Hey everyone. It’s been a year or more since I last posted; life has been crazy and blogging wasn’t a huge priority. However, I did notice that people are still visiting the site with regularity so I thought that, now that my life has calmed down a bit, I’d dip my toes back into the waters. While I’ve posted a little recently, I don’t think I’ll be updating Instagram with any frequency — my relationship with social media grows more and more conflicted as a raise a young, impressionable girl — so this feels like enough.
Funnily enough considering my last statement, this post is going to be about all the things that I’ve found online, whether it be targeted ads from Facebook and Instagram, recommendations of people whom I follow online, or just from killing time on my phone. I either own these items or desperately want them (but don’t want to be kicked out of the house by my much more frugal husband). Here we go:
Banana Republic Finds
Banana Republic was my relatively inexpensive go-to when I was a young attorney who had to look presentable, and it honestly fell off the map for me in the last decade. I don’t know who’s been doing the designing these days, but everything is SO good. Think quiet luxury with affordable prices. I’ve actually purchased four pieces this summer that I’m obsessed with. But if you’re only able to get one thing, get the jeans (limited sized available). I have been stopped every time I wear them by woman asking me where I got them, and when I tell them that they’re Banana Republic Factory (yes, Factory) for $40 (with codes), they can’t believe it. A close second are the Cruise pants, which are shockingly comfortable and endlessly wearable. The cropped denim shirt’s dolman sleeves might feel a little too voluminous and the Bermuda short too long for more petite women, but they are fantastic as well.
(Note that you need to size one size down in all Banana clothing.)
Joie Phoebe Cotton Top
I’ve been really into cropped blouses lately and this is my favorite. The embroidery and scalloped hem elevate the standard cotton blouse to something really special.
Emme Parson Ernest Fisherman Sandals
I did a deep dive on fisherman sandals in late spring, and these sandals were my pick and, in turn, my go-to shoes of the summer. Yes, they’re expensive, but you’ve just purchased $35 jeans so it all evens out. Also, I think they’re prettier than The Row version which is much more expensive (sorry MK and Ashley). They’re currently on sale in deep brown on Shopbop for Prime day (sorry if you’re seeing this later), but they come in several colors on Net-a-Porter. They’re gorgeous, well made, timeless and go with all the things.
The Cesta Crossbody Bag
So this is a splurge that I haven’t pull the trigger on just yet, but I so want to. Cesta bags are handmade in Rwanda and, according to their website, they pay their female artisans pay 500-700% times the national average salary of Rwanda. I love so many of their styles, but their sisal and Napa leather crossbody feels the most versatile-yet-current of the bunch. It comes in multiple colors but the black, multi-neutral suede, and olive bags are my favorites.
Nili Lotan Tanner Trench
As my wardrobe has veered away from trends and towards timeless, well-made pieces, I was looking for the perfect trench coat. I found it in the Tanner trench by Nili Lotan. It’s cool enough to not feel staid but traditional enough to wear forever (which is good considering the price tag).
Seva Ceramics
If you’re looking for a perfect wedding gift, a handmade ceramic by Natalya Sera is it. I discovered her on the Instagram page of UNREPD, an amazing art gallery in LA (the collection of larger items that they carry is here), but I especially love her tea ceremony set available on her Etsy page. So special and different, they’re what to get the bride and groom with impeccable taste and a depleted registry.
Faux Floral Picks
I’m sure there are people who will turn up their noses at fake flowers, but I like to mix faux and real flowers and plants in my house because constantly replacing real flowers is expensive and time consuming (and my sinuses can’t handle too much pollen). Afloral has some really great Real Touch stems (as the name indicates, they feel real to the touch, which will trick your nosiest of guests). I think their faux ranunculi and hydrangeas are the best of the bunch (pun intended). While they’re expensive per stem, they last forever.
That’s it for this week. If you enjoy these posts and want them with more regularity, let me know and I’ll try my best.
XO
