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. 

February 2021 Shopping Reflections

Yes, I know what you're thinking: February is barely halfway over, isn't it far too early to write a month-end shopping reflections post? But I'm feeling pretty confident that I'm already done with shopping for my wardrobe this month. At the moment, I don't have ideas for anything else fashion-related I'd want to browse for or potentially buy in the near future. 

In other words, I think I remain on track with my current goal of not shopping too much for my closet these few months, while I focus on finishing off my student loans. I may have ideas for summer clothes I'd like to add to my wardrobe this year - I like the relaxed, flowy look of the Olivia dress and top from Two Days Off, both in midweight linen - but because the weather doesn't usually start warming up in NYC until April, it's going to be quite a while before I'm in the mood to browse for spring/summer clothes. 

You may have heard of Quince, formerly known as Last Brand, as I think quite a few bloggers - including Elaine - have done reviews of some of their items. Quince's main selling point is probably their low prices. For instance, their cashmere sweaters - priced as low as $50 - undercut most brands out there, including Naadam (affiliate link) or Uniqlo. 

Based on the sweater I purchased this month, Quince's cashmere feels at least equivalent to the standard Uniqlo cashmere available each year, it's similarly soft and has a comparable weight and thickness. I've been wearing the sweater frequently for around two weeks - and have hand-washed it twice, once before I first started wearing it - and I've seen relatively little pilling, though I do notice the fabric has a slightly more fuzzy appearance than with the basic Uniqlo cashmere sweaters. 

Because this is my first and only purchase from Quince, I can't really say anything about the rest of their product line. But I'm satisfied with this month's purchase, and I think it was a good value. I used a referral link and got a $10 discount off the regular price of this sweater. (If you're curious about trying Quince, you can use my referral link and get $10 off your first order as a new customer; I'll also get a $10 credit if you make a purchase.) 

Fashion - (TOTAL: $59.90) 

• Quince Cashmere Batwing Sweater, black - $59.90 - This sweater comes in only one size, which initially made me nervous. Quince's product measurements state this sweater suits a 39'' bust measurement, and if that was actually the case, this sweater could feel uncomfortably small on my more top-heavy figure. But from the store and customer photos, it seemed clear that - because of the batwing sleeve design - this sweater should actually be quite spacious and flowy around the chest, so I took a chance and ordered it. And it does fit me comfortably, with plenty of room around the bust and the rest of my torso. I do, however, find the body of this sweater slightly short even though I'm only 5'3'', not remotely tall (but shirts and tops can look shorter on me because their hems get pulled up by the size of my chest). I'd definitely prefer it if this sweater were longer and had a bit more fabric all around. It'd feel a bit more luxurious that way, and I think it'd suit my body shape better. I don't know if everyone would like the batwing sleeves, but between the store photos and customer review photos, I think one can at least get a reasonably accurate sense of how the sleeves will fit before deciding to order. 

How has your shopping month been?