Earlier this year, when I was mapping out different blog post ideas for the weeks and months ahead, I jotted down an idea to share my favorite personal purchases with you guys each quarter. Hard to believe, but Q1 of 2019 has already come and gone, so last week I finally sat down to do an audit of my fave buys. The items below are basically my entire credit card statement in a nutshell: a little bit of clothing, a random mix of household things (this homebody luuurves finding ways to make apartment life even better), and always a glut of new beauty goodies I’m testing out.
Here are a few things I bought in Q1 and really, really love:
Sézane Isabella Dress // It’s been dress swap mania over here. Remember how I posted about a couple dresses in this post? Both ended up going back, because as much as I loved their prints and styling and think they’d be gorgeous on someone else, the fit just wasn’t right on me (in the chest, or in the length—always my two issues!). So instead, I bit the bullet and bought a couple dresses from Sézane. My particular fave is this one. It really surprised me, in the best way possible. The material is this wonderful linen, but it doesn’t feel flimsy or see-through. The waist is elasticized, and the panels along the bust mean you can easily wear this without a bra. And if you’re tall, the straps have adjustable buttons to make them longer, too. I already wore this on a recent warm day in SF, and just loved the feel and fit!
Valeris Top from Anthropologie // I mentioned this top back in this post, and it was easily my favorite addition to my wardrobe last quarter. I wore it so much. Super comfortable, but pulled together, it was my go-to for coffee dates and Friday night dates alike. I like to wear it just barely tucked in the front of skinny jeans—the volume of the top really works! The top is sold out now, but it made me believe in the magic of Anthropologie again. They have so many cute tops for spring/summer right now!
Koleman Table Lamp // Last winter, I bought this lamp for my nightstand during a Black Friday sale, from High Street Market. I only bought one, because for years, Joe has been insistent that he does not want a lamp on his nightstand, symmetry be damned. But when he saw my lamp, I could tell he finally (finally!) got it. And he really liked it! So he said if I ever saw it on sale, to grab him one too. Lo and behold, High Street Market had a sitewide sale in Q1, and I was able to nab a matching lamp for our bedroom. We both LOVE these. The lights look so cozy and pretty at night, they are easily adjustable, and have two brightness levels. I also love they don’t take up a ton of space!
Double Sided Fabric Tape // In other winter time home updates, we finally hung some curtains we’d purchased for our New York apartment here in our SF bedroom. It only took 3 years and 9 months. And now we’re moving out at the end of this month, but meh, #worthit. In any case, the old curtains were too tall for our current bedroom, but I didn’t want to spend time or (significant) money getting them hemmed. So instead I thought I’d try the trick of using double sided fabric tape. It worked perfectly. Almost too perfectly—the hems on the curtains look awesome and you can’t tell they’re not sewn at all. If anyone else out there has window treatments that feel a hair too long, try this tape. It worked wonders!
Yeti Mug // I have a few other Yeti drinkware pieces, and finally broke down and bought the mug version. I’m the type of person that, when drinking coffee at home, likes to sip on it, little by little. Usually I can get three sips in before it’s completely cold. So I got one of these insulating mugs so I can get a few hours out of my single (half) cup of coffee. Fave use? Sipping on a tiny bit of coffee on the weekends with Joe, while we lay in bed and catch up! It’s funny how little things like a mug can make your life better.
These pickled green beans // I know this is the most random thing to share, but Joe and I got addicted to these pickled green beans in Q1. They are amazing. Even better with a few little pieces of cheese and a glass of wine at the end of the day while you make dinner. I grew up eating different pickled things—cucumbers, of course, but also okra (my particular fave). These beans taste exactly like the pickled okra my grandmother used to buy for me when I was a little girl. But you don’t have to have nostalgia on your side to enjoy—Joe likes these so much, we started cutting up cucumbers and stuffing them into the empty jar with the pickling liquid, so it gets another go-round. I buy these at Whole Foods!
Sulwhasoo products // When my sister and niece came to visit in February, they brought me a bunch of different gifts, but they knew I’d be most excited about a few gift sets of Sulwhasoo products (they’d seen videos of my bathroom, and the ridiculous amount of skincare stuff I have). I’d seen this brand while traveling in Korea, but had yet to try it. It’s been a part of my daily routine since they left! I’ve been using stuff from the Essentials line. Unique to Sulwhasoo products is instead of starting with an essence after cleansing, you apply serum, then this “water” essence, and then a creamy emulsion. It all just locks in moisture and feels really good on the skin. I’ve been finishing with the Youth to the People moisturizer on most days, with more products loaded on in evenings (more on that in a sec). They sell widely at Nordstrom and via their own site too! (Psst, more beauty reviews here!)
L’Occitane Rose Products // Also prior to their visit, I stopped into L’Occitane to buy them some little beauty goodies for their Airbnb rental (I know, I know we all buy each other beauty products—genetics really are powerful, I guess). When I was there, the sales gal was telling me about how the company had reformulated the rose line, so that the fragrance was more in line with real roses. I really liked the scent of their rose soaps, and bought a few for myself. Using this in the shower the last couple months made me happy—I just love the scent of roses.
Maya Chia The Super Couple Serum // You know I’m always on the hunt for the next great serum or facial oil. This one is both! I’d actually tried other Maya Chia products before, but never this one (it’s been my fave of her line, no question!). The entire line is based around chia seed extract, a super powerful hydration ingredient. What surprised me most about this oil was how fast it soaks in. It has a “dry oil” feel, meaning it absorbs quickly and doesn’t feel greasy atop the skin. I think it’s because the oil particle size in this serum is extremely small, allowing it to penetrate easily. Anyway, I’ve been using this as a hydration treatment at night on my cheeks (which tend to get dry) and really like it. I’m going to try using it as a primary moisturizer once the temps are a little warmer, just to see how it performs!
