I’m kicking off the year staying true to the “fewer better things” mantra with just a handful of purchases that earned their spot in our home. I’m enamored with each of these, but especially the mugs. I look forward to using them every morning for our mid-morning latte break! We bought this Breville espresso machine during the pandemic. It was well worth the investment and makes working from home a lot more enjoyable.

If you’ve had an East Fork pottery piece on your wish list, you can use this link to receive $20 off your first purchase. There’s no minimum purchase for the $20 discount. (And, nope, I don’t receive a commission or anything on this. It’s a fun program they have to spread the love for their ceramics!)

WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

• H&M pleated dress (worn here) – This is such a fun dress and looks a lot better in person than it does on the model. You’ll want to buy your normal size so it fits correctly at the shoulders. I wore it to an event last week and received a ton of compliments.
• Birkenstock ‘Arizona’ sandal in gold – I still think it’s crazy that Birkenstocks went from being reserved for the most “granola” of people to earning a spot in every fashion-forward person’s wardrobe. I’ve always liked the gold “Arizona” slide on other people, so I figured I’d give them a whirl this year given how often I wear my other Birkenstock sandals.

HOUSEHOLD

• East Fork mugs – I love our new mugs! They’re beautiful and an absolute joy to use for our lattes in the morning.

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WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

• J.Crew vintage slim-straight jeans – I’m at a weird in-between size right now and my go-to jeans were a bit too loose, so I bought these for the time being. Honestly, I’m tired of raw hems, but they’re good enough for now. The best part of these is that they don’t stretch out much during the day.
• Mansur Gavriel Checker Mini Volume Clutch – eBay find – I finally got my hands on my white whale of a purse! I’ve loved this Mansur Gavriel bag since it debuted in 2018, but I didn’t want to pay full price. I deeply regretted it for the past four years. Patience — and a saved eBay search — paid off this month and I welcomed the bag into my wardrobe.
• Cole Haan Mary Jane flats (also available here) – These are the prettiest grownup take on Mary Jane flats! The elongated, squared-off toe is flattering and sophisticated, and they look lovely with both dresses and pants. However, the back is very stiff and cut into my ankle. I’ve since purchased padded insets to offer some cushioning.
• J.Crew crystal and pearl drop earrings – The photos online don’t do these earrings justice. In fact, I passed them up online until I saw them in store. The sparkly crystals are a fun pairing for the real freshwater pearl drop. I bought them for around $16 on sale and that felt like a steal.

HOUSEHOLD

• Target small faux shagreen box – I love the sage green hue of this storage box. It’s a great size to put keys and sunglasses on an entry table.

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WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

• J.Crew rollneck sweater in ‘Supersoft’ yarn – I have a few of J.Crew’s “Supersoft” turtleneck sweaters from a few years ago. I adore how cozy they are and added this chocolate-colored sweater to my wardrobe. It runs large, so go down at least one size. I bought a small and it’s still roomy.
• J.Crew triple crystal drop earrings – Even if you don’t have a special occasion to wear these earrings, get them for your collection. They’re gorgeous in person and look a lot more expensive than they actually are. Plus, they’re not nearly as heavy as you’d expect for such a large bauble.
• H&M balloon-sleeve crepe dress – Finally a dress that feels like my pre-pandemic self! The quality is what you’d expect for an H&M piece, but the pattern is just so cute. I recently wore it with black tights and flats. It doesn’t get as staticky as other polyester dresses, which is amazing when you have to wear a coat over it. It runs huge — as does everything at H&M these days. I ordered the XS and the small to try. They both fit with plenty of room, but the XS was too short.

HOUSEHOLD

• Schoolhouse ‘Moraine’ wool throw – I’ve had my eye on this throw blanket for a year! Schoolhouse had a recent sale, giving me the motivation to finally purchase it. I love it so much. It’s so darn cozy and beautifully made. The heirloom-quality piece would be a wonderful holiday gift!
• Crate & Barrel bistro bowls – We had been using these bowls that I bought at Anthropologie in white years ago. They were great when we bought them, but they started getting hairline cracks under the glaze shortly after. While they never did break, they looked terrible and I had been fed up with them for a few years now. I decided to replace them with these classic bowls from Crate & Barrel. They’re elegant and generously sized without being too large.

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It feels like summer was gone in a blink of an eye this year — and beyond that, how are we almost a third of the way through September?! I’m usually good about sharing some of my favorite purchases of the month when they’re timely enough to purchase, but that’s not the case this time around with two Boden sale picks. (I’ve really become a fan of Boden this year. Their pieces are beautiful, well made, and timeless.) Regardless, read on to learn more about what made its way to my closet this year.

Not mentioned below: the dirndl I purchased for Munich’s Oktoberfest later this month. Prost!

WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

• Birkenstock ‘Madrid’ sandals in white – I have these in black and the big buckle version in cognac. The white was a natural addition to my collection. I’d been waiting for them to be restocked for the better part of the summer.
• Boden ankle tile pointed flats in tan – I’m sorry to share that these are sold out because they’re gorgeous and a unique alternative to a standard pair of ballet flats. They’re perfect for the summer-to-fall transition. I usually wear a size 7 in American sizing, but went with a 38 in these (the 7.5 equivalent). They fit perfectly. I also have my eye on this pair.
• Boden cashmere sweater in tan – This sweater is wonderfully plush with a slightly oversize fit that manages to remain flattering. I can already tell that I’ll be reaching for this on repeat once it gets cooler out.
• H&M rib-knit cardigan in beige melange – H&M is always hit or miss for me (and more often a miss), but I was intrigued by this cardigan that’s getting a lot of love online. It runs excessively large. I bought a small, which is more than generous. I don’t find the fit particularly flattering, especially with the wide-cut arms that only look good slightly rolled. However, it’s very cozy. I’m keeping it to wear with black yoga pants and this black tank top on our flight to Europe. It’ll also be wonderful for work-from-home days.
• J.Crew demi-boot cropped jeans – I love a cropped jean! With cooler days on the horizon, I thought I should at least have more than one pair of jeans.
• J.Crew seaside linen-blend shorts in black – I have the older version of these in olive, but this year’s version is so much better. They managed to improve the cut to make it more flattering and the material doesn’t get as baggy as the previous iteration did. It’s definitely worth snagging a pair.

HOUSEHOLD

• Target linen-blend cloth napkins – These are just $10 for a set of four! The color is a beautiful, rich pumpkin brown that’s perfect for autumn table settings. Don’t sleep on these.

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WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

• Amazon The Drop tiered midi dress – This was my only Prime Day purchase and, boy, is it a good one! I had very low hopes for this dress since fast fashion isn’t exactly what I want to support, but I kept getting sucked in with all of the glowing reviews. I’m so glad I went for it! It’s a little snug across the bust, so I wouldn’t suggest going down a size. In fact, you might want to consider a size up. (I can’t imagine going up a size would make the dress that much more flowy where it’ll drown you.) The fabric is substantial and while it arrived wrinkled, it steamed right out. It does get wrinkled as you’re sitting, but it’s not too noticeable in the black. The straps are adjustable with buttons at the back and, yes, there are pockets.
• Amazon swimsuit coverup (not pictured) – This caftan has been getting some love on blogs recently and so I thought I’d try the one-size-fits-most coverup. Is it the best quality item? Of course not. Is it super cute with a forgiving shape to drape over your swimsuit? Yep! It also folds up incredibly small so it’ll be easy to pack on a vacation and barely wrinkles. As for sizing, I’m currently in a 10 or 12 depending on the brand (medium on top; large on bottom). I think this caftan could go to a size 14, but probably not much larger than that.
• Paravel small cabana tote – You know I’m sucker for Paravel’s items. They’re beautiful, well made, and sustainable. I use the large cabana tote quite a bit in the summer for daytrips, car travels, or picnics, but it’s too large when I don’t have much to bring with during the day. Enter the small version. It’s still spacious for all of my daytime essentials, my camera, and whatever else I collect on my adventure, but it’s a lot more manageable. I’ll do a post next month comparing the two sizes.
• Nike ‘Daybreak’ sneaker in black – If you’re in need of a comfortable sneaker, look no further than Nike’s Daybreak option. This is now my third pair of them and I’m still smitten with the vintage-inspired look. They fit true to size.
• Birkenstock plastic ‘Arizona’ sandals – We have a mulberry tree in our backyard that’s so messy. I finally caved and bought a pair of plastic Birks so I have a shoe that’s easy to wash off after stepping on dropped berries. I’ll have a full review of these coming up next month!
• Anthropologie ‘Robin’ tiered mini dress – This is such a pretty dress that’s feminine without being saccharine. It has a nice drape that doesn’t overwhelm your figure, and the lowered hem in the back is a nice touch for those with a larger booty so the dress doesn’t get too short back there! I had actually ordered the green version in a medium first and loved how it fit, but I was curious to see the larger version since the medium was juuust right in the bust and I wondered if I’d prefer more space. I ordered it again in large along with the pink one in large. The large green one was way too big and the large pink one was way too small. Clearly there are some sizing inconsistencies with this. If you can find the right fit, though, it’s worth it.
• Ugg slide slippers – These are my lone purchase from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I bought them to replace a pair of slippers from J.Crew that had seen better days. I went with my regular size 7 and they fit perfectly, but you could likely go up a half size if needed and they’d still fit well.

HOUSEHOLD

• Dessert Person: Recipes and Guidance for Baking with Confidence – My coworker lent me this book after we were sharing notes on baking with tomatoes and I ordered it after one flip through. There are so many recipes in here for the novice baker as well as those with more experience. I haven’t made anything from the book yet, but I’m eager to dive in. (There’s even a Reddit community for those who love the book.)
• Microplane zest grater – I was tired of bringing out the larger grater when I need to zest a lime or lemon.
• The Cocktail Bible (not pictured) – I picked up this cute cocktail book at an independent store over the weekend. It’s full of every classic cocktail you’ll ever make and the jacket is has a leather-like look and feel. It’s pretty enough to keep out on the bar.

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Thanks for visiting! As a reminder, I may earn an affiliate commission if you buy an item through my links. This is at no cost to you. I appreciate your continued support!