First Trimester Maternity Clothing Shopping Reflections

As promised, I've finally put together my first trimester maternity wear shopping reflections, for items I ordered in April and May, before I was ready to announce the pregnancy! Not all these items are explicitly labeled maternity wear, actually, but for the ones not so categorized, I didn't think I'd be able to explain them without pointing to the pregnancy. 

In general, I've found that my body has changed very quickly with pregnancy, much faster and just more in all the relevant ways and dimensions than expected. Heck, I think my bust went up a full cup size super-early in my first trimester. And now that I'm solidly in the second trimester - particularly as I get into the later weeks - the changes progress even more quickly and noticeably, and often seem to pop up suddenly. 

For instance, in week 13, practically overnight, there was an undeniable bump, albeit one that was pretty small in the mornings, until I got bloated throughout the day. Around weeks 18 to 19, suddenly the bump felt huge most of the time, particularly on weekdays when I walk to and from the office. After week 21, the bump was huge all the darn time. I can only imagine that because the baby is to grow exponentially in the next 18 weeks or so, from roughly a pound at 22 weeks now to something likely more than 5.5 pounds - maybe a lot more - the physical changes will continue to escalate more quickly than I can currently imagine!

I recently discussed how, until I got pregnant, I was worried I'd have tons of anxiety about body image and all the inevitable changes to my body from pregnancy. As it turns out, this pregnancy also seems to have rewired my brain to worry and stress much less about almost everything in life, so I haven't been too, too bothered by all this so far. 

But I must admit I find shopping for maternity wear extremely annoying. Part of it is I'm frustrated that I've proven not good at predicting all the body shape changes I need to take into account when buying non-maternity clothes with more relaxed fits which I thought would work for my pregnant body. Also, it certainly caused consternation that many of my pre-pregnancy predictions for how long I'd be able to wear my looser-fitting clothing from my existing wardrobe turned out quite wrong. I didn't expect that basically my entire collection of business casual dresses, especially those secondhand J.Crew Presentation dresses - which are not too snug in the bust and have lots of room otherwise - would be uncomfortable and essentially unwearable by week 7 or so. 

Furthermore, I find that the value for money and variety of designs available in the maternity wear market, at least for US-based customers, is significantly worse than I'm used to as a customer. I guess I've become super-picky about my clothing throughout my years of keeping this blog and spending lots of time thinking about - and sometimes overthinking - my shopping and what works for my lifestyle and my personal style preferences!

There's so much viscose and rayon jersey in maternity wear, materials I'm definitely not fully opposed to, but that I don't prefer because of a history of unpredictable issues with durability, unexpected shrinkage, or other trouble when machine-washed. (Keep in mind I'm pretty careful with my laundry, washing only in cold water and generally in a mesh bag to protect the clothes; I also never put viscose or rayon items in the dryer either, I always air-dry.) Many of those viscose or rayon maternity items also feel quite overpriced - especially from Hatch Maternity, ouch - even if I try to shop on sale. 

Also, I find many common design elements in maternity wear... dispiriting. (I know, I know, I'm starting to sound whiny, and maybe a bit unreasonable.) I generally hate ruching and peplums. I don't like empire waists on tops (though I'm okay with them on dresses). I'm not fond of super-stretchy items that will feel like they're stretching tightly over the curves of the body. The prints that are available tend to be quite dull and generic, particularly the florals. The colors available can be limited and sometimes... odd. 

July 2022 Shopping Reflections

Thanks to my recent particularly intense busy period at the office, I'm way behind on writing that post I promised about my first trimester "items explicitly labeled as maternity wear" shopping. Hopefully I'll be able to get to it soon. In the meantime, here's my July 2022 shopping reflections post, now including both maternity wear and "regular" wardrobe purchases. 

Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in my earning a small commission - at no extra cost to you - if you click and make a purchase. Thank you for your support!

K and I are headed off on a beach vacation - I guess one could call it a "babymoon," given the timing - to Turks and Caicos very soon! I absolutely can't wait. After all my long hours at the office this year and all the business travel, I was desperately in need of a chill vacation. We don't plan to do very much at all besides sit on the beach and relax, and that will be amazing. 

Fashion - (Total: $235.25) 

• Old Navy Maternity Rollover-Waist Linen-Blend Shorts, flax - $25.99 - Although I didn't really have the beginnings of a noticeable baby bump until around week 13 of pregnancy, I did have so much bloating on and off before then that I haven't really fit into non-maternity pants since week 9. And between weeks 6 and 9, I only felt comfortable in my most relaxed-fit jeans, mostly the Tibi Brancusi (also here). These shorts are primarily for my upcoming beach vacation, as I don't normally spend much time wearing anything but dresses in the summer. (While my office is still not back to its original business casual dress code, shorts would definitely be a bridge too far!) I liked these linen-blend shorts better than another pair of Old Navy maternity shorts I also tried on, these are a bit lighter in material and have a less bulky rollover waistband. 
• Longchamp Le Pliage Filet Bag, white - $119.76* - (also here and here) This was admittedly a highly impulsive purchase, inspired in large part by some of Lumiere d'Helen's Instagram posts. I think it'd be reasonable to consider this a ridiculous price for a bag comprised almost entirely of cotton string, but I'm really enjoying carrying it so far, it's so light and is a fun look for summer. At present, I mainly use this for groceries or as a second bag - in addition to my recently-purchased Madewell woven leather Transport tote (also here) - while I'm commuting to or from work. 
• J.Crew Cotton Voile Ruffle Beach Dress, navy - $44.75 - My bump's now big enough to pull up the hem on my old swimsuit cover-up from J.Crew, so I was in the market for a new one. This "beach dress" definitely seemed relaxed-fit enough that it should work for pregnancy, even if it's not labeled maternity wear. I liked both of these colors, so I decided to get both since we'll be spending a full week in Turks and Caicos, and I plan to be at the beach or pool most of that time. 
• J.Crew Cotton Voile Ruffle Beach Dress, vivid flame - $44.75 - This beach dress runs extremely large, by the way. Pre-pregnancy, I was a true size M or 8 or 10 in most J.Crew tops and dresses, and the size S/M in this is huge on my current body! Part of it is my being only 5'3'', I guess, this item is definitely designed for someone taller - as are most regular-sizing clothes ever, admittedly - so it's maxi-length on me. The cotton voile is on the very light and arguably flimsy side of what one might expect, I don't think this would be suitable for most people to wear anywhere outside of poolside or the beach. 

This month, I also tried on the Quince 14k bold stacker ring, but returned it because I didn't like the way it looked on my hand. I tend to like the look of daintier rings, and also some very thick ones, but a lot of more medium-sized "bold" rings often don't suit me as well. I probably also need something between sizes 7 and 8 for my index finger, so anything that's only available in full ring sizes probably won't work. 

April 2022 Shopping Reflections

Well darn, I ended up disappearing completely from this blog for quite a bit longer than I planned! Work continued to be quite intense in April. Unlike in March, I didn't do any business travel last month - much less an international business trip to multiple countries - but the hours of work were still quite long, and I still haven't really had much of a chance to recover my energy after all the travel in March. 

Furthermore, I'll definitely continue to be very busy through the end of May. After that, I still have plenty on my work calendar for the entire summer, though major work events such as depositions, filing deadlines, and the like will at least be spaced out a bit better in June, July, and August than they have been in the first part of 2022. Long story short, I'm going to try to post more regularly from now on, but it's really hard to make any guarantees. For now, here are my monthly shopping reflections for April, two weeks overdue. 

Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in my earning a small commission - at no extra cost to you - if you click and make a purchase. Thank you for your support!

This month's shopping was mostly practical things related to my occasional business formal workplace dress code needs. With all the depositions recently, even if I'm mostly just the second-chair attorney, I've found myself needing more business formal options than I had. Candidly, in the last year or so, it's really only my most recently purchased suit that fits me particularly well (petite stretch wool blazer and regular skirt from J.Crew), and I do need a bit more than that for my work lifestyle, even if I only wear "full" business formal for depositions and court days (and I basically haven't had any in-person court days since the pandemic started). 

Fashion - (TOTAL: $338.95) 

• Quince Mongolian Cashmere Tee, burgundy - $44.90 - I was quite satisfied with my first Quince clothing purchase last year, the cashmere batwing sleeve sweater, so when I was looking for new tops to wear under my suits, I thought this cashmere tee would be a good value. Definitely follow the sizing chart for this, which led me select a size L so that I could get a slightly more relaxed - but also not particularly slouchy - fit. I didn't receive this cashmere tee until fairly late in April, when the weather was already starting to warm up here in NYC, so I may not get to really try wearing this with my suits until fall. 
• J.Crew Parke Blazer in Italian Stretch Wool, navy - $214.50 - I normally prefer two-button jackets with my suits, but alas, there really aren't many other women's wool or wool-blend suits available in petite sizing on the market right now. (The two-button Theory Clarissa blazer is close to the right fit on me - even though it's not available in petite sizing - but I found it too boxy on me and I also didn't like the Theory pencil skirt.) I also don't particularly love the design of the current J.Crew pencil skirt in stretch wool, I find the waistband a bit flimsy and think it makes the skirt a bit less sleek and structured than I prefer, but alas, there aren't really a lot of potentially workable alternatives out there for me. I also ordered the navy skirt to go with this blazer, but it's apparently very backordered and won't ship until July at the earliest. 
• Porcelain and Stone Patina Eclipse Stud Earrings - $79.55* - I've had my eye on this specific design from this small, woman-owned business for quite some time now, so when I saw on Instagram that she finally had a small number of pieces available through her online shop, I quickly jumped right on it. Mine look a little different from the photo, the non-patina metal part has a hammered texture. I'm super-excited to finally get a chance to wear these. Stud earrings are definitely more suitable than dangle earrings or open hoops at the moment, while I'm generally still wearing face masks in all public indoor settings, except when I'm actively eating or drinking. 

*Indicates that price includes shipping fees. 

Anyway, I'll try to write more about what's been going on in my life - besides just work and billable hours - in the next few weeks. Nothing too exciting, but it's been a long time since I've really checked in here. I can't make any promises about how quickly I'll get those other posts up, unfortunately, but I'll do my best. 

Oh, and current events related to the Supreme Court remind me of this article from 2016. I'm floored, even though it was only a matter of time, once the composition of the Court turned to 6-3. Roe v. Wade is, doctrinally, a substantive due process case, and that line of cases includes Obergefell v. Hodges, Lawrence v. Texas, Loving v. Virginia and Griswold v. Connecticut. So yeah, things are... not good. 

Life Lately: Almost the Holidays

We only started putting up this little artificial Christmas tree in our apartment last year.

I personally can't quite believe we've almost reached the end of 2021. In some ways, this year has gone by so quickly, but in others, it feels like it's been an eternity. I can barely even remember the events of early 2021, particularly from the months before I was fully vaccinated. Now that I've been fully back in the office for nearly five months, I can also barely remember what it felt like to work from home full-time while COVID social distancing. 

My sister and I are planning to travel from the East Coast to visit our mom in California this year for the year-end holidays. Both of us have already had our COVID boosters, and my mom should have gotten hers as well by the time we arrive. When K and I know we will be trying to see our parents soon, we choose to avoid higher-risk indoor settings like restaurants or parties at friends' homes for two weeks beforehand. (But because I still need to go to the office every weekday, we also can't fully quarantine before our visits with our parents.) We continue to wear masks in all indoor public settings, and aren't currently dining out indoors. 

A few of my law school friends and I originally anticipated needing to do some international business travel in the near term, by January or February next year. Now, with news of the Omicron variant and additional international travel restrictions in various countries, those plans have become significantly less certain. 

Workplace Style Thoughts: Dresses and Skirts

My favorite work dresses before the pandemic. Currently, they don't suit me as well as they used to.

Now that I've been back in the office full-time for several months, I've been thinking a bit more about the continuing development of my workplace style. 

When the New York state government first allowed nonessential offices like ours to reopen last July, my office switched to a casual dress code for the time being. There's still no indication my supervisors have any interest in going back to our former business casual dress code, so in theory, I don't really need to think about my "work clothes" at all right now. But I actually do enjoy many elements of business casual clothing - though not business formal clothing, ick! - particularly in fall/winter, so it's genuinely fun for me to think about some categories of work clothes. 

Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in my earning a small commission - at no extra cost to you - if you click and make a purchase. Thank you for your support!

Before I really get underway with today's post, please note that I talk about certain body shape and weight changes I experienced while social distancing and working from home due to COVID. I won't go into specific weight-related numbers, but may otherwise be quite blunt about some of the other changes. I know that's not everyone's cup of tea. 

On Work Dresses 

Prior to the pandemic, I'd developed a very set work uniform. I wore the same sleeveless or cap-sleeve dresses year-round, mostly plain sheath dresses. (Though I was also extremely fond of my  past-season secondhand J.Crew "Presentation" shift dresses with bow details in different colors.) My favorite work dresses were two fitted sheath dresses with little rectangular faux cap-sleeve details, the J.Crew "Resume" dress and another from Ann Taylor, with the J.Crew Presentation dresses as close second favorites. 

In spring/summer, I wore these dresses with light linen or cotton-blend cardigans, mostly from Uniqlo. In fall/winter, I wore these dresses with heavier sweater blazers, in particular the J.Crew "Juliette" sweater blazers (sample outfit), but sometimes with the mostly-discontinued "Sophie" sweater blazer instead (sample outfit). (J.Crew has debuted various other designs to replace the Sophie,  including the "Eloise," "Camille," and cocoon and classic styles.) I also had other types of dresses, sweaters, and jackets in my work wardrobe to cycle in to my outfits throughout the year to create some variety. I almost never reached for separates on business casual days, instead I pretty much always preferred to wear dresses. 

By late 2018 and until the world shut down in March 2020, I'd definitely settled fully into a very defined work uniform. Almost every workday throughout the year, my outfit would be one of the same work-appropriate dresses with a seasonally-appropriate sweater or sweater-jacket, shoes, and other accessories. 

Since I started returning to the office more regularly around mid-June this year - and while we still have a casual dress code for the time being - I've been slow to return to my old business casual wardrobe staples. I've only dressed in one of my pre-pandemic business casual outfits maybe four or five times, when I had important videoconference meetings with a client. I've also worn business formal only twice, for videoconference depositions. 

Thinking About Miscellaneous Shopping

J.Crew Hammered Metal Bangles (affiliate link) in silver. I might consider getting these in gold.

Ooph, I ended up being extremely busy at work last week so I wasn't able to write or post any blog entries. But things have calmed down again at the office for now, just in time for the Fourth of July long weekend. My workload this year has been very feast or famine, with only a few intensely busy periods here and there and significant lulls in between. Accordingly, my billable hours for 2021 aren't looking that strong. 

Now that it's July and the Feedburner "subscribe by email" feature has officially been discontinued, this is also the first blog post for which I'm sending out a (non-automated) email notification using TinyLetter. Hopefully it worked alright for those of you who are subscribed.

One non-shopping, non-fashion thing that have been on my mind recently: The United States recently selected its women's gymnastics team for the Tokyo Olympics! I'm not a very serious fan of women's gymnastics, as I prove completely unable to tell any of their skills apart or even to accurately distinguish more difficult and complex skills from easier ones. But I've been following the American women's gymnastics team closely since 2018 or so. The athletes are so incredibly strong, especially those who had to endure the Karolyi era and its failures of reporting and abuses of power. (Some of these issues were covered in the Believed podcast series, which I recommended back in 2019.)

Because of the COVID pandemic and the delayed Olympics, this has been a difficult eighteen months for so many of the athletes. A number of the ones I was most fond of were, sadly, unable to seriously contend for the Olympics this year due to injuries. But I'm so happy for the athletes who were selected! Jordan Chiles has a particularly great comeback story. I'm also so glad that Sunisa Lee was able to perform so well and make it to her Olympic dream, through so many challenges. And obviously Simone Biles is undeniably the greatest of all time in the sport. I could also go on to praise all the other women who were named as well, but I feel like I'm starting to ramble already. 

Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in my earning a small commission - at no extra cost to you - if you click and make a purchase. Thank you for your support! 

Today's post is a fairly light one, about some of the miscellaneous possible shopping for my wardrobe I've considered in the past week or two. I'm not sure how serious I am about any of these ideas, however. 

J.Crew Hammered Metal Bangles: I've historically had pretty good luck with J.Crew costume jewelry. I think they come up with lots of pretty designs, and the pieces typically all feel quite solid and fairly good quality. Their items generally also prove to be reasonably durable when compared to a lot of other costume jewelry on the market. It's been a while since my last J.Crew jewelry purchase in 2018, but I continue to browse their jewelry selection every few months to see if they've put out anything that looks interesting. These hammered metal bangles, pictured in silver above, have really caught my eye. (I would get them in gold, though, as I strongly prefer gold jewelry.) Sadly, this item seems to have been excluded from most of the recent J.Crew sales and promotions. 

In practice, I don't really wear bracelets often, so I'm not sure I'll actually end up ordering these. I don't like that some bangles tend to bump up against things a lot, in particular my desk or computer keyboard, as I go about my day. 

May 2021 Shopping Reflections

This was a fairly expensive shopping month for me, but also a rather boring one by any objective standard. Business formal is a big part of my life - in the sense that meetings, depositions, or court proceedings requiring business formal wear can come up anytime at work, sometimes with little notice - but I find all the components so incredibly dull and tedious to wear. It was only with great reluctance that I shopped for a new suit this month, after realizing in April that I would probably need a new one just in case any of my government job interviews in the next few months end up being in person. 

There definitely exist ways for women to be more creative about business formal. See, for example, how Representative Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Pelosi dress at times. But with my budget constraints, personal style preferences (in which I don't even particularly enjoy wearing blazers), personal priorities about consuming less and about what types of clothes or accessories I'd prefer to spend on (so I'd rather keep fewer business formal items in my closet, which means I need to stick to conservative, boring pieces that can be worn in front of a jury, if needed); and relative lack of seniority in the profession (so my outfits need to err on the side of not drawing attention), it's not really in the cards for me to be able to push the sartorial envelope when I'm adhering to a business formal dress code. 

In other words, my design and style preferences for business formal have not evolved much since I wrote about my ideal law student interview outfit way, way back in early 2015. My budget for clothing, including workwear, has increased significantly since that time - and the general quality and types of styles available at many brands have also changed considerably in the intervening years - so my list of go-to brands is naturally very different now. And I don't think I was clear enough back then that I would swap in different-colored tops or more comfortable shoes - including loafers, wedges, or booties - and still consider the resulting outfits fairly conservative business formal that would still be appropriate for job interviews or court.

Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in my earning a small commission - at no extra cost to you - if you click and make a purchase. Thank you for your support!

I do think business formal style norms have changed a fair bit since I was last doing job interviews as a law student back in 2015. Among other changes, I understand that various jacket or blazer and sheath dress combinations - in either matching or contrasting colors - are totally common as women's business formal in most settings now. I would personally still refrain from wearing them instead of a more traditional suit in front of a jury, however, but most attorneys only rarely work in front of a jury, if ever. (I've never actually even been in the presence of a jury outside of my clerkship!) 

Fashion - (Total: $317.67) 

• J.Crew Petite Parke Blazer in Italian Stretch Wool, heather coal - $235.17 - For this round of suit shopping, I initially ordered from both Brooks Brothers and J.Crew, but because Brooks Brothers didn't offer petite sizing in the fabric I wanted, I was quickly left with only J.Crew as an option. Particularly because I need to size up a fair amount - relative to my waist size and shoulder width - to accommodate my chest measurement, I quickly learned I absolutely need a petite sizing blazer. Any regular sizing blazer large enough to fit comfortably around my bust is also likely to be cartoonishly oversized on my arms (both in terms of length and circumference), shoulders, and waist. In other words, it's pretty clear I'd need too many alterations for a regular sizing blazer to be a feasible purchase purely from a cost of tailoring perspective, before even actually consulting with a tailor to determine whether it'd even be possible or reasonable to make all those changes. Between Brooks Brothers, Theory, and J.Crew, J.Crew was also the only brand to offer a more traditional-looking wool skirt suit in this darker charcoal gray-type shade, which I prefer over the lighter gray of my J.Crew Factory suit. I don't love that this is a single-button jacket, as two-button jackets tend to have a more sleek and fitted look on me. Because I'm on the curvy and busty side, this single-button Parke Blazer definitely doesn't look the same on me as it does on the model. 
• J.Crew No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Italian Stretch Wool, heather coal - $82.50 - In my usual way, though I needed a petite sizing blazer, I preferred to stick to a regular sizing skirt. I also did this when I last bought a suit for myself back in 2017, that time from J.Crew Factory. Although this fabric is described as a "stretch wool" with 96% wool and 4% elastane (with a 100% polyester lining), I can't actually really feel the "stretch" when I'm trying it on. I imagine the elastane does help with making the suit marginally more comfortable to wear over a long day, but I don't think it makes the fit noticeably more forgiving than the same suit made in 100% wool fabric would be. I'd prefer if the waistband of this skirt was a little wider, as I think that would give this skirt a noticeably neater, more structured look when it's worn without the jacket. But that's a fairly small detail that really doesn't matter if I only plan to wear the skirt with the jacket regardless. 

Now that NYC is almost fully reopened and I know I'll soon be back in the office close to full time, my typical online window-shopping habits are starting to return. (I've already worked in the office three days out of this work week due to some issues that came up in one of my cases! But my workplace hasn't announced our formal return date yet.) So I think it may end up being quite a while before my next no-shopping month. 

I confess, I'm actually a bit unreasonably excited to be back in the mood to shop for jewelry again, since it's my favorite type of accessory in recent years. (As the COVID shutdown continued, the idea of buying new jewelry, which I only really wear outside the home, started to make me feel particularly sad.) For nearly a year now, I've been mentioning Alicia Goodwin's beautiful jewelry design work and her company, Lingua Nigra. Now I'm finally able to get in the frame of mind for making a purchase, maybe as soon as next month! Though I think I'm now leaning towards a necklace, rather than a pair of earrings, as I've realized I don't do well with bigger, more dangly earrings, I just can't stop worrying they'll get tangled in my hair or caught on something. 

April 2021 Shopping Reflections

via Unsplash

And now I officially have two consecutive no-shopping months in the books! This is a first for me in the six years since I started tracking my fashion-related shopping every month here on this blog. 

I guess it's becoming clear to me that I probably won't become interested in browsing for anything new for my wardrobe again until my lifestyle gets closer to its pre-COVID normal: until I'm back in the office most days of the work week; can socialize freely with my friends; and might even contemplate dining at a restaurant again. I'm getting my second dose of the vaccine this week, but I'm not sure if I'll feel ready to fully resume activities outside the home immediately after I hit the two-week mark following my second dose. 

In terms of returning full-time to the office, I expect that to start up again not too long from now. My workplace has always been very old-fashioned about wanting people to work in the office. Frankly, I'm surprised it's taken this long before they really started pressuring all attorneys to start coming into the office more! Judging from what I hear from my friends in the industry, I'll be back in the office regularly at least two months earlier than most biglaw attorneys in NYC or many other major markets.

I'm not sure if my supervisors will also expect a return to our typical business casual office dress code right away. (They'd dropped that requirement when the state government first allowed people to return to NYC offices last July.) At any rate, I probably won't start dressing in business casual again until I receive the explicit instruction to do so. It's been quite nice to be able to wear jeans to the office on the rare occasions I've needed to go in during the past year. 

Because my return to the office will likely be so soon, I'm not sure May will end up being another no-shopping month for me, even if I won't feel like online window-shopping again until my life is almost back to its pre-COVID era normal. Also, with the potential for some of my job interviews to be in-person - I have no way of knowing how fast any of the government agencies I'm applying to will go back in to the office full-time - I may want to buy myself a new suit soon. 

Follow the link below to continue reading, but please be warned that I briefly mention body shape and weight changes. I do so in vague terms that I don't think could cause offense, but I thought I should flag it anyway, just in case you wish to avoid that kind of thing!

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales on Things I Like

via Unsplash

It isn't too common for a Black Friday or Cyber Monday sale to include clothing, shoes, or accessories I've had my eye on. Generally, the better sales for products in that category come after Christmas or New Years, provided the specific products I was looking at didn't sell out in the meantime. This year, I thought I'd make a list of Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales that include specific items I've bought and liked - generally available in at least slightly different colors than when I bought the item - or fairly narrow categories of items I feel I can somewhat vouch for. 

I'll keep this list updated throughout the next few days. Happy Thanksgiving to those of you in the US, or who are currently celebrating the holiday! 

Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in my earning a small commission - at no extra cost to you - if you click and make a purchase. Thank you for your support!

Babaa Sweaters and Lounge Sets: The Spanish slow fashion knitwear brand Babaa is running a fairly broad holiday sale, apparently through this weekend. The brand doesn't offer sales too, too often, and their products are - reasonably - quite pricey, so this is an alright opportunity if you've been eyeing some of their sweaters or lounge sets. A number of the merino wool lounge sets are on sale, through sadly the light turquoise "seaside" color I bought is sold out. That dramatically chunky No. 15 jumper I got is also on sale in a few colors, including the gray-brown "oak" color I have. Admittedly, the No. 15 jumper is so intentionally oversized and chunky that it isn't too practical, I can't layer it under any of my coats. 

Jasmine Chong Ella Silk Organza Scrunchie: This handmade pleated silk organza scruchie was a social distancing-time pick-me-up I purchased in June this year, and I think it's quite lovely and well-made. I was happy with my purchase at full price, though I know I won't likely get too, too much use from it once I'm back to working in-person. I definitely don't expect super-small brands and businesses to run Black Friday sales, though I certainly appreciate when they do. Jasmine Chong is running 20% off accessories this year, including this scrunchie (use the code HOLIDAY20). 

Cuyana Leather Totes and Cases: Cuyana has put a limited number of their leather totes and leather cases on sale through Monday, with a 15% off discount applied at checkout. K got me this set of two leather travel cases for Christmas one year. I also own the non-zipper version of their classic leather tote -  the zippered version of which is on sale - and both are good, unbranded, and very simple-looking leather tote for work. Their classic totes are nice and feel sturdy, but the leather is also very soft and pliable, which makes the bags a bit floppy. 

L.L. Bean Boots and Blankets: L.L. Bean is running a sitewide 15% off sale (with code THANKS15) that includes both the Wicked Cozy blanket I've recently become so fond of and my trusty L.L. Bean boots lined with Gore-Tex and Thinsulate. 

J.Crew Sweater Blazers: This is admittedly a set of products that doesn't get any use from me while I'm not going to the office - for now, I prefer softer, less structured sweaters - but in normal times I wear my J.Crew sweater blazers frequently throughout the fall and winter. (Though always layered under a wool-blend or down coat, these are not made to block the wind, as I personally found from wearing one out without a coat on one chilly day.) I particularly like the collarless Juliette sweater blazer (styled for work here; styled casually here) for wearing over sheath dresses as part of my "work uniform". I mostly keep the collared Sophie sweater blazer (styled for work here; styled casually here) at my office for use year-round as an "office sweater" when the HVAC system runs too cold, though I think it suits my outfits best as a more casual piece. Note that, at least when I bought them, both sweater blazers ran very large. I ended up taking a size XS in both, which is almost unheard of for me! 

As of today, November 25, J.Crew is currently running a 50% off full-price items and extra 60% off sale items Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale (use the code EARLY) that includes both sweater blazers, though some colors seem to be backordered and might not ship until after the New Year. 

In the past, I believe J.Crew has sometimes run a pretty good sale leading right into Thanksgiving and then slightly hiked up the discount percentage afterwards for Black Friday or Cyber Monday. But given the size of the discount right now, I'm not sure that's likely this year. One relevant anecdote: I specifically recall holding on to a bunch of potential J.Crew purchases to take advantage of this hoped-for increased discount in 2018. I wasn't the only one with that idea, because J.Crew's website couldn't handle the volume of customers throughout the Black Friday weekend that year, and it took me several hours of trying on and off before I could check out successfully online. J.Crew's social media accounts were inundated with a dramatically large number of complaints that year, and I was taken aback at how intensely angry people were willing to get on Twitter and Instagram, where the comments are publicly visible. 

Vince Boiled Cashmere Funnel Neck Sweater: I was just talking about how much I enjoyed this cozy, very soft (but a bit unusually fuzzy, zoom in on the most close-up store photos to see what I mean) sweater I bought last year. Sizing-wise, it's intentionally oversized, and even at a 38'' bust measurement, I still get a slightly oversized look from the size S. Vince is currently running a 30% off sale site-wide (use the code NOVEMBER30). (I feel like I  recall last year's Black Friday or Cyber Monday discount being only around 15%!) From browsing the Vince store and Nordstrom in person back in pre-COVID times, I've found that Vince sweaters for the fall/winter season generally all feel nice, thick, and soft in person. Though I'd still look carefully at the fabric composition details when shopping, because I'd prefer all-natural fibers at their fairly lofty price point! 

Alighieri Jewelry: As is typical, based on at least some of the past few years, Alighieri is running their own sale this year on a limited number of designs. This year's "Archive Sale" has the most generous discounts (more than 40%, I think) I've ever seen for the brand, though not on any styles I own. But because this is from the London-based brand's own store, prices are in GBP (and will incur a foreign exchange fee unless you're using a payment method without one) and international shipping will also be fairly pricey. 

More Alighieri Jewelry: A number of Alighieri jewelry designs are currently on sale at SSENSE and Matches Fashion, though not any of the styles I own. I've bought a slightly extreme number of Alighieri pieces over the years, and haven't seen any tarnishing with the 24 carat gold plating they use. I just love their organic, antiqued aesthetic. (I store my jewelry in a set of stackable jewelry trays with a lid from Amazon, to keep the vermeil and gold-plated pieces away from too much exposure to air. But that isn't enough to keep some of it from tarnishing, unfortunately, as most of my Mejuri collection isn't doing that well...) I'll drop my favorite of the currently on-sale designs of Alighieri jewelry into the Shopstyle widget below. 

Link List: Stuck at Home

I haven't done one of these "link list" posts in nearly six months!

This photograph, like others I've shared recently, was taken in more normal times. It's the red snapper with sea mustard pot at ON, which specializes in Korean-style hot pot dishes. I desperately yearn for the day we're finally able to safely eat in at restaurants again.

1. // Refinery29 recently posted a biglaw attorney money diary from someone who appears to be a seventh-year associate and who, based on her stated age, likely went straight from college to law school. Biglaw attorney money diaries probably aren't that interesting to anyone but me, but I can't get enough of them. 

Out of all the biglaw-ish money diaries over the years, this recent one and this 2018 one are the only ones I've thought especially representative of typical law school student loan repayment experiences. Many of the other biglaw diaries are from younger diarists who either claimed to have unusually generous law school scholarships (sizable scholarships like my 1/3 cost of attendance one are not uncommon, but true full-rides are rare) or who apparently finished paying off their loans within two or three years after law school. (Paying off a typical post-law school student loan balance - $160,000 on the low end - in that quick a timeframe is difficult, even for the especially frugal biglaw associate. Four to five years is more common amongst my peers.) This diarist reports that, at 32, she has fully paid off her law school loans, though their household is still paying off her spouse's student loans. 

What isn't as typical here is that the diarist normally lives in NYC (in a one-bedroom for $4,250/month, which is a fair bit more than K and I pay, but isn't too unusual for a one-bedroom in a newer "luxury" building), but has rented a house in the Connecticut suburbs to socially distance in. Based on my experience, that's an outlier choice for a NYC biglaw associate, whether they have a child or not. The only associates I know who left NYC due to COVID-19 - like this diarist, they generally departed well before March 12, more than a week before New York officially shut down - all moved in with their parents. Biglaw attorneys are well-compensated, but not enough to comfortably pay rent for two separate homes simultaneously over several months! 

2. // Apartment Therapy's YouTube channel has a series of videos touring various apartments and other small homes, many of them in NYC. I particularly loved this tour of Ashley Ford's (iSmashFizzle on Twitter) apartment in Brooklyn. She's so cool! And they're such a sweet, absolutely adorable couple.

A lot of the older videos in the series don't quite show the entire living space, particularly for the slightly larger homes. Many kitchens and bathrooms are omitted, or only a small slice of them are shown. But it's still interesting to look at the wide range of decor styles.

3. // I enjoyed the recent NPR Planet Money podcast episode, "J.Screwed" (hah!), about the J.Crew bankruptcy. They focus on the Jenna Lyons period at J.Crew, noting that the brand's profile and "cool factor" rose significantly after Michelle Obama wore J.Crew on The Tonight Show in 2008. That pretty much lines up exactly with when I first became aware of the brand. I found that late 2000s and early 2010s J.Crew aesthetic completely irresistible and super aspirational when I was in college.

I confess, although much of my attorney work experience is focused on complex commercial transactions, I don't actually understand this story very well. I gather that the relevant business story begins with a leveraged buyout of J.Crew by a private equity firm back in 2011, something to that effect, but that's about it. (Attorneys are trained not to claim claim a full understanding of anything until they've analyzed the relevant contracts and other documents, which are typically voluminous and dense reading when it comes to complex commercial matters.)

4. // I also enjoyed Anne Helen Petersen's recent piece about the potential impact of COVID-19 economic disruptions on American consumer culture and about the role of consumer spending in the American economy at large.

Part of why I'm so attached to Marie Kondo's first book is that I credit it with being the primary factor that allowed me to reevaluate my personal relationship with consumerism. I had many other influences in that "journey," but in the end, the biggest single thing that made the change stick was using KonMari method to see that, no, I never again want to accumulate so much stuff I didn't even actually want, or even particularly like, in the first place. This paragraph from Petersen's recent article is a pretty accurate description of how I used to acquire things unthinkingly:

We’re trained to buy often, buy cheap, and buy a lot. And I’m not just talking about food, which everyone has to acquire in some capacity, or clothes. I mean all the other small purchases of daily life: a new face lotion, a houseplant holder, a wine glass name trinket, an office supply organizer, a vegetable spiralizer, a cute set of hand towels, a pair of nicer sunglasses, a pair of sports sunglasses, a pair of throwaway sunglasses. The stuff, in other words, that you don’t even know that you want until it somehow finds its way to your cart at Target or T.J. Maxx.

Up through 2015, I was definitely no stranger to the random T.J.Maxx knickknacks that somehow got added to the shopping basket, in addition to the towels or cutting board I was actually looking for.

And that's it for today's link list post. Have you been reading any particularly good online articles or watching any interesting YouTube videos recently? 

January 2020 Shopping Reflections

Clearly, I have a favorite color, or a favorite family of colors.

Between this month's post and the last, I'm tempted to go back and revise my previous three shopping reflection posts, to retcon the timeline, so to speak. The November 2019 post arguably wasn't the shopping reflection post for that month, since there were Black Friday purchases I'd already ordered by the time that post went live. The December 2019 post was actually the November 2019 post, given when the orders were made. Similarly, all these "January 2020" purchases were technically made during the first days of the post-Christmas sales, before the year turned. I haven't bought anything else since 2020 began, only made decisions on the things I ordered in late December. So, really, this month's shopping reflection post should actually be considered the December 2019 post instead!

Lately, I've had a lot on my mind. I think I've always been fairly candid about how I never expected to stay in biglaw-ish law firm practice in the very long term. But up until this month, I'd never actually thought about a specific timeline for the transition to what comes after. These days, I'm thinking far more concretely than before about how much longer it might be before I start applying in earnest for something different, likely something in government. 

Clearly, I have many big questions to think about. Among other things, those financial projections in my money management spreadsheet may no longer be valid - particularly through the end of 2021 or 2022 - since all my calculations were based on remaining in the same job all that time. And I think it's safe to say that I won't be able to spend or shop quite as freely anymore.

But you'd never know that from my extravagant list of "this month's" purchases, which I'd actually ordered in late December, before I started changing my mind about how much longer I expected to stay in private practice. I really enjoy everything I bought, but it's hard to sound enthusiastic about them when - shortly after deciding to "cut the tags" - I suddenly realized there were big changes to what I wanted my professional life to look like in the fairly near term. It feels almost like I was a different person back then, back when I was eagerly scoping out the post-Christmas sales and making these orders (without much of a second thought about my total spend for the month). 

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Anyway, I'll have to write more at some other time about what I've been thinking about my career trajectory, wait until I haven't just indulged to an extent that would only feel appropriate to me if I planned to remain in biglaw-ish practice for the indefinite future. I expect the rest of 2020 to look very different on the shopping front. And I feel like anything more I have to say about my expected career trajectory - and about my ability to plan seriously for, and implement, practical steps to prepare for a significant pay-cut in the nearer, rather than longer, term - will just ring hollow when juxtaposed against the list of "this month's" purchases, and against the rather extreme total spend. 

Fashion - (TOTAL: $1037.37) 

• Brora Cashmere Gauzy Polo Neck, teal - $302.99* - Last year, my Brora purchases from their UK site came with a surprise discount - something like $20 to $30/item - in the form of a more favorable exchange rate than expected. This year, the exchange rate I got was exactly the market rate according to Google, no more surprise discount! Either way, it still makes sense to purchase direct from the UK site, as the US prices are generally at least $100 more per sweater. The downside is that one would need to ship unwanted items back to the UK fairly quickly, on one's own dime, to get a refund. I'd been waiting eagerly for this teal sweater to go on sale since October or November, as I don't think a lot of other brands had slouchy turtlenecks in a similar color. This sweater is quite boxy on me, and the size S/M runs quite large for what I expect from UK sizing. I find the "gauzy" weight Brora cashmere plenty warm for just about any temperature I regularly encounter in NYC - when worn with appropriate layers outdoors, of course - though the fabric does feel quite thin. 
• Smythson Mara Small Zip-Around Purse, bluette - $154.69* - (sold out, other colors) - What can I say? I have a rather extreme fondness for small leather goods, particularly for "mini" wallets. I've already amassed quite a large collection of small wallets I'm fond of - my favorite is probably the Italic Albee card case I bought last year, though I find their brand's premise rather tedious - but it's still difficult for me to resist buying more when I see a good one on sale. Particularly in light of my recent decisions about my career trajectory, I'll try to keep this habit under control. This particular zip-around design has a bit more space and capacity than most of my other "mini" wallets. I love this rich, sort of dark teal-looking "bluette" shade, it's a particularly nice example of that family of colors. And hey, this wallet was another way to indulge in that recent trend of colorful, croc-embossed leather I was so taken by. 
• Johnston of Elgin Reversible Cashmere Silk Square - $375.00 - I've had this exact scarf pinned to the "fantasy or lucky secondhand only" section of my Pinterest shopping list for ages, so when I saw it discounted significantly in the first wave of the post-Christmas sales, one could say it was a "no-brainer." This scarf is a beautiful color, in that general family of dark, rich blues or blue-greens I've been so fond of, and the shade works as a neutral. The scarf is a generous size, it definitely resembles those giant blanket scarves that were popular a few years back. In person, the color isn't quite as bright, and doesn't have as much of a sheen to it, as in the model photos on the store's website. The store photos of the scarf by itself are more accurate with regards to the real-life color. 
• J.Crew Resume Dress, jade melange - $204.69* - This wasn't techncially a post-Christmas sale purchase, as I ended up ordering it at full price when my size became available in late December. I'm a bit shocked at myself, actually, as I thought I'd never buy anything full-price from J.Crew, given their extremely frequent - albeit sometimes unpredictable, and generally heavily excluded-from - discounts and promotions. I don't keep close track of J.Crew's new products anymore, so it was only when this jade melange color of the Resume dress - a staple workwear dress they've stocked for years - was nearly sold out that I first learned about it, after seeing it on someone's Instagram. And then I had to have it. I kept checking the product page every day for around a week before my size popped back in stock briefly, and then I ordered it immediately. This jade melange shade isn't quite that bright, rich teal I've been so captivated by - it's a more faded and neutral-ish variant - but I'm still fond of it.  

*Indicates that price includes sales tax and/or shipping. Brora and Smythson charge fairly substantial international shipping fees. 

All this shopping combined was, at the very least, not my biggest expenditure in January 2020. That honor goes instead to my backdoor Roth IRA contribution. (Since I returned to the private sector after clerking, my habit has been to fully fund my backdoor Roth IRA right at the start of the year, out of last year's year-end bonus. Though I likely won't be able to continue that practice after I fully follow through on some of my new plans.) Oh, and I also made an extra student loan payment of significant size out of said year-end bonus.

In the coming months, I plan to shop significantly less than in 2019, though I haven't sat down and laid out a concrete plan yet for exactly how much less I think I should shop. There aren't any pieces of clothing or jewelry that I'm currently interested in, taking into account my new expectations for my career, and the attendant spending restrictions. K and I may be planning a vacation with a lot of walking around in big cities in April, which reminds me that I may prefer to use a small backpack, rather than one of the tote bags I already have, during such a trip. A top candidate for that purchase is the Knomo Beauchamp backpack.

How were the post-Christmas sales for you? Were you able to find any discounts on items you'd been keeping an eye on for a long time? How's your 2020 going so far? 

Outfit Post: A Slightly Unusual Look

Necklace: Alighieri "La Fortuna" necklace

Necklace: Alighieri "Initial Spark" necklace

Jacket: J.Crew "Juliette" Sweater Blazer, size XS

Dress: Elizabeth Suzann "Ella" slip dress, size M (discontinued)

Shoes: Marc Fisher "Chang" loafers

Now here's an outfit I'm not sure I'll repeat: I originally wore it out of the house with a pair of black tights on, and it felt like a strange, extremely conservative-looking outfit from the waist down, since all the more modern, slightly edgier-looking details were only visible from the waist up. (I also wore my Alighieri "Surreal" earrings, which are the biggest pair of earrings I own, though they're not actually that big.) I still enjoyed wearing this outfit, it's very comfortable and relaxed, but it does feel like an unusual look for autumn weather. Silk slip dresses are just too associated with summer in my mind, and the dress does look a little odd with tights on underneath.

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This post also serves as a spoiler for this month's shopping reflections post, as this Elizabeth Suzann ("ES") "Ella" silk slip dress - recently discontinued - is new to my wardrobe. The company has now replaced the Ella series with two sets of designs, the round-neck "Polly" and the v-neck "Petra" families. I've had an Ella silk slip dress pinned on my main shopping list Pinterest board for most of this year, but I don't think I would have been ready to order one anytime soon. At the moment, I have plenty of other summer dresses in my closet that are all in fairly good shape, including ES's linen Georgia dress from June. It was only when I saw the brand's announcement on Instagram that they were discontinuing the Ella items that I decided to move forward, as it was "now or never." I received this dress just after I got back from my recent vacation. 

Adding to the relative conservativeness of this look, I had my hair up in a loose bun held in place by one of those Ficcare hairclips that I've been using all summer, since I bought them in June. I always feel very buttoned up when I wear my hair that way. (It's a very easy way to style my hair for work.) 

So yes, I'm not sure I'll be wearing this outfit again during the cooler seasons. I really wanted to try wearing my new ES Ella dress out, and this was the only way I could think to do it now that it's starting to cool down here in NYC. We're currently having a few weeks of trench coat weather here. 

Summer Dress Shopping

(Left) Dress: J.Crew Point Sur Flutter-Sleeve Dress, printed cotton voile, Size 8P

(Right) Dress: J.Crew Point Sur Flutter-Sleeve Dress, printed cotton voile, Size 8

Shoes: Fitflop "The Skinny" Sandals (old, similar or in gold)

When I put on this dress, my first thought was: "Darn, I look like a cupcake." I'm definitely sending it right back! Among other things, the dress is definitely a bit too frilly and dressed-up looking to really go with my summer shoes of choice, the super-casual and flip-flop like Fitflop "The Skinny" sandals (similar). And it doesn't fit me quite right, either.

Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!

This particular J.Crew "Point Sur" flutter-sleeve dress in printed cotton (also available in solid colors) has been selling out remarkably quickly on their website. They've already taken the petite sizes off their website entirely, and the regular and tall sizes are almost all gone as well. I'm maybe a bit surprised that it's selling quite this well. It's very eye-catching, of course, and that's why I rushed to order it to try on. The store photos make it look pretty and appealing, and the fact that it's lined and still all-cotton is a huge and necessary plus, as I absolutely refuse to wear anything with a polyester lining in the summer if I can help it. However, although this doesn't fully come through in my photos (the only other try-on photo I've seen of this dress is here on Instagram), the proportions are off when it comes to the sleeves. The sleeve ruffles are way too exaggerated, and I found this to be true for both the petite and regular sizes. I think one might need to be a fair bit taller than me (at 5'3'') for the sleeves not to look silly. This particular design also doesn't suit my busty figure, as it ends up looking almost like an empire-waist dress, which is definitely not the intended design.

I probably could have predicted that this dress wouldn't have worked for me. If you look at my various purchases over the years, you might notice that my summer dresses tend to be fairly simple in shape and design. (Though there's an occasional ruffled sleeve here and there, I'm clearly not 100% opposed to that feature!) When one starts adding in more design details like elastic waists, ruffled or tiered skirts, and the like, dresses in lighter, floatier summer-friendly fabrics start being more and more likely to look awkward on me. 

For the coming summer season, I have a few other possible ideas for new dresses that I'm currently thinking about, and most of them are much simpler in look. The only more interesting design that's caught my eye recently is the polka-dot print A.P.C. "Clare" dress in cotton-linen blend, though in practice, I don't think I'd like the ruching and tie details at the shoulders, so I don't think I'd ever actually try it on. It's mostly just a nice idea, but I'm much more likely to try one of those other dresses I'm thinking of. Basically everything else on my list, whether from Elizabeth Suzann or one of the linen shops on Etsy, is made to order, so I might have to get a move on if I want to have a new dress in time for summer! 

Shopping Life Lately

Coat: Halogen Drop Shoulder Wool-Blend Coat, green storm, size S (not kept)

Tee: H&M Premium Quality V-Neck Linen Tee, old

Jeans: Uniqlo High-Rise Cigarette Jeans

Shoes: Sam Edelman Lior Loafer, gold glitter (sold out, similar)

Although I initially thought I might have enough feelings about Black Friday to dedicate an entire post to it (among other things, I was grouchy about the elitism I perceived in anything that sounded broadly judgmental and superior about anyone who has ever shopped any Black Friday sale ever), that has turned out not to be the case. All my feelings have long since dissipated, and any thoughts I had are certainly no longer timely or relevant. Instead, let me point you to Luxe's and Adina's thoughtful posts about various things to do with Black Friday and also a little bit about larger themes related to consumerism and personal finance. I very much appreciated having the chance to discuss my thoughts at their posts, and also on my own November shopping post.

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Well, maybe I'll point you to one more Black Friday-related thing, though it may seem a little silly, namely the aftermath of the sheer chaos with J.Crew's website throughout Black Friday weekend, seen in the comments threads here and here on their official Twitter accounts and here on their official Instagram. Because I don't often go looking for, er, customer service-related brouhahas on social media, I'm personally a bit taken aback by the volume and, shall we say, the intensity of some of the comments. I do empathize with their frustration, J.Crew's website really was close to nonfunctional that entire weekend, and the 50% off almost all items was somewhat special (typically the best discount is 40% off), especially given their new sales strategy of the past few months, which pretty much always excluded large and seemingly arbitrary categories of items, including the only item I actually wanted all that time, the Juliette collarless sweater blazer. I am a little taken aback, though, by how grouchy people got in a public way, particularly when they're mostly using accounts that appear to have some identifying information. (Not quite related to the J.Crew website outage situation, Elle has some good thoughts about recent business happenings at the company, the general takeaway being that they're continuing to go through some troubled times.)

As for this forest green Halogen coat I posted about, even though it was not discounted in any way for Black Friday, I still decided to order it around then because Nordstrom claimed to be running out of stock in what I thought might be my size. As you can see in the photos above, this will never be the coat for me. What is this, a coat for giants?!* All kidding aside, I was a bit shocked. Despite being on the shorter side at 5'3'', it's not actually that common for me to feel so dramatically swamped by regular-sizing coats. I suppose I should have anticipated this because it was clearly an intentionally oversized coat on the model, and the model must, of course, be significantly taller than yours truly. I sent this coat straight back.

*This is an attempted Zoolander reference. 

Please follow the link below for some thoughts about my recent window shopping for black leather ankle booties and fair isle sweaters, and the sources of inspiration for each, one of them rather incongruous.

November 2018 Shopping Reflections

Before I begin with this month's shopping budget post, let me just say, I have had some thoughts about Black Friday this year. We'll see if I ever get to writing about it, or if it ends up being one of my many ideas for blog posts here that I sit on and mull over until, all of a sudden, it's been a year and it would just be strange and untimely to go back and actually write it and post it. It's a far less weighty and important topic than so many of the other ideas I've had that are still waiting in the queue, so I guess the chances of my ever actually writing that Black Friday 2018 post are quite low. I definitely don't have any particularly special or revolutionary ideas about it, that's for sure.

For now, I'll just say that, as a purely practical matter, I'm largely on the same page as Luxe about Black Friday: It brings sales (and I like sales and track them closely), but it isn't typically something I get too excited about. There are, after all, so very many sales all year round, and many of those other sales at other times of the year give me better value for the items I'm in the market for when compared to what pops up around Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

One other thing that's part of my complicated feelings about Black Friday this year: I'll confess I felt some anger start bubbling up whenever I chanced upon something online that made it clear the author saw themselves as being above Black Friday and being above all those consumerist fools who shop during it (like this Buzzfeed thing, what relevance do photos from a decade ago have to the here and now?). More than almost anything else, I dislike snobbery and elitism (it's part of what motivates my strange, recurring complex about whether I'm being judged by others in my line of work for wearing modestly priced suits and work clothes), and I see elements of both in many a lofty statement or "hot take" about Black Friday.

Fashion - (TOTAL: $448.08)

• Alighieri Surreal Earrings - $195.20 - This month is a bit of a capstone to what's proven to be a year of getting obsessed with and buying jewelry, generally more expensive costume jewelry. These Surreal earrings have been one of my favorite designs since I first learned about Alighieri, so when I saw that they were part of the limited selection that was discounted for the brand's 30% off Black Friday sale, I jumped right on them. These are definitely sizable enough to make a bit of a statement, and are a little outside of my comfort zone with earrings, as someone who typically only wore pearl studs for years. They're actually not too heavy, though. Like all of my other Alighieri pieces (including the Jaja necklace, which is now on sale at Ssense for a much better price than I got), these earrings are beautiful. In terms of my minimalism-ish, I don't feel too bad about the jewelry I buy from small, artist-owned brands, as I'm supporting the artist and her work directly. (In addition to the Alighieri pieces I bought for myself this year, I also got the Porcelain and Stone Small Uni Necklace as a birthday present from my mom.) 
• Mejuri Dome Bracelet -$80.75 - As for my Mejuri purchases, which I got for 15% off during their Black Friday sale, they were also items I'd been thinking about for a while. I love the look of this bracelet. The clasp is a little fussy, sometimes one side of it loosens up during the day, but it's not fussy or impractical enough to make it distracting or annoying to wear, I don't worry that the bracelet will fall off or anything. One thing that I do notice every time I try a new Mejuri item, they're always smaller and lighter than I expect, which isn't the fault of the brand, I'm probably just inexperienced with buying dainty jewelry. 
• Mejuri Dome Hoops - $50.15 - A while back, I had ordered the Mejuri Bold Hoops to try, but returned them right away because they weren't quite as bold or weighty on me as I'd hoped. Among other things, I generally don't like "huggie" style hoops, where the entire hoop opens and closes when taking the earrings on and off, I just find it odd. They also weren't the right size for me and looked awkward, my piercings are a little too high on my earlobe for them to look quite right. So when the Black Friday sale rolled around, I knew that if any Mejuri hoop earring was going to work for me, it was going to be these Dome Hoops instead, and I really liked them once I received them. 
• J.Crew Juliette Sweater Blazer, burgundy - $74.00 - Well, I did say I'd probably get this as soon as I saw a 40% off discount or better, which eventually happened in the days leading up to Black Friday. And then on Black Friday, they switched it up to a 50% discount. I've pretty much already said everything I could possibly say about this item, including when I photographed it in an outfit a while back.
• Sam Edelman Lior Loafer, gold glitter - $47.98 - (other sale colors here and here) - This exact shoe from Nordstrom is old out, but the similar "Loraine" design is still available in gold glitter for a similar sale price at Lord and Taylor, and also at Zappos for a higher price. (As Elle mentioned, Nordstrom  is the only retailer to order this Sam Edelman shoe in the modified "Lior" design.) I bought a pair of Sam Edelman loafers in black leather in May, and they've become one of my favorite shoes. On that pair, the leather is extremely soft and a bit more "squishy" than on any other pair of leather shoes I've tried on in recent memory, which did make me worry about durability, but I haven't had any problems yet despite not babying them. These were, no doubt, an impulsive purchase. As I mentioned in March this year, I've long had an on-again, off-again interest in gold glitter flats, but had never seen any that fit the look I had in mind (I was envisioning a pair of ballet flats, or maybe a pair of smoking slipper-inspired flats). When I saw these glittery ones from Sam Edelman in a design I knew would work for me, and for a great sales price, I decided on a whim that I should get them, even though it's also not exactly the look I'd been thinking of. 

Did you shop any Black Friday sales this year? Am I the only one who gets oddly upset sometimes by some of the more judgmental Black Friday narratives out there? I don't know what it is that's making me  unusually sensitive about it this year!