Stark Raving Chic

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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!