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Things I Bought & Loved in November — And the Necklace That Broke in 10 Days

December 5, 2023 by jessica Leave a Comment

November wasn’t kind on the pocketbook, but I’m incredibly excited about all of the purchases I made this month — with exception of this stunning necklace that broke after 10 days of ownership. The center stone and its setting fell out while I was wearing it. I’m so disappointed about it! It wasn’t cheap and I had expected more from the brand as I had heard so many good things. I complained on Instagram (as one does) and the brand did offer to replace it, but I didn’t want to run the risk of having another dud after spending $300 so I returned it to Neiman Marcus, where I originally made the purchase. Let me tell you, Neiman Marcus does not have the kind of customer service that you’d expect from a high-end department store. It was only after I suggested I contact my credit card company to issue a charge-back did they elevate my concerns and provide me with a return authorization. You know where I’ve never had a problem? Nordstrom. Spend your money there this holiday season instead. 😉 And with that, here’s what I purchased and loved this month:

WARDROBE
See this year’s sartorial additions here.

  • Boden snaffle detail loafers – I just love the unexpectedly large buckle detail on these loafers. It’s a welcome update to an otherwise classic silhouette. I tend to wear either a 7 or 7.5 and found that the size 38 fit perfect, so they might run a hair large. They’re not the most cushioned, so I’d recommend an insole if you prefer more padding.
  • Margaux ‘The Demi’ ballet flat – I’ve admired these classic ballet flats all year and finally purchased a pair after reading hordes of glowing reviews. And you know what? They’re perfect. They’re well made with a decent amount of cushion. The best part is that the bow is functional, allowing you to tighten the top to cinch in the heel if it slips. I’m eyeing up the cerulean pair next. I went with their size 37.5, which is equivalent to a US 7.5 as my feet tend to swell at the end of the day.
  • J.Crew pave crystal and pearl drop earrings – I can’t help myself when it comes to J.Crew’s holiday jewelry collections. These are lightweight and have just enough sparkle.
  • Boden ‘Anna’ rib crew t-shirt – I received a $25 gift card from the brand and couldn’t think of anything I “needed,” so I browsed the sale section to see if there were any basics that I’d likely get some use out of and ordered this. I don’t like long-sleeve t-shirts that are too tight, so I went up a size in this one. It’s so fun! The ribbed finish adds visual interest my other striped tees don’t have. I keep hoping that other colors come back in stock!
  • Sezane ‘Cody’ jumper – This is my first Sezane purchase and I’m impressed! First of all, this sweater blissfully does not have drop shoulders. I’m sure it’s a cost-saving measure, but drop shoulders often look sloppy — unlike the raglan sleeves on this sweater which look effortlessly laid back. I also really like the femininity of the deep v-neckline. I went with my regular size medium.

HOUSEHOLD

  • Cuisinart stainless steel roasting pan – We hosted Thanksgiving for the first time and that meant cooking our first turkey … which meant getting our first roasting pan. I did a lot of research on roasting pans to find one that suited my needs: would hold up to a 15 pound bird (I have zero interest in hosting if we need a turkey larger than that; we don’t have the space in our house!), was triple ply stainless steel, had a stainless steel rack (nonstick racks can’t be used in high heat and I wanted this pan to be versatile for future needs), and would fit in the oven alongside a 9×13 pan. I ordered the Cuisinart one initially … then there were shipping delays. I was really concerned it wasn’t going to come in time for Thanksgiving, so I went back to the internet for more hours of research to come across this 14.5-inch one from Hestan. The Hestan one was beautiful and I preferred the offset handles on the rack to keep your fingers from burning on the roaster’s handles. I spent days hemming and hawing over which one to keep and ultimately went with Cuisinart just because it could handle a slightly larger turkey if I ever needed to cook a bigger one. If I had time to reorder the Hestan one in the 16.5-inch size, I would have kept that instead. (Clearly this roaster deliberation took a lot of time!)
  • Faux linen tablecloth – This was another pre-Thanksgiving purchase. Our kitchen is fairly large, but the space is not utilized well. (We’ll get around to that project eventually…) So, we needed to put up a folding table to use as a buffet and I needed a tablecloth for it. This one fit the bill based on its affordable price and that it would arrive the next day, saving me a trip to Target. It’s actually pretty nice in person. I’m not sure how stain resistant it actually is since I treated food and wine spills immediately, but it came out of the wash clean! I line-dried it, so I don’t know how it’d do in the dryer.
  • East Fork cake plates – If you want to know if you have enough serving pieces, host a holiday. I quickly realized that I was lacking for appetizer plates during our Thanksgiving celebration and used that as an excuse to indulge during East Fork’s Black Friday sale. I bought eight of these petite plates and they’re the perfect size for snacks or cookies.
  • East Fork mugs – I don’t often select the color red, but there’s something about this seasonal color that I couldn’t say no to. They’re cheerful and perfect for holiday lattes!

–
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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!

You might also enjoy:
Notable Purchases, Vol. 2
Things I Bought & Loved: December 2021
Things I Bought & Loved This Month
Notable Purchases, Vol. 3

Filed Under: Recent Purchases Tagged With: Bought and Loved

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Jessica Hamm
Hello there! I'm a first-time homeowner updating a 1920s house in Madison, Wisconsin. I have a penchant for travel and a love of costume jewelry.

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Our guest room wasn’t a design priority until la Our guest room wasn’t a design priority until late last year when we finally bought a bed, mattress, and a set of sheets. We used some of our own extra bedding (tucking in the generous overhang of our king blankets under the queen-sized mattress) and old bedside lamps from our bedroom: functional, but not quite the charming space I’d envisioned.
 
That started to change when I purchased the Popcorn Grid Coverlet from Schoolhouse — an item I’d been eyeing for years — plus some graphic floral pillows. Then came a bright blue round cushion and the sweetest Teig lamp, both generously gifted by Schoolhouse, and the room finally started to come together. You can shop my picks here: https://liketk.it/5f322

#Ad #SchoolhousePartner #SchoolhouseSpringStyle #SchoolhouseLiving #InteriorInspo #SlowDecorating #GuestRoom
Growing up in northern Wisconsin, lilacs always hi Growing up in northern Wisconsin, lilacs always hit peak bloom right around my birthday on May 30. My mom would fill a large crystal vase with fresh-cut stems, and their scent would waft through the house. 

Now that I live a few hours south and lilac season wraps up earlier, the blooms actually mark the start of my birthday month.

#Lilacs #LilacSeason #SpringFlowers #InBloom #BirthdayMonth #MayBirthday
Snapshots from the past week: • Spent quality t Snapshots from the past week:

• Spent quality time with my favorite cat

• Biked for Pacificos, chips and quac, and tacos at @bandit.tacos 

• Loved how the rain collected on the Lady’s Mantle I planted last year

• Dipped my toes (quite literally) into this year’s mesh shoe trend

• Snapped a lot of Lily content

• Drove home with a new lilac in the passenger seat
Finishing our guest room has been a focus of ours Finishing our guest room has been a focus of ours this year, and the cute Teig Lamp from Schoolhouse is such a charming addition to the space. It’s named for the German word for “dough,” which is perfect for its soft, petite shape.

Find this and the other Schoolhouse items we’re using in the space here: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/bedknobsandbaubles/posts/e01ae8c9-38af-11f0-b5c2-0242ac11000b

(The lamp and circle pillow were gifted. I purchased the other items.)

 #schoolhousespringstyle #schoolhousepartner #ad
Stripes, windowpane, floral, and a single polka do Stripes, windowpane, floral, and a single polka dot of bright blue to punctuate our guest room bedding. 

#guestroom #bedding #schoolhouseliving #schoolhouse #landsend #homedesign
I’m challenging myself to get through a backlog I’m challenging myself to get through a backlog of travel photos before we book our next trip. First up, photos of the gothic York Minster. I’m not religious in the slightest but I can’t resist stunning architecture and the opportunity to climb hundreds of cathedral stairs for a city view. This one only had a single rest stop about halfway up the flight of 275 steps for a closeup view of the flying buttresses — and a waiver you had to sign before your ascent to promise you’re healthy enough to make it.
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