Little Black Dresses for New Year's Eve


The little black dress (L.B.D.) is a wardrobe staple. With the right accessories, it can be transformed into the perfect New Year's Eve look. Shop 5 easy New Year's Eve L.B.D. looks below:

1. For the cold weather NYE celebration:
Off-White mock neck mini dress, $884, FARFETCH.COM 
Gucci Gg Marmont Medium Shoulder Bag, $1,980, GUCCI.COM
Mango Pisa Heel Contracts Ankle Boot, $120, VERY.CO.UK

2. For the open bar gala:
Free People Gabby's Party All Night Satin Dress, $120, HARVEYNICHOLS.COM
Rebecca Minkoff Glitter Box Cross Body Bag, $175, SHOPBOP.COM 
Giuseppe Zanotti Harmony Star, $1,150, ORCHARDMILE.COM

3. For the prix-fixe dinner:
Balmain Dress, $4,795, MODAOPERANDI.COM
Alice + Olivia Darla Laser Cut Star Clutch, $425, SAKSFIFTHAVENUE.COM
Stuart Weitzman Clinger Boots, $575, STUARTWEITZMAN.COM 

4. For the party at your favorite dance club:
Black Velvet V Plunge Feather Trim Bodycon Dress, $41, PRETTYLITTLETHING.US
Michael Michael Kors Barbara envelope clutch, $296, FARFETCH.COM
Stuart Weitzman Nudist Song patent-leather sandals, $400, NET-A-PORTER.COM 

5. For the party with your parents:
Black Bardot Wrap Front Bodycon Dress, $38, PRETTYLITTLETHING.COM
Pearl Satin Clutch Bag with Crystal Bead Embroidery Cloud, $4,250, JIMMYCHOO.COM
Manolo Blahnik bb105 Black Velvet Pump, $640, SAVANNAHS.COM 

Tried and True Christmas Baking Recipes

There's nothing quite like the power of baked goods to bring loved ones together at Christmas time. Here here is a list of classic recipes to cap off the holiday season.

Lauren Conrad's Eggnog Cookies
Let these cookies rest in a closed tupperware box as soon as they are done baking to lock in the flavor and keep the cookies chewy. Et voilà, you have Eggnog in the solid form of cookies!


Beet and Ginger with Cream Cheese Frosting




This is an incredible twist on carrot cake for the holidays and a crowd-pleaser at parties. Everyone will be asking you for the recipe. Whether you share it or not... is up to you.


Christmas Crack



It's impossible to have just one piece of this sweet, salty, and crunchy saltine toffee treat.

Oreo Fudge

This sweet fudge is the perfect indulgence for any fan of oreos and milk. Better yet, the recipe only requires 3 ingredients.


Christmas in New York


New York feels like a familiar Christmas setting with all the attention the city gets in our favorite holiday movies. Here is a guide to both classic sites and hidden gems in the city at the most wonderful time of the year:

Christmas Trees:

1. The Rockefeller Center for the timeless instagram
2. Bloomberg for a Christmas Tree picture without the photo-bombers
3. Lotte The Palace to celebrate the holidays like a gossip girl

Ice Skating:

1. Wollman rink in Central Park for cute instagrams and good people watching
2. The Standard Meatpacking for a skating session between drinks or designer christmas shopping
3. Rockefeller Center for the best ice for skating

Hot Chocolate:

1. L.A. BURDICK for the best sipping chocolate
2. City Bakery for  hot chocolate and marshmallows
3. Van Luewen for hot chocolate and a side of ice cream

Christmas Culture:

1. The Met for art and the daily Christmas Tree lighting at 4:30 p.m.
2. The Rockettes for iconic dance synchronization set to classic Christmas music
3. The New York City Ballet for a whimsical performance of The Nutcracker

Shopping:

1. KITH for the Sneakerheads on your list
2. Dover Street Market for one-of-a-kind luxury street fashion finds
3. Bergdorf Goodman's or Barney's for the best window shopping

The Tech Gift Guide




While anyone can appreciate new technology, few actually buy the latest gadgets for themselves. This makes for the perfect gifting opportunity! These new products embrace sleek designs, thoughtful updates, and are just enough of a departure from their predecessors to justify the new investment. With a new year approaching, these gifts are a warm way to welcome your loved ones into the future! 

1. Snap Spectacles. SPECTACLES.COM
Make sure your friends protect their eyes from the sun while oversharing their weekend festivities on Snapchat. 

2. AirPods, $159. APPLE.COM
The airpods are compatible with all devices, perfect for workouts and will never tangle!

3. Apple Watch Hermès, $1,299. APPLE.COM
The Apple Series 3 watch is water resistant and it's cellular connectivity allows you to stay connected with just your watch. But the most revolutionary aspect about this Apple watch is that an Hermès timepiece is within an accessible price range.

4. iPhone X, starting from $999. APPLE.COM
The iPhone X has a new size, facial recognition technology, and an impressive camera that will definitely boost the Instagram game.

5. Kindle Oasis E-reader, $250. AMAZON
The new waterproof Kindle is perfect for those who love to read at the beach.

6. Smart Herb Garden, $60. HOME DEPOT
Click and Grow lets you grow farm to table ingredients from your very own kitchen table! 

7. Instant Pot, starting from $79. AMAZON
The instant pot is an all-in-one pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, sauté, steamer, and warmer. On top of that the pressure technology cooks everything faster than traditional technology and there are thousands of recipes online.

8. Philips Somneo Sunrise Wake-up and Sleep Therapy Light with Alarm Clock, $190. AMAZON
This alarm clock wakes you up with a light that emulates a sunrise and has been clinically proven to boost your energy, quality of sleep, and well being. 

9. Sonos Smart Speaker, $149-$199. SONOS
Sonos One is the best speaker technology to be connected with Amazon's Alexa. The Sonos Play:1 is available without Alexa for $50 less. They both stream the same high-quality sound over wifi.

10. Leica C Compact Camera, $629. LEICA STORES or AMAZON.
The Leica C has a large sensor that will translate into photos that are iconic as the camera brand itself.

The Essential Holiday Movie List

Bridget Jone's Diary/ Photo via Miramax

Long nights and cold weather make this the opportune time for Netflix sessions. When you wait all year to watch the holiday themed movies, you best be making sure you don't miss out on the (modern) classics. Here are the can't-miss-flicks of the Christmas season:

For Nostalgia:
  • The Nightmare Before Christmas - The perfect movie for that time in-between Halloween and Christmas.
  • Home Alone 2 - The way Kevin Mcallister navigates the drama, adventure, glamour, and food scene (cheese pizza anyone?) of New York during the Christmas season is goals! 
  • The Grinch Who Stole Christmas - Let's face it, the Grinch's grumpiness is relatable af when the Holiday grind gets tough. Available on Netflix. 
  • Elf - This is a great movie to watch when you can't find someone who can match your level of excitement and Christmas spirit. Alternatively, it serves as a good a palette cleanser if you're starting to relate a little too much with the Grinch. Available on Freeform.
  • Harry Potter (all of them) -  Perfect for those nights when you need to be reminded about the magic of the season.
For Romance:
  • Bridget Jones's Diary - They don't make movies like this anymore, people! Hilarious, relatable, cringeworthy and accurately depicts romance, friends, family, love, and failed recipes. Available on Netflix.
  • The Holiday - The romance is great but Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz also make a strong case for why cozy nights in for the season are better than anything else. Available on Amazon Video.
  • Love Actually - Charming. Check! British. Check! Star studded ensemble cast with a million adorable love stories at Christmas. Check! What more do you need in a holiday film?
  • When Harry Met Sally - We're forcing this classic rom-com into the list because of that amazing New Year's Eve scene. 
For Laughs:
  • The Night Before - A modern and relevant depiction of the millennial Christmas experience, especially in the day and age of Santacon.
  • Why Him - The Silicon Valley setting is a refreshing departure from traditional movies and James Franco and Keegan Michael Key are downright hilarious in this one! Available on HBO Go.
  • Office Christmas Party - Simultaneously inspiring and frightening inspiration for what could happen at your office's very own holiday party.

Gift Guide: Sweet Stocking Stuffers for the Holidays




These treats are the perfect gift for the candy connoisseur on your shopping list. From rich hot chocolate to juicy green gummies, these sweets are a special indulgence you won’t want to miss out on. The prices (or calories) can be hard to justify at any other time of the year, but hey, it’s the holidays! 

1. Charbonne et Walker Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Thins, $35. NORDSTROM.COM
2. The Original Peppermint Bark, $29. WILLIAMSSONOMA.COM
3. Compartes Chocolate Dipped Fruit, $50. COMPARTES.COM
4. 12oz MILK drinking chocolate, $22. BURDICKCHOCOLATE.COM
5. MAST Horchata Chocolate Bar, $8. MASTBROTHERS.COM
6. Green Juice Bears, $14. SUGARFINA.COM
7. Ladurée Paris Macarons. LADUREE.FR
8. Le Vain Cookies - Assorted Gift Box of 4 Cookies, $27. LEVAIN.COM
9. Garret Mix Popcorn, $33 for 1 Gallon. GARRETTPOPCORN.COM