In addition to the items below, I had ordered two items from J.Crew that were huge misses: this dress that ran small in the bodice despite the smocked back (plus, the quality did not warrant the price tag); and this blouse that was the most unflattering shape on me. Oh well, they can’t all be winners, right? Here are the items that made the cut this month:

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

• Karen Walker ‘Number One’ sunglasses in tan/gold – I have these sunglasses in black and tortoiseshell and they remain my favorites, so adding another color when they were on sale seemed like a worthwhile investment in my sunglasses wardrobe.
• Marc New York ‘Paige’ boucle coat in camel (also available here) – My goal to lose weight this year was largely unsuccessful and I needed a heavier-yet-dressy coat that I could wear this season. This one has a flattering, classic shape and runs true to size. I can’t attest to how warm it is yet, but I was comfortable in it for a long walk with a sweater underneath in 30-degree weather. (I had also tried this coat from the same brand. It’s longer and I preferred the pocket placement, but I was between sizes. The medium was too small to wear with a sweater and I was drowning in the large.)
• J.Crew supersoft turtleneck sweater in camel – This was my favorite sweater for two years running, but J.Crew reworked the shape and added vents on the sides making it a lot less flattering than it used to be. It’s still incredibly comfortable, which is the only reason I kept it. However, if you loved the version from the last couple of years, this isn’t it.

AROUND THE HOUSE

• Reindeer cocktail picks – I randomly came across these on Amazon and it was a quick add-to-cart moment. They’re so darn cute and are good quality.
• Wood Christmas trees – I found these on Etsy when I was looking for a few Scandinavian-inspired Christmas decorations for our office bookshelf. I bought a large one in natural and a smaller one in green. They’re absolutely darling in person and perfect for an understated holiday touch.
• Happy Holidays doormat – I impulse purchased this doormat at Target and for $13, it’s perfect!

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October was all about being cozy with three pajama sets purchased! It was intentional, however, as I have strabismus surgery coming up in November and I wanted to have a selection of loungewear to look forward to wearing on my recovery days. (My left eye has been turning in as I’ve gotten older and I need to have the muscles adjusted so it’s straight again. Yes, I’m nervous. Yes, cute loungewear helps take the edge off.)

I did try on the coat that I was enamored with earlier this month and it was laughably bad on me. The color was beautiful, but the oversize fit was … not great. It looked like I was wearing my father’s jacket. I ordered a couple of additional coats to try and will report back if they’re worth keeping.

Other than that, I did find a beautiful vintage cocktail ring that I posted on my Insta story over the weekend, along with a vintage decanter for our bar. Those will make appearances online eventually!

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

• Ann Taylor bunny pajama set – Proof that bunnies can be chic! I just love these so much. The colors, the contrast cuff, the satin fabric! It’s just all so good. I sized up to a large since the fabric doesn’t have any stretch to it and pajamas definitely can’t be restricting.
• Soma tank and short pajama set – My favorite pajamas are from Soma’s “Cool Nights” collection, lauded for the fabric’s ability to stay cool and keep from sticking to you at night. I prefer shorts and tanks for sleeping, so this was a no-brainer for my collection. Plus, I can mix and match it with the two pieces below. (I bought a medium, which is my regular size at Soma.)
• Soma ‘Cool Nights’ long sleeve pajama top – This top also runs true to size. I’ve been wearing it with the shorts from the pajama set above on work-from-home days.
• Soma ‘Sunday’ lounge pants – I wore the shorts version of these a lot during the pandemic and fully expect the pants to be equally loved. I wear a medium in these as well.

AROUND THE HOUSE

• Beech wood doorstops – I actually bought these last month and neglected to tell you about them! Our cat, Oliver, has a tendency to close doors and I get so nervous that he’ll lock himself in a bedroom while we’re gone that I bought four of these to keep our upstairs doors open. They’re prettier than metal doorstops and the price is great at $10 for a set of two.
• Ranger Station balsam fir candle – The balsam scent of this candle is fresh and clean, making it ideal for the upcoming season. It makes for a great gift too, as it comes with a box of matches and can be used as a cocktail glass once the candle is finished.

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Oh, hi! I’m trying to get back into the spontaneity of posting and not worrying so much about things being picture-perfect (which just resulted in me not posting much at all) — and since I love mirror-selfies from others with their new purchases and impromptu outfit pics, I’m doing the same this month to show you just how good this Hill House nap dress is! I’ll admit that I thought they were kind of silly and the long ones were too Little House on the Prairie for my style. But this one is adorable! I love a smocked bodice that doesn’t require a bra and it’s just so ridiculously comfortable. It runs large so you can definitely size down if you’re debating two sizes. The fabric is a lightweight, crisp cotton that would be perfect for warm days. (Those warm days are becoming sparse in Wisconsin, so this is really a jump on next year’s summer wardrobe!)

Another item that topped my favorites of the month is this moody forest landscape by ND Trivette Photography that I picked up at Madison’s art fair last weekend. His work is beautiful if you’re into minimal nature images!

As always, here’s this month’s roundup:

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

• Hill House ‘Athena’ nap dress in Matilda plaid – Reviewed above!
• Rothy’s sneakers in juniper terry – I’ve never been a fan of the Rothy’s ballet flats that everyone seemed to have a couple of years ago, but I kept hearing about how comfortable the shoes are. I finally caved and ordered the sneakers when I saw that they were available in emerald (which is one of my favorite colors, even if I don’t wear it often). You guys! They are incredibly comfortable! And, as a bonus, they’re made of recycled water bottles and washable! I tried my regular size 7 first and ended up exchanging them for a 7.5 (once you drop off the incorrect fit and it’s scanned at the shipping company, they’ll send the new pair out). You can get $30 off your first order through the end of September with this link. (Full disclosure, I’ll get $30, too, which I’d likely spend on another pair of these sneakers in a neutral color. I believe it goes down to $20 off after this month.)
• Madewell drawstring mini slip skirt – I kept thinking about this skirt after posting it in a Monday roundup and couldn’t resist at least trying it in person. It’s really pretty and surprisingly not staticky, which I kind of expected for a satin skirt. It runs a bit large and you could you probably opt for the smaller size if you’re between two. It’s especially cute worn with a chunky sweater.

AROUND THE HOUSE

• Target cornhusk pumpkin – I’m all about understated pumpkin decor in the fall and this one is perfect for our entry table.
• Target faux oakleaves – I swapped out the faux branch pictured here in favor of this oak one from Target. It’s not terribly realistic, but it’s good enough for the time being and the price is right at $5.
• West Elm linen throw pillow covers in olive – These are prettier in person and classic enough to hold on to forever. They also have a great “golden oak” color that would be lovely this fall.
• CB2 tealight candle holders – I had been crushing on these for awhile and finally pulled the trigger. They’re gorgeous in person! I have them sprinkled throughout the house, but plan to use them for holiday tablescapes this year. I’m using them with these flameless tealights. See it in action here.
• CB2 twisted taper candles – I needed a ride-along item at CB2 for free shipping and added these to my cart. They’re an elegant alternative to standard tapers.

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

• J.Crew linen muscle tank in black – I bought a couple of these earlier this summer and loved them so much that I decided a black one would be a versatile option to add into the rotation. Runs true to size.
• J.Crew relaxed fit linen beach sweater in light walnut – This is such a great transitional sweater as we head into fall and the warm acorn color is so pretty. It has an open-weave knit, so you’ll want to keep that in mind while layering. It runs a size large.
• Kate Spade ‘al fresco’ dress in chambray – I bought this dress in the gingham print last month and loved the cut so much that I couldn’t resist the chambray one once it went on sale. I’ll be wearing this throughout the rest of the summer and into fall with sneakers. Runs true to size. It does have a smocked back and the front is snug enough that you can skip a bra if you’d like.

AROUND THE HOUSE

• Target x Hearth & Hand striped indoor/outdoor pillow – Target is killing it lately, considering the majority of my household additions this month are from the big box retailer. First up is this indoor/outdoor pillow that I’m keeping inside. It holds its shape well and the graphic stripes are a nice contrast to the traditional rug we have in our living room.
• Rejuvenation spun brass tray, 10″ diameter – Keep an eye on this as it often goes on sale when Rejuvenation and the other Williams Sonoma brands have their warehouse sales. I bought it for $30 at the beginning of August, which is about what you should spend on it. The quality is great, however, and it has a nice heft to it — as it should for being solid brass. We’re using it on our dining room table to corral decor items and candles (and to hide a ding toward the center of the table that drives me nuts).
• Target x Hearth & Hand fall tartan throw – This isn’t the best quality throw blanket as our cat has snagged it numerous times already, but I do love the colors and the plaid is a fun way to bring in an early dose of fall. Maybe consider it if you don’t have pets.
• Target x Hearth & Hand colorblock striped throw blanket in green/oatmeal – Between the two Target throw blankets, this one is by far better than the other. The knit is substantial, it’s generously sized, and I just love the bold stripes. I won’t let the cat near this one in fear of a snag, so I can’t speak to how well it’ll hold up to claws.
• Target x Studio McGee wood arched floor mirror – This mirror is gorgeous and comes in at just $100. However, the packaging is shockingly poor for a mirror. The first one I ordered arrived shattered. I had my second attempt shipped directly to the store so I didn’t have to deal with glass again if it also arrived broken. Target canceled my order, so I strongly suspect it didn’t make the trip in one piece. The third attempt, though, was a charm. So, if you also love it, be patient and know that there’s a good chance you’ll be placing a few orders to finally get one in good shape! It is worth the hassle.
• mDesign storage baskets – I’m doing a bit of under-the-sink organization in our kitchen and ordered these storage baskets to corral cleaning supplies and vases. While not terribly exciting, they were one of the prettiest options I found that were still affordable, so I thought I’d share ’em!

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