Shades of Grey

As Thanksgiving is inching closer, I have really been laid back. No stress about getting turkey or inviting relatives over because my aunts are planning the entire thing this year. It feels quite great to be so carefree, especially when I took the whole week off from work also.

I've been lounging around at home and doing absolutely nothing except watching some movies and knitting (it's actually quite relaxing and a great gift to give during Christmas!).

The weather in NYC is crazy. Going to be raining the next two days and then Thanksgiving day is going to be blistering cold, including Black Friday. So, the outfit below pretty much fits the mood. Btw, have you guys already planned out your Friday shopping strategies?

Loft 3/4 Sleeve Pima Cotton Cardigan (different print) // Express Graphic Tee - Diamonds // DailyLook Hot Hue Skinnies (similar here and here) // Comfort Plus Janine Pointy Toe Pump // Express Foiled Mixed Animal Print Infinity Scarf
Love,
LN

Burgundy and Brown

I find myself reaching for sweater-dresses as the weather gets colder. It's an easy piece to put together while feeling warm and feminine. I'm also glad that H&M decided to add a couple of more different sweater-dresses to their collection, inexpensive and stylish.

H&M Turtleneck Sweater // Loft Textured Herringbone Ribbed Tights // Bandolino Calliope Riding Boot // Express Braided Belt (similar here and here)

Love,

LN

What is Ebates?

I know that the holiday seasons are just around the corner and what do we all do around this time? Shop.

So, I'd like to share my thoughts about savings to maximize your satisfaction with shopping.

I was first introduced to Ebates a couple of years ago but it wasn't until recently that I use it every time I do online shopping. Ebates is a program which gives you a certain percent cash back when you shop through their website. It's really easy to use and also really beneficial when you do a lot of shopping. It's no gimmick, you do get cash back, either direct debit or a check.

It's quite simple, you can register through here (I do get a bit of incentive if you register through the link) or here (if you don't want to use the previous link I provided for any personal reasons). Once you're registered and set up your account, you're ready to shop.

Always remember to log into your account before clicking on anything on the website.

Once you're logged in, you can view your account and how much you already got back on the upper right hand side. On the left side would be all the retailers you can shop at which gives you cash back, click on the drop down to see more. Not all brands/retailers/websites are listed here but it doesn't hurt to always check before you continue on with your shopping.

Once you found where you want to shop at, just click on it and Ebates will automatically generate a tracking ticket which it will use as proof that you had complete the purchase to give you the cash back. You can also use that tracking ticket number to contact customer service about any issues you had.

Here are some examples/scenarios that might be helpful --
(a) I want to buy an item from a big department store like Macy's, Neiman Marcus, or JCPenny (just to name a few). But the cash back on one of the stores is higher than the others but they all carry the item that I want. So here, the best bet is to purchase from the seller that gives the most cash back to maximize my cash received.
(b) I want to buy an item I found at this website because I was browsing through it, but when logged into Ebates found out that they did not participate with Ebates.com therefore I tried to search for another website which did partner up with Ebates to get the cash back (although this sometimes doesn't work because the item you want is only exclusively at that specific website).

Ebates is a great way to get some money back while shopping and it doesn't make you feel too guilty when you're buying in a big bulk because the percent cash back is taken from the total, so technically the more you shop the more you get back. Plus, with the Family and Friend sales going on now, it's a great time to sign up for Ebates.

Love,
LN

I am not affiliated or sponsored with/by Ebates.com, this entry is just my personal opinion and in hope to help my readers.

Review: J.Crew Majesty Peacoat

Finding the right outerwear to perfectly fit a person's body is utterly the most difficult task ever, especially when that someone is yourself. I'm missing a peacoat in my closet and it's a staple piece that wouldn't go out of style each winter. So, I was perfectly fine investing in a peacoat that would fit me well and is also made of fine good material.

I was browsing through J.Crew and saw so many nice coats on their website. Although on the pricier side, there was a 25% off code floating around during that time which made it less painful. I was looking at this, this and this but find it wasn't practical and I needed to focus on the peacoat.

That's when I found the Majesty Peacoat from them. On the model, it was the perfect cut. It even came in petite, regular and tall. I went in-store to get a fit on the coat but unfortunately they didn't have the color I wanted. The salesperson was nice enough to help me order it through the phone. If you order/purchase anything at or through the store, you get a 15% off student discount (with a valid ID card). I jumped at that opportunity and ordered the size and color I wanted.

The shipping was quick, I was so excited when I received it in the mail.

The coat was nicely folded along with a hanger attached.

I had purchased the Majesty Peacoat in a size 4, heather charcoal (for reference, I am 5'4" and weigh about 120 pounds). When I tried it on, everything seemed to be a bit off. That wasn't the case in person when I tried on the same size but in the color navy. The sleeves are longer and the waist felt a lot wider with the heather charcoal.

To say the least, it wasn't flattering at all. It made me felt bulky and short. The reason might be because I had ordered it in regular instead of petite. But I really doubt the waist would be any narrower if I ordered it in petite. And I couldn't find any good reason to keep the coat and have it tailored. The material was really sturdy and can most likely keep you warm in weathers around 30-40°F since it's made of Italian wool.

Needless to say, I returned the coat because it wasn't exactly what I had in mind and wanted. At least I learned about the student discount.

Other peacoats to consider:

MICHAEL Michael Kors Outerwear · Marc by Marc Jacobs Wool Coats · Calvin Klein Wool Coats

Love,
LN

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale - 40% Off

Nordstrom is having their half-yearly sale for women and kids (up to 40% off) which is not a bad deal at all. Here are some on my list to consider:

1 // 2 // 3

1 // 2 // 3

1 // 2 // 3

Love,
LN

Deep Dulls for Colder Days

The weather has been pretty crazy lately. Extremely warm and beautiful one day, blistering cold winds the other. I'm still a bit sick and this bipolar weather really isn't helping much.

JDL and I decided to take it easy this past Saturday. We were going to run some errands in the city and relax at the same time. Yea, I know it's quite hard to do that especially when you're surrounded by busy New Yorkers.

Top: Express

Skirt: Loft

Shoes: Payless (similar here and here)

Necklace: Express

Tights: Uniqlo

While we were mellowing it out Saturday, Friday was fun also. We got to try this new wine bar near his workplace. It was cute and we love the vibe. Vitis La Vineria was ran by 2 ladies and they sure made it work. It wasn't too busy or crowded which is a plus. JDL and I had 3 glasses each which included a glass of champagne on-the-house, so bubbly!

After that, we grabbed a late night bite at Yakiniku West. Love me some barbeque even though I reek of fumes and smoke afterwards. Might I add, it was a bit tough getting in and out of my seat since it's the Japanese "sink-hole" seats. You have to remove your shoes at the door, which then the waiter leads you to the dining area with cushions on the floor. Very comfortable.

Trenches I've been starting to fancy, it would be a nice time now to start looking for one when Spring comes.

J.Crew Raincoats & Trenchcoats · Burberry Raincoats & Trenchcoats · Gap Petite Outerwear

Love,
LN