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7 Halloween Decorations to Use All Season
ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | SIX | SEVEN
I almost hate to breathe a word about Halloween and catapult us right to the end of October, but the undeniable crispness in the air along with my first seasonal sip of pumpkin beer the other night has put me in the mood for fall. And with autumn comes the desire to introduce some moodier decor into our home with a little bit of pre-Halloween shopping. It seems I’m not the only one, either. Retailers are pulling out the macabre merchandise earlier and earlier each year.
Aside from a few Target jack-o’-lanterns, I don’t have much in the way of Halloween-specific decorations — which is exactly what I prefer. I think Halloween decorations are best when they’re not limited to one spooky night of the year. I’ve rounded up seven seasonal decorations and serving pieces that are a little dark and a little moody, but would work just as well with your autumnal decor as they do on Oct. 31.
That pumpkin ale, however, is limited to a one-and-done endeavor.
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Eight Statement Handbags I’m Loving for Fall
While I’m not one to go down the fall-attire rabbit hole too deeply before the calendar turns to September, it is just 17 days away and the siren song of a new handbag for the season is becoming increasingly hard to resist — especially when there are such statement-making bags available right now.
I fell hard for that Staud bag the moment I laid eyes on it and I’ve been daydreaming about the perfect ’70s-inspired ensembles to pair it with. It looks roomy enough for everyday essentials and the large opening appears like it would fit comfortably over a shoulder. Then there are those petite croc-embossed bags here and here (also in emerald) that are just begging for a ladylike look. And just look at the acrylic details on the strap of this bag and this one — and they’re both under $50! But then Cult Gaia steals the show with three photogenic bags that blow the Ark bag out of the water: a sculptural bamboo tote, a fluffy faux-fur top-handle bag, and a raffia woven handbag.
For me, it’s likely a tossup between the Staud bag and that Kate Spade cutie, but I’d love to know what bags are gracing your wish list right now!
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Dark Floral
As you’ve probably gathered, I’m not much of an Old Navy shopper. By in large, I think the quality of the garments is too low even for the price and the thought put into designs is lacking. However, there are times when Old Navy does it right: insanely affordable denim, basic t-shirts, and this dress. Prints are a hard thing for a discounted retailer to pull off, which is why I typically go with solid colors if I’m shopping for inexpensive duds, but Old Navy nails it with this multi-colored floral dress. The variety of flowers and colors in the pattern make it look more expensive than it is, unlike the other two-color prints for this dress that look cheap.
As with any low-cost apparel, pairing it with luxe accessories elevates the look. I went with my go-to Ferragamo flats and a DVF clutch. Both of these have high price tags, but the cost per wear makes it worthwhile. I normally wore out a pair of black flats in the $100-150 range within a year. The Ferragamo pair still looks brand new. I’ll have them resoled when they start to look worn. The clutch is one of my absolute favorite accessories. I splurged on it a couple of years ago and haven’t had a desire to buy another black clutch since. The classic shape won’t go out of style and it’s large enough for all of your essentials.
Dress: Old Navy
Shoes: Ferragamo
Clutch: Diane von Furstenberg (hands down my favorite clutch)
Sunglasses: Prada
Rings: Monica Vinader, c/o Julie Vos (similar), Melanie Auld (love this)
Lips: Stila “Bella”
Outfitted
While this getup is quintessentially fall, it’s completely out of my comfort zone. I’m not actually a fan of jeans (or pants in general) and I’ve never worn a pair of riding boots before Naturalizer reached out to me with the opportunity to try a pair of their shoes.
I’ve always wanted to purchase a pair of riding boots, but it’s a discouraging process when you have wide (ahem, “shapely”) calves. Most options are matronly or have a bizarre v-shaped inset of elastic that looks like an afterthought. I appreciate that the elastic on this Naturalizer pair is thoughtfully incorporated into the design and is partially hidden by leather buckles. It allows for a comfortable fit without sacrificing style.
Naturalizer has a reputation for comfortable shoes and these are no exception. (No breaking in period!) I planned to wear them for a day at a state park, but they were just as comfy for what those plans morphed into: a stop at the New Glarus brewery and an afternoon spent browsing small town gift shops.
Featured: Lands’ End jacket // Banana Republic shirt // J.Crew jeans // gifted Naturalizer boots // gifted Hobo bag // gifted Gorjana necklace // gifted oNecklace necklace // gifted Cynthia Jones ring
Goodness, that’s a lot of gifted items in one post. I only accept items that I adore, so they’re in heavy rotation!