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Alli Santmyer

Holiday

My New Years Resolutions

January 2, 2019

Disclosure: Ann Taylor LOFT provided free clothing for me to review.  However, all opinions stated here are my own.

Hi everyone, happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season with your family and friends and are ready to start the new year fresh. Last year, I did a post stating my goals for the year so I thought I’d do the same this time around… let’s get started!

Fashion: One of my goals this year is to have more fun with fashion! I used to put a lot of energy into the outfits I put together but in the last year, I’ve gotten really lazy with it. One store I’ve been absolutely loving lately is Ann Taylor LOFT. During the holiday season, I picked up so many adorable sweaters from their store in the Annapolis Harbor shopping center and I can’t wait to style them in different ways throughout the year!

Work: This time last year, I had just graduated from James Madison University and I hadn’t started working full-time yet. My goal for 2018 work-wise was just to begin my career and see if I’d chosen the right path. Luckily, I really feel like I did! This year, I’d like to continue growing within my industry and I can’t wait to see where I am this time next year!

Housing: I’ve officially been living on my own for one year! I was a bit apprehensive about living by myself for a few reasons but this past year has been really, really great and I’ve learned a lot. I’ll be staying put for a little while longer but I might have some changes coming in the summertime…

Travel: This one is the most exciting to think about! In 2019, I think I’d really love to go on another road trip. Over Memorial Day weekend last year, I did a road trip to Maine and it was incredible so I’d love to be able to do another one this year.

That’s all for today’s post! Please share your goals for 2019 in the comments – I’d love to hear them. Also, make sure to check out the after-Christmas sales going on right now at LOFT! I’ll have another new post up next Tuesday so don’t miss it!

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Holiday

Holiday Travel Tips

December 18, 2018

Disclosure: Ann Taylor LOFT provided free clothing for me to review.  However, all opinions stated here are my own.

Hi cuties, welcome to another holiday post!  With Christmas only a week away, I wanted to share a few of my holiday travel tips.  Whether you’re traveling by plane, train, or car, you’ll definitely want to keep these tips in mind!

My first tip is to dress COMFY.  Typically for the holidays, people travel a long way to be with friends and family so you’ll want to wear something that you can be comfortable in for the ride but that is also holiday get-together appropriate.  My favorite outfit for this is fun jeans and a festive sweater!  I picked both of these items up from Ann Taylor LOFT in the Annapolis Harbor shopping center last weekend and they’re so cute and so cozy.  Click here to check out all the adorable holiday attire at LOFT this season!

My second tip is to carefully choose your travel time.  Whether you’re hitting the road or booking flights, traveling during off-times will be best.  I know it’s hard to travel overnight or at times you wouldn’t normally, but you might save yourself a couple hours if you do.

The next tip is to make sure you pack your portable chargers.  You never know when you’re going to need them!  You could be stuck in stand-still traffic or on the runway at the airport for hours so it’ll definitely be nice to have that portable charger on hand if that does happen.

My fourth tip is to remember to relax.  It is Christmastime after all and you’re traveling to see your loved ones.  You’ll get there eventually so try to remember to take a breath and enjoy the ride!

That’s all for this week’s post, I hope you enjoyed!  Make sure you remember to click over to LOFT to see if you can find the perfect outfit for your holiday travel days this year.  Have a great week and I’ll see you next time!

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Holiday

Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas

December 11, 2018

Hey hey hey cuties, happy Tuesday!  We’re getting closer and closer to Christmas (woohoo!) so I thought I’d share some of the ideas I have for last minute gifts.  No matter how well I prepare, I feel like there’s always at least one gift I forget about each year so keep reading to see what I do when that happens!

My first idea is a gift set from Sephora or Ulta.  Sephora and Ulta always have the cutest little holiday sets that you can run in and grab super quickly.  Whether it’s a face mask set or new makeup brushes, whatever you pick out will be perfect for the makeup-loving gal in your life!

My next idea is anything from Amazon Prime.  Amazon Prime is amazing and is extremely convenient for a last-minute type of person.  As long as the item is eligible, you can order something and have it to your door the next day, which is super nice when you don’t have time to dash to the store.

Another idea is gift cards.  Gift cards are great and something everyone can use – especially if you get Visa gift cards or gas gift cards.  They’re also good because they can literally be picked up on the way to the holiday party you’re attending!

My next last minute gift idea is an experience!  Tickets to a show, concert, or sporting event are so easy to purchase online and you don’t even need to wrap them!  Quickly print them out and stick them in a Christmas card and you’re good to go!

My last gift idea is a cute one… board games!  This may not be the best gift idea for everyone but if you’re missing a gift for a family member, buying them a fun board game might be perfect because you can break it out at the family holiday party and have so much fun with everyone!

That’s all for this week’s post, I hope you enjoyed!  I have a few more holiday posts coming in the next few weeks so if you have anything you’d like to see, make sure to comment below.  Have a great week!

Holiday

Stocking Stuffer Gift Guide

December 4, 2018

Hey hey hey cuties, welcome back to another holiday post here on Allison in Wonderland!  In past years, I’ve done holiday gift guides for him and for her but this year, I decided to take it a little further and create a stocking stuffer gift guide as well.  These gift ideas could work for guys or girls, friends or loved ones, so let’s get into it!

My first stocking stuffer gift idea is a cute t-shirt.  T-shirts are the best because they can be dressed up or down, worn to the gym or to work… they’re great and they can easily be rolled up and stuffed in a stocking!  The one I’ve been wearing non-stop is a comfy white tee that says American Honey from a company called For the Birds (click here).  For the Birds has lots of cute tee options but this one’s my fave!  It’s $32 and, if you use the code FTBINWONDERLAND15, you can get 15% off any of their tees!

My next gift idea is the HP Sprocket.  If you’ve never heard of the HP Sprocket, it’s a mini portable photo printer (click here).  It’s approximately the size of your palm and connects to your smartphone via bluetooth so you can print the photos on your phone on demand.  How cool!  I don’t have my own promo code for this item but if you use the code ZOELLA10, I believe you’ll get 10% off your order of the 2nd Edition HP Sprocket.

The third stocking stuffer gift idea is a watch.  Lately, I’ve been loving a company called MVMT.  They have watches and sunglasses (two of my favorite things!) and their products are so trendy!  I have the Solis watch (click here) and the Icon sunnies (click here) and I’ve been wearing both non-stop since they came in the mail.  Both of these items would be so great to throw in someone’s stocking!  If you’re interested in ordering, use the code ALLISANTMYER15 for $15 off anything on their site!

Another item that would be great for a stocking is a jade roller.  I just ordered a jade roller set from Amazon and it cost less than $10!  These are very popular this season and it sounds so relaxing to think about rolling your face and neck while sitting on the couch, watching your favorite film – especially around the holidays.

My last stocking stuffer gift idea is an Ember Ceramic Mug.  This mug is temperature controlled so you can keep your coffee or hot chocolate at just the right temperature all day long.  They have ones to use in your home or office but they also have travel mug options so they’ve got everyone covered (click here)!  I think this is one of my favorite gift ideas I’ve shared this season!

That’s all for today’s post, I hope you enjoyed!  Did you get any good ideas?  I know I’ll definitely be using some of these ideas for my friends and family this year.  I’ll be back next week with another holiday post so stay tuned to see what it is.  Have a great week!

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Travel

A Saturday in New York City

November 27, 2018

Hey everyone, welcome to another travel post here on Allison in Wonderland!  A few weekends ago, one of my best friends and I spent the day in New York City so now I’m here to share all about it.  Let’s get started!

First, I’d like to start out by sharing that our entire day in the city cost under $200.  I always envision traveling being super expensive and it definitely can be, but you can also have a super fun travel experience for relatively cheap.  We took an Amtrak train from Wilmington, Delaware to Penn Station and round trip cost about $150.  We booked only a few weeks out but the sooner you book, the cheaper it’ll be.  This was my second time using Amtrak and it’s always a great (and comfy) experience!

We arrived in the city around 10am and started our adventure.  First, we stopped by the Flatiron Building!  In all the times I’ve been to the city, I’d never visited so it was nice to finally see it in person.  We had planned to take an Uber from the Flatiron Building to Soho but we ended up walking.  It was beautiful outside and only about a 30 minute walk so it was nice and quick!

We spent the bulk of our day in Soho, which is a part of the city I haven’t spent much time in.  Soho has lots and lots of shopping (my favorite!) and also has great opportunities to people watch!  We started out by heading to a popular shop called Sezane.  It was super adorable and has great quality items if you’re looking to invest in your wardrobe.  Next, we headed to TicTail Market.  TicTail is a NYC shop I found online and I’m so glad we visited!  It has tons of neat accessories and it was just gorgeously decorated.

Then, we headed to a cool little place called Urban Backyard.  It’s an adorable coffee shop that’ll make you want to stay all day!  It’s super close to Freeman’s Alley, which was one of the places I wanted to check out the most.  I’ve seen the alley over and over on Instagram so I just had to see it for myself.  It’s tucked away so you might not even know you’re walking past it but it’s so beautiful!  Definitely worth a visit.

We ended up having a little more time at the end of the day then we had bargained for so we stopped in a few of our favorites like Free People and Urban Outfitters and Madewell.  We then made the trek back to Penn Station and hopped on a train home.  It was a busy day but we had an awesome time exploring a new part of the city.  That’s all for this week but make sure you come back next week for a fun holiday post.  Have a great week!

Holiday

Holiday Gift Guide for: HER

November 20, 2018

Hey hey hey everyone, happy almost Thanksgiving!  I hope you have the best day on Thursday spent with friends and family.  Is anyone going Black Friday shopping?  I know I am!  Yesterday, I shared my holiday gift guide for HIM and today I’m sharing my holiday gift guide for HER just in time to catch those Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals.  Keep reading to hear my gift ideas for the gal in your life!

The first idea I’m sharing is a planner and stationary set.  Each year in high school and college, I got a planner as a Christmas gift because you need a new planner for the new year!  I always loved picking it out and choosing the thing that was going to be my lifeline for the next 12 months.  This year, I’m loving the Lala Letter planners (click here).  They come in pink (my favorite), grey, and blue and are so simple and pretty!  And I was lucky enough to get a discount code to share!  If you use the code ALLISONINWONDERLAND15, you’ll get 15% percent off your order… how cool!

The next idea is jewelry.  I know, this is so not an original idea but it’s a pretty dang good one.  I’ve been loving simple, dainty pieces lately so Mejuri has been my fave.  You can pretty much choose anything on their site (click here) and the girl in your life will be obsessed with it.  They have super quick shipping and will probably be doing some type of holiday sale!

My third idea is a self-care bundle.  Head over to Target and grab a bunch of face masks, bath bombs, nail polish, maybe a few candles, and a loofa and you’re set.  Put it all in a cute basket with a sweet, personal note and you’re golden.  This will allow her to appreciate the gift time and time again because those products will last for a while!

My next gift idea is a home movie night.  This one is great for those who are on a tight budget!  One night close to Christmas, surprise your girlfriend by building a fort in the living room with all the blankets and pillows you have.  You could even hang up some string lights to make it extra special!  Build a fire in the fireplace, make some hot chocolate, and put on her favorite holiday movie.  This will be a night to remember!

The last idea is definitely a splurge but if you really want to go all out, get her the new iPhone!  I’m 100% guilty of being glued to my phone sometimes so if your girlfriend is the same way, get her the newest and most up-to-date version (click here) and she’ll be shocked!  Take a cute selfie of you both and set it as the background so when you give it to her, it’ll already feel like hers.

That wraps up my holiday gift guides for this year… did you like them?  Tell me in the comments if you have any other great gift ideas – I’d love to hear!  Be sure to check back next Tuesday for another post.  Have a great week!

Holiday

Holiday Gift Guide for: HIM

November 19, 2018

Hi everyone and welcome to my first holiday post of the Christmas season!  For the last few years, I’ve put out gift guides and this year is no different.  They’re always my favorite to post because they really get me in the spirit of Christmas!  As always, I’ve tried to include gifts ideas for all price ranges to accommodate for all the men in your life so let’s get into it!

My first idea is AirPods (click here).  These wireless earbuds are perfect for the tech lover in your life who is always on the go.  They’re currently priced at $159.00 but who knows, they could be a part of Apple’s holiday sales and become a lot cheaper!

The next idea is a customized Yeti (click here).  I got a Yeti tumbler this year and it’s absolutely incredible.  It keeps your drinks hot or cold, depending on what you put in it, and is perfect for the person who is either always at their desk working away or for someone who travels a lot in their car.  I take mine to work everyday and it’s so convenient.  They come in so many different colors and you can customize them by getting a monogram, icon, or your man’s favorite sports team logo imprinted.

My third idea is sunglasses.  I personally didn’t purchase my first pair of expensive sunglasses until last year because they’re not a necessity.  I never wanted to put out that kind of money on something that could so easily break or get lost… that why they make such a great gift idea!  If you don’t know the exact pair the person wants, a gift card is always great, too!  Then they can go pick out whatever pair they want!

The next idea (and my favorite idea) is to purchase train or plane tickets for a weekend getaway with your guy!  It doesn’t have to be somewhere far away but surprising your person with a few days to just spend with each other sounds so fun.  If my boyfriend was handing me a gift, I definitely wouldn’t expect to open up plane tickets, so it’ll be neat to see their reaction as well!

The last idea I have to share is a bundle of books.  I know this doesn’t sound too exciting but if the man in your life loves to read and relax and take time for himself, this might be just the gift.  Head to your nearest bookstore and choose his favorite category (fiction, non-fiction, self-help, etc.) and go to town.  He’ll love how much thought you put into choosing them for him!

That’s all for this year’s holiday gift guide for HIM.  My holiday gift guide for HER will be up tomorrow… just in time for Black Friday so don’t miss it!

Fashion

Fall Fashion Lookbook

November 13, 2018

Hey hey hey beauties, welcome to my Fall fashion lookbook!  I did one of these about two years ago (click here), and it was so much fun so I had to do it again this time around.  Keep scrolling to see some of my favorite looks for this chilly season.

Outfit 1:  Starting off with this cozy look, I’m wearing a cute pink overall dress with a super, super comfy white sweater and camel colored slides.  My overalls, sweater, and slides are all from Forever 21.  Click here to check out the overalls, click here to check out a similar sweater, and click here to check out my slides!  If you’re going to order the slides, definitely size up.  I’m typically a 6 1/2 and I had to get a 7 1/2 in these!

Outfit 2:  This next outfit is one of my favorites for a casual weekend day.  Whether you’re running errands, heading to brunch with friends, or lounging around the house, you’ll be stylish and comfy!  My striped sweater is from Free People, my boyfriend jeans are from American Eagle, and I’m wearing the same slides as I was in Outfit 1. Click here for my sweater and click here for similar jeans!  This sweater is sooo cute and is perfect to throw on anytime!  You can wear it normally or pull it down off one shoulder if you’re looking to spice things up a bit.  I’m definitely going to be wearing this outfit a ton throughout this season!

Outfit 3:  This next outfit is perfect for a Fall date night!  My olive green jumpsuit is from a local boutique and the brand is BluHeaven.  My denim jacket is actually my uncle’s from when he was a teenager and my black booties are Steve Madden.  Click here for similar boots!  A jumpsuit is always my go-to when I’m looking to be dressed up but still wanting to be comfortable throughout the night. This outfit is one of my favorites!

Outfit 4:  This last outfit is one that took me out of my comfort zone a little bit… and I loved it!  I don’t typically wear super bright colors like this but this dress is so perfect for a chilly Fall day.  It’s lightweight so you won’t be sweating but you can easily layer a sweater or jacket or boots with it to warm up, if needed.  I picked this orange dress up at Forever 21 and my boots are from American Eagle many many years ago.  Click here for a similar sweater dress and click here for similar boots!

That’s all for today’s post, I hope you got some killer outfit inspiration from it!  Which look was your favorite?  I think mine was number 1.  I’ll be back next Tuesday AND Thursday with the start of my holiday posts… are you excited?  Holiday gift guides for Her and Him will both be going up so don’t miss them.  Have a great week!

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Travel

Being a Tourist In: Philadelphia

November 6, 2018

Hey hey hey, welcome back to the Allison in Wonderland blog!  Today’s post is a travel post – my first one in quite a while.  Living in Maryland, we’re pretty close to Philadelphia and I was able to adventure there this past weekend so I wanted to share everything we did!  Keep reading to hear more!

We started off by using ParkingPanda to reserve our spot in a parking garage the night before.  And no, this post isn’t sponsored – it’s just a service that I absolutely LOVE and find that a lot of people don’t know about.  ParkingPanda basically reserves you a spot in a parking garage of your choice so that way, when you get there, there’s a spot for you even if the parking garage is “full”.  It’s awesome and super cheap!  I reserved a spot right on Walnut Street between Independence Hall and Rittenhouse Square Park and it was only $9 for the entire day!  Once we parked, we headed towards Old City to begin our day.

First, we walked through Washington Square, the lawn by Independence Hall, and Franklin Square.  Franklin Square is always a favorite of mine because you can see the Benjamin Franklin Bridge from there and it’s a cool view for sightseeing.  After that, we dove deeper into Old City and had a blast walking along all the cobblestone streets.  We made our way down to the water and found a huge antique/flea market going on.  That’s one of my favorite things about cities…you’ll always stumble upon something neat!

Once we were finished in Old City, we made our way back to Walnut Street.  We stopped at the cutest coffee shop called J’aime French Bakery and rested our legs for a bit.  We then set out again and headed towards Rittenhouse Square Park.  It was my first time at Rittenhouse Square Park and I really enjoyed it!  It was super beautiful because all the leaves were changing color and it surprisingly wasn’t that busy.  On our way back, we stopped in a few shops (Walnut Street is known for it’s shopping) and that wrapped up our day.

It’s so nice living in a place where cities like Philadelphia and Washington DC are doable for a day trip.  What’s your favorite city?  Let me know in the comments below.  Next week, I’ll be sharing a fun fashion lookbook so keep your eye out for that!  Have a great week!

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How To

How To: Blog & Have a Full-Time Job

October 30, 2018

Hi everyone and happy, happy Tuesday!  Welcome back to another blog post in my “How To” series!  Today’s post is all about how to be a consistent blogger or social media influencer while having a full-time job.  Keep reading to see how I balance my busy life!

  1. Learn how to manage your time well.  I would say this is the most important thing I’ve learned while juggling two “jobs”.  I’ve never talked about this on my blog before but I have to sign contracts with almost every company I partner with.  So while blogging isn’t my main source of income or where my time is spent, I’m still legally bound to deadlines.  A lot goes into working with a company so even though posting a photo on Instagram seems like it’s super quick and easy, curating the content often takes weeks or months.  Effectively managing the little free time I do have is essential to having my side business be as successful as possible!  Would you be interested in reading a post all about the process of creating branded content?  Let me know in the comments below!
  2. Focus on you and your passions.  Social media influencing is very trendy right now and one of my favorite things about it is that it’s so broad – you can post about anything you want!  But that’s just the thing… you can be successful in whatever industry you choose to post about so stick to the topics that make you happy and that you’re interested in.  There are always going to be people to compare yourself to and in this business there are a lot of them.  Stay focused on your niche and you’ll do great!
  3. Keep your priorities straight.  Although blogging and engaging with my audience are my absolute favorite things to do, I also have a full time job.  Sometimes that means I have to stay at the office until 7 or 8 o’clock at night and that’s just how it is.  I try my best to shoot after work and write on the weekends, but when you have a full time job that pays your bills, that’s the price you have to pay.  I’ll always have to prioritize my “real job” but I’m willing to do that because it allows me the freedom to fully invest in my passions in my downtime.

The last few years have been a constant game of learning how to balance blogging with being a full time student and now working full time at a marketing agency so I hope I was able to share some tips that resonate with you.  I’ll be back next week with a festive Fall lookbook so be sure to check back for some cute and cozy looks.  Have a great week!