggie Salad

FASHION - Rado Chocolate Ceramic Watches
The other night I stopped by a Rado watch event, and I was so glad I did. It was at the Francois Payard patisserie on the Upper East Side, and we were treated with goodies like chocolates, wine, and macarons.

The event was to highlight Rado’s new Chocolate Ceramic watch collection, and they were seriously SO beautiful. Rado watches are made of high-tech ceramic which qualities include hypo-allergenic, highly scratch resistant and durable. Being ceramic, the watches are extremely lightweight and provide ultimate comfort to the wearer.

The new chocolate collection is the newest ceramic color to the brand and provides a fashion-forward unique look in a beautiful warm, earthen tone. I really loved the look and feel of the ceramic (which was actually very lightweight), and the chocolate shade was so chic for fall and winter.

LIFE - it’s beginning to look a lot like…
Christmaaaaas 😀 I was in Midtown yesterday for a meeting and took the opportunity to make a stop at Macy’s. With the decorations, gift displays, and music…let’s just say I am now very much in the Christmas spirit. If you’ve never been able to experience NYC during the holidays - you absolutely must add it to your bucket list. There’s nothing like it!

Christmas at Macy's

ON THE WEB - Self Made From Scratch
I’ve been meaning to do more shout-outs here on GML to people on the ‘net that I think are doing rad things - and Jenny from Self Made From Scratch is the first person who came to mind. I’ve known Jenny via the blog world for a while now (she created this GML design!), and what she’s doing with her new business is so incredible. If you’re interested in learning more about how to start your own blog/business, I couldn’t recommend her more.

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Rado. All opinions herein are my own. Please note that I was compensated for this post. You can refer to my product review policy here. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

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What are you loving right now? What’s your favorite blog/website? I’m always looking for new ones!

the best fashion advice i could give (+ 7 tips for more flattering outfits).

26 October, 2015 by Gracie 6 Comments

Yesterday I sat down to write a post on how to dress for your body type, and when I started typing I got a serious case of deja vu. I did a little searching on my own blog to realize I had already written a post on just that.

HA. Guess that’s what happens when you’ve been blogging for 5+ years…

Anyway, it’s been quite a while, so I figured I’d resurrect that post + add a few things. Because a refresher on looking damn fine never hurt anyone right? 😉

But before going into my pointers, I thought I’d share what I think it all boils down to when it comes to fashion/style.

Wear clothes that make you feel YOUR best. Don’t let the clothes wear you.

In New York I’m surrounded by so many fashionistas who might disagree with that. A lot of women are all about the “art” aspect of fashion, and that’s totally okay, but I personally prefer to go for flattering styles over trendy ones. Of course sometimes that means I give in to certain trends, but not all of them (which I talk about a bit below).

I may not be an expert when it comes to the latest designers and fashion trends, but over the years I do think I’ve gotten pretty good at learning how to wear clothes that flatter my body type while still embracing my personal style. With so many trends and styles coming and going, this isn’t always an easy thing to master. So here are the tips that I always use to help me find the most figure-flattering looks.

1) know your body type, and flaunt accordingly.
Don’t worry – I’m not about to pull the whole pear, apple, athletic, and petite body type “rules” on you (I personally cringe when I see those in magazines). While it’s true that all women are shaped differently, only you can decide what areas of your body are best flaunted and/or downplayed. So ask yourself – what is your favorite body feature? If it’s your legs, go with more skirts, shorts, and skinny jeans. Your shoulders? Strapless tops. Your tummy? Form-fitting dresses…and so on.

(If you don’t know the answer to that - think about what other people compliment you on most! Or just ask your friends or significant other.) From there, do some research. I’m always seeking inspiration from blogs and Pinterest. Start a style board with clothes and looks that you think would not only flatter your body the most, but also make you feel the most comfortable and beautiful.

2) know when to say no to trends.
When I see someone who isn’t dressed to flatter their body, 90% of the time it’s because they tried to embrace a trend that just wasn’t right for them. While I do think there are ways to make trends work for everyone, be aware that you have to be really careful with some. For example - as much as I want to, I just can’t make the flare pants trend work on my 5’3″ self.

3) show some skin. keyword: some.
Showing some skin can absolutely be a way to draw attention to your best assets, but they key is to not overdo it. For example, if you wear a mini skirt to show off your legs, balance it out by wearing a long-sleeved top our blazer. Or if you wear a low cut shirt, keep it classy by wearing with pants or a pencil skirt.

4) balance it out.
On a sort of similar note, I think it’s really important to balance the proportions of your outfit. For example, go with a looser shirt/blouse if you’re wearing shorts or skinny pants. The right proportions in that sense can actually make you look much thinner than wearing a tight outfit head-to-toe. I know a lot of girls shy away from wearing flowy/baggy clothes, but the right pieces can actually be much more flattering than wearing skin tight clothes.

5) when it doubt, wear black.
Self-explanatory 😉 I wear all black most of the time because it’s easy and always looks put together. You can then mix things up with accessories, changing up your hair/makeup, etc.

6) heels can make all the difference.
Not sure if your outfit is flattering? Try adding heels. It can take just about any look and bring it up a notch by making you appear taller and slimmer without changing anything else.

7) add a feminine touch.
A lot of my favorite fashion trends right now are sort of masculine ones – military, denim, minimalist, etc. It’s definitely still possible, though, to implement these styles and make them look flattering just by adding some feminine touches. Like I just mentioned, adding heels is one of the best ways to do this. Other great flattering feminine touches are lace, floral prints, jewelry, etc.

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What “rules” or tips do you follow for flattering your body type?
Which of these tips do you agree with the most?

surprise! say hello to Basics.

20 October, 2015 by Gracie 12 Comments

If you follow me on social media, you’ve probably gathered that the reason I’ve been so MIA here on GML is because I just launched a new brand with Jessi.

Say hello to Basics NYC! A faith-based minimalist fashion & lifestyle brand.

So far we just have a few designs, but we’re excited to roll out a few more within the next couple of months.

Jessi and I have actually been working on + keeping Basics a secret for around 6 months. Over the summer it started to take off on its own, so we figured it was time to make things official! So we had a launch party here in New York last week, and it was incredible to have so much support from our friends and family 🙂

If you’re interested you can follow Basics on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

what being a girl boss means to me {with JCPenney} + giveaway.

21 September, 2015 by Gracie 44 Comments

If you’ve done just about any internet or social media browsing, you’ve probably come across the term or hashtag #GirlBoss. It’s a term that has been used quite frequently over the past few years as a way to describe a girl who is confident, strong, responsible, and…well, a boss. The term originated from Sophia Amoruso’s book “Girlboss,” which is full of tips to help women be successful in the workplace and beyond.

Lately I’ve been thinking about what it means to me to be a Girl Boss. To me, a Girl Boss is…

Confident, but she is also humble.
She runs the show in certain areas, but she also is always looking for opportunities to help others.
She is strong but not afraid to admit areas that she might be weak at or need help with.
She makes others feel comfortable when they’re around her.
She is a boss, but she is not bossy.

Another characteristic of a Girl Boss is that most of the time, you know she’s a Girl Boss just by looking at her; the confidence she holds when she walks into a room, combined with her own unique, effortless, personal style. I’m lucky that I don’t just know a few Girl Bosses - I’m surrounded by them. Most of the women in my life are the women I described above, and I know I’m blessed to have that “band of sisters” to do life with.

I also must say that I come across new Girl Bosses all the time! I don’t think it’s surprising that there’s a heck of a lot of them here in New York City. I love the opportunity to meet and learn from new women whether it’s through work, at fitness classes, social gatherings, etc. So when JCPenney approached me to share my take on women who make my community come alive - this goes out to them…to all the Girl Bosses out there.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve really come into my own personal style - what makes me feel the most confident, beautiful, and comfortable in my own skin. So a few weeks ago I was shopping in JCPenney and trying on some different outfits for an upcoming event here in New York, and I immediately knew that this was the look I was going for.

blouse: Worthington short sleeve color block blouse
shorts: a.n.a® Soft Beach Shorts
shoes: a.n.a® Isha Peep-Toe High Heel Mule

When I dress in my own personal style - not dependent on trends or what anyone else says is fashionable - I feel empowered to bring out my inner Girl Boss, and then in turn I feel fired up to empower others as well. And this look just does that. JCP Gracie Gordon **********

Check out the JCP Fall Lookbook at jcplookbook.com Find JCP on: Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram / YouTube / Google+ / We Heart It / Polyvore

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What makes you feel like a Girl Boss? Tell me in the comments for a chance to win a $100 JCPenney gift card.

Entry Instructions:

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You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

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2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

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4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are availablehere.

This sweepstakes runs from 9/16/2015 – 10/16/2015
Be sure to visit JCPenney’s brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!