June 28, 2019

Travel Essentials for Organized and Easy Packing

June 28, 2019/ Colleen Marie

Knowing what and where I packed my things from shoes, to tops, and bottoms is essential to keeping organized once I unpack at my destination. One of my biggest passions is traveling and I’ve loved the opportunities I’ve had to do so, whether it’s for work or personal trips. I used to get so overwhelmed with packing, procrastinate, and then end up over packing or forgetting the essentials I need.

When I used to nanny I was always impressed with how organized the mama was with keeping all of the children’s items organized in their suitcases by color coded zip storage pouches. This also made things easier for me when packing up! Though those days have ended I still swear by the zip around pouches and have used them for years to keep my garments sorted, making everything easy to find. They’ve become more popular now and usually come in a pack and in various sizes.

After some trial and error with what to bring or leave behind I feel like I finally have a handle on my packing lists and if you’re traveling this summer I hope these tips can help you too! There’s nothing worse then arriving to your vacation spot and realizing you forgot something you need, then as you dig to locate it everything gets all mixed up into what looks like a dirty laundry pile! Sounds like a night mare right? So I started to make little investments over time for various items that I keep stored away in my suitcase for when I’m ready to pack up.

Something new I’m trying is this purse organizer because I always use a larger tote when traveling and it keeps me from having to dig to the bottom of my bag for lost lip glosses ! I love the use of see through pouches for my electronics/charging cords, headphones, mints, and pens. I’ve also used a similar one for my makeup that I don’t check with luggage. This option from amazon is great and keeps everything safe whether in a suitcase or carry on. I keep a smaller pouch with me for in flight items (tissues, hand sanitizer, mints, sleep mask, lotion, chapstick, eye drops)

Luggage

I have honestly gone through so much luggage in the travels I’ve had and many time the airlines don’t always handle your prized pieces as carefully as you make hope for. I do think investing in a feather weight suitcase is a great idea because why have extra weight before you even begin packing?! My favorite brand is always Delsy Luggage bu I do love the Calpak version and my tried and true Diane von Furstenberg that’s sadly discontinued! I love my hardshell suitcases lately because they’ve really held up and don’t snag. I’ve been fortunate to just have some scrapes happen or wheels needing replacing, but fortunately most are covered under a manufacturer’s warranty. Always check for that shelling out cash on sometime pricey!

Don’t forget about luggage tags for your carry on and checked bags. I love the leather or silicon ones because they last much longer.

Carry On

Whenever possible I try to get my carry on items into a larger tote. I love how this one can be personalized too with so many prints & monogrammed. When traveling I pack and organize my totes particular to what I’ll need with me. Things like my ipad, headphones, charging cords, makeup, snacks, or books. I use this bag for an overhead carry on, it’s great quality and doubles as a beach bag and gym bag. I have used it over and over and the bottom of the bag is finished well so I couldn’t recommend more at this price point!

Be sure to check out the widget below to see some of the pouches and other items I pack into my carry on to stay organized.

Travel Outfit

As much as I like to look put together and feel my best when I look my best I do tend to lean toward comfort and ease when traveling. My ankles usually swell on flights so I try to avoid tight clothing. I always end up cold on airplanes or want to sleep so I often bring a shawl or scarf that could double as a cover up or beach blanket for warmer trips, or scarves for cooler trips. This is of the easiest way to pack smart and functional.

What are your travel essentials for your bucket list destinations? I’d love to hear what you use or anything I should try for my next escape in my comments section!

November 13, 2018

November Sales

November 13, 2018/ Colleen Marie

There’s some really great sales this month leading into the holiday season so I’ll be rounding up some of my top pics that are versatile for yourself or would make for a great gift. I’m always eyeing something that can be personalized or made practical enough for whomever you have on your shopping list.

I’ve been really loving cozy fleece pullovers, especially on weekends and during errands. I can’t ever get enough of over the knee boots since they’re not just fashionable but for myself, they keep my legs warm! It’s always hard for me to find a pair that will stay up on my thin calves and are tall enough for my longer legs (human giraffe over here) so when I find a pair that works I can’t hold back.

Living in NYC I literally am walking every day all day so finding shoes that are comfortable, yet fashionable are always on my radar. I’m careful of the ones I splurge on and try to wear them only for date nights or special occasions. I feel like I go through shoes so quick here but really try to weatherproof the winter ones. This Marc Fisher pair are a great quality but still less than the Stuart Weitzman style (which is the only kind that stay up! :( and I love the shape of the toe and the colors it comes in.

This season I’ve seen some of my long term favorite sweaters marked down especially over the holidays and the softer the sweater and the longer the tunic are perfect for me! This cashmere one I have LOVED for so long and was excited to see it on sale. So much so I have it in my shopping cart and debating a neutral or pop of color again. It is super soft & warm without being too heavy and the perfect length for leggings. I have a bright magenta one I’m wearing here from a few years ago. If you take good care of the cashmere, especially when packing away seasonal clothes it will last. The Laundress shampoo for this fabric works so well too.

My new obsession for a little statement coat for winter that’s a less traditional is this lavender wrap coat! I LOVE the color because it stands out from my other winter neutrals and I was able to find it marked down both here and here. It runs true to size and the color is much richer in person with a long length. Also on sale is this pear & grey version that I think is gorgeous and would be perfect for dressing up a simple outfit or pairing with a dress.

Many of the sales are offering up to 40% off! Much of which will most likely be further marked down for Black Friday. So book mark this post so you can retrieve it quickly while shopping. Be sure to click on the different photos in the widget below for details one each sale. Happy Shopping!

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Click the photo below or scroll to shop the items all on sale!

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August 18, 2018

Our New York Wedding

August 18, 2018/ Colleen Marie

August 18, 2017 marked the start to a new beginning as newlyweds when I married my best friend after eight years of adventure, travel, and memories together. It was an incredible feeling to be in the presence of our closest friends and family and to see everything come together. After so many experiences together over the years we are thrilled to begin a new life together, happily married.

It's hard to believe we are already celebrating our first anniversary and this month also marked moving into year 7 of NYC living!

We were married at the Bourne Mansion on Long Island, New York. This venue was love at first sight for us and even the name was a perfect fit for our countless Bourne movie traditions. We knew this old fashioned mansion on the water was the perfect place for our nuptials and we looked forward to making it a weekend of everyone being together. Since we rehearsed on a Thursday with a Friday evening wedding we had all weekend to keep the celebrations going at the beach.

We both wanted our day to feel like an elegant and classic soirée (insert #siskarsoirée) with both traditional and antique style. Kevin loved the idea of our guests feeling like they were invited into an old home for an evening of dancing and never ending food. He has this strange obsession with gold and royalty (I guess living in London will do that to you) This naturally had to be an accent throughout the details. We also used a lot of mercury glass and mixed in some silver throughout too.

My favorite piece of decor was the customized monogram a close friend designed and surprised us with, along with our invitations. We used it throughout for a personal touch and now have it forever. For color schemes I wanted to keep it fresh and feminine with ivory, champagne, and blushes throughout. Greenery like silver dollar eucalyptus softened and added a great detail of contrast.

There were so many different rooms that came together with fresh florals, gold terrariums, and frames with LOTS of candle light for a romantic glow. Candle light to warm the space into evening was really important to bring a comfortable feel. I’ll be sharing those details in a separate post if interested. Everything truly came out so stunning and exceeded our expectations! My friend Sara, Beck and Forth Co. worked with me to help style the event with our vision and every room was just breathtaking!

We had spent months picking out each detail to decorate the venue and had the closest and most talented friends customize and personalize many of our details for the day to make it feel extra special. I can't thank them enough for their support throughout where I knew I could trust their aesthetic.

On the day of our wedding the morning rain had cleared just in time for our outdoor ceremony with the bay in the distance. Despite some fierce wind and humidity we were so happy to have it come together just in time for our first look and outdoor ceremony.

The staff at Bourne Mansion was just beyond! From keeping all of the planning very organized since day one from the back and forth emails, trips out to the venue for meetings, and day of changes they remained flexible with an eye on every detail. It truly felt like a production or something with how efficient everyone was! I couldn't recommend the venue enough. The food was unbelievable and my word was there so much food! From the cocktail hour to dinner and dessert we had a lot of options.

Our maître d, Steve and my bridal attendant, Feggy were a blessing and made us feel so special every minute! I can't thank their team enough. They have some amazing reviews on The Knot and anyone looking to plan a Long Island wedding should check them out. Miriam is phenomenal in her planning and supportive advice for all brides in the early stages.

To say planning a wedding wasn't stressful and frustrating at times would be an understatement, but I can truthfully admit that witnessing so many people from over the years come together to celebrate love is a humbling experience that we will forever remember and talk about for years to come. We loved how every part of our day went, even though it felt like it was over in the blink of an eye! We were happy to have celebrated throughout the whole weekend, concluding our festivities at the beach the following day. And my advice is to just to not sweat the small stuff, really! Everything is all how you approach it, enjoy the planning and don't go overboard.

All photography of our wedding day was captured by the talented and passionate photographer, Whitney Nichols. Her and her husband's partnership in their work is a true act of love and it was so endearing to work with them. We were in love with our engagement photos from their trip to Central Park and couldn't wait for them to capture our special day. All photos in this post is her talented work.

Our wedding videographer, Kristen Kiraly was another talent whose ability to story tell through her cinematography shows how passionate she is about her work. I even learned she was married at the same venue, so of course her eye for detail that day was impeccable. I can't recommend her enough so sweet and her video quality is ah- mazing! You can see our video here.

After our wedding we honeymooned in Bali for some ultimate relaxation. More to come in a travel post, It was an unforgettable experience with amazing culture and food ! Kevin and me always talk about it and can't wait to go back even though it was the longest flight of my life!

I hope you've made it this far through one of my longest posts yet, but hey better late than never to share some of the special day ! I'd love to hear your comments at the end of this post. I've linked all of my vendors & details below after the photos.

My cousin /MOH designed both pairs of my wedding shoes. I love them!

This was one of my favorite parts of the reception was tossing my bouquet off the balcony. My cousin who was my maid of honor caught it! And yes, she is now happily married!

Dancing with my nana and papa, I just love them!

We loved our vanilla with raspberry and vanilla mousse wedding cake. And of course tons of Italian cookies ! We worked with Rolling Pin Bakery, so yummy!