MAISON MIRU: Cecelia Wreath Giveaway

I don't buy a lot of jewelry.

I know most girls update their collection

every season with new pieces...

but I, well, I just don't.

Maybe you would expect for me to offer

 some cool, understated reason

for this purchasing habit, 

but there's not one to give.

The boring truth is

that I just stick to a few pieces 

and wear them for years

until they literally fall apart on me.

I think I just can't deal with 

a big mess of tangled earrings and necklaces

getting knotted and twisted 

in my jewelry pouch and toiletry bag... 

But when I saw Maison Miru's Cecelia wreath necklace,

I knew I wanted to buy it immediately.

It was just too perfect for me to pass up.

I really felt like it was something 

that I could wear with so many different outfits

and would stay fashionable for years.

Plus, at £40- it was way cheaper 

than the other costume pieces 

I had seen at JCrew and elsewhere.

So I bought it,

and I love it as much as I thought I would.

(In fact, I like it more after feeling how heavy & sturdy it is...)

What do you think?

You think you might like one, too?

Yup. I thought so.

Well, let's make that happen.

Maison Miru is offering one of you lucky readers

a chance to win the same Cecelia Wreath necklace

that I have and love.

While the line has tons of pieces that I really like...

like this necklace...

or this one....

or these earrings...

this piece stands out to me as just... well, so lovely.

(Yes, I do play favorites.)

Enter below for your chance to win

your very own Maison Miru Cecelia Wreath Necklace.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winner will be announced next Monday.

*photos by Noah Darnell

GIVEAWAY: Ellington Handbags

I'm your normal female

when it comes to my

weakness for a pretty handbag.

I can fall in love pretty quickly...

but I never buy them.

I want to keep my collection

as edited as possible.

One because it sounds cooler to say that,

but secondly -and more importantly-

we live in 750 sq ft.

Nothing that isn't essential

can fit in our home.

So, I am pretty judicious about what I haul home.

Maybe that's why when I say

I have an Ellington bag

and *like* it,

you'll know it's actually something special.

I first bought it 

because it seemed like a great travel bag.

It won't get beat up,

it has lots of pockets,

and it goes from a fold-over

to a tote when I need to cram in

all the excess junk you do

when traveling.

Oh, and they don't cost a million dollars.

My MIA tote came to Iceland with me

and I realllllly liked it.

Come to find out,

these bags are a favorite among a lot of other people, too.

Maybe you'll be the next fan.

I'm really happy that one of you will win 
a Mia tote bag worth $179 (just like mine)

thanks to the super cool people at Ellington.

(Thanks, Ellington!)

They nice people at Ellington are also offering

all the Aspiring Kennedy crowd

a FREE large leather pouch 

with your purchase of $179 or more

when you use code
KENNEDY2014.

(I like the tan one, but there are tons of colors.)

**Update- the pouch won't show up in your cart, 
but will be added to your order. 
Indicate your preferred color in the notes at purchase.

Okay, giveaway open now.

Have fun!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

*winner will be selected Monday

The Perfect Duo: An Aspiring Kennedy's Love Story

You know how blogs always 

have contests and giveaways

to win this or do that

and we run you around the interwebs

liking and tweeting 

like it's going out of style?

Well, today

I'm that girl.

I've been drooling over DUO's boots 

the last few weeks

and when I saw 

their giveaway for a free pair,

I decided to join the fun

and enter the giveaway...

Which requires me to tell our love story

here on this little blog.

Have you ever heard ours?

Guys... 

it's good.

We have one that would make

Cinderella and her shoe-toting tale

feel a little insecure.

Okay, fine...

maybe not.

Maybe it's not universally perfect,

but it was the perfect fit for the two of us.

Kinda like DUO,

because you can custom size

your boots to fit

in the ankle & calf...

and honestly, how amazing is that?

Their new collection
has me dreaming of tromping
through wet London streets
without the fear of frozen toes & wet feet.

(Editor's Note: My current boots are cheap and terribly made.)

It's almost as good of news

as the day I told my family

I had broken up with my boyfriend

and was going to marry Tyler.

To which they practically replied

"Tyler... who?"

So go get a cup of tea or coffee

and find a place that's really cozy...

this might take a while.

The Prologue.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Happy Ending

Plus, you'll get to see awkward pictures of me from college.

*    *   * 

If you want to enter the contest

(and I can't really blame you),

check out the details here.

In Your Dreams, Baby Mama.

My good friend Beth Dotolo

is kind of famous.

At least,

you won't be able 

to convince me otherwise.

You've probably heard of her 

super cool totally unique design company,

PULP Design Studios.

{If not, now you have!}

She designed our little nursery

which you may have seen

on the Apartment Therapy tour

of our tiny flat from earlier this year.

{If not, now you have!}

You've probably already seen

that they are currently doing a giveaway

for a gorgeous nursery

worth $6000

together with Tottini.

{If not, now you have!}

The giveaway is open to US residents

and you can sign up

for your chance to win!

So what do you think?

Have you put your name in the hat to win?

{If not, now you should!!}

*    *   *

*photography by Kevin Dotolo

Getting Cozy Around Here: HUSH Giveaway

I have to work really hard 

not to spend 100% of my life

in pajamas.

It's definitely an intentional effort that I have to make on a daily basis.

I have a cute Ted Baker silk robe

that I wear so much 

during my periods of working from home

that my husband refers to it

as my "day gown."

But this isn't about me.

It's about one of you scoring a posh pair of pjs from HUSH.

{Do you know that in the UK they call them "pyjamas?" Funny, huh?}

Well, they do.

And another thing they say here

is that HUSH makes some

 bomb-diggity pyjamas & nightwear.

{They also make cute every day clothes, too.}

Now one of you will get to say it 

where ever it is that you live, too.

They offered to give me a pair to check them out

but I'd rather one of you good people 

get to enjoy them.

I don't need thanks....

just maybe someone to make me coffee

and wash my beloved robe

every now and then for me

to keep me from becoming the stinky kid.

Oh and while you're in the middle 

of your online break from the day,

check out the pinterest boards 

I made with a little inspiration from the HUSH line.

A "WEEKEND AWAY" board that left me dreaming 

of a quiet cozy cabin (or you know, small chateau in France)

full of lazy mornings, sunlight, big mugs of coffee

brought into wake me in bed....

and some cozy PG pajamas/pyjamas to live in.

"CITY BREAK" with a quick roundup of everything fabulous

about a weekend away in a great city...

Paris, NYC, London, wherever.

Nothing like a quick recharge in the electric environment

of an amazing urban setting. Right?

And of course, "PRETTY. HOT. | Beach Style" 

which lends itself more to clambakes in Hamptons

than it does to bikinis in Mexico.

But then again, that should be no surprise to you...

this is Aspiring Kennedy, after all.

Good luck & enjoy!

*Winner will be selected July 8, 2013 at random.
*Entries will submit emails to HUSH email list.

Get Yourself a Hunskie to A-Thread Apparel.

My freshman year of college,

I mandated a silly rule for myself:

I wasn't allowed to wear pants to class.

So every day

for that first year of school,

I would wear a skirt or dress to class.

I'm not sure why I decided to do this

bit I have three plausible theories:

1. I wore a uniform skirt for my entire life before college

and had become accustomed to sitting in a classroom setting

with goosebumps all over my legs.

2.  I wanted to rebel against all my friends

who wore pajama pants to class every day.

{Thank goodness that yoga pants replaced that as "slouch wear," right?}

3. I'm slightly prissy {read: ridiculous}.

It's probably a combination of all of three of those.

Anyway, all of that shallow psychoanalysis to say

that I really do like wearing dresses.

They make me feel like a lady...

and I think I look better in them than I do in pants.

{As I type that, I realize that was probably the ENTIRE reason I decided to not wear pants that year.}

But seriously,

what girl doesn't look great in a dress?

That's why I'm SO happy that one of you

is going to get the gift of looking great

{while showing off your sexy legs}

after you win $100 from A-Thread.

Because, people, they have some really cute stuff...
and more than just dresses, 
if they arent' your thing.

Remember that dress I blogged about earlier

and then wore on Easter Sunday?

Yep. It was A-Thread...

it was also only $33, 

so it was a flipping good deal.

And to make it an even better deal,
you can use ASPIRINGKENNEDY15 at checkout
to save 15% off any purchases.... holler.

Enter below for your chance to win $100 from A-Thread

Winner will be selected June 3, 2013.

Entering will get you on a-thread's email list for updates & deals!

Pillow Giveaway? Happy Monday.

Unless you are in one of the royal residences,

living in London

forces you to become

selective on what items

enter your home.

I'd like to attribute my selective purchasing skills

to a cool, minimalist mentality...

but the truth is,

we just don't have the space!

With the absence of garages, attics, spare bedrooms, & closets,

comes the necessity to keep your life simplified.

Buying in bulk

is a concept I used to relish...

but now, we stock things 

in small quantities 

and on a need-to-have basis.

Otherwise, our tiny cabinets would pop open

and we would be swimming in random objects.

I've become relatively good at this.

except for one area:

pillows.

I love pillows,

I can't stop adding them to our home,

& I can't throw any old ones away.

It's getting slightly awkward.

So luckily,

when a blog reader, Brittany,

showed me her new pillow line, BELQUIST,

my heart fluttered a bit.

With names like "Cyprus, "Lucerne," & "Bombay,"

it's clear to see how Brittany's travels have influenced 

her work designing the pillows.

She has done a fantastic job of creating 

a well-edited collection that goes well together...

and, in my opinion,

 would look great in most any room of my house.

Which is good

as I have two Belquist pillows 

that now need to find a space there.

And now one of you can share in my dilemma, too.

Enter below for your chance to score one.

As its open to US readers only,

I have no doubt the winner 

will have plenty of square footage

to give this prize ample room.

{Lucky you.}

{Editor's Note: I love when readers get to win prizes on here. Makes me happy.}

*I was given pillows as a product review for this giveaway. 

Just so you know. I really do like them, too!

Between The Sheets: Peacock Alley

In the short span of my life,

I've learned that there are few things

that can subtly let you know

when someone is of a higher pedigree.

A few of these tell-tale signs can include

(but are not limited to):

well-made Italian driving shoes...

having a cousin who dated a Kennedy...

casual references to childhood au-pairs & yacht captains...

&, of course, 

those with fantastically luxe bed linens.

______________

There is something intangible about crawling into a cool bed

made with crisp, expensive sheets.

It gives you that same feeling you get

when you hand a valet your keys,

lounge in a spa robe waiting for a massage,

or get upgraded to first class.

You just feel... fancy.

So today, I am very happy to offer one of you

this upgrade into first-class daily life...

a set of luxury bed sheets from Peacock Alley.

I know, I know...

bed sheets?

Sounds a bit... everyday,

but if you aren't familiar with this line, 

you'll want to be soon.

These babies are the Birkin bag of bed sheets

made of 100% Egyptian cotton...

Being a Dallas girl,

I've always had a huge respect for this line

and the gorgeous work that they do.

And now,

one of you will get to hop in bed

with some of there newest collection,

The Emma Sheet Collection

and win a set of your choice of color

in sheets & pillow shams.

{Honestly, I am so jealous of whoever wins this.

Just promise me if you win,

one Sunday morning when you lounging in bed

with a breakfast tray and newspaper,

you'll raise that mimosa and toast to the Aspiring Kennedy...

Winner will be drawn Friday, March 1, 2013.

Good luck!

Sunglasses Shop- GIVEAWAY!

I love getting readers cool stuff

just for reading my blog.

I feel like it's some sort of party favor

that I can offer

for your time spent here.

So when Sunglasses Shop

offered me the chance to give one of you

a pair of sunglasses from Kate Moss's collection for Vogue

{you know, the one that Mario Testino shot the ads for}...

I got pretty excited.

All of the collection is very Palm Springs inspired...

and, if you're like me, 

it will leave you dreaming of being perched

in a sunny lounger by a pool

while men in white uniforms bring you colorful drinks

with giant kebabs of fruit anchored to the edges.

image

Entering is easy.

Here's what you can do

for your chance to win

a pair of your very own sunglasses

from Kate Moss's line for Vogue Eyewear.

REQUIRED:

Visit this link to Vogue sunglasses to pick which style & pair you would like to win.

{Yes, you can pick whichever pair of the Vogue line you want!}

AND

"Like" Sunglasses Shop on Facebook, telling them you came from Aspiring Kennedy.

Leave me a comment below telling me which pair you would choose
 and that you've "liked" the page.

______________

That's all you need to do

and we will select a winner at random January 15, 2012.

Open to all followers of Aspiring Kennedy

who are residents of the UK & US. No cash value.

One winner will be selected via random.org.

*images by Mario Testino

Trick-Or-Treat Giveaway {& FOURSALE}

Today I had a talk with people

who were dismissing Halloween 

as a yucky holiday

 full of dark celebrations and decorations.

I couldn't help but get a little defensive

to the verbal attack of such a special day.

Not only did I find this holiday to be 

one of the best family events of the year,

but I kinda like the creepiness that comes along with it.

All the silly decorations

and spooky party themes 

just seem right as the weather changes.

It all seems to fit the chilly weather perfectly.

You know what else fits this chilly weather?

This gold satchel,

a black & gold skull scarf,

...some navy British tights (they make them best here!),

a really cool pair of over the knee socks,

and some cuddly slippers for cozying up indoors.

And that's why I bought them all for one of you

as a fun little treat for stopping by my place this month.

Instead of the classic line of "Trick-Or-Treat,"

all you have to do to win this bag of treats

is leave a favorite Halloween memory below.

Snag an additional entry for each
if you follow me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.

I'll pick a winner at random on Friday, 19 October.

{Must be a follower to win. Gotta take care of my peeps.}

****

AND in response to the white infinity scarf that I religiously wear in the cold,

I have now purchased it's black counterpart.

It's a little larger, a little softer, and a little bit better smelling.

{Editor's Note: I really need to wash mine more often.}

I really can not wait to wear it way too often in the months ahead.

 Since so many readers have asked me where I got the first one (H&M, 2010),

I thought I'd help out this time by grabbing a few extras for you.

First come, first served.

Slow international shipping will be used to keep shipping down,

so expect a few weeks before your purchase arrives.

No refunds available, so please purchase carefully!

UPDATE: SOLD OUT

*All images via instagram. Username: aspiringkennedy
**Obviously, these aren't the real McQueen & Cambridge Satchel... just "inspired" pieces. :)

You'll Want This, I Just Know It

Coffee is so good...

it's the friend you need in the morning to wake you up,

the stomach filler that saves you when you're cutting back,

& the late-night companion that keeps you going on road trips.

Such a selfless drink, isn't it?

In the spirit of coffee being such a giving component of our daily lives,

I think it's time to to give away some coffee.

Well actually, a coffee maker...

you know, the machine that makes coffee for you.

So very kind of it.

We have somehow started to collect international coffee makers

as frequently as we acquire new stamps in our passports.

Some days, it's a lazy morning with the French press.

Other days the only thing my brain can handle is a Keurig.

And when Tyler is making coffee, it's always Italian style on the stove.

When I saw Marissa post about this mini espresso pot,

I went a little bizerk.

Like I emailed the nice people at Moka Pot 

& begged them to let me host a giveaway for you.

Because one of you needs {dare I say "deserves?"} this coffee maker.

They sent me one to try out before I talked about it here, 

and have been oh-so-happy every time I use it because...

1. In literally, 3 minutes there are two perfectly portioned cups of espresso waiting for you.

2. I can either share the other cup, or combine them in a warm of warm milk for a double.

3. It's super easy to clean.

4. It makes me feel Italian to drink coffee this way.

Watch the Moka Pot in action here... ain't it snazzy?

NOW,  HERE'S HOW TO GET ONE:

{in my typical ridiculous fashion}

ENTRY ONE: Tell me which color of Moka you want to win (pick here).

ENTRY TWO: "Like" my facebook page and leave a comment saying you do.

ENTRY THREE: Tell me your favorite coffee drink in a comment.

ENTRY FOUR: Follow me on twitter and leave a comment saying you do.


Closed: Congratulations Jenny of Thompson Tales for winning the moka pot!

Winner will be chosen on May 21, 2012. Must follow Aspiring Kennedy via GFC, RSS or BlogLovin'

Open to both US & International readers. Void where prohibited.

Photography original to Aspiring Kennedy. Please source accordingly.

Passport to European Espresso

I think you can really tell how smooth of a traveler someone is

by how they order their coffee when abroad.

It sounds silly, I know...

but, in my opinion, if you notice the slight nuance 

of how a culture drinks their coffee,

you're pretty smooth.

When at cafes, most of our visitors clam up upon ordering

and, without fail, always default to ordering a cappuccino.

Which is a European drink... just not after breakfast.

I'm going to introduce you to a fail proof option

that is not only delicious,

but will help you feel a bit less like a tourist...

and a bit more local when traveling.

Since most European cultures shoot back small cups of espresso throughout the day,

blending in to the culture will call for drinking smaller drinks more often.

{Editor's note: Big drinks for breakfast, small drinks for the rest of the day.}

Though, if you are like I once was, the taste of straight espresso 

probably is a bit bitter and strong for your Americanized taste buds.

When learning to drink "un caffe" the Italian way,

I discovered this tasty drink that served as my training wheels

until I could sail smoothly down the espresso trail like a big kid.

Though it has different names in different places,

this concoction is a shot of espresso

finished off with a bit of foamed milk.

It's like a mini cappuccino, if you will,

and it's perfectly delicious.

While I was out at the market today,

I saw these little espresso glasses and grabbed six...

two red, two white, two blue.

Yes, the colors of France.

I'm feeling equally inspired by warm drinks in this cold weather

as I am by the gorgeous Parisian setting.

And what better way to celebrate Friday than with a fun little contest?

To enter to win these cuties

 comment below with your favorite cafe setting...

in real life or your imagination!

Make me dream, make me laugh...

either way just leave a comment 

and I'll pick my favorite on Sunday evening. 

Image via/ Contest open to Aspiring Kennedy subscribed readers only (GFC, Feeburner, Bloglovin, Email.)

No purchase necessary. 

Void where prohibited. 

Name of winner will be posted on Sunday, February 12, 2012.