Three Glam Holiday Party Looks I Need A Place To Wear

Where da party at?

 Look 1: Dress: Christian Dior | Look 2: Dress: Alexandre Vauthier | Look 3: Dress: Balenciaga 

Holiday party season is officially upon us! If you are looking to stand out this year in some seriously drool-worthy designer pieces for your upcoming function, charity gala, or even just for some fresh instagram content (no judgement) – do yourself a favor and get familiar with the newly launched designer rental boutique, By Fashionaholic.

The Chicago Boutique’s personal touch turns designer fashion rental into the bougie shopping trip of your dreams 

Designer fashion rental isn’t a new thing. When I first started this blog, I met Lucy Sykes – the Fashion Director of Rent The Runway, one of the pioneers of designer fashion rental. Check out my blog post reviewing them (but please pardon my terrible photo skills!). At the time, it was a new and exciting idea that through renting, an average gal like me could have access to the most coveted high fashion brands. On top of that, it is also an incredibly easy way to shop sustainably if you are looking for ways to be more of a conscious consumer. More fashion rental companies have popped up since that post, which I am very happy to see, however:

 By Fashionaholic stands out in two pretty major ways:

 

  1. The curation. You won’t see a rainbow of Hermes Birkins or a gaggle of Chanel like this anywhere else. They have racks and racks of your favorite designers, from Gucci to Valentino, and everything in between. Mixed with all of the top fashion houses are some of the hottest new and under the radar designers. You can browse their website, but the showroom has so much more – all one of a kind hand selected pieces.

     2. They create a shopping experience. A high-touch personalized service that is usually reserved for expensive boutiques. The decor is lovely, with separate dressing rooms, some that can fit a group if you are shopping with friends. I definitely imagined coming back for a shopping party with some girlfriends. Your personal stylist will bring you lots of options to play dress up in, and bring you anything you might need – like a glass of champagne (or for me, some lotion for my perpetually ashy knees – ha). They also offer tailoring services, and my friend had her dress tailored and delivered directly to her hotel room before an event.

Sizing runs from 0-14, and rentals can range in price based on the item, for example you may pay $150/week for a Gucci bag, to $300/week for a Balenciaga gown.

My fashion-savvy friends agree with me that renting is only going to become an even bigger part of retail in the future. People want options, but don’t want to invest too much in a dress they will wear once or twice, even if it’s Dior. Fast-fashion in its current form is on its way out, as consumers are becoming more aware of the negative impact on the earth and unethical labor standards. Also it maybe just me, but I believe people are sick of overconsumption, and looking to live simpler, with less ‘stuff’.

Every girl still needs to look fabulous though whenever she wants to, so there will always be a need for amazing, high quality clothes for every occasion.  For those days, By Fashionaholic is the place to go, as they say, to ‘dress like you own it’.

 

 

 

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Last week we took a quick trip to escape the snow for some sunshine in Key Largo, Florida☀️ We spent every moment possible outside, Tom and Adam got their Scuba Diver PADI certification (yay!) while Sophia and I spent our days either swimming or drawing marine life and landscapes. This was my first trip after my sister passed last November, and even though I look so happy here, there were so many moments I felt the grief and sadness, as if it happened just yesterday. I am still figuring out how I want to show up in this space, as I have changed so much as a person since the loss. I just don’t feel called to post some of the things I shared before. Maybe that will change someday, or maybe it will just naturally evolve into something new. I think I will take this year to just process it all. (Even the idea of taking an entire year to think through something is a huge shift for my usually hyperactive type A personality) My focus at the moment is just living in the moment with my family and friends, spending time doing things that make me happy and healthy. I hope to share some of that journey here with you ~ thanks for following along ❤️
I had planned to shoot this outfit in collaboration with @lenacoutureofficial right before my dear sister passed away. Saba, the designer, was more than understanding if I didn’t want to anymore - but after thinking on it for a while I decided I wanted to - in my sister’s honor 💗 She was always my biggest hype woman. When i would feel like I’m not good enough or that I should quit (which was often) she would tell me I was unique and great and to keep it up. When I think of my sister, beauty and love is all that she embodied in her being. She expressed that on the outside also - as she loved to wear everything glam, bright & colorful, and full of bling. Hair done, nails done, everything did - that was Nusrat. For this shoot I took the time to get glam after a long hiatus - and makeup and hair took so long because I think I forgot how to do it, but afterwards I was surprised how I felt transformed. When I wore this gorgeous outfit that I know was designed with such love and incredible attention to detail by @lenacoutureofficial, I felt all of that beauty - like a walking piece of art, and very much at peace. Thank you so much to @divmophoto for capturing the feeling so well 💕
Ski weekend with my favorites ❄️❄️ So proud of Sophia for skiing on her own for the first time!
There are some trees with seeds that only grow after a fire. Their seeds are completely sealed with a resin that have to be physically melted off by a great fire in order to propagate. So to do we as humans, gain wisdom only after great pain and suffering.*
A month ago (and one day) I lost my sister and best friend to cancer. I am still completely gutted and broken. But, I’m also so so grateful to have had felt the love that now brings me so much heartbreak. ❤️ I am so inspired by her - and I will forever live my life to honor her memory. Miss you sis ❤️
Classic outfit combo: oversized blazer + denim 🖤fendi mules @shoeslutz
Just a mom who loves mums 🌸 🪴
Cozy for a coffee date ☕️
French. Toast. Egg. Bake. Save this recipe for a weekend or holiday brunch - it’s SO good and fool-proof! I’m not even a sweet person and I love it. The pecans are a non-negotiable IMO - I get honey bourbon vanilla pecans for this and it is just heavenly. Enjoy!