BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

Up until this month, I had only purchased eight things for my wardrobe. I was doing well with my pared down approach to shopping and I was so much happier with my purchases. I’m not quite sure what happened this month, but I doubled my 2019 additions in just one month with eight things destined for my closet. Eep!

Now, the earrings below were actually gifts from Dave, so they kind of don’t count … right? And those athleisure basics were purchased to wear on the plane to Europe in May — and truth be told, that sweater-meets-hoodie has become my most worn piece this month. It’s so comfortable that I can’t help but put it on after work to meet our friends out for dive-bar beer. As always, I’m sharing the reasoning behind the items below.

I also thought it would be fun this month to debut a new section of this recurring post and share what I purchased for our house, too. Renovations obviously won’t count when it comes to chatting about my monthly spending, but I thought it’d be fun to let you know what I bought ’round these parts before I actually share photos of them in our home.

PURCHASED – FOR ME
See all of this year’s sartorial additions here.

• Loeffler Randall ‘Celest’ mules – I actually tried to order this pair of Loeffler Randall mules, but the copper ‘Celest’ style was nestled inside the package instead, and you know what? I actually fell in love with the crushed velvet mules with their low-block heel. I ended up finding them on Farfetch for cheaper than the Shopbop error and reordered them for around $100. They run a half size small.
• Maeve ‘Brenda’ peasant top – I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did. The low v-neck is flattering and the oversize, billowy sleeves are a lot of fun! It’s cut pretty straight through the torso and doesn’t skim my hips that well when it’s untucked, but that’s fine because I actually prefer it tucked to rein in some of the fabric. I went with a small, but would have gone with a medium if I wasn’t going to tuck it in.
• Banana Republic sweater hoodie – I put this on the day I received it and wore it after work every day for the following week. I’ve since controlled myself. It’s really cozy, though, and the tunic style is relatively flattering, all things considered. I’ve been wearing it with jeans and my beloved Vince sneakers to meet up with friends or go on short bike rides. I bought it in a medium, but could have definitely went with the small. It’s cut generously.
• Banana Republic performance-stretch joggers – I always wear my yoga pants on international flights, and I often find myself annoyed with them halfway through the flight. They’re warm and uncomfortable and I’d rather wear something loose fitting. That’s where these come in. It was a welcome surprise that they’re flattering, too!
• LOFT flower branch jumpsuit – I totally bought this to pack for Portugal. I wanted either a maxi dress or jumpsuit to wear on windy days so I didn’t need to worry about the wind flipping up the hem of my skirt. I also wanted at least one knee-covering option that I could pair with a scarf around my shoulders for popping into any conservative churches. I love this jumpsuit because it can easily be dressed up or down, and the smocked back gives it the perfect fit.
• Chan Luu gold-plated pearl earrings – These are undoubtedly going to be my go-to pair of earrings this spring and summer. They’re versatile enough to elevate every outfit. They’re also lightweight and the gold-plated silver posts don’t irritated my ears.
• Lele Sadoughi trumpt lily studs – These are like works of art with the attention to detail in these statement-making studs. The petals are made of acetate to keep them from weighing down your lobes during the day.
• Vintage Whiting & Davis mesh bag (seen here) – I probably should have read the dimensions closer on this eBay find considering it really only fits a couple of credit cards, lipstick, and my keys. It was just so darling, though, that I couldn’t resist.

PURCHASED – FOR HOME

• Pottery Barn curtain rod in brass (and finials) – We finally found a curtain rod we liked for our dining room! We went with brass fixtures throughout the house — an obvious choice given that the original door hardware is brass — so we wanted to continue that with the curtain rod. A lot of brass ones were too modern for the space, but we finally came across this classic one from Pottery Barn.
• West Elm sheer crosshatch curtains – Curtains are such a pain to shop for. If they’re not ugly, they’re obscenely expensive. I came across this set of sheers and purchased two sets to use in our dining room where we have three windows across one wall (see it here) that have old, cream-colored roller shades. I want to take down the shades and put up sheers for spring and summer to give us some privacy from the neighbor without sacrificing light. I’m not sure if these are “the ones” for that space, but they can easily move to one of our bedrooms when we find something we like more.
• Sinland linen napkins – This might be one of my favorite Amazon finds yet! A set of six linen napkins for $21 is a steal and I’m really happy with the quality! They washed and dried well without wrinkling, piling, or shrinking. I’m probably going to snag another set or two while they’re still available.
• ColorBird tassel tablecloth – We hosted Easter this year and I realized at the last minute (well, in time for Prime shipping) that our only tablecloths are Christmas themed. This one is a great price, but the quality is about what you’d expect for that price point.

DIDN’T WORK OUT
Things I tried and didn’t love.

• Maeve ‘Kalapana’ blouse – The sleeves were too short and puffy.
• Faithfull the Brand ‘Fresa’ dress – Oh my god, this was a disaster! It looks ridiculously cute online, but did not work on me at all. The dress was much too short and the v-neck much too deep where half of my bra was showing. It’s also not lined and felt cheap for the price.
• J.Crew demi boot-cut jeans with front seam – Nope, the cropped boot-cut trend isn’t for me. I do like the “Perfecting Pockets” thing that J.Crew’s got going for their jeans, though.
• Zara linen dress – This looked like a chic potato sack! Honestly, I really liked it, but it was scandalously short. I’m no stranger to a short dress, but this felt indecent.
• Zara polka dot belt dress – I actually really liked this, but I ordered a large, which is what I normally order at Zara and it was at least two sizes too big. I don’t think I’ll bother reordering.
• Zara gathered cape dress – In full disclosure, there’s a chance I’m not going to send this back. It’s sitting in my closet while the rest of my Zara returns are ready to be packed up. On one hand, this dress looks like a costume, albeit a chic and sophisticated one, and it’s not the most flattering (aside from the deep-v that opens up the neckline). On the other hand, I feel so darn pretty in it. With my hair up and a pair of statement earrings, this is the kind of cocktail dress I feel like I should have in my closet for whenever such an occasion arises. It’s just that those social engagements are rarely on my calendar. I don’t know what to do! (If you’re into DVF’s ‘Fleurette’ dress style, this one is a decent look for less.)
• Madewell ruffle-strap maxi dress – This was actually really pretty, but I didn’t think I’d get enough wear out of it to justify the cost.

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