Holiday StyleCountdownwithTiffany & Co.

This time last year I was saying my goodbyes to NYC. And what made leaving the city I loved for so many years especially bittersweet was leaving during the holidays amid the most gorgeous holiday lights. Lights, that in true New York City fashion, couldn’t be any prettier or more dazzling. I spent my last night at the famed Plaza Hotel so I could check off that bucket-list item before leaving a city full of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. As a tourist, so many places are on the itinerary but growing up in and around NYC like I did, you often don’t think to indulge in every sightseeing landmark, because, for one, it will always be there and you are spoiled with gorgeous landmarks at every turn. Just the window shopping alone at Christmastime in New York can be a thrill.

Cut to a year later and I am celebrating the holidays among palm trees and sometime near 80-degree temps exploring all of what L.A. has to offer. When I was inspired to create an Audrey-Hepburn look for Christmastime I didn’t give popping into Tiffany & Co. Beverly Hills another thought. What I didn’t imagine is that I would encounter so much present-day Audrey inspiration there, and that the allure of the brand at Christmastime would feel just as nostalgic as Fifth Avenue in New York City at Christmas, AND, that I’d have the chance to try on almost $80,000 worth of jewelry.

Entering the store from the Wilshire Boulevard side on the downstairs level you"ll find Tiffany & Co. home and gifts. Here is where you want to spend your time picking out all those Tiffany Blue accessories from jewelry boxes and keychains to those iconic heart chains Tiffany’s is so well known for. The first sight upon entering is the Tiffany’s Christmas tree with all those dreamy blue gift packages displayed below like an elegant Christmas dream. I was surprised to find a portrait of my holiday muse in all her Holly Golightly finery looking on and we couldn’t resist snapping a pic.

What’s so appealing about the Tiffany’s legacy is that it's so classic and modern all at once. If you want a wedding band or to just adorn yourself in sapphires or spend a little less and treat yourself or someone you love all the same there are so many elegant affordable gifts. I’ll never forget my first piece of Tiffany’s jewelry gifted to me by my sister Stephanie: a silver heart charm bracelet with Christina engraved across a pristine silver heart. It was my first piece from a prestige line and such a gift almost feels like a rite of passage to sophisticated style. And that is what my big sister knew when she gifted it. This was a gift for not just a girl but a girl who was also a woman.

And in the modern vein, Tiffany’s newest campaign for their Hardwear collection features as spokesperson and model none other than Lady Gaga. As a chameleon of style the choice is fitting as she represents so many archetypes of women both real and imaginary and is so thoroughly modern herself. We often see her these days as a more dressed down version of herself and people will often refer to as “Stephanie,” which is her birth name. And that is how she appears in her spot for Tiffany & Co., dressed demurely in a black turtleneck with platinum locks slicked back the video shot in black and white. If you haven’t seen the clip its worth a watch to hear her talk about her ever-changing style and the power of the Tiffany & Co. legacy from a New Yorker’s point of view. I had my eye on the gold ball drop earrings she dons in the commercial which was playing from a tv screen above the countertops so I couldn’t resist trying on a similar style from the collection as there they were before my very eyes. I’d like to think it’s exactly what Ms. Hepburn would choose for herself today. And the matching chunky ball wrap bracelet is so fun and holiday don’t you think?

On to the upstairs of Tiffany’s where the wedding bands are and case after case of fine jewels. When I saw their Prism collection, a legacy collection reimagined for today with green emerald and pink sapphires, I was literally swooning. And when given the opportunity to try on a necklace and ring priced at $35,000 each while dressed as my muse Ms. Hepburn it literally felt like a moment out of Pretty Woman. I couldn’t be more grateful to Tiffany’s for such a warm welcome and unforgettable experience to bring my style inspiration to life.

On Artfully, my wish is for every woman to feel like a starlet. To harness the power of the images that inspire you for yourself in a way that empowers you to go after your goals. Audrey Hepburn herself said you too can get her style: “My look is attainable. Women can look like Audrey Hepburn by flipping out their hair, buying the large sunglasses, and the little sleeveless dresses.”

So, why not throwback to another time with a swish of a shift dress (say that five times fast!) and an elegant updo this holiday season. Year after year, I look to fill my closet with timeless styles that I will return to and who better than an icon like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s to inspire your entrance? I bought this dress, just like Audrey’s feathery Givenchy shift seen here, a few years back at Ann Taylor, so, it’s not this season’s style, but that’s the point. Invest in a classic like an LBD in a shift or fit-and-flare shape and look for special details like sparkle or sequins that you can wear again and again for special occasions from birthdays to dinner parties and black-tie affairs.

Some details to consider when accessorizing: elegant hosiery, diamonds or rhinestones, and feather trims —so big this winter on hemlines, bags, earrings or heels. And, of course, jewelry by Tiffany’s is the perfect pairing. Besides, shopping at Tiffany’s and Christmastime go hand-in-hand wouldn’t you say?