March 21, 2018No Comments

a case for making more meals at home

5 minute read

5 minute read So I have a confession...I'm one of those New Yorkers who stores sweaters in her oven and extra beauty products in her kitchen cabinets.

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March 13, 2018No Comments

3 dream dates

4 minute read

4 minute read Sometimes you have an occasion -- and you get a dress. Other times, a dress finds you first. And you look for the occasion.

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March 6, 2018No Comments

how to update your spring dresses

4 minute read

4 minute read You all know I love a good styling trick or two -- it breathes new life into old pieces in your closet and makes you shop for new pieces a bit differently.

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February 20, 2018No Comments

narciso rodriguez: for her

4 minute read

4 minute read My scent changes with my mood and my seasons -- and I love how each bottle I add to my rotation stands proudly each morning, inviting me to become that woman -- be it powerful, seductive, intriguing, mysterious, evocative, curious, youthful, pensive -- and sometimes, all of the above.

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January 19, 2018No Comments

life is what happens when…

6 minute read

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Let's get personal.

I feel like this has been happening to me quite a bit lately, but this post started off much differently.

My original post (that's still sitting in my WordPress draft folder screaming 'publish me instead') was a much more straightforward and informational essay on the state of my financial health as a small business owner. Now, before you yawn and get ready to swipe through this article, my intentions were this: One of the most frequently asked questions I get, is around how I decided to finally take the plunge to quit Google and to work on This Time Tomorrow full time -- an answer that often gets condensed in conversation but in reality, there was a lot of number crunching, soul searching and, well, ugly spreadsheets.

Spreadsheets for tracking my overall growth. Spreadsheets for tracking projections. Spreadsheets for tracking my expenses to incomings. Spreadsheets for the spreadsheets! What was it all for? Financial peace of mind -- something that wasn't taught to me in any university class, but something that I spent a lot of time Googling and re-Googling, something that I listened to tons of Ted Talks about. In that original post, we were going to talk about financial peace of mind. How to get it. Why we (meaning millennials) seem to be lacking it. And why we don't ever really talk about it with our family and loved ones. We all make money in different ways, whether it's from our own companies, working for someone else, or even answering online surveys via Lifepoints but we rarely want to talk about our income with anyone which seems bizarre.

And to be clear, we're still going to talk about those things. But that's where this post takes a detour.

I'm currently writing this from a hospital back in my hometown of Reno, Nevada. It's 6:05 am PST on Tuesday and my mom is currently recovering from a hip replacement surgery from the day before. The past 48 hours have been a blur of last minute flights, pre-op appointments and the dreaded waiting room dance, where you can't decide if you get another cup of coffee or survey the food options in the caffeteria one more time, as if they've miraculously changed. It's been nerve wracking -- feeling both helpless and responsible at the same time -- for someone like a parent, who is normally the one taking care of you.

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To be clear, my mom is recovering quite well and is already walking around a bunch, with her doctor estimating she'll be up and ready in no time. Today's post isn't looking for sympathy about this experience (although I'd love to write something longer about it specifically as perhaps we can all relate to times when roles are reversed with parents?), but it did get me thinking a lot about statistics that I've read recently. Consider the following:

  • The majority of Americans are worried that they would be financially crippled by a major life event, but aren't actively preparing for it. Over half would not be able to come up with $400 for an emergency.
  • 50% of Americans have more credit card debt than they do savings. Building credit is something that many people struggle with so if you need some help or advice on the matter, it may be worth learning how to establish credit, particularly if you live in the U.S.
  • Only 15% of the population is on track to fund even one year of retirement.
  • Money is, quite unsurprisingly, the number one source of stress, yet 70% of Americans find it rude to discuss money in public settings.

The first and last points get me here, especially as I find myself in the position that I'm in, dealing with a major life event. Thankfully, there aren't any hiccups to report -- the surgery, while still major, is practically routine at this point, her doctor has been amazing and it's thankfully all covered by insurance. I financially planned to take this trip, putting work and life on hold to a certain extent to help out as much as possible here back at home -- a reality that may not always be the case for someone who perhaps doesn't work independently/for themselves.

But what if any of the above weren't true? What if I hadn't put enough extra aside for this particular major life event? What if something complicates (God forbid) the recovery process? What if her insurance ultimately decides to file this differently than expected thereby covering less? They're all things we would inevitably take in stride, but it does make you stop and think: how well prepared am I?

Now, I'm not someone who likes to sit at home worrying about every little thing that could go wrong. After all, life is a series of things that happens when you're not looking, right? But it wasn't until I sat down to write this post in collaboration with Intuit (the makers of Mint and Turbo Tax) for their financial health app Turbo, that I realized, I don't know if I fully understand my financial state of the union, so to speak. Sure, I run my own business, and I like to think I'm doing all the "appropriate adult" things I should be doing for retirement, savings etc. but am I really?

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For the past few weeks leading up to heading back home, I've been taking a good, hard look at my financial situation, my spending to saving ratio, my overhead expenses (both business and personal) -- the whole works -- via the Turbo app, which brings together your IRS-verified income, credit score (you may find this article helpful when looking for your credit report) and debt-to-income ratio to produce a holistic picture of your financial standing. In the past, I've viewed many of these things separately in silos, so the ability to assess the lay of the land all in one place has been eye-opening. If you do see that you have outstanding debts but they were taken out many years ago, you may want to ask yourself "can a debt collector collect after 10 years?" this could potentially decrease your debt total expenditure for the future.

This year, one of my biggest personal goals is to better understand my true financial health, starting first with debunking this idea we shouldn't talk about money. I've found sometimes the things that give us the most anxiety or fear, tend to be the things we shy away from sharing with anyone -- making for feelings of isolation or embarrassment that we're doing something wrong. Perhaps its the effect of this hospital or the onset of my 30s talking here, but I find that to be a terrible waste of time. And perhaps you do, too?

So let's start that now. What are some of your financial goals -- big or small -- this year? And how are you working toward them?

This post was in collaboration with Turbo. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!

December 5, 2017No Comments

video: behind the scenes with the shops at columbus circle

4 minute read

Earlier this year, you may recall I partnered with The Shops at Columbus Circle team to share some of my favorite fall trends and where to find them in The Shops. Today, I'm so excited to bring you my next installment, a behind the scenes look at the making of their holiday gift guides.

When it comes to holiday shopping, I'm a one and done kind of gal, which usually works against me most years, since I'm also a wait until the last minute kind of gal. While I may have an unhealthy relationship with my Prime membership (guilty as charged), there's nothing quite like shopping around a bustling shopping center, right after Thanksgiving, once the decorations go up, Bing Crosby starts crooning overhead and every once and a while, you catch a glimpse of a man in a red suit breezing by. In fact, there's something quite nostalgic about that, right? I remember as a little girl, every year right after Thanksgiving passed, I'd head down to our local shopping center with my mom and dad to shop around, listen to carolers and oggle all the decorations in the windows and on the trees. Hot chocolate was practically mandatory as you snuck away with your shopping list, so no one knew what you were getting for them. It was all too easy to get caught up in the magic of the season.

And this is a huge reason why I love The Shops at Columbus Circle so much -- especially in a city like New York, which is already brimming with the magic of the season (side PSA note: you need to check out their Holiday Under the Stars installation -- it's breathtaking). As a New Yorker, it's easy to get overwhelmed with holiday shopping that can seemingly leave you trekking all over the city -- uptown to downtown, to Brooklyn and back. Since I'm a self-proclaimed one and done kind of gal though, I'm a huge fan of the breadth of stores at The Shops, which means I can pick up pretty much everything for everyone on my list, from the gourmand to the beauty lover, from mom to dad, from best girlfriends to the hard to shop for boyfriend. Here's a rundown of my holiday gift guide, all of which you can find over at The Shops! Plus, don't forget to check out my gift guide video right this way.

For the foodie: Williams Sonoma is just one of those stores you need to walk into, am I right? Practically every time, I do, I discover something new -- whether it's a gadget for a new in-store offering (like their cooking demonstrations!). This time around, all of rosegold accents caught my eye while I was in store and I think anything from their full copper cookware collection would be a beautiful gift for the person who loves to entertain!

For the music lover: While walking around The Shops the other day, I discovered a new wireless speaker brand -- Devialet. They have a fully equipped, sound booth right there on the 3rd floor, so you can experience each speaker to its full potential, which then got me thinking about certain discerning music fans on my list. The sound capabilities are breathtaking, and while yours truly might get evicted if she blasted one even just at 30%, I think it would also be incredible for surround sound at home movie or TV show binge watching.

For the beauty buff: MAC can be tricky for holiday shopping, mainly because I always end up walking around with more than I intended for myself as well (I'm a Ruby Woo lip gal myself)! Come holiday time, I love that they always merchandise and curate the best stocking stuffer gifts -- from beautifully designed brush sets to travel lipstick packs -- perfect for any beauty lover (or in my case beauty vloggers) in your life.

For him: Guys can be the easiest to shop for and the hardest -- which is why I tend to rely on timeless classics when it comes to the guys on my list. This year, I'm eyeing a herringbone coat from Hugo Boss for my boyfriend, but shhh...don't tell him!

For YOU: Anddddd naturally, no shopping trip is complete without picking up a holiday frock (or two)! Of course, when I was browsing around Hugo Boss, there were a few cocktail dresses that caught my eye. Best part? If you happen to have a party, say that evening, Hugo Boss offers in-store tailoring to make sure your purchase is JUST right.

For Mom: Whenever my mom comes to visit me here in NYC, she inevitably tries out a lot of my different perfumes (and I swear, there have been a few times, they've mysteriously gone missing after her visit!), which is why I love heading to Jo Malone to pick up a few of my favorite scents for her to keep. This particular year, I've also been eyeing their advent calendar, which I think would keep her busy on 24 different Jo Malone products -- fingers crossed she shares with me!

For Dad: My dad is currently in the process of building a custom home up in a beautiful forested area outside Spokane, Washington. I'm sure anyone who's done the same will agree with his opinion that it's an exciting but very long process! I personally think if you want a custom home, then buying a modular home like those from this custom home builder north carolina is the best way to go as it is far easier and a lot quicker. But he wanted to build his home from scratch, so that's what he's doing. He knows people in Texas who've done the same, and they sold their previous property to these San Antonio house buyers that do what they say to get the cash quickly and start building their own dream. They'll be breaking ground in the spring, but since he's doing a lot of property visits up until winter hits, I'm eyeing a few of Hugo Boss' cashmere scarves and lined leather gloves for him, to keep him warm and stylish!

Video by Bobby Hicks

This post was in collaboration with The Shops at Columbus Circle. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!

November 28, 20176 Comments

join me at johnston & murphy

3 minute read

Just popping in for a quick hello! Ever since the long holiday weekend started, I’ve been feeling a bit behind on things — but I can’t stress enough how much I needed that little break up to Spokane, Washington to see my dad and stepmom. It was the perfect blend of leftovers, movies and family time (and a decent amount of sleeping in, much to the chagrin of my dad, who is an even EARLIER morning person than me).

Now that I’m back in NYC, I’m hitting the ground running before I leave again, this time for Australia for most of December! I’m beyond excited to hop away for the holidays to a new to me part of Oz (Melbourne and Western Australia), but it means I’m also soaking up all the NYC holiday magic that I can while I’m here in town.

So your all my New Yorkers out there, start marking your calendars now! I’ve teamed up with the Johnston & Murphy team to celebrate the opening of their latest store up at 501 Madison — and I would love for you to toast with me! We’ll be hanging out, this Thursday, November 30th, from 6-8pm, sipping champagne, singing along to holiday songs and trying on lots of shoes. (I recently picked up this black suede pair you see here and I’m already itching for it in the congac version). Plus, everything in the store will be 20% off for the evening!

Make sure to RSVP to haley@socialyte.com. And I hope to see you there!

OUTFIT DETAILS: Ba&sh coat // Ba&sh dress // Johnston & Murphy boots // The Daily Edited bag // Urban Outfitters beret 

Photos by Lydia Hudgens

This post was in collaboration with Johnston & Murphy. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!

November 22, 20171 Comment

new york mornings/new york evenings

2 minute read

When it comes to my skincare routine here in New York, you guys know I've been through the ringer. After moving here from San Francisco, my skin went through a series of phases -- some good, some bad, some downright ugly -- and it took me a while to finally get a handle on the situation. Between the climate change (hello harsh winters!) to some pretty pervasive pollution, not to mention a handful of New York evenings where you just don't sleep, my skin revolted -- resulting in some pretty moderate to severe adult acne. Some of you may recall my journey here, which I shared in detail -- everything from what worked to what failed.

Thankfully, I've gotten my skin under control thanks to an awesome dermatologist here in the city, a fitness routine that balances me and my skin out, a combination of certain prescribed medicines (which I shared here) that I've since weened off, and generally, just listening to my skin when it's trying to tell me something. My schedule certainly hasn't slowed down, nor has my daily pace, but I definitely make a point, at the beginning and end of each day to tend to my skin -- a ritual of sorts. I was recently introduced to the brand, Valmont, a Swiss luxury skincare line, after trying out a few of their products at a recent event at Saks. Fast forward a few weeks later, and their team approached me about test driving their latest Essence of Bees line, with an introductory session with one of their lead estheticians, Sandra, here in New York. Sandra has been using Valmont on many of her clients for the past 18 years, which I think is a testament to how much she truly believes in the product -- most of which features some of the latest technology in skincare advancements, including skin rejuvenating elements that are traditionally used on burn victims. Plus, Sandra's skin was pretty much perfect -- the first thing I look for when I come in for a facial.

Since then, I've been following a regimen of their eye serum, facial oil daily -- both in the mornings and the evenings, with their mask about 2-3 times a week. It's only been about 2 weeks now, but I think the biggest difference I can see, is under my eyes, which usually are extremely sensitive to my sleep patterns (or lack thereof) -- my under eye skin feels much more supple to the touch and oddly enough, I feel like I just look more awake. I'll keep testing out these products over the coming weeks, but in the meantime, I wanted to share their line with one of you! Hope over to this Instagram post to learn more about how you could win their Essence of Bees line (retails over $1k)!

Also, hope you enjoy this video we created, inspired by the many New York girls I know, who are constantly on the go but don't want to sacrifice their skincare routine. And if you haven't already, I would love it if you would consider subscribing to my YouTube channel! I launch new videos every Friday, many times before they get posted to Instagram or the blog.

And, of course, Happy Thanksgiving, guys! Hope you have a beautiful holiday with family and friends!

Video by Ty Johnson // Editing by Ty Johnson and Bobby Hicks

This post was in collaboration with Valmont. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!

November 20, 20176 Comments

because i’m a lady

4 minute read

Have you ever looked up the word "lady" in the dictionary? Well, if you're like me, and haven't done so EVER, I've gone ahead and saved you the trouble: Click right here.

Go ahead. I'll wait.

Surprised? Yeah, me too. There are 12 definitions of the word "lady."  And they range from extremely antiquated (like a 'female feudal superior') to unsurprisingly worthy of an eye roll or two (like 'a woman who is the object of chivalrous devotion'). For the sake of this argument, the first definition suffices here as it is the most commonly understood meaning of the word. It reads:

"A lady is a woman who is refined, polite and well-spoken."

Seemingly simple enough, right? I suppose so. Until we start diving into the semantics of the words "refined," "polite" and "well-spoken" especially in the context of how society associates them with women. I'll spare you all the exercise of looking up each of these words, but I imagine you can see where my point is going. We have a hard enough time pinpointing the word "lady" as it is -- so the waters get murkier when we throw in other words that carry a fair amount of subjectivity to them. Grace Kelly was refined. And so is Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Princess Diana was on all accounts polite. And yet, she politely gave the middle finger to the royal establishment by breaking it's stuffiness and making more contact with the public through her prolific charity work. Charlotte Bronte was certainly well-spoken. And so is Malala Yousafzai. The list goes on.

I think it's safe to say, in a society that, on many accounts is still struggling to even the playing field between the sexes (a subject for another post, for another day), we as women have been going through a drawn-out identity crisis, blurring and redefining the lines of what it means to be a woman, a lady and, heck, a human being in 2017. It hardly boils down to three adjectives. It boils down to far too many adjectives to list here in a single blog post.

And it's this very idea that Talbots has been tackling head on in their "Because I'm a Lady" campaign. When their team first approached me about working together on this, I was intrigued to see how they were positioning the word "lady," a word that amongst millennial and GenZ generations tends to get tossed around both positively and negatively. What I found was a refreshing take on grace, intelligence, humility, tact, poise, confidence and leadership -- all redefined, challenging traditional conventions, unapologetically and boldly. And it's a lady I think we can all identify with -- regardless of age and background. She prides herself in being assertive in the office. She dines alone, because she enjoys her own company. She laughs heartily with friends, unafraid of how she appears to others. She moves with grace, in a way that's unabashedly her own, dancing to the beat of her own god damn drummer (perhaps to the chagrin of her partner). Seriously, go watch their reel of campaign videos here, it will only take a few minutes. 

I'll wait right here.

Naturally, when they asked me to choose an aspect of the campaign that spoke the most to me, I realized I actually couldn't choose -- and I don't think I need to. Just as we have 12 different definitions of the word lady (and likely more to be added in the coming years and generations), I think the beauty of being a lady is that it means a multitude of many different things to many different women. And WE, as women, get to define that. For no one else, but ourselves.

Now tell me, what does being a lady mean to you?

OUTFIT DETAILS: Sui Studio coat // Talbots turtleneck // Talbots skirt // Steve Madden boots // Olympia Le-Tan clutch

Photos by Lydia Hudgens // Editing by Nora Varcho

This post was in collaboration with Talbots. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!

 

November 16, 2017No Comments

fabfitfun: the editor’s box

5 minute read

Raise your hand if, once upon a time, you used to subscribe to numerous monthly subscription boxes.

(My hand is raised.)

OK, now raise your hand if your experience since then goes a bit like this:

What started off as one innocent subscription-based membership, let's say for beauty, slowly morphed into a subscription box for pretty much every category and reason under the sun, from fitness to fashion and you soon realized: "I just don't have space for this." It boiled down to, too much stuff, way too often. And perhaps you got tired of your mailman looking at you like you were secretly a hoarder?

(My hand is certainly raised.)

OK, so if your hand isn't tired yet, keep them up if you then unsubscribed from said monthly subscription boxes?

(Yep, my hand is up there.)

As you can imagine, I have a love/hate relationship with subscription boxes -- not because I don't like the concept. It's more than I wish there was a better way to tailor them for my interests and needs. Like a lot of you, I imagine, I got tired of the onslaught of products every month, many of them sample size, which made it hard to determine if I REALLY liked them or not. And more often than not, I found myself holding onto a few really great products across all the different services/categories, and wishing I could have gotten that assortment in ONE box, not 7.

So you can imagine my curiosity when the folks over at FabFitFun approached me about reviewing their latest Editor's Box, the contents of which, you can see here in my photos. What initially hooked me, on premise alone, is the fact they send boxes seasonally (essentially every 3 months), not every month, which if you ask me, is a much more manageable frequency. Plus, they curate products from a broader range of categories, including beauty, fashion, fitness and travel (the 4 keys to my heart!) that you can ultimately edit yourself if you choose to do so (or keep it a surprise -- the choice is yours!). All products are FULL size (finally!) and each box is $49.99, with at least $200 worth of products inside.

And just to top things off here, they partner with a different charity for each seasonal send, with a portion of the proceeds going back toward the organization. This month's send is benefitting the American Heart Association.

OK, so the deal sounds good, right? What about the content?

I'll be sharing my favorites from their Editor's Box down below, so keep reading -- and if happen to want to scoop up a box for yourself, be sure to use the code TOMORROW at checkout for $10 off your first purchase! Just a quick note: the Editor's Box has since sold out, but you should check out their latest Winter Box available now (which actually has the BB Dakota poncho I wore in this Instagram post).

The lineup:
Salted, Himalayan Salt Kit: So I'm no at-home gourmand, but there is something so decadent about whipping out some Himalayan salt for even the most basic of snacks. This kit was probably the first thing I used from the box -- it comes with a grater and wood stand, and came just in time for a good binge session of Stranger Things and some popcorn (which I definitely topped off with extra salt).

Realher, Lip kit in deep red: Such a great red, so it had me sold there. But I just love the female empowerment packaging!

Mytagalongs, high speed skipping rope: This skipping rope couldn't have come at a better time! Admittedly, I've been in the market for a jump rope ever since writing this post a while back about easy workout tips while traveling. And for some reason or another, I just never pulled the trigger on one. But now, with the holidays almost here and the fact I'll be in Australia for most of December, I'm excited to bring this rope along, so I can mix up my exercise routine on the road!

Spongelle, body wash infused buffer in French lavender: In one word: heavenly. It just smells heavenly. Lately, I've been really into scheduling a Sunday night bath for myself. While I don't have the world's most luxurious bathroom or bathtub (this is an old building in the West Village, after all), it really comes down to the little touches that make all the difference. Great candles. Music. A book. And this body sponge have all been making me one relaxed woman come Sunday night.

Sterling Forever, wishbone necklace: So this was probably the second used product in the box -- I immediately threw it on and loved how it looked mixed with all my other white gold and rose gold jewelry. Plus, you guys may recall I recently misplaced my go-to wishbone necklace, so this was a welcomed surprise!

Anderson Lilley, Dry Body Oil in Manhattan Beach: At first glance, I wasn't entirely sure what this product was intended for: hair? face? body? nails? That is, until I realized, it basically worked wonders, for all of them! The texture threw me off at first -- it glides on with a bit of a matte finish, which seems counterintuitive for a moisturizer, but it lingers in a really satisfying way. Lately, I've been using it on my face, after my moisturizer and SPF, and before my foundation, to give a bit of a base glow.

This post was in collaboration with FabFitFun. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!

November 13, 2017No Comments

real is rare: an evening of diamond design

5 minute read

If there's anything I've learned about living in New York, it's that for practically any situation you find yourself in, there's a Sex and the City episode to reference.And, if there's another thing I've learned about living in New York, it's that each reference-worthy episode of SATC takes on a whole new meaning, once you cross over into your 30s. What seemed distant and perhaps un-relateable when I first enjoyed the series in my 20s, has taken on a slightly different meaning as I knock on the door of 32-an age where I could arguably be cast in a reprise of the series itself (A girl can dream, right?). Oddly enough, what used to be just comforting background noise while I work, now frequently has me saying out loud, "Wait, this is my life right now."

The most recent déjà vu episode? Where Carrie confronts her friend about her stolen Manolos by creating a wedding registry in her name, in celebration of her pending nuptials with...herself. You know the one. She decries the fact that women all too often celebrate the milestones of marriage and pregnancy (both wonderful occasions, don't get me wrong), with parties and gifts and diamond rings, but what about the other milestones? What about professional milestones? What about the 'congrats, you didn't choose the wrong guy, milestones? What about self-love milestones? What about the 'you're a badass and you know it' milestones? What about the 'you're fabulously single' milestones?

All fair game if you ask me. And all milestones, I think we can agree, that represent the full spectrum of things worthy of celebrating, today more than ever. So when my good friend and amazing jewelry designer, Jillian Abboud, asked me if I would ever be in the market for a diamond ring for myself, I thought of this exact episode. No, I don't have any pending wedding announcement to share here. Or a fiancé to introduce. I'm dating a very special person, yes, but why is it that a diamond ring, a timeless piece of jewelry, has to be so tied to my relationship status with someone else? Why couldn't it be a celebration of my relationship with me; a gift for ME, from ME?

The truth is, as I'm sure you can already imagine, women-both single and married-are buying themselves more jewelry than ever, more often than not, outside the context of wedding vows. And that's a behavior yours truly (and perhaps you, too?) can relate to. After all, if diamonds are a girl's best friend, why should we wait around for someone else to gift them to us when we can already afford them? I've seen plenty of Lab Diamond Necklaces that I like, so why shouldn't I splash out on myself if I want to?

In all fairness, this isn't to make light of purchasing a diamond and the economic ability to do so-it's a purchase that takes consideration and gravitas. But it's an innately personal one that, at the right time and the right celebratory moment, can feel so rewarding and well-deserved: a timeless piece of jewelry to hold on to, as a testament of your hard work. I've heard that some women like to treat themselves to gold quartz jewelry that you find at https://orocal.com/ or somewhere similar when they want to treat themselves to a gift. Who wouldn't want to have timeless pieces like this?

Just the other week, as you might have spied on Instagram, I attended the "Brilliance Revealed: The Artistry Behind Diamond Design" event to learn more about the "Real is Rare. Real is a Diamond" campaign at an intimate diamond design demonstration held at William Goldberg Diamonds. As someone who loves seeing how things are made, it was a real honor to be invited to William Goldberg, a company with such rich history, to better understand how a rough diamond is transformed into a finished piece of jewelry, a process that can take anywhere from several weeks to several months to finish. There we met William Lopez, Master Diamond cutter for William Goldberg with more than 46 years of experience. He studies, examines and eventually architects some of the company's most notable diamonds, including the 48.2 ct ASHOKA cut ring you see me wearing here in several of the photos.

In short: it was humbling. The meticulous attention to detail and the craft were similar to that of an artist's studio, where the painter allows the canvas and oils to lead the way. Here too, the master diamond cutters examine all angles and imperfections to allow for the most brilliant faceted design to shine through.

Admittedly, I've never been in a diamond design studio before, so it was like a peek behind a very heavy curtain for me, and one that I think only added to the weight of the idea of purchasing a diamond for myself, from myself, in celebration of, well, myself. Diamonds are precious, rare and billions of years old before they're even brought to the light of day to be witnessed and worn by you and I. There's a proud finality to them-they're intrinsically unique and one-of-a-kind, hand crafted by both nature and talented experts likely William Lopez. And I think for those reasons alone, it's easy to see how diamonds have the ability to single-handedly play huge roles in not just one, but many pivotal moments in our lives as women (whether we're the ones buying them or not), from marriage to children, from promotions to declarations of self-love, to name only a few.

As you might have guessed by now, this empowering notion is largely why the "Real is Rare. Real is a Diamond" campaign struck such a chord with me. If and when I make this purchase (granted, I won't be scooping up the ASHOKA diamond ring you see here anytime soon -- but hey, perhaps someday I will!), it will be a gift from me to me, in celebration of things I've accomplished and how hard I've worked for them. Unlike Carrie, I won't be creating a wedding registry for my own nuptials with myself (unless my Manolos suddenly go missing!). Instead I'm excited to be working with Jillian over the coming weeks to design a custom-made diamond swivel ring and I'm even more excited to share her work with you all along the way!

In the meantime, I'd love to know, what are some recent milestones you've celebrated? And how did you celebrate them for yourself?

OUTFIT DETAILS: Sui Studio suit // Sergio Rossi heels // William Goldberg earrings and diamond ring (borrowed for shoot)

Photos by Shijing Wang

This post was in collaboration with Real is Rare. Real is a Diamond. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!

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