Belt It Out

I have a feeeeeling some of y’all are going to have strong reactions to this post.

But, listen to me Linda, lookeeeeee Linda.

I saw a v. chic woman walking down my block the other day wearing a Gucci belt bag.  At first glance, I thought — “hm, how odd.  Beautifully coiffed hair, lovely flats—blblblblb a fanny pack?!”

But it somehow worked.

I know the high fashion fanny pack was a thing maybe two seasons ago and I dismissed it as part of the “too out there” fashion camp, but seeing it in real life, on the streets, on an elegantly appointed woman, made me think twice…or thrice…or, well, let’s be honest — I haven’t stopped musing over it since I saw it, in part because of its wickedly delightful functionality: when I’m walking Tilly and pushing minimagpie on one of our strolls through Central Park, things can get a litttttle hairy.  (I’ve been told many times “my my, you have your hands full!” — and this is just a dog and a baby.  What happens if I have another baby?  Will people start ripping out their hair when they see me careening down the street with a double pram and Tilly on the leash?)  It would be so incredible to tuck my essential cards/ID into my card case — get the look for less with this, which is monogrammable! — along with my keys, hand sanitizer (I’m a nut about this stuff, especially in NY, and especially when picking up dog poop!), and phone to travel around ultralight.  When I’m on these strolls, I don’t feel like I need the whole baby bag since I’m so close to home or can toss super essentials into the basket of the stroller.  Sooo.

Thoughts?

Maybe we could accomplish the same thing with a mini crossbody if the belt bag is too out there?

(Also, I’m still contemplating purchasing these thanks to the chic peas of NYC.)

On a little less “out there” ground, a few other things:

+Y’all know I’m obsessed with these for makeup removal at the end of the day.  I’ve probably featured them 2398 times, but they’re easy peasy (something so delightful about not having to tie your hair back and use a washcloth) and they REALLY scrub everything off, while toning.  But I got a sample of this micellar water from Dior awhile ago and loved it.  It smells amazing and the same principle applies — you soak a cotton ball and toss it when done — and it’s super gentle on the skin / not as astringent.  I went ahead and bought a full-sized one and will be incorporating it into my nightly routine.  (In case you’re wondering what the hell micellar water is, here’s a good primer.  Note that if you wear inky black mascara like I do — THIS IS MY JAM! — you’ll still need a separate makeup remover for your eyes — I have used these for centuries, but have also heard good things about this stuff.)  Also, if the Dior stuff seems a little rich for your blood (I hear ya), I’ve heard good stuff about this drugstore variation.

+Well this looks like heaven.

+A sweet holiday dress — covered up enough to be perfect for a more uptight/formal family gathering, and a new entrant to this list.  And, at the other end of the spectrum…!

+Love the colors in this affordable rug.

+I’ve been hearing that white boots are the new new when it comes to cool footwear.  I can’t even imagine what they’ll look like after a couple walks around NYC.  (Insert scared emoji face.)  White bags, however….HEART EYES.

+PARTY SHOES.  Alternately, these red beauties look an awful lot like my favorite Alexandre Birman heeled sandals, which I own in nude.

+Love the length + slouch of this.  Also, you might want to check out these.

+Love this oversized chair.  Perfect for reading on with minimagpie.

+Thinking about updating the drawer pulls on one of our dressers and some of the hardware in our new apartment is a cool brass color.  Are these trying too hard?  I mean, I’m not Zooey Deschanel over here.  But I think they could look kind of amazing since we have a lot of animal paintings/decor (think white ceramic quail and a ginormous bull painting and my beloved Stark antelope carpet).  Then again, these are more up my alley.  P.S. — If you’ve never updated hardware on a dresser or set of kitchen drawers before — DO IT!! It’s a relatively inexpensive way to personalize furniture or better blend a piece into your overall aesthetic!