reminder: holiday sparkle giveaway!

Have you submitted your photo yet for this month's Style Watch Report contest? You still have time! Send me anything glittering, sequined, sparkling—or an outfit that simply makes you feel magical—and you could win $125 courtesy of Hits 96 and TVFCU. Click here to enter before December 31!

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays, everyone!! The photo is from last year's Christmas...it's crazy to think how much has changed in a year. Chad and I are relaxing in Tennessee with my family, and after some work and spending time with friends, we're heading to North Carolina and Virginia for more family time. We're so excited to be home!

I just wanted to type up a quick post wishing you all happy holidays and thanking you so much for reading. I started A Flattering Tale not really thinking anyone would read it, and I'm so honored that people actually pay attention to this little blog of mine. Thank you!! This note will probably be one of my last posts before 2012, so I hope everyone has a wonderful and happy New Year!!!

summer dress, winter weather

I was so excited to wake up to glorious sunshine in NYC this morning...but by the time we headed out for these photos, the sun was sadly hidden behind the clouds. Even though it was cloudy, Columbia University makes such a lovely backdrop for photos.

You may remember this dress that I received back at NYFW in the Fall at the ModSwap Swapaholics event from this A Very Stylish Picnic post. The owner before me was Amy of Punky Style, and I am so lucky to have found this dress on the swap racks that night! I finally got around to restyling it for colder months: add a base layer and tights, and it's good to go.

[Dress: Swapped from Amy// long-sleeved tee, flats and gold chain: Fossil// tights: Uniqlo// necklaces: gifted a while back from my friend Brooke and purchased at a market in Cambridge, England// belt: Forever 21// earrings: c/o Bauble Bar]

In college, I spent a few months "studying" abroad in the United Kingdom (it was basically an extended vacation). When I bought this little bird necklace at a market in Cambridge, the vendor told me it was one of a kind. A few months after I had returned home, I saw one eerily similar on Fred Flare...

This post will probably be the last outfit post before the holidays as we are headed to Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia in the next few days...I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!!!

social butterfly

One of my favorite aspects of blogging is connecting with my readers and other bloggers. I am a self-professed social media addict, and I just wanted to quickly post to let everyone know the A Flattering Tale has expanded out into the social media stratosphere. Check it out on...


Facebook:

Tumblr: A Flattering Tale

Twitter:


Follow @hopevictoria

Bloglovin': A Flattering Tale

Pinterest: hopevictoria

Polyvore: hopevictoria

Fashism: Hope Shores

Instagram: hopevictoria

Please send me your accounts so I can follow you as well! :)

ice skating

Since Christmas has descended upon New York City, I have been really excited to go ice skating. Growing up mostly in Tennessee, I had only been a few times before when a local mall hosted a rink while I was in middle school. I'm lucky to have a husband who will go skating with me despite the tons of school work he has right now.

Since I will be in Tennessee next weekend and we'll both be in the South for Christmas, this past weekend was our perfect opportunity to go skating before the holiday season ended. We went to the Trump Wollman Rink in Central Park, which has a beautiful view of the skyline. Unfortunately, the rink doesn't allow any cameras or phones on the ice, so we had to snap a few shots before and after. Ice skating is also a great excuse to bundle up in my new favorite winter jacket: the Uniqlo puffer. Although I look like a giant tan marshmallow, it has become my staple against layering for cold weather.

Since I hadn't been in about 10 years, it took me quite a few laps to get used to skating. I'm not the most graceful person, and I was just determined not to bust on the ice...

I layered two pairs of tights and wore socks to keep my legs warm and piled on tons of layers, including some running arm warmers worn under my sweater.

[pointelle sweater: Gap//tights: Cynthia Rowley and American Apparel// skirt: Forever 21// puffer and socks: Uniqlo// scarf: knitted by me// moccasins: Minnetonka]

We had a really fun time, I somehow didn't fall, and I'd love to go again one day!

holiday sparkle! [giveaway]

For the last Style Watch giveaway of 2011, I decided to focus on one of my favorite trends of the season: glittery, sparkly, sequin-covered goodness. I'm sure you've all noticed how everything seems to shimmer during the holidays. Whether it's a sequined clutch to spice up an LBD or a full-on glitter ensemble, I love it all.

A few of my glittering favorites:

holiday sparkle by hopevictoria featuring lightweight scarves

[1. Anthropologie Water Lily Clip// 2. OPI Nail Lacquer Muppets Collection in Rainbow Connection// 3. Miu Miu Glitter and Suede Peep-Toe Ankle Boots (similar)// 4. Forever 21 Embellished Envelope Clutch// 5. Tory Burch Eddie Bow Flats // 6. Anthropologie Beaded Felt Pencil Skirt// 7. Kenneth Jay Lane Gold-Plated Snake Bracelet// 8. Missoni Raimonda Embellished Crochet-Knit Skirt// 9. J. Crew Sequined Silk-Crepe Dress// 10. Anthropologie Starshine Bolero// 11. Santi Zigzag Sequin Clutch (similar)// 12. Top Shop Spike Cluster Headband// 13. Urban Outfitters Sequin and Bead Chiffon Scarf// 14. Kate Spade Licorice Too Multi-Glitter Pumps // 15. Oasis Bronze Glitter Box Clutch// 16. BB Dakota Clarissa Jacquard Dress // 17. Giuseppi Zanotti orange suede flats// 18. Ark & Co. Heart of Gold Top (similar)]

This month, I want to see how you make the holidays sparkle. Submit a photo of your glittery fashion here, and you could win $125 from Hits 96 and TVFCU!

Congratulations to last month's winner, Kira!!

for the person who has everything... [sponsored]

I'm fortunate to have such wonderful friends. Besides being amazing people and always there for me, they are also super stylish. I often go to my friends with wardrobe advice, how to style an outfit or the "does this work?" photo text. Because they are so put together, finding the perfect Christmas present can be a challenge.

When Lucky magazine asked me to write about gift ideas for the person who has everything, I was so excited. I know this struggle first hand, and I think Lucky's gift guide is right on target:

For the girl who makes a statement:

 

[New Bamboo Bag in Multi-Color Python by Gucci, $2,900, sponsored]

The print on this bag is gorgeous. I love how the colors could easily transition through seasons and the uniqueness of the bamboo handle.

For the friend most likely to appear on The Satorialist:

[iPad Case in Brown Crocodile by Gucci, $2,800, sponsored]

A sleek iPad case that doubles as a clutch.

For the lover of all things luxe:

[Ring Scarf in White Fox Fur by Gucci, $895, sponsored] 

For the friend into the fur look but would prefer faux:

[Frontera Faux Fur Messenger Bag, $105, by Ralph Lauren]

For the friend with eclectic taste:

[Ceramic Elephant Ring Holder, $12, by Urban Outfitters and "Wishbone" Ring by Elizabeth and James (one of my favorites!), $95]

For the hostess or host:

 [Checkers Set in Brown Leather by Gucci, $4,350, sponsored]

[Year of Wishes Candles, $79.95]

happy birthday, britney!

 [source]

"Then again, if you're standing in some bar ten years hence and "... Baby One More Time" comes on the jukebox, you will smile. And you will move."—Steven Daly, Rolling Stone, April 1999 [source]

I know in today's world of haute couture and red carpets, we don't often look to Britney Spears (who turns 30 today) for fashion advice, but her presence as an icon and impact on style is definitely worth mentioning. As an 11 year old when "...Baby One More Time" dropped in 1998, I, and many girls my age, were spellbound. It was a new era of music, and Miss Spears paved the way as the new princess of pop. Suddenly, pigtails were a thing again, and we all wanted to pull off an all-white outfit a la "Sometimes" or the red leather catsuit from "Oops...I Did It Again."

[source]

From the first controversial Rolling Stone article (I still have a copy at my parents' house) to her infamous striptease performance at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, Britney has managed to stay relevant in whatever fashion she saw fit. In the past few years, Britney has settled down and focused on being a mother to her two sons and getting her act back together. I am still so excited to see the new fashion editorials or music videos she premieres. Last summer, a few of my friends and I saw her most recent tour, Femme Fatale, in Atlanta, and her costume changes didn't disappoint.

[source]

She's had her ups and downs: the denim matched ensembles she and then-boyfriend Justin Timberlake wore to the American Music Awards, crazily shaving her head, all those times she went into gas station bathrooms barefoot, and I still partially blame her for belly button piercings and Ugg Boots. Despite her crazy antics of the past, Glee, the hottest show of 2010, dedicated an entire episode to honor her iconic songs and fashion, about 12 years after her first single hit the airwaves.

 [source]

Looking back, I can see the impact she had on music and fashion, and I think her knee socks in the "...Baby One More Time" video and all those years of glitter are surprisingly on trend. Chad often teases me about my love for teenage drama television and pop music, and I think the part of me that watches Gossip Girl every week without shame is the same part that will always love Britney. So let's all take a moment to forget about our indie music street cred and wish Britney a fabulous 30th birthday from our teenybopper selves!

[source]