Merry Christmas, lovelies!

via Snipper and Ink

Merry Christmas Eve, Blonde Ambitioners! Hope all of you have a blessed holiday weekend with your friends and family. I'll be back Monday with lots of New Year's Eve-inspired posts, so get excited.

On that note, I'm off to eat something sweet and calorie laden ; )

Be blessed, lovelies-

5 Things

photo via Tumblr



Happy Friday, gals! Looks like our beloved Friday has arrived...let us rejoice.

Winter weather has definitely swept Arkansas this week, (in addition to the rest of the U.S., it seems) but that doesn't mean style has to hibernate during the coming months. In fact, some of the edgiest trends take hold during this season of the year, making it the perfect time to experiment with looks you've seen in your fav magazines and fashion blogs ; )

My top 5 that I'm currently obsessed with:

Tights

From rips and tears, to hardcore lace and hearts, tights come in darn near every color and style imaginable right now. I just bought a pair of bright teal beauties from Forever 21 and cannot wait to wear 'em.

photos via Tumblr

Bows

Teetering on the verge of kitschy? Of course. And that's the beauty of it. I love the girliness of the bow trend. Why take fashion so seriously, after all?

via The Girl and the Gorilla

Winter shorts

I can't get enough of this look lately. Who says summer is the only time to show some leg?

via J.Crew

Velvet dresses

Luxe, sexy and warm. Enough said.

photos via Fashion Toast and Style.com

Clever hair accessories

Like the one below from New Zealand Fashion Week via Fashion Toast...I'm not sure you could get away with this at the office, but regardless, it's hot. Or haute.

via Fashion Toast

Have a great weekend.

Be blessed, lovelies-

iPhone Picture Purge

Oh, Thursday….the day of heightened anticipation for the weekend…Friday Eve…how doth I love thee.

Today’s post will ensure you receive your recommended daily allowance of randomness, for sure. I mean, I feel like I haven’t gotten to do a post where I just talk to y’all in a long time; no fashion stuff, no decor baloney or holiday survival tips...just plain talk.

So here goes:

• Mine and S’s weekend in Chicago wasn’t all blizzards and traffic jams…we actually had a big ole time in the Windy City prior to Sunday’s Ice Road Truckers re-enactment. We went to the lounge at the top of the Hancock Tower on Friday night and luckily got a table right by the window. This was our view as we sipped wine:

• Oh yes, and I decorated le Christmas tree. Behold:

• I thought this was pretty stinking cute. This is Max on Thanksgiving morning, which I randomly found on my iPhone last night. He was O-V-E-R it by 10:00 a.m.

...and later that day, we found him like this again. My little man loves to sleep...it's his fav hobby : )

• A few more of you have emailed me about the bag in this photo from last month, my faux Miu Miu...I actually got it 2 years ago (yes, I carry purses FOREVER) as a Christmas gift from a website called Shop Suey Boutique. Although this one isn't on there anymore, they have TONS of other cute faux designer bags for great prices, including other Miu Miu-inspired bags. (And know, this wasn't clever advertisement placement..I really do love the site and they didn't pay me to say that : )

Good excuse to put up pics of my cutie, no? : )

• Rihanna’s new CD is smashtastic. Seriously good stuff. If you don’t feel like shelling out the $9.99 for the whole album (which I would suggest doing, since two awesome bonus songs are included if you get the entire thing), at least purchase Raining Men feat. Nicki Minaj, S&M, Love the Way You Lie- Pt. II, Fading and Man Down. Actually, just buy the whole shabang.

On a serious note, a good friend of mine from high school was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She is only 26 and underwent another surgery yesterday. She begins chemotherapy soon and will likely lose her hair, (she already cut it very short in preparation, but seriously, it looks really cute!). Could you guys please say an extra prayer for her tonight?

Ok, that’s all I’ve got until tomorrow. Be happy, be healthy and most of all…

Be blessed, lovelies-

Trend Watch Wednesday: {Top Tier}

photo via OnSugar

Hey y'all! Thanks for stopping by for some mid-week trend watching...this blonde appreciates it ; )

Thank you again for all of your kind words and comments regarding yesterday's post and the craziness that S and I encountered on Sunday. God is good and we feel very blessed to be safely back in Arkansas!

Last week, one of my favorite actresses, Michelle Williams stepped out in a gorgeous Azzaro number for the premiere of her new flick Blue Valentine. Along with co-star Ryan Gosling, Williams positively shined on the red carpet in front of a slew of paparazzi. Just seeing these shots made me want to bust out my tiered skirts and dresses for winter…


photo via


How dreamy and craveworthy is her ensemble? Not to mention, the volume and length of the dress totally compliment her petite frame. So flippin' gorge, I mean, really….

Ready to tier up? Some pointers, my dears:

• You can create a look just like Michelle’s with a tiered skirt/tank/belt combo. The key is to balance the volume of the skirt out with a form fitting top.

• If your tiers are in the form of a dress, you’ll want to avoid getting lost in the fabric by making sure that your frock has a defined waist, created with either a belt or ruffles that start below the waistline, (again, note Williams' pic above.)

• This look becomes even more chic when paired with clunky-as-a-brick heels and black tights for cold nights out.

• If you’re curvy, avoid straight rows of ruffles which tend to add a lot of extra bulk. Instead, opt for tiered dresses and skirts that are asymmetrical and slant downward at an angle. This will give you an instantly longer and leaner appearance.

(Clockwise, from left to right) Chiffon Curve Skirt by Rare Opulence; Crinkle Satin Layered Tier Skirt from Topshop; Sara Lanzi Tiered Accordion Skirt; L’Agence Tiered Skirt from Barneys NY

Tomorrow...get ready for pics, randomness and lots of useless information to get you through your Thursday : ) Cheers, beauties!

Be blessed, lovelies-

Let It Snow

Two things: 1) We are back and, most importantly, alive; 2) I have a new found appreciation for Southern weather, I don't know how you Northerners do it.

So needless to say, I am a teensy bit behind on blogging. S and I were some of the thousands of victims of the blizzard that swept through Illinois and Missouri on Sunday morning.

The trip to Chicago was amazing, but things got crazy REAL FAST on Sunday when we left the city to head back home.

About 2 hours after we'd been on the road, traffic came to a standstill because of this.

We were literally right behind the 20 car accident and probably would have been in it, had we not stopped to get gas about 5 minutes prior. It honestly gives me chills to think about it now...needless to say, we have been counting our blessings endlessly since Sunday. Thank you God for protecting us!

There were many cars on fire, overturned semi trucks and large portions of the road that were literally charred due to the blazes.

We sat parked on I-55 for about 3+ hours and really started to wonder if we would make it home! Thankfully, we did : )

We did end up staying the night with S's brother and sister-in-law that live in St. Louis for the night. There was just lots of black ice on the roads and we were exhausted after being in the car for 12 hours straight.

We finally got home yesterday and my car looks like it's been put through the ringer...or a ginormous snowstorm....

I'll be back to regularly scheduled programming tomorrow, but wanted to let you guys know that I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth. Thank you to those of you who follow me on Facebook and were so kind to pray and send positive thoughts after I posted the pics on Sunday when we were stuck on the interstate. We appreciate it tremendously!

Until tomorrow...

Be blessed, lovelies-

Trend Watch Wednesday: {Well Red}

photo via Refinery 29

Holiday season is in full swing and it’s no doubt that many of us are sifting through our closets and racking our brains for party looks. The LBD will never go out of style, but this year, why not consider something a little bolder?

In the latest issue of Glamour magazine, Michael Kors suggests embracing the Little Red Dress as a sexy alternative to the black staple. It’s fun, it’s fresh and it’s unexpected!

A few things to consider when looking for your perfect LRD:

• Experiment with different shades of red. If you’re fair skinned, try looking for garnet and ruby reds, reds with blue undertones. If you’re of the olive variety, orangey reds are a sure fire winner.

• Go for the gold. Forget silver, gold is the ticket when accessorizing a red dress. Small touches of gold can be very chic with all shades of crimson.

photo via CoolSpotters- Jenny Packham Fall 2010 RTW

• Don’t go all matchy-matchy. Forget pairing your LRD with red shoes, a red clutch or red jewelry. You’ll end up looking less like a style maven and more like Holiday Barbie. Instead, wear a chic pair of nude colored platforms or black leather booties or black stilettos as a wiser footwear choice.

• Don’t over accessorize. Red packs a powerful punch on its own, so there’s no need to clutter up the look with a pile of necklaces. Choose one or two simple pieces of jewelry and let the dress do all the talking.

So how do you guys feel about substituting your LBD with a LRD? Would you be willing to go red this holiday season?

Be blessed, lovelies-

Surviving the Holidays: {Fa La La}

via Rue Magazine

Glad tidings on this Tuesday morning …so delighted you stopped by.

Today is technically my Thursday at work, as tomorrow will be my last day for the week. We leave for the Windy City on Thursday morning and I couldn’t be happier!

So I finally finished my tree over the weekend and I think it turned out pretty well! I would show you, but  the fact that I am (for whatever reason) completely unable to move photos from my camera to my desktop is hindering that process at the moment. Which also means the photos of my cupcake will not be revealed today either. It's ok to cry...I know you're positively deflated.

Sooooo, we're gonna talk about something that requires no photos from le camera...Christmas songs.

I've got pretty nice playlist on regular rotation on my iPod, so I'll share a few of my favs with y'all and you can share your favs with me, m'kay?

Baby, It's Cold Outside- Glee Cast
This song is BRAND spanking new from the kids of Glee and I love it...so fun!

Wish List- Neon Trees
Another new one from a band I have grown to enjoy very much this year...check it out.

Love Came Down at Christmas- Jars of Clay
Cool sounding guitar intro and neat lyrics.

Joy to the World- Bebo Norman
I love his no-frills, straight acoustic guitar version of this Christmas classic. Plus I like to say his name. Beeeeboooo. Beeeeboooo. Bebo. (Ga'head, try it).

Go Tell it on the Mountain- NeedToBreathe
My fav band and one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs. What more can you say?

Born to Die- Bebo Norman
Gorgeous, goosebump-inducing song.

Carol of the Bells- The Bird and the Bee
Very cool, whimsical rendition of this song.

Oh Holy Night- Celine Dion
Oh man, does Ms. Dion do this song justice...wow.

Angels We Have Heard on High- MercyMe
I like their dramatic take on this older Christmas tune...nicely done, boys. Nicely done.

So I'm curious to know, what are some of YOUR favorite Christmas songs? What's on your holiday playlist right now?

Be blessed, lovelies-

Chic Mountain Retreat

Turner Retreat in Ketchum, ID

Hey guys and dolls! Welcome back from le weekend! I hope everyone enjoyed the chilly but gorgeous past couple of days as much as I did.

I'm usually all sour and embittered about Mondays, but seeing as how this week is a very short one for me, I'm actually pleased as punch : ) Yes, I just said "pleased as punch"...it's ok to judge me.

I'll spare y'all the extensive details, but I had such a wonderful birthday weekend! S gifted me with a trip to the spa for a 1 hour hot stone massage, gorgeous flowers, a delicious dinner at one of our favorite restaurants and some of my coveted Philosophy products from Sephora....in other words, the boy did good ; )

He and my mom also schemed together on a birthday cake, which was a giant cupcake with off-white frosting, silver and gold edible beads and topped with a pink Chanel look-alike purse decoration...perfection! I'll post pics tomorrow or as soon as my camera decides to cooperate.

It was such an amazing day and I truly appreciate all of the sweet well wishes from all of you fabulous vixens too!

So I recently ran across this AH-MAZING spread in Elle Decor and wanted to feature it on here today, for any of you that haven't seen it yet.

Meet the Ketchum, Idaho mountain retreat of Rusty and Mary Lynn Turner...

Inspired by a love of all things French and repeated visits to Provence, this rustic oasis boasts a 1,000 square foot great room, hand-selected ceiling beams and loads of natural lighting.

Designed by Turner and her daughters Marie and Emily, this chic retreat is nestled smack dab in the middle of the soaring Sawtooth Mountains.

The combination of steel and oak helps to balance the Old World and the New.

Although few of us are so lucky as to own a weekend house like the Turners', it doesn't mean we can't pull elements into our own living spaces to recreate a similar feel.



Surveyor Floor Lamp, Vintage Large Grapevine Corkscrew, Antique Buffet, Stone Mason Bowl,  Antique Rug Pillows
Collage by A Blonde Ambition- please seek consent before re-use : )

 Don't forget about the High Heels High Hopes event tonight at Maude...it's the perfect opportunity to finish your Christmas shopping AND help a great cause!

P.S.- Tomorrow I'll be showing pics of my Christmas tree, so be sure to stop by and take a peek!

Be blessed, lovelies-

Happy Birthday to Me

As of 8:00 a.m. this morning, I am 26 years old. See, even from Day 1 I've been a morning person : )

Good gracious, I remember being 16 and thinking 25 sounded ancient.

26...geez, I couldn't even imagine! Oh how time flies...

Seriously though, I'm SO thankful to be at this place in my life and to be blessed with another birthday. I wouldn't go back to being 16 if you paid me. I've never been more comfortable with myself in my entire life- my spirituality, my body, my self-esteem, my goals, my beliefs, etc.

via Chloe Aftel

In the words of my blogger friend Kimberly from yesterday's comments, we ladies are like fine wine and George Clooney- better with age!

Thank you all for your continued support of the blog and most of all for your friendship- it means the world.

Here's to the next 26...may they be just as fabulous...

Be blessed, lovelies-

On to the Next...

via Una Bella Vita

Are you aware that today is Thursday? And, if so, are you as elated as I am that the weekend is right at our fingertips?

My blog, (as are most of yours), is sort of my version of a journal, so today please forgive me as I take a moment to make a new list of "goals" for my 26th year on this planet, on the eve of my birthday. I try not to do a ton of ME-focused posts, but since it is my blog and it is my birthday week...well...

Can you smell the self-indulgence?

Last year around this time, I wrote down a few goals and ideas of things I wanted to do or accomplish in my 25th year. I wrote these down on actual paper (remember that stuff?), or I'd link back to the post.

This year, I thought I'd do my list here, for all the world (or at least 803 superb followers) to see:

Take more road trips- Ever since mine and S's recent trip to Nashville, I've been craving more and more of these. Good thing we are heading to the Windy City next week for some sight seeing and Christmas shopping!

via A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Read more books- I'm busy. You're busy. We're all busy. I'm not going to whine and cry about how I'm so very busy and my life does not allow for time to read words on pages. Because I sure do make time to read Perez Hilton everyday (hangs head in shame...) Back in 'Ye Olden College Days, I was an English major. So it's about time to start acting like one again.

via A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Keep killing it in the gym- I must say, I've been doing very well these past few months about hitting the gym at least 4-5 days a week and I can really see the results. I have definition in my arms, muscles in my legs and a nice curve to my back side (oh the things you never wanted to know...)

And (I'm sorry...I hate when people throw around numbers, but I gotta) I'm back in a size 2. Holla.

Practice playing the piano again- This might prove to be difficult, seeing as how I do not have a piano in my second-floor apartment....hmmm.

Dance more often- I think dancing more in general would be a good thing, whether solo in my bathroom while getting ready in the morning, with a group of girl friends while we're parked at Sonic during our daily Happy Hour runs or with my sweet guy on a Saturday night.

Reconnect with old friends- I had a chance to catch up recently with some old friends, which made me miss them oh-so-badly. My goal this year is to make a bigger effort to call, email and visit my longtime pals more frequently.



via

 Take a self-defense class- An episode with two absolute creepers in the gym earlier this week reaffirmed my belief that a self-defense class probably wouldn't be a bad idea. I should probably also get new pepper spray in case said self-defense class never happens.

Call my grandparents more often- I love them, my Memaw and Papaw, my Grandma and Grandad. They are special people and I do not talk to them often enough. Done and done.

I think that's a pretty well-rounded, do-able list, no? We'll have a little eval this same time next year and see how it all played it, but I'm pretty optimistic.

Until tomorrow...

Be blessed, lovelies-

Trend Watch Wednesday: {Purr for Fur}



Knitted Grey Crochet Back Faux Fur Gilet from Topshop; Sam Edelman Shalin; Trina Turk Folkloric Jacket; Sno Cream Faux Fur Halo Headband and Melie Bianco Uri Faux Fur Hobo with Tassels

Good morning, fellow style mavens!

Before we get to the post, a quick and shameless plug:

As I mentioned last week, myself and some other Northwest Arkansas fashion lovers are blogging on this fabtastic new site, StyleBy.Me, started by my friends Anna and Josh and chock full of trendy goodness. For instance, today I'll be talking about nuclear physics and biomolecular engineering.

Kidding.

I'm talking trends of the fashional variety.

By now, I’m sure you’re all very aware of fur’s popularity and dominance in fall fashion. For Gucci’s sake, you’d practically have to live under a rock not to have noticed the plethora of dyed, hooded, jacketed, bagged, shoed and headbanded fur goodness that’s been thrown our way by designers like Zac Posen and Dennis Basso this season. It’s been several years since we’ve seen pieces so luxe and indulgent and, (not surprisingly), I’m a fan.

Why the sudden re-emergence of the fur trend? In times of economic downturn, the fashion higher-ups look for ways to renew our desire for luxury. Enter heavy metals, embellishments, leather and, you guessed it- fur, dah-ling. True, this may seem a tad contradictory, but it stands to reason that fur played such an important role in so many collections this fall and winter.

Items from Maude Boutique in Fayetteville, AR

Ready to give in to the warm fuzzies? Here are a few tips to consider when purchasing fur (real or faux):

-Stick to natural colors
It is entirely possible to find beautiful faux fur pieces for a fraction of the cost of the real deal. The trick is to stick to shades of fur that occur naturally in the wild (i.e. not hot pink, lime or chartreuse). Ask yourself: “Are there actual animals this color?” If the answer is yes, then by all means, fur away.

-Accessorize with fur
Adding fun pops of color, like burgundy shoes or a purple belt can bring a modern dimension to an outfit. Also, gold looks FAB with fur, so look for 70’s inspired vintage pieces to complete your look.

-Pet it
No, really. If you’re at a store scoping out a cute fur jacket, give it the rub test to see if it sheds. Also, check the floor and the area around the item. Is your fur shedding its winter coat (pun intended)? Don’t buy it. Chances are, it will only get worse after you wear it.

Will you purr for fur?

Be blessed, lovelies-

Surviving the Holidays: {Hostess Gifts!}

via Rue Magazine

Good morning, ladies and gents!

Welcome to Day 2 of Leslie's Birthday Week Extravaganza!

(I wish I had some sick anthem to cue up every time I say "Birthday Week Extravaganza!"...eh.)

In honor of my b-day week today, I had a chocolate no-bake cookie for breakfast this morning. I might just have one with my lunch and with my Caramel Brulee latte from Starbucks this afternoon.

Go ahead. Ask me if I feel guilty. I don't.

Okie dokie, well before we get into holiday survival mode today, I wanted to pass along a special invitation to you guys! You see, my friends at Maude Boutique are hosting the High Heels, High Hopes Christmas Shopping Benefit next Monday night, December 6th, from 6-8 p.m. Simply bring in new or gently used children's clothing and toys to receive an escalating coupon with savings up to 40% off for your Christmas shopping that evening! Best of all, you don't need to purchase a ticket for the event...just bring in a donation, which will go to Pel's Pals and the NWA Children's Shelter.

Maude will have their staff available for help with styling, freeze models showcasing the top trends of the season and silent auction items to bid on from Riffraff, Sassy's Red House, Revive Day Spa, Maliah Pinkleton Photography, Arkansas Razorback Basketball items, Color Service with Kelly at Studio 8 and a Keratin Treatment with Christina at Studio 8 just to name a few!

I will be attending the event and would LOVE to meet all of you Blonde Ambitioners in person, so if you're there, be sure to come over and say "hey"!

On to the next, on to the next...

So my good bloggy friend in Tulsa, Jax from The Roaring Twenties...(mine That Is) had the great suggestion yesterday of featuring hostess gifts for today's edition of STH. I thought it was a pretty nifty idea, hence, today's post. Thanks again, Jax!

I think it's always polite to bring along a little gifty-poo when going to someone's casa for a holiday party, but I hate spending a fortune on smaller items. I usually don't pay more than $30 for a host/hostess gift, but if you do, then 1) Congratulations, 2) You're invited to every single party I have from now until kingdom come; and 3) You're a silly goose and I can show you how to do it cheaper, er, less expensively.

If your host or hostess is a wino, either of these gifts would be perfect AND they're both less than 25 bucks.

Oenophilia 6-Bottle Climbing Tendril Hanging Wine Rack ($22.49)

 

Single Fishnet Wine Tote ($18)


For the Anthro lover in your life, this Cable Knit Candle or Key Bottle Opener would be awesome.

Cable Knit Candle ($30) and Castle Key Bottle Opener ($12)

...who doesn't need a mousepad? Especially one adorned with a mouse and their monogram?

Alphacritter Mousepad ($12)

If your host is a hostess (read: a chick) the Sugary Cinnamon Icing soap and lotion set from Philosophy is oh so lovely.

Hostess Holiday Set ($20) and Odd Size Measuring Spoons ($15.95)

I'm also a huge fan of these Odd Size Measuring Spoons above from Spoon Sisters (above, right). They give you the perfect measurement for a "dash", a "pinch" and a "tad". Perfecto!

And finally, what human being on this planet doesn't delight themselves in a spot of tea now and then? This is a great unisex gift and the tin is so beautiful, you wouldn't even have to wrap it.


Fortnum & Mason Classic Teas ($14.95)

Come back again tomorrow for a Trend Watch Wednesday that's more warm and fuzzy than a Snuggie (and FAR more stylish.)

Be blessed, lovelies-