What to Buy your Stylish Friends this Holiday Season

December is the time we normally all start stressing about buying the perfect gifts for our friends and loved ones. Sometimes it’s easy to know exactly what they want, and other times, it can be more of a guessing game. If you have a stylish female friend in your life, here are five original gift ideas that could be perfect for her.

For your friend who decorates her house or apartment with pieces that are anything but ordinary, try giving her a delectably odd geometric lamp that will add flair to her already uniquely decorated apartment.

Photo Courtesy of Urban Outfitters

For your girlie tea-loving friend who has tried to explain to you numerous times the difference between a sencha and a houjicha green tea, get her a David’s Tea teacup. You don’t have to be a tea connoisseur to know that she’ll love this girlie, holiday-inspired teacup.

Photo Courtesy of David’s Tea

For your friend who’s a burgeoning Instagramer or an aspiring beauty blogger, you can’t go wrong with getting her a how-to hair book. Help her overcome her past failed hairstyle attempts with this hairstyle guide from Urban Outfitters.

Photo Courtesy of Urban Outfitters

For your friend who’s always hosting a party or classy dinner get-together, she can never have too many stylish coasters. These rustic, pink cracked-glass coasters will not only help her protect her tabletops during the many parties that she hosts, but will also let her do it in style!

Photo Courtesy of Anthropologie

Finally, for your fashionable friend who can’t help herself at the jewelry counter, give her something that will help her organize the many pieces of jewelry that she owns. This upside-down umbrella ring dish will make all of her hand bling easily accessible and it’ll look adorable sitting on her vanity dresser.

Photo Courtesy of Anthropologie

When you’re shopping for all of these lavish gifts that your friends will love, use the StyleChat app to help you shop. Download it for free and make your shopping easier on yourself this holiday season!

By: Jaclyn Parker

 

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5 Dining Pieces Every Hostess Needs for their Dinner Parties

Are you looking to host the best Thanksgiving party at your place this year? While the guest list and the food are wildly important, we all know that décor and presentation matters too!

Although many may say that what you serve is more important than what you serve it in, there’s still nothing wrong with going above and beyond by investing in some great classic serving pieces.

Here are five versatile pieces that will not only be helpful for this Thanksgiving, but will also work for any future event you may host in your home.

The Cake Stand

Let’s get down to the main event: dessert. Whether you made your pie from scratch or bought it from the store, you can make it look even more enticing by placing it on an elegant cake stand.

Photo Courtesy of Pottery Barn

Multi-Size Serving Bowls

Now that we’ve got dessert covered, it’s time to figure out what you’re going to use to serve your main-course meal items. Between salads, roasted veggies, and potatoes, having multiple bowls in multiple sizes will definitely come in handy! These rustic metallic bowls from Bed Bath and Beyond will not only be practical, but will also help make your table look great!

Photo Courtesy of Bed Bath and Beyond

The Ice Bucket

In terms of convenience, having an ice bucket will always come in handy when you’re hosting a large party. The fridge will inevitably be packed full of food and drinks, so why not use an ice bucket at the table to help with the chilling process. It’s functional and adds an elegant aesthetic.

Photo Courtesy of Pottery Barn

The Pitcher

 Nobody wants to be running back and forth to the kitchen every two seconds to fetch water for all your guests. Keeping a pitcher of water, juice, or iced tea on the table is a great easy way to make your job as hostess a little simpler.

Photo Courtesy of Bed Bath and Beyond

The Chip and Dip Bowl

Want an easy and convenient way to serve the appetizers? Whether it’s chip and dip or veggies and dip, a two-piece serving set is all you need to keep guests satisfied before the main meal is served.

Photo Courtesy of Bed Bath and Beyond

Now that you’ve got all the serving accessories that you need, don’t forget to snap some pictures of that yummy food sitting on your table. If you’re not a food blogger already, perhaps hosting a Thanksgiving dinner will turn you into one!

By: Jaclyn Parker

How to Be A Fashionable Hostess this Thanksgiving

Being the host of a large holiday dinner can be stressful at times, but it can also be very rewarding and fun. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to seat so many people, how you’re going to decorate the table, and of course, what food you’re going to serve.

First, you must pick your color scheme. Are you craving warm fall tones like orange, beige, rustic brown, or natural green? With this color scheme you could use your left over pumpkins from Halloween as decorative pieces. Orange napkins and gold-detailed silverware will go perfectly with your delicious pumpkin pie.

Photo Courtesy of Fashionable Hostess

For the centerpiece, all you need is a simple design. After all, everyone will be too focused on the food to even notice, right? Think about nature as your inspiration. Use fake greens, pine cones, leaves, and/or fruit to design your own beautiful creation.

Photo Courtesy of Julie Blanner

Perhaps rustic orange, burnt brown, and beige are too simple for your taste. Make your table more colorful by adding one bright color to your rustic, harvest color theme. In this example from House Beautiful, a hot pink accent is used all throughout the décor.

Photo Courtesy of House Beautiful

If you’re looking for a table runner, check out these three fall-inspired ones from Bed Bath and Beyond. All of them would look great layered with your colorful centerpieces and rustic-inspired serving dishes.

Photo Courtesy of Bed Bath and Beyond

Now that you’ve got inspiration for your thanksgiving dinner party décor, it’s time to think about all the yummy food you’ll serve.

By: Jaclyn Parker

 

How to Decorate your Living Space when you’re Living with Roommates

You’ve grown up, moved out of your parents’ place, and gotten your independence, but have you really?  One of the most common problems young women endure is sharing their living space with one or more people. We all know that living with roommates can be fun on a Friday night when you’re getting ready to celebrate the weekend, but when Monday comes and reality sets in, you’re left learning how to cope with the situation.  This is when you find yourself having to compromise in order to be considerate to your roommates. While compromising is good, here’s how you can decorate your living space to your satisfaction without stepping on each other’s toes.

First, have an open conversation about your likes and dislikes. You might be presently surprised to find that you have the same favorite band or favorite color. Take a minute to run through each other’s Pinterest boards to find some similarities in your interests.

If this results in the realization that you have nothing in common, don’t worry just stick to the basics when decorating. Who doesn’t like inspirational phrases or subtle neutral colors?  This picture frame from Urban Outfitters is simple, classic, and inspirational, and very unlikely to disturb a roommate like some of those other crazy colorful neon posters you may have wanted to use instead.

Photo Courtesy of Urban Outfitters

When you’re decorating your place with furniture, there’s a fine line between having too much crammed into a small space and not enough. Try buying a piece of furniture that doesn’t take up a lot of space, while still keeping your stuff organized. The Urban Outfitters furniture rack featured here will most definitely please your roommate with your clothes and accessories will be hanging neatly rather than lying dispersed all over the apartment. A delicate furniture piece like this is effective for hanging and not overpowering in terms of size or color.

Photo Courtesy of Urban Outfitters

Just remember, your living space should reflect the tastes of everyone living there. Keep the common rooms simple if you can’t agree on a specific theme then add your own flavor to your individual bedroom.

Check out the StyleChat app to find the perfect home furnishings to decorate your living space!

By: Jaclyn Parker