look what the cat dragged in...

i'm not an animal person. my only pets were three goldfish i won at my grade school church festival named after my uncles, buck, jack and mike. they didn't last long...i'm pretty sure i ate one of my goldfish on a dare for like $3. swallowed it whole. gross. really danielle? three dollars? so silly. so, i've never had that bond with animals. when people treat their pets like children, it makes me cringe. i have nightmares about dogs talking to me in italian. when i see dogs in strollers, i feel my face morphing into a perplexed, disgusted scowl. it's bad. so, it surprises me that i'm obsessed with bizarre animal rings. one of my favorite rings that i own is this blingy alligator one:

probably my favorite ring of all time. until this monstrosity showed up at fred last week and now i've moved on to this crazy guy:

i mean, seriously, who doesn't need an oversized turquoise octopus ring in their repertoire? i certainly do.

and snakes...ugh, my greatest fear. i fainted as a kid when someone put a snake on me. i can't even watch cheesy movies like anaconda or snakes on a plane without closing my eyes at parts because they freak me out so bad. but do i have a snake cuff bracelet? yes. do i want a snake ring like this? uh, yeah.

birds. yuck. when i see birds, i think filth. but is this a cute ring or what?

owls. never gave them a second thought in my life.

yet i'd wear it. i don't really get it. maybe because they're not alive. that sounds bad. i sound like a horrible person. i hope that's not the case. anyway, these rings make me smile. they're the closest thing i'll ever come to being an animal lover. i think they're adorable.

they're the perfect gifts. and we just restocked 'em at fred. come check them out. only three more shopping days. come and get some great gifts. or get the buy one get one gift certificate deal that's so popular and easy on the wallet. happy holidays!

...a few of my favorite things....

i can't believe christmas is next week. i feel ill prepared. did it just sneak up on us or what? or maybe i've been out of it which is most likely the case. regardless, i need to get my act together and get some shopping done. you'd think, me, the shopaholic, would have been all over this, as in years past. everyone knows i like to take a day off, listen to christmas music, drink coffee or chai, and slowly wrap all my gifts creatively and with a theme. this year, nothing. not one present is bought, not one thought has gone into my wrapping theme, and not one day has been requested off for said wrapping project. ugh. good thing we have our final 50% off sale of the year at fred this thursday. i'm gonna get a few presents, see my favorite customers and get in christmas mode. we have our holiday party immediately after, so that should give me the boost i need to amp up my holiday spirit. i'll go to target on sunday, check out the new rodarte line and decide on my wrapping theme. just writing this is motivating me to enjoy the next couple weeks of festivities. ok, i'm back on track.

we just got in a bunch of holiday dresses that will definitely turn heads. perfect for holiday parties and new years eve...now's the time to scoop some up. here are a few of my favorites that are in fred now:

there are so many options right now...embellished, strapless, one shoulder, sequined...you name it, we have it in store now. i'll stick to my favorite little black dresses, like this one by c. luce:

i'll wear it with black opaque tights and cuter shoes than those (sorry) and possibly throw on this amazing embellished military jacket we have:
ok, now i'm in the mood for holiday dressing and shopping. don't miss out on fred's last 50% sale on thursday and come have a drink on us to celebrate the season!

color me gladd

i don't wear color. let me restate. i don't wear color very often. so when i do, people go mental. they pay me compliments left and right. yet, for the most part, i stick to black, gray, brown, very neutral beiges and taupes. and that's what i like. i wonder if i get more compliments when i wear color because it genuinely looks better on me? i think a lot of people are like me, and stick to "safe" colors...or for me, i think it's because i can mix n match and wear my key pieces so many different ways. color can be a challenge. you don't want to overdo it for fear of looking like a court jester. so what i like about holiday dressing is all the jewel tones. the purples, deep green, burgundy, even reds (which i'll never wear b/c i instantly look like i have rosacea) are perfect for the season. i like seeing jewel toned dresses worn with black opaque tights and great shoes.

the key to pulling off these satiny colored dresses is keeping everything else simple. wearing a solid color dress and then matching your accessories to it makes me cringe. the dress is the standout piece. don't feel like you have to have the same color chandelier earrings or big cocktail ring. you can do a dramatic piece of jewelry, and if you feel the need to add more color, choose another jewel tone to play off of it. like with this blue dress, wear a big ring like this one:

there are great holiday tops in jewel tones too. i love the silky nature of this emerald green button down.
great way to add color to your wardrobe, worn tastefully with the moto leggings. it's all about balance. i've been saying it for years. edgy rockery pants paired with sexy, demure silk top. done and done. example #2--ruffly feminine jewel toned top, mixed with sliced up jeans. perfection. some might think they're not "trendy" or "young" enough to wear this look. but honestly, it's easier to pull off than one thinks. if you're not a ripped up denim or if you're not a moto detailed fan, just wear your favorite skinny jeans. if it's a dressier occassion, stick to perfectly fitted black pants and your favorite heels. it's really a no brainer here.

when i do wear color, i have to say, my mood is slightly lifted. it's something different for me, and i know what colors work. i can wear purple like there's no tomorrow. greens work...surprisingly yellow is good on me. but put a red, pink or orange hue anywhere near me, and my skin suddenly turns shades of red. i look like i just had a chemical peel. seriously. or wicked wind burn. it's gross. so, try out the color spectrum and find what works on your skin tone and go from there.

if you're still hesitant to rotate your blacks and grays with a color, take baby steps. introduce some colored jewelry into your wardrobe.
either one of these statement necklaces will do wonders to your all-black ensemble. adding a pop of color really makes an impact.

you'd be surprised at how this subtly colored serpant bracelet will stand out against a black dress. just give it a shot. playing with color definitely brightens up any dull winter day. and just your luck, stop into fred for these great savings, and score some jewel toned pieces:

now thru december 18th: all dresses are $25 off, tops $15 off

sweaters, coats n denim are all buy one get one half off!

with sales like that, how can you not afford to scoop up some new garb? or get some gifts for your friends and family? hope to see you at fred soon. happy holiday shopping!

dear santa

please bring me these ash "tentation over the knee" boots, size 37, from shopbop.com this christmas:

i just saw the macy's commercial where this small well dressed child takes a cab (alone, which is slightly alarming to me) to macy's to drop off her wish list to santa via some grand mailbox type thing. so, i want to let santa know i want these boots and i deserve them after this year. hahahaha. more dramatics. i love the holidays and the decorating and the shopping for gifts. i love everything associated with it. even the cold--now that i have the best winter coat EVER courtesy of my friend jenna at flaire. all i need and want are these boots (and a distressed black leather crossbody bag) and i'm done. my cousin lorri and i always get each other for our secret santa gift exchange at our family function and we plan a trip to woodfield mall, specifically nordstrom, and buy ourselves whatever we want and count it as our gifts to one another. it's become a tradition, and one i look forward to every year.

christmas gift shopping should be fun. but it's pure torture for some people. i see plenty of shoppers in fred struggling to pick out just the right thing for their sister or friend and i feel bad. i like to think of myself as an expert gift giver. it's probably because i'm a professional shopper--or a too-often shopper--and i've done my research. it's second nature to me. clothes are a pretty personal thing, at least to me, so when i shop for gifts, i prefer to buy accessories for people. lucky for me fred has a huge accessories department. tons of scarves, hats, gloves, jewelry... i've been loving bib necklaces for a while now.

you can wear them with anything from blouses, to dressy dresses, to plain tanks and tees. we have this really cool one with metallic beads sewn on leather, kinda like this one:
i think they are great gifts. we have infinity scarves, which i really love and fingerless gloves that make excellent gifts as well. gift giving should not be a chore, which i think some people think of it as. shop at fred and let one of us help you pick out that perfect gift. or take the easy way out and get a gift card, and let her pick out exactly what she wants. Mention that you read this blog post now thru sunday, december 6th and get 20% off your purchase.