Timeless Optimist

Gifts under $50

5 Reasons why pajamas make the best gifts

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It’s finally here! Today I am sharing 5 reasons why pajamas make the best gifts! Pajamas are not only fun to gift but also super also super thoughtful. This gift idea is sure to help ease the stress of the holidays.

1. No guilt.

If you have a large family like I do, often you are exchanging gifts way before Christmas arrives. So you can give a cute pair of pajamas as a gift that your loved ones will enjoy all season long!

2. Your Christmas photos will be amazing!

Nothing beats opening gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day – especially with festive pj’s! I even got matching Mickey and Minnie Pj’s from The Disney Store for my boyfriend and I to wear. Can you say photo op? 😉

3. They are great for layering.

Do you remember when you were a kid and your mom would have you layer up with your pj’s from time to time? I use some of my pj’s as under shirts or a second layer with my pants in the winter. It’s a simple hack that works at any age!

4. They are budget friendly.

The great thing about pajamas is that you can find a great pair at reasonable prices that will not hurt your budget. Or you can gift luxury ones from brands like Kate Spade or Nordstrom. Either way, this cozy and comfy gift will be sure to keep your wallet happy and your loved ones even happier.

5. The start a fun, family tradition.

By giving your friends and family holiday pajamas, they may get some for the rest of the family too! There are some many cute family holiday pajama sets out there like this Mickey and Minnie family set, this set from the Disney store and this one from Macy’s.

Don’t forget slippers and socks for extra comfort! Lauren Conrad has some adorable new slippers from her line at Kohls. Plus, everyone loves some soft socks when they are relaxing in their pj’s. 😉

What are some of your favorite gifts you like to give during the holidays? I have another gift idea that you can check out here. Leave me a comment and you might see it as a topic on my next blog post!

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Pajamas: Kohls // Hat: Kohls

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Fashion

Holiday style outfit ideas for the modern woman

This past spring, I had the amazing opportunity to be on an Easter segment on Pix 11 wearing a Maggy London dress. I’ve grown really close with this marketing team and even purchased one of their dresses for my birthday. So here it is! My holiday style guide courtesy of my fabulous Maggy London team and their winter holiday collection. 

One of the reason I love the holidays so much is because everyone tends to step outside of their comfort zone with fashion. It seems like everyone likes to add extra sparkle to their looks during the holidays. That is why I am sharing some holiday style outfit ideas that you can use for every holiday occasion that you have this year.

ADD SOME SPARKLE TO THE HOLIDAYS

One of the many reason I love this dress is because it has long sleeves. Allow with some elegant sequins, this is a dress that is super flattering!

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Maggy London

Now through 12/02/19 FREE ONE DAY SHIPPING using code SHIPFREECM + enjoy 40% sitewide!

JUMPSUITS FOR THE WIN 

The modern woman is rocking two things in 2019: blazers and jumpsuits. This is a piece that will be sure to turn heads.

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Maggy London 

Now through 12/02/19 FREE ONE DAY SHIPPING using code SHIPFREECM + enjoy 40% sitewide!

ELSA INSPIRED HOLIDAY STYLE 

If Elsa lived in 2019, this would be the dress she would rock! Ice blue is a fun color to wear during the holidays. This midi dress is great to wear at the office or for a night out.

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Maggy London 

Now through 12/02/19 FREE ONE DAY SHIPPING using code SHIPFREECM + enjoy 40% sitewide!

WINTER FLORALS

This charming dress is sure to be a great addition to your wardrobe. I love the way it flows! I’m wearing mine in regular size 0 because I like my dresses to be on the longer end.

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Maggy London

Now through 12/02/19 FREE ONE DAY SHIPPING using code SHIPFREECM + enjoy 40% sitewide!

GREEN FOR THE HOLIDAYS

There is nothing like a classic green dress for the holidays. I love how flattering this dress is on my petite frame! The long sleeves are great for the winter. I loved styling it with white pumps and a festive earrings.

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Maggy London 

Now through 12/02/19 FREE ONE DAY SHIPPING using code SHIPFREECM + enjoy 40% sitewide!

I hope these looks inspire you to sparkle this holiday season. If you are in need of some some gift giving ideas, check out my post on how to add an artistic touch to your holidays.

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Gifts for her

How to give unique gifts this holiday season

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With the excitement of giving gifts for the holidays comes the stress of finding the right gift for that special someone. Whether is a parent or best friend, finding unique gifts can be a challenge. That’s why this week I am highlighting how to give a unique gifts this holiday season!

Gift a holiday experience 

There is nothing like sharing an experience with someone you love! If you live in the try-state area, you know there is nothing like experience a Broadway show. And guess what? Now you can gift tickets to a Broadway show without making yourself broke! TodayTix is the Uber of New York Broadway showsoffering tickets as low as $35 this Black Friday/ Cyber Monday. Be sure to bookmark this post to refer to it later. Be sure to sign up for my email alerts so I can send an email reminder for the sale starts! P.S. this ticket stub diaryis a great addition to the gift – add the tickets in there so you can surprise your loved on (and they have something to open).

For the health conscious  

This unique gift idea is sure to be a hit! These avocado huggersare made out of silicone to help your favorite healthy fat fresh longer. The best part? They are under $20! I also love these beeswax reuseable sandwich wraps. My little sister is a beekeeper who continues to sing praises of their alternatives to plastic bags. Yet another great find for under $15!

From left to right: Avocado huggers // Beeswax reusable sandwich wraps

For the newly weds

Having trouble finding a gift for newly wed friends? This movie marque sign would make a great addition to their home and it can be customized to whatever you want it to read! Nothing says “I love you” more than a gift that you can personalize. Items like this mixtape pillow and personalized record doormat make a fun addition to anyone’s home. These are especially great for new home/apartment owners!

From left to right: Movie Marque sign // Personalized Mixtape pillow // Personalized record doormat

Gifts for the active

When it comes to unique gifts, our active friends can be a challenge. We all have that one friend/family member that is super active. Even when it’s freezing outside, they insist on staying active. If you have a friend who is a runner, these night runner lightswill keep them safe, lighting their path (plus helps them finish their run in case the sun sets early on them).

From left to right: Night runner lights // Instructional Cork Mat // Yoga Mat and Storage Display

Pet friendly gifts 

Our pets are a big part of our lives. If your loved one has a fur baby, these gifts will be sure to surprise them! Gifts like this customized pet illustration give a fun addition to the walls of any home. Simply send in a picture and the artists re-creates their photo into an illustration! This leak proof dog bowl is also a great gift to give (and it is under $30). My favorite gift for kitties by far is this DJ Cat Scratching Padthat is under $40 and is sure to give some laughs when your family and friends open it!

From left to right: Customized Pet Illustration // Leak Proof Water Dog Bowl // DJ Cat Scratching Pad

I hope these idea provide you with some inspiration to make this holiday season the best one yet! Do you love my holiday wrapping paper? You can learn more about it by checking out my post about adding an artistic touch to your holiday gift giving! Happy shopping xo.

 

 

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Holiday gift ideas

How to add an artistic touch to your holiday gift giving

Sharing details on how to add an artistic touch your holiday gift giving without breaking the bank.

I can’t hide it: I love adding an artistic touches when it comes to holiday gift giving. Recently, I went on a shopping spree to add some whimsical Kate Spade magic to my holiday gifting. These are inexpensive ways to add timeless touches to your gift giving this holiday season. I hope you find them useful.

Holiday cards

There is nothing more magical than receiving a hand written card from a loved one. When our words are put to pen and paper, it has a sort of magic to it wouldn’t you say? I purchased these cards to give out and I can’t wait for my friends and family to receive them!

Wrapping paper 

When it comes to the holidays, I pride myself in wrapping my gifts with lots of love. Plus I could not resist these beautiful wrapping paper designs. They are absolutely charming!

iPhone cases 

We are so connected with our phones, we might as well make sure they are protected (and look great too). I came across these gorgeous phone cases that even have some inspired looks from everyone’s favorite muse Audrey Hepburn!

Luggage tags 

Adding an artistic touch to gift giving is easy with a little customization! Nothing makes people happier than knowing they are going away. If you have a friend who travels a lot, surprise them with a custom luggage tag! It’s a gift they will be eager to use right away.

Whimsical mugs 

As a enthusiastic mug collector, I can say that you can never go wrong with a mug as a gift for Christmas. It’s the perfect gift for your favorite coffee or tea drinker.

Need some more holiday gift ideas? Check out my post about why pajamas make the best gift for the holidays! Be sure to check out my Instagram page for daily holiday inspiration!

 

 

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Beauty

Why you need to add retinol to your skin care routine

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A special thank you Olay for sponsoring this informative post!

Giving you details about retinol and how to easily incorporate it to your skin routine. 

There is one word that remain super important in our mid-twenties: skincare. Yep, here’s the reality: we are certainly NOT teenagers anymore. In order to keep our skin looking youthful, we have to drink lots of water, cut down on sweets and change how we care for our skin. Today, I am addressing why you need to add retinol to your skin routine. Don’t worry if you don’t know what it is because I am going to go over that with you in this post xo.

What is retinol?

Derived from Vitamin A, retinol is a powerful ingredient that reduces that appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and age spots. These are the benefits:

  • firm skin
  • Smooth appearance
  • Even-toned skin

Here’s the tea

A lot of women have stopped using retinol in the past. Why? Because there have been some retinol products that caused skin irritations, was too expensive or they did not see results. Needless to say, I have been wanting to use retinol to help my skin out without these repercussions.

The challenge

In the past 4 weeks, I have been incorporating retinol into my skin routine with Olay’s Retinol 24 products. They generously sent me over their serum, moisturizer and eye cream for me to try and is I could incorporate retinol into my routine without irritating my skin, see results and not break the bank. These are the problems I have with my skin:

  • dryness
  • Oily and very sensitive
  • Rosacea prone

The favorite product 

Olay Retinol 24 Night Serum

By far my favorite piece from the collection. The serum feels so silky on your skin. Additionally, this night serum didn’t clog my pores despite my oily skin. One of my concerns is that the serum was going to add extra oils to my skin overnight. Thankfully, I was able to get up every morning without any excess oil. 

It feels so luxurious knowing that this serum is working it’s magic while I sleep! In the past 4 weeks, I have noticed a dramatic difference in my smile and forehead lines. I would also recommend using this serum with a jade roller. It distributes the formula so well and feel so soothing after a long day of work! 

The bottom line: retinol is essential to younger looking skin. The night serum is a wonderful addition to my night skin routine, is offered at a great price point and most important WORKS without any irritation. Despite my sensitive/oily skin, Olay’s Retinol24 has allowed me to effortlessly add retinol to my skin routine with minimal effort. I especially love how moisturized my skin looks in the past few weeks. I now understand the importance of having retinol in my skin routine and I am not turning back!

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So this is mid 20s.. 🤔 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #ad Your skin starts to change which means you have to make some changes to your skincare routine. It can feel overwhelming right ladies? I'm honored to be partnering with @Olay to show their new Retinol 24 line! I have always read about the importance of retinol in skincare but have always struggled with adding it to my skincare routine. Anyone else? 🤷🏻‍♀️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Be sure to check out my "Skincare" highlight to view how Olay helped me from a skin-mergency by giving me a chance to test out their products. I am looking forward to sharing with you all my honest feedback about the products plus provide additional insight on retinol. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Have you ever tried retinol before? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #olay #retinol24

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Have you ever struggled with adding retinol to your skin routine before? Let’s chat about it! Leave me a comment or feel free to send me a DM on Instagram! Be sure to check out my previous beauty related posts on my blog too.

 

 

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Fashion

When Westfield Garden State Plaza Mall makes you an exclusive insider

Sharing details on Westfield Garden State Plaza Influencer Insider program! 

The single most exciting things about being an influencer is networking. Having the chance to connect with fellow bloggers has given me the opportunity to grow and learn so much about this industry. Last year, I went to Westfield Garden State Plaza mall to an influencer event as a guest with my dear friend Karen from Paris and a Latte. This year, I had the honor to return to Westfield’s Influencer Event as an Influencer Insider. Today, I am sharing details about this exclusive program.

What does this mean? 

As an insider, I get a chance to attend exclusive events at Westfield Garden State Plaza mall. What this means is that I get to keep YOU posted on mall events along with details on fashion and makeup trends thanks to stores like Neiman Marcus!

The location

 

The event was held at Westfield suite also known as “The Suite” just outside of Tiffany’s at the mall. Garden State Plaza mall offers a valet service. When Karen and I arrived, I was able to have my car parked for me. This is a service that you can actually purchase for yourself if you are interested!

The snacks

 

When Karen and I arrived, we were greeted with some tasty treats and drinks as we waited for the event to start. It was during this time that we both had the change to re-connect with some old friends and connect with new ones!

The fashion

 

Bryan from Neiman Marcus paid us a visit by giving us an exclusive look at Burberry’s latest collection. Each style is created to have timeless elements for the modern woman mixing both classic and street style.

The makeup

Makeup guru Joshua Reid also gave us a makeup demonstration with some of NARS latest palettes and holiday pieces.

Seeing old friends and making new ones

By far the highlight of the night was re-connecting with some old friends. One of the girls there had just quit her job last year to pursue her career as a full time influencer. It was incredible to see how far she has come since then. Additionally, I got to connect with some girls that I have spoken to online and finally had the chance to meet in person!

Visit Garden State Plaza

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Things I love ❤️: ✔️Making lists ✔️Crossing things off my list ✔️Women supporting women ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 3 years ago, I started timelessoptimist.com as a passion project. I had just graduated with my bachelor’s degree in business management from @wpunj but found myself feeling lost with what I wanted to do with my career. Since then, my blog has grown to be not only a side hustle but also an opportunity to connect with some amazing women who show up and share their brilliance. It felt so wonderful to connect with some old friends and make new ones last week at @gsplaza exclusive Suite with a select group of local influencers, announcing the inaugural Westfield Influencer Insider program! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don’t forget @gsplaza for all of your shopping needs. I love that the mall has fast fashion stores, luxury brands and so much more. Also, If you join their rewards program, you earn $10 just for signing up! http://bit.ly/WestfieldInfluencerInsider #gsplaza ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Xo Cristina

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If you are someone who loves to do their shopping in-stores, I highly recommend checking out Garden State Plaza. They have the best variety of stores, plenty of places to eat and a movie theater that you can walk right up to! My boyfriend and I love going to Garden State Plaza for dates nights and you will too! If you shop there often, be sure join their rewards program, you earn $10 just for signing up! Be sure to check out my blog for quarterly updates on these exclusive events. Be the first to know by signing up for email updates (and don’t worry, I only send them out on a bi-weekly basis).

Btw, if you are looking for some fall inspiration, be sure to check out last week’s post about my favorite fall accessory: my lack of color dupe hat!

Photos by Meaghan Tull Photography 

 

 

 

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Fashion

The lack of color dupe I can’t get enough of

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Sharing details on the hat that I can’t help but wear with everything!

You gotta love when fall comes around. It’s a great time to whip out your favorite scarfs, boots and puffer jackets. This week, I wanted to share with you all the lack of color dupe hat that I simply can’t get enough of. It’s a hat that is sturdy, goes well with everything and is at a great price point.

The price point

I LOVE that this hat was under $50. Yes, you read that right. Under $50. Lack of Color hats are all range right now with bloggers and influencers but their starting price point is between $100-200!

The variety

This hat recently got re-stocked in a variety of colors to chose from. The color I am wearing is NEUTRAL.

The style

The flat wide rim is ultimately why this hat is loved so much. Under the hat is an adjustable strap to help you find the perfect fit! I even styled this hat with one of my summer dresses in my blog post about how to transition from summer to fall.

Maintenance

My recommendation is to stay away from rainy or snowy weather with your wool hat. Wool hats can’t be washed. Long term, these conditions can ruin them.

Over time you may find that your wool hat may lose it’s shape. I like to use this spray to help stiffen the rim of my wool hats back to its original state! Simply steam the rim of your hat on a flat surface. Once your hat is steamed and shaped flat, spray Stiffen Up by The Laundress and let your hat dry. You hat will be good as new! A special thanks to the fabulous Danielle Gervino for this lifesaving tip!

Now that you understand my love for this lack of color dupe, I hope you get a chance to add it to your wardrobe too! Have an amazing week my loves.

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Boots: Nordstrom // Hat: Urban Outfitters 

 

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