Gilt Holiday Preview

I stopped by the Gilt Groupe offices a few weeks ago and to be perfectly honest, I stopped by because I've always been curious what the insides of the Gilt offices looked like. Right now it looks rather festive. They have transformed their showroom into a idyllic family home for the holidays - complete with fireplace, Christmas tree, bedroom, stockings and living room.

Each of the different scenes showcased product that will be on sale on Gilt Groupe in the coming months to fit your lifestyle - from Children's toys/books and even a bicycle to Jamon Ham, macarons and deluxe truffles, to sequin dresses, statement jewelry and nail polish. Gilt has man, woman, child and home covered from top to bottom.

Click after the jump to see more of what to expect or wish for this Holiday season.

Go: Kate Spade Igloo

If you haven’t seen it already, the Kate Spade igloo in Bryant Park is not only an adorable little place to visit and warm up before or after skating (there is free hot cocoa), it’s sort of a gift shopping paradise.  Filled with great little accessory items that are full of whimsy and sure to delight even the ficklest lady on your shopping list. 

From sparkly rings & earrings to polka dot thermos and make-up cases to plaid bags and metal link clutches it’s a world of Kate Spade waiting to happen.

The Igloo is only open now through Thursday December 16, 2010 so hurry before it closes.  Hours are 10am-10pm daily.

Seriously watching all the ice skaters lap around the rink and seeing the lit Christmas tree in the distance while I was in Bryant Park took me on a nostalgic trip of imaginary romance.

Rebecca Minkoff Launches Holiday Gift Collection

This year has been pretty exciting in the world of Rebecca Minkoff, not only has the designer launched a menswear line and a footwear line, she is now making Minkoff style accessible with the launch of the new Giftables collection. The product line features personal electronics cases, pouches, small handbags, wallets and more. Each item comes in a perfectly sized individual box that makes it ready to give. It's also important to note that everything will come at an affordable price tag at under $150 a pop.

Lani and I got a chance to see these styles in person and thought they were great. We love that they come in fun and happy poppy bright colors. Some are peppered in little studs while others feature a luxe double chain strap. More pics in a post to follow.

Items will be available at Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide, as well as on www.rebeccaminkoff.com.

Studded Babe in Nude Shine -- $150, Book Worm eReader in Grape Alligator -- $125

Tart in Green Metallic -- $ 125

I Love My Postcup!

A couple weeks ago, I won a Postcup from Fashion Binge. I love tea, and ever since I got this adorable cup, I've become even more obsessed. The cup is novelty-sized, so a bit on the small side, but that adds to the cuteness.

Postcup would make a great gift for any loved one. They're customizable ceramic cups from New York designer Re Jin Lee. She is the founder and designer of Bailey Doesn’t Bark, named after her well-mannered dog Bailey. Cute, right?

My Postcup says, "with milk and honey." I think I should have given the sender address a little more thought. I just have my mailing address, which in retrospect looks kind of stupid because basically I sent myself a love gram. But if I'm letting someone else use my cup, pretty freakin' sweet.

50% Off Karmaloop

Tuesday update, the sale has been extended! For two days, everything at karmaloop.com is 50% off with discount code, MERRY. And if you order by December 22nd, your order will make it in time for the holidays. Here are a few of my favorite items.
BBDakota Joan Dress $23, retail $46

Nixon Spree Pendant in All Gold $40, retail $80

Good Wood Mega Diamonds $12.50, retail $25

Seychelles Sneak Peak Boot in Chocolate $80, retail $160

Product Recommendation: SIGG Water Bottles

Six months ago, my best friend surprised me with a SIGG water bottle for my birthday. It was truly the perfect gift. I use it everyday, and I love it. Made of aluminum, the bottles are very light and very durable. I've dropped mine a few times and throw it around daily, and it's still going strong. I also like how it keeps my drink chilled.

SIGGs are healthy because unlike plastic bottles they don't leach Bysphenol A (BPA) into water. BPA has been deemed as potentially harmful and linked to cancer. And naturally, having a bottle of water on you means you'll drink more water!

SIGGs are also eco-friendly! By refilling your SIGG (or any water bottle) instead of buying bottled water, you're reducing the amount of energy that goes into bottling and transporting the water as well as the amount of waste produced by the plastic bottles. I could give you some stats, but it's depressing and I think you get the idea.

In the past I've had trouble keeping my water bottles clean. Even with all the fine scrubbing and soaking, I never felt like they were ever really clean enough. With my SIGG, I have only had one problems with odor and that's because I forgot about it for over a week. It was a sad week in my life, but with some soap and lots of rinsing, I was able to take care of it.

I've talked about this water bottle at length, let's move onto links. For more information or to purchase a SIGG, visit mysigg.com. They're also available in stores at retailers like Whole Foods and REI. And for more information on Bysphenol A (BPA), check out this article from TreeHugger.

Clothing Swap, Eco-Friendly & Budget-Friendly

Whether it's for the environment or for your budget, this holiday season consider doing a clothing swap with your best friends. What is a clothing swap? It can be a little event or get together where everyone brings items that they don't want and trades for something they do want. You know, one man's junk is another man's treasure?

Clothing swaps are obviously budget-friendly, and they're eco-friendly because they're encouraging reducing of waste and reusing of materials. Everyone wins! Did I mention they're super fun? You can give and get without reaching for your wallet! And it really does feel great to see an old dress have a second life with one of your friends.

Clothing Swap: Quick Tips
- The more the merrier applies, but more than a dozen can get a bit crazy
- Ask attendees to bring items that are still in good condition
- Encourage attendees to clean out their closets (items that don't fit, thing they don't wear, etc)
- Can even call it a "Stuff Swap" and expand into other categories like cosmetics (samples, barely used products) or DVDs/CDs
- Setup an area on a large table or on a large rug for everyone to sit and put their items on display
- Do a round of show and tell for everyone to show off what they brought (this part is fun and can get silly)
- Don't expect to trade one-for-one. It's more fun if it's "take what you like, give what you like"
- Have snacks or drinks so even if someone doesn't take home anything they can still have fun

I hope these tips were helpful. Good luck and happy swapping!

Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmestics

When it comes to natural beauty, it doesn't get more natural than Lush. The company started in the UK and has since expanded to Canada, Australia, Italy, Japan, Sweden, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Hungary, Germany, Taiwan and the United States. All products are vegan-friendly, made with fruits, vegetables, essential oils and safe synthetics, and Lush has a strict policy against animal testing.

Another reason why I love Lush is because they have a huge selection of solid products such as soaps or shampoo bars. Solid products require less packaging than liquids, which tend to come in plastic bottles that rarely get properly recycled. I still have a few old bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash to finish off, but once they are done, it's Lush for the win.




I haven't had a chance to test all (or even most) of Lush's products, but of the products I've tried, my favorites are Coalface Facial Cleanser, Herbalism Facial Cleanser, and Dream Cream Body Cream. Coalface is a great mild cleanser for the morning, and Herbalism does a great job of lightly exfoliating, treating and preventing blemishes after a long day. Body Cream smells a bit hippie, but it leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft and smooth. And you can't go wrong with the body soaps and bath bombs! They also make great gifts.

If you're curious about any of the products, you can ask the helpful staff, and they'll usually give you a nice little sample to take home. For store locations or more Lush product info, go to lush.com.