BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

Mini Moments: October 2015

November 4, 2015 by jessica 2 Comments

October is my busiest work month and I think that was pretty evident this year, given the lack of color in my Instagram feed over the month. I didn’t realize quite how dark things had gotten until I posted this yesterday. It looks so out of place with the other photos! Here are some of my favorites from the month:

Tried the new Cafe Hollander, a Belgian-inspired restaurant in Madison with roots in Milwaukee. Everything was good (they even had bitterballen!), but it was too expensive. Four beers, bitterballen, and two sandwiches came to $100 after tip. Brasserie V in Madison is a much better bet for better beer, food, ambiance, and a lower ticket price.
How, ahem, darling is this little tray?! It’s only $15 and makes for the perfect gift this holiday season. I’m also obsessed with this Tiffany-blue mug and saucer.
My jewelry drawer (seriously, not a jewelry box, a full drawer in our dresser is dedicated to gems) got a serious upgrade thanks to Julie Vos and her team. I’ve been wearing this pendant and ring almost exclusively since they arrived. I’m sharing some insights into her collection with a couple of interviews coming up!
This outfit post is one of my most popular yet and for good reason: the cape is pretty amazing! If you’re a medium/large, it’s on sale right now for $100! You can score the black version for $90 in XS/S or M/L here. (I went with the XS/S because I have narrow shoulders.)
I can’t pass up an opportunity for a Ferragamo + Floor photo.
Sharing a special, slightly-harass-y moment with Bacon. I went to Target on Sunday, hoping to find deeply discounted Halloween costumes for him (because if there’s one thing a cat loves, it’s a costume…). They were sold out, but I did find this fuzzy winter hat to purchase later.
Treated myself to snowy white mums.
Tried out the recently renovated Avenue Club in Madison. It was a wood-paneled neighborhood bar before it underwent a Midcentury Modern makeover.
Went out of my comfort zone to try this ASOS dress. I just wish the weather was warm enough to wear it again!

The Coveted

November 3, 2015 by jessica 6 Comments

Over the last few weeks, I’ve found myself bookmarking more bright, whimsical items to (hopefully) incorporate into my wardrobe once “No Shop November” comes to a close. Although, there’s a good chance I’ll lose my resolve once Black Friday rolls around. (Last year, I couldn’t resist a beautiful Monica Vinader Baja bracelet in sterling silver and green onyx for half price.) Until then, here are some of the items catching my eye this week:

A bright pink coat. I wanted a pink winter coat last year, but couldn’t find the right one. It seems like such a wonderful dose of much-needed color in the dead of winter.
A monkey bag charm. It’s an irresistibly cute way to stow coins and other small essentials.
This plaid dress from Banana Republic, which I might break my shopping ban to try this month. The direction of the plaid pattern and cut of the wedding dress look flattering. I think the fringe hem looks sloppy on a tailored piece like this and I’d have it hemmed to hide it.
Stripes and scallops! Does it get any better than this darling swimsuit?
Celebratory shot glasses to take the edge off the holiday stress.
Lulu Frost’s oversized initial pendants.
A pair of hot pink pumps that would make Barbie proud. I also love these muted pink pumps.

Not pictured:

I’m tempted to snag this Joyeux Noel striped t-shirt for lazy days at home.
I came across this dark floral blouse this morning. Not only is it beautiful, it’s wallet-friendly!
How amazing is this accent table? The top is solid marble and it comes to just $76.50 after the extra 15% off. Need.

Painterly Plaid

November 2, 2015 by jessica 20 Comments

From what I saw on Instagram, many of you had a fun Halloween weekend! I donned my sleepy Holly Golightly costume at work on Friday (with longer shorts, so I wasn’t inappropriate) and was only marginally embarrassed to discover that my coworkers didn’t know who I was masquerading as. (Apparently they need to brush up on their knowledge of iconic American films.) Dave and I barely left the house on Halloween. We played Yoshi’s Woolly World, carved pumpkins, watched The Babadook, and ate too much holiday candy. I also watched the debut episode of Wicked City starring Ed Westwick. I couldn’t believe the reviews that poo-pooed anything starring Chuck Bass! But, it really is that bad. Maybe even worse. It doesn’t mean I won’t watch a few more episodes, though.

We had an unseasonably warm kickoff to November yesterday with temperatures in the 60s, giving me the excuse to wear this dress sans tights. It was an impulse purchase at Anthropologie a couple of weeks ago and I’ve already worn it four times since. It’s such an easy piece to throw on and feel pulled together instantly. In addition to loafers, I’ve worn it with cobalt flats (similar to these), boat shoes, and sneakers — and it looks great with all of them. In fact, I suspect this versatile dress will transition well into spring with sandals and a white tote bag. (C’mon, I can’t be the only one already yearning for warm weather!) It runs a full size large. I’m usually a size 8 and opted for the small.

The Weekend Guide

October 30, 2015 by jessica 9 Comments

LAUGH
Doctored images of world leaders rocking man buns has pretty much made my week. There’s more here!

MAKE
Create a DIY pom pom table runner in time for Thanksgiving. Go bright like Leah did or opt for a subtle color combination. Then, shop Anthropologie’s sale section for additional table accessories. There’s an extra 30% off sale items right now with code XTRAXTRA. I’m loving this serving platter and these wine glasses.

KNOW
Before you binge on the candy you “bought for trick-or-treaters,” read these fun facts about Halloween favorites.

SHOP
J.Crew has a great promotion right now. Take $25 off orders of $125+, $75 off orders of $250+ or $175 off orders of $500+. I’ve got my eye on a new bright coat for winter and leopard flats.

SIP
This is undoubtedly the best link I’ve ever come across: pineapple tumblers. The large version with a straw is $99, but there are smaller pineapple tumblers and pairs of shot glasses for $29. I’m totally ordering something today.

ADOPT
Photographer Casey Christopher is on a mission to help black cats get adopted.

FIVE UNDER $55
EARLIER THIS WEEK
Five style tips.
This week’s most coveted.
A budget update.
Went mod in a ’60s-inspired outfit.
Visited an iconic Madison bar that had an Instagrammable face lift.

Mod Squad

October 29, 2015 by jessica 10 Comments

I’m in love with the Lulu Guinness handbag I received from ASOS (and already wore in Monday’s post). As with any evening bag, there isn’t much room inside for anything other than the essentials: lipstick, breath mints, keys, and credit cards. It’s even a tight squeeze to get the iPhone 6s inside without the case. No matter. We usually have our phones out to Instagram and Snapchat anyway, right? While I’ve been wearing the quirky piece from Lulu Guinness’ “Tape Face” collection as a daytime accessory, you can bet it will be my go-to evening bag this holiday season. After all, a glittery conversation piece is a holiday must-have!

If you’re at all interested in the bag, it’s available on the ASOS website for $81, which I suspect is a mistake given that it’s $205 on the designer’s website. Order it now before ASOS discovers the discrepancy.