BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

Receive $25 to Spend at The Laundress

February 11, 2016 by jessica 7 Comments

As much as we love to talk about clothing and curating the perfect closet, we seem to ignore one crucial step in achieving wardrobe bliss: laundry day. I’ve been brand loyal to Tide for years. It’s what my parents used when I was growing up, I brought Tide Pods to use in the college laundry room, and I’ve tried just about every version of liquid Tide since. I had been happy enough with my laundry — until The Laundress made me realize I had been led astray. The brand sent over three products for me to try: Signature Detergent, Wool & Cashmere Shampoo, and Wool & Cashmere Spray. I’m a convert.

The first item I tried was the Signature Detergent on a Sunday #CleanSheetDay! (The best day of the week.) The detergent’s light scent, according to the website, blends “lily of the valley and jasmine with sweet musk, sandalwood, and a touch of citrus.” It’s a balanced scent that is neither too feminine nor too masculine. Of course, a fragrance can only win me over for so long. The true test came after the washing and drying cycle. I prefer white sheets and thought that my standard detergent was doing its job. One round with The Laundress made me realize that my whites weren’t living up to their crisp, bright potential. Game changer. (I didn’t experience such a noticeable improvement with colors, but I assume it’s better than what I had been using.)

Next up: the Wool & Cashmere items. I actually mentioned that I was interested in these products, so I was pretty excited that The Laundress sent them along. Finally, something to curb the boatload of money I hand over to the dry cleaner each winter! I tested out the shampoo on a couple of sweaters, starting with one of Dave’s naturally. The fragrance combines “sandalwood, orange, and rose with a base of cedar” to create a “sweet and spicy blend that naturally repels moths and critters.” When you’re hand washing sweaters, a little product goes a long way. I used a quarter of a cap full to wash two sweaters and had a difficult time getting out all of the suds. After four rinses, I rolled up the sweaters in a towel to gently blot out as much water as possible and dried them flat. In between washes, the spray does a fantastic job of freshening things up.

I assume you’re eager to step up your laundry day game by now. The Laundress is giving you a $25 voucher to spend just for posting an Instagram or Pin sharing your #IAmTheLaundress moment. It doesn’t even have to include the products. Just share your laundry day with the brand, tag it, and fill out this form. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the products!

Thanks to The Laundress for partnering on this post!

Queen of Hearts

February 10, 2016 by jessica 16 Comments

If you follow along on Instagram, you may remember my fitting room chronicles of this dress. I came across it in the sale section of Nordstrom Rack and fell for the mod, a-line shape (a favorite of mine) and the whimsical heart print. However, the length was laughable when I finally tried it on in the fitting room. The dress went to my knees, making me feel like a frumpy art teacher instead of the Valentine’s vixen (ha!) I had hoped for. It was too good to pass up, though. One trip to the tailor and five inches later, the dress is everything I had hoped for: romantic enough for Valentine’s Day, but versatile enough to wear year round thanks to the graphic black and white print.

I’m linking up with four other ladies to share our Valentine’s Day looks. Scroll down to meet the gals!

Ada from Elegance and Mommyhood
“For this Valentine’s Look that can take me from work to a date night, I decided to shop my closet. I have always loved pairing Leopard with Red. For this look I mixed prints by adding a subtle pinstriped jacket on top. And since all the clothes are items I have owned for a long time, I did accessorize with new jewelry from Rocksbox.”

Jessica from Bedknobs and Baubles
“When I happened upon this dress at Nordstrom Rack, I knew it was the perfect way to incorporate Valentine’s Day romance into my wardrobe without being too saccharine. (I’m not one to go overboard with pink and red on the big day.) This dress stays true to my style with a whimsical print that’s wearable throughout the year, thanks to the graphic black and white design.”

Monica from Jersey Girl Texas Heart
“Hey Everyone! First and foremost thank you Ada for hosting this collaboration for Valentine’s Day. My look is extremely subtle for those of you who don’t like to wear too much red or anything too festive for Valentine’s Day. This is something that I would definitely wear to dinner because it’s black with a pop of pink, and the pants have enough room if I eat too much at dinner with my date!”

Megan from The Fashionista Momma
“When Pinkblush asked me to share their products, I jumped at the chance. I fell in love with this floral dress and had to style it for Valentine’s Day. I decided to add a little edge with the leather jacket and lace up shoes against the soft floral pattern.”

Emily from Darling, Dearest
“Valentine’s Day is a day where I want to feel girly. Embrace my femininity and get all dolled-up. That’s exactly what this outfit does for me. The daintiness of the lace skirt and the bold red top – even the nude heels! I feel pretty in it. Whether it be drinks with the girls or date night with my boy, I’m ready!”

The Coveted

February 9, 2016 by jessica 9 Comments

In other retail news:

Ann Taylor is offering 30% off full-price shoes and accessories. I love these classic slingback flats for spring. Black is perennially chic for the office, but I’d pick the playful banana yellow or this pretty print. On the jewelry front, I’m loving this mod lapis ring.
Kate Spade’s Surprise Sale is on with up to 75% off. My picks include this snakeskin satchel in black, a lemon coin purse, a passport cover, and this adorable polka dot cosmetic case. I never buy clothing on final sale, but I’m tempted to try this sundress.
Fashionable favorite Olivia Palermo debuted a collection with Chelsea28. The bustier and skirt pairing is my favorite, and I’m loving the unexpected bow on the back of this striped sweater.
Marbled. Wedges.
During my weekly scroll through ASOS’ new arrivals, I came across this retro off-the-shoulder dress. It would look incredible with the Tory Burch mules featured above.

Earning My Stripes

February 8, 2016 by jessica 19 Comments

I’m usually opposed to buying something at full price from LOFT, but I couldn’t help myself when I tried on this tunic tee on Friday. I actually stopped at the store to try on this skirt and pulled the shirt to wear with it, assuming that it was just another striped shirt and I’d go home without. The skirt fell short of expectations. It didn’t have enough of an a-line shape for my hips and the quality seemed a bit shoddy. This shirt, on the other hand, is amazing. It’s the softest long-sleeve tee I’ve ever worn (as I admitted in this weekend’s Instagram). It runs large, likely due to the tunic-inspired loose silhouette. (I’m usually a size 8 and I went with the small.)

And, in other shopping news, I went ahead and purchased the loafers I mentioned a couple of times over the last few weeks. I wanted a pair of shoes to wear on our Europe trip that weren’t ballet flats, wouldn’t get ruined by rain, and would be versatile enough to wear with pants and dresses. The Louise et Cie loafers fit the bill. There’s a lot going on with them: brogues detailing, metallic patent leather, and tassels. I adore them, though, and they’re incredibly comfortable with a decent amount of padding inside. I wore them for a two-mile walk on Saturday and didn’t end up with sore feet or blisters.

The Weekend Guide

February 5, 2016 by jessica 4 Comments

LISTEN
Head down hip hop’s memory lane with a scrolling audio timeline of the Billboard Top Ten from 1989 to 2015.

SAVE
I wanted to chat about my experience with The Laundress products this week, but I ran into some technical difficulties with our computer that left me in a blog drought for a few days. I’ll get to it on Monday (fingers crossed). In the meantime, snap a photo of your laundry day chores and post it to Instagram with #IamTheLaundress. Then, fill out this form for a $25 voucher to spend at The Laundress!

WEAR
I’m late to the cropped flare bandwagon, but I’m eager to jump aboard now that I came across this pair (also in a darker wash here). Here are tips on how to try the trend.

RELAX
At this point, I’m in the kids-after-33 camp. Everyone seems to have their opinions about older mothers, but those who naturally conceive later in life might enjoy a longer life.

HIDE
Stop looking like a DJ with a gigantic headphones. Instead, disguise a pair of ear buds in a statement pendant.

GIGGLE
Have you seen Tiffany Beveridge’s hilarious take on toddler fashion? I’m eager to pick up her book featuring the fictional pint-size fashionista Quinoa.