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LET’S CATCH UP 11.19.23

I’m officially in my annual Black Friday haaaze at work, but (as mentioned in my last post) trying desperately to maintain sanity and make the most of this special time of year. Sounds simple, right? I’ll let you know how it goes by December 31st.

ON MY MIND:

  • I’ve been tasked with desserts this Thanksgiving (largely because I can buy them and I presume my family must feel safest that way) but I am attempting to make at least one thing from scratch and it’s my Mom’s beloved pumpkin roll recipe. Wish me luck. For posterity, I might also go armed with this festive seasonal non-alcoholic punch that surely I can’t mess up.
  • The 3 albums I’ve had on repeat lately – all of them are fun, upbeat and the type of synth-y 80s inspired pop that is a particular sweet spot in my musical taste. First, the new Cannons album ‘Heartbeat Highway’ – zero skips on this one, but I particularly love Sweeter and Cry Baby. Next up ‘1989 Taylor’s Version’, naturally. Those vault songs are just crushing me in the best way, especially Is It Over Now and Slut! An anthem. Last but not least, ‘Sting’ from Emarosa – we saw them play at a tiny venue in the West Village last month and they had such great energy. Their cover of Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody is so fun and the song Cinnamon from the album mentioned is so good we put it on our wedding playlist.
  • Life has really thrown me some curveballs since we got back from our honeymoon and without getting into the details, it hasn’t been the easiest couple of months. Which has delayed my recap of our wedding day much more than I’d originally planned – I just haven’t had the bandwidth. But! It’s finally coming later this week – so stay tuned 🙂

ON MY BOOKSHELF:

  • I’m way behind my reading goal for the year – 40 books read with a goal of 52. In an effort to give myself some extra grace (perpetual goal hitter that I like to be), I’m trying to just focusing on reading books I think I’ll love for the rest of the year. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett is still high on that list of hopefuls but I also just picked up a used copy of My Life in France by Julia Child that’s calling to me.
  • I wasn’t willing to shell out the money to buy the Britney Spears’ memoir myself, but my celeb-loving sister did and so I’m once again benefitting from her hand-me-downs. I started this yesterday and will probably finish this weekend. Pamela Anderson, Monica Lewinsky, Britney Spears.. these women were all of an era when the press/public made a mockery of them and I’m glad they’re all getting a moment to finally find their voices again.
  • I just finished Sloane Crosley’s essay collection I Was Told There’d Be Cake and while I thought some essays were stronger than others, overall it was a fun read full of sharp observations and relatable self-deprecation. I’d give it 3.5-4 stars.
  • As I always do – next weekend I’ll share my list of holiday reads! It’s one of my favorite posts of the year and one of my favorite December traditions. If you’re new here, I let my self revel in the literary equivalents of watching a Hallmark movie while sipping hot cocoa all month long. Last year’s post here.

IN MY CART:

  • I saw this plaid taffeta skirt at last week’s Talbots holiday party and immediately swooned. I’m placing my order ASAP as I’m always worried about sizes selling out.
  • I’m going to get one of our wedding photos (or maybe this one from our honeymoon) printed and put it in this sweet ceramic frame – will drop it in Adam’s stocking for Christmas!
  • I am really in need of a couple of new belts and it’s been strangely hard to find something I like in between cheap $30 options and $$$ designer options. So far I like this neutral one that has interesting but still understated gold hardware.
  • The way I cannot stop thinking about this mixed plaid fitted vest. It’s on sale but still pricey.. I’m keeping in my cart hoping that the Black Friday gods are good to me and it goes on further sale?
  • Totally different, but while we’re on the matter of vests – this fair isle option is much more budget friendly. I’d wear with a fitted black turtleneck and wide leg jeans.
  • A silly, small thing: I love these crystal accented socks – I’d wear with silver heels and a mini or cuffed jeans and loafers.
  • J.Crew’s cashmere sweaters rarely go on sale – I’m using the early Black Friday sale as my chance to pick up this cropped crewneck in a classic charcoal for just under $80.
  • Adam and I are finally crossing Waverly Inn off our New York restaurant bucket list with a reservation next Friday night and this long-sleeved rose print dress looks like just the thing to wear. Romantic and dressy enough with red lips and sheer black tights, but not over the top.

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OUTFIT DETAILS:

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ON LIFE: MEASURING TIME AND MANAGING STRESS

Time is a strange, stretching taffy sort of thing, isn’t it? As of writing this, we have about 6 1/2 weeks left in this year. In contrast, our wedding was 6 1/2 weeks ago. It feels like a blink and a lifetime. In a normal year, the weeks to come are my busiest, most stress-inducing, highest pressure of the year. But as you might know, this wasn’t a normal year for me. We planned a wedding in 12 weeks and have had about a 4-5 month stretch where, even if we hadn’t added that major milestone to the agenda, would have left me stretched pretty thin. I’ve become the taffy in this scenario I suppose.

And while my career of choice (Fashion E-commerce) tends to dictate that these next 6 1/2 weeks will feel like I’m careening towards the new year – it is in my best interest health wise (mentally and physically.. lest we all forget the stress induced stomach ulcer I had back in August) to dig in my heels so to speak. To make a dedicated effort to stubbornly reject the blink and you’ll miss it moment that exists between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I think this might seem counterintuitive but I’m doing this by filling up my calendar (it might in fact be ill-advised but what do you care, it’s my experiment). We’ll only get one holiday season as newlyweds, I want to look back and remember cozy December date nights, ice skating hand in hand in Central Park, picking out gifts that feel special. Likewise, I’ve made significant progress on some personal goals this year and I want to keep pushing. Sure work is busy – but it’s always going to be. I’m going to keep getting up early every morning to work-out, keep trudging through the depths of my novel’s first draft, keep putting money in the apartment fund. 6 1/2 weeks suddenly becomes an expanse before me.

I certainly don’t have all the answers, and I suspect that the dates on the calendar will continue to surprise me with their domino fall – but this year, I intend to not let it pull me completely apart.

Outfit from the lost France files – I hope you’ll continue to indulge me with these.

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13 NEW BEAUTY PRODUCTS I’M LOVING:

About a month into planning the wedding, I made the definitive decision to do my own hair and make-up. I partially hated the idea of giving up hours in the middle of that precious day to a formal appointment with strangers when I could spend that time with Adam and my family/closest friends instead.. and I also was frankly still traumatized by having my hair/make-up done at previous weddings and feeling so overly “done” that I didn’t even recognize myself in photos afterwards. I wanted to look back on the moments from that day and – even if I didn’t look totally glam or filtered to perfection – feel like I saw an accurate reflection of myself. In seeing the early photos, I’m so happy I stuck with that decision.

That being said – I did want to make an investment in both my skincare leading up to that day and also properly stock my make-up bag – for admittedly the first time in my adult life. I’ve tried a lot of new products in the last three months but below are the ones that I found to be truly fool proof (this coming from a 30-something woman who had to google “at what step do you put concealer on?”) and have been singing the praises of ever since. I will absolutely be restocking all of the below when they run empty.

1. Elemis Resurfacing Pads*: My face never feels better at night then when I’ve washed it and used one of these resurfacing pads. They are like a toner plus light exfoliant all in one so my skin feels truly clean and smooth afterwards. I can’t say it’s these for sure but I swear I don’t think I’ve had a single break-out since I’ve started using them a few times a week.

2. Saie Dew Blush in Poppy: A soft foamy applicator and a bright, coral color (a little goes a long way) that made me feel like an actual *blushing bride* for the daytime hours. I wear now whenever I feel like I want a brighter, livelier splash of color on my cheeks.

3. Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in Wedding Belles: I wanted a simple, soft pink/neutral lip color for daytime for the wedding and this aptly named one was perfect. I started with a matching lipliner and then added a touch of gloss too and it felt fresh and not too heavy. I’ve been wearing the same combo often since then. Not just for wedding days my friends!

4. John Frieda Lightening Shampoo*: Purple shampoo can be hit or miss for me, but I love this brightening shampoo for keeping my blonde super light and cool in tone without being a heavy, staining purple and also actually feels like it nicely cleans my hair. Plus – I like that I can pick it easily at my local drugstore.

5. YSL Lash Clash Extreme Mascara: I’ve been routinely using the Merit Mascara for about a year now (the one decent thing previously in my makeup bag) and it’s fantastic for a really clean long lash for daytime. But I wanted a little extra volume and oomf for the wedding evening reception. I saw @stillintribeca share this on Instagram Stories and, since she has impeccable taste, figured I’d give it a try. I loooove it. Really glam big lashes but not overly clumpy or fake looking. It’s my official date night go-to now.

6. Anastasia Beverly Hills Precision Brow Pencil in Taupe: I have a fear of too dark brows with my light hair.. but also have more delicate eyebrows that need a little something extra or else my whole face feels lost. It’s a tricky balance. I’d heard good things about this brand and am so glad I finally tried it because the soft pencil end gives a smooth color and then the brush end fluffs things up – all resulting in a natural but fuller looking brow. Bingo.

7. Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial*: This nighttime face cream has the most delicious, plump smooth texture to it that magically seems to transfer to your skin’s texture overnight. Plus a subtle watermelon-y scent that seems like it would be too fruity or sweet but is mys Again – I can’t say for sure – but I think it’s helped to reduce some fine lines and at the very least makes my skin feel hydrated, softer and smoother.

8. Merit Highlighter in Cava: I swear this is like instant good lighting. Like you’re just come in out of the sun and are slightly glistening. I add to my brow bones, top of cheek bones and lightly on the tip of my nose. It’s fool proof though.

9. Jones Road Miracle Balm in Flushed*: As Taylor Swift sings “I don’t like anticipating my face in a red flush”.. but in this case I very much do like it. Flushed is the exact right word for how this lightly dewy balm looks on my cheeks, nose and lips. It’s buildable and lightweight and just feels.. good. It’s price tag is higher but the pot of this stuff is huge so I imagine it’s going to last me a long time.

10. Merit Concealer in Camel: A new MVP in my make-up bag! I’ve always been a little bit afraid of concealer because I thought it would look caked on or not be a good skin match.. it turns out when you find the right product that doesn’t happen. This battles sun spots, dark circles, redness, etc. like a true champ and never looks creased or cake-y.

11. Urban Decay Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette: I love the range of neutral to rosy/warm colors in this palette (they all feel soft and romantic) and the color really stays. I tend to go with just a single neutral for day and then layer more shades for evenings out.

12. Lumineux Whitening Strips: I was skeptical when I saw influencers talking about these teeth whitening strips on Instagram, but I wanted to try something before all of the wedding photos.. and I wouldn’t lie to you – I found these to work really well! I love that they’re non-toxic and good for sensitive teeth (I can’t do Crest White Strips) – I have a few “bright spots” on my teeth directly after use, but I do them at night and by the morning they’re gone and my teeth have a nice even color. I’ve been doing 1-2x per week and truly my teeth are noticeably brighter! I’m going to keep up with them.

13. Living Proof Dry Shampoo: I’ve been searching for a new dry shampoo for what has felt like years. I heard Jen Shoop of The Fashion Magpie rave about these and, again as someone who I think have great taste, she didn’t steer me wrong. The formula is lightweight, the smell is lovely without being overpowering and it gives me an honest to god fresh blow-out look on second day hair. Consider it an auto buy.

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*Indicates items generously gifted by the brand, but as always – I only share what I truly love!

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PARIS OUTFITS: BY NIGHT

I can’t possibly play favorites here (and a few nights I didn’t even get a decent picture!) but the nights out in Paris were by far the most fun to dress for. All of these dresses are going to get special status in my forever closet and with any luck will even get a chance to be worn again this holiday season. Below – my thoughts on a few of these special honeymoon outfits.

Above: In my roaring 20s era. I wanted a real Zelda Fitzgerald moment for one of our night’s out in Paris so this drop waist embellished olive green dress and shiny mary-janes felt perfect. A little bit like the outfit equivalent of martini, no? I wore, fittingly, to Bar Hemingway inside the Ritz Paris.

Above: Ahh the Belle Epoque of dresses. I had seen this dress in person at Bloomingdales and swoonedddd over it, but it was admittedly pretty far out of my budget. After a few days of thinking about it I took a search on the internet and found one at a fraction of the price in my size. It’s still in stock at Neiman Marcus for 50% off (still a splurge but way better) if you’re in the market for an absolute archival piece. Worn for dinner with a view of the Pont Alexandre III bridge and a champagne Seine cruise afterwards.

Above: Sometimes there’s nothing more chic than simplicity. All black, a simple silk sleeveless column dress, great pumps and for a tiny touch of flair (I couldn’t resist) this rosette collar. Worn for pre-dinner patisserie on our hotel balcony (with a side of champagne, bien sûr), drinks at the Saint James hotel library bar (swoon) and dinner with a view of the Eiffel Tower. I might rewear the whole thing to a wedding this weekend.

Above: I’ve long been stalking Carolina Herrara on The Real Real, just thinking someday I’ll come across a dress from her archives, in just my size and have just the right occasion. And here it was. A thick brocade in a metallic gunmetal and burnt rust floral strapless number – perfection. I wore it to an afternoon concerto at the famed Paris Opera, Palais Garnier. No links to share, as it was a one off find but if you’re willing to put in the time, shopping secondhand designer sites is as fun a hobby as any I’ve found.

Above: I was calling this my ‘Modern Holly Golightly takes Paris’ look that night. A fun micro mini, layered necklaces (I’m just going to say it, statement necklaces are coming back in a big way) silver shoes, and a fun clear box bag (another Real Real find that I got before the Taylor Swift concert – as you needed a clear bag approved for stadiums) and have been getting a surprising amount of mileage out of). We took a walk through the Palais Royal before dinner and drinks and snapped these photos along the way.

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ON MY RADAR: FALL + HOLIDAY SHOES

I’m a shoe girl year round.. but fall and holiday shoes reallyyy take the cake for me. Suede, velvet, croc, metallic, embellished.. you name it and I want to be walking in it this time of year. I picked up a few new fun pairs for our honeymoon (all of which also happen to be deceptively comfortable) and I’ve got my eye on at least 1 or 2 pairs for the holidays. Tis the season, no? Below – what’s on my radar this season.

Above: Franco Sarto Knee High Leather Boots

RED + BALLET FLATS:

Both are huge trends for the season (although in my humble opinion, neither ever goes out of style) – this pair that I’m wearing are buttery soft and required zero break-in. I’m eyeing these red t-strap heels for holiday though too.

LOAFERS:

I’ve always loved a loafer but they’re really getting their moment in the spotlight lately. And while a great, simple leather pair is a timeless style to own, why not try a patent, two-tone or bejeweled version too this season?

METALLIC + MARY-JANES:

Again, two huge trends, again – I say.. to me they’re always in style. Either way – it’s my season to shine. I love a metallic shoe – all the better if it’s in a sweet little mary-jane silhouette that makes me feel like a modern day flapper like this pair I wore a few times in Paris and can’t wait to wear again.

Above: Inez Paz Ankle Boot (code: thesteelemaiden15 gets you 15% off your order)