Friday, November 7, 2025

Weekend Wish List

Some items of note... 

- The Sephora sale is open to everyone now. I ordered one thing in the sale, and it is this Face Mist. I've never used any Summer Fridays products before, but I am intrigued by this. It's a hydrating face mist, and it's more than just a fancy water spray; it actually contains skincare ingredients. I am keeping it next to my bed so I can spritz my bed when I feel I need more hydration. My skin has been so dry ever since we turned on the heat, so I'm doing all I can! 

- Love the color of this gorgeous Leather Tote. I also love how organized the interior is and how it sits flat, so you can fill it while seeing what is inside.

- Obagi is one of my favorite skincare brands because it is so effective. This Skincare Gift Set is perfect for trying some of their most popular products. I have tried every single one in this roundup. I use Vitamin C daily, and the hydration drops are also a favorite. 

- This Personalized Clover Necklace is currently 25% off. It looks much more expensive than the price suggests! 

- This Sleep Mask is from the Stoney Clover collaboration that just dropped this morning! Adorable! 

- These Topiary Placecards are such a fun layer to add to your holiday table. It's a place card that sits on the dinner plate, and you write their name on the ribbon! Beautiful and clever. 

Some items of note... 

The J.Crew new arrivals are true holiday perfection. I can't get enough of this fair isle rollneck, this fair isle crewneck, this a-line full skirt, and this fair isle cardigan

- This Ornament is only $5 and so cute to add to a bottle of champagne for a hostess gift! 

- This Embellished Reversible Skirt is absolutely stunning, and because it's reversible, you get two for the price of one! So special and unique! 

- The photo of this Printed Skirt in this collage is not doing it justice. This is the perfect Thanksgiving skirt! I'd pair it with a brown turtleneck, navy cashmere crewneck, or a denim button-down. 


For your weekend reading, here are blog posts you may have missed from this week:





You can find me on ShopMy, where I link all of my outfits, favorite finds, home decor, beauty, and more! I am constantly updating it with the latest! You can also follow me on the LTK app. Plus, you are able to access all of my posts, here, on my website! 

This content may contain affiliate links; when you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you).

Thursday, November 6, 2025

Lately




Hope you are all having a great week! I have been having a good one. Nothing crazy to report here, just head down working, working! I love it. This is the best season! We have had some nice weather this week, so I've also been out doing my usual walks with Henry! I'm soaking it up because it might snow on Monday. 

I got a Christmas tree! I'll do a full post on it. I plan to put it up today, so I don't have much more information right now until I get it up. But I did see it in person in the store and loved it. I got it from Home Depot, and it is not the 'viral' tree that you might be seeing everywhere. It is a different one that I actually liked better! In case you missed it, I wrote a post about why I needed to get a new tree

Speaking of the holidays, I published my first gift guide yesterday, featuring gifts for the host and hostess. I changed up the look a bit this year and really love how it turned out. Because I'm rolling out my guides Monday-Wednesday, I'm going to be including more in each Thursday's post! 

We had such a fun weekend catching up with our neighbors on Halloween, and we got our favorite sushi takeout. We had a lot of trick-or-treaters, as usual, and the weather held out! We had some friends over on Saturday for my husband's Ooni pizzas, which was nice. This weekend, we are getting together with some friends, and I plan on working and decorating. We have a lot going on closer to Thanksgiving and beyond, so I'm also trying to give myself as much downtime as possible, as there won't be any soon. 

I haven't had much time to watch TV lately, but I still have 'Nobody Wants This' on my radar and want to rewatch the last season of Stranger Things before the new season comes out. Also, speaking of TV, do you all have YouTube TV? We finally canceled our Xfinity cable and switched in September. I've been pleased with it. However, there is a back-and-forth between Disney and YouTube TV at the moment; I'm sure many of you are aware of it. They have canceled things that Disney owns. My husband is bummed because he watches a lot of ESPN, but I'm particularly bummed because I mostly turn on Freeform! Champagne problems, but I hope they come to an agreement before 25 Days of Christmas, ha!  

Cozy Lounge Set (buy one, get one free)


Pullover// Vest (on sale
Wearing: I've been mostly casual and cozy during the week. I did try on this Faux fur jacket and my jaw hit the floor!!! It's perfect. I want to wait it out to see if it goes on sale during Cyber Week. Regardless, it will be mine! 

You can find me on ShopMy, where I link all of my outfits, favorite finds, home decor, beauty, and more! I am constantly updating it with the latest! You can also follow me on the LTK app. Plus, you are able to access all of my posts, here, on my website!
Drinking: Every afternoon, I enjoy a cup of Harney and Sons' organic citron green tea. It's my absolute favorite tea. I've also been enjoying the hot cinnamon spice tea in the evenings. I drink tea year-round, but I enjoy it so much more during the cold months. Do you all have a favorite tea? I love to try new teas. 


Today is the last call for my Classic Six 10% off code, SYDNEY10! 


Baublebar is having its custom gift event. You get 25% off personalized items. This is the best discount they will have for the rest of the year on their personalized items- better than Black Friday. The reason they are holding this sale now is that their items can take 3 weeks or more to arrive, as they are custom-made. Order before November 16 to receive your discount and ensure timely delivery of your gifts! I love this tote. I use it so much for travel. It's adorable and great quality. 

Watching:
 There is going to be a live-action Eloise movie starring Ryan Reynolds, which is something I'd never thought I'd hear! Amy Sherman-Paladino will direct it and is co-writing the script- you may recognize her name from Gilmore Girls.

Listening: The Christmas music has just begun on SiriusXM. I love using SiriusXM radio in our cars because I don't have to think about the music coming from my phone. I can just turn on my car and have something good playing. I do sometimes play my own Spotify playlists, but it's usually just SiriusXM. I love the Christmas channels! Here are the numbers in case you want to add them to your favorites. 

Holiday Seasoning 15
Holiday Traditions channel 71
Holly channel 79
Hallmark channel 105

There are more if you stream via their app (which I don't), but these are the ones you can get in the car. I also have my Alexas set up to play SiriusXM. It's nice to have just random background music on that I don't have to think about, namely the real jazz station (67) and the watercolors station (66). I cannot work in silence, but also don't love working to music with words, which is why those two stations are perfect for background music. 

I know some of you probably think I'm nuts for already listening to Christmas music, but to get these holiday blog posts and content up, I have to be in that mindset, and the music helps a great deal with that. Plus, I'm convinced you can't be sad or anxious when listening to Ella Fitzgerald's Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas!  

Loving: Bombas gifted me these slippers, and I love them! I had been wanting a pair of slippers that were slim enough to tuck away into a suitcase, and these do exactly that. They are so soft and warm, but not overly so. I love the padded footbed. They're machine washable, too. I shared this on social media, and my cousin told me my aunt gave her these for Christmas last year. Makes such a lovely gift. 

Wanting:
 These little bowls remind me so much of the Juliska Graham line, and they're the perfect thing to have on hand for hosting. I ordered this bandana scarf on a whim because they're trending right now and I love the look. It was under $40, so we shall see how it is! I will report back! This cordless lamp is on sale, and I've been eyeing it. Two would look gorgeous on a Thanksgiving table. This plaid dress is perfect for a dressier Thanksgiving. This is the one thing I ordered in the Sephora sale. I am going to keep it on my nightstand and spritz my face when I feel like I need an extra dose of hydration this winter. My skin has been so dry ever since we turned our heat on! The J.Crew new arrivals are true holiday perfection. I can't get enough of this fair isle rollneck, this fair isle crewneck, this a-line full skirt, and this fair isle cardigan. Speaking of fair isle, this cashmere sweater is dreamy. I'm dreaming of this velvet jacket. This leather pouch is gorgeous and the perfect size for daily use or travel. Plus, it's under $100, making it a luxurious but affordable gift! A perfect holiday dress. These are such gorgeous boots, and the price is right! This bow is the perfect thing for a wreath. Affordable, large bows are so hard to find. This skirt is fun! I saw these pants in person last week and they're so good!
Pittsburgh: We went to the new F+F Pizza last week. It's a new pizza restaurant on Beverly Road in Mt. Lebanon, where Bado's used to be. They have locations in Brooklyn. They did an excellent job with the former Bado's space, striking a balance between casual and tasteful. There's a bar where you can have a slice of pizza and/or a drink. I was so excited to try this place; the food photos had me drooling. I may have overhyped it in my mind because I was a little let down. The cheese pizza was the highlight. It was a 10/10 pizza. The other pizza we got was just OK. The rigatoni was good, but I felt like it was missing something. The greens and beans were definitely missing something- not enough seasoning? Service was good. I got a glass of red wine, and it was terrible. It was $17 for a glass, which I felt was overpriced considering the wine's low quality. I didn't need nor did I expect fine wine, but this was something you'd drink in college. My mom got a martini, which she said was perfect. Anyway, it's a great addition to Beverly, and I look forward to checking it out again once it settles in more. 

Amazon Rec: I bought a set of this flatware 5ish years ago, and we use it as our daily utensils. I love the look, and they've held up perfectly, so I ordered another set, so now we have service for 16. They look very similar to Fortessa bamboo flatware, but this costs a lot less. 

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:Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference.”- Helen James // See more of my favorites, here.

This content may contain affiliate links; when you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you). 

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Gift Guide '25: For the Host + Hostess

2025 Hostess Gift Guide: Classic, Elegant Gifts for Thanksgiving & Holiday Parties

Happy first day of gift guides! I’m getting most of this year’s guides up before the Cyber Week deals begin around November 21st. Here’s the plan: today kicks off with the Host + Hostess Gift Guide, and next week, Monday through Wednesday, I'll feature three more. The same schedule will continue for the week of November 17, 18, and 19. I’ll still be sharing my usual Thursday Lately and Friday Weekend Wish List posts, so there will be seven guides live before Cyber Week. In total, there will be eleven gift guides this season, with the most important ones available ahead of the big sales. There may even be a rogue Saturday post here and there as we go through the month! 

I always like to start with the host and hostess gifts because they’re perfect for bringing to a Thanksgiving dinner, a holiday party, or when visiting friends for the weekend. I also keep a few of these items on hand as they make thoughtful neighbor gifts or small tokens of thanks (for example, when someone helps out with Henry!).

I actually have a designated “gift bin” where I store things like this, so I’m never scrambling for a last-minute present. It makes the holiday season and the rest of the year feel more organized and stress-free.

I put a lot of thought and care into each guide and am very selective about what I include. These gift guides are one of my favorite things to create all year, and I spend months leading up to today editing and perfecting these lists. I am not just tossing random things on these guides. With the exception of the 'My Wish List' guide, these are all things I have personally vetted. I also think about giving these things as gifts. There are many great items out there, but I try to keep in mind that these are gifts, and some great items can be a little odd to give as gifts, such as a bra, underwear, or foundation, which are best given when you really know someone very personally. 

I don’t accept sponsorships for gift guides, so when you shop through my links, it truly means more than you know. I earn a small commission from those purchases at no extra cost to you, and your support allows me to keep creating these guides each year. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for trusting me with your holiday gifting! 

I'll be sharing my gift guides on my ShopMy page, in case you'd like to refer back to them there as well. I've also added sections such as party and cocktail finds, home finds, makeup favorites, and more. 

Hand Soap// This hand soap smells wonderful. It's a very unisex, universally appealing scent. The notes are Agarwood, Vetiver, Atlas Cedar, Amber, and White Musk. It truly smells like it should be in the bathroom of a five-star hotel or swanky restaurant. Plus, the dispenser really sets it apart. It's made of ribbed glass and is very substantial. 

Needlepoint Wine Coaster// We have this wine coaster and love it. It's cheeky and fun to use whenever we open a bottle of wine. This can also be used as a trinket tray/valet. This would be nice, gifted with a bottle of wine, or without! 

Hand Cream + Dispenser// This is about as fancy as you get with hand cream. This is an airless pump dispenser in the coolest design. The lid is magnetic, and you just press down on the button and out comes the hand cream. Besides the cool container, the actual formula contains Retinol, colloidal oatmeal, and panthenol to actively nourish your hands. 

Entertaining Book // This is a re-release of Martha Stewart's first book. It's perfect for anyone who loves being in the kitchen. I think a cookbook or coffee table book of someone's interests always makes a nice and personal gift. Plus, you can never have too many. 

Olive Oil// Olive oil always makes a nice gift because it's useful and there are so many different kinds. It's a great alternative to wine. This olive oil is gorgeous and in a glass bottle. It also tastes wonderful. 

Customized Framed Ornament// The best thing about this frame ornament is that you can order it with the photo right inside. Makes things so easy and streamlined. This can be given by itself or used as a gift topper. 

Martini Hand Towels// I love this towel brand, and these martini hand towels are so fun! They come in a set of two, so you could either give a set as a gift or break them up to give to two people. 

Tuscan Rosemary Candle// This candle smells divine. It's both light and fresh, yet cozy. It's the kind of scent that fills your entire home. Scents are so personal, so it can be hard to gift anything scented. However, I think this is one of those more universally appealing scents, similar to the hand soap I shared earlier in this post. 

Kitchen Towel Set// These kitchen towels are the BEST. They also happen to be the most inexpensive. They are truly as good, if not better than, Williams-Sonoma kitchen towels. I like to use kitchen towels to wrap items like bottles of wine and olive oil, but you can also give a full set, if you prefer. 

Porcelain Mug// I have this mug, and it just makes me smile during the holiday season. These mugs are beautifully made and large enough to hold a generous amount of coffee or tea. I think adding a coffee shop gift card or some coffee beans with a matching mug is always a gracious gesture. 

2025 Hostess Gift Guide: Classic, Elegant Gifts for Thanksgiving & Holiday Parties

Paper Cocktail Napkins// Cocktail napkins are always nice to gift. They come in so many different colors and patterns. You can snag them inexpensively at places like HomeGoods, but I also love the Caspari brand, which is a little more costly; however, I think they have some of the prettiest designs. 

Lucite Cocktail Napkin Holder// If you want to go a step further, pair the cocktail napkins with a holder like this! There are so many different styles. I think lucite works with anyone's taste, but there are others like silver, ceramic, wicker, etc. 

Socks Gift Box Set// This may make me sound old, but I love getting socks and especially nice socks. They're a 'little luxury'. 

Mini Canvas Tote// This is always going to make the gift guide. It's the *perfect* gift. The price is right, the quality cannot be beat, it's adorable, and it can work with many recipients' tastes. You can fill it with items like gourmet food, cosmetics, or simply give it as is! 

Tony's Chocolate Bar// My husband and I have fallen in love with this chocolate brand. They're all delicious, but we specifically like the teal green bar pictured here and the purple bar. This is under $10, and it's always a treat to receive a delicious chocolate gift. This is a good thing to give someone like a housekeeper or doorman (on top of cash, of course)! 

Bandana// This classic design has become a huge trend this year. I am seeing it everywhere, and you all know I'm not one for lots of trends, but I really like this! You can always wrap a bottle of wine or olive oil in a scarf, but I think this is lovely given on its own. It's under $50! 

Deodorant and Body Mist Gift Set// I am gifting everyone on my list Salt and Stone this year. It's one of those 'little luxuries' that are perfect for both men and women. I've tried nearly all of their products and I've loved every single one. You cannot go wrong with this brand. All of the scents are unisex and smell amazing. Bergamot and Hinoki is my favorite, but Santal is a close second, and Basil and Neroli is my third fave.

Blue and White Catchall// I have a catchall similar to this one and use it in my bathroom. It's so pretty and the perfect size. I think this would look beautiful with some pretty candies, wrapped in cellophane, and finished with a velvet bow. This is a great price point for something like this! 

Eye Mask Gift Set// I think eye masks make the best gift for anyone. They're such a nice thing to have on hand on those early mornings or just when you feel like treating yourself while sipping your coffee or getting ready for a big night out. This set is particularly a good deal as you can get it under $10 with my code SUMMERWIND. I like to keep my eye patches in the refrigerator for a bonus cooling effect. 

Ornament + Spirit of Choice // An ornament hung on a bottle of the host's or hostess's favorite drink is always a cute gift idea. Again, you can use a bottle of wine in place of alcohol if that is more suitable. 

Desktop Calendar// KA sent me their calendar last year, and it has become one of my favorite things. I look forward to changing the card each month, and every design is absolutely gorgeous. 

You'll see below that I am linking my gift guides from last year, as many of the items I recommended are still available and remain great options if you are looking for more ideas. 


You can find me on ShopMy, where I link all of my outfits, favorite finds, home decor, beauty, and more! I am constantly updating it with the latest! You can also follow me on the LTK app. Plus, you are able to access all of my posts, here, on my website! 

This content may contain affiliate links; when you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you).

Tuesday, November 4, 2025

October Favorites

Sweater Jacket// Clogs// Cardigan (use code SUMMERWIND10!)

I round up my favorite things each month for a monthly favorites list. At the end of the year, I pull from each monthly list and create a yearly favorites list. Here is my 2024 favorites list. It's my way of keeping track of the very best things. The lists work because when I look back on the past few years, most things on each list are still my favorites. My only rule is that I don't repeat items from month to month or year to year, so there is no overlap. 

It's crazy that there will only be one more list for the year before I create my yearly favorites list! This is a LONG one. I found so many amazing things in October. 

Sweater Jacket// I wear this at least once a week. It's a hybrid between a puffer vest and a sweater. You can wear it as a jacket or as a sweater. The quality is great, and I love the warm cream color. It has pockets and has a slightly cropped fit. I love to wear it over workout clothes, but you could definitely wear this with jeans. It runs true to size and is nice and roomy. 

Clogs// I'll be the first to admit these are not the most beautiful shoes. BUT, they are so incredibly comfortable. Plus, they have a nice sole to them, so they're truly shoes vs. just slippers. I mostly wear them with casual clothing for things like running to and from Pilates, walking Henry on shorter walks, running quick errands, etc. I was initially going to wear them as house shoes, but I prefer them this way! Anyway, I was on the fence about these for a very long time, and I have no regrets. I love the cushioned footbed and the fact that they can be machine-washed. 

Cardigan// This is maybe the best cardigan to ever exist. It's heirloom-quality. It may look like a simple cardigan, but when you see it in person, you'll understand its true beauty. It is the kind of sweater people will ask you where it is from, and something I'll have years from now. (use code SUMMERWIND10!)

Faux Fur Clutch// Faux fur is getting so good. Remember back in the 2000s and early 2010s, some faux fur looked terrible? Now, I feel like most brands are doing such a great job with faux fur. This looks real and even somewhat feels real. The shape is so elegant, and you can fit a lot inside. It also comes with a shoulder strap. The shoulder strap isn't anything special, so I prefer to carry it as a clutch. At slightly under $100, I think this is a nice price point. 

Non Stick Pots and Pans// Caraway sent me these pans, and I love them. We use them all of the time now. They are truly non-stick, and you don't need to use oil if you prefer not to. They're easy to clean and are overall great. I absolutely love the storage that comes with the set. It keeps everything so organized in our kitchen cabinets. The door organizer for the lids is brilliant. 

Velvet Jacket// This jacket is something special, that's for sure. This is by a new-to-me brand, and everything they make is drool-worthy. 

Socks// I know many of you have ordered these socks, so they don't need a big introduction. I got them to go with my clogs, as I think stark white with the 'dove' color of my clogs looked too stark. They are from the same brand that makes the athletic socks I love. They're soft and very comfortable. You can't beat the price! I know it says that they are men's, but I got the smallest size and they're great. 

Strapless Bra// I wore this for the first time earlier this month, and wow, this is the most comfortable strapless bra that actually stays in place. I loathe strapless bras and try to avoid them at all costs, but this one is not bad at all! 

Pearl Earrings// I've been wearing these a lot lately. They're the perfect neutral earring that makes a subtle statement. They're lightweight, too. 

White Tee// I love this white tee for its boxy fit, longer sleeve length, soft cotton, and perfectly round crewneck. You can't go wrong with this. A quality classic. It runs roomy but I got my true size small. 

Liner Gloves// Out of this large roundup, this is the most utilitarian, useful item. I keep patting myself on the back for ordering these each time I step out into the cold weather to go on a walk. I try to walk daily, and while I have warm gloves, I didn't have anything for the in-between weather. These are lined in soft fleece and are very lightweight, yet they block the wind and are warm. You can wear them as a glove liner, too. 

Lip Gloss// I love this lip gloss, and it's currently on sale in the Sephora sale. Many lip glosses are not very pigmented, but the colors 'Red' and 'Guava' have the perfect dose of color for daily wear. The formula is hydrating and shiny. 

Faux Fur Jacket// This is the first time I've ever put something on the list that I don't actually own... yet. I'm trying to hold off until Black Friday in hopes of a sale, but this is the most gorgeous faux fur jacket I've ever tried on. It looks real and is so cozy and comfortable. It's incredibly elegant, but you could also just wear it with jeans. 

Phone Case + Ring// This phone case has solved any issue I've ever had with phone cases. I need to have a ring on the back of my phone, but if I do, I can't use the Mag charger unless I remove my case. I don't like to take my case off because I drop my phone almost daily. So I've never used MagSafe charging, and for portable batteries, I have to use something that plugs into my phone instead of MagSafe power banks. I've been slightly annoyed, but I've been fine with it. However, with this, the ring magnetically clips onto the back of my phone and can be removed in a second. It can also be charged with the case and ring on! It's such a game-changer. I love it. I think my go-to brand, Burga, has cuter styles that are more in line with my taste, but other than that, this brand is the best in terms of logistics. 

Burgundy Leather Handbag// This handbag looks and feels like a designer handbag with a $1000+ price tag. Thankfully, it is under $500. It's a ladylike, timeless shape and quality that will last a lifetime. 

Hair Mask// This is the best hair mask I've ever used. That's saying something because I've tried many. This is incredibly hydrating and helps keep frizz at bay. I love how shiny it makes my hair. 

Green Leather Handbag// This is another incredible handbag that is under $500, and it looks very similar to a $5k+ handbag. The green shade is deep and glossy. It's fabulous. 

Candle// I love this scent so much. It's both bright and refreshing, yet cozy. It smells fancy and like something you'd smell if you walked into a Nancy Meyers character's home. 

Volumizing Hair Treatment// I love this because it does exactly what it claims to do. It adds volume to my hair, and it acts as a heat protectant. I spray it all over my damp hair, but focus more on the roots. It claims that it is for fine hair, but it works perfectly on my thick hair, as well. It truly gives me much more volume when I use this! 

Bralette// This is a great bralette. It's so comfortable, yet somewhat supportive. It feels like I'm wearing nothing when I wear this. It has very minimal coverage and no padding, so it doesn't always work with every top, but I wear this as much as I can for the comfort. 

2025 Monthly Favorites:
May
June
July

Check out my yearly favorites... 

You can find me on ShopMy, where I link all of my outfits, favorite finds, home decor, beauty, and more! I am constantly updating it with the latest! You can also follow me on the LTK app. Plus, you are able to access all of my posts, here, on my website! 

This content may contain affiliate links; when you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you).
 

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