Yearly Archives: 2016

Holiday Gift Guide for the Beauty Lover

Holiday Gift ideas for the beauty lover including makeup palettes, brush sets, skincare gift sets, nail polish, and hair care products.

| DETAILS |
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH: Fresh Mask and Face Wash Kit  |  Kiehls Mask Set  |  Tula Starter Kit  |  Mario Badescu Anti Aging Kit
MAKEUP OBSESSED: Anastasia Eye Palette  |  MAC Lipstick Set (25% off)  |  MAC Eyeshadow Palette  |  Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual (currently reading!)  | Bobbie Brown Eye, Cheek, and Lip Palette
MANI PEDI TIME: The Body Shop Peppermint Foot Scrub  |  Essie Holiday Collection  |  Lulu 18 Pack Nail Polish Set
BIG HAIR DON’T CARE: T3 Curling Wand  |  Drybar Texas Tease Set  |  Best of Sephora Hair Masks
BRUSH LOVE: Sigma Brush Cleaning Mat  |  It Cosmetics Glitter Brush Set  |  Sigma Eye Brush Set

Happy Friday! Today’s gift guide is filled with gift ideas for the beauty lover in your life.  The holidays bring out gift sets galore when it comes to beauty products.  If you know someone’s favorite brand(s), check around online to see if they offer a best of or travel set.  Gift sets are also a great way to try out that brand you have had your eye on too.  Many gift sets include 3 or more products at a discounted rate.

This beauty gift guide mainly consists of things I have and love or want.  When it comes to makeup brushes, It Cosmetics and Sigma are two of my favorites.  Their brushes help apply eye shadows and foundation flawlessly!  I own this brush cleaning mat and love it.  It really deep cleans my brushes, and I think it makes it a little more fun.

Makeup palettes are such a fun gift.  I LOVE eyeshadow palettes! I have heard rave reviews about this Anastasia one.  It has some great warm earth tone colors in it which are my favorite.  I just started reading the makeup manual.  It would be so perfect for someone just learning makeup or wanting to expand their routine.  It talks about EVERYTHING from skincare and supplies to application.

A few beauty gifts I think you can never go wrong with, skincare and nail care.  Don’t we all want to look younger with flawless nails. 🙂 I have been wearing the Essie Holiday Collection on the blog lately.  I love how rich the colors are in this line. Plus, most of them only needed one coat.  Of the skincare products, I have tried all but one and love them.  I have heard Mario Badescu products are AMAZING, so I had to include a set.

Recently, I fell in love with hair masks after I did this one.  I saw my bestie the next day, and she quickly commented on how fab my hair looked that day. This set will probably makes it way to my wish list, because now I want to try ALL the hair masks.  I have never tried this curling wand, but everyone who uses it talks about how fabulous it is and how your curls last all day.  It’s pricey, so definitely a splurge gift idea.

Hopefully this guide has given you some good ideas.  You can always find more holiday gift ideas HERE or under the Holiday Shop tab on my menu bar.  I hope you all have a great weekend, and I will see you back here on Monday!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

SHOP THE GIFTS + MORE

Lace Holiday Dress

Houston Fashion blogger wears a holiday party outfit featuring a teal lace dress and red tassel earrings.

Houston Style blogger, Lady in Violet wears a Christmas party dress in teal lace with red earrings.

Houston Fashion Blogger Karen Rock wears a cocktail party dress with nude heels and red tassel earrings.

Texas fashion blogger wears the bb dakota lace dress with the gigi new york black clutch and baublebar gold cuff bracelet.

Houston Fashion blogger Lady in Violet styles the BB dakota lace dress in teal with baublebar astolat earrings for a holiday party outfit idea.

Karen Rock of Lady in Violet styles a wedding guest outfit in a teal dress and blush nude heels in downtown Houston.

Houston Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet styles a holiday office party outfit including a teal lace dress, gold bracelet and black clutch.

Houston Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet wears a lace holiday dress for under 100 dollars with red tassel earrings from Baublebar and Nordstrom.

Houston Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet styles a Holiday outfit idea in a teal lace dress from Nordstrom with heels and red earrings from Baublebar.

| DETAILS |
BB DAKOTA Lace Dress (comes in 10 other colors too!) |  STEVE MADDEN Proto Heels  |  GIGI NEW YORK All in One Bag  |  BAUBLEBAR c/o Astolat Drops ,  Pinnacle Cuff  |  Nails: ESSIE c/o Ready to Boa  |  Lips: NYX Staycation

I seriously cannot believe that tomorrow is December and officially the Christmas season!  The holiday season also means time for holiday parties.  I can’t wait! I have some really fun holiday celebrations on my calendar already.   Even though December gets a little crazy busy, I love that it is filled with friends and family time.  Not too shabby of a way to end the year.

If you are heading to a dressier Christmas party, this lace holiday dress would be perfect for you!  It comes in 11 COLOR OPTIONS, so you are bound to find the perfect one.  Plus, it’s under $100 and would also be great to wear to weddings year round.  I picked this dark teal because I thought it would be fun to do a play on Christmas colors.  The red earring and teal dress pair perfectly together.  You could also do a dark hunter green with a berry pink earring to reverse the color play.

For those of you in colder temperatures,  you can easily pair this dress with black tights and black heels for a slightly warmer outfit. Since this dress was lace and a crew neckline, I opted out of a necklace with this look.   If you wanted to wear one, I would go with something short and delicate that will not easily catch on the lace design.

If you want more holiday style inspiration, I have collected lots of different ideas HERE. Remember it can take 7-10 days for the regular shipping, so be sure to order soon if you need any holiday gear.  You can find this page all month long under the special Holiday Shop tab on the menu bar too.  I will be back to gift guides this Friday, so be sure to stop by and check it out!  As always, thanks for stopping by the blog.

SHOP THE LOOK

Red Christmas Sweater + The BEST Cyber Monday Sales

Houston Fashion Blogger wears a winter outfit idea featuring a red sweater, black jeans and riding boots.

Lady in Violet wears a perfect red Christmas sweater that is under 100 dollars.

Houston Style Blogger, Karen Rock wears black riding boots with stretchy black skinny jeans.

Houston Fashion Blogger, Karen Rock wears a Christmas outfit idea including a red sweater, black jeans and boots.

Houston Texas Fashion Blogger wears a Nordstrom red funnel neck sweater by Sanctuary and kendra scott skylar earrings in white.

Houston Fashion Blogger styles a winter outfit idea featuring a red long sweater with black skinny jeans and riding boots.

Karen Rock of the Houston fashion blog, Lady in Violet wears a comfy red sweater that is perfect for Christmas Day.

Houston Style Blogger wears a cold weather outfit including a red sweater, black jeans, and riding boots.

Houston Fashion Blogger, Lady in Violet shares how to wear black skinny jeans in winter with a black tote bag.

Houston Fashion Blogger, Lady in Violet wears a red Christmas sweater outfit with jeans, boots and a tote bag.

SANCTUARY Red Sweater  | DL1961 c/o Black Skinny Jeans (40% off) | CORSO COMO Black Riding Boots (similar & on sale)  | STREET LEVEL Reversible Tote  | KENDRA SCOTT Skylar Earrings (20% off)  |  BAUBLEBAR Pave Links Bracelet (25% off)  | Nails: ESSIE c/o Ready to Boa  | Lips: NYX Staycation

Happy Cyber Monday!!  I made this post two parts – an outfit for those of you so over all the sale info and a HUGE sales list for those of you still looking for all the great deals. But first, let’s talk about this outfit.

This sweater popped up in the “things you might like” section when I was looking at another item, and I was immediatly smitten with it.  From a distance, this sweater almost looks solid red, but up close and personal you see the cool black and red striped details.  I knew this would be the perfect red Christmas sweater, if the weather allows.  It was freezing the morning, I took these photos, so I can say with confidence that this sweater will keep you warm.  It’s a pretty thick sweater and oh so cozy!

Since I lean more towards comfy, cozy on holidays, I styled this sweater with boots and jeans.  For something a bit dressier, I would go with leather leggings and my lace up heels.  The funnel neck on this makes it hard to pair with a necklace, so I went with cute drop earrings instead.  I also added my sparkliest bracelet to add a little glam to the look.

SHOP THE LOOK

Now to Part 2 of today’s post, all the sales!  What I love about Cyber Monday is that many of the sales are sitewide and many retailers offer Free Shipping for the sale.  Most of my Black Friday purchases were for me 🙂 , but I plan to do more gift buying today.  Well probably a little more for me too… #shoppingaddict

The sales are divided up by category, so you can easily find the sale to fit your gifting or personal needs.  I also listed some of the items I have purchased for myself so far.  My favorite personal purchase is these lounge/work out pants.  I bought my first pair during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2015, and I wear them all the time around my house.  I have been dying for a 2nd pair, so when I found them on sale again it was an immediate add to cart! I picked up this cardigan too.  It’s not on sale, but the size and color combo I wanted finally came back in stock. YAY!

Happy Shopping Ya’ll and thanks for stopping by today!

WHAT I’VE BEEN BUYING DURING BLACK FRIDAY/ CYBER MONDAY

CYBER MONDAY SALES

FASHION

AG JEANS – 30% off sitewide with code BF16
AMERICAN EAGLE – 40% off sitewide & 50% off all sweaters, shoes and cozy accessories + FREE SHIPPING
ANTROPOLOGIE – 20% off full priced items with code STACKS
ASOS – 30% off sitewide with code THANKFUL30
BANANA REPUBLIC – 50% off sitewide
CHICWISH – 25% off sitewide
EXPRESS – 50% off sitewide + FREE SHIPPING
FRANCESCA’S – 30% off sitewide
H&M – 20-30% off full priced items + FREE SHIPPING
LAST CALL AT NIEMAN MARCUS – Up to 80% off sitewide + FREE SHIPPING with code CYBER
LOFT – 50% off everything + FREE SHIPPING with code CYBERMONDAY
MACYS – Extra 20% off with code CYBER
MODCLOTH – 30% off sitewide with code CYBER16 + FREE SHIPPING
NORDSTROM – Extra 20% off select items + Price Matches other Sales + FREE SHIPPING
REVOLVE – 20% off Final Sale with code CYBER20
SHOPBOP – Spend $200+, get 15% off; Spend $500+, get 20% off; Spend $800+, get 25% off with code GOBIG16

SHOES & HANDBAGS

GIGI NEW YORK – 15-35% off sitewide
HENRI BENDEL – 30% off sitewide with some items up to 60% off
SOLE SOCIETY – 30% off sitewide
TORY BURCH – 30% off $250 purchase with code THANKS

WORKOUT WEAR

ATHLETA – 20% off purchase with code RECHARGE
CARBON 38 – Extra 20% off sale with code EXTRA20
DANSKIN 
– 30% off sitewide
LUCY – 30% off everything
SWEATY BETTY – 20% off everything

JEWELRY

BAUBLEBAR – 25% off 1 item with code SAVE25 or 35% off 2 or more items with code SAVE35 + FREE SHIPPING
CHARMING CHARLIE – 40% off jewelry + FREE SHIPPING
GORJANA – Spend $100, save $25
JULIE VOS – 20-35% off select styles
KENDRA SCOTT – 20% off sitewide with code SALE20 + FREE SHIPPING

BEAUTY

BIRCHBOX – Sales starting at 10% off
COLLEEN ROTHSCHILD – Discovery Collection on sale for $49 and all regular-priced skincare will be 30% off with code CYBER30
FOLICA – 30% off Sitewide PLUS 40% off Sedu and Solia with code NOREGRETS
IT COSMETICS – 20% off any $35 purchase with code ITSHINES35
MARIO BADESCU – 10-25% off sitewide + FREE SHIPPING
T3 – 25% off sitewide with code T3CYBER16
THE BODY SHOP – 50% off + FREE SHIPPING
ULTA – $10 off qualifying purchase, NYX 40% Off Eye Makeup, 25% off Ulta Holiday Collections, 50% off select It Cosmetics products, and 40-50% off more select items from Smashbox, Julep, Murad, Pur, Stila, Bare Minerals and more

HOME

CRATE & BARREL – 15% off purchase with code SAVE15
MINTED – 20% off $150+ on holiday, wedding, and all gifts with code BF2017
ONE KINGS LANE – Extra 20% off sitewide
POTTERY BARN – Select items marked down, 30% off stockings & ornaments + FREE SHIPPING with code SHIPFREE
SERENA & LILY – 25% off sitewide with code BESTEVER
THINGS REMEMBERED – 25% off sitewide with code A130
WAYFAIR – Up to 80% off select items
WILLIAMS SONOMA – 10-25% off your purchase + FREE SHIPPING with code SAVEMORE
WISTERIA – 25% off with code OURFAMILY

KIDS

DYLAN’S CANDY BAR – 25% off sitewide with code STOCKINGSTUFFER
GYMBOREE – 50% off entire purchase + $25 off $100 + FREE SHIPPING
H&M – 20-30% off
LAND OF NOD – 20% off purchase + FREE SHIPPING
PEEK KIDS – 25% off everything

Black Friday Sales: Recent Looks for Less

Happy Saturday!  I rarely do weekend posts, but I kept finding a bunch of items from recent outfit posts on sale for Black Friday.  I figured one big post was they best way to share all the information with ya’ll, so that you can score some great discounts before everything goes back to regular price next week.  I included the sale information next to the items that are currently discounted.

houston fashion blogger with fall outfit inspiration blog posts.poncho sweater (50% off)  |  white jeans (20% off with code CYBER20) |  cuff bracelet (25% off if you spend $150)  | sunglasses (30% off, 30% off with code RAYBAN here)

Houston fashion blogger wears a tunic sweater with leather leggings and laceup heels.

maroon sweater (46% off)  |  leather leggings  (50% off)  |  lace-up heels (52% off)  |  earrings  (20% off with code SALE20,  also 20% off here)  |  bracelet  (30% off with code THANKS30 )  |  clutch (free gift with purchase)

Houston fashion blogger wears a flattering sweater dress for work party.

sweater dress  (on sale for $50)  |  same bag, different colors (30% off),  different bag, similar color (30% off with code THANKFUL)  |  necklace and earrings  (20% off with code SALE20) |  cuff bracelet (25% off if you spend $150) | heels

Houston Style Blogger shares a fall weekend outfit including an olive tunic and distressed jeans with pink suede flats.

olive tunic (46% off)  |  distressed jeans  (30% off)  |  earrings (20% off with code SALE20)  |  bracelet  (30% off with code THANKS30)  |  purse  |  sunglasses (30% off, only $105!)

what to wear in the country - rain boots

hunter rain boots (25% off)  | distressed jeans  | water bottle (10% off with code 10FORALL)

Fall outfit idea with plaid shirt and skinny jeans.

red & black plaid  (50% off)  | similar jeans (25% off)  | heels  | earrings (20% off with code SALE20, or here with no code)  | bracelet  (30% off with code THANKS30)

LadyinViolet in a Fall transitional outfit featuring an olive tunic, black skinny jeans and booties

olive tunic (50% off)  |  black skinny jeans  (40% off or 50% off with code CYBER here)  |  purse  |  earrings (30% off with code THANKS30)

early fall outfit striped cowl neck shift dressstriped dress (47% off, only $20!)  | sunglasses  (15% off with code GOBIG16)  | tote bag  |  booties
PHOTO CREDIT: Elysian Fine Art

Houston Fashion Blogger, Karen Rock wears black lace up heels, a star print dress and carries a magenta clutch for a holiday party outfit.star dress (extra 20% of with code THANKS)  |  lace up heels  (52% off)  |  clutch  (free gift with purchase)  |  bracelet  (30% off with code THANKS30)

If you want to see a list of more great Black Friday sales going on this weekend, check out my post from yesterday.  Also, on Monday I will have all the details on the best Cyber Monday deals and the perfect red Christmas sweater!!

I hope you have a great rest of your weekend, and thank you so much for taking a bit of time to stop by the blog for this special weekend post.  I will see you guys on Monday morning, bright and early!

xo -Karen