#OOTD: All Laced Up (Feat. Amazon Fashion, Joeoy)

One trend that I've been loving this fall is the lace up front sweaters that we've been seeing all over trendy clothing sites as well as in mall store windows such as Express, Forever 21, and Guess. However, the reason I haven't gotten one for myself was because I couldn't justify purchasing another sweater considering I'm trying to simplify and "detox" my wardrobe. (Hint, hint: post coming soon.)

Recently, I was contacted by Amazon Fashion representative, Jay, of the store Joeoy and was offered a collaboration opportunity with them to write an article about their clothing in exchange for a free garment. This being said, obviously I'm not going to pass up cute free clothes and as soon as I saw this adorable rust color, lace up sweater, I knew it was my chance to hop on the bandwagon for this trend!

Rust & Ribbed Knit

The first thing I noticed about my new sweater from Amazon Fashion's Joeoy, was how soft the material was and the quality of craftsmanship. The sweater itself is made of rayon which would explain the softness of the fabric. However, don't let that full you because this sweater is also quite heavy, which helps keep you warm on chilly autumn nights. Lastly, the lace up detailing as well as the ribbed knit of this sweater make it the perfect choice for a laid back night out with friends or family.

The other thing I liked about the style of this sweater was it's fit and flare sleeves which is a very hot trend on the runway this season. The reason I feel it pairs so well with this look is because I feel it adds a touch of softness to the sweater looks wise, making it more playful opposed to the sexy lace up sweaters that are also popular this year.

Lastly to style this relaxed piece, I paired it with a pair of my favorite Levi's skinny jeans, some adorable polished Nine West flats, and some minimal makeup to keep my up my carefree vibe. Also, I have to mention my gorgeous wooden watch, compliments of JORD, went absolutely perfectly with this sweater. The rust color of this sweater just balanced so well with the gorgeous emerald face of my watch and the dark sandalwood body. 

One Last Look

Needless to say, after how thrilled I was with this piece from Amazon Fashion's Joeoy, I will be a frequent shopper! What are some of your favorite Amazon Fashion shops? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic. Have a piece you wanna show off? Just tag me on Instagram at @StarkRavingChic! 

Xx, Bree

P.S. Love my JORD timepiece as much as I do? Well you're in luck! Through December 16th I am hosting a giveaway which includes an instant $25 e-code for anyone who enters, as well as one grand prize winner who will receive a Frankie Series or Frankie 35 Series watch of their choice. Wanna sign up and get all the details? ENTER HERE now! 

Holiday Travel Essentials + Tips To Stay Organized

When it comes to blogging, you absolutely love it. You get to work with you favorite brands, make new friends, and write about things you are passionate about. Though sometimes it's hard to stay on track and procrastination sets in and then at 11:59PM you are in full blown panic mode, drinking way to many Americanos, while trying to meet your 9AM post deadline for the following morning. Sound familiar? 

As I'm sure my readers have noticed in the past couple months I've been doing a lot of traveling back and forth from Florida, and as you can imagine during my travels I've been in the situation above quite a few times. This being said, I'm sure many of you are wondering how I've managed to stay organized and remain on top of my post deadlines while travelling, especially now that the holiday season is upon us. (Admittedly most of these things I've learned through trial and error, paired with more than a few glasses of wine with John.) And that's why I decided to make this post to share my essentials and some tips!

Travel Essentials

If you follow me on Twitter you probably saw my tweet featuring my Travel Essentials list on Influenster, but in case you don't here's what you missed and why these items should be in every bloggers carry on:

A Large Tote to Keep Your Necessities In:

Though any large tote would do, I specifically have this Coach Nomad bag in burgundy. The reason why I say a large tote is a necessity is simply because though ones this size are more comparable to a carry on bag, they still obviously count as your "personal item". Not to mention this way you can pack everything you need for a flight in one place such as a book, small laptop or iPad, passport booklet (if needed) and of course little necessities like a brush, lip balm, and maybe a small camera. Also, I don't know about you, but when I'm travelling I always try and pack light with as little bags as possible simply because I don't like to wait around at baggage claim. 

iPad Pro 12.9 + Apple Smart Keyboard/Portfolio Case

Okay, so maybe you don't absolutely need an iPad and keyboard, but I for one do simply because it all goes back to me wanting to pack light and it's hard to do that when you're laptop has a 17" screen. So as an early gift this year my mum gave me my trusty new iPad and it has really helped with keeping me on track with my blogging even while traveling. How so? Well it has helped me stay organized due to the nifty calendar app I have on it, as well as giving me the capability to make an agenda. And of course let's not forget to mention how less cumbersome it is on the go that a laptop.

A Note Pad (In my opinion the cuter the better!)

Even though I am very good about keeping my agenda and calendar organized on my phone or iPad, I'm not so great at making notes or reminder on them. This being said I much prefer to keep a small note pad to got things down and make physical lists.

Pens, lots of pens 

Firstly, obviously if you have a note pad to jot things down, chances are you probably need a pen. And if you're like me, you are probably constantly losing, I mean misplacing, your pens so it's probably a good idea to have a few of them handy. (And if you're like me and own one fancy pen, never put that thing in your purse!)

A Good Pair of Headphones

Simple explanation: Crying infants on airplanes.

Business Cards + Case

Lastly, even when I am just travelling for pleasure and it's not business related, I always keep a couple business cards on me. You just never know who you might run into and want to collaborate with!

Tips To Stay Organized 

I will be the first to admit that I am not an overly organized person. Though I generally always have a plan, and know everything will get done, I have a tendency to get overwhelmed and slowly shut down from blogging mode. However, while I've been travelling I have also been researching ways to help keep myself organized and panic free! Here are the things I have been doing that have been a tremendous help:

1. Get rid of the default "Calendar" App and start using "Calendars" by Readdle

Yes, the dreaded "Calendar" app by Apple is atrocious and in my opinion very difficult to keep organized if you have a crazy busy schedule. This being said that's ow I stumbled upon Calendars by Readdle. This app is great because it allows you to color code and label events, and it has a wide selection of colors, which was good news to me because it has really helped me stay organized.

2. If your platform that you blog on has an app, DOWNLOAD IT NOW! (If you haven't already)

Obviously, this is one of the best ways to update posts, check analytics, and answer comments on the go. And to top it off most of the apps for blogging platforms are free so it's almost silly not to have them downloaded.

3. Make sure your blog email is set as your "main" email account on your phone

I don't know if most people are like me but I have a ridiculous amount of email addresses: My blog/business email, my work email for DSG, my school email, an email specifically for flights, and lastly my "junk" email. This being said, it is much easier for me to have my business email as my main considering that is my highest priority. (Though it is kind of frowned upon, I refuse to check DSG emails after office hours or if I am clocked out for lunch or off sick.)

4. Set personal post dates (AKA non-sponsored posts) well in advance

This is so important for me. I am a major planner, I always try and have posts booked and ready to go at least two weeks  in advance. Seriously, my last #OOTD for StyleWe was booked and written on November 6th! And currently I am already booked through early-mid December.

5. Keep a written to-do list and notes

I don't know about you, but for me jotting things down actually helps me remember them. Perhaps it's just habit from when I was little and my mum would have me write my spelling words 3 times each as practice. However, this being said, I find keeping a written list very helpful to stay organized.

And lastly, though this isn't a tip to be organized in the crazy blogging world we live in, always remember to set aside a couple hours a day for yourself. Shut off your phone (yes really), take a walk, read a book, have a glass of wine! Just anything to pull you away from your computer for a few to really enjoy yourself. Believe it or not, even when you're overwhelmingly busy, it'll make you feel 10 times better.

What are some ways that you stay on schedule for the holidays and while travelling? Let's chat about it in the comments below!

Xx, Bree

#OOTD: Fun, Flared, and Fearless (Feat. StyleWe)

As my long time readers know, the one thing I like the clothes in my wardrobe to be is versatile, I even wrote a whole article on this topic last fall. Obviously, the reason versatile pieces are so great is because they definitely give you the most wear, and ultimately that means more bang for your buck! This being said when I was contacted by my most recent sponsor/affiliate StyleWe to review their clothes I was absolutely thrilled to find their site had a huge selection of very chic clothing that was perfect for both work and play.

StyleWe

For those of you who haven't heard of the company StyleWe, they are an online fashion retailer that features clothing from independent clothing designers. Meaning StyleWe is absolutely committed to providing their shoppers with original, high quality, products. And I have to say, though I received my two items free of charge, I will definitely be shopping more with StyleWe due to their chic clothes and easy to navigate website. To be honest, I felt they took online clothes shopping to a new level; and with their great selection of dresses, tops, outerwear, and accessories, StyleWe might just be every budget fashionista's dream store. 

City Dweller

As I stated earlier, StyleWe representative Lillian, was kind enough to send me two pieces to style. So instead of going my normal route and purchasing two dresses, I decided to mix it up a bit when I came across this adorable grey jumpsuit and decided to pair it with this over sized wool sweater. 

Though I've only styled one other overall garment on here before, jumpsuits, jumpers, and rompers are totally something I would like to acquire more of in the future. This is simply because they are so easy to style and you can really dress them up (or down) depending on the occasion.

To style these two pieces, I decided to pair them up and go with a street style look while hanging out in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. To achieve my desired Olsen Twin bag-lady look, I grabbed my Coach Nomad Tote, and threw on a pair of white chucks because this look was all about comfort. And lastly to accessorize this outfit, I paired it with my new wooden watch compliments of JORD, and my Jenny Bird necklace from my sponsor Rocksbox.

Love this watch? You can possibly win one just like it and everyone instantly gets a $25 e-code when you enter my giveaway for JORD Wood Watches!

Polished Professional

Since I am all about versatility, of course I wouldn't leave you guys hanging on how else I styled this jumpsuit! For this look, I decided to dress it up how I would for a business meeting or how I would wear it to my office.

Like I stated earlier, jumpsuits such as this one are perfect for both work and play. As you saw above, this piece styles down great for a cool laid back look that's perfect for kicking it downtown. Well, as you can see here it also makes a nice appearance paired with a simple leather blazer (compliments of my affiliate Ann Taylor) and dress flats. 

The reason I chose to style this piece with this blazer is because it gives this cute and comfy piece a professional and business appropriate look. But it also adds just the right amount of edge to keep this darling jump suit looking chic and polished. It also would be a great outfit to wear to happy hour if you were looking for an urban professional look. Lastly to finish this look off, I style it with my black chained mini bag from my sponsor SheIn.

One Last Look

Love my necklace? Sign up with Rocksbox using my promo code "starkravingchicxoxo" and get your first month free!

Earrings by Bvlgari (And note they belong to my mum, not me. She just let me borrow them for this post because she's awesome!!)

What are some of your favorite versatile pieces to style? Let's chat about it in the comments below or tweet me at @StarkRavingChic. Have a photo you want to show off? Tag me on Instagram at @StarkRavingChic! Later dolls.

Xx, Bree