BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

Spring is in the Air

May 9, 2016 by jessica 10 Comments

I bought this cute skirt from CeCe by Cynthia Steffe right before our trip and it was a last-minute addition to my suitcase. I just love the blue floral pattern that reminds me of both Delft pottery and Royal Copenhagen porcelain, which I definitely brought back as a souvenir. (See one of the pieces here. Between our trip to Copenhagen and previous jaunts to The Netherlands, I’ve amassed quite a collection of blue and white housewares. I also snagged a Greek vase at a Brussels flea market, in blue and white, of course.) I adore the pattern so much that I’m contemplating the matching blouse or the dress because there’s no such thing as too many blue and white florals! On a practical note, this a-line skirt fits comfortably on full hips and runs true to size.

Sweater: J.Crew
Skirt: CeCe by Cynthia Steffe (also here)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker c/o Shopbop
Bag: Tory Burch (similar; also in love with this in yellow)
Shoes: Louise et Cie (also love these metallic flats)
Rings: c/o Julie Vos; Monica Vinader; Lulu Frost
Bracelet: Hermes
Lips: Stila “Bella”

The Weekend Guide

May 6, 2016 by jessica 5 Comments

LEARN
Dave and I went to the bank this week to get pre-approved for a home loan. While we don’t have a specific house in mind yet, everything we’ve read urges a buyer to get the preapproval letter in order first to make an offer more enticing to a seller. There’s a short list of homes that we’ll be touring with a realtor in the next couple of weeks provided they aren’t purchased by someone else first! (Madison has a crazy real estate market right now with many homes swept off the market within a week.) We’d like a sweet 1950s or ’60s home. They come with tons of character, but they also come with small rooms, which is why I’m referring to this small-space decorating guide when the time comes (hopefully mid-July!).

READ
If you’re like me, you’ve alreay poured over the best-dressed lists from the Met Gala. My favorite post, however, comes from Brandon Stanton, the brilliant man behind Humans of New York.

KNOW
It seems terribly inefficient to load a plan from front to back. Beyond that, it seems there’s research to support that walking through a first-class cabin can lead to “air rage” on the flight. (I’ve never understood how pre-boarding is a perk to first-class passengers. While I love to travel, I don’t love to be strapped to a seat in a stuffy plane for longer than necessary. )

DISCOVER
I appreciated this poignant article profiling the financial differences of four men, ranging from a gentleman on the poverty line to a CEO millionaire.

MASTER
So much of this post rang true. There’s a true art to the mom email!

EXTEND
Tacos are by far one of my favorite foods and we didn’t even use Cinco de Mayo as an excuse to overindulge yesterday. Dave was out of town, so I opted for a more responsible meal of chicken and a side salad. Boring. You know what’s not boring? A weekend of tacos to look forward to! Here’s a comprehensive list of Mexican meals to make all summer long. I’m definitely trying this corn salad.

EARLIER THIS WEEK
Dressing like a Danish girl.
A stunning ring from Anjolee.
Style steals under $50 and under $100.

Style Steals

May 5, 2016 by jessica 8 Comments

Under $100
Dress, $98 | Sandals, $98* | Bag, $58 | Earrings, $66 | Necklace, $62

*I’m torn between the shorts and the maxi skirt, but I’m not sure if I’d actually wear the latter. Pineapples aside, I’m definitely buying the sandals.

Put a Ring On It, Anjolee!

May 3, 2016 by jessica 4 Comments

You may have heard of Anjolee before, a leading website for diamond jewelry, and like me, you may have mistakenly thought that the company had its roots in e-commerce, making you a bit leery of buying fine jewelry online. Well, I’m going to squash that misconception. The company actually began in the early 1960s when its founder began designing his own jewelry, earning accolades for his tennis bracelet designs. The family-owned business moved to California in 1977 and eventually launched an e-commerce division in 2007 in order to work with the public directly rather than through wholesalers and retailers. That’s when the brand was given its monkier, Anjolee. The name was inspired by the mother of the founder’s two nephews, combining the word “angel” with her first name, Lee, altering the French word for beauty from “jolie” to “jolee.”

Personally, knowing that a jewelry company has this kind of longevity and has a earned a reputation of quality makes me more likely to trust the brand. It’s daunting to buy jewelry sight unseen! Rest assured, though, knowing that Anjolee stands behind its quality and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which even applies to custom orders.

While we’re on the subject of custom orders, that’s actually the best part of shopping with Anjolee. You can change the gemstones, switch the type of metal and karat, increase a diamond’s carat weight and quality, and add engravings; all so you can create the perfect piece for you or a loved one. In my case, I started with the Heart Felt Emerald Cut Engagement Ring, swapped out gold for silver and switched from a diamond to a blue topaz stone. The ring is now the perfect everyday piece to wear alongside my other daily gems.

Thanks to Anjolee for partnering on this post!

Dressing Like a Danish Girl

May 2, 2016 by jessica 13 Comments

When I was doing our trip research, I read that Danish girls wore a lot of neutral colors and paired their ensembles with sneakers almost exclusively. It only took one day out in the city to realize how true that was. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a higher concentration of sneakers in one location before! Just about everyone wore them, including women who paired athletic footwear with skirts and dresses. Naturalizer had sent over a pair of their new “Kail” croc-embossed sneakers ($69) before our trip, giving me the perfect option to blend in with the locals for a day of sightseeing. The shoe offers a flexible sole with extra cushioning, and a breathable lining — features I was grateful for given that we walked an average of 10 miles per day! We haven’t done much in the way of exercise since we’ve been back, but I’m planning to change that in time for Naturalizer’s Walk Together Day on May 7. In honor of Mother’s Day Weekend, Naturalizer is urging you to take a moment to thank the inspirational women in your life and share those moments with #SHAREtheWALK. You can also save 20% and receive free shipping during the promotion this weekend with code TOGETHER. It’s valid from May 5 to 8.