WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

• H&M tie-detail floral blouse ($18) – H&M items can be so hit or miss, but this one is a huge hit. It’s gauzy and airy, and a really fun retro-inspired print for spring. The v-neck is low enough to be flattering, too. Go down a size as I find H&M’s loose blouses to run rather large.
• Staud raffia moon bag ($265) – I put away a small portion of each paycheck into a “splurge” savings account, which allows me to indulge when a pricier can’t-live-without-it item crosses my radar. For this season, it’s this bag. I appreciate the Staud brand for its statement-worthy bags that don’t cost an arm and a leg, and I’ve admired the brand’s moon bags since their debut, but didn’t feel compelled to buy one until this raffia one debuted. It’s this perfect mix of vintage and modern, and looks great with all of my floaty summer dresses. It doesn’t hold a lot — not much more than a small shoulder bag — which is absolutely fine with a bag that essentially needs to be handheld.
• J.Crew square-neck, soft-crinkle gauze dress ($36) – J.Crew had a few incredible sales earlier this month and I ordered a few things that caught my eye. There were some misses, but this dress and the one listed below were huge wins. This dress has the most flattering neckline and a fitted bodice that’s forgiving thanks to the smocked back. I went with my normal size medium.
• J.Crew broken-in jersey tiered maxi dress ($24) – I also bought this dress in a medium, but probably could have gone down to a small. However, it can be adjusted easily with the waist tie that comes with it. It looks pretty with flat sandals and, of course, my new Staud bag. 😉
• A New Day flutter-sleeve wrap dress ($35; not pictured) – It’s such a bummer that this is nearly sold out because it’s really flattering. I went up a size to a large, which I tend to do with wrap dresses to give myself a bit more coverage.

HOUSEHOLD

• Target ‘Calla’ patio ottoman ($150; not pictured) – We’ve wanted to buy an outdoor ottoman for the past two years, but would forget until early summer when patio furniture was long gone. I snagged this one at Target right away this year and it’s a great size for both of us to use it at the same time. Plus, it’s on the affordable side of outdoor furniture. I don’t love the faux bamboo paint job on the metal frame and am going to spray paint it black to match the rest of our outdoor pieces once it’s warmer out.
• IVV textured lowball glasses ($48/two) – I’m such a sucker for pretty glassware and finally indulged in a pair of these after crushing on them for awhile. They’re beautiful and they make me the happiest.
• nuLOOM braided indoor/outdoor accent rug in the 2′ x 3′ size in light grey ($24) – I bought a pair of these for interior doormats because I wanted something more neutral than what we had originally. I can’t actually lay them out yet since our first floor is covered with paper for construction, but I think they’ll be a nice option. There are brown and black threads woven throughout so hopefully it’ll hide dirt. It’s made of polypropylene, so it should be easy to hose off when it’s dirty.

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The star of the show this month is undoubtedly that gingham coat. It’s beautiful! I fell in love with it on the brand’s Instagram feed and couldn’t get it out of my mind. I decided to order it with a portion of my tax return so I didn’t feel as guilty about adding yet another coat to my collection. If you haven’t already, sign up for Boden’s emails to stay abreast of discount codes. I saved 20% on the coat, which was a not-so-insignificant amount of money. As always, mini reviews, links, and the price I paid are listed below.

WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

• Nike ‘Daybreak’ sneaker in rattan ($68) – These are so comfortable! I bought a pair in light blue last year and they’re starting to look too worn to be a “fashion sneaker” and have been relegated to walking shoes.
• Boden ‘Bonnie’ gingham coat ($264) – This coat is gorgeous and is extremely well made from the matched pattern to the beautiful lining. I used the True Fit Size guidelines and they were correct for me. The coat is fitted in the shoulders and does have extra room in the torso, but it doesn’t look loose. It’s just a really beautifully cut, ladylike piece that you’ll have forever. I can’t say enough good things about it and I just can’t wait for it to get nicer out so I can snap some photos to share with you! (I’ll admit, though, that I’m nervous about this becoming too large. I’m actively working to lose weight and am down five pounds already, but I don’t think the smaller size is going to work. I’ve kept the packaging in case I need to do an exchange in the next month or so.)
• Boden blouson cotton top in black ($38) – This is such a flattering top! It has the ease of a t-shirt, but in an elevated shape with the ruched scoop neck and three-quarter length sleeves that you can dress it up for work/Zoom calls.
• Tuckernuck black stretch crepe shirtdress ($168) – I’m an event manager and we’re getting back to in-person programming. Unfortunately, the pandemic pounds made it so that my regular go-to pieces for work events no longer fit. This wasn’t cheap, but I wanted something that felt elevated and well made that I could easily wear to every event in the foreseeable future. My dress doesn’t open quite as nicely at the placket like the one in the image and has a mandarin collar effect, so I’ll need to iron it so it lays open for a more flattering look. I’m 5’6″ and it hits right above my knee. I went with a medium and it does seem like it runs large, but the sizing will likely be forgiving when I shed more of the weight.

HOUSEHOLD

• Target fabric storage box ($17) – The pattern on the top of these storage boxes doesn’t line up with the bottom, so steer clear if that’ll bother you. Otherwise, these are pretty cute for some hidden storage on a bookshelf.
• Vintage wine glasses ($15/set of six; find them on eBay) – I always believed that any glass could be a wine glass if you put your mind to it, but I do feel like more of an adult after finding a cute vintage set. 😉

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I love how a new year feels like a fresh slate and this month’s purchases were a reflection of that as I got back to the basics filling a couple of holes in my wardrobe with classic pearl drop earrings and a pair of non-cropped jeans. This month’s household projects desperately yearned for spring with some faux greenery and new sheets, and that boot tray is a long overdue need to keep our floors protected from salt and melting snow. As always, you’ll find the links below along with product reviews and additional commentary.

WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

• Chan Luu baroque pearl earrings in grey ($81; join their email and SMS list for a discount code) – These are more grey in person than they appear online. If you’d rather have a white pair, click here. They’re beautiful in person, and they nail that traditional-meets-modern design.
• J.Crew 8″ Toothpick Jeans in ‘Vista’ ($90) – I had one pair of jeans that fit and they were cropped, which wasn’t exactly great for a Wisconsin winter. After trying on three other pairs of jeans (and this pair in two sizes), I finally found one that fits and I feel good in. This pair hits me right at the ankle and I ended up with my regular size.

HOUSEHOLD

• Threshold small faux maidenhair fern ($15) & Threshold small faux ZZ plant ($15) – Target is knocking it out of the park this season with its selection of faux plants. I picked up the fern to put on the bottom shelf of our entryway table, atop of stack of books. We don’t get much sunlight there so most natural plants (at least those that are pet-friendly) would perish. This is a wonderful alternative that adds a cheerful dose of lifelike greenery. I put the ZZ plant on our desk. We have a couple of large real ZZ plants that Oliver doesn’t bother, but I didn’t want to tempt fate and poison our little dude with a tabletop one.
• Anji Mountain rubber boot tray with coir insert ($31) – Hey, I’ll be the first to admit that boot trays aren’t pretty, but this one isn’t bad! Plus, it’s practical! The coir insert is removeable so you can shake out any accumulated dirt and debris. I bought the small size, which is perfect for two pairs of winter boots.
• Hearth & Hand ticking stripe sheet set ($65) – While soft, these aren’t nearly as wonderful as our splurge-worthy linen sheets. However, I thought a set of striped sheets would be cute with our floral duvet cover. It is. Plus, it’s always nice to have another backup set in the linen closet.

MISCELLANEOUS

• Casegrace travel jewelry box ($9) – Gone are the days of tucking my jewelry into plastic sandwich bags when I travel! You can see more photos of this practical — and affordable — jewelry case here.
• Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Lipstick in Fierce Flamingo ($23) – I’m a sucker for pink lipstick and this one is even more vibrant than the shade I typically wear. It’s a fun infusion of color and a shot of dopamine I desperately need in the middle of winter. It’s a bit drying, though, so I can’t wear it for more than one day at a time to allow my lips time to recover.

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After two years of leaning into a pandemic wardrobe of yoga pants and sweaters, I’m desperate for a sartorial change and focused my spending on statement pieces this month, along with a dress that will be worn on repeat once the weather gets warm again. It was a Treat-Yo-Self kind of month in the closet that continues to spark so much joy.

On the home front, it was all about our upcoming bathroom renovations. So, while I don’t have anything listed here for home purchases this month (despite ordering a fair amount of products), I’ll be doing a full recap of what we bought for our powder room and main bathroom in the coming weeks! It’s really fun to see it coming together even if we still have a punch list of items yet to order in the next couple of weeks. Wish us luck!

IN THE WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

• Kate Spade ‘Buckle-Up’ flats in glittery tweed – These make me the happiest! They dress up a little black dress, but they also look cute with jeans and a sweater. I found that they run true to size.
• Banana Republic pleated sequin mini dress – I bought this when it was on sale for about half price, which is the price point I think you should spend on it. I love BR’s revival, but I don’t think the quality matches the price yet. That said, this is a beautiful dress with lots of shimmer and a fun swingy shape. The lining matches the shape and size of the dress instead of being cut smaller, so it’s a good option for women with hips. The arm holes don’t go down as far as they do on the model, so you’re not actually on the verge of a sideboob peep show. Some of the reviews to say to go down a size. I went with a medium, which was correct. (I’ll typically wear a medium on top and a large on bottom.)
• Ann Taylor floral shirred v-neck top – This was really a workwear purchase for me. We’re getting back to doing more in-person events and I realized that I don’t have a lot in my closet that actually fits in terms of professional clothes now that we’re coming out of the worst of the pandemic. I went with a medium and it drapes well and has enough room at the top of my hips. The shirred v-neckline is flattering.
• Loeffler Randall ‘Doreen’ clutch – There have been so many times that I’ve had a special occasion come up that I’ll find a beautiful cocktail dress for, but I’ll come up empty on the clutch. When I saw this beauty, I knew that it’d be the perfect clutch for every foreseeable dressy event. It’s a splurge, but I just had to have it. It’s destined to be one of those timeless items you’ll have in your closet forever. Plus, it actually holds quite a bit. My phone, card case, keys, and lipstick all fit inside with room to spare. It’s worth every penny.
• Anthropologie tiered v-neck tunic dress – I love, love, love this dress! It’s SO flattering! I also bought this in a medium and it’s flirty and short and so much fun! I can’t wait for warm weather (or a warm-weather getaway) to wear this! I’ll be pairing it with tights until then.

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