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Weekend Links :: Snow Day Edition

January 22, 2016 by Emily 4 Comments

In the news story of the century, the Northeast is bracing for another blizzard. Shocking, really.

So to not get down in the snowy dumps, here are seven ideas for making the most of a snowed-in weekend at home::

Closet clean-out! // And purge with a goal in mind. I’ve always been intrigued by the capsule wardrobe, and I think winter is as good a time as any to finally start one {tbh I find myself wearing nothing more than fleece leggings, Bean Boots, and my warmest sweaters anyway this time of year}. The gals at Brass have put together a great post on creating one.

Chill some champagne in snow + whip up a bubbly cocktail // I stumbled across this French 75 recipe I posted around this time last year + think that’s a sign I should be revisiting it this weekend…

Then warm up // with an amaretto hot chocolate.

Plan a trip // I think you all know by now that I’ve been experiencing severe wanderlust. Miss jetsetter Natalie at The Boston Daybook shared this awesome post with her best travel travel tips that I’ve already bookmarked, and I’ll still be over here dreaming about the luggage I want to pack. Looking for tips on how to save up for that vacay? You can find mine here.

Dream of warmer days // by getting a head start on your spring shopping! This dress + this suit + these wedges are on my wish list right now.

Put together an inspiration board // Whether it’s for that capsule wardrobe, a room refresh, your upcoming wedding, or just plans + dreams for 2016…

Watch High School Musical // Because it’s been ten years and I’ve never felt older.

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Currently Craving:: Vintage Steamer Luggage

January 20, 2016 by Emily 5 Comments

* image via

I’m calling it now. SteamLine Luggage is the next big blogger fad. The sought-after Rockstuds. The new Zara blanket scarf. Vintage-inspired steamer luggage is where it’s AT this spring. Not that I can blame anyone.

*all images via SteamLine Luggage

Swoonworthy. Like something off of the Titanic, no? Minus, you know.

Problem is, one suitcase will set you back anywhere from $400 to $800 {you can swing $200 for a cosmetic case!}. And while I believe good luggage is a worthwhile investment, mama just don’t have the interest in quite that big of a splurge purchase. I’ve rounded up some of my favorite picks for steamer luggage that share the same vintage allure, but won’t break the bank::

How are you feeling about this upcoming trend?

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A Sweet Soiree:: Lindt Golden Globes Party

January 18, 2016 by Emily 5 Comments

I’m a sucker for award shows. The dresses. The mingling. The awkwardness. The J-Law.

For the last couple seasons, I’ve taken to hosting award show parties at our pad, so when Lindt became the Official Confectionery Sponsor of the 73rd Annual Golden Globes and asked me to host an at-home Golden Globes party, I jumped on the opportunity quicker than you can say truffle. And it was a preeetty sweet soiree if I do say so myself.

Here’s my recipe for hosting the perfect awards show party::

1 part invites // These ^ were made with Paperless Post

1 part signature cocktail // Courtney from Pizzazzerie shared her recipe for this Rose Gold bubbly concoction– super sweet, so I suggest using a dryer, less-sweet champagne!

{serves one}
-1 ounce St. Germaine
-1 ounce Chambord
-4 ounces champagne

Combine St. Germaine + Chabord in a shaker; top with champagne; garnish with fresh raspberries!

1 part Tinseltown // I added some glitz with these DIY tinsel drink stirrers, and they couldn’t be easier to make::

Start with a strand of tinsel garland. Cut 2-3-inch strips. Roll each strip into a loose ball {doesn’t have to be neat!}, and hot glue to the top of a bamboo skewer. Cut stirrer to appropriate length for glassware.

2 parts entertainment // The show itself is only half of the fun. Keep guests engaged with these BINGO printables from Sugar & Cloth— they’ll work just as well for the Academy Awards too! We used these LINDOR Truffles to mark off boxes.

5 parts chocolate // The real star of the night was, of course, the chocolate bar. We feasted on HELLO sticks, bars, and bites {you must try the Cookies & Cream Stick}, the famous LINDOR Truffles, and the y-u-m-m-i-e-s-t imported Swiss Pralines. To add in a little salty with that sweet, I made Two Peas & Their Pod’s Peanut Butter Pretzel Caramel Corn, featuring just about every ingredient you’d expect with that mouthful title, plus Lindt HELLO Pretzel Bites.

The Academy Awards are coming up on February 7– I’m calling for an encore!

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Full Disclosure: This post was created in partnership with Lindt; all opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support shell chic’d!

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New Year, New Coat

January 13, 2016 by Emily 5 Comments

Do you think I’m having a love affair with pastel coats?

Don’t answer that.

It is a briskkk January 13 and we are headed into the yuckiest and grayest few months of the year in New England! And after 9 winters here, I’ve learned that the keys to survival are Bean Boots, Baileys, and a couple of coats you really love. If you’re going to spend on two things this winter, make it good footwear +warm, happy outerwear. I snagged this Wool Melton Toggle Coat on supah-dupah sale post-Christmas, and while the hydrangea blue is getting low in stock, I’ve rounded up some additional pastel winter coats at the bottom of this post!

J.Crew Hydrangea Blue Melton Toggle Coat [similar] | H&M Jeans | Target Tortoise Sunglasses | Italian Leather Gloves [similar] | Kate Spade Camera Crossbody [similar 1; 2] J.Crew Metallic Gold Flats [similar]

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On Making Banking Fun

January 9, 2016 by Emily Leave a Comment

I feel like we got off a little easy this year with New Year’s Day landing on a Friday… as far as I’m concerned that meant two more days of vacation and celebrating before the reality of a new year hit {is that cheating?}. And while I am so looking forward to everything 2016 promises, this does mean it’s time to kick those resolutions into gear.

As I mentioned in this post, for a third of Bostonians, financial well-being is #1 on their New Year’s Resolutions list– trumping health & fitness,* which I found pretty surprising for this crazy athletic city! I think financial well-being has always been high on my list though, but what I struggle with every year is the question of where to start.

Enter: Capital One 360 Cafés. I swear, every time I’ve mentioned to someone that I’m working with Capital One, the first thing they mention to me is the Cafés, and want to know what the heck they are. So let’s back up and define exactly what I’m even talking about, because the Capital One name encompasses a lot more than just credit cards and football bowl games, you know.

Capital One Bank offers online financial products and tools such as no-fee checking and savings accounts. Super convenient because of how accessible it is virtually, but that being said, before the Cafés popped up, Bostonians didn’t exactly have a way of speaking face to face with bank associates. Yet now, the five locations in the city [Back Bay, Downtown Crossing, Coolidge Corner, Ink Block and Harvard Square] allow them to experience the full range of Capital One Bank’s online banking services, with associates always on hand to assist and educate them about the digital and financial tools available. And yes– it really is a Café {I recommend the hazelnut latte}! Suddenly, achieving those 2016 financial goals just got a lot easier… and, dare I say, fun.

Only 9% of us Bostonians admit to having accomplished all of our 2015 financial goals, and approximately 21% feel that they accomplished none.* I don’t want to be a part of the latter number at this time next year. I’ll be using tools like 360 Savings from Capital One and “Automatic Savings Plan” to kick my butt into gear, and I’m going to do so over a cappuccino. How’s that for making banking accessible?

*Results collected from a survey of Bostonians on their New Year’s Resolutions executed by Capital One Bank.

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Full Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Capital One; however, all opinions expressed are my own.
Thank you for supporting the brands that support shell chic’d!

January Edit

January 8, 2016 by Emily 1 Comment

Helloooo 2016! I usually reserve these edits for later in the month, but there’s already so many things on my radar for January that I just can’t hold ’em in any longer.

Alice’s Table // The new girls’ night out. The best way I can describe Alice’s Table is Paint Nite meets florals. Founder Alice Rossiter holds flower arranging workshops at top restaurants in Boston, where galpals can sip on cocktails and then bring home their finished arrangements. Ana, Alex, and I attended a class at Chestnut Hill Square’s BRIO last month and had such a blast.

For all of you in the Beantown area, I’m giving away TWO tickets to a workshop at the Chestnut Hill BRIO this Sunday 1/10— just follow me on Twitter and retweet this tweet to enter. Giveaway closes Saturday at 12pm + winner can pick up their tickets at the door!

Dinner Pies // We just released a new savory pies cookbook at HCP and I am smitten. I made Ken’s Sweet Potato and Herb Parmesan Galette for a Friendsgiving, and I’m still drooling over the Chicken & Rice Cheese Strudel my mom baked for the book last week. Next on my list: Old Bay Seafood Pot Pie and Chili Biscuit Cobbler.

Pastel Coats // I’ll be the first to admit that I have an unhealthy obsession with sundresses, which isn’t even a justifiable obsession because we have max 3 months of sundress weather here in New England. But coats. We have 9 months of coat weather! Might as well have a few to choose from, no? I snagged this hydrangea blue number at about 70% off during their after-Christmas sale, and I’m loving this sweet pink oversized option— and it comes in petite!

LINDT Golden Globes Viewing Party // I’m so excited to be working with LINDT during their time as Official Confection Sponsor of the 73rd Annual Golden Globes Awards! I’ll be offering my expert commentary {ie. which dress is my favorite, what cocktails I’m serving, & why Leonardo DiCaprio should win everything} during the live Twitter Party, and I’d love for you to join in– follow along with the #LindtGoldenGlobes hashtag from 8-9pm Sunday. Lots of chocolate giveaways involved!
*photo via Sugar & Cloth

Wanderlust // I came across Angela’s post on the 20 Most Colorful Places in the World this week and it is NOT helping my travel bug. Cinque Terre has been on my list for many years, but now I just added 19 more… good thing we’ve got that travel savings account up and running!
*photo via The Sunday Chapter

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From East to West

January 6, 2016 by Emily 5 Comments

My dad spends part of the year in Arizona now, meaning our Christmas week has a forecast of 75° and sunny, right?

LOL jokes.

Our family carries this cold-weather curse around with us, so it was a balmy 37° when we arrived in Phoenix. While Boston was experiencing a record-breaking 66° Christmas Eve.

But God said let there be light, and at least there was enough sun over our few days out west than we’ll see in New England for the next three months, so enough with my complaining!

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After the Party it’s the After Party: Lilly Pulitzer Sale!

January 4, 2016 by Emily 3 Comments

What’s the best cure for the first sleepy Monday of 2016?

Online sale shopping. Duh.

It’s the {second} biggest Lilly Pulitzer sale of the year + it goes live today at 8am EST! Here’s the deal::

–Log on as soon as you can post-8am. You’ll be placed in a virtual line.
–Do NOT allow yourself to become discouraged by the fact that you are #48,672 in line even though you refreshed the page at 8:00:03. The line will move quickly. Your “wait time” is also most likely an over-estimate.
–Do NOT refresh the page.
-My advice:: Grab what you want most, put it in your cart, and “get in line” to check out. Once you’ve secured that purchase, get back in line. Just because your items are in the cart doesn’t mean that they are reserved, and while you continue shopping, someone could snatch them up.

You can shop from your phone, but make sure you have secure service!

For more tips, read this guide!

I’ve rounded up just a few my favorites, just in case scrolling through endless pages of neon colors is giving you a headache.

D R E S S E S //

T O P S + B O T T O M S //

R O M P E R S + J U M P S U I T S //

Happy shopping ladies!

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Adventures, Style, & Circumstance

December 30, 2015 by Emily 3 Comments

I think it’s fair to say that 2015 was one of, if not the, best years of my life thus far. Aside from marrying my best friend, we finally began making our house a home. We gained a niece, and I gained a goddaughter. We soaked up every last precious and warm moment of summer, and made the best of the snowiest winter I’ve ever experienced. I got to dance on the Gillette Stadium field at the NFL season opener. We had no shortage of adventures and blessings, including but not limited to::

Watching six (or rather, 12!) friends get married, including my one of my best and oldest friends, plus upwards of five more get engaged.

Traveling all over New England, with trips to Nantucket, Portland, Portsmouth, Little Compton, Marblehead, Williamstown, and up and down Cape Cod.

A honeymoon split between Paris, Annecy, and Geneva.

Collaborations with brands I love, brands I admire, and local brands doing boss ‘thangs.

A blog re-launch

I witnessed a lot of good in the world. And a lot of tragedies, a surplus of hate, as well. I count my lucky stars every day for the people, health, and fortunes I’ve been blessed with. As I promise every year, I’ll continue turning to this online space to share the joy, but outside of this sparkly space, there are things we need to talk about in 2016. Things so much vaster than Instagram and Fashion Week and Miss Universe pageants. I have a long list of resolutions, and I encourage you as well– to educate yourselves. To have conversations. To speak up and debate and volunteer and comfort and fill the world with kindness. While I’m talking about even more than just the events mentioned in this post, my friend Amanda really says it best.

I don’t mean for this post to take this weird turn you’re all probably now side-eying, but as someone who spends hours a week crafting vapid social media posts and editing photos showing off gifted clothing items, I feel it important to say that yes, I am privileged, and yes, I feel helpless 90% of the time, but I want to do whatever I can to spread love, to spread kindness. And that’s what’s on my radar for 2016.

Happy New Year, sweet friends xx

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New Year’s Eve Shoes: Spend vs. Save

December 27, 2015 by Emily 5 Comments

*image via

So after this post, did you guys end up splurging or saving on your NYE attire?!

I’m so excited to wear this Ellie Kai maxi dress, but I can’t imagine not adding at least a little sparkle for ringing in the new year, so I’ve been on the hunt for fun shoes to top off the look. If you splurged on the dress, maybe you’re looking for a budget option like I am, but if you saved, perhaps now’s the time to put that Christmas money to use in the form of some New Year’s Eve shoes…

It’s not too late to order in time for 12/31 delivery, but better commit soon…!

Spend | Save

Spend | Save
{another option!}

Spend | Save

Spend | Save
{another option!}

Spend | Save

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Weekend Links :: Snow Day Edition

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Currently Craving:: Vintage Steamer Luggage

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A Sweet Soiree:: Lindt Golden Globes Party

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New Year, New Coat

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On Making Banking Fun

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January Edit

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From East to West

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After the Party it’s the After Party: Lilly Pulitzer Sale!

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Adventures, Style, & Circumstance

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New Year’s Eve Shoes: Spend vs. Save

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