Last Minute Gift Ideas
Can you believe it’s less than two weeks until Christmas?! If you’re like me, you won’t stop searching until you find the perfect gift! Check out my last minute gift guides for everyone on your list. Click on the gift in the descriptions to shop right away!
Gifts For Her:
- Mini Wallet: $138 from Tory Burch
- Water Bottle: $35 (17 ounce bottle) from Swell
- Cheese Board: $78 from Athropologie
- Necklace Holder: $29 from Urban Outfitters
- Statement Earrings: $48 from BaubleBar
- Lap Top Skin and Case: $24.99 from Uniqfind
- Hello Fresh Classic Box Gift: $59.94 for THREE meals for TWO people from Hello Fresh!
- Blanket Scarf: $50 from Nordstrom
- Pom Beanie: $66 from Revolve or SAVE big with this similar $15 one from Nordstrom!
- Cozy Throw: $125 from UGG on Nordstrom.com
- Tic Tac Toe Board: $46 from Dress and Dwell (One of my favorite boutiques in Southern Indiana! Check out there website for perfect holiday outfits! Oh, and you might see me a few times too!)
- Perfect gifts for the hostess with the mostess! Kate Spade Pitcher: $30 from Kate Spade or Wine Glasses: $12.95 Each From Crate and Barrel
- Candle: $30 (19 ounce candle) from Capri Blue (I talked about this candle in a previous post here!)
- Champagne Glasses: $50 (Set of 2) from Kate Spade
- Fun Holiday Sweatshirt: $108 from Wildfox on Nordstrom.com and Oversized Tee Shirts: $124 from Show Me Your Mumu or SAVE with this $19.99 one from Target!
Gifts For Him:
- State Bottle Opener: $50 from Nordstrom
- Apple Watch: $1,149 (38mm screen size) from Apple with Fauve Barenia Leather Band
- UltraBoost Shoes: $180 from adidas
- Cologne: $117.70 from Dolce and Gabanna (6.7 ounce bottle)
- Luggage Set: $139.99 from Samsonite
- Power Beats3: $199.95 from Beats
- Button Up Shirt: $98.50 from Vineyard Vines
- Item Finder: $110 (8 pack) from Tile (Perfect for the guy who looses everything!)
Bourbon and Boweties
I get asked all of the time about the bracelets and bangles I wear and 99.9% of the time, they are from Bourbon and Boweties! Bourbon and Boweties was born in 2012 when Carly Ochs started making bracelets for her friends and family when she brought back stones from Asia. These cute bracelets she was making for friends quickly turned into a booming business. Today you can find Carly’s bracelets in boutiques all across the United States and in 68 Nordstrom locations! Each Bourbon and Boweties piece is still hand made by men and women living in Tampa Bay Florida.
I love the stack of bracelets I am wearing below because they can go with every look! I threw them on with this t-shirt and jeans look to dress it up, but you can also wear them for a night out with friends, to work, or a lunch date! Bourbon and Boweties has a bracelet for every occasion.
Bracelets aren’t all they have! They also have other pieces of jewelry such as necklaces, chokers, rings, and earrings! You can order Bourbon and Boweties online by clicking here! You can also get 10% off your online orders by using the code ‘Allison10’ at checkout!
My friend Jacqui is rocking this choker made by Bourbon and Boweties below!
P.S. Someone on your nice list? These would make GREAT Christmas gifts!!
Fab Fit Fun
My life has been the definition of crazy lately. With graduation just around the corner, working over 50 hours a week, and finishing up last term as president of my sorority, it has been hard to find time to sit down and write; but, I am excited to share a long overdue post with y’all!
As many of you know, I love subscription services! I did a post a while ago on Birchbox, a monthly beauty subscription service that you can read about HERE.
Another subscription service I fell in love with is all about being fab, fit, and fun! FabFitFun is a subscription-based box that you receive four times a year. Items in the box are full sized and vary from fitness products, beauty, tech and lifestyle products. It is so exciting ripping open each box to see what goodies are inside, especially since they’re full sized and not samples!! Each box WELL over the $49.99 you pay!
Check out what I got in my fall box:
- Mer-Sea Scarf—retail $98
- Trestique Lip Crayon—retail $28
- Private Party Denim Gym Bag—retail $59
- Deco Miami Lavender Cuticle Oil—retail $12
- Whish Renewing Mud Mask—retail $48
- DP Hue Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse—retail $35
- IMM Living Jewelry Holder—retail $33
- myTagalongs Hot/Cold Pack—retail $15
- Jet Set Diaries Beanie—retail $49
- Cottonelle Cloths (10 pack) – This was an extra item in this season’s box!
I am a FabFitFun affiliate, which means I have a special discount code just for my awesome readers! To get $10 off your first FabFitFun box, enter ‘SOCOLD’, ‘SANTABABY’ or ‘WINTER10’ when checking out and use the following link: https://t.fabfitfun.com/SHYe! Don’t know what to get for your fabulous mom, best friend, or girlfriend? A FabFitFun subscription would be such a fun gift this holiday season! Get into the giving spirit early and order yourself or your friends and family a box!!
Fresh Boutique 4 Girls
It’s nearing the end of August, which means fall is right around the corner. A local Louisville Blogger, Hillary Reader, and I have partnered together with Fresh Boutique 4 Girls for a fun little giveaway to celebrate the beginning of fall!
We will be giving away this amazing clutch and bracelet pictured below!
To enter to win our Fresh Boutique 4 Girls giveaway, make sure to follow both Hillary and myself on Instagram and like one of our photos about the contest! For an extra entry, tag your shopping buddy in either one of our comment sections on our Fresh Boutique photos on our personal Instagram pages.
Fresh Boutique 4 Girls is located in Westport Village in Louisville and has been open for almost three years now. The owners wanted to create a shop where any female of any age has a one place where they can shop together or for another female in their life. Fresh Boutique 4 Girls also has an online website where you can shop here for anyone outside of the Louisville area. They offer free shipping for order over $100 too!
Hillary and I actually went to high school together where we fell in love with writing and photography. We had the best high school newspaper teacher (shout out to Ms. Puntillo) who first introduced us to blogging. Hillary currently lives in Nashville where she attends Libscomb University. She is on the golf team, will be graduating early with a degree in finance, and is pretty much the definition of a girl boss! Check out Hillary’s blog, “Professionally Polished” here!
Urban Wave
I love jewelry. From little dainty necklaces that I switch up with different outfits, to my three rings I wear everyday, it’s rare to see me not wearing at least one piece at all times. Jewelry has a way of taking your outfit to the next level or even completely changing your look all together.
I have partnered with the cutest little jewelry shop based in Wilmington, NC called Urban Wave. From now until the end of August, you can get 20% off all products using my code THELOUISVILLEBELLE when you checkout.
Urban Wave also donates 15% of sales to The Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Cute jewelry, a discounted price, and a company that gives back sounds like perfection to me! Click here to shop now!
P.S. For all my sorority girls out there, Urban Wave does custom sorority chokers too!! Click here to order your sorority choker now!
Impromptu Boutique
Impromptu boutique is celebrating their one-year anniversary this month! This boutique is the perfect one stop shop for all the summer essentials. From tops, to dresses, to shoes, accessories and everything in between, Impromptu boutique has it all! Not to mention, the store’s owner, Jordan Mannel, is super helpful when you’re in need of sizing or style advice! She is constantly updating her website with new inventory and it’s always a great idea to check back daily with the newest updates and arrivals.
Impromptu Boutique is based out of Louisville, Kentucky and does primarily online sales with a few pop-up shops around the city of Louisville throughout the year.
To celebrate their one-year anniversary, Impromptu boutique will be offering FREE shipping during the entre month of June! That’s huge!! Also, if you shop within the next few days you can get 20% OFF using the code: TheLouisvilleBelle. The code expires on June 15th so get to shopping ASAP!!
Keep up with Impromptu Boutique by following them on Facebook by clicking HERE or on Instagram by clicking HERE. You can also join their insider Facebook group for sale update and popup locations by clicking HERE! I suggest following them for the perfect summer outfits and more!
Click HERE to shop now their website and all of the styles above now! Happy shopping and thanks for stopping by!
BootayBag Collab
You know that instant thrill you get when you go to the mail box and there’s something special waiting for you? No, I don’t mean some junk mail where they spell your name wrong, or a bill, I mean an old fashioned letter or package! Now, imagine that amazing feeling of getting a package in the mail that’s full of festive undies. Fun, right? This can happen every month for only $12 and that includes shipping!! The best part is there are no membership or cancelation fees. Everything is up to you!
BootayBag has completely reinvented the way women shop for underwear. All you have to do is pick the style you want, enter your size, and shipping/billing information!
There are three different style options that you can pick from: mix it up, only thongs, or never thongs. I personally love getting the “mix it up” bags because it is a combination of thongs and cheeky panties. The “only thong” bags, well, only have thongs and the “never thong” bags have different full coverage panties. Although you can’t pick the color or fabric options, it’s exciting getting a surprise undies in your mailbox every month.
Place your order on the 15th of each month or before in order to get that month’s Bootaybag! Click here to order BootayBag: http://bit.ly/2rDdxjX!
Talk Derby To Me
The 2017 Kentucky Derby is officially less than 50 days away! I can’t believe it! I love this time of year, but it means the race to find the perfect outfit is on. Below are a few suggestions of where to get some staple items for the best weekend of the year!
If you’re looking for Thurby, Oaks, or Derby outfits check out this amazing shop located in New Albany, Indiana, called Dress and Dwell. They have an entire selection on their website dedicated to Derby dresses and accessories. I love supporting local businesses and boutiques. Dress and Dwell is definitely one of my favorites!
Click here to visit their online website and shop 24/7: http://bit.ly/2nm3S27
Go to dresses, ↪collections, then Derby shop! Oh, and here’s an added bonus for you!! Use my code LOUISVILLEBELLE to get 15% off (online only) from now until March 31st!
Shop the Hamptons Palm Leaf Dress: http://bit.ly/2nDTmkf
Shop the Oaks Day Floral Midi Dress: http://bit.ly/2nDOueI
Fascinators: HeadCandi on Etsy is where you can order pre-made hats, fascinators, or design a custom piece! Use the same code (LOUISVILLEBELLE) to get 15% off all HeadCandi pieces online on Etsy! Click here to shop: http://etsy.me/2nzdMxE
Britni Lynn Knable makes all hats and fascinators locally. She also has a few of her pieces Dress and Dwell. Get everything you need in one stop. Happy Derby!!
Photographer: Kelsi Wermuth
Sol Theory Sunglasses
I am so excited to share my new obsession with you! If you’re like me, you’re probably borrowing sunglasses from your mom, roommates or sisters for different occasions like a day at the races, a baseball game, or an outdoor concert. Well, there is no need to borrow or stress that your sunglasses won’t match your outfit!
Sol Theory Sunglasses! Sol Theory is a monthly subscription service that sends you a new pair of great sunglasses every month—right to your doorstep. How convenient is that? All you have to do to is to make an account online and order! No more frustrating visits to buy sunglasses, loving them, and bringing them home and your friends giving you the “Is she serious with those?” look. With Sol Theory, it is a surprise every month!
Below are my February and March sunglasses. Check out my super cute bestie, Peyton rockin’ my February purchase in Chicago.
Sol Theory also has sunglasses for men and boxes that include jewelry, beauty products, and even boxes that come with two different pairs of sunglasses! If you’re not completely satisfied, (which I doubt) you can cancel this subscription service at any time too.
Here’s a special gift for you! Get 20% off by using this coupon code TheLouisvilleBelle20 at checkout or click the link below to go straight to the website and get the discount! http://bit.ly/2nt55Sm!
White Jeans After Labor Day
“Can you wear white jeans after Labor Day?” is a question my mom bombards me with every year as soon as Labor Day weekend passes and the answer is… YES!
I am not really sure who invented this “rule” and why people still think it’s a “rule”, but it needs to be thrown in the trash forever. A crucial part of finding the perfect pair of white jeans is making sure they are not too tight, too small, or see through for any reason. These jeans can be a staple piece of your wardrobe, so don’t go for the cheap pair with this purchase. White jeans need to be made from a strong material and have a little stretch and bend to them. When wearing white jeans after Labor Day or in the fall / winter months, make sure to wear shoes that are appropriate for the season too! I personally like to wear riding boots, cute little booties, or dark colored wedges when I wear white jeans after Labor Day. It is important to wear winter or fall accessories and jewelry too and a top that appropriately corresponds with the season. If you throw on your favorite summer floral top in the middle of December, of course that is going to look strange. If you wear a simple top or sweater with the right shoes and accessories, you have yourself a cute winter ensemble rockin’ those white jeans!
xo Allison
Birchbox: The Beauty Lifesaver
Makeup. It’s a word that triggered several feelings and emotions for me. To me, the words are overwhelmed, confused and happy. The reason I say “confused”, is because I am the type of girl that spends hours at Sephora, not because I am in awe of all of the products, but because I am so confused by the thousands of options. There are so many different brands and types of makeup it’s overwhelming to know which makeup will last, which will be the best for my sensitive skin, and which one is even worth buying. Making those decisions becomes EXPENSIVE, especially when the product isn’t the best and you’re left having to buy something new with possibly the same outcome. How many of you have felt defeated or confused?
If you’ve ever been confused when purchasing makeup, I want to open your eyes to the “happy” feeling I now feel when I buy makeup! That feeling is Birchbox! Birchbox is a subscription service that delivers beauty samples to your door every month for only ten dollars! Yes, that’s right, $10.00. You make an online profile about your skin type, hair type, and personal style and the Birchbox Team will ship you a variety of sample products to try that match your personal profile. There have been many products and beauty brands I have never thought about trying, until I tried them from my Birchbox. The best news of all is that if you don’t like the sample product they sent you, no worries, you didn’t spend a fortune in the store or waste all of your time making a decision.
Birchbox also includes a description card of the all of the products in your box along with the price if you wanted to purchase a full size version on their website. Birchbox takes all of the stress and worry out of finding beauty products and adds fun and excitement to the process. Each box is a complete surprise of products, which adds even more fun to the process!
The Birchbox idea was born in 2010 and they even have a BirchboxMan for men now, which started a little later in April of 2012.
Below are photos from my December Birchbox. As you can see, I received five products and a festive little mirror, too!
To signup for the Birchbox subscription service click here: http://birch.ly/1zdPrOx
The Louisville Belle 