October Musings

With the holidays at our doorstep my mind is turning towards end-of-year preparations. We celebrated my birthday this weekend, and between a string of celebrations at home and in New York City, I’m feeling especially inspired to savor this in-between moment — when the house begins to sparkle again, plans start to take shape, and the anticipation of cozy gatherings fills the air. My thoughts have been drifting from polishing silver for upcoming dinners to finding a few special pieces for festive gatherings — small rituals that make this season feel so full of joy.

• With holiday parties around the corner I'm on the lookout for festive pieces that won't break the bank. Tuckernuck is always my first port-of-call and they already have so many sparkly, beautiful things! This embellished velvet dress, this sequin number, and this top (with black tailored pants) are all in my cart. Other festive dresses that caught my eye include this and this.
• I'm loving the explosion of tassels on everything. I just bought this belt for holiday parties, and these velvet tassel mules for low key glamour when I want to feel dressy but don't want to wear heels. I also love the look of this skirt and this satin clutch (under $100!)
• This bag has been on my wishlist for almost a year and I finally decided on the Nocciola color after seeing it in person. I was wearing this J.Crew coat you all went nuts for while I was in the store, and the coat looks gorgeous with the bag.
• I wrote about my everyday makeup earlier this year and have had a few notable additions to my longstanding routine. Specifically I found a clean eyeliner (Yuka rating here) that I love, and non-toxic brow gel (Yuka rating here) that keeps my unruly brows in place. I also swapped out my old eyelash curler for this one which is so much gentler and gives a nice rounded curve to the lash. (So many curlers give you an unnatural 90 degree bend if you aren't careful!)
• I haven't had an eye exam in ages, and now that my old glasses are totally broken I'm trying to motivate myself to book an appointment with cute new frames. Warby Parker just opened a store in Portsmouth, NH and I'm excited to try on a few frames in person. I have my eye on these, these, and these!
• It's almost time for holiday reds, and I'm eyeing cozy cashmere sweaters like this and this to wear with jeans on days I want to feel festive, but keep things casual. Not red, but while on the topic of cashmere I have to mention how much I love this turtleneck. Perfectly oversized (meaning, just the right amount of roomy) and a cozy fold-over collar that doesn't choke.
• I am always on the hunt for a great loafer for my husband, that features simple, timeless lines, a comfy footbed and isn't crazy expensive since he's not particularly careful with shoes. This driving moc is gorgeous and is a great elevated, casual staple. The perfect compliment for jeans or chinos and the price is right so I'm thinking he needs these as a second color.
• Changing seasons mean changing denim needs, and while I've been so happy with some of my staple pairs like this and this , I'm also on the hunt for a new straight leg silhouette to pair with booties. These have a fabulous, classic straight leg cut, and a long enough inseam to ensure you won't see a flash of skin above your ankle boot as you walk. I also love how they look with these loafers and tonal cashmere socks. (So good!)
• I tried on this dress in NYC and it's an unexpected number that will carry you through the holidays and Valentines Day in style. (Size up!)
• I'm starting to pull out my silver and polish a few pieces each week so I don't have to do it all the day before Thanksgiving. I always do it outside so I don't breathe in the cleaner smell, and it's much more pleasant to do it when it's above freezing! I wear these gloves and use these cleaning wipes. (So fast and easy!) I then rinse off the residue with a garden hose before washing pieces with soap inside. Nothing beats the beautiful luminance of vintage silver on a holiday table! I just cleaned up this little set of bowls (so expensive and not what I paid for mine), but this triple nut bowl is a similar look and much more reasonable. The perfect little touch even if you're hosting one friend for a drink in your tiny NYC apartment!

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