2014 Christmas List

When I put my thinking cap on for what I needed and wanted for Christmas this year, I looked back to my Christmas 2013 list. The great thing about having a blog? It's like my external memory hard drive. So here's what I found: every thing on that list is something I made an investment in and literally use weekly, if not daily, in my life even today. 

THAT is the sign of smart purchases. I'm feeling pretty smug right now. But I think it shows the importance of taking stock of what you need and will use in your life. A little effort goes a long way. 

What I asked for Christmas Last Year:

• I needed new riding style boots for fall and winter. So I bought these. I wore them yesterday and they are great for small calved girls. PS they're on sale. 
• I needed a black structured purse. So I bought this and I bring it everywhere. I intend to basically use it forever.
• I needed classic sunglasses I could wear with everything because I only want one pair. So I got these (The Audreys- currently sold out). I wore them today.
• And I was looking for traditional bad-ass pajamas. Which I wore last night. 

This Year: 

Let me start off by saying the husband and I are kind of non-traditional when it comes to gift giving. We honestly don't see the point of waiting to use a product until a specific date on the calendar. So we order gifts and when they come in, we hand them over and use them! That's why you've definitely seen one or more of these things in recent pictures. Practicality at it's finest. 

• External hard-drive/back up for my Mac: If you've ever had your computer crash before you know the soul crushing experience that it is. I have memories of me carrying the carcass of my dead laptop into Apple and asking them to give it a Viking funeral. Now that Mac makes it so easy to have a back up I just have no excuse to NOT buy this. In fact, it's kind of stupid of me to have not done it already. Totally playing with fire. This is a business necessity. I'm an idiot for not already having it. 
• Grey smoking slippers (On Sale Now): I love smoking slippers. They're fantastic! I have a plaid pair that I break out for fall and winter but I was looking for a grey shoe of some kind. Perfect solution. Super comfortable to walk around in. Get them. And maybe in more than one color. 
• A non-baseball cap hat : I've already sung the praises of this wide brimmed black hat form Moorea Seal. I LOVE it. If you're petite especially, this is perfect for you. It instantly makes you feel put together. 
• Signature perfume scent : I recently had a discussion with one of my friends and office mates from my CCM studio about scent. About how I've been wearing literally the antithesis of everything I like in a smell. I've always work very light, very citrusy and powdery scents. I think I've just done it out of comfort starting with the first one I ever wore: Clinique Happy Heart. And maybe those scents were perfect for me then, but I just don't like them! So the search began for a signature scent. A true scent that has notes of leather and darker spices that I love. Which led me to Sephora's fragrance department where they went through their catalogue of perfumes by scent notes to find my top 20. I narrowed it down to a top three or four and took home samples to wear. Because the most important thing is that the smell develops and it is way different than the initial top note spray. The Sephora team was fantastic. If you need help, go there! Long story short, I actually ended up with two men's fragrances and two unisex. I'm almost 100% set on Hermès Voyage d'Hermès. 

What's on your list this year? Indulge my nosiness!