Happy almost 2016! Can you all believe how fast this year went by? It's seriously so mind blowing that we've reached the final day of 2015 and the opportunity to start over is nearly here.  This was a hell of a year for me.  I did so much, discovered things about myself, went through tough phases but more than anything I loved and I learned.  I kept myself busy this year by searching very hard for a new job and often times strayed away from this blog, only to return when I most needed inspiration.  I discovered this year that THIS is my happy place and this little blog that I created almost three years ago now is the place where I want to continue investing my time.  My resolution for next year is to do more on here and to continue growing Brocade Closet.  All that it has become already is something I seriously never banked on.  I want to create more engagement not only through my social media but on here as well! I want to be more active and share more about my life, abilities and interests on here.  The inspiration is there and I can't wait to continue sharing with you all!  The possibilities are endless and it'll be so fun to have you guys be part of my next journey.  Thank you so much for following me around and for allowing me to pursue dreams I never thought were possible!  Cheers to the New Year, happy 2016 everyone!

Yours Truly,

Melissa Victoria
Brocade Closet

Shaggy Coat | Hello Winter!

Shop The Look:

Shaggy Coat: Zara (shop similar here + here) // Dress: Zara (shop similar here + super cute here + here) // Thigh High Boots: ShoeDazzle (shop similar here + here) // Clutch: Forever 21 (shop here + similar here)

Are you all freezing or what!?  Earlier this week I pulled out this shaggy Zara coat I purchased last year during their end of season sale, and I was super excited to wear it because I just knew I would be warm during this freakishly cold winter. I've only worn it once or twice before (because sometimes I feel like it's too much lol) but something about it just makes me LOVE it!  I think it's more so because I had been on a hunt for a big furry coat for a while before I found this one, and when I did, I didn't think twice about it and marched straight up to the register.  Needless to say, this is definitely one of my favorite winter fashion staples and I truly hope I get plenty of opportunities to wear it this season-because seriously what other season is this coat even acceptable in haha!?  Have a wonderful week, check back with you all soon!

Xo..Brocade Closet

5 Fun Things To Do w/ Your Honey This December

This is probably the most exciting post I’ve ever written because my boyfriend, socially known as King Martin, is in it!  Martin and I are total opposites and when he signed up to be my boyfriend, he probably had no idea what it meant to date a blogger and how many pictures it would require.  He jokes with me from time to time about not being included in my blog, and it’s true, I really have never talked about Martin on here haha sorry!  Martin and I have been dating for two years now and he is just my every day muse!  He’s easily one of the funniest people I’ve ever met and it’s seriously so much fun to date him and be part of each other’s lives.  So, thank you Martin for inspiring this post- even though I know we probably won’t do half of what’s on my list lol.  See below for a few fun things you can do with your honey this December, and if you don’t have one, grab a friend or family member instead :)

1. Ice Skating: Take your honey by the hand and enjoy a fun night of ice skating! This screams romantic to me, can’t you imagine it? An outside venue, city lights, music, Christmas decorations everywhere?  Sounds like DTLA’s Pershing Square ice rink to me ;)

2. Charity Work: There are so many events taking place this month in support of communities in need.  Choose an event that brings meaning to both you and your honey and enjoy a day of giving back.  I love puppies and would love to find a shelter that needs extra blankets and sweaters this season.  Actually, you know what I have in my closet!? A bunch of Martin’s sweaters that he refuses to take home because they don’t fit in his own closet.  Off to the puppies they go boo thang, hope you're reading :)

3. Browse Christmas Lights:  One of my favorite childhood traditions is visiting neighborhoods with huge houses to see how they decorated their homes.  It would be so fun to take a walk through a lit up neighborhood, sip on hot chocolate and maybe talk about your dream homes while you're at it!?  This activity is starting to sound like the perfect 'let's talk about our future' opportunity haha.

4. Wrapping Party: Take a day to stay in with your significant other to wear your jammies all morning and wrap presents. Depending on my mood, I can either be a lazy wrapper and toss everything in a bag, or I can be get into a detailed mood and be very picky about my wrapping paper.  I don't think Martin knows how to wrap gifts, so I think this would be a great opportunity for him to have me wrap his (so maybe this isn't a fun thing to do anymore?)

5. Rent A Cabin: Helloooo this is a no brainer! Nothing else screams holiday and Christmas to me than a whole mountain of snow, flannels and mittens.  Take a trip to a popular mountain and learn how to snowboard or how about ski!?  If you browse Air BNB, you can probably find some super good deals, have fun!

Chat with you all later!

Xo..Brocade Closet

DIY Santa Bag

Good morning and HAPPY SUNDAY!  The weekend is coming to an end and if you don't have any Sunday Funday plans, I have a DIY for you :).  This month, all my DIY's will be Christmas focused (duh) and my first is a how-to guide for making this Santa bag.  It's really easy and only took about an hour or so to make.  Let's go over all materials and instructions!

You'll need:

1 yd of red fleece (72 inches wide)

Ribbon of your choice-length is up to you

Scissors, pins and glue gun

4 felt squares for the letters (I used a thin plastic type, not sure what it's called)

Instructions:

1. On the back side of your felt squares, trace your big letters.  I free-handed this, but if you need a stencil, I suggest printing huge letters off of Word and using that as a guide.  After you're done tracing your letters, go ahead and cut them out :)

2. Take your yard of fleece and pin the sides that aren't already connected together.  When you pin them, you'll start to form the bag. 

3. After you're done pinning, run a basic stitch all along the two sides to fully connect the bag.  Don't worry about sewing the raw edges, fleece fabric doesn't come undone (best fabric ever).

4. Next, flip your bag inside out and you're done with the bag itself.

5. After that, take your ribbon spool and measure out the length you'll want for your ribbon.

6. Finally, place the letters on your bag and simply glue gun them down.  Before I glued them onto the actual bag, I glued the letters together so that this last step would be much easier and I wouldn't have to be rearranging last minute, etc :)

Easy right??  Let me know if you guys have any questions, have a great day! 

Xo..Brocade Closet 

Trench Envy

Hey guys!  It's the weirdest thing to say, but it's actually really cold here in Southern CA!  I remember last year around Thanksgiving our temps were in the 80's, and now just a week post Thanksgiving this year, temps are in the 50's and 60's.  I have to admit, it's a nice feeling to actually experience fall and winter and not dream about it or see it through someone else's social media haha.  I would definitely say my favorite part about being cold is taking out the good old Burberry trench.  I've worn this coat a few times in the past, and every time I did, I got the 'it's not that cold to be wearing a trench' look-and they were all probably right haha!  This time around, looks are different and I'm definitely getting the 'trench envy' stares instead.  Love this trench for being so lightweight, chic and actually warm all at the same time.  Invest in a Burberry trench guys, you will love wearing it everyday!  Talk to you guys later!

Xo..Brocade Closet

Chic Work Desk

Office Essentials by brocadecloset featuring Room Essentials

My current work desk is an absolute loser-it has NOTHING on it haha.  I started my new job about a month ago now and I truly think it's time I move myself in and decorate it! This morning I went to TJ Maxx with my sister and found so many adorable desk items, for of course affordable prices (DUH).  Then it totally dawned on me that work desks can be chic too! I guess maybe it was because in my previous job, all my desk essentials were already provided for me, and in my new job, I now have the opportunity to decorate my work space to my own liking.  This morning's purchase was only the beginning to my desks transition and so far, I have printed file folders, a few colored pens, a flower vase, 2016 calendar, a desk organizer and a few other items.  Seriously who would have ever thought I'd be so excited to go to work and sit at my desk haha.  Anyway, above are a few of my favorite items, I'll talk to you guys later!

xo..Brocade Closet

DIY: Breakfast At Tiffany's Sleep Mask

If I could ever be a fictional character for one day, I would be Holly Golightly from Breakfast At Tiffany's.  I obviously can't be her, but I can most definitely try to emulate her style by recreating some of my favorite Holly Golightly outfits.  One of my favorite accessories she wears in the film is her sleep mask-tell me you guys have seen how adorable it is! I've contemplated making a replica for some time now and now that I've finally gotten to it, I feel like Holly herself waking up ;) It's super easy to make, let's go over all the details below!

You will need:

1. Sleep mask pattern (I sketched mine, but there are tons available online for free)

2. Gold bias tape

3. Gold ribbon

4. 1/2 yd gold sequence trim

5. Two 2" cuts of any trim resembling eyelashes and another two 2" inch cuts of thin chord (mine was a thin elastic chord)

5. Fleece and silky fabric (I only used about 10 inches of fabric)

6. Scissors, pins and a glue gun

Step 1: Place the pattern over both fabrics, pin it down and cut around the pattern.  I pinned the pattern down so it wouldn't move, but you can also just trace the pattern and cut it out.  For the fleece, make sure your fabric is folded so that you essentially cut two layers of fleece for extra cushion.

Step 2: Over your silky fabric, begin to place your thin chord (eyebrows) and the trim (eyelashes) and then glue them down.  Depending on how you want to do this, you can either add hot glue directly onto the fabric and then apply the trims, or you can dab hot glue onto the trim themselves and then set them down.  Totally up to you!

Step 3 (optional): After your eyelashes and eyebrows have been glued, pin all three layers together and run a basic stitch along the edge of the sleep mask.  You don't have to do this, I just do it for better control when I pin down the bias tape.

Step 4: Apply the bias tape around the edge of your sleep mask (make sure the tape covers all three layers of fabric) and then run a simple basic stitch.

Step 5: With your gold ribbon, cut two 20 inch pieces and apply them onto the sides of the mask.  You can run a zig-zag stitch or multiple basic stitches, the point is to make sure the ribbon is in place and won't detach from the mask.

Step 5: Finally, over the bias tape, glue down the gold sequence all along the edge and then you're done!

Fall Neutrals//Blanket Scarf

Shop the Look

White Tee: Forever 21 (shop here +here) // White Jeans: Michael Kors (shop similar here + here) // Booties: Enzo Angiolini (shop clearance here + similar here + splurge here) // Bag: Rebecca Minkoff (shop here + very similar here) // Blanket Scarf: Handmade (shop similar here + here) 

Okay here's the story: My name is Melissa and I admit I have a scarf addiction!  My absolute favorite accessory is a scarf and I have quite the collection.  Last year during my family trip to Guatemala, we passed by a town called Antigua.  In the center of Antigua, artisans come out to sell their handmade goods and I swear to you all, they come up with the most beautiful and bright designs I've ever laid my eyes on.  I hit the jackpot when we found a group of women weaving and selling blanket scarves in several colors.  Naturally, I wanted every single color and well I guess the funny part is that between my mom, sister and I, we really did walk away with every color these women had to offer.  I've yet to find more scarves in the states that resemble the ones we purchased in Antigua which really makes me sad but SO HAPPY we took advantage of the scarves that are so unique and only cost an equivalent to five dollars each!  Anyway I wish you all a wonderful week, check back in with you guys later!

Xo..Brocade Closet