It's hard to believe it's been an entire year since this pandemic started, and even more unsettling is the fact that the normal we left a year ago still feels so far out of reach.
I'll freely admit that I've had many years which felt stagnant, with life seeming to not move in any direction, but this last year was worse, because things went backwards. Every good habit I'd built up - going to the gym twice a week, eating less sugar, getting more regular dog walk clients, spending more time on the blog and engaging in person with other bloggers -- everything just went in reverse, and now a year later, getting back even a silver of what I had feels so impossibly hard.
A year later and I still feel like all I can do is just get through the days.
This sweater blazer was long overdue for an outing, and it really is a great piece for adding a bit of structure to a look while maintaining the comfort of a cozy knit; and I think we all can agree, comfort has been taking precedence these days.
The Rundown Camel Sweater BlazerJ.Crew Brown Turtleneck Sweater Ann Taylor similar Distressed Jeans Gap similar Cream BootiesAerosoles Bag"Abbot"Kate Spade Tiger Haircalf Belt Ann Taylor similar Twist Hoop EarringsS.V. Decker Thin Gold RingEtsy Twist Ring Etsy Sunglasses"State Street" Ray-Ban
If there is one trend that has been around since I started blogging (over a decade ago!) it's layering jewelry to make a statement. Of course the trend has evolved over the years; first it was layering bracelets, then we had statement necklaces and layering statement necklaces, which thankfully became usurped by delicate necklaces (likely because our necks were starting to hurt), and now the trend has moved to layered rings.
I've been steadily working towards growing my collection of stackable rings, so that I have lots of options to mix and match. I started out with some simple solid bands, but quickly added a chevron band because of how beautifully it accentuates a ring with a stone setting. Now I'm seeing twisted and curb chain bands increasing in popularity, and I love the addition of these new textures.
The jewelry lover that I am, I do often fall for the allure of inexpensive costume pieces, however, I'd much rather invest in solid gold, or at least high quality vermeil when I can. For custom pieces, Etsy can not be beat. Being able to order half and even quarter sizes is a game changer! If I'm going to spend money on vermeil, then shopping at AU-Rate is the clear choice, as they have an amazing life time warranty that includes re-plating if a piece fades or gets scratched.
I can't forget adding in a statement ring into the mix as well, because, why not? This art deco inspired fan ring is wonderful as the band is thin and thus it's quite comfortable to wear. I've also got my eye on another vintage inspired ring that I'm sure would be great addition to my collection!
Do you love layering your rings? Do you have a favorite band combination? Let me know in the comments!
The Rundown Camel Sweater Madewell White Jeans Gap Reversible Coat Banana Republic Booties Aerosoles Brown Croc Bag Loeffler Randall Aries Pendant Necklace Mejuri Deco Fan Pearl Ring c/o AUrate New York Thin Gold Ring Etsy Midi Stackable Diamond Ring c/o AUrate New York San Marco Twist Ring Golden Cleff via TJMaxx Chevron Ring Etsy via Silver Canyon Jewelry Gold Ring TJMaxx Nail Color"Surrounded by Studs" Essie
Thanks to Responsival for partnering with me on this post!
I love a good sale, I hunt them down with fervor (I've been stalking the Anthropologie Tag Sale for the past week and hoping the pieces I bought work out!) but no matter how deep the clearance cuts are, typically my best deals are found shopping secondhand.
Earlier this winter I spotted a faux leather blazer at Abercrombie with a less than palatable price tag of $140 (and while the light brown is sold out, there are a handful of sizes still left in black clearanced to $67). However, I'd much rather have a genuine leather blazer, at half that clearance price, so I turned to eBay.
eBay has been a long standing favorite of mine, the search refinements make it easy to narrow down the results, buy it now options eliminate the stress of the auction format, and when buying from the average person just hoping to clear out their closet, amazing deals can be found. (The resellers are their own breed, and I have mixed feelings about them.)
The Rundown Knit TopMango Giraffe Print Silk PantsJ.Crew Leather Blazer Isabella Bird thrifted via eBay Brown Croc Pumps"Everly"Naturalizer Green Mini Trunk Bag c/o Italic 14k Gold Hoop Earringsthrifted via Shopgoodwill.com similar Paperclip Chain NecklaceSerefinavia TJMaxx Maya BraceletGorjana via TJMaxx Blue Topaz Stacking Ring Hirajule via TJMaxx Thin Gold RingEtsy Gold Croissant Ring Etsy Sunglasses"State Street" Ray-Ban
I've always prided myself on shopping for deals, a near outright refusal to pay full price for something. Admittedly though, I often lose touch with sensibility when I say, find a skirt with an MSRP of $88 at TJMaxx (linking Marshalls because they still have some in stock) on clearance for $10 and I feel like I've just saved $78. Not that I would have ever paid that, and really I only saved $10 since the original TJMaxx price was $20. However Gilt is selling it for $50, which kind of means I saved $40. Therefore, when I buy a pair of sunglasses for $80, I like to apply that imaginary $40 as a discount. Since the sunglasses were originally $190... well you know where I'm going with that; how could I not justify $140 sandals? (Marked down from $169 of course!)
I'm pretty sure this is how Kohl's entire business model works, and I feel too savvy to fall for their savings gimmicks, yet I still manage to fall for my own.
