Thursday, October 29, 2026

Lately




I truly cannot get over the leaves this year. Spectacular!!!! 

Two recent skincare empties: I liked the serum on the left (my code SUMMERWIND may work on this), but it didn't wow me, especially considering the price. I feel confused about it becuase it gets such rave reviews. The Serum on the right is incredible and will be on sale at Sephora! I got my mom hooked on this, too, and it's under $100. 

Ready for the trick or treaters! 

Hope you are all having a great week. It's been a pretty typical week around here, with a side of gorgeous fall weather. Sharing some photos of the beautiful leaves above!! 

This past weekend was fun as we hosted my mom and cousin's birthday dinner. My aunt made chocolate pie and pumpkin pie for the occasion. Both were delicious. We got to meet their sweet new pup who was adorable! I love him already. We also picked names for Christmas. In our extended family (on my side with aunts, uncles, cousins, spouses, etc.), we do a grab bag for Christmas gifts, so everyone is in charge of one person instead of getting individual gifts. It's not a secret, either. I have my cousin, which I'm excited about because she is easy to shop for! 

I feel like I'm in a bit of mourning since 3 days are left in my favorite month of the year, and this weekend is when we turn back the clocks! October is the best, and we have had a spectacular month here in Pittsburgh. The leaves have been prettier than I can ever remember, and the weather has been mild, brilliantly sunny, and so enjoyable. I have just been soaking it all up and hoping it'll carry me through the winter. I don't want to jinx it, but it's looking like we may have amazing weather for Halloween! Fingers crossed! Our neighborhood is fun for the holiday, and I am all set to hand out candy with my husband! 

Otherwise, I hope to have a low-key weekend and get some work done. I'm working hard behind the scenes on holiday content, gift guides, and more. I *think* I'm going to add back in Wednesday posts for November so I can get most of my gift guides live before Cyber Week starts. 

Starting Monday, I will have my first gift guide up. It will be host/hostess focused. I don't take brand sponsorships for my gift guides. From a business perspective, it's likely a poor decision, but personally, I want complete and total creative control. I spend months curating these lists and put a lot of thought into everything I include! Gift Guides are one of my favorite things to create. So if you like something on my gift guide, it would mean so much to me if you click through my links so I can earn a commission (at no cost to you) if you make a purchase! I am truly so grateful for your support!!

Jenn launched a new collection with STS, and they sent me this gorgeous skirt from the launch. It's *stunning*. Truly looks like something vintage. The fabric is cream jacquard leopard print. I love the texture. Then, you have gorgeous velvet bows down the front and a velvet bow around the waist. I'm wearing a small. It fits perfectly in my bum/hips but is a touch big in the waist... an easy nip that my tailor can fix quickly and inexpensively!


Top (use code SYD20)// Belt// Jeans// Boots

Did a sponsored post on IG stories with Effy jewelry, and this ring was part of the sponsorship. Isn't it so pretty? I'm not a big ring gal, but this is perfectly dainty- the kind of thing you can wear daily, with a nice, low profile! As of writing this, it's 25% off! This was my first foray into Effy jewelry, and they have so many pretty things. Many of you always ask about my signet ring that I wear daily. It's one of my favorite things ever. I got it over 10 years ago, when J.Crew had a small fine jewelry selection and then had a jeweler in Pittsburgh hand-engrave it (Urbanowicz if you are local). I can't speak to the quality of any other signet rings, obviously, but I think this one looks nearly identical, and I think this one could potentially be a really good deal during Cyber Week, as historically, they have always had a good sale!

Cutest little tote! Great quality, under $40.


Sweatshirt on sale for $35// Puffer Vest
 
Wearing: Holiday dressy pieces are just starting to launch from so many brands, and they are all so good! I do, however, notice that many of you are very interested in more casual, even lounge/athletic pieces when I look at my analytics. Do you all want to see more of that?  

You can find me on ShopMy, where I link all of my outfits, favorite finds, home decor, beauty, and more. I’m always updating it with my latest finds! You can also follow me on the LTK app and browse all of my posts here on my website.


Sale: The Sephora Sale starts tomorrow for Rouge members, and then everyone can shop starting November 3rd. It's a tiered sale; Rouge members get 20% off. Hot tip: my sister and I share a Sephora account. I'm not a huge Sephora shopper, so it's much easier to get to Rouge status with two people. This is my top pick. It also makes a great gift because with the discount, it's under $20 and you don't need to know anyone's shade. I keep one in my bathroom, one in my makeup bag, and one in my handbag at all times! My second pick would be this, but it's not really the best gift because you need to know the person's exact shade. This is a restock in my cart that I'm purchasing tomorrow once I have access!

Watching:
 I started Gilmore Girls! This is probably the 10th time I've watched it, but it's truly been 10 years since I last watched it. I know because I rewatched it before the reboot came out in 2016. Anyway, I am thoroughly enjoying it. I forgot how quick-witted some of the banter is, and how easy it is to watch. 

I have Phony on my Hulu watchlist. I've heard good things, but the episodes are being released week by week, so I don't think a full season will be out until December. I may wait just so I can watch it all at once. We shall see! 


Emerald// Oval
Emerald and Oval side by side// Oval
Loving: I put together a comparison of my most-worn earrings and the shapes because, although they are listed as 10mm, each shape looks a bit different in size, and many of you ask which is my favorite. I wear the round the most. My mom and sister wear the oval most. I think the oval appears largest in person. I do love the emerald; it just doesn't sparkle as much as the other two. These are all 10mm, gold bezel, CZ stones. Under $100, these will certainly be on my gift guide. 

We finally got the tiles we picked out on our Portugal trip last summer framed! Our hotel had framed tiles all over the place, and I loved the idea, so we went to a cute outdoor flea market while we were on a TukTuk tour and found this set of 4 tiles. I had it set as a float mount on cream linen. It turned out even better than I was hoping. Now we just need to decide where to hang it! The absolute best kind of souvenir. 

Wanting:
Wow, this velvet jacket is spectacular and right under $150! This beaded bag looks designer, and thankfully it does not have a designer price tag! Very into this new Vera Bradley print that is strikingly close to vintage Nantucket navy! These sunglasses are under $50 and have a classic shape to them. Under $50 bow shoes that come in a few pretty colors. Time to pull out the winter slippers; these are my go-to for warm toes! This colorful bracelet is so fun and vibrant. This dress looks too short for me, but wow, if you are looking for a November wedding guest dress and are OK with short, this is so good. There's also a longer, strapless version. This ornament for the tabletop collector is perfection! Fair isle is timeless, and this cardigan is a fall/winter wardrobe staple! This quilted pullover looks so cozy, and the matching pants make it a full lounge set! I've been wearing this puffer vest nonstop lately. My husband has the same on. We twin on occasion on our walks with Henry, ha! I love to top a gift with an ornament, and these are genius because they can fold flat for easy storage, and you just pop them up and attach them to a gift. I also love that they are not breakable. This fringed top, under $100, is the modern-day equivalent to a 'going out top'... here for it!!! A gorgeous cocktail dress under $200. If you are looking for more cocktail options, I have a folder here with lots of great options. I love this dainty citrine bracelet. Citrine is my mom's birthstone, so she has always had quite a few pieces with that stone, and I've always admired them. It's such a pretty stone. This plaid dress is a holiday stunner! This fleece looks beyond cozy. These coasters are SO good and would make a very nice under-$100 gift. Possibly the least glamorous thing ever, flushable wipes just launched from one of my favorite homecare brands. The real selling point here is that they come with a neutral, no-logo canister. And while we are talking non-glamorous things, I'll go one step further and let you know I just replaced all our toilet cleaning brushes because I'm not sure when I last did that. I splurged on these 'nice' ones and have no regrets, ha!! But it's probably a good idea to replace them if you, like me, cannot remember the last time you did. This velevet jacket is back in stock this year. Beware, the price tag is steep, but it is one of those forever pieces.  I've been less than impressed with Tory Burch in the last year or two, but this bag is GOOD and so is this one! I love that they have mostly kept their handbag prices under $1000 and made their logo tiny! These smoking slippers are lovely. Love this simple black bucket bag with no logo to be found! Don't get me wrong, I am not wholly against logos, but some of the TB logos on shoes, bags, etc. were too large in scale! A little sneak peek of Monday's gift guide, this will be on it! Fancy potato chips, no seed oils... consider my interest piqued. Such an elegant wrap sweater. These Christmas tree hand towels are adorable and just $10! 

Pittsburgh: My mom requested we go to Spork Island, the new tiki bar downtown on Penn before her birthday dinner! It is such a fun, kitschy place. I love it. I am going to hibernate there the entire month of January and pretend I'm at a tropical resort. But be forewarned, the drinks are STRONG. When I go, I just drink half of my drink and leave the rest. It's delicious, though! 

Amazon Rec: Ordering these hot rollers because I'm curious. I need to play around with them and see what I think!! 

You can find more of my Amazon favorites, here on my Amazon page where I am constantly updating it with all of my finds and top picks from home, beauty, fashion, and more!

Quoting: 'Problems will always exist. Enjoy life as you solve them.' // See more of my favorites, here.

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