The CSxE | Holiday Gift Guide 2015 | For The Procrastinator

We all have been there, we wait till the very last minute to shop for gifts. I know I've been there, not always because I love to start shopping early to finish off my list and not have to worry, but if it does happen, here are a few items that always are a good idea for last minute gifts for anyone on your list. People always need nice wine glasses, or a chic water bottle, how about a classic French press coffee maker, or a cool and sleek BBQ tool kit (I mean, who doesn't grill, right?), but I think the most popular welcomed gifts are candles (I welcome candles anytime), pretty phone covers and on the go chargers (I need one of those, badly). Then there is just pretty little things to just make eyes twinkle and those are dainty but adorable hair accessories. Shop the list below and remember to scroll down to the end to find all the items pictured.

What do you think? or what do you have on your last minute gift shopping list?

| SHOP the CSxE | Holiday Gift Guide 2015

Trench x Patches in Milan

On my last full day in Milano, I wore this fun (usually not what I go for) dress that I purchased the day before at ZARA. I never really go for dresses like this, I try to stick to modern classic pieces but it just caught my attention so much I had to get it. I love that you can take it from day to night with just a few switches, as well as it being a transition dress for any season really. The day I wore this dress, my friend Elli and I were going to go look at some Milan Fashion Week showrooms (coming to the blog tomorrow) and walk around the city a bit afterwards to enjoy the last of our full day in this oh so eternally chic city.

| WEARING | ZARA Trench Coat, Sweater Dress x Necklace (selling on my Depop x Poshmark closets), Primark Sweater, Italian Leather Bag (purchased in Florence Leather Market), Renvy Mott Over The Knee Boots via Gilt

| SHOP the CSxE Look |

Poncho Life

Hey there, it's been a while since I post any outfit looks, I have been on such a slump these days, it's so hard to get your booty out of it. Slowly I will be getting back in the rhythm of things, it's been a pretty busy start of the year, with many traveling adventures that although I am not complaining one bit, it starts to take a toll on you, it slows you down on the everyday life. Luckily though, the weather in Frankfurt has been so nice that I really shouldn't feel all dull, it has been sunny, affording you to go out of the house with just a cozy poncho and light knits, which is about my favorite type of dressing. 

On another note, my birthday is just a few weeks away and I just found out I am not turning 33, but 32 (LOL), yes I thought I was turning 33, after 30 I swear I can't keep track of my age, it's the weirdest thing ever. Do any of you 30 and fabulous ladies go through the same thing? please tell me I am not alone? 

| WEARING | Zara Men's Straw Hat, Zara Basics Top, Ray Ban Round Sunnies, Primark Poncho, H&M Embroidered Shorts, Leather Shoulder Bag via Florence (Italy) Leather Market, Renvy Mott Over the Knee Boots via Gilt

| Day to Night | Heather Grey

Do you ever have days where you need to wear something that will take you from day to night? I have had several days where I need to transition smoothly and because of it, I have developed a seamless process as to how I choose my clothes for that day. It really is easy, you have to pick out items that feel and look luxuries yet have an element of casualness that will allow you to not look overdone during the day. Therefore, I try to have transformation or two-way pieces in my closet, because those are the best for scenarios as such. Take the coat I am wearing for example, it gives me two complete different looks by just removing on piece from it, and that is the faux fur. Make no mistake you can and should wear the faux fur piece during the day as well, if your anything like me, you wouldn't mind. Sometimes though, you want to give the appearance that you changed into a completely different look, without actually having done so. That is what I did here for you, so you can see how you can carry one look from day to night by adding four different things. 

| ADDITIONS |

No Faux Fur Collar to Faux Fur Collar

Light Pink Lipstick to Red Lipstick

No Statement Necklace to Statement Necklace

Flat Over the Knee Boots to High-Heeled Over the Knee boots

| WEARING | Forever 21 Melange Boyfriend Coat, Zara Basics Tee, & Other Stories Sunnies, DIY Double Pearl Necklace, Jenny Bird Moonsong Cuff, Noir Jewelry Sphere Cuff via Gilt, H&M Embroidered Shorts (recently seen here), Primark Tights, Report and Zara Over the Knee Boots (old)

Sky Blue

As of late, I have been craving looser fitting jeans, and the more I buy the more I want. It can be a good and a bad thing, you see when you wear looser clothes the desire to wear more fitting close becomes something of the past and no longer as much on the forefront of your daily life. When I was younger, all I wanted was form fitting clothing, as tight as it could be but as I get older my perspective on clothing is shifting and I find myself gravitating to the more comfortable yet cool pieces. Do not get me wrong, I still like my skinnies and straight leg jeans and pants, especially when you want a night out in the town. Nothing makes me feel sexier than tight jeans, pants or skirts, although on occasion I take my boyfriend jeans out at night too, they deserve a little fun. Also, obsessing over my new clutch that reminds me of the sky, it actually makes me feel relaxed when I look at the colors, crazy how colors can evoke emotions, ain't it?

What do you prefer Boyfriend or Skinny Jeans?

| WEARING | Nasty Gal Cool Breeze Top ( similar ), Sunnies via Etsy, Vintage necklace found in German Flea Market, DDSLL Girls Clutch c/o, Reformation Bayside Jeans, Kelsi Dagger Always Angle Strap Sandal via Gilt

Freedom is Sweet

Happy Independence Day | 4th of July to all of you, enjoy this day for our soldiers have fought hard to give us this luxury called freedom. I am thankful everyday that we exist in a place where democracy rules and that although it takes effort our voices are heard and we fight for what we believe and love. I am far away from our great country but no less connected and I can tell you that freedom is sweet.

Stay safe and God bless the red, white and blue.

| WEARING | Shirt borrowed from the husband, Asos Sunnies, Zara Bag x Jeans, DIY Double Pearl Choker Necklace x Ring, House of Harlow Gabrielle Strappy Sandals via Gilt

Red Raspberry

Let's talk comfort, nothing I love more than clothes that can provide me two things, and that is comfort and chicness. With those two things, I really think us women can rule the world (wink), I mean it, think about the many times you were just so tired and all you wanted was to wear your yoga pants or sweatpants and an old tshirt, I know I have. But these days designers are understanding the complex needs of a working woman/mom/wife/girlfriend etc. and so they have opened up the world of comfort chic to all of us, making it the more acceptable and even more desirable to find pieces that marry those two concepts. I raise my hand, as I am one to buy pieces as such because I always believe a woman should look put together even if it is at their most comfortable state (that includes the disheveled chic look I also love). 

Do you love comfort chic?

|WEARING| Zara Sweatshirt, Jeans x Bag, H&M Mirrored Sunnies, Kenneth Jay Lane Ram's Head Cuff worn as a necklace (via Gilt), Nike Blazer Mid White Leather Sneakers

Gunmetal

This pink Zara coat has been getting a lot of wear and spotlight, the thing with it is that it is so damn versatile, I can't resist it. I guess that's a good thing, at least in my opinion, you know the type of pieces that you just will wear till they break apart, isn't that sign that you got something good? See this coat is not only versatile, it is chic, but extremely warm, which means I don't have to triple layer, all I have to wear is a tee and I am good. This is what I wore on Sunday whilst in Paris, and I have to say that I felt like a Parisian, maybe because all the uber-chic Parisian girls would look at me with a look of approval (or maybe it was in my head) but either way it felt good. When I think of fashion I think of these girls, they just have this effortless aura about them that I can't get enough of, I think Paris was made for me, but then again I am not the first one to thing so, right? 

On side note, my new Nike Blazer Mid sneakers were one of the hardest things I had to hunt for, I scavenged the Internet for months to find them as they were sold out everywhere. One day while searching endlessly through eBay, I saw some in another color but they were for Youth and that's when I got the genius idea of looking under Youth, voila I found them at last. Yes these are meant to be Youth size sneakers but that did not stop me what so ever, because when I want something I have to have it.

|WEARING| ZARA Coat x Skinny Jeans, H&M Men's Chevron Scarf, H&M Women Tee, Marcia Moran Gold x Carnelian Pendant Necklace (via Gilt), Nike Blazer Mid White Leather Sneakers (find here)