say it's her birthday.

so it's not all about me. january is the month for my lovely little sister's birthday too, but her gift was a little late in getting to her.

my husband bought her butters speakers, a.k.a. a "beatz buddy," in honor of her favorite "south park" character (sometimes i think they are more meant for each other than we are), but my original present of purple skinny jeans from gap unfortunately didn't work out.

to make up for it, i got her this rock & roll, blog-approved dress from h&m. it's pretty girly, but my influence definitely came through with the skull pattern.

what do you think? 

i think she's extra adorable. i also think we can expect more skulls in her fashion future.

say it's your birthday.

now that i'm over the age of 21, i no longer care much for my birthday. actually, that is probably only considered to be a half-truth, considering it may or may not have taken me until at least 25 to stop planning my own parties.

well, today is my birthday, and no, i'm not going to tell you which year. luckily, i have some way cool people in my life that made the day semi awesome. the "birthday suit" i got from urban outfitters helped a little too, mixing business with pleasure by adding spikes and color-blocking to an otherwise conservative collared, button-down dress. no pics yet, but i'm sure it'll show up on the blog soon enough. in the meantime, here's one of my instagram-inspired nail art courtesy of my new bff, van from tipsy spa.

back to those cool people i know. first, my man. probably the smartest guy i know...he sneaked a look at my pinterest page and purchased my latest obsession: these minty fresh, lace-up "troopa" boots by steve madden i found on zappos. (want your own? my green version is sold out, but the purple is a close second.)

barely over the excitement of my new boots - which, by the way, i plan on wearing every day i'm not working until the florida summer gets too hot - two of my lovely friends and coworkers also surprised me with gifts i can only assume are from francesca's collections at cityplace. love these goodies and the patterns: a wallet with colored bikes (that match my boots!) and a pretty lunch bag with little russian dolls.

they know me so well.

now i'm looking forward to a low-key happy hour at the wine dive on clematis street with my parents, little sis and of course, the guy who officially gets the title of the best gift-giver ever. after all, his past present resume does include a a sewing machine and lady gaga pit tickets.

p.s. i'm not yet 30, so your chances of guessing the correct age is one in four.

glam gift guide #1: hostess with the mostest

certain people can be difficult to shop for during the holidays, so i've put together a few glam gift guides for you to reference when searching for something stylish for those hard-to-buy-for on your list.

first up: you're excited about the holiday party you're going to and have a glimmering dress, satin head band, textured tights, ankle boots and red lipstick ready to go. one problem...you have no idea what to get the perfectly polished hostess who is always spot-on, put together more than anyone else even though she's been cooking and cleaning all day. well here are a few fashionable ideas for you to keep her entertained while she's entertaining:

aprons

ladies can cook in style with these chic aprons from anthropologie. from $19.95 to $32 with various styles from several designers, you're sure to find one that suits the personality of your hostess. my sister bought me "extra ingredient" last year, and i had more than one party guest tell me they liked my "dress" last time i wore it!

lilly pulitzer shift dress stationary

these cards from your fave florida fashion queen are ideal for any southern hostess. the shift dress prints are adorable and come in a variety of lilly patterns, but if they're not for you, check out the pink and green sticky notes, tropical coasters, flowered pens, fruity day-timers and message boards and other lilly pulitzer stationary gifts to keep your hostess stylish and organized. buy it all locally at swoozies.

lolita glasses

packed in a cute box with no need for wrapping, wine and martini glasses from lolita always seem to put a smile on a girl's face, which is why they are my go-to gifts of choice. try the shopoholic, little black dress or leopard-tini glasses for your sipping stylista. she won't be able to wait to try the drink recipes located on the bottom of the glass. there are also cute martini ornaments by lolita too for your non-traditional friend to decorate her tree.

50 shoes that changed the world

created by the design museum of london, your hostess will love this vintage design catalog to keep on her coffee table as a conversation starter at her next party. buy the book at urban outfitters locally, where you might also find the 50 dresses, cars or chairs versions also.

little black dress wines

one bottle actually a great gift for almost any female on any occasion, and you can buy it at most publix grocery stores and at total wine. usually priced around $10 or less, these wines are cheap but still tasty and the name makes them a little more exciting than your typical bottle. they come in several different varieties, but my favorite is the pinot noir because it's a little lighter than the merlot and the dark red color makes a pretty backdrop for the logo. make sure to check out the web site too - http://www.littleblackdresswines.com/ - there are fun features, including a way to see what variety is for you, based on the type of lbd you prefer!