Weekend Window Shopping: LOFT Is Great Right Now.

LOFT is very hit or miss for me. I either love everything or I completely hate it. The last few times I checked the website I struggled to find anything even remotely tempting, but apparently I just had to wait until fall. They're having good sales right now as well: 40% off tops and sweaters, 40% off Lou & Grey, and an extra 75% off sale! Never pay full price, is what I'm saying. Anyway, here's what I love right now:

Stuff I Like: Apparently I'm A Candle Person Now.

Lately we've both been obsessed with scented candles (I MEAN WHAT ELSE DO WE HAVE) which I find amusing because I used to hate them. Seriously! I was a big old candle hater. I still hate a lot of them but mostly I've discovered I have to be picky because there are a lot of bad candles in the world. Here are a few of my favorites:

I bought this Balsam & Cedar candle last fall and just pulled it out again and it is literally just Christmas in a candle. No weird stuff, just very fir trees with a tiny hint of clove and cinnamon. I really love it and will probably buy it again this year. I prefer the larger size but the set of mini candles would be fun to split up for small gifts! Also, if you liked the Urban 02 Tobacco and Vanilla candle I recommended, they also make one called Cozy which is spices and evergreen. 

Right this very second, I'm burning this Lab x Hygge Comfort candle which I bought last year at TJ Maxx. It's great but I just realized that it's nearly identical to this Bonfire Embers candle from Target - woody, vanilla, sandalwood type thing. I like that combo for winter! So warm and comforting. Naturally, it looks like it's basically sold out but the other Opalhouse holiday candles sound nice! 

Getting slightly fancier, I am a big fan of Maison Louis Marie candles. They're on par with much more expensive brands and some of them are sneaky versions of very popular fragrances. This one smells just like Santal 26 and this one is a dead ringer for Lime, Basil & Mandarin. Unsurprisingly, my current favorite is L'Etang Noir, which is a vanilla, tobacco, amber candle. I am nothing if not predictable. If you're unfamiliar, this set looks like a good place to start. 

Finally, I freaking love Lafco candles. They are expensive but come in beautiful handblown glass containers and they smell wonderful. I am dying to buy Feu de Bois Ski House or the Frosted Pine. Ugh, they all sound really nice. Rosemary Eucalyptus, anyone? I want all of them, really. 

I'm sure you guys have some recommendations, so let me know in the comments! n

Outfit of the Day: Being a Unicorn.

As I mentioned last week, I am tired of being so lame and casual out in the world and decided to start making an effort to wear my nicer stuff because it really does make me feel good. It's been unseasonably warm this week (and also now raining which is why my pics look a little weird) so I haven't really had a good chance to wear my awesome new Avec Les Filles leopard jacket out in the world. But, I'll wear it inside for you guys because why not? First, we start here:

This is a pretty standard "me" outfit. I'm wearing my Letluv lightning bolt thermal which is still a favorite of mine. It's ridiculously oversized but really cozy and I love the graphic. It's long sold out but I super love this Letluv Joan Jet tee and ooooh, they have a glitter bolt sweatshirt now! I wish I didn't know that. I'm also pretending to not know about this Bowie tee. Stop it, Anthro. Let's add in the jacket and see what happens:

You guys, I love this jacket. It's soft and badass all at the same time. It's a classic moto jacket style but instead of being cropped it's nicely oversized so it covers your butt! It's made of wool but is kind of furry? Hard to explain. I am wearing a size medium and can zip it up, I just don't wanna. (It just looks way better unzipped.) It's an older style, so currently only available at Amazon and there's a super sherpa version at Off Fifth. There's also a much more understated corduroy leopard jacket by Avec Les Filles at Anthro if that's more your style. 

Imma stick to the crazy one, myself. My pants, by the way, are the Athleta Headlands Hybrid leggings I won't shut up about. Super comfy and thick enough that you don't have to worry that people are judging you for wearing leggings as pants. THEY ARE TOTALLY PANTS. Hmph. They also have a similar style that's fleece-lined and damn. I want those. On to details: 

My earrings are Lulu Frost evil eye studs and you can probably find a pair on Poshmark pretty inexpensively. They are really fun but there are lots of great similar pairs to be found as well. My necklace is my Madewell horn pendant which is sold out but this one from Allsaints is similar and very cool.

My usual very old Cole Haan Chelsea boots and MBMJ hobo bag. (Both are long sold out, so I've linked updated versions.) These have both been very good purchases - things I've used for years and would be lost without. And, because I love you guys I reattached the jacket's faux fur collar with the million tiny, annoying little buttons so you could see what it looks like:

It's a cozy thing but I much prefer the cleaner look of the regular collar. I will probably take it off and stash it away somewhere and then never be able to find it again. Good times. 

Monday Mood: Just Your Average WFH Outfit.

I got dressed this morning without the blog in mind - I wanted to be comfortable but also look decent for my first meeting. I was also trying to be mindful of my "use your things" proclamation from last week so I dug into my closet determined to wear something that I haven't worn in a while. I mean, it's a flannel shirt but I succeeded! None of this is interesting enough for an outfit post, so instead I'm just gonna list what I'm wearing because how's that for lazy? You know you love me anyway. Here we go:

For some reason, my softest flannel shirt doesn't get much love from me but I'm wearing it right now and it's good. Mine is a grey plaid they don't have currently in stock but if I had to buy another one, it would be this purple plaid because how fun, right? (Raise an eyebrow if you will but if you're gonna buy classic flannel, you can't go wrong with LL Bean.) 

Under my plaid flannel I'm wearing this excellent t-shirt from Madewell. I am constantly on the search for a good 100% cotton long sleeved tee and I bought this in two colors. It's soft, the sleeves are long and I love the curved hem. (Also, it's 30% off right now! If they made it in a v-neck I'd buy duplicates...) I'm also wearing this necklace and my little snake huggie earrings. 

I pulled out my two pairs of Athleta Headlands Hybrid tights and I was delighted to find that they were just as comfy as I remembered. They don't lose their shape or bag out at the knee and they look SO CUTE with Chelsea boots but you could also hike in them. (If I ever get to travel again, I will be taking both pairs with me, for sure. )

I am, as always, wearing my house Birks - the shearling lined clogs, which are still one of my favorite purchases from last year. I got last year's gray version and I thought they were a beautiful color. They are no longer a beautiful color. It's totally my fault because I wear them while I cook and even though I'd treated them with suede protectant they are now dirty and stained. I still love them, but if you're a mess like me, maybe get them in black instead. 

Finally, let's talk about underwear! I recently bought a bunch of different styles from Parade because I was tired of my boring ways and they have such fun colors. I bought several different styles but my favorite, hands down, is the brief. I haven't had them long enough to judge longevity but so far they're comfy and holding up well. Plus, fun colors! Size inclusive! They donate to Planned Parenthood! If you want a free pair on your first order, you can use my code adrien-9d (full disclosure - I also get a free pair.) 

I'm also wearing the Lively Busty bralette and, while I like that its a more traditional bra-like bralette, it's just okay. I know they're really popular but I find the band folds up on me which drives me nuts. 

That's it! So not exciting but it always feels like an accomplishment to get dressed on a Monday especially after the week we had last week, right?

Weekend Window Shopping: Boots 'n Sweaters!

Fall is really about boots and knits, right? Madewell gets it and they're offering 30% off of all boots and sweaters with code MUSTHAVES. I took a look and they have some really good options this fall. (I mean, don't they always?) Here's what I like:

Be A Unicorn and Use Your Things.

I'm in a talky mood this week! A story: Back when I was going to my (sadly now closed) favorite magical thrift store every week, I used to see this woman who reminded me of an older Kate Lanphear. She was right there with me, digging through the racks on half-price day, but always looking like her next stop was a really chic rock 'n roll party in Manhattan. She'd be wearing, like, a silver sequined jacket, crazy printed pants, amazing platform boots and pointy insane statement rings. She 100% pulled it off and was FABULOUS. It was like seeing a unicorn at Aldi or something.

More recently, I went to check out a new thrift store I'd heard about and there she was! My fashion unicorn! She was, as usual, dressed like a rock star on a Friday afternoon in the middle of a pandemic. And here I am wearing boyfriend jeans, sneakers and a hoodie. Dammit. I chatted with her briefly and told her how much I loved her outfits but I also was like, WHY AM I NOT WEARING MY COOL STUFF.  

Working from home and not going out means that my nice bags and fun jackets never see the light of day anymore and I am mad about it, you guys. It doesn't matter if I'm going to the grocery store instead of out to dinner, I can still wear my leather jacket and some fun earrings, you know? So, that's my goal for the rest of this crap-ass year: I am going to dust off some impractical, fun thing every time I leave the house and I'm going to start using my stuff. 

PS. My friend Nina found me this incredible jacket for $17 at Gabes, of all places, and I'm thinking it's a great jumping off point:

I will post an outfit next week! And I challenge all of you to dust off your sequin jacket or fancy zebra handbag and give it an outing. Or, buy the fun boots and don't worry about the fact that you have no where to wear them. Just wear them anyway! Let's all be a unicorn in Aldi.

How To Hang In There (And a quick review!)

Wow, yeah. This is a tough week. One thing I started doing mid-pandemic was to try to get a little bit of movement in early. It sets my day up way better than my previous activity of drooling on the couch watching too much news, you know? So every morning I try to do either 30 minutes of yoga or a brisk walk. Lately the walk has been more appealing because nothing calms my anxiety like being outside (in the woods if possible.) It reminds me that the world is a big place and that even when it feels like everything is falling apart, the physical stuff is still here - trees and ground and sky and critters. It helps. 

I'm your life coach now! Just kidding. Since I'm trying to embrace fall and winter, I decided that I DO NOT get to opt out of walking just because the temperature has dropped. I'm trying to be very Scandinavian about it all, "there's no bad weather, just bad clothing." Cool cool cool. SO, I got myself a pair of those Athleta reflective Rainier tights because they're both warm and visible (I often walk with my boyfriend after work as well.) They are not inexpensive but y'all? They are GOOD:

They are warm without being stiff or oppressive, the leopard print is subtle but very cute and my phone fits (snugly) in the side zip pocket. I also like that the reflective print seems woven in, not actually printed, so it won't peel or wash off. (I guess we'll see.)

Here's my whole dorky morning walk lewk. My pullover is Nike (thrifted, but this one is similar) and my super light puffer is from Uniqlo. My sneakers are last year's version of the ON Cloud running shoe. I probably need a pair of gloves eventually but baby steps.