#OOTD: Charmed To Meet You (Feat. Soufeel Jewelry)

"Mummy, can I have more coffee, please?"

"Briana! We have company, don't you want to introduce yourself to our guest?"

"Hi, my name is Bree, and I want to be a paleontologist when I grow up and my favorite dinosaurs are brachiosaurus, liopleurodons, and my most favorite is stegosaurus!"

This is the conversation that took place in my family's living room while we were having a home visit from my soon to be teacher, Sister Colleen, to evaluate if I would be a good fit to attend kindergarten at Mount Gallitzin Academy. Luckily, for five year old me, tippy cup in hand, Sister Colleen was also an avid coffee drinker, and loved my enthusiasm. Though I have since then left my aspirations of being a paleontologist behind, I have to admit that I still find dinosaurs fascinating (yes, stegosaurus is in fact still my favorite), have a mild coffee addiction, and am as outgoing as ever. As you can imagine from the story above even when I was little, I was never the least bit shy or backward.

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One thing I have learned since childhood though, is that my Myers–Briggs Type Indicator acronym "INFJ" (standing for Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, Judgment) can seem a little deceiving. Considering to those who do not know me well probably see me as anything but introverted. From playing piano recitals starting at the age of five, competing in horse shows at the age of eight all the way through tenth grade, and performing at dance and voice recitals--or anywhere really--since the age of two and twelve respectively (Fun Fact: I still do both and am kick-ass at karaoke.), it's safe to say I'm not at all afraid of the spot light. 

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However, though I am incredibly friendly, talkative, and adapt easily in social situations, I truly am an introvert at heart and honestly prefer to keep to myself when I am not obligated to be around others. I am also a very private person, and only share important things in my life with those closest to me. Not that I dislike people, I am honestly just rather self contained (as my my best friend Sage puts it: "Bree is basically just like a cat.").

Charmingly Chic

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Now, you are probably wondering what this story and explanation have to do with my blog, and more specifically this post, right? Well, firstly, in light of the new year and my blog continuing to grow, I've decided I want to occasionally share a bit more about myself with all of you considering many of you have been around awhile, and others are brand new. (If this happens to be your first time visiting Stark Raving Chic, hello!) I also thought it was a good idea to tell this story because as you can see in the photographs above, I have been styling a beautiful gold necklace with my name on it, along with three chic bangle charm bracelets, which I received from my sponsor Soufeel Jewelry. So, I thought it was only natural to share a little about myself along with how I styled these pretty pieces.

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Before I get to the styling for this post, I'm first going to review these pieces from Soufeel and explain why each of them mean a little something to me. For starters, though I was never a Sex And The City fan, I have to say while I was growing up I always felt a bit left out because neither my nickname or full name were ever spelled right on those trendy trinkets and jewelry, but like my dream of becoming a paleontologist, I got over it. However, I have to say when I was contacted for my now second collaboration with Soufeel, I was quite tickled at the opportunity to actually get a necklace with my name spelled correctly. Not to mention, this necklace is definitely more upscale than the $0.25 name necklaces we used to find at Claire's. As mentioned earlier, the best thing about Soufeel's name necklaces are that they are 100% customizable, so no matter how uniquely your name is spelled, you can always hop on this trend if you wish. Next, the material this necklace is made of is 925 sterling silver, plated in 14 carat yellow gold. The shine is absolutely beautiful, ever since I have received it and began wearing it I have gotten loads of compliments, and the necklace is also light weight and comfortable for everyday wear.

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The other items I received from Soufeel are these three stacking charm bangles. The bangles I chose include a feather, owl, and an origami elephant, and though these three charms may seem random, the reason I chose these three specifically is because they each represent things important to and/or about me. Such as my ever evolving quest for knowledge, my free spirit (Which in itself insights a little mystery even for me!), and my incredibly determined personality. The bracelets themselves are very well made and fit just like any other bangle. They have a moderate weight to them (similar to that of an Alex & Ani bracelet) but are still comfortable to wear daily. And like the necklace, they are made of 925 sterling silver. 

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The outfit I chose to style my new name necklace and charm bangles with, is this pretty but casual winter look, which I wore to meet up with a friend for a coffee date. For the top half of my look, I chose to wear a simple black metallic thread sweater from Loft, because I felt it added a nice contrast to my gold and silver jewelry. And though it was very cold, I chose to wear my favorite Pendleton wool skirt (seriously, I've had this skirt since I was in ninth grade--I'm now 24) because even though it doesn't look it, it is actually quite warm which makes it a great piece to have around in the winter, especially if you're like me and are already getting tired of constantly being in jeans and long underwear!

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The makeup I chose for this look includes my bareMinerals Bare Pro liquid foundation, Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow in "647-Undress", NARS Jubilation Blush, and NARS Bette lipstick. The reason why I chose these warmer shades for my makeup palette is because I felt they added a nice offset to the cool tone of my outfit. And even though it has been freezing here, I still felt the need to have a little bit of a more summer-y glow, perhaps wishful thinking that it might bring on some warmer weather on my end. 

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Last but not least, though I generally switch up my kicks in every post, while Pittsburgh is in a deep freeze you guys will be seeing these boots more often than not! I have to say, aside from being stylish, these Michael Kors boots are incredibly comfortable and warm. So, though I am sure many of you already have scored your winter boots, but in case you haven't, I totally recommend these babies. 

One Last Look

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How have you been styling and accessorizing during this crazy cold front? I'd love to hear about it, so let's chat in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic

Xx, Bree

P.S. Love my Soufeel Jewelry as much as I do? Well you can snag some of your own now during their post holiday sale, and get an additional 15% off when you use my promo code "Breefg115" at checkout! 

P.P.S. Having trouble finding all the goods you see here and on my Instagram? Fear not! I am a member of rewardStyle and LIKEtoKNOW.it! Meaning you can shop straight from my Instagram feed when you click here or here. Don't know what LIKEtoKNOW.it is all about? Learn more, here!

#OOTD: Jumping Into The New Year (Feat. SheIn + Ann Taylor)

Hey babes, happy new year! Though 2017 literally just ended yesterday, I already am beginning to feel like 2018 is going to be a much better year, and quite possibly the fresh start I think we all have been needing. As I mentioned in my 2017 recap post, I think we can all agree that 2017 was a rough year, however, now that we have a fresh start (I mean, it is a new year and a new week after all!) I'm personally stepping into the new year with an even more positive attitude, along with making some of my own positive changes (which I may or may not write about later on in the year). And I don't know about you guys, but I definitely feel like I rang in the new year on a great note and am most definitely starting 2018 off on the right foot!

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I have to say, though my New Year's Eve wasn't anything incredibly fancy, it was honestly everything I wanted. I was home among my family and dearest friends (Except Nic, who is now in Canada with his fiance, but him and Ben were most certainly with us in spirit!), and though it was not a formal affair like our Christmas holiday parties tend to be, I decided to dress up a bit. Why? Because though dressing up was not required, I decided I wanted to be my "best" self going into this new year, so I chose to wear one of my favorite pieces in my closet, which happens to be this black caped jumpsuit from my longtime sponsor, SheIn.

Love & Layers

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Even though I didn't spend my New Year's Eve at Pittsburgh's first night celebration, and I din't travel to watch the ball drop in New York City, I was still thrilled because honestly, this is the first year I have actually been home for New Year's Eve in six years! Yeah, I know, that's a really long time. However, though in New Year's past I enjoyed being away and what I was doing to celebrate them,  I have to say I was a bit homesick. Not only because I was away from home, and I know I will not settle in my hometown after I receive my doctorate, "home" for me will always be here, simply because this is where my family is. So, even though my father teased me the entire night because I insisted on wearing stilettos to sit around in the dining room, drinking scotch, and later champagne, I wouldn't have traded it for anything. And that is why this New Year's was so perfect for me.

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Though I am sure you all don't mind hearing a bit about my New Year's Eve, I know most, if not all of you are here to check out how I styled my New Year's look, so let's jump into it (pun totally intended)! To start off, though I initially wanted to wear this jumper on its own, it is sleeveless and for those of you who don't live in the snow belt or haven't watched the weather channel, sleeveless was not cutting it for Pittsburgh's weather, not even indoors. So, determined to wear the one piece in my closet that I have grown to feel my most fabulous in, I decided to layer it with this lovely "perfect shirt" blouse from my other sponsor, Ann Taylor. By doing this, I was able to stay warm and keep looking chic and polished.

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The jumpsuit itself fits incredibly well, with and without the blouse. However, without the blouse, it has more of a sexy and sophisticated feel and would be a great alternative to wear to a black tie affair (but for more traditional options, check out  this dress.) But with the blouse, this jumpsuit transforms into a casual chic piece, and is perfect for work or play! Aside from its versatility, I also love this jumpsuit because of its cape. Though I love jumpsuits and rompers in general, this one is unique due to this attribute, and I feel it adds a great amount of elegance to the piece, and I just honestly feel bad-ass while wearing it. The blouse, from Ann Taylor, is also a great piece due to the fact you can style it with just about anything and it is comfortable to wear. The final main piece to this ensemble, is my Kate Spade heels, which though they are sky high, they are actually very comfortable. 

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Though I wasn't out of the house much, I still wanted to accessorize this look. So, to complete the outfit, I chose to pair it with my Jenny Bird "Frida Collar" and my cobalt blue Kendra Scott earrings. And for the short time I was out (a.k.a. to do this shoot and grab some bubbly!) I paired this lovely look with my favorite Oliver Goldsmith sunglasses. 

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And lastly, to complete my New Year's look, I chose to do something a little more flashy with my makeup. Though I used my normal bareMinerals products and City Minis palette, I decided to mix it up with the palette and do a smoky eye look by using some of the darker colors. I also switched up my normally neutral lipstick and went with NARS, bold, semi matte, Bette, which I received for Christmas this year.

One Last Look

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How did everyone else spend their New Year's Eve? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me about it at @StarkRavingChic! Have an awesome New Year's Eve outfit you would just love to show off? I'd love to see it, so feel free to tag me in your Instagram story at @StarkRavingChic. Later dolls, and I wish you the happiest new year, let's make sure 2018 rocks!

Xx, Bree

P.S. Psssssst! If you love the jewelry I styled in this post as much as I do, you can try Rocksbox for a whole month 100% FREE when you sign up using my promo code "starkravingchicxoxo". Don't know what Rocksbox is or how it works? You can learn more here!

Also, I am now a proud member of rewardStyle and LIKEtoKNOW.it! Meaning you can shop straight from my Instagram feed when you click here or here. Don't know what LIKEtoKNOW.it is all about? Learn more, here!

2017: Recap, Reflection, and What's To Come

Whoa, whoa, whoa! I cannot believe that the new year is only four days away! And though 2017 hasn't been the best year ever, considering it has definitely hit some ultimate lows, it has also had some great highs too. From the #MeToo movement empowering women to Prince Harry proposing to Meghan Markle, 2017 really did have some positive points minus the cloud of negativity overshadowing it. So, hopefully, 2018 will end this cycle of negativity and will continue the positive aspects of 2017, which I think we'd all agree that we need. (Not to mention, the new year starts on a Monday, so what better time to rejuvenate and make positive changes?!)

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As many of my long time readers know, 2017 has not been an easy year for me either. Early this year, someone I cared for, and still care for, deeply, ended our romantic relationship, and though we are now still friends, the breakup was not easy on either of us. And as a result of this I took a hiatus from blogging to just do me for much of the first half of the year. However, after spending sometime traveling and practicing a great amount of self-love along with positive thinking, I came back to the blogging game and my blog is now stronger than ever and is continuing to grow rapidly (more on this in the "what's to come" section of this post)! So, much like the year 2017, I myself have had some low points, but I feel the high points have surpassed them, so I just wanted to take a moment to recap my "Best Nine" of 2017, and share what I have planned for the new year.

Lovely In Lace (Feat. StyleWe)

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My top ranking post this year was actually this little number from StyleWe, who has now been one of my sponsors for over a year now, and I actually have some more upcoming collaborations with them next year. Which thrills me because I'm sure you know from my past posts that I absolutely adore their clothing. 

Autumn Hues (Feat. StyleWe) 

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Speaking of StyleWe, my next top ranking post was actually of this fabulous dress from them as well! As you can see, I'm sure it was a favorite due to its lush color and assmetrical cut.

Summer Vacation Style Guide 2017

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My next follower favorite was actually my style guide when I showed off my vacation packing list for my trip to New Orleans this summer. 

Partnership With Sally Hansen

Next up, if you follow me on Instagram I'm sure you saw my post about my exciting collaboration with Sally Hansen and you got to see my awesome manicure featuring their new InstaDry nail polish.

Elegance Underneath (Feat. PPZ Lingerie)

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My fifth highest ranking post was actually my partnership with PPZ, which featured this gorgeous set of lingerie plus a kick-ass body positive message.

Style Steals & Holiday Deals 

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Much like every year, my holiday steals and deals posts are always a hit! So I wasn't surprised to see that this flat lay made the list.

Warm & Fuzzy (Feat. SheIn + Rocksbox)

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My next ranking post, featuring two of my longtime sponsors SheIn and Rocksbox, took the seventh spot in my Best Nine. And I have to say that though these two sponsors have been with me since the very beginning, I'm still thrilled to continue to work and partner with both of these wonderful companies.

Holiday Gift Guide

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Much like my holiday steals posts, gift guides have also always taken a top spot and the year 2017 is no different! Aside from featuring some new sponsors.

Let's Get Knit Started (Feat. StyleWe)

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Last but not least, my final photo in my Best Nine is yet again, another lovely dress from StyleWe.

What's To Come for Stark Raving Chic in 2018

Even though 2017 had a few ups and downs, I have to say after looking back at all my achievements (along with some non-blog related ones such as going back to college and getting a 4.1 GPA after my hard work this semester), 2017 actually wasn't all that bad of a year and I am so happy with how far my blog has come and am looking forward to it continuing to grow. So, what's next?

Well, starting next year, now that I am more acclimated to being back in the grind of college, I plan on going back to posting once a week opposed to biweekly because I missed writing (and all of you) tons! So, going into the new year and next semester I am working on managing my time better and have re-broken out my trusty editorial calendar to keep me better organized. And speaking of blogging and staying organized, due to the high demand for more blogging tips posts, I will also be trying to do more tutorial style/blogging for beginners posts along with my typical style posts.

And lastly, along with adding more insight about how to blog successfully and keeping organized, I also have a bunch of exciting new material that I will be sharing with you all within the next year. These things will be ranging from some awesome new collaborations, along with some more lifestyle/travel posts, and to top it off, you know there might even be a giveaway (or two!!).  And of course, I will be continuing to work with my favorite sponsors, so you'll be seeing new material from them too!

Needless to say I am so stoked for 2018 and am looking forward to what's to come. But I would also like to take a moment to thank all of my followers, readers, and loved ones, because without you guys I wouldn't be the success that I am today. So thank you all, and I wish you the happiest new year!

What are you guys excited for in 2018? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic. And be sure to follow me on Instagram at @StarkRavingChic to stay updated on all my latest posts. Later, babes!

Xx, Bree