November wasn’t kind on the pocketbook, but I’m incredibly excited about all of the purchases I made this month — with exception of this stunning necklace that broke after 10 days of ownership. The center stone and its setting fell out while I was wearing it. I’m so disappointed about it! It wasn’t cheap and I had expected more from the brand as I had heard so many good things. I complained on Instagram (as one does) and the brand did offer to replace it, but I didn’t want to run the risk of having another dud after spending $300 so I returned it to Neiman Marcus, where I originally made the purchase. Let me tell you, Neiman Marcus does not have the kind of customer service that you’d expect from a high-end department store. It was only after I suggested I contact my credit card company to issue a charge-back did they elevate my concerns and provide me with a return authorization. You know where I’ve never had a problem? Nordstrom. Spend your money there this holiday season instead. 😉 And with that, here’s what I purchased and loved this month:

WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

• Boden snaffle detail loafers – I just love the unexpectedly large buckle detail on these loafers. It’s a welcome update to an otherwise classic silhouette. I tend to wear either a 7 or 7.5 and found that the size 38 fit perfect, so they might run a hair large. They’re not the most cushioned, so I’d recommend an insole if you prefer more padding.
• Margaux ‘The Demi’ ballet flat – I’ve admired these classic ballet flats all year and finally purchased a pair after reading hordes of glowing reviews. And you know what? They’re perfect. They’re well made with a decent amount of cushion. The best part is that the bow is functional, allowing you to tighten the top to cinch in the heel if it slips. I’m eyeing up the cerulean pair next. I went with their size 37.5, which is equivalent to a US 7.5 as my feet tend to swell at the end of the day.
• J.Crew pave crystal and pearl drop earrings – I can’t help myself when it comes to J.Crew’s holiday jewelry collections. These are lightweight and have just enough sparkle.
• Boden ‘Anna’ rib crew t-shirt – I received a $25 gift card from the brand and couldn’t think of anything I “needed,” so I browsed the sale section to see if there were any basics that I’d likely get some use out of and ordered this. I don’t like long-sleeve t-shirts that are too tight, so I went up a size in this one. It’s so fun! The ribbed finish adds visual interest my other striped tees don’t have. I keep hoping that other colors come back in stock!
• Sezane ‘Cody’ jumper – This is my first Sezane purchase and I’m impressed! First of all, this sweater blissfully does not have drop shoulders. I’m sure it’s a cost-saving measure, but drop shoulders often look sloppy — unlike the raglan sleeves on this sweater which look effortlessly laid back. I also really like the femininity of the deep v-neckline. I went with my regular size medium.

HOUSEHOLD

• Cuisinart stainless steel roasting pan – We hosted Thanksgiving for the first time and that meant cooking our first turkey … which meant getting our first roasting pan. I did a lot of research on roasting pans to find one that suited my needs: would hold up to a 15 pound bird (I have zero interest in hosting if we need a turkey larger than that; we don’t have the space in our house!), was triple ply stainless steel, had a stainless steel rack (nonstick racks can’t be used in high heat and I wanted this pan to be versatile for future needs), and would fit in the oven alongside a 9×13 pan. I ordered the Cuisinart one initially … then there were shipping delays. I was really concerned it wasn’t going to come in time for Thanksgiving, so I went back to the internet for more hours of research to come across this 14.5-inch one from Hestan. The Hestan one was beautiful and I preferred the offset handles on the rack to keep your fingers from burning on the roaster’s handles. I spent days hemming and hawing over which one to keep and ultimately went with Cuisinart just because it could handle a slightly larger turkey if I ever needed to cook a bigger one. If I had time to reorder the Hestan one in the 16.5-inch size, I would have kept that instead. (Clearly this roaster deliberation took a lot of time!)
• Faux linen tablecloth – This was another pre-Thanksgiving purchase. Our kitchen is fairly large, but the space is not utilized well. (We’ll get around to that project eventually…) So, we needed to put up a folding table to use as a buffet and I needed a tablecloth for it. This one fit the bill based on its affordable price and that it would arrive the next day, saving me a trip to Target. It’s actually pretty nice in person. I’m not sure how stain resistant it actually is since I treated food and wine spills immediately, but it came out of the wash clean! I line-dried it, so I don’t know how it’d do in the dryer.
• East Fork cake plates – If you want to know if you have enough serving pieces, host a holiday. I quickly realized that I was lacking for appetizer plates during our Thanksgiving celebration and used that as an excuse to indulge during East Fork’s Black Friday sale. I bought eight of these petite plates and they’re the perfect size for snacks or cookies.
• East Fork mugs – I don’t often select the color red, but there’s something about this seasonal color that I couldn’t say no to. They’re cheerful and perfect for holiday lattes!

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WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

• Madewell cashmere oversized crewneck sweater – I’ve wanted an oversized grey cashmere sweater for the past three years, but I kept coming up short. Most sweaters were fitted and going up a size just made it seem like I bought the wrong size. I even considered a men’s sweater, but didn’t like the cut. It was always one of those items that I kept wishing I had in my wardrobe every autumn and winter. I was very optimistic when I saw the Madewell one on their site this year and ordered it during a recent sale. It’s perfect! While I normally hate drop-shoulders, it works here as an intentionally oversized piece. As far as cashmere goes, it’s on the thinner side and I can’t speak to how it’ll wear over time, but it drapes wonderfully and I’m just so delighted with it. I’m planning to buy a second one if it goes on sale again to have as a backup. After waiting so long to find The One, I’d hate for something to happen to it!
• Tory Burch small ‘Kira’ quilt shoulder bag – Make no mistake that this was a splurge for me, but I could not stop thinking about that perfect brown hue on a supple leather bag. Tory Burch had their fall sale earlier this month, which brought the price down by 30%. Even then, it was still a bit of an investment and I dipped into my “Splurge Savings” to cover the costs. It’s a beautiful addition to my wardrobe and it fits all of the daytime essentials easily. The chain strap allows the purse to be worn as a crossbody bag or doubled up and worn over the shoulder. It feels so grown up and ladylike!
• Amazon gold-plated hoop earrings – Grace posted about these recently and I thought they’d be a smart option to pack for our trip to Switzerland — if I lost them, no biggie! Since they’re small, they’re convincing enough to pass for fine jewelry.

HOUSEHOLD

• Let’s Eat by Dan Pelosi – Dan’s recipes haven’t lead me astray yet, especially this pasta salad! While I haven’t made anything new in this book yet, I’m very much looking forward to digging in. The photos are beautiful and Dan’s anecdotes peppered throughout are charming.

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This month’s roundup includes a few more outdoorsy items than I’d normally purchase and for a very good reason: we’re going to Switzerland next month! I can’t begin to share how excited I am about our Alpine adventure; everything looks like it was plucked right from a storybook.

WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

• Muyan waterdrop earrings – For a pair of designer dupes, these aren’t bad. Definitely worth the price for a cheap thrill.
• Athleta seasoft hoodie – The fabric on this has a unique hand feel. I wouldn’t say it’s slippery, but kind of? In any case, the texture and weight make it drape nicely. I went with my typical size medium.
• Pomander Place “Kenzo” dress – I feel like I haven’t quite found my style again since the pandemic ended. I think that has a lot to do with working from home almost exclusively. I don’t often wear dresses anymore and it’s not for lack of interest. It’s really just a lack of human interaction motivating me to dress up! I ended up purchasing this dress to wear with ballet flats for a daytime work event and it’s really quite cute! It runs true to size and the cut is forgiving without overwhelming your frame.
• Boden “Edie” fair isle sweater – I just adore this sweater! I wanted a more colorful sweater than what I currently have in my closet and I fell for the retro-inspired vibe of this one from Boden. It fits true to size, but it’s on the slimmer side. Go up a size if you prefer your sweaters to be roomier.
• Eddie Bauer stowaway packable backpack – This is not the most thrilling purchase of the month, but it’s practical. I needed a packable backpack to bring to Switzerland that will fit my daytime essentials on hikes. This easily fits a puffer jacket, DSLR camera, water bottle, and sweatshirt with room to spare.
• Danner trail 2650 hiking shoe – I was so optimistic about the Nike trail runners I bought at the beginning of the year, but they cut into the back of my ankles no matter how much I try to break them in. That’s just not going to work for our trip and I opted to buy a pair of hiking shoes from an actual outdoor brand, Danner. These are incredible comfortable with plenty of traction for hikes. (I’ve been testing them out on the weekends.) I’d love to buy the classic Danner boots with the red laces eventually, but I didn’t want to lug those around on this year’s trip!

HOUSEHOLD

• Schoolhouse “Bond” lamp – Finally! New bedroom lamps! When we moved into our house six years ago, we bought a pair of inexpensive lamps from Target. The scale was always too small next to a king-size bed, but it was never a priority to replace them until we upgraded our bedframe and knew what direction stylistically we’d be going in. I had pinned the Schoolhouse lamp on my Pinterest board over a year ago, but kept shopping because they aren’t cheap and I wanted to make sure that they really were “the ones” before committing. After Photoshopping different lamps into my mood board, I found myself going back to these over and over again. We waited until a Schoolhouse sale before placing the order and, as expected, they’re perfect. (I’ve mentioned this before, but we have a shared savings account for home-related expenses. The money is already earmarked for a house expense, which makes a purchase like this feel less financially daunting.)

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WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

• Barbour stretch ‘Cavalry’ quilted jacket – We’re going to Switzerland this October and I wanted a waist-length puffer jacket that would keep me cozy on our Alpine days but could easily be packed away in a backpack if the weather warms up. Not only did this Barbour jacket check of my must-haves, it’s also extremely flattering for a puffer with the knit paneling on the sides to give it shape and the chevron quilting. I also love that it has a double zipper and snaps on the back to allow for some give around the hips if needed. Go up a size if you think you’ll be wearing it with thicker sweaters. My regular size was great with a long-sleeve t-shirt, but got too snug when I put something more substantial underneath.
• Warby Parker ‘Augusta’ sunglasses – I can’t walk into Warby Parker and leave without a pair of sunglasses. What I loved about the frame isn’t just flat across the front. Instead, the frame is concaved between the edges of the frame and the lenses. It’s a fun refresh for my sunglasses collection, especially since I’m never going to get on board with the tiny sunglasses trend.
• H&M rib-knit sweater with collar – I’m going to wear this all fall with jeans. It’s cozy, but still pulled together enough to wear to work. I went down a size.
• Madewell ‘Lucie’ floral print dress – I’m on the fence about this dress, even though I’ve kept it. We bike a lot with our friends to go out for happy hours or dinner and I don’t always love wearing shorts to do so — I’m not graceful enough to bike without shorts under a dress. I’ve been adding a few dresses to my wardrobe that are dark enough that I can wear bike shorts underneath that stay concealed. This dress seems a bit twee for my style, but it’s pretty cute paired with strappy sandals, a woven bag, and ’70s-inspired sunglasses. I went up a size for length since the smocked top fit similarly in my regular size.
• Target crewneck cashmere-like pullover sweater – This is such a hit from Target! It’s so soft that it has me eager for sweater weather. I went up a size because it’s cropped and I preferred the extra length to half-tuck into my waistband.
• J.Crew seaside short – I have these in black and wear them all the time, so I added navy to the mix this summer.

HOUSEHOLD

• Target woven pumpkin – Target does such a great job with its annual pumpkin lineup. Mine was actually from the “Dollar Spot” for $3 and is slightly different. I have this one from last year, though, and I love that it’s autumnal without being garish.

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Thanks for visiting! As a reminder, I may earn an affiliate commission if you buy an item through my links. This is at no cost to you. I appreciate your continued support!

WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

• Madewell poplin ruffle a-line midi dress (also available here) – This is, without a doubt, my favorite clothing purchase this summer. I love how light and airy it is for the hottest summer days (which is needed during this heat wave). Plus, it has pockets! It runs large, so you’ll need to go down at least one size. It’s also available in a couple of solid colors.
• Boden printed notch-neck top – I first ordered this in the yellow, but it had more of a greenish tint that wasn’t flattering with my skin tone. I loved the cut, though, and reordered in the blue and it’s lovely! The shape is forgiving, but drapes well so it doesn’t look like a sack. It’s a lightweight cotton with metallic threads woven throughout making it airy enough for summer. It’s also cute with jeans for when the weather starts to cool again.

HOUSEHOLD

• Schoolhouse Electric ‘Isaac’ desk lamp – You know I’m a sucker for Schoolhouse — especially their lighting. I’ve been eyeing this lamp in that pretty vintage green shade since it debuted, but I had been waiting for a sale since $400 for a desk lamp seemed a bit steep, no matter how great the quality may be. I finally snagged it earlier this month for 30% off and I couldn’t be more delighted with it. A note of warning, though, if you move the position of your lamp a lot, this isn’t for you. The arm requires you to release the tension in the joint and retighten it.
• West Elm linen pillowcases – These pillowcases are a fun contrast to the quilt I purchased for summer. I’m using them decoratively rather than finding a coordinating sham.

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Thanks for visiting! As a reminder, I may earn an affiliate commission if you buy an item through my links. This is at no cost to you. I appreciate your continued support!