travel guide, traveling on a dime{my trust Target carry-on I've had for eight years}

I have a confession to make: I've never checked a bag while flying. Besides not wanting to deal with the hassle of retrieving my luggage and paying ridiculous fees, I have fears of an airline losing my beloved property. This means that I'm a bit of a pro when it comes to packing a carry on bag. Of course we all know to roll and tuck clothes tightly so you can fit more, but what to bring is just as important.All clothes, accessories and even beauty products should pull double or even triple duty so you can switch up your look without overloading your bag.

The fashion of the 80s can be a bit scary for some but I tend to embrace the trends of yesteryear. Peplum dresses, acid wash jeans and off the shoulder shirts are still pretty hot.And one childhood trend I really love is jelly shoes. You remember jellies. They were the plastic sandals you wore as a kid. They practically melted on your feet and left you with sweaty toes.Well, jellies are back. Designers like Valentino and Givenchy are selling jelly sandals and flats for close to $300.

Designer Jelly shoesI would never pay that much for a pair of jellies, so I was beyond excited when the folks over a Happy Scarf sent me a pair of their jelly flats. They retail for just $24 {currently on sale for $20} and come in colors like black, pink and electric blue.

Jelly flats for summer

This past weekend I hosted a Sip & Swap with the ladies of O So Chic. If you were one of the ladies in attendance, then you know we had a great time and if you couldn't join us, check out the recap.

We sipped on cocktails provided by Ciroc and swapped our gently used {but fab} clothes and accessories. Besides Ciroc, our other sponsors included Golden Krust Bakery, Handbag Heaven, HavaianasHappy Scarf and Housing Works. After swapping clothes for two hours, we still had a ton of clothes left over, but they all found a good home, as they were donated to Housing Works, which isn't just a chain of thrift stores but an organization that supports those in NYC who are homeless and/or living with HIV/AIDS.

Whether the ladies were a size 2 or 12, they all walked out with at least one bag of clothes and accessories.

Sip & Swap Event

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, then you have the dish on the Sip & Swap I'm hosting with O So Chic on Saturday, 4/28. Well, if not, then I'm excited to announce the second annual Sip & Swap. Last year the ladies of O So Chic hosted this event and this year we decided to collaborate.Don't know what a Sip & Swap is? It's exactly what it sounds like. It'll be an afternoon of sipping on cocktails {courtesy of Ciroc} and swapping clothes. Great, right?Bring your clean, gently worn clothes, shoes and accessories and you can swap them with other fashionable ladies. Any clothes that haven't been swapped after the event, are being donated to the thrift store, Housing Works.

We all know that accessories are the quickest way to update a look and a great winter accessory is the scarf. When the people at Happy Scarf contacted me about sending over some samples and doing a giveaway, I jumped at the opportunity. I love throwing a scarf on over or under a jacket or even in the office over a simple cardigan or blazer. It provides warmth and dresses up your existing wardrobe.Two of the scarves I chose were the Zebra Crossing and Centered Polka Dot.

polka dot scarf, zebra scarf

As soon as I took them out of the box I loved how soft and long they were. Measuring more than five feet long, that meant I could wrap them a variety of ways.I like the infinity look so I just wrapped the polka dot scarf around my neck a few times.

how to wear a scarf for fall, looking fly on a dime