Access by NKC 11/16/16 Access by NKC 11/16/16

Access by NKC Holiday Gift Guide

This holiday season is coming up quick and choosing the perfect gifts for your friends and family can be tough… and expensive. Lucky for you guys, we put together a list of some great finds all for $50 and under!

01

Tucker + Tate Print Sleep Romper (Big Girls) $39
The perfect holiday season outfit to snuggle up by the fireplace with hot chocolate in, and you still have a left over $11 to grab a pair of cozy socks to go with!

02

Mistletoe LUSH Bath Bomb $7.95/ea.
No one can turn down a mistletoe, jasmine-scented, vegan bath on a cold winter day; visit LUSH online to grab a Mistletoe Bath Bomb for you and your special friend or grab a couple more of their special Christmas themed Bath Bombs! Prices vary.

03

Mixed Plaid Scarf $39

In these cold winter months, everyone can use a scarf to keep them warm, especially a big fluffy one full of holiday colors. Check out this scarf among many other options and colors at Urban Outfitters.

04

Lovello Elizabeth Ladies Jacket $85

Keep it cute & sporty. This black, embroidered fitted jacket is perfect for the get-around athletic outfit or pair with denim for a causal vibe. Shop the jacket at lovelloelizabeth.com

05

Calvin Klein Modern Cotton Bralette Gift Set $44

It’s never a bad time to rock your Calvins, and now it’s time to rock them with some holiday cheer. Urban Outfitters has a perfect red Calvin Klein bralette, that even comes with a matching creamy red lipstick to go with.

06

The Burgundy Palette|KYSHADOW $42

Anyone that keeps up with the Kardashians knows that Kylie Jenner’s newest addition to her line, KYSHADOW, has been a huge hit. The Burgundy Palette holds the perfect colors and tones that you’ll want to show off your holiday cheer!

07

BOSS Hugo Boss Spaced Dots Skinny Tie $39.50

Make sure that your whole group looks as great as you, get your guy this perfectly cheerful tie, he won’t be able to resist the festiveness and you won’t be able to resist the price, originally priced at $95, its 58% off and right in your price range.

08

‘New Beginnings’ Lotus Pendant Necklace $48
This is a perfect gift just in time for the New Year, wish your person happy new beginnings this year this a meaningful and super cute lotus necklace.

09

Commuter Series Wallet Case $44.90

Holiday time means a lot of fun; but it also means a lot of rushing. Don’t let your loved one leave anything behind, with this convenient and sleek looking phone case they can have everything in one safe place! This phone case doubles as a wallet for all your important things while you’re on the move.

10

Cara Accessories Faux Fur Collar $48

Fur accents are super in right now… and it’s about to get super cold! Have your loved one fashion ready and warm this season that comes in every color from a flirty pink to a holiday dark burgundy.

11

TDM Clothing Cher Dress $65

Says disco and modern with the bell sleeves and a sleek shift dress, style it with a pair of funky sandals and you would look great for that fall/winter wedding.

12

Kiehl’s Since 1851 Men’s Travel-Ready Starter Kit $43

Holiday season means holiday party season with lots of friends and family. If you and your guy are on the constant travel have him prepared with the perfect travel-ready kit with all his favorite necessities and more!

Credits: Taylor M., Access by NKC

Access by NKC 10/10/16 Access by NKC 10/10/16

In The Industry: Sacai

Sacai is known for using contrasting textures and patterns in their collections also including unexpected shapes and silhouettes.

Sacai

(Sah-key)

Brand name:Sacai

Creative Director and Designer: Chitose Abe

Start year: 1999

Personal 411 on Sacai:

Chitose started her clothing line Sacai after 8 years of working with the Junya Watanabe collection at Comme des Garçons and opened their first flagship store in September 2011 in Minamiaoyama, Tokyo. Even though her garments are geared towards female, Chistose's main interest is creating collection of clothes that are "unique and timeless, innovative and experimental". Sacai is known for using a lot of contrasting textures and patterns in their collections also including unexpected shapes and silhouettes. Chitose is constantly influenced by her surrounding and the day-to-day life which gives her a lot of inspiration with her line Sacai; giving it a type of elegance that is based on classical items. Chitose's idea for her line is to make it easy to transfer each garment between different occasions in a female's day-to-day life and not only for special opportunities.

Personal review on Sacai SS17 collection:

Chitose’s influences for this collection were the likes of the iconic entertainers Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and Pablo Picasso just to name a few, wanting “to take things from their style and put it all together, as one”. And I feel like she did just that; filling this season’s collection with beautiful bold patterns and colorful sheer materials leaving each garment to stand on its own just like the talent of each artist she draw inspiration from. The collection as a whole is a piece of art that can be worn as show stoppers pieces to any event or daily basis.

Credits: Jenna G., Access Styling Intern

Access by NKC 9/28/16 Access by NKC 9/28/16

HOW TO SEE PARIS IN 48 HOURS OR LESS

"With just two days in Paris, I was determined to knock out all the best sites. Here’s how to conquer Paris in 48 hours." - Aliza M.

During my study abroad experience, we were constantly moving around and would only stay in each city in a few days. With just two days in Paris, I was determined to knock out all the best sites. Here’s how to conquer Paris in 48 hours.

Day One: Notre Dame, Versailles, and the Eiffel Tower

In the morning we headed to Notre Dame. This building is absolutely stunning, and the best part? Free entry. The line may look daunting but it moves quickly and is totally worth the wait. Plus, a great way to make time go quicker while you’re in line is to grab a crepe to eat while you wait. For you “Hunchback of Notre Dame” fans, you can finally fulfill your childhood dream of seeing where Quasimodo lives! After basking in the glory of Notre Dame, we hit up one of the many cafés around the church and grabbed a quick lunch (I suggest a croque-monsieur).

After lunch, we headed to the RER, the above-ground train, to head to Versailles. The train costs about seven euros for the round trip and the ride is about 20 minutes. There are very detailed maps in the station so you know which train to get on and Versailles is the last stop. If you want to tour the palace at Versailles, plan on spending another 15 euros. But, the garden at Versailles is free entry. I paid to tour the palace and it was absolutely breathtaking, but if you are trying to save money, there is plenty to do in just the gardens. We spent the rest of our afternoon touring around Versailles until it closes around 6:00 PM.

We then headed back into the heart of Paris for our last stop of the day, the iconic Eiffel Tower. In front of the Eiffel tower is a large field where you can sit, eat, drink and watch the tower light up at night. We stopped at a grocery store, grabbed some food and set up camp to watch the show. Starting at ten o’clock, the tower sparkles for five minutes and it looks gorgeous. It repeats this every hour until midnight.

Day Two: The Louvre and The Arc de Triomphe

The next morning we headed to The Louvre, the world’s largest museum. The cost of the visit was included in our program costs, but tickets are typically around 15 euros. This museum is huge and you can spend hours upon hours there. The most famous painting in this museum though is easily The Mona Lisa. You have to wait a few minutes to get to the front but it’s totally worth it.

The last big Paris icon is the Arc de Triumph. Due to time restrictions we could not make it to see this landmark, but if you have time left after The Louvre, it is just a short metro ride away. It is located in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle and is at the end of the Champs-Elyees. The Arc honors those who have fought and died in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Under the arc is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

There is obviously so much else to see in Paris, but when you only have 48 hours you have to make the best of it! If you have more time, you can check out the many other museums, cafés and shopping areas, but if you only have a short period of time, I suggest these five places. This guide should hopefully be helpful if you are studying abroad in another city and just want to head over to Paris for the weekend. Happy travels!

Credits: Aliza McAndrews, Access PR Intern

Access by NKC 9/21/16 Access by NKC 9/21/16

5 Instagrams You Should Follow

Add some fresh faces to your Instagram feed! We've pulled five of our favorite personalities on Instagram!

Jennifer Grace

@thenativefox

This stylist, editor, model and designer is based in Southern California. She works with major brands such as DVF, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Neiman Marcus. Her style is very simple but modern and through her blog you can find inspiration daily.

India Rose

@indiaroseco

This London based blogger runs the lifestyle website india-rose.co. This blog features photography, personal style, short films, music, and interviews. It boasts a fresh and urban perspective and aims to inspire.

Aleali May

@alealiemay

This fashion blogger also works as an image consultant and model. She started her work in fashion with Louis Vuitton and now has collaborated with many brands such as Nike and Adidas. She uses her blog as an outlet to share experiences in not only fashion but also travel and entertainment.

Brittany Xavier

@thriftsandthreads

This California based blogger is very relatable since she regularly wears affordable and easy to access clothing. You can find many of her outfits at stores such as H&M, Topshop, and Zara. She even links her pieces on her blog to make it super easy to find and purchase. She describes her style as versatile, casual and comfortable.

Rocky Barnes

@rocky_barnes

Born and raised in Southern California, this blogger is a beach girl at heart. She describes her lifestyle as gypset, which is a fusion of the carefree lifestyle of a gypsy with the sophistication of the jet set. She created her blog to share her personal style, modeling work and travels.

Curated by Aliza M. (Access Intern)