outfit

Casual Elegance for the Holidays

November 26, 2018 by jessica Leave a Comment

My family isn’t one for glitz and glam, and while I love dressing up for the holidays, I’ve spent many years being the overdressed one at those occasions. I’ve begun to embrace a more casual approach to holiday dressing that still feels special, which is why I’m in love with this Garnet Hill cashmere sweater that the brand sent over in preparation for the holidays.

Cashmere is an inherently luxe fiber, so you’ll feel festive even when pairing it with jeans and ballet flats like I did here, especially if you add an oversize accessory. (My Lele Sadoughi earrings are my absolute favorite pair when I want something eye-catching.) This particular sweater is even better for the holidays because of its generous, swingy shape that allows you to indulge in all of the holiday sweets! Just half-tuck it into your waistband to give it some shape. It can easily be dressed up with a pair of lace pants and heels or given an edge with faux leather leggings. There’s also a very good chance that it’ll become your favorite lounge piece with a pair of sweats. One word of warning, though, it runs large due to the a-line shape. I’m typically a size 8 and I’m wearing a small here, but I probably should have sized down to an XS.

This is actually my third cashmere piece from Garnet Hill and just like the others, the fabric is supple, incredibly soft, and densely woven. I think their cashmere pieces are some of the best you can get for the price point, especially today during the brand’s cashmere flash sale where you’ll save 40% on select items. I love this beautiful turtleneck sweater, and I use this cashmere wrap on all of our international plane rides. If you need a gift for the guy on your list, I’ve purchased these cashmere socks for Dave for the last two years and he loves them. (They won’t be as durable as your run-of-the-mill pairs, but they’re an affordable luxury gift. We line dry Dave’s pairs to extend their wear.)

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Thanks to Garnet Hill for partnering on this post!

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Falling for AuRate Gold Jewelry

October 15, 2018 by jessica Leave a Comment

As I get older, I find myself drawn to unfussy, classic pieces that withstand the test of time — and honestly, those have really been the foundation of my closet and the items I wear over and over again. Take this Tory Burch coat, for instance. I added it to my wardrobe back in 2015 and I look forward to chilly weather every year so I can wear it again. The Prada sunglasses were my first designer pair and I still reach for them weekly. The bag? Well, we all know it’s something I’ll keep in my closet forever. That’s not to say that I haven’t made some sartorial missteps when curating my closet — I’m sure taking a look through the archives here will turn up some gems — but narrowing down my style and considering the longevity of each piece is not only a fiscally responsible decision, it’s a sustainable way to shop. Long gone are the days of hitting up the mall to find a cheap “going out” top and a bauble to match, only to add them to the donation bag a few months later.

One brand that has quickly made its way into the “classic-pieces-I’ll-keep-forever” category is AUrate. I introduced you to AUrate earlier this year, but I wanted to put the jeweler back on your radar this season when we’re all looking at making bigger investments in our wardrobes and starting to think about gift-giving and receiving. AUrate is a lot like Warby Parker or Everlane in that the brand seeks to create more transparency in their industry by cutting out the middle man to bring direct-to-consumer fine jewelry at fair prices without sacrificing quality or style. All of AUrate’s pieces are handmade in New York City by experienced jewelers and are guaranteed for life.

When I browsed AUrate’s collection with my own wardrobe in mind, I knew I wanted to go with a gold necklace. I have a few dainty options, but nothing that bridged the gap between a luxe piece of jewelry and an easy-to-wear everyday piece. This 14k gold bar necklace nails it. I put the necklace on immediately when it arrived two weeks ago and I’ve been wearing it every day since. It’s a moderate investment at $220, but it’s one of those perfect pieces you’ll treasure for years.

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Thanks to AUrate for partnering on this post!

My Favorite Dress in Austin

June 4, 2018 by jessica Leave a Comment

This dress was undoubtedly my favorite thing to wear in Austin, so much so that I wore it our first full day in the city and then again another afternoon. I bought it last year from Urban Outfitters and the cotton dress is so breezy and, better yet, doesn’t need a bra. It’s amazing how much cooler you feel once you ditch a thick layer of foam! Now, I realize that not everyone is able to pull that off (it’s one of the perks of having a small chest), so I put together a roundup of some of my favorite pro-bra and anti-bra dresses from the retailer below. (I don’t know about you, but I never think to shop at Urban Outfitters until I need an inexpensive summer dress, and they’re a gold mine of hot-weather frocks. This one is my favorite of those linked in the widget below because of the pretty green and white pattern. I’m also a fan of this one.)

Urban Outfitters dress (old; similar, love this one) | Tory Burch tote (old; I wasn’t able to find a similar one, but it’s the “Kerrington” style if you’d like to search on eBay.) | Sam Edelman sandals (also love these) | Wendy Mink earrings (c/o; similar here and here) | Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses (old; similar)

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Jump for Joy

April 23, 2018 by jessica Leave a Comment

Could it be that spring is finally here?! The signs of last week’s snowstorm already melted and yesterday was warm enough to don my new jumpsuit for outfit photos without my teeth chattering. I would have worn this number all day (it was that nice out), but we spent the afternoon biking to nearby breweries and bars with our some of the friends we’ve made in the neighborhood. It was my first time on a bike this year and I wasn’t sure I could manage to ride without getting the wide legs of the jumpsuit caught in the chain!

Other than that, it was a low key weekend. We attempted to swap out the old ceiling fan in our bedroom for a new one, but ended up emailing our electrician instead. The old fan was incredibly wobbly and we’re not sure the existing electrical box has enough support for the new fan. (While I’ve found myself to be fairly adept when it comes to house projects, crawling in the attic to install a new electrical box isn’t something I’m keen on.) I also ordered one of these sconces in brass with this shade to try in our living room. Schoolhouse Electric charges 10% for shipping and requires the customer to foot any return shipping costs, so I want to make sure I love it in person before ordering three more.

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Checkmate

March 19, 2018 by jessica 3 Comments

I didn’t intend to go on a week-long hiatus from the blog, but the last few days seemed to get away from me! I was incredibly sleepy in the morning thanks to the time change and still too tired after work to put any thought into worthwhile posts. That paired with my unhealthy obsession with watching the NCAA tournament led to an awfully unproductive week!

That said, let’s talk about this outfit, shall we? I feel like I’m finally settling into my personal style groove and this outfit is such a testament to that. I consistently fall back into to a modern classic aesthetic and I’m working to streamline my closet to fit with that vision and to bring some of my old favorites to the forefront again. I’ve had the dress for eight or nine years now, the coat is a favorite from a few years back, and while the bag and loafers are new, they’re such versatile pieces. I’m also rediscovering my first sartorial passion: vintage jewelry. I’m a costume jewelry die hard in all of its forms, but nothing is better than finding a special vintage piece. It feels really good to have a streamlined vision for my closet again and while I’ll dapple in the occasional trend, I’d much rather keep my focus (and spending) on the pieces that will get the most mileage year after year. Granted, this will lead to a lot of repeat performances of individual pieces on the blog, so I hope remixing items is just as inspirational as coveting new arrivals!

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