What To Wear: Easter Sunday

To Church Camilla and Marc Dress | Kelly Wearstler Ring | Rochas Clutch | KORS By Michael Kors Sandals | To Brunch Tibi Dress | Lizzie Fortunato Bag | Mania Mania Necklace | Salvatore Ferragamo Bow Flats

Egg Hunting Ellery Dress | 3.1 Phillip Lim Bag | Orly Genger By Jaclyn Mayer Necklace | Rebecca Minkoff Wedges | To Dinner Opening Ceremony Dress | Santi Jeweled Clutch | Marc By Marc Jacobs Ring | Elizabeth and James Sandals 

Easter Sunday has always been a special day to celebrate with my family... it's one of my Mom's favorite holidays! I love how colorful and cheerful everything is this time of year and wanted to feature a few of my favorite head to toe looks [check out more pastel and bold colored pieces below in my dress look book]. Tomorrow I'll be sharing some Easter basket ideas for the little boys and girls in your life! XOXO

What To Wear: St. Patrick's Day

Proenza Schouler PS11 Bag $1675 | Girl. By Band Of Outsiders Romper $315 | J.Crew Necklace $85 | Jennifer Zeuner Clover Bracelet $143 | See By Chloe Bangles $70 | Heather Hawkins Earrings $88 | Essie Mint Candy Apple Polish $8 | Joie Smoking Slippers $175 | J.Crew Cocoon Coat $325

While green isn't high on my list of favorite colors, these cute pieces would be perfect to wear this Sunday for St. Patty's Day. One of my best friends lives in Chicago and they dye the river green every year to celebrate. How fun and festive is that? I'd love to visit in the future to see it in person! Shop more of my green picks in the look book below. XOXO

Winner: H.Finn Jewelry Giveaway

A big thank you for participating in the H.Finn Jewelry Giveaway and to Fabianna for offering up one of her gorgeous druzy necklaces! The lucky winner is Dawn Dean, congratulations! If you are still lusting for one of these pretty pieces then head on over to the H.Finn Jewelry etsy shop and check out all the options [I'm loving this amazing amethyst necklace].  XOXO

Giveaway: H.Finn Jewelry

Fabianna of H.Finn Jewelry sent me this gorgeous blue druzy stone necklace last week and I might be slightly obsessed! It's the perfect, dainty everyday piece and here is the exciting news: H.Finn Jewelry has generously offered to host a giveaway for one lucky reader to receive a necklace almost identical to the above! All the details on how to win this pretty piece below.

Mandatory Entry:

Like H. Finn and Nicole's Guide To Style on Facebook.

Leave a comment with your email address.

Additional Entries [please leave an additional comment for each entry]:

Follow hfinnjewelry and nsguidetostyle on Instagram.

Pin your favorite piece from H.Finn and follow nsguidetostyle on Pinterest.

Add H.Finn Jewelry to your favorites on Etsy.

Follow H.Finn's blog on Google Reader.

The winner of this giveaway will be announced Friday, March 15th. Good luck! XOXO

Fabulous Friday

J.Crew Necklace + Grace Memoir.

Happy weekend! Any fun plans? I have an exciting giveaway planned for Monday with H.Finn Jewelry so be sure to check back then... a sneak peek of what you can win will be on my Instagram [nsguidetostyle] this weekend! XOXO

Sales & Steals: Shopbop Markdowns

If you missed Shopbop's sale last week, you're in luck! They just released new markdowns on the site this morning, be sure to check out all of the great deals here. I'm eyeing this studded Tibi dress that is now 70% off and these pale gray Paige jeans. Also, jewelry site Charm & Chain is offering a 20% discount with code SPRINGFEVER20 now through March 18th. This Gorjana pave bar necklace and these cross stud earrings are my favorite everyday pieces from the site! Enjoy! XOXO

Featured On... Shoemint "Nicole" Wedge

I was so touched when my friend and former boss told me that Shoemint's February Nicole wedge that was released during Fashion Week had been named after me! I love them to pieces and can't wait to wear them this spring and summer [and I'm definitely keeping the box!]. The wedge has a 5.5 inch platform and also comes in two other color ways [black and snake print]. If you're new to Shoemint, stylist Nicole Chavez and Rachel Bilson design a new collection of shoes for members of the site each month and they just released their March showroom today... be sure to check it out! XOXO

Wedding: Style Me Pretty Feature

One of the most special days of my life was featured on Style Me Pretty yesterday! The photos brought back such wonderful memories and made me realize how quickly time has flown by and how important it is to enjoy every moment. I would love for you to head on over and see the full feature here and the image gallery here! There is also a wedding tab on my header with all my vendor information in case you're in the LA area and need some suggestions! XOXO

Sales & Steals: Shopbop Buy More, Save More Code

Dolce Vita Dress $264 | 3.1 Phillip Lim Dress $695 | Thakoon Addition Dress $525 | Suno Dress $425 | LemLem Dress $248

Get your spring wish lists out! Shopbop is offering a buy more, save more discount with code SPRINGEVENT. The breakdowns are: spend $250, save $30. spend $500, save $60. spend $750 save $120. spend $1,000, save $200. spend $1,500, save $300. I complied more of my favorites in the look book below in case you need help deciding what to get [if you can't view it in your google reader, please click over to my site]! Start shopping here before the sale ends on April 28th. XOXO

Best Dressed: 2013 Academy Awards

Jessica Chastain in Armani Prive. Jennifer Lawrence in Dior Haute Couture. Kerry Washington in Miu Miu. Naomi Watts in Armani Prive.

Diane Kruger in Giambattista Valli. Amy Adams in Oscar de la Renta. Lily Collins in Zuhair Murad. Kate Bosworth in Giambattista Valli.

Last night was Fashion's biggest night: The Oscars. I thought the actual show was very entertaining [I loved the musical performances] but the looks on the red carpet left me wanting more especially after last years great looks [remember Gwyneth's cape?]. My favorite ensemble from head to toe was Jessica Chastain's Armani Prive gown, perfectly coiffed hair and red lips. Besides Jessica's look, I think I liked the fashion at the after parties more! XOXO
images via usweekly.com and justjared.com

Current Obsessions

J.Crew Necklace $180 / Grace Book $35 / Topshop Hair Pins $25/ The Row Sunglasses $410 / Honeydew Bralette $32 / K. Jacques Sandals $255 / Madewell Embossed Clutch $178 / J.Crew Skirt $395 / Shake Rattle & Roll Cocktail Shaker $36 / Jennifer Meyer Ring $450 / Tom Ford Lip Color Shine in Smitten $48

There are so many cute spring items out right now! I'm kind of loving a mint and cream wardrobe palette [loving this dress too] with a splash of peach on the face [think lips or cheeks]... I would be thrilled to get my hands on the J.Crew necklace and Grace Coddington's memoir [I've heard it's great if your a fellow fashion lover]. Btw, Topshop's LA store at The Grove just opened if you live in the area!

I attempted to teach myself some photoshop basics yesterday and failed miserably... Any suggestions on where to get some tips online to understand the basics would be appreciated! Oh, and for those that asked [via comments and Instagram] I got my nail art done at Buff & Tweeze [thanks for the rec LVL!]. XOXO

Etc.

[clockwise from top left]

1. Gel manicure in OPI Samoan Sand + gold nail art. 2. Valentine's dinner at BLT Steak [thanks for the food suggestions, the popovers were to die for!]. 3. Trader Joe's Coconut Body Butter...smelled amazing + it'd be a great alternative to my favorite Kiehl's body butter. 4. Our Valentine's Day dinner at home last Thursday. 

[clockwise from top left]

1. Our sweet kitty Nala. 2. Popeye Protein smoothie from Juice Farm in Pasadena. 3. First Bauble Bar purchase, the Marquise Leaf Cascade Earring, in my favorite color for spring. 4. Valentine's gifts: Chanel Illuminating Powder + Cle De Peau Concealer.

Currently trying to brainstorm a new giveaway for this month... let me know if there is a particular category you'd like to see featured next! XOXO

How I Spent My... Valentine's Day

Baked some festive treats for our family.

Snuggled with my baby boy.

[he's wearing this Baby Gap onesie]

Received some gorgeous flowers from my hubby.

Wrapped a gift for my Valentine. 

[this was inside... we love the chopped salads at La Scala and now we can make them at home]

Opened Hudson's first Valentine from his Auntie.

Hope you all had a great day yesterday! We are continuing our Valentine's celebration this weekend with a dinner at BLT Steak... I've never been but it looks delicious. Enjoy the long weekend! XOXO

What To Wear: Valentine's Day Date

Happy Valentine's Day, sending you lots of love! I hope you are extra sweet to everyone you come in contact with today. You never know, you might just brighten someone's day by being extra nice! Above are a few of my current favorite red and pink dresses from Shopbop and Net-A-Porter... they would be the perfect attire for a fancy Valentine's Day date! XOXO

Gift Guide: Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate and it's only a day away! I love the girly pink, white and red color scheme that pops up around this time of year and wanted to share some of my current favorite rosie hued items. Aren't those Valentino studded heels pretty amazing? All of the links to shop the items in this post below! XOXO

DIY: Valentine's Day Printables c/o Bloom Designs Online

My sister, Jenny of Bloom Designs Online, created these adorable printables for Hudson to give to our friends for Valentine's Day! Check out her post with all the details on how to put together these sweet treats and visit her etsy shop to purchase everything you need to make this easy DIY for the 14th. A last minute Gift Guide for Valentine's Day up tomorrow! XOXO

Winner: Little Hip Squeaks Giveaway

:Hudson lounging on his Little Hip Squeaks chevron blanket in Baby Gap + Jacadi:

Thank you so much for participating in the Little Hip Squeaks giveaway! I was so excited to showcase one of my favorite baby brands and to work with Amy {who is a delight btw!}. The lucky winner of a $50 credit to the Little Hip Squeaks shop is Milla who is hoping to get her son the elephant hat or the braided mod blanket. I also did a little feature for the LHS blog that should be up before the weekend... check it out here if you have time!

Hoping to bring you some Valentine's Day inspiration posts and to share Hudson's newborn photos with you next week. Have a fun-filled weekend, find me here on Instagram in the meantime! XOXO

Etc.

Just because roses from the hubby.

Birthday, baby gifts + my Sugar Paper stationery.

Flowers for Hudson's 1 month birthday from our sweet friends.

Prepping for Valentine's Day next week.

 Hudson at 5 weeks old {and his first time wearing shoes!}.

If you have sent me an email recently I apologize for the delay in responding, I will try to get back to you within in the next week {I love hearing from you!}. Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway with Little Hip Squeaks... the winner will be announced tomorrow! XOXO

Hudson: Month 1 Favorites

We celebrated our sweet baby boy's 1 month birthday on Saturday!

He's getting bigger everyday... now 10 lbs 14.5 oz and 21.5 inches long!

I thought that it might be helpful to some new mommies out there to list a few of my favorite items and things that have been helpful over the last month with little Hudson! 

Aden + Anais Swaddling Blankets: we love our star printed blankets (set of 4 in blue, grey, beige and green) and the ivory bamboo version too. They have been perfect for swaddling and to cover the car seat or stroller.

Gap Snap Shirts: these are great for bedtime when swaddling and during the day with little leggings for quick diaper changes. We have been using both the short and long sleeve versions of the shirt depending on the temperature.

Zoli Buzz B Nail File: this is perfect for filing the little one's nails. It comes with 4 files depending on baby's age {0-12 months} which prevents from getting too close to the skin.

The Honest Company Healing Balm + Wipes: we weren't crazy about the shampoo and lotion but we love these two products. The healing balm is magic on little cuts, dry skin or rashes and the I like that the wipes are plant based and natural.

Little Hip Squeaks: we are obsessed with this Etsy shop! The personalized blankets, leggings and hats are precious and unique plus Amy uses organic cotton and designs the prints herself. Don't forget to enter our giveaway with LHS here!

Boon Naked Collapsible Bath Tub: this has been perfect for bath time. We have limited storage space so I love that it folds up and can hang behind the door when we are done using it. It also collapses and expands as baby grows from 0-18 months.

Diana Henderson Photography: Diana took Hudson's newborn photos a few weeks ago and we loved how they turned out, I'll share some favorites soon! If you live in the Los Angeles area I highly recommend her {she also does family photos}. 

Shop some of our must haves below and please feel free to share your favorites, I'd love to know what was useful to your family during the first few months! XOXO

Giveaway: Little Hip Squeaks $50 Gift Certificate

I'm so excited to announce a giveaway with one of my favorite baby brands

Everything in the Little Hip Squeaks shop is eco friendly and printed on organic fabrics designed by Amy who is generously offering a reader a $50 gift certificate to use on anything in her Etsy shop! She creates adorable hats, personalized blankets and other baby gifts in fun patterns like mustaches, chevron, elephants and foxes... so many cute things to choose from! Please follow the directions below to enter this giveaway with LHS.

Mandatory Entry: 

Follow Little Hip Squeaks and Nicole's Guide To Style on Facebook.

Please become a google friend connect follower and leave a comment with your favorite LHS item and email address.

Extra Entries {please leave a comment for each}

Follow Little Hip Squeaks and Nicole's Guide To Style on Pinterest.

Follow Little Hip Squeaks and Nicole's Guide To Style on Instagram.

Follow Little Hip Squeaks and Nicole's Guide To Style on Twitter.

Tweet, Blog or Instagram about the giveaway making sure to link back to us.

The winner will be announced and contacted next Friday, February 8th so make sure you get your entries completed in the next week. Spread the word and good luck! XOXO

Review: Too Faced Beauty Balm

Too Faced Beauty Balm in Creme Glow

I've been hearing a lot of raves for beauty balm {also known as bb cream} over the past year but I wasn't sure how to incorporate it into my daily makeup routine.  It's basically a tinted moisturizer and primer packed with added skin benefits like SPF, antioxidants and anti aging properties. After browsing the selection at Sephora, I found many of the bb creams only came in one color option which usually had a pinkish tint to it {something that would not work well on me}. I decided to go with the Too Faced Beauty Balm in Creme Glow because it most closely matched my skin tone {light with yellow undertones, tans easily}.

Pros

6 color options to choose from.

Contains SPF 20 UVA/UVB.

Has a soft, subtle shimmer which gives the skin a nice glow.

Kept my skin oil free all day.

Cons

The packaging {a plastic tube with screw cap} could be improved on.

A little on the expensive side {$32 for a 1.5oz tube}.

Overall, I'm really happy with this purchase and liked how it held up throughout the day. It's great for everyday use on it's own for someone who likes sheer to medium coverage and it also adds a nice glow under foundation. I would love to try the Dior Diorskin BB Creme once this runs out to see how it compares. Have you tried a beauty balm yet?

P.S. Thank you for all of the great concealer recommendations, I have a lot of options on my list now! XOXO

Hudson: Week 3

Both outfits from Baby Gap + Aden + Anais Star Swaddling Blanket {set of 4}.

Baby boy turned 3 weeks old on Wednesday the 23rd! Hudson has finally grown into his 0-3 month clothing and is starting to sleep a little bit {key word little} longer at night. Check back next Friday for a giveaway with one of my favorite baby brands... a hint is on my Instagram page! Happy weekend. XOXO

Review: Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer

Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer in Light

My all time favorite concealer is Cle de Peau in Beige and while it lasts a really long time the price is not so great. I've been searching for a cheaper alternative for awhile with zero luck. After reading a lot of reviews of Maybelline's Age Rewind Concealer online, I had high hopes and decided to test it out for myself.

Pros

Easy to apply and cute packaging. 

Great for on the go touch ups.

The thin coverage prevents the product from settling into fine lines.

Under $10.

Cons

The brush attached can't be cleaned.

Not an ideal product for problem skin or blemishes.

The coverage doesn't build up very well.

I'd recommend this if you are looking for something to cover light spots or circles {plus the price is great!}. However, this is not a good match for someone who likes full coverage or who has problem skin. My search continues...do you have a favorite concealer at a decent price that you'd rec? XOXO

Giveaway: Diptyque Or Nest Candle

 Gap Vanilla Kisses Candle : Diptyque Ambre Candle : Nest Tahiti Vanille Candle : Voluspa Muscari Candle

As a thank you for all the well wishes the past few weeks, I wanted to give a reader one of my favorite things! I love having candles around the house {especially ones that are vanilla scented} so the winner of this giveaway can choose any in stock scent of their choice of a Diptyque mini candle from Barneys {view choices here} or any scent of a Nest 8oz candle from Bloomingdales {view choices here}.

Mandatory Entry:
- Become a follower of Nicole's Guide To Style through Google Friend Connect on the right sidebar.
- Leave a comment with the brand of candle and scent you would like if you win!

Additional Entires {please leave a comment per extra entry}:
- Follow on Facebook.
- Follow on Instagram.
- Follow on Pinterest.
- Follow and tweet about (mention @nsguidetostyle) the giveaway on Twitter.

I'll announce the winner on my Facebook and Twitter pages this Friday, January 25th. Good luck and thanks so much for reading! XOXO

Hudson: Week 2

A handmade blanket from his Great Grandma.

Hats from Little Hip Squeaks... giveaway coming in a few weeks!

 Baby Gap onesie + Jacadi hat.

Hudson turned 2 weeks old on Wednesday the 16th! We've been having so much fun watching him change from day to day! Thank you for continuing to check in while I take a little break from a somewhat regular blogging schedule... hoping to get a few giveaways together for the upcoming weeks! In the meantime, you can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. Thanks again for all the sweet comments and well wishes, have a great weekend! XOXO