These Hand-Drawn Holiday Cards Are Cooler Than Hallmark

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Racked LA associate editor Danielle Directo-Meston: I usually try to stay secular when it comes to holiday greetings, but SoCal artist Julie Ann's hand-drawn Christmas cards are just too damn adorable to pass up. Simple with just a hint of cynicism, these cards are sure to warm the hearts of even the coldest of Grinches on your list. 

In an effort to include all of my pals, I plan on picking up the menorah version for my Jewish friends and this decidedly non-religious card for my super Scroogey buddies who are just as secretly into the festive season as I am.

Racked DC editor Adele Chapin: I'm drawn to party dresses with sleeves. It's a little bit prim and proper of me, but practically speaking, it works because I'm always freezing. This Aritzia dress is really, really covered up. It is, in fact, a turtleneck going-out dress. Stay with me here. It's 90s sleek. Picture supermodel Amber Valletta wearing this dress with slicked back hair and minimal accessories. And there's a very unexpected cut-out in the back that makes it special. Definitely shows more skin than you would expect of a turtleneck party dress.

Racked NY editor Tiffany Yannetta: I'm moving into an apartment that finally has a decent-sized bathroom, which is great, specifically because I'm an Intervention-level beauty product hoarder. Muji's stackable rectangular bamboo/rattan baskets have been a total game changer. They keep all my miscellaneous serums, sugar scrubs, and sunless tanners in a manageable order, and look good on a shelf. 

You can buy a matching lid for the stuff you'd prefer to remain unseen, or keep them open for the products you want to show off—that's where my Diptyque stash goes.

Racked editorial director Izzy Grinspan: For the longest time, I thought I hated rose gold. It's gold, but it's pink—I mean, pick an identity, am I right? But then I realized that, like Beatrice with Benedick or a thousand romcom heroines with that guy they're always running into at the coffee shop, I hated because I secretly loved. 

Rose gold looks great with other metals, so you can mix it easily with yellow or white gold, platinum, or silver. And it feels feminine even in tougher shapes, like this arrow ring from Brooklyn designer Yayoi Forest. Worn alone or as part of a stack, it's a testament to rose gold's versatility. 

p.s. If you're looking for wedding jewelry, check out Forest's slightly pricier stuff. There's a hammered, diamond-studded wedding band on her website that's supposed to evoke an English rose garden, if you're into that kind of thing. Which, it turns out, I definitely am.

Racked LA associate editor Danielle Directo-Meston: The holidays are coming, so the husband and I are due for a few road trips to spend some quality time with the fams. Like many people, I hate packing for vacations and driving anywhere for more than an hour, so I cope by collecting little carryalls for all the upcoming travels I dread preparing for.

Because I inevitably forget many travel-sized toiletries, this super-adorable illustrated Maptote makeup pouch is the perfect visual packing list that doubles as a stylish essentials holder. At 11" x 7" x 3", this sturdy canvas case is fairly compact but still capable of holding all of my miscellaneous must-haves.
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