Alexander McQueen $1,138 (On Sale)                     Shellys London at Forever 21 $74

I've been a sucker for embellished shoes for years. Since I have a love for tailored, monochromatic outfits, I'm always looking for a way to add just a touch of texture and color to what I'm wearing. Shoes can be crazy, but when paired with a basic outfit, they don't look so over-the-top while at the same time they are adding some personality and character to what you are wearing.

These embroidered Alexander McQueen booties are definitely eye-catching, but at $1,138 on sale, so is their price. The delicate embroidery and beading on the suede are perfect to pair with an evening look, but the round toe and laces make them perfect for pairing with jeans just as nicely.

I have to admit that these were not an easy match for a dupe even though I thought they would be. Before I started looking for a pair close to the McQueen's, it seemed like I had seen similar pairs everywhere. Maybe I waited too long to look into the season, but I did finally find this pair from Shellys London at Forever 21. These are not an extreme budget catch at $74, which does surprise me from Forever 21. Does anyone know if they are trying to change their footprint and offer higher end products? The booties do have a more casual feel with the platform and wedge heel. However, the embroidery is beautiful, and the hidden back zipper adds a tailored touch. The chunky heel is more practical for extended wear times, too.

I'm sure your feeds are jammed with after Christmas sales and New Year's Eve outfits, but if you are like me, with no grand plans to go out on the town, you might be more interested in an outfit perfect for watching Bowl games on New Year's Day.

This one lets you retain some feminity instead of giving in to the impulse to wear team jerseys while still keeping you warm and comfortable.

The leather jacket from Coach 1941 is the softest lambskin with a hint of a vintage vibe from the shearling collar. It reminds me of a schoolboy's jacket from the 50s.

If you have to brave the freezing temperatures in so many parts of the country right now, pile the pink shearling vest over the jacket. It's actually reversible, so you could wear that lovely, soft fur next to your skin and have the pale rose sueded leather provide a contrast to the shiny black lambskin of the jacket. Since the vest is oversized, you should have no issues with bulkiness as you layer.

Peeking out from underneath are the gathered bell sleeves of this charming floral blouse. It beautifully pulls together the rose vest and the brown collar of the jacket and adds to the overall feminine vibe of the outfit. The shirt has a tie that can be worn around the neck or the waist for a gathered tunic effect, but I would leave it off and wear it without to give this mix some lightness and movement.

On to the classics of game day attire: jeans and sneakers, but what a twist. Pair this white denim with the more substantial, darker pieces to keep the outfit fresh and then team them (see what I did there? team...) with these fantastic and practical black leather Coach 1941 sneakers. The shearling detail coordinates perfectly with the jacket's collar while the pink laces echo the rose of the vest, and the rubber soles will keep you from sliding around in the slush. What better way to start the New Year than in this mix?

Are you starting to panic yet? I've talked to so many people over the last week who are either not finished with their holiday shopping yet or haven't even started. I'm not sure what's going on, but if you are still looking for ideas about what to buy the beauty fanatic in your life, or if you are a proponent of the one for you, two for me school of holiday shopping, look no further than NARS.

Last week I was blessed to be invited to an event at the NARS within The Forum Shops at Caeser's Palace. There senior artist Julia Sohn, who was trained by Francois Nars himself, shared some fantastic tips I had never heard before while she did a demo for us using the limited edition Man Ray collection. After Julia's explanation of how to apply blush, I feel like I've been doing it wrong all my life, but now I've seen the light.

 I always love NARS' special collections; you may remember me gushing over the limited edition Charlotte Gainsbourgh Multiple in Alice here, but this is a whole other level. Both the packaging and the products are so well designed and executed; I haven't seen a collection this good in a long time.


The Man Ray collection is fantastic, so there is no way I could choose just one favorite. The Glass Tears Eyeshadow Palette has a combination of highly pigmented and blendable jewel tones perfect for your New Year's Eve looks and includes two matte shades, cream and a black, and four shimmering tones. Ladies, these are not glittery but instead the perfect creamy shimmer.


The Love Triangle sets are the best stocking stuffer I saw this year (and I saw a lot of stocking stuffers this year) by far. These are going fast, so I highly recommend grabbing them while you can.













































And I can't recommend highly enough the Velvet Shadow Sticks. These come in a range of 14 colors, which is enormous, and sticks like these are my favorite and most reliable trick for doing my eyes on mornings when I don't have a lot of time for my makeup (read that as I decided to hit the snooze one too many times).


If you can't get ahold of the Man Ray Collection, remember that NARS always has amazing palettes like this one all year round. The collection is available directly from NARS boutiques such as the one in The Forum Shops or at Nars.com.