Friday 5:  Beis luggage // black maxi dress // sunglasses // black travel tote // purse

Tortoise sunglasses:  I’ve had and loved these sunglasses for years!  They are really thick and sturdy feeling — they feel super expensive and they are under $100!  I love the gold line detail across the top, it makes them look more luxe. The large size of them gives great face coverage from the sun too! They come in multiple colors. Love these!

Woven shoulder bag:  This woven purse is so classic!  I’ve had it for years and I pack it on every beach vacation trip we take. It goes with everything and makes the perfect vacation purse. I love the chain strap detail on it. Highly recommend!

Black Skims Dress:  This long black maxi dress is another item I have had and loved for years. Its so comfy and stretchy – I pack this on every trip and love wearing it on the airplane. I love that its so comfy that I feel like I’m wearing pajamas but I look put together at the same time. The black is my favorite, its super flattering. I have and love the long sleeve version too!

Suitcase:  These beis suitcases are my all time favorite suitcases. They are so sturdy and such amazing quality. If you travel freqently enough, they are totally worth the investment!  I love how stylish all the different color options are, and the hard shell makes it so easy to wipe clean after traveling. I love this black beis weekend bag too! This full travel outfit and other beis suitcases I have and love – linked here. 

Black travel bag:  This Baggu cloud bag is seriously amazing!! I’ve used it on so many trips over the years and its held up so well. Its a great price point for how much use I get out of it!  Its like jumbo sized and holds so much. The black color and material is easy to keep clean too.

Friday Five: Purse // Black Travel Tote // Sunglasses // Beis luggage // Black skims dress

The post Friday Five: Travel Must-Haves appeared first on Hello Fashion.

DETAILS: MENTAL HEALTH CLUB SWEATSHIRT (WEARING SIZE L) | TIE DYE TEE (UNDER $50 – WEARING SIZE S) | RIBBED BIKER SHORTS (UNDER $50) | SNEAKERS | YELLOW CLOUD BAG (UNDER $100) | OLLIE’S TRIKE

And we’re off!! The beach has been calling our name! Travel style always means comfy style – I bought this cute tie-dye tee but always freeze on the plane so it’s the sweatshirt travel style life for me haha. Also loooove these APL sneakers! It’s my second  pair, but first one in this style. I know I’m late to the game but I am obsessed with these ones. So comfortable and love the speckled detail on the sole! I’ve had these biker shorts for a year now and they are hands down my favorite – you guys are probably sick of seeing them 🙈 but the ribbing is so soft and comfortable – seriously the best and under $100! Also using this yellow bag again – I think I found my new go-to travel bag. It’s huuuuge and fits pretty much everything you could possibly need for the flight. (It’s also a really comfortable plush material and really comfortable to carry around the airport.)

A lot of recents DM’s from you guys have been about a few Ollie/travel-related things so I thought it would be a good to answer in a post with some of the common ?’s and some of my tips.

The Trike/Stroller

Most genius invention ever. It’s a mix between a trike and a stroller and perfect for toddlers, both while traveling or at home running errands, going on walks, etc. It folds up so you can fit it in a backpack it comes with. We didn’t have anything like this when Beckam. It’s a must! (Also make a great gift since it’s a bit of a splurge, but it’s worth every penny.) If your baby is younger the Doona stroller that converts from a stroller to a carseat was a FAVE of ours too. We loved both Doona products.

Lap-seat or splurge for a separate seat?

Almost all airlines will let you take an infant (under 2) without making you purchase a separate ticket for them. The only catch is no ticket = no seat so they have to sit on your lap for the duration of the flight. After Ollie turned one he stopped falling asleep in my arms, so I usually decide whether I get him a seat or not depending on how long the flight is. For flights under 2 hours I’ll usually just have him sit on my lap and not spring for another ticket. For flights over 2 hours, I’ll get Ollie his own ticket so I can bring his car seat so he’ll be able to take a nap during the flight.

Car Seats

Which brings me to this point – bringing a car seat on the plane. I was surprised at how many DMs/comments I got that some of you didn’t know you could bring a car seat on the plane. A lot of people will check or gate-check their car seats but you 100% can take them on the plane. It makes naps sooo much easier when traveling – especially with long flights.

Milk

This is a random one, but so many flights don’t have milk on the plane anymore. So don’t forget to bring milk on longer flights.

Use Food As A Toy

Ollie is still so intrigued with snacks, I always bring lots of snack options over toys. Especially when your landing and taking off, something they can suck on or chew helps their ears pop.

Don’t Board First

Okay a lot of times were late 😂 But even when we aren’t I never board first. It’s more time your child has to sit in their seat. It definitely takes a second to get settled with kids but if your traveling with someone maybe have one person go on first and get seat set up and put stuff away while the other tries to get as much energy out of your little one as you can.

Crying is OK

I think one of the biggest things, especially with long flights is managing expectations. Your child might cry and that’s ok. But kids pick up on our stress so if your freaking out it will only stress them out more. 90% of the time people are super understanding and you’re probably more worried about it then they are. I always have an emergency treat in case all else fails, but I try to save it as a last resort. For Ollie it’s suckers or mints 🙂

Hope this helps a little! I know some people ask if I’m glad we travel with the kids and the answer is 100%. Some of my favorite memories ever are on trips. We’ve had bad flights, but once you get to your spot and get to make the memories you will quickly forget and enjoy the family time!

Linking to more of my travel favorites below!

XX, Christine

*In collaboration with Nordstrom.

The post 7 Tips For Traveling with a Toddler appeared first on Hello Fashion.

WILLIAMSBURG TRAVEL GUIDE

Traveling as a family is one of my favorite things in the world. It’s so amazing to see the kids exposed to new cultures, foods, history, and people. I love watching them experience things for the first time through their eyes. Every summer, we go on a big family trip and spend multiple weeks abroad bouncing between places, but it’s looking like this summer (like last), we will be staying closer to home. Unlike last year when we barely traveled at all, this year we have been exploring more within the U.S.

A couple weeks ago, we got to go to Williamsburg, VA, and we had so much fun! It was a super family-friendly destination, so I wanted to share where to stay, where to eat, and where to play – for both parents and kids 🙂

MUST-STAY IN WILLIAMSBURG: KINGSMILL RESORT

I’m a sucker for splurging a little extra to stay somewhere nice when we travel. Especially with kids, having somewhere comfortable and cute to come back to at the end of the day or a cool property where the kids can swim and play games – it’s priceless. The Kingsmill Resort did not disappoint. 🤩  It’s right on the James River so it has the most beautiful views, especially at sunset!

We stayed in the cottages, which are super cute and great for families. I slept sooo well while I was there (not enough, because we were moving non-stop trying to see it all). The beds were really comfy. They have cottages with 3 or 4 bedrooms, so it’s the perfect spot for families. They have full kitchens, washer and dryer, LARGE bathrooms, plus each bathroom has a full-size jetted tub. You also have full access to all the resort amenities – two championship golf courses, the tennis club, marina activities, multiple restaurants, etc.

DETAILS: WHITE DRESS | SUNGLASSES | SANDALS

Prettiest cherry blossoms!

We were there pre-season, so the outdoor pool wasn’t open yet, but since we were there with Visit Williamsburg, they let us check out the pool at The Estate at Kingsmill. It used to belong to the Busch Family (of Busch Gardens and Budweiser Beer), but they sold it to Kingsmill, so now it’s available as a luxury rental. The home is so gorgeous! The decor is sooo stunning and all of the bedrooms are insane. It would make for an amazing family vacation rental for a big family get-together! We loved spending our nights swimming there!

The prettiest pool overlooking the river – sunset was so magical!

DETAILS: GRAPHIC HOODIE

MUST-EATS IN WILLIAMSBURG

ELECTRIC CIRCUS TACO : 9 times out of 10, you’ll find us either at a Mexican or Italian restaurant. We ended up at Electric Circus Taco for lunch the first day, and it was the perfect intro to the Williamsburg food scene. It’s right in the heart of Williamsburg, so you can walk and tour the city after. The restaurant has tons of arcade games for the kids, so they loved it!

ANTONIO’S RISTORANTE: We got this to go after we went to Busch Gardens and the garlic knots were amazing! Thin crust New York-style pizza too. It was one of our favorite meals! 

WATER STREET GRILLE (Yorktown): Nothing beats a good pizza 😉  Cody took the healthy route and ordered a steak salad. Loved the views and they have the prettiest tables out on the balcony that overlook the river.

MAURIZIO’S RISTORANTE ITALIANO: This was a local favorite – it was super busy, and the pasta options were all really popular, but we were craving pizza again, no surprise haha. It’s right at the entrance of the resort, so it was super convenient to stop and grab food. 

MOBJACK BAY COFFEE ROASTERS (Yorktown) : I could talk about this place for hours! It’s the cutest coffee shop with all handmade (and amaaaazing) pastries. The building it’s in is actually one of 7 buildings that were built in the 1700s. At one point, it was owned by a female who actually sold coffee – the current owner was so inspired that she wanted to open a coffee shop of her own with her family. The owners have also had multiple ‘ghost’ encounters in that building (but friendly :). Such a cool spot with soooo much history! They also had a picnic area in the back with an outdoor fire going. You’re also within walking distance of a lot of the historic sites in Yorktown.

Favorite thing we tried: Nutella Donuts – we had waaay too many! The kids loved the pink macarons. Also loved the Caramel Macchiato – their coffee is all roasted in-house so it’s super fresh. This place was probably my favorite!

WYTHE CANDY & GOURMET SHOP: Cody always finds the best sweets! This place had caramel apples, homemade fudge, chocolates, and more. Also, our fam loves jelly bellies, and they have a wall with all the flavors.

MUST-PLAY & MUST-DOS IN WILLIAMSBURG

*Disclaimer – we aren’t much for museums. Our kids have pretty short attention spans and would rather be outside or doing something active. There’s soooo much to do in Williamsburg that I didn’t think the kids would gravitate towards the more historical or educational elements, but they totally did! Tons of live exhibits and replicas make it feel like you are there experiencing it and not just listening to an audio recording looking at pictures on the wall.

JAMESTOWN SETTLEMENT: Jamestown Settlement was the perfect mix of history and interactive experiences – the kids loved it! They kept seeing “come see this” or “wow! look at this!” It was honestly the best museum-type experience we’ve had. Wes kept talking about what he had learned in school, and it was cool to see it all come to life for the kids.

While there, you can see re-creations of the ships that first came to Jamestown in 1607. They have replicated a lot of the original structures and ships from early Jamestown. We got to board a life-size replica of Susan Constant – the biggest ship that brought over the original settlers of Jamestown. There were 71 people that came across on that ship, which put it all into perspective how cramped and uncomfortable the journey overseas would have been. They also had a recreation of a Paspahegh town to see how Powhatan and Pocahontas and their people would have lived. So cool!

DETAILS: DENIM JACKET (SIMILAR HERE) | TANK | BLACK DENIM | WHITE SNEAKERS

BIKE RIDING: Without really meaning to, we’ve started the tradition of renting and riding bikes on almost all our vacations – The Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, the beach in Newport Beach, and now we get to add along the Greensprings Interpretive Trail in Williamsburg. We love being active and outdoors, and riding bikes is the perfect way to combine the two and get to explore new places. We rented bikes from Spoke + Art Provisions Co – they had options for a hybrid or recumbent bike and also have toddler wagons available. The trail was sooooo beautiful! So green and tons of wildlife (including a baby deer!). Also had the cutest wood bridges over different ponds, and the woods were gorgeous.

After the bike ride, we went back to return the bikes and got to talk to the owner more. He’s from England, so I got to talk to him about our obsession with “The Crown” haha. They have a cute outdoor sitting area in the back where you can get snacks, have coffee, and listen to live music either before or after your ride. They also do a British tea once a week! Such a cute spot and one of my favorite things we did on this trip.

SISTER CITIES FRENCH MARKET: The Yorktown Market Days are a Saturday staple, with special theme markets through the year and our weekend corresponded with the Sister Cities French theme! It was the cutest waterfront farmers market complete with food trucks, cute shops, and artists, and more. Yorktown is the sister city of Port-Vendres, France, so the market is re-creation of their Saturday market and has the coolest French feel to it! Cody snuck away for a crepe and didn’t save us a single bite haha. 

HISTORIC YORKTOWN: Yorktown was such a cool village to visit. I love cute picturesque towns and fell so hard for all the beautiful buildings here (as my 100 pictures in front of the buildings can attest haha). It was crazy to think how much those buildings must have witnessed over the centuries

We stopped at Yorktown Bookshop and got to see a Bible they have for sale from the 1600s. 🤯 The kids each got to pick out a vintage comic book, too, and they already looked them up to check resale value haha. One of them was already worth $70!

We also got to watch The Fifes and Drum of York Town play 18th-century field music, and it felt like we were taking a step back in time. During the war, they couldn’t hear the commander, so drummers would play specific beats to send orders to the troops.

DETAILS: WHITE PULLOVER | DENIM | SNEAKERS

BUSCH GARDENS: (Tied: Kids’ Favorite) We couldn’t come within miles of the iconic Busch Gardens and not go… haha. Wes is always pulling up videos of roller coasters, so he was probably the most excited. The Williamsburg Busch Gardens also has 9 European village ‘replicas’ throughout the park. Their Food & Wine Festival is taking place right now (through May 23), so you can try authentic foods from around the world. Such a cool way to bring Europe to us since we can’t go to Europe this summer.

Post-park nap 😂  Always a sign of a fun-filled day.

I got a lot of questions about Covid restrictions. They limit the number of people who can enter the park each day, so you have to reserve your tickets beforehand, but it was actually nice to not have it so crowded. Most of the roller coasters and rides were open, and the kids got to go on every open roller coaster. Cody and I both went on a few – I made him go on the crazy upside-down roller coaster, so he got his moment to shine as the adventurous parent haha. Everyone wears masks unless they are eating. It was our first theme park experience post-Covid and was just like the old days, plus masks and minus insane crowds haha.

Have you guys been to Williamsburg? If you have any favorite places to stay, restaurants you recommend, or other activities you would suggest, leave a comment below for others planning future trips. 🥰

XX, Christine

*In collaboration with Visit Williamsburg.

The post U.S. Must-See Destinations: Williamsburg, Virginia Travel Guide appeared first on Hello Fashion.

Cody and I kept thinking we would go on a babymoon before the baby arrived, but time slipped away from us and all of a sudden I was past the point that I could fly anymore! With all the chaos going on at home with them ripping out and reinstalling the floors, we thought it would be nice to get away for the weekend so we stayed at the Grand America for a little babymoon staycation. Here were some of the highlights and a few reasons to visit the grand America next time you are in Salt Lake!

1. The Room Service! First and foremost, the Grand America had the best room service I’ve ever had! You know how honestly a lot of times the room service food isn’t as good by the time it gets to your room. I always order room service since the convenience usually outweighs the fact that the food is usually just average, but the Grand America was the first hotel where the room service was actually just as good as eating in the restaurant! We had both breakfast and dinner and it was so yummy! (Side note: Also make sure to try their  chicken noodle soup with their rolls at the cafe on Sunday – so good!)

2. The Grand Spa. Cody and I broke away for a trip to the spa and it was the perfect touch for our babymoon staycation. They have tons of facial and beauty services, but one of my favorite parts was the 17-head shower before the couple massage, So relaxing! If you do it turn the side sprayers on cold and the overhead ones on hot, it feels so good! They also had the yummiest creme brûlée when you come into the couple massage – I’m not sure if its the pregnancy in me, but I’m realizing all my highlights are revolving around food haha.

3. Location. Whatever brings you to SLC, downtown is definitely the place to be. The Grand America has super easy access to downtown so it’s really convenient. We used to live downtown, so it was nostalgic to be back! We walked to dinner, rented city scooters to get around, and loved soaking up more time downtown.

DETAILS: DRESS (UNDER $10 – NOT MATERNITY – WEARING SIZE SMALL) | SNEAKERS

4. Tea Time! One of my favorite parts of the Grand America is their Afternoon Tea! It’s the perfect excuse to get dressed up with friends for a really unique event. It’s available almost every day (excluding holidays) and the finger sandwiches and tea pastries are all amazing. I also found out they can host private tea times for larger events – it would be so cute for a bridal shower/birthday party/etc.!

5. Something for the kids. They have a big candy shop and toy store inside the hotel and it’s the perfect attraction for kids! They gave Beckam a cute wood token when we checked in for a stuffed animal.

DETAILS: MATERNITY SWIM (I JUST PULLED DOWN BOTTOMS FROM OVER MY BELLY TO GET MY TAN ON 😉

6. The Grounds: The pool was a highlight 100%. We’ve actually stayed at the Grand America a couple times but I have only been to the indoor pool. This was my first time at the outdoor pool and it was so nice! It has a pretty view of the hotel from the pool, and they have a kiddy area, regular pool, and jacuzzi, so its the best of everything. Also have to mention how beautiful all their gardens are grounds are in general, major inspo! All of the grounds are just  so beautiful!

I love all the marble in the interior – so pretty, feels like an escape to Paris 🙂

7. The Staff: Last but not least, everyone on the staff was soooo nice and accommodating! It’s one of the biggest factors that make and break whether I will be back to a hotel or property, and the staff was definitely one that made me excited to come back. Also don’t forget to get the free yummy chocolate chip cookies when you check in!!

Have you guys been to the Grand America? What are some of your favorite parts?

XX, Christine

* Special thanks to the Grand America for hosting our family! We can’t wait to go back!

The post Babymoon at the Grand America appeared first on Hello Fashion.

One of my favorite family traditions is our two week trip we take every summer with all the kids. We try to explore at least one new destination every year. I could spend hours on pinterest or Google trying to research and plan to try to make sure I hit all the best spots and don’t miss any of the highlights. This summer, with being pregnant and working on the remodels of our house, we didn’t have as much time to plan. One of my friends had told me about this travel service called Noken that helps plan and customize your trip. I have only used a travel agent once and we had a really bad experience so I was kind of nervous, but Noken seriously exceeded every expectation we had and made this trip the easiest trip we have ever planned!! Now that I’ve used it, I don’t think I could ever go back! It was such an amazing service so I wanted to share how it makes traveling abroad so seamless!

1. Choose your destination: Noken has 7 different countries available to book right now. 5 in Europe – Italy, France, Portugal, Iceland, and Ireland – and they also have trips available in Japan and Australia. They are always adding new countries so if your bucket list destination isn’t on their list yet, keep checking back 🙂 They are so detailed and spend lots of time getting each country’s experience perfect. We knew we wanted to do the northern coast of Italy and Florence. I had been dying to take the family back to Florence where I studied abroad in college.

2. Customize: Our entire trip was planned out before we left.  We sent them our dates, cities we were interested in, budget, and any hotel preferences (I said I wanted at least half of our stay to have hotels with pools because the kids LOVE to swim, 4 star accommodations and above, and at least one with a view of the water when we were in Cinque Terre.  This is where you can really set any budget! If you want to save and have a price point you are trying to hit you can let them know that too!) They did all the research on what hotels and sent us a couple options to choose from and we selected our favorites! Typically when we go on trips I spend HOURS reading reviews trying to find the best spots, and I was so impressed with their selections!! We loved every hotel! We stayed at Villa La Calvane in Tuscany, Best Western Tiguillio Royal in Rapallo, and The First Riomaggiore in Cinque Terre. Also this was huge – you don’t pay any more for your hotel then you would if you booked on your own! You also book the entire trip in one transaction which, if you’ve ever booked like 4 different flights and hotels for multiple people, you get the appeal haha.  They coordinate everything – it really is life changing!

Our view from our room in Cinque Terre overlooking the cutest town. Facing the other direction, you could see the ocean. We loved just sitting and watching the sunrise!

The pool views in Tuscany! The kid’s favorite part 😉 They went swimming every morning and night and the Tuscan Hills in the background.  😍

3. More than Hotels and Flights: Outside of your flight and hotel, they can also book your car rental, plan activities and excursions in the different cities you visit, and make restaurant reservations (especially in peak season you want to book reservations for popular restaurants some are weeks out). We rented a boat when we were in Rapallo and it was one of our favorite parts of the trip! We got to see all the pretty coastal towns along the way and the kids even got to drive for a little bit 😉 I can’t recommend doing this enough!! Noken can suggest things in your area or you can tell them what you want to do and they will book it.

4. A Personalized App: This is really what sets Noken apart from every other travel service out there. Before your trip, Noken creates a 100% personalized app with your itinerary. It has everything you could think of – from packing guides, your hotel, car, and activity confirmations (if you travel a lot you know how nice it is to have it all in one spot!), directions to each location, your daily itinerary with suggestions of sites to see, restaurant recommendations (and directions so you don’t have to flip back and forth between apps!). One of the suggestions in Cinque Terre was Ristorante Miky which is where we got the best spaghetti I’ve ever had! It also gives you an idea of costs for each activity or restaurant. Then each day your itinerary is set out, with your destinations, and travel tips, you just wake up and EXPLORE!

Had tons of questions about the cost, and I was seriously shocked when I found out. It’s ONLY $5 per person, per day. So for our family only $25 day!  So worth all of the planning, research, and time  it saves you, and the convenience of having a personalized app for your family for your specific trip! You pay the same price you would pay for hotels and other activities, so there aren’t any markups for anything. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about traveling abroad, it’s that you never have enough time to see everything but Noken saves you so much time planning and putting together the perfect itinerary so you can tailor the trip to make the most of your time! Can’t recommend it enough! Now if it could only help me unpack my suitcase too… haha.

I’ll be sharing more from our trip over the next few weeks with travel guides for each city so comment below if you have any questions about Noken or our trip! Noken and I are also hosting a giveaway for a chance to receive $500 towards their service – details for how to enter are on my IG so be sure to check it out and enter!!

XX, Christine

*In collaboration with Noken.

The post The Easiest Way to Plan a Trip to Europe on Any Budget appeared first on Hello Fashion.

THE DESTINATIONS

Royal Caribbean has so many amazing destinations to choose from, but our day at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas, the first in their new Perfect Day collection of private island destinations, was probably our favorite stop yet! Honestly, I could put together a whole post just on the island – there was so much to do! It’s the perfect destination for families who have different speeds or interests (or both :). Cody and the kids are really adventurous, so they got their thrill with the helium balloon, Up, Up & Away (which gives you the highest view in all of the Bahamas!), Thrill Waterpark (which has 13 slides, including the tallest water slide in all of North America), and a 1,600 foot long zip line — did not disappoint. Then, over on the other side of the island is the most beautiful beach, Chill Island, where you can lounge and relax. The water is warm, super clear and a gorgeous color and when the tide is right, you can walk out really far (a couple hundred yards). We even found star-fish on the beach, which was a huge hit. There were also tons of great food options on the island. I could go on forever, but Perfect Day at CocoCay really had something for everyone in the family, and all in close proximity so you don’t lose any precious daylight going back and forth between different activities.

The view from the ship as we pulled up to Perfecy Day at CocoCay.

Getting ready to go up on Up Up & Away!

It’s the highest view point in The Bahamas — so cool to be able to go up and see a view you can’t get anywhere else!

Next stop – Thrill Waterpark!

Last but not least, the most beautiful beach!

You know it’s a been a good day when you can’t keep your eyes open, haha.

THE FOOD

Food is half of the experience of a cruise, so you definitely want to choose a cruise line that has the good stuff! Royal Caribbean has so many great options. I love good Mexican food so we hit up the taco spot, El Loco Fresh, every day for lunch while on Navigator of the Seas. Cody and I got the steak and chicken tacos every time and the kids’ quesadillas were really good, too! We also tries Jamie’s Italian one night for dinner and the food was amazing. Call me crazy, but the kid’s spaghetti was my favorite. And the desserts alone were worth the trip. 😂 And last but not least, the unlimited soft serve ice cream – I swear it is every kid’s dream come true! Strawberry swirl all day long!

THE WIFI

It’s the last thing you think about when you book a fun vacation, but one of the first things you think about when you are out at sea and start to lose cell coverage. I love that Royal Caribbean has Voom – the fastest at sea Wi-Fi – so we can stay connected to family at home. Plus it meant we were able to share some of our highlights in real time ;).

THE JOURNEY

Whoever said it’s all about the journey and not the destination was probably thinking of cruises haha (although the destination was pretty hard to beat!). We were on Navigator of the Seas which has so much to do on board that it was impossible to do everything. It has one of the longest waterslides at sea, The Blaster, and also The Riptide waterslide – which actually twists and turns over the water – the coolest view and feeling like you are floating in air! Wes also rode the FlowRider surf simulator for the first time. Wes got up so easy; that kid is so naturally athletic. It’s so cool to experience so many firsts with the kids… One of my favorite parts of traveling!

The FlowRider is so much fun to watch, I can’t even imagine how fun it is to actually do it!

The waterslide went over the water it was so crazy! The coolest waterslide! It felt like you were floating above the ocean.

Mara, Wes, and Beckam splashing on the Navigators of the Seas pool deck.

THE SUNSETS/SUNRISES:

Ok, we need to come to terms with the fact that all of my travel guide must-dos will include a sunset or sunrise view! I love a good sunset no matter where I am in the world, but there’s something about being out at sea and having the full horizon light up the sky with so many colors! I will never get tired of it!

Special moments aboard the Navigator of the Seas.

Have you guys cruised with Royal Caribbean before? What are some of your favorite ships or destinations? I would love to add to our must-do list!

XX, Christine

*In collaboration with Royal Caribbean.

The post 5 Reasons to Cruise with Royal Caribbean appeared first on Hello Fashion.

PRESET: DIRECT SUN

Direct sunlight can be really harsh to shoot in, so it’s all about how you edit! This is my go to preset when I’m directly in the sunlight.

PRESET: OASIS I

This one is perfect to brighten up those beach shots and capture that beautiful teal water.

PRESET: OASIS II

Forget the shadows and brighten up the dark shots with this edit.

OASIS BRIGHT SUN:

Shooting in harsh light can make it impossible to capture true to color, so this one helps correct the harshness and brighten up those beautiful blues like you were there in person.

SUBTLE EDIT:

Some pics don’t need much of a filter – this one is perfect for just adding a subtle contrast and pop to your pictures.

The  Hawaii: Island Edition presets come in a 5 pack and they are on sale right now! So snag them on discount while you can 🙂 And make sure and use #hellofashionpresets so I can check them out. You can also check out my other presets here that I use for my photos and instructions for installing them below!

**TO INSTALL – Download them to your computer first and then email or airdrop it to yourself so you can open on your phone.

**Requites Lightroom CC for your mobile device, which is a free download! Once you order, there is a short video on how to install the presets from the downloaded zip file.

XX, Christine

The post The Easy Edit for All Your Summer Getaway Pictures appeared first on Hello Fashion.

DETAILS: GREY BODYSUIT (UNDER $25) | SHIRT JACKET (UNDER $100 – ALSO LOVE THIS KHAKI OPTION) | CROPPED WIDE-LEG TROUSERS (UNDER $100) | WOVEN SLIDES (MORE SIZES HERE) | STRAW SUN HAT (UNDER $50) | NECKLACES | SILVER SUITCASES | NUDE TOTE

I don’t know if it’s my current obsession with tans and beiges or just my excitement over this new outfit, but it takes something special to oust my go-to airport sportswear style, and this look did it! Nine times out of ten you will find me in my favorite leggings, oversized sweatshirt, and sneakers when I’m traveling, but this is one of my favorite travel outfits to date. These trousers are a super lightweight material, plus with the wide leg silhouette they are just as comfortable as my typical travel uniform. I always layer-up for the plane, so I was excited to find this jacket that matched perfectly. Both pieces are under $100 and transition perfectly from the plane to going out to dinner or jumping right into your vacation. Also you guys helped me decide on this straw hat and it’s such a great staple (and must for spring/summer travel!) – and a great price point under $50. These slides are another one of my favorite recent buys for this spring and summer and under $150. Love the texture!

Below are a few more travel style pieces that will transition seamlessly into your vacation looks:

XX, Christine

The post The Outfit That Has Me Second Guessing My Travel Uniform appeared first on Hello Fashion.

This swimsuit is one of my new favorites! So comfy & flattering.

DETAILS: SWIMSUIT BOTTOM | TOP | HAT (Old -Similar)  | SUNGLASSES

Everyone loves a good beach trip right?! I got so many requests and messages asking me to share what I packed / what my beach vacay essentials are. My outfit above is one of my favorites from the trip, and I have rounded up some other essentials that I took with me as well.

On beach trips, I always pack a big floppy straw hat to help protect me from the sun, and a big straw bag (shown in pic below) to hold all my stuff in for the beach. This is the bag I took to Hawaii recently and I loved it! I’ve actually had it for 2 years I think and they just restocked it. It’s such a good bag and can hold a lot but not be too heavy.

The majority of the clothing I take with me are cute swimsuits, cover ups, and light weight linens for the beach and pool! I found this brand last year called POSSE and their pieces are AMAZING! They are really light weight and I love the neutral color palette they have. I’m wearing their rose linen top above. I try to take neutral cover ups that go with anything, so that I can wear them more than once.

This flowy maxi dress (shown above) is amazing! This brand has lots of cute flow pieces that are colorful and playful.

You can’t forget swimsuits!! I love this swimsuit, this one piece suit, and this one piece that I shared on my Instagram!  This swimsuit (shown above) on is a good one for any body type, comes in like 10 colors and it’s under $100.

Comfy pants are an essential of mine for beach vacations too! I like to have something lightweight and flows (in case you get burned 😉 or it’s just too hot and you don’t want crazy tight fitting clothes.  I got these pants and wore them almost every other night to dinner. I love how effortless and cute they look and they’re so comfy to throw on after a long day outside they feel like pajamas! These are a BIG STAPLE!

For makeup, I always stay very minimal when outside at the pool and beach – I rarely do my makeup when we travel.  I usually just put on some tinted moisturizer – this one is a recent favorite and I love that it has SPF in it!

And of course – its always important to have a good suitcase to get you to the beach!  I got this cute red suitcase a couple months ago and I am still loving it. I have also been using this bag when traveling – I love that its big and holds everything I need as a purse and is easy to clean!

Let me know if I missed anything you saw me wearing and I will be sure to link it!  Hope this helps when packing and hope you are all going somewhere fun & warm soon 🙂

XX,
Christine

The post What to Pack for a Beach Trip appeared first on Hello Fashion.

DETAILS: WHITE OFF-THE-SHOULDER SWEATER (ON SALE UP TO 25% OFF – CODE: EVENT18) | BELTED KHAKI PANTS (UNDER $100) | WHITE BOOTS (COMES IN 3 COLORS – ON SALE) | STRAW HAT | WHITE SUNGLASSES | WATCH | WHITE CROSSBODY |

Going through these pictures and all I can think about it when we can get back to Paris! Ah it’s such a magical city. We collabed with The Peninsula Paris and it was seriously the prettiest hotel I’ve stayed in in Europe! I’m working on a full post of what we did and just finished a blog of our trip so that will all be coming in the next week 🙂 So with that I wanted to share 7 reasons you need to stay at the Peninsula next time you are in Paris!

1. Location, location, location: There’s soooo much to see and do in Paris that it would take a thousand visits to see even half of it. You always have to be strategic about where you stay since the city is so big. The Peninsula is right by the Arc de Triomphe (.2 miles), close to the Champs-Élysées and all the iconic shopping, and a quick cab ride to the Eiffel Tower (1.2 miles). It’s such a great location so you can take advantage of every minute in the city.

We checked in right at sunset and was so excited to catch the pretty pastel sunset from our balcony. (FLORAL PRINT DRESS)

2. The large balconies and views: Ah, I will never get tired of Parisian balconies with a view. The architecture everywhere in the city is so unreal. There isn’t a single ugly building (except maybe the random skyscraper or two, just because it feels so out of place haha). The Peninsula had such the perfect view of Paris and you can also go up to the restaurant on the 6th floor for a view overlooking the city with the Eiffel Tower!

3. The food: What is Paris with out yummy food!! We ate a lot of cute restaurants, but sometimes we were jet lagged or so tired from walking around we just wanted to be low key and relax at the hotel. One morning we got room service – fresh fruit, waffles, fresh fruit juice, pastries. All so good but my favorite was hands down the granola and yogurt with honey. You HAVE to try it if you stay at The Peninsula. The yogurt was the best I’ve ever had. We also heard amazing things about L’Oiseau Blanc (the restaurant at the top of the hotel with a breathtaking view of the city) and LiLi, the Chinese restaurant at the hotel. We tried to get reservations last minute for Lili on a Friday night which didn’t work out for us, (definitely book in advance when you go 😉 but we ordered LiLi room service and it was some of the best Chinese I’ve had. I would never have thought Paris would be the place to order Cantonese/Chinese, but it’s definitely a must-try (order the fried rice and the beef tenderloin)!

4. The bathrooms – The bathroom was another one of my favorite features, pictures don’t do justice. You guys know what a bath girl I am, I take one almost every night!!  But how amazing are they when your traveling – especially when you  spend all day on my feet!  This one even had a tv built in in next to it so you could watch movies while you relaxed. I could have spent hours soaking! So good. This one had amazing lighting too and this might be weird, but the toilet seats were heated and I think it’s one of those features that once you find out it exists, you never want to go back.

DETAILS:  GREY CROPPED SWEATSHIRT (ON SALE UP TO 25% OFF – CODE: EVENT18) | DISTRESSED DENIM

5. The walk-in closet: You guys know I’m a chronic over-packer, but this trip I think if anything I under packed! I was definitely digging into the bottom of my suitcase on the last day. The closet at The Peninsula was insane. It was bigger than my closet at home! Maybe my favorite part of the room haha. It was so big – gave me major home inspo! I loved the extra room to be able to spread out and not have my suitcases in the way.The closet literally turned into my office in the middle of the night when I couldn’t fall asleep. I don’t know why this trip I had the hardest time adjusting to the time difference! I also get major inspiration when I travel and I think I was just so excited on the high of Paris that I was really excited to knock out work stuff at night. But why my friends were sleeping I would sneak into the closet which became my office haha and work through the night. This is a 6am selfie after a long night of brainstorming 😉

6. The gym: The fitness center is open 24 hours a day, so if you haven’t quite adjusted to the time difference you can hit the gym while everyone else is still (or already) asleep. Also, I didn’t try this service but they have a personal coaching session available in the mornings and evenings if you want to try something new.

DETAILS: RED SUNGLASSES

7. The service! I can’t go without mentioning how helpful everyone was at the hotel. When you called and asked for blankets or anything they would bring it within just minutes. You know sometimes at other hotels it takes like 45 minutes to get an extra pillow or blanket, its the worst! Here they would respond so fast!!  The entire staff went out of their way to say hello or see if there was anything they could help with – it made the entire experience that much more magical.

DETAILS: STRIPED CROP BUTTON UP | WHITE CROPPED PANTS (UNDER $100) | BLACK ENVELOPE BELT BAG (ON SALE UP TO 25% OFF – CODE: EVENT18) | LOAFERS | SUNGLASSES (UNDER $10!)

Today is also the first day of the Shopbop sale of the season! Below are a few more pieces up to 25% off that I’m loving, just use code: EVENT18:

XX, Christine

*Big thank you to The Peninsula Paris for hosting us! I can’t wait to go back!

The post 7 Reasons to Stay at The Peninsula Paris appeared first on Hello Fashion.

DETAILS: GREEN SKI SUIT  | ILY BEANIE (old not available anymore 🙂 | CODY’S BLACK PARKA

Whistler Blackcomb Skiing/Snowboarding: I did cross-country skiing as a kid and really enjoyed it but I have only been downhill skiing once before this trip. I went once in high school and fell down so many times trying to get down the bunny hill that I gave up and spent the rest of the day drinking hot cocoa in the lodge while everyone else was skiing. This time, we had an Olympic athlete, Robbie Dixon, actually teach us how to ski. He thought we had all been skiing before so he took us to the top of the run. When he realized none of us knew what we were doing it was an “uh oh” moment for sure haha. It felt like the hill went on forever! For the first few minutes I kept falling while I was practicing the ‘pizza’ move. I was going straight instead of criss crossing across the mountain. Once he helped coach me on going side to side it was so fun! I will say my legs were sore for like 3 days after, but so worth it! Maybe I won’t wait 15 years before going again haha.

Dining with a view: We ate at this restaurant on the top of the mountain called Christine’s (so obviously I was destined to like it ;).  It’s a little fancier food as far as restaurants go but it has 180° views of the mountain and ski resort, so it was such a cool view to go with your meal. They also have a cafeteria side, the Rendezvous, where the views aren’t quiet as good but it’s a good option for something more budget-friendly.

The Bread At Sidecut Steak House: Yes, this deserves a bullet point all on it’s own! One night we had dinner at Sidecut, the Four Seasons Steak House and seriously, when you go – order 50 loaves of their bread! It’s the best bread I’ve ever had in my life and there’s something in the butter that makes it sweet. I think I ate 3 loaves all by myself. I could go on forever about the bread but it still won’t do it justice – you have to try it! The rest of the food was amazing too – the crab was also so yummy.

DETAILS: WHITE AND BLACK PARKA | BLUSH BIKINI (UNDER $50) | MOONBOOTS

Pools/hot tub: I don’t know if it’s just me, but I always look forward to pool perks at hotels! The pools were heated, and  during the winter with the snow falling, it feels like a scene from a movie – especially at sunset! Plus, not a bad way to warm up after being on top of a glacier, haha.

Landeau totally spoiled us with tons of flowers! They are actually based out of Vancouver. I’ve always been obsessed with their flowers on Instagram and we don’t have one in Salt Lake so I was excited to get some of their bouquets and so sad I couldn’t make them fit in my suitcase on the flight home!

Nighttime snowmobiling: This was such a fun excursion! You take a snow mobile ride (you can choose if you want to ride solo or with your plus 1) for about 45 minutes to an hour up to a cute log cabin for a fondue dinner. If you are a first-timer on a snow mobile, it’s the perfect intro. The guys started to get a little antsy and kept trying to go tricks and got in trouble because we were all supposed to stay in a single file line. For the girls, we were perfectly content obeying the rules haha. (Tip: The food was delicious but fondue is usually a light dinner so we had pizza by the slice beforehand.)

Timmy Horton’s – This trip was my first intro to Timmy Horton’s. Our bus driver got us super excited for this Canadian classic, and while it wasn’t what we expected it did not disappoint. There was one every couple feet, so you have to stop at least once and try it. It’s a donut shop, and from what we heard definitely a Canadian culture staple – it was actually started by a famous Canadian hockey player.

DETAILS:  WHITE SNOW PANTS (FULL SUIT HERE) | BLACK PARKA | MOON BOOTS | OVERSIZED KNIT SCARF | ILY GREY BEANIE (OLD ILY – SIMILAR HERE) | SUNGLASSES

CODY: BLACK PARKA | SNOW BOOTS

Blackcomb Helicopter Glacier Tour: This was such an amazing experience  – definitely something you need to try once in your lifetime! You can see the full post here, but they have helicopter excursions to the glaciers, but also to check out the ice caves or just to go on a scenic helicopter ride. Such a cool adventure and hands down one of our favorite things this trip.

DETAILS: ONE SHOULDER SWEATER (SO SOFT!) | DISTRESSED DENIM | BLACK BOOTIES | BEANIE | SUNGLASSES

CODY: DENIM JACKET | BEANIE | JOGGERS | SNEAKERS

A night in: We stayed in the residences at the Four Seasons Whistler instead of the hotel side. I was a 3 bedroom residence, so we had plenty of space, but it was so nice having a place to hang out altogether – I really recommend the residences for large groups or families traveling together. There’s a full kitchen, fireplaces in each of the bedrooms the living room. It was super cozy and the perfect spot for everyone to get together and hang out to play card games. We’ve heard summers are incredible here so we are planning to come back with family or friends.

Have you guys tried any of these before? Or what are some of your favorites that I missed?

Below is a quick video we made from the trip 🙂 If you don’t already subscribe you can subscribe to my YouTube here. Have a great weekend!

XX, Christine

*In collaboration with Four Seasons Whistler and Landeau.

The post Our Canada Travel Diary with The Four Seasons Whistler appeared first on Hello Fashion.

DETAILS: BLACK PRINTED TOP | MATCHING SHORTS | MIRRORED SUNGLASSES

Hey guys!! I have soooo many travel guides still in my saved drafts I need to post still so I’m telling you guys here and now that I’m going to post them with in the next 7 days! I think by writing it down it holds me accountable haha but I’m excited to share our travel diary from our trip to Punta Cana earlier this month. It was our first time to the Dominican Republic so we were super excited to go! We stayed at the Nickelodeon Punta Cana. They opened about a year ago, so it’s really nice and new still. The kids said it was their favorite trip we have done, and honestly Cody and I went with the intention it was going to be super kid focused but it was actually super fun for adults too! With that, here are 7 reasons to visit the Nickelodeon Punta Cana Resort:

DETAILS: BLUE STRIPED BIKINI TOP AND BOTTOMS| WHITE TORTOISE SUNGLASSES (SIMILAR HERE UNDER $50!) | MICHELE DECO WATCH

1. There’s something for everyone. Going to a themed resort, we were expecting it to be more geared towards the kids but I was surprised at how adult-friendly it was! There’s the full-fledged kids area and water park, but then there is an area with several pools and direct beach access with cabanas, food, endless Pina coladas and the perfect body surfing waves! So it appealed to the whole family, not just the kids!  Every day we would see at least a couple characters around the resort, but they weren’t out 24/7 so the magic and excitement at seeing a new character never went away.

KIDS DETAILS: MARA’S PINEAPPLE SWIM | BOYS SWIM TRUNKS (SIMILAR HERE)

2. The accommodations. If you guys followed along on Insta stories at all, you know what I’m talking about. The villas are insane! They have tons of different options for rooms that are all amazing- this one even had a pool in the villa. Especially when you are traveling as a family, the room is always high on my list because the kids need a break from the sun sometimes so it’s nice to have a spacious area to come relax. Also they had an outdoor shower and tub and it was my favorite part of the room!! The kids took a bath every night outside and Cody and I would wake up and relax in the tub. Seriously I highly suggest the upgrade! Also one of the villas is the shape of a pineapple – Spongebob’s House!

Mara took this pic.  The kids have really gotten into photography it’s so cute to see them just pick up the camera and take their own pics of each other 🙂

3. The Waterpark Foam Party. This reminded me so much of a kid-friendly version of spring break haha. They had the foam party a couple days a week and foam up parts of the water park, which ends up flowing into the lazy river and kids pool. Definitely a highlight! Make sure you do it! The water park in general is super nice! They have tons of water slides for all ages and so the kids were entertained for hours!

DETAILS: RED POLKA  TOP | CUT OFF SHORTS | SUNGLASSES

4. The beach. Direct beach access is SO NICE! The stretch of beach right in front of the resort had little waves (it might have just been windy the day we were there). Cody and the kids loved it because it was perfect water for body surfing. Yes I went a couple times, but you guys know how scared I am when I can’t see the bottom of the water (shark phobia!)  I know so pathetic so I only went for like 15 minutes before my anxiety would set in! haha please tell me someone else gets it?? But the water is also super warm so it’s easy to get in.

If you walk super smooth water you can walk not even 2 minutes to the left, the water is totally calm so you really had the best of both worlds right there. We took a taxi to another beach about 5 minutes away which was also amazing but I’ll be sharing that in a full post soon!

(The Italian restaurant – so pretty!!!)

5. The food! At a lot of the inclusive resorts we’ve found that even if you eat at different restaurants, the food starts to feel the same, but that wasn’t the case at all here. The food was so good. Our favorites were Verdello (Italian – loved the bolognese spaghetti and the lasagna!) and Wok Wok (Asian Fusion – the fried rice was amazing!). There was also a cute little coffee shop that had the best caramel macchiato I’ve ever had! They had ice creams and gourmet desserts around the clock so the kids stopped every couple hours for a treat 🙂 They said the ice-cream was their favorite.

We also did a character breakfast one morning. You can either do all the characters of ninja turtles. The kids opted for ninja turtles and Wes was so excited. He got the most into it, Beckam liked it for a second then got scared haha.

6. The kids’ zone. The kid center was really nice. They had a different character theme every day – one day was Dora the Explorer theme complete with a treasure hunt. They also had a Paw Patrol day (Beckam’s favorite!) and a cool Paw Patrol slide like the show. The kids loved it and always wanted to go back, so it ended up being perfect timing for Cody and I to sneak in a spa service 😉

DETAILS: ORANGE JUMPSUIT (UNDER $50) | BAMBOO CIRLCE BAG (SIMILAR HERE UNDER $50) | GREY SUEDE SLIDES

5. The entertainment. Every night the Nickelodeon Punta Cana Resort had a different show going on. It was fun to have something to look forward to every night! Our favorite was the circus show. They also play a different kid movie on a big projector in the common area with free treats and a old school popcorn machine. They put out toys like hola hoops and stuff for the kids to play with. Mara and Wes made new friends from New York and still talk to them even since we’ve been home 🙂

6. The spa. I wish I had a good picture of the spa. If you saw my stories you know the joke lol. I asked Cody to take a pic and he said got it and it was a blurry one of me with my eyes closed lol. Haha we all can relate! But the spa was so so nice. We got a couple massage. Make sure you go to the back serenity and pool area to relax. It’s so peaceful.

7. GET SLIMED! I think this was what Wes was MOST excited about. He literally was shaking he was so excited. We all got slimed big time!! Wes loved it so much we did it twice 🙂 For sure a must do!

I still have tons of pictures from our trip to share so let me know if you guys have any questions about the resort or Punta Cana that I can address in my next post!

XX, Christine

*Thanks to Nickelodeon Punta Cana for hosting our family!

The post 7 Reasons to Visit the Nickelodeon Punta Cana Resort appeared first on Hello Fashion.

DETAILS: ORANGE SWEATER | DISTRESSED DENIM | BLACK LOAFERS | TORTOISE SUNGLASSES | GREY CROSSBODY

Happy Sunday guys! I am so overdue on a lot of my recent travel guides – hoping to catch up one day – starting with our trip to NY! Here are 5 things to do in NYC as a family:

1. Pick the perfect location. Since it’s such a big city, you really have to choose where you stay strategically so you don’t spend the majority of the time getting to and from the sights you want to see. We stayed at the Quin, and it was in an amazing location. It’s really close to Central Park, close to shopping and some of our favorite restaruants, and the rooms were really spacious! The hotel restaurant was also delicious, too. Traveling with kids, sometimes you end up calling it a night early or have to stay in for a meal so I’m always so thankful when the hotel food is so yummy! Also I have to mention the bathrooms because the tubs were HUGE and the whole bathroom was marble. It was so pretty.

DETAILS: RED BERET | RED STRIPED TEE | DISTRESSED DENIM | RED CROSSBODY (LOVE THIS ONE)

Central Park. What’s NYC with out Central park! Our hotel was really close to Central Park so we went over multiple times during out stay. There’s so many different areas of the park to see that all have a really different feel so we explored there daily. It’s super kid-friendly and there are endless things to do.

Ride bikes to explore the city. They rent bikes in the building next to the hotel. I think it’s like $10 for the day or something like that. The boys originally said let’s just rent them to ride through the park, but if you know my husband it’s always about all the extreme activities so it quickly turned into, let’s just ride them to the Brooklyn Bridge. (They are not close to each other lol) It ended up being an all day activity but it was a great work out and such a fun way to see the city up close!

Walk and find new restaurants and enjoy old favorites. I always have to go to Sarabeth’s every time I’m in NY. So good! Have you guys ever gone? It was not even a block away from our hotel, so I was excited to make it over for breakfast! Also wha’t NYC with out pizza we went to which is a famous spot in NYC called Joe’s Pizza, it was really good for pizza on the go while we were out walking around. The city has so many places to eat – there’s something for everyone.

Jet-ski tour of the city. This was our first time doing this and it was amazing! I can’t recommend it enough. It was so cool to witness new views of the city I have never seen before. Just avoid getting in the water if you can haha.

Hit the market. We were surprised to find the cutest farmer’s market on Saturday morning when we walked outside our hotel. Such a fun NY touch! To be honest I’m not sure if it happens every Saturday or it was a special occasion but they had lots of yummy food trucks and little trinkets for the kids.

DETAILS: BLACK SHERPA PULLOVER |  WHITE CROSSBODY | GLASSES

Times Square. Times Square is always an exciting stop, SUPER TOURISTY!! I have to say that because really I get overwhelmed with big crowsds of people, but with Beckam’s current superhero obsession it was even more magical this year. He was so excited to see all his favorite superheroes in real life!! He was freaking out. Kids really make everything so so magical!!

Ice skating at The Rockefeller Center. This has been on my bucketlist FOREVER, and it’s even more magical in the winter! So much fun, especially as a family. I didn’t think Beckam would even care about going but he was so so excited! It was pretty funny because I am NOT a good skater, and trying to hold Beckam up and skate at the same time. It was pretty comical! Good memories though 🙂

DETAILS: BLUE SWEATER | LEGGINGS | OVER-THE-KNEE BOOTS | GREY CROSSBODY

What are some of your favorite family activities in NYC?

XX, Christine

The post NYC Family Travel Diary appeared first on Hello Fashion.

I love getting matching pajamas for the family – how cute are these??

The fog was so cool hovering under the mountains when we got into Montana, the picture doesn’t do it justice cause it was so far away but so pretty!

DETAILS: MATCHING BUFFALO PLAID PAJAMAS (ALSO GOT THESE)

Who else loves road trips!! They can be so fun with the kids, but if you have kids you know they get restless over long periods of time, heck I get restless! Below are 11 fun tips for long family road trips:

1. Travel early morning or late at night. We like to leave really early in the morning so the kids can get a few more hours of sleep during the drive. Nothing makes road trips pass faster than a good nap! We usually try to hit the road by 6am or earlier.

2. Organize a road trip scavenger hunt. There are printable road scavenger hunts on Pinterest of you can create your own specific to your destination. Such a good idea to pass the time while keeping the kids involved!

3. Download new educational apps for the kids. All the distraction of screen time with less guilt. 😉

4. Take lots of pictures. You might think that the destination is where you’ll fill up your photo album, but there are so many great memories on the way too. Keep your phone or camera handy to capture those candid moments!

5. Surprise the kids with something new. Every trip, I bring something new – either a basic new toy or an activity book – pretty much anything from the dollar section. You can pull it out during those long stretches when the kids get bored and it will give them something new and fun to focus on.

6. Stock up on snacks to avoid stops. We always make the kids’ favorite cookies the night before a road trip so the anticipation builds and they get excited to hit the road so they can break into the cookies. 😉

7. Binge watch. For adults, download your favorite series on your devices. Maybe this is old news, but I just found out that you can download movies and shows from Netflix and Amazon Video so now you can binge watch your favorite show even without wifi!

8. Play games. One of our favorite road games is “Would You Rather” (ie. “Would you rather go to the beach or go to the mountains?”) For a fun twist, have everyone guess what each person in the car would pick as they answer the question. So if we are asking Mara, we all guess what her answer would be, then she tells us who was right and whoever has the most right answers at the end of the game wins.

9. Set traditions. If you are road-tripping to a destination you visit often, make traditions for your trip. We drive to Montana every year and there’s a big buffalo statue on the side of the highway that the kids get excited to see every trip. Since it’s become a tradition, the kids start to get excited 30 minutes before we stop and it’s become a highlight of the drive. You could also find a favorite restaurant or a great view to make your own tradition.

10. Be prepared. This is more of a hack, but I always bring a roll of paper towels on road trips. Especially with kids, it’s a guarantee that something will spill on long drives. I also bring a couple ziploc bags. With multiple kids sometimes they end up fighting over who gets to hold the bag of chips or pack of snacks (or is it just my family? haha), so I split everything up evenly into bags for each of them.

11. Get cozy. There’s nothing like being comfortable on a road trip. I’m always in sweats or something comfortable. The kids love getting holiday pajamas – they get them every year – so I surprised them with these matching Family Pajamas and they were so excited. Macy’s has tons of fun prints for the holidays (even something for Mio!) so it was a fun way to get in the holiday spirit on our road trip plus, that much easier to roll out of bed and hit the road. 😛 Below are a few more of my favorite matching Family Pajamas options available only at Macy’s.

XX, Christine

*In collaboration with Macy’s and ShopStyle.

The post 11 Tips For Family Road Trips appeared first on Hello Fashion.

DETAILS: 1. CROCHET LINEN MAXI DRESS | 2. SUNGLASSES | 3. COLORBLOCKED SWIMSUIT | 4. RUFFLED POM-POM TOP (UNDER $100) | 5. WHITE CROCHET BEACH BAG | 6. STRIPED OFF-THE-SHOULDER | 7. BLUSH RUFFLED SWIMSUIT | 8. BLUE ANKLE-WRAP SANDALS (UNDER $100) | 9. STRAW BEACH TOTE | 10. LACE-UP PRINT DRESS | 11. EMBROIDERED SUN HAT | 12. BLUSH PRINT ROMPER | 13. NUDE GLADIATOR SANDALS (UNDER $100) | 14. BLUE OFF-THE-SHOULDER DRESS

I always get that itch mid-January to get out of dodge and find a warm, sunny beach! I’ve found a lot of great pieces while shopping for our upcoming family trip (stay tuned on Snapchat @hellofashblog and Instagram @hellofashionblog to see where we end up!) and wanted to share some of my finds and must-haves with you guys! Below are 5 things to pack for every beach vacation.

1. A good read! I’ve talked a lot about my new book for the new year and I’ve gotten so many questions so I wanted to share! It’s called The Happiness Equation. There’s nothing better than having a good read while you are lounging at the beach – this has been such a good one so far! I definitely recommend it.

2. A new swimsuit: No matter how many swimsuits you might own, nothing puts a beach vacation over the top like a new swimsuit. There’s nothing better than feeling confident at the beach, and you can’t help but feel confident in a great swimsuit. I’m obsessed with this nude lace-up one and this ruffled bikini. I also just ordered a couple new ones that I’m so excited to share over the next week!

3. A beach bag: A good bag for the beach isn’t just a plus, it’s a must. There are so many beach necessities for a day on the sand that you can’t go without a bag and bringing your leather or suede bags it just asking for heartbreak haha. I love this crochet bag and this straw option!

4. A good sun hat: Ok you guys I have been crushing on these embroidered hats for yeaaaars! They are so stunning and 100% Instagram-worthy. Also love this option under $50.

5. A fresh mani/pedi: If there were ever a time for a fresh mani/pedi, it’s right before a trip to the beach. I’ve been obsessed with nude nail polishes recently – they are so sophisticated and match with everything so you don’t have to worry about your nails clashing with everything you packed. This set has so many perfect nude tones!

Below are a few more great beach pieces I’m obsessed with!

Also congrats to Hannah Shanae on winning the Louboutins giveaway! Send me an email so we can get you your prize! And thanks so much to everyone who entered!

XX, Christine

The post 5 Things to Pack for Every Beach Vacation appeared first on Hello Fashion.

B waving at the cars and then yelling at them to stop.

These boots are so comfortable and super warm! So easy to get on and off for traveling!

DETAILS: SWEATSHIRT (WEARING SIZE MEDIUM) | FAUX LEATHER PANTS (UNDER $100) | GREY STRAP WATCH | BLACK SOREL BOOTS

This was the year of travel! It was our New Year’s resolution this year to see more and experience more as a family and we did it! Now I’m just as excited to be home and enjoying the Holidays in my cozy sweats with a nice cup of hot chocolate. We still have a couple weekend getaways this month, and it seems like with the Holidays everyone is traveling! I wanted to share some of my travel style essentials:

1. Layers – You rarely get to control the A/C or heat while you are traveling with others, whether it’s the plane or a road-trip, so layers are the best way to travel. I swear I’m always all over the board – it goes from freezing to hot and stuffy in just a matter of minutes, especially on planes. I always bring a cozy sweatshirt that’s easy to throw around my waist when I get too warm.
2. Good  Shoes – I have limited luggage space as it is, but especially during this season I’m packing lots of layers and bulky jackets for both me and the kids. So when it comes to travel shoes, I always try to pick something that works for the plane/car ride and my destination once I arrive so I can make the most of the shoes I’m packing. I love this SOREL pair (also obsessed with this curry color – how cute are the laces! and this white one!!). The black is a classic style that you can wear with anything and they have a sneaker effect that makes them so comfortable so I can keep up with B while he’s running around the airport. 😉
3. Cute travel luggage – Packing (and unpacking now that I think of it) is such a headache, and I know it’s silly but pretty luggage really does make a difference! It makes packing just a little bit less painful so you can start your trip on the right foot.

What are some of your destinations this season? I’m always looking for new spots to add to my bucket list. You can find more great boot options for traveling below.

XX, Christine

*In collaboration with SOREL and ShopStyle.

The post 3 Winter Travel Style Staples appeared first on Hello Fashion.

Love the scallop sleeves on this top (SIMILAR HERE UNDER A $100) on sale right now 40% off code: COZY

DETAILS: BANANA REPUBLIC NAVY JACQUARD BLAZER AND TROUSER (SIMILAR HERE) | WHITE SCALLOPED BUTTON DOWN (SIMILAR HERE) | BLUE BOW SANDALS | RED VELVET CLUTCH (SIMILAR HERE) | SUNGLASSES

DETAILS: NEXXUS FRIZZ DEFY FINISHING MIST | NEXXUS SPLIT END BINDING LEAVE IN CREME | NEXXUS HEAT PROTECTING MIST

Fashion Week is always such a whirlwind. I feel like this year was one of my busiest years. Each time I go, I only go for half a week because I hate being away from the family for long periods of time. This year I went with the intention of taking it really easy, enjoying sleeping in, and taking long baths. Haha that didn’t quite happen and don’t get me wrong, I truly love love my job, it was just a crazy couple days. I love seeing the new collections, meeting with designers and hearing their inspiration behind the collection, and people-watching on the streets of NYC flooded with hundreds of different styles of fashion. It really leaves me inspired!

We all have those busy work trips! So below are a few of my essentials for surviving the hustle and bustle:

1. A good travel pillow. Everyone always teases me because I legit carry my pillow on the plan with me (don’t forget to bring a clean pillow case 😉 Nothing will get your trip off to a bad start faster than a bad night’s sleep. I usually take a red-eye to NYFW and if I don’t have a travel pillow and a window seat, I don’t sleep. Even if you aren’t planning on a red-eye, you never know when your flight will be delayed and your 45 minute layover turns into 5 hours.
2. A face mask. Another must for traveling, I always pack a face mask to help my skin recover after a long flight. It’s the perfect addition to your night that leaves you feeling fresh and confident for whatever the week has in store. I swear by this one.
3. A long bath. No matter what time I land or make it home at night, I always make time for a long hot bath or shower. It’s my favorite way to unwind after the day
4. The right hair products. My skin, hair, body – everything gets dehydrated when I travel. So I always bring my Nexxus Promend leave-in split end cream to rub through my ends to keep them from looking dry. Also get familiar with the climate you are headed to and pack accordingly! My hair always gets frizzy from the humidity in New York so this Nexxus Frizz Defy Finishing Mist was a must. It was a lifesaver and it also has a natural hold so your hair style will last from your first cup of coffee until the end of your business dinner. Dry shampoo is another fixture on my packing list (this one smells so good!) – sometimes skipping a hair wash is worth being able to hit that snooze button once or twice. 😉
5. A top you can wear two ways. Packing efficiently always means bringing pieces that can do double duty. This tailored button down is a business trip essential and the scalloped detail puts it over the top. Wear it with a blazer and trouser suit for meetings and pair with a statement wide-leg pant for dinner and networking after.
6. Walking shoes. …that you can take to even the most formal business meeting! A business trip always calls for that pair of shoes that says “no nonsense” but make sure it’s one that is comfortable. I love a stylish boot – you’ll be grateful for that low heel when you are on block 5 and it’s as professional as it is put together.

What are some of your busy business trip essentials?

XX, Christine

*In collaboration with Nexxus New York Hair Salon.

The post 6 Busy Business Trip Essentials appeared first on Hello Fashion.

DETAILS: LINEN BLAZER | WHITE BELL-SLEEVE BLOUSE | CUT-OFF SHORTS (RUN BIG – SIZE DOWN) | GLADIATOR SANDALS | CELINE BELT BAG | COLORBLOCKED STRAW HAT

Last month we took a surprise Father’s Day trip to Catalina and it has easily become one of my favorite spots in the US. It almost reminds me of Europe with all the boats anchored in the beautiful bay, and the colorful historic homes against the cliffs. 

Every time we go on a weekend getaway my husband asks – “Think you can get it all in a carry on?” I would think by now he knows there’s just no way. 😉 I like to change outfits and I like to have options, but I’ve also found the secret to not overpacking. The key is pack essentials, not outfits. Instead of packing specific outfits, stick to those key items (dress, shorts, blazer, etc.) that could be worn multiple times in multiple ways. Pack pieces in a unified color scheme so you can mix and match to get the most out of your valuable luggage space. There’s nothing worse than being stuck with an outfit you aren’t really feeling that day, but if you plan in terms of pieces and color schemes you have more options if one piece feels “off” that day.  Here are some of my essentials for a beach getaway.

1. Sun hat – You can wear it with anything. I wore it to the beach, to lunch, and you can even dress it up with heels for dinner or a night exploring the island. It works with a sundress, cut-offs, and of course with your swimsuit and cover-up – there aren’t many outfits that a straw sun hat doesn’t work with. 
2. Unexpected top – You don’t have to stick to tank tops for your summer getaway. I love this bell sleeve top – the sleeves are such a stunner and it’s a light, breathable flowy fabric so it’s a great option for summer. It is the perfect top to add with your cut-offs and gladiators for a more put-together look.
3. Lightweight layer – I always bring a long sleeved lightweight layer, even on beach getaways. It seems like restaurants always have their AC blasting so an extra layer is a must for dining indoors or for those occasions that call for something a little more covered-up. This linen blazer from the Who What Wear collection at Target is perfect for a light layer at dinner but also doubles as a cute cover-up over your swimsuit – it’s breathable and over-sized so it has good movement which is exactly what you want on vacation. 
4. Your favorite shorts – Think a cute pair of shorts that you can take from the sand to the street. I always opt for distressed denim because that’s my style but any sleek pair of shorts you feel good in must be packed.
5. Gladiator sandals – You’ll want to live in sandals, but that doesn’t mean flip-flops are the only shoe that should make it into your suitcase. A gladiator sandal is another piece that can be worn dressed up or down so you can get plenty of wear out of it.
   
6. Two bags –  I always bring an oversized tote for traveling. I take my Celine Belt bag everywhere- it’s the perfect size to fit everything in I’ll need for the flight, from magazines and my laptop to things for the kids. I also always pack a smaller, lightweight crossbody so when I get to my destination I don’t have to lug a lot around.

What are your favorite packing tips?

XX,

Christine

*In collaboration with Who What Wear.

The post The Secret to Packing for a Weekend Getaway appeared first on Hello Fashion.