This past week, I had the pleasure of attending my boyfriend's holiday dinner with colleagues.  The dinner took place in a private party room at popular local Italian restaurant.  It was the first professional dinner I've attended on my bf's side and of course I wanted to look stylish without looking over (or under) dressed.  The weather has finally turned cold here, especially at night, so I opted to pile on the layers in a body-con sweater dress with tights and a deconstructed boucle jacket.  To keep it interesting and avoid looking stuffy, I punched up the look with some choice accessories.  Jewelry, shoes, and other accessories can often make or break an outfit.  If I would have gone with black boots as my bf suggested, this look would have been a bit boring for my taste.  With super sleek leopard booties and some edgy jewelry, I felt perfectly put together.  And while most people showed up in jeans, I felt way confident and grown-up in this stand-out ensemble.    

1. BaubleBar Astro Druzy Strand, sold out, similar style for $32.
2. JewelMint Raven Talon Ring, current special - three rings for $29.99.
3. ShoeDazzle Kolfinna Bootie, 40% off for one week only, regular price $39.95.

Sooooo it's been a while.  What can I say, life is hectic.  And I've certainly kept busy this past week in particular...Time with family is important, and I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving.  Mine was pretty low-key.  What wasn't low-key is the Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping frenzy I partook in following the holiday.  I did every last bit of shopping online for the sake of convenience.  And how could I avoid it with the copious amount of sale emails flooding my inbox throughout the weekend.  It was out of control, and trust me I didn't shop nearly as may sales as I got alerted to.  Of course there were a few I couldn't resist....  

1. JewelMint: I've been a major fan of the Kate and Cher inspired jewelry line since it's launch, and I keep a running favorites list at all times.  With a 50% off promo spanning several days, I wound up placing two separate orders. Following the first order they released some newbies, so I had to go back for seconds.  I'm looking forward to pairing the super sleek Gold Lame Necklace with the chunky amethyst Casbah Bracelet.  The Gatsby set is ultra femme, which isn't my typical style, but it's just so pretty and I'm a sucker for a necklace with matching earrings.  It'll make a swanky gift if I don't love it for myself.  The Cersai Necklace is like an edgy rocker version of Gatsby, more my speed, and I can't wait to style it with a semi-sheer button-up blouse.  Finally the Setting Sun Earrings and Sun Stone Bracelet caught my eye with all that fiery orange bling.  Definitely excited to see how they look in person.  And thanks to the awesome promo, I got all seven pieces for a total of $105.  Pretty sweet if you ask me.           

2. ShoeMint: JewelMint's sister brand has been turning out super cute shoes for exactly a year now.  I've stalked several styles in the past, but they always tend to sell out quickly.  Prior to this I'd never actually made a purchase through the online site.  I did however have the pleasure of attending BeachMint's Santa Monica sample sale last summer where I scooped up Courtney for half price.  Having never purchased through the web, I was lucky to be eligible for a surprise promo code on Cyber Monday, valid for new customers only, that scored me Jess for only $1!  I could barely believe it.  Sexy animal print calf hair pumps for one dollar.  How can you go wrong with that?Thanks to ShoeMint for a too-good-to-be-true deal on some really cute shoes.  Can't wait to get them in the mail!

3. ALDO:  Shoes are by far my number one weakness, and ALDO is a personal fave.  Their website stocks tons of styles and the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale was pretty fab.  In some cases up to 50% off plus an extra 15%.  I could have broke the bank and ordered my whole wish list, but that would have been cray cray.  Instead I settled on two perfect wintertime picks.  Michigan is an edgy spiked architectural wedge ideal for holiday party hopping.  And Eckel is a sumptuous navy suede ankle boot I look forward to pairing with navy tights for a sophisticated monochrome look.

4. Boutique 9: One of my most beloved pair of ankle boots was my first Boutique 9 purchase a few years back.  Initially, I didn't realize it was Nine West's higher end line, but I figured that out pretty soon after.  I prefer Boutique 9 to the standard line largely because the styles are more unique with some added embellishments.  Take the super stunning bejeweled Emlyn.  I've been stalking this shoe for months, but $275 was too much of a splurge.  Thankfully I waited, because the price dropped to $96 over the weekend and I couldn't be more thrilled.  Finally there's Justine, which I've spotted in several colors over the past few.  This newer glitter version is easily my fave...it doesn't look at all cheap the way some sparkly shoes tend to.  And it's another great option for holiday shindigs.

Well there you have it.  That's my Black Friday/Cyber Monday shop 'til you drop round-up.  Needless to say, I'll be checking the mail like crazy next week until everything arrives.  In the meantime, feel free to fill me in with your sale scores in the comment section!