Holiday Gift Guide: BFF

Now that Thanksgiving is over the holiday season has officially begun! Gift giving can be quite stressful, especially if you have a lot of people to shop for. I'm here to make things easier for you with my holiday gift guides. All of these things you can purchase online which means not having to deal with the mall chaos! So sit back and relax with that mug of spiked cocoa and let Duchess help you become the perfect gift giver.

All of my best friends are completely different, which makes present shopping just a wee bit tricky. There's Emily, who loves reading and traveling; Christina, my ride or die that loves to party; and Nicole, the down-to-earth music lover. Because my friends are unique in how I buy them gifts, I figure I would divide my gift guide based on personality. From the fashionista to the homebody, I have the perfect gift for each of your pals!

Holiday Gift Guide: Best Friend

The Fitness Lover
If your BFF is all about that fit life, then clearly she needs a water bottle to stay hydrated! I love these ones from Blogilates because not only do they have motivational phrases on them, but on the side of the bottle there's a timeline so you're sure to stay on track with your water intake. She'll be the envy of all at the gym!


The Fashionista
Brooches are SO in right now so if your BFF is on top of the trends she'll be needing some. Olivia Palermo recently launched a line with Baublebar and every piece is gorgeous but these brooches really stand out to me. She can wear them on her coat, sweater, scarf...wherever!


The Traveler
How precious is this makeup bag?! One struggle I know I have with traveling is keeping everything organized when I pack so I know where it is once I land. With this makeup bag your BFF will know exactly wear to find her mascara and lipstick in any city!


The Party Girl
Whoever invented this is my HERO! Tequila shots are essential for every party girl, so why not skip a step and take the shot out of a glass made of salt?! Plus they're pink and adorable and the perfect addition to any bar cart.


The Homebody
Isn't this pillow hilarious? If you're best friend is more of a "Netflix at home" kinda gal then this pillow is perfect for her. It's stylish enough to be the perfect addition to any sofa or bed!


The Make-up Guru
If I need this palette in my life, then your makeup loving best friend needs this palette in her life. Not only is it a collab with Gwen Stefani (queen) but the colors are perfect. There's neutral tones, pops of color, and just the right amount of shimmer. Urban Decay never makes a bad eyeshadow palette and your BFF will not be disappointed!


The Classy One
Nothing is more classy than wine! This wine glass let's anyone around your BFF know that she's fancy and better than them. Plus a girl can never have too many wine glasses!


The Hot Mess
As soon as I saw this kit I started laughing. It's named a "one night stand" kit so what's not to love?? This gift is great for your best friend who tends to find herself doing a walk-of-shame more often than she'd like to admit.




Until next time my loves x.

Trip Guide: Paris!

My only concern is: WHY AM I BACK IN REALITY?! Paris was just as amazing as everyone says it is and if it weren't for the nasty cold I caught on the way back I would have stayed forever. The food, the people, the scenery -- every little thing was perfect. We stayed mostly on the left bank but visited all the sights within our time there. We even went to Champagne and toured le Domain de Pommery (where I drank some of the best sparkling wine of my life). I can't wait to plan my next trip and get to see even more of the City of Lights.

It saddens me that recently my second home has seen great tragedy. My heart goes out to them and to my French readers: know that I am here for you. Liberté, equalité, fraternité.

Trip Guide: Paris

Know a Little French to Guide You

Imagine someone talking to you in a foreign language and expecting you to understand every word. Would you be happy? Absolutely not, and I think part of this "assuming all Frenchies know English" is one of the reasons we label them with attitudes. You can't expect an entirely different country to fit your needs, so just by knowing "please" "thank you" "hello" and "how much is this" will get you a lot further with a lot nicer crowd. As long as you're trying they'll appreciate you, and what's so wrong with expanding your knowledge of languages?

Learn the Metro

We never used a taxi other than the car service that took us to and from Charles de Gaulle. The subway system in Paris is honestly one of the best public transportation systems in the world. You can go literally anywhere on the metro and can connect to all the major train stations. A packet of 10 tickets is around 8 euro and you can use the same ticket to transfer from bus/subway/train within an hour and a half limit. As long as you know what stop you need to get off you will be perfectly fine and will get to experience the authentic way of French travel!

You Will Never Have a Bad Meal in Paris

Whomever told you meals are small in France is a filthy liar. You get so much food for your money that it breaks your heart that doggy-bags are not common nature. There's a miraculous thing in Paris called "le formule" that America needs to adopt ASAP. During lunch hours, restaurants have a "formula" you can choose from: appetizer and main dish or main dish and dessert. This ranges from 15-17€ and you get so. much. food. My favorite meal was at a pub down the street from our hotel on La Rue Montparnasse. Living in Colorado, fresh (and delicious) seafood is hard to come by so one thing I vowed while being in Paris was to eat all the seafood I craved. A famous French meal is moules et frites (mussels and fries) and that was my number one meal to try during my stay. So after a day of exploring Le Cathédral de Notre Dame, we hopped off the metro and wandered into this pub (I wish for the life of me I could remember the name). They had a special formule for moules et frites which included mussels, fries, and a German beer. When our food arrived I couldn't believe my eyes -- my mom and I had a pot full of 2 lbs of mussels each. It was the best meal of the trip and we were so full that as soon as we got back to our room we took a much needed nap! I miss French food dearly and every meal I had holds a special place in my heart (especially gelato from Amorino).

Beware of the Tourists

I could not believe how many tourists we saw in Paris. I'm used to the amount you usually see at the American hotspots, but that couldn't compare to how many tourists visit Paris. Due to my terrible fear of heights, I never planned on going up the Eiffel Tower and I'm kind of happy about it -- the wait just for tickets was 2 hours. Not to mention that where there are tourists there are street vendors and pickpockets. The street vendors shove cheap merchandise in your face whereas the pickpockets, well, pick your pockets. One thing to be mindful of is NEVER ADMIT YOU SPEAK ENGLISH! One of the thieves' traps is to talk to you about something in English and then two of her friends try to sneak your wallet out of your pocket or purse. If they have a clipboard and ask if you speak English look at them like they're crazy and keep walking. Basically anyone with a clipboard is a scam and some thieves even go so low to pretend they're deaf or mute. Just be mindful of your surroundings and who is around you. But don't let the bad people ruin your fun! Paris is beautiful and worth every minute. Most importantly try to get to attractions early to avoid too much of a wait time!

Indulge in the Wine

In the US, a glass of Chardonnay will run you $6 whereas a Diet Coke is $2. In Paris, however, these two drinks cost the exact same. Soda fountains aren't common in France so most of the time when you order a soda you are receiving the can, which they will up-charge you for. In general, bottles of wine are just cheaper in France, probably because they don't have to pay export fees and such, and therefore a glass of wine at a restaurant is also inexpensive. I drank wine with every meal I wanted to because it didn't break my budget. Now, I'm not saying you should drop 20€ on the giant glass of Cab Franc at every meal, but if you want to a few times go for it. Then every other time you can enjoy the 4€ glass of Pouilly Fumé or Beaujolais. You're in France, the mecca of wine, so you might as well drink like a true amateur du vin!

Until next time my loves x.

Album Review: Made in the A.M.

Okay, I'm a piece of shit. No matter how often I tell myself I need to get over this boyband they keep sucking me back in because One Direction is a blackhole. But let me be straight with you for a minute -- I'm in love with this album. Never did I ever think anything would top Take Me Home (the greatest pop album of the decade if you ask me) but these little assholes proved me wrong. It's almost like since the whole Zayn fiasco they have finally found their rhythm (tear). A lot of the songs are more low-key and slow than usual, but there are a few upbeat songs that satisfy my appetite. Overall I'm madly in love and need to find something better to waste my time with.

Warning: My fangirl might come out. Sorry in advance.

Made in the A.M. Album Review

1. Hey Angel -- Okay honestly this song makes 0 sense to me and I don't see the point in it. "Oh I wish I could be more like you" but why, Louis, are you saying you want to be dead? How uncouth. "Do you wish you could be more like me?" Well, yes, I'd assume an angel would want to be human again because then you get to be, I don't know, ALIVE. There's probably some deeper meaning to this song I'm not getting but to me it sounds like they want to communicate with the dead. Best part of the song is Liam in the bridge talking about backseats and noises and everything else that makes my breathing heavy. *heart eyes*

2. Drag Me Down -- This song is the "Best Song Ever" of the album; as in it's a good song but it doesn't really fit the feel of the album. Don't get me wrong because I still love it, it's just I'm not sure why it's on the album if that makes sense? "I got a fire for a heart" is a really good lyric and I like the whole theme "our love is so strong that nothing can bring it down." The music video is pretty rad as well cause they're at NASA or something and I just love space OKAY.

3. Perfect -- This song will always remind me of Paris because that's where I was when the single came out. Rumor has it this is Harry's "Taylor Swift Song" but who cares about that I mean stop being stuck in the past. Perfect speaks to me on a spiritual level because I indeed like "causing trouble up in hotel rooms", "having secret little rendezvous", and "doing all the things I know we shouldn't do." If you really listen to the song (I totally stole this from a Tumble post no lie) it's not about them being crazy young men, but the fact that being with them involves a not so normal life. They "[aren't] good at making promises" because they are constantly on the go and doing things that take a lot of time. Being in hotel rooms, going places you can't even pronounce -- that's their everyday life and it's something the person they are with needs to be okay with, i.e. "perfect." But that's sad so whatever have you seen the music video because HARRY!

4. Infinity -- I hate songs that make me cry but then I also love this song with all my heart. This song is about having your heart broken but not getting over the person -- something we can all relate to. "Everybody wants you" thanks, Liam, I agree so glad we're on the same level please tell that to all the boys I like so they get jealous. "How many nights do you wish someone would stay" COUNTLESS HARRY, OKAY, COUNTLESS! Infinity is the kind of song that would be in every Nicholas Sparks movie trailer and I am 1000% okay with that. Plus Harold hits those high notes and I feel tingly.

5. End of the Day -- "All I know at the end of the day is you want what you want and you say what you say" so poetic and intellectual wow. Sarcasm aside, I really like this song because the verses and chorus are on different beats and I don't know it just meshes really well. "You and I can stay awake and keep on dreaming" STOP LOUIS YOUR HIGH NOTES MAKE MY BODY NUMB. Then there's Harry high notes and this song is honestly too much for me someone take it away.

6. If I Could Fly -- I want this to be my wedding song. No lie this song makes me cry because it's so beautifully written. "For your eyes only, I show you my heart" I mean with a lyric like that how can you not want to bury your face in gelato and die. "Pay attention I hope that you listen" I am, Niall, I AM AND I AM NOT OKAY! "I'm missing half of me when we're apart" literally stab my chest how can they write something like this and expect me to go on living my life. Best part is when they each sing a line a cappella and you slowly see my face melt. And don't even get me started on Liam and Harry riffs.

7. Long Way Down -- Gonna admit this song isn't one of my favorites but I still like it. "We sailed an ocean and drowned in a wave" I don't know when these boys started writing such deep lyrics but it's killing me. I want to dedicate this song to the boy I loved Junior year because it was a helluva long way down when that ended. Also there's a lot of Liam in this song which is always ace.

8. Never Enough -- THIS MY JAM! Weird chanting and grunting as background noise? I'm into it. "Lips so good I forget my name" TATTOO THAT ON YOUR CHEST FOR ME NIALL! That is my favorite line of this whole song and I can't write in coherent words what it does to me. Niall or Liam or someone continually shouts "come on" which doesn't add on to my "lips so good" situation, neither does the screeching of "it's never" by one of those assholes. Never Enough is one of the more upbeat songs of the album and it's just amazing and please listen to it but remember I called dibs on 4/4 so bye.

9. Olivia -- "Diana" 2.0. Just as I felt with "Diana" on Midnight Memories, this song isn't a favorite but I will sing a long whenever it comes on shuffle. I like in the beginning how they chat about something and it reminds me of "Lovebug" by the Jonas Brothers HAHAHA. Harry's bridge singing "you live in my imagination" reminds me of that song in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when they're in the elevator. Don't ask why; it just does. Also Louis hits some good notes and I'm feeling it.

10. What A Feeling -- DISCO IS NOT DEAD PEOPLE! I read that 1D said this song was inspired by Fleetwood Mac and I can hear it. Perfect playlist: Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac, September by Earth Wind and Fire, What a Feeling, and then finish it off with Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars. TELL ME THAT DOESN'T AMAZING! "What a feeling to be a king beside you know" I'm happy they understand I'm a queen and this definitely boosts my ego. This song is just a real cool jam that you can put on while you're getting ready. And I want to see Louis with an afro.

11. Love You Goodbye -- A song about breakup sex...THANK YOU ONE DIRECTION! "Even though it's over you should stay tonight" oh should I, Harry, SHOULD I?! I will indeed "give it to you one last time" just putting that out there. Love You Goodbye is one of my top songs off the album because it's the power ballad I've been craving since "Moments." Then Niall goes and "my heart's already breaking baby go on twist the knife" LIKE STOP I'M SORRY! And Louis comes in again with another high note like he owns the damn place. This song is a 10/10 would have makeup sex with.

12. I Want to Write You a Song -- This song is so sweet I get a toothache. "Everything I need I get from you" really, Louis, you need to stop making me feel guilty for ignoring your last album like the black plague. IWTWYAS (nice acronym, Lexi) is a nice acoustic break on the album. It kind of ties the whole thing together if you ask me. Plus Niall is just so freaking cute I want to pinch his cheeks.

13. History -- "You gotta help me I'm losing my mind" well so am I Harold because this song is SO CATCHY AND WONDERFUL! The chorus reminds me of a concert in itself because it's just a choir of people singing and it's beautiful. Then Louis comes in with his bridge that forces me to shove my nails into my thighs, "mini bars, expensive cars, hotel rooms, and new tattoos..." etc etc KILL ME! Louis just really shines on this album and it makes my heart happy.

****BONUS TRACKS****

14. Temporary Fix -- A song about hookups? One Direction secretly likes to talk about sex without actually saying the word. That being said, this is hands down my favorite song off the album. It's like "Kiss You" and "No Control" had a baby. "You can call me when you feel like I'm your good time" cannot be more blatantly obvious about late night bootycalls. BEST PART is Louis in the bridge with "let me touch you where your heart is" I KNOW WHAT YOU REALLY MEAN LOUIS AND I'M CRAZY ABOUT IT. Temporary Fix has a sick beat and dirty lyrics and it's just everything so listen to it.

15. Walking in the Wind -- Not really a fan. It's almost Bob Dylan-esque in the verses and then the chorus is very The Fray-like. I honestly really like the chorus but as a whole the song does nothing for me. That's one thing that's nice about this album -- even songs I don't really like I still do because in some way they are catchy.

16. Wolves -- This song reminds me of something and I can't put my finger on it. Nonetheless I really like this song and I feel as though they wrote it about me seeing as how so many guys are after me (not). It's almost as if Little Red Riding Hood turned naughty and now all the wolves are after her and  poor 1D has to warn her. "Heading straight for your heart like a bullet in the dark" is très poetic and sort of gives the feel for the entire song.

17. A.M. -- Another top song off the album for me. This is the first song EVER where they swear and that makes my thighs burn. A.M. sounds like the kind of song you and your friends sing at the bonfire after graduation. It's very anthem-like and cool, "swimming round in our glasses/and talking out of our asses" is a line that speaks to the drunk college student who wants to reminisce. It's mellow but you can still comfortably sing along at the top of your lungs. As the final song on the Deluxe Version I think it brings the album to a perfect close -- the morning.

WTW: Airport Chic

Hiiiiii and welcome to my new post segment: What to Wear (WTW for short because I'm lazy)! In these posts I will be focusing on essentials/must-haves to wear for certain events or places you find yourself going to. This includes the airport (dry recycled air...am I right?), grocery store (why are flip-flops allowed to be worn outside of the pool?), and whatever other places I deem necessary. Feel free to take my advice and roll with it so you can be the most fashionable (and functional) wherever you go!

What to Wear to the Airport

Denver International Airport is always a mad house, but just because I'm stressed about TSA ripping me a new one (they terrify me) doesn't mean I don't always try to look my best. Now, I'm not talking heels and a homecoming dress, but more of a comfy-chic attire. My go-to look is leggings, sneakers, a scarf, and a cardigan with a tank underneath. I never know if my flight will be 20 degrees or 90 degrees, so layers are great because I can adjust to the temperatures as needed.

Another things I always wear are crazy socks. That makes the awkward shoeless walk through security a bit fun and I always have someone laugh or smile at my food-themed feet! Oh, and the bigger the scarf the better, especially because if it gets too cold you can use it as a blanket on the flight.

This may seem pointless to some of you, but I always put makeup on before going anywhere. My mother taught me this, and I appreciate her wisdom because it is true that you never know who you're going to run-into. What if I meet Harry Styles at Heathrow and I look like a walking corpse with bags under my eyes and chapped lips? No thank you! Looking good makes you feel good and that's what is most important. I don't wear too much makeup, just enough to cover zits and dark spots and make my eyes look awake. I also carry these items in my carry-on for touchups before I land. My brows are always on fleek (it's inevitable) and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz is my holy grail. A little tip about mascara -- wear waterproof.  Waterproof mascara won't smudge like a regular one and will prevent you from looking like a raccoon after your in-flight nap!

Image via Hello Giggles

I always carry a few essentials with me in my carry-on so I can be nice and refreshed by the time I land. Paris will be my first international flight across the Atlantic (the Caribbean has been my second home since I was 7) and I'm sort of bugging out on what I should bring! I've been scouring tons of blogs and Instagrams and now feel comfortable with what I'm going to pack. My favorite items are a neck pillow and eye mask -- you won't be sorry when you feel comfortable sleeping! I love the illustration above from Hello Giggles because 1) visuals are everything and 2) I 10000% agree with their suggestions. I never remember a water bottle from home (although I have thousands) but I think it's worth the price when you're in the dry desert we call airplanes. Just make sure all the liquids you do bring are in 3oz or less bottles! Oh, and this new sheet mask craze is a blessing and I would strongly suggest throwing one in your bag. I went with the Tony Moly coconut sheet mask (it's only sold in stores) because you get two sheet masks for the price of one! There's nothing I love more than a deal. Plus they have a red wine mask and I'm kicking myself for not buying it.




I hope you enjoyed my guide to being Airport Chic! Let me know in the comments below what you like to wear to the airport!


Until next time my loves x.