December 2017 – A Celebration of Everyday Style

Christmas Greetings

Posted on December 20, 2017 by Hannah

May you have a very merry Christmas as you spend time with your loved ones. The blog will return with exciting new content at the beginning of 2018!

I was going to title this post “Bean Boots are Back,” because who doesn’t love a little alliteration for their Friday, but then I realized that would not be wholly accurate, since they were never “gone.” Bean boots are the perfect example of what I love about fashion and the cycle of trends: these types of boots are a classic staple, having been around for practically forever and always a decent basic option, and suddenly this season they become a trend. No longer are they just a staple your mom pulls out of the closet each winter, they’re now flying off store shelves and a sought-after item by fashionistas everywhere. And this is a trend I can embrace, because while it will eventually die down and bean boots will stop being worn by fashion bloggers and featured in the front of stores, they will still be a classic that you’ll be proud to wear. I recently bought a pair from Target and I have to say, coming from a first-time-ever bean boots owner, I love them. As someone who gets cold feet very easily (literally, not figuratively), they keep my feet very warm. They’re lined with some sort of cozy fleece-like material. And, I went with a basic black color that goes with everything. I’m considering getting my husband a pair since he also gets cold feet very easily (again, literally, not figuratively) and this is a trend for both men and women.

The Classic

The Heavy-Duty Chic

The Faux Fur Trimmed

The Skate Shoe Look

The Adorable Factor

And then.. there’s mine!

Why I won’t be doing a Holiday Gift Guide this year

Posted on December 8, 2017 by Hannah

Well, sorry to disappoint, but the title is true – there will be no Creativity and Couture Holiday 2017 gift guide (not that there was one in either of the three other Christmases this blog has been running…). Before you overcome your shock and dismay and start scrambling to start your Christmas shopping following the wake of this news, let me share why exactly I won’t be doing one. To put it succinctly, I’m not personally a huge fan of gift guides. I’ll list the reasons below shortly, but let me also say this: I’m also not vehemently opposed to them. I think they can be really helpful for some shoppers and I’ve even enjoyed perusing a few of them with fun themes, like this one for gift exchanges, or this one for moms and dads, or this one with beauty products. But back to the reasons why I don’t typically love them:

They are impractical. This is really the main reason. I look at these gift guides put out by other fashion bloggers and they feature really expensive items, or at least, overpriced. There is a letter board on the gift guide for gift exchanges, and for a moment I thought it was the same one that I currently own, but it’s not – it’s $30 more expensive. For the same identical item from a different retailer. Case in point. Another way they are impractical is that the average person is never going to spend $120 on a new sherpa coat for a family member – or friend, or anyone for that matter. Most of the items on these gift guides are quite expensive, and while I’m sure there are a privileged few who do spend that type of money on Christmas gifts, my guess is the majority of readers don’t.

2. They promote materialism. If you read my blog post last Tuesday or are familiar with my view on shopping in general, then you know that I typically go with the less is more mantra. Now, this doesn’t mean that I don’t buy gifts for others at Christmas (I most certainly do and I love doing it!), it does mean that I don’t go bananas and give people more things to show them how much I love them or try to impress them with my so-called “generosity.” Instead of spending $85 on a pair of Ugg sweatpants for my husband, I’ll spend less money on something else that he will actually like and enjoy, even if it might not be as trend-forward.

3. They promote anxiety. At least, they have in my case. I’m finished with Christmas shopping, which is an awesome feeling, but if I spend too much time looking at gift guides, I might second guess some of what I bought. And there’s really no good reason for this, to let some overpriced gift guide challenge my heart-centered giving.

4. They leave out something important. That’s right, gift guides never include what is, in my opinion, one of the greatest gifts you can give someone: a gift card. You might call this impersonal but I call it extra-personal. I love giving and receiving gift cards. You’re giving someone a gift and also an experience by allowing them to spend a set amount however they please (preferably at one of their favorite stores). So instead of letting gift guides sway you from your own thoughtful gift ideas, go Christmas shopping and enjoy it, knowing that you know the recipient better than any fashion blogger ever could.

Ten Transitional Holiday Items

Posted on December 1, 2017 by Hannah

Today marks the first day of the most festive month of the year, hooray! However, I also found myself thinking that it’s also one of the fastest months of the year, in my opinion. In a month and a couple days, the holidays will be completely over: trees will be stowed away or discarded, travels will be finished, parties will be ended, and everyone will be counting down the days till spring. Sorry if that all sounds a little morbid on this first day of December–I have a reason! As I see lots of bloggers sharing photos with sequins, festively-colored velour, and bright plaids, I can’t help but wonder if purchasing multiple items such as these that are only to be worn during the holidays is really a good investment for the average shopper. I know my answer for myself is: no. While I do own some velour (FYI, black and more neutral colored velour is fine to wear through all of winter) and a couple of festive holiday sweaters, I find that the more holiday-specific items I purchase, the less wear I get each year out of the ones I have. Plus, it makes it even more mildly depressing to face my closet come January. I don’t know about you, but the last thing I need in January is another reason to feel down because of the weather!

With all that said, today I’d like to share ten items I’ve found that are great for the month of December – and January, and February. That’s right, these pieces are perfect to wear at Christmas but aren’t Christmas-specific. I like to think of them as transitional pieces that will carry you from the holidays through the rest of winter. Click the photos to shop!

Tiered-Sleeve Sweater Dress