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The 12 Days of Shopping Day 2: Tech Gift Guide

December 6, 2017

The 12 Days of Shopping Day 2: Tech Gift Guide

 

 

 

After a successful day one of my first ever 12 days of shopping gift series, I thought I would bring to you something out of the norm. This gift guide was designed for anyone on your wishlist. I tried to keep it gender neutral, but couldn’t resist adding in the smartwatch and the iPhone cases as a touch for those basic gals like myself out there.

These are all awesome items that I would pick for myself, my boyfriend, or anyone else. I love giving gifts and what better way to showcase my taste for gift giving then this handy guide? I am sure all of these gifts will come in handy for 2018 and beyond.

My favorites on the list: The MICHAEL Michael Kors smartwatch, the marble iPhone case, the activity tracker, the sport wireless headphones, and the Bose sound system. The one place that I found all of these great gifts was on Nordstrom’s website, actually. I never realized how many tech gadgets they actually carried before making this list and seeing a lot of these on other bloggers’ gift guides as well.

Enjoy these gifts and others like it – be sure to click on any of these links, or…

shop the post below

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My Favorite Things: June 2017 Edition

June 2, 2017

Don’t you just wish you had summers off again like you did when you were in school?

I sure do. That’s why my first edition of My Favorite Things is going to be everything summer!

Munching on [food]: There’s nothing I love more than a patio on a warm, summery day. I’m jonesing to go back to Earl’s patio this summer and indulge in a juicy burger.

On another note, I plan on visiting one of my favorite spots – Evanston, IL, for Buffalo Joe’s buffalo wings. OMG, this place is fantastic and has been featured as some of the best wings in Chicago. I. Cannot. Wait.

Sitting on [furniture/decor]: My patio furniture for the deck is on its way! I cannot wait to share the pieces that I ordered. I ordered them from Wayfair (where I get most of my furniture), and I will be reviewing it soon!

I also have been wanting to start revamping furniture and selling it on the side. The only problem is the lack of space in my garage! We’ll see if I actually attempt it…

Wearing out [fashion]: I have a number of outfits ready to go out on this blog! I’m due for another photo shoot this week (weather pending) and will have some fun shots up momentarily. Lately, I’ve been checking out the dress section at Bloomingdales. I can’t wait to show you my favorites!

Listening [music]: I’m seeing Rise Against in Chicago next week, the same day their new album comes out. I have been following this band since I was a freshman in high school. I also hold them near and dear to my heart because they are from the Chicagoland area. Give their new single a listen.

Watching [TV & Movies]: I have a strange addiction to Mr. Robot. It is about a hacker with mental issues, and the takedown of a conglomerate. Not my usual show, but the struggle is real here. I am starting season 2 as we speak.

I have Wonder Woman on the list of movies to see this weekend. Have you seen it yet? Tell me what you think!!

Until next time,

Steph Shakes

 

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Welcome Back

April 26, 2017

Hi there! Welcome to my new lifestyle blog, where I’ll feature fashion, interior design, travel, health/fitness, social media marketing, and so much more. If you’re a friend or a close lurker, you may have noticed I used to have a blog called, The Shop On Call.

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Fashion Uncategorized

New York Fashion Week Spring 2015 + Highlights So Far

September 8, 2014


New York Fashion Week is upon us. And while I’ll have my final favorites for Spring 2015 up soon, I thought I’d highlight my top 5 what I’ve loved so far. Check out some of the Ready to Wear look galleries on Style.com in the meantime.

1.

Diane von Fursternberg 

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2.

Hervé Léger by Max Azria

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3.

Trina Turk

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4.

Monique Lhuillier

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5.

Kate Spade New York 

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A combination of feminine prints, colors and lines with mod looks of the 60’s makes me so excited for Spring 2015.

Yours Truly,

S

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Why I’ll Always Wear White After Labor Day + Tips

August 29, 2014

 The whole not wearing white after Labor Day “rule” is OUT (and archaic). I continue to wear white through September, especially since I live in the desert and shorts take up a large portion of my closet. I simply use less white in my wardrobe and make sure my main pieces are dark colored or bolder patterns. If you’re going to wear a full on white piece of clothing later in the fall and in winter, just choose an off-white (Vogue approved).   I find white to be classy and clean, but please don’t wear bright whites in the snow (exception – ski wear)! Men, these rules pertain to you as well. Esquire has a great post on tips and tricks. Here are some ideas:

  • If I wear white shoes, I stick to sandals with other detailing or a black, brown or navy and white pattern.
  • Stick to darker colors, or the classic black and white.
  • Limit to one article of clothing, such as a white tee or top with a nice burgundy cardi. Or do white bottoms (i prefer off-white in this case) and a rich in color sweater, charcoal gray, etc. For shoes I like a nice brown boot. Michael Kors has some great examples of this for men and women.

What I’ll be wearing this September.

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|Portofino Shirt + Shorts|

P.S. I’m working with a couple of Vegas clients on their wardrobes this upcoming week. I will have some Fall personal shopping excursions to share with you soon! Please fill out a form here if interested in hearing more about Personal Shopping.

Yours Truly,

S

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My (early) Fall Picks + Inspiration

August 21, 2014


 

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{Find Your Picks Below}

Leather Pants + Sweater | Men’s Suit Jacket | Bordeaux Coat + Sweater | Men’s Denim Jacket Look | Women’s Leather Jacket | Men’s Plaid Shirt | Women’s Shirt + Sweater Combo

Recently I was in Santa Monica and Hollywood visiting a friend. While visiting I soaked up the fashion both men and women were wearing. People in L.A. have an advantage to the rest of the country – they get to enjoy perfect weather 365 days a year. Not too hot and not too cold. Perfect to show off the latest fashion. While walking around Santa Monica I noticed a mix of grungy Kurt Cobain-esque kids walking around in cut-off jean shorts, crop tops, red tartan plaid shirts tied around their waists, and chunky shoes like doc-martins. And then with the more sophisticated looking mod-wear on our upper 20’s and up crowds. Personally, I LOVE the sophisticated mod look. The grunge I’m not so sure about, but I managed to find a few looks off of Nordstrom.com for inspiration to my fall shopping list. The leather jacket and bordeaux Michael Kors coat I’m dying to buy! Let me know what you like!

Yours Truly,

S

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Mint + White + Navy: My New Summer Staple

August 18, 2014

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Shorts | Sweater |Sandals| Bag

I’m pretty obsessed with mint nowadays. During all the Memorial Day sales I picked up these ultra-comfortable mint shorts and this white sweater, both from Gap. I got them both for 40% off, as I love Gap’s sales. I usually don’t walk in there unless there’s a sale or if I have a coupon. Anyway, I LOVE this white sweater. It’s perfect for cool summer evenings and you can throw it on with basically anything. I took it to Chicago for Fourth of July as it was a bit chilly that weekend, and this past weekend I wore it on the Santa Monica Pier at night. I always like having a nice white sandal during the summer months, and a navy tank should always be a closet staple as well. This bag I’ve been taking on all my travels and to work, got it 50% off. They have a range of colors to choose from in that bag. Very Kate Spade. People are always surprised when I tell them I got it from The Limited. This relaxed yet polished look definitely fitted the California atmosphere this past weekend. Now I’m just dreaming of being back at the beach!

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Yours Truly,

S

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The Perfect White Summer Dress + Giada Las Vegas

August 13, 2014

I recently had a chance to dine at the new Giada Delaurentis restaurant at The Cromwell Las Vegas…

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Dress | Bag | Shoes| Belt | Watch

I thought this white dress I picked up from Nordstrom would be perfect for the occassion. And at only $46 – It was a steal! I love the back slit & buttons the best. I topped it off with a navy blue bow belt and navy blue clutch. I think I was channeling my inner Giada with this one. I love her style and the fact that her husband is a designer for Anthropologie!

 

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All I can say is it was the best dining experience I’ve had in Vegas thus far. The food and customer service were both exceptional. They even gave us a tour around the restaurant before we were seated, and walked us by the pasta station where they make it all fresh from scratch!

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We had the best seats in the house, facing the Bellagio fountains. I had a nice pinot noir, bacon wrapped dates, pizzette, spaghetti, chicken cacciatore, and a trio sampler of tiramisu for dessert (the PB & J was THE BEST). I can’t wait to go back and try the lunch and breakfast menus. Definitely a must if you want to do some fine dining in Vegas!

Hope you are having a fabulous week!

Yours truly,

S

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