*Image above via Kael Rebick. Her Instagram is so gorgeous!
My Latest Snag: New, Reasonably Priced Pants.
I have been looking for some new, reasonably priced weekday pants now that the weather is cooler. I have several pairs of designer jeans I live in during the cold months, a few trousers for dressier occasions (read: pair only with heels and therefore ill-suited to my everyday), and wanted to diversify things. I snagged these cords in the burgundy color and these jeans after so many of you raved about Madewell’s denim — these feel like the perfect “right now” jeans in that they’re classic but also contemporary with the times.
You’re Soooo Popular: Boots + Sweaters.
The most popular items on le blog this week:
+J. Crew cardigan. Ultra-versatile. Pair with jeans, layer over your favorite nap dress, or style with a satin slip skirt.
+The $20 loafers all of our boys will be wearing to Thanksgiving.
+Houndstooth quilted jacket. A great price for this stylish piece! Love the sherpa collar!
+SEA cardigan. Swoon. Caveat emptor: I bought this for myself and it was overwhelming on my petite frame, but have seen so many other stylish women rock it and am tres envious.
+Alexandre Birman suede heeled boots (on sale!). Every time I see these, I imagine pairing with a dress like this or this.
+J McLaughlin chocolate brown boots. These were also very popular this week — sounds like we’re all shopping for boots!
+Insanely jealous of how many of you have purchased these Aquazzura combat boots. They’re at the top of my lust list.
+Hotel Lobby candle. I ordered the Holiday scent, which is now sold out, and I think most of you did the same, but there are other festive scents still available!
+$30 puff sleeved sweater. Target score!
+Black velvet little girl mary janes. One of my favorite Amazon finds to date — perfect for holiday festivities.
+Cableknit tights for littles. I swear by these. Trust me, the quality exceeds the price.
+Hotel quality pillows. Last time I checked, these were an extra 40% off, making two only $24. These went straight into our guest bedroom. Read the reviews!
+J. Crew tissue turtleneck. Wardrobe staple.
+J. Crew plaid ruffle dress. A holiday must!
+Apiece Apart windbreaker.
Weekend Musings: On Crying.
Are you a crier? I cry at the drop of a hat. I cried when Mr. Magpie left for a short work trip the other week and mini saw me and asked, “Are those happy tears?” Which made me want to cry even more. (How does she know what ‘happy tears’ are?). I cry when people compliment me, I cry when a song touches me, I cry when I scroll through pictures of my children after they’ve fallen asleep…! I had to busy myself with a piece of paper the other day when an employee of a non-profit shared a story about one of the clients she served, about a teen mom in a foster home who refused to attend school despite multiple counselors and social workers encouraging and at times demanding she do so. After awhile, it came out that her birth parents had not sent her to school since fifth grade and she was horrified at the thought that she would be expected to perform at a high school grade level and worried her classmates would think she was stupid. Everyone else was nodding empathetically and I was swallowing back tears. Even now, writing this out, a pit forms in my stomach when I think that she had learned to deprive herself of something she wanted, or needed, out of fear of humiliation or retaliation. How intense and hard her life must have been, and how poignant to think how determined she’d been to hold all of these totally relatable fears in.
Alright, that last example might make even a non-crier cry.
The other day, I came across this quote by Charlotte Bronte:
“Crying does not indicate that you are weak. Since birth, it has always been a sign that you are alive.”
I’m typically embarrassed about how easily moved I am, but this made me feel better.
Do you consider yourself a crier?
Post-Scripts.
+FYI — Maisonette has marked down some of the adorable holiday Petite Plume pajamas, as well as some of their festive holiday clothing for littles, including this beyond adorable tartan dress.
+I just ordered myself these pretty socks ($14 and free ship!) to wear around the house. They also have similar ones in solid waffle-weave!
+You know I can’t resist knits with pearls…
+Speaking of knits: it’s sweater season (and sweater dress season, too). Trust me, you need one of these. So satisfying to use and they really work! I just used mine to clean up a few of my sweaters for the season.
+J. Crew has some great tartan pieces in modern shapes at the moment, including this nap-dress-like midi and this puff-sleeved mini. I just bought this top for myself. I always find myself looking for a casual but festive piece like this in the days leading up to Christmas for hanging out with family before the big day.
+This plaid turtleneck is also a great buy for the same reason. Would look cute with high-waisted black trousers/denim.
+Keep coming back to this $60 top. Love the on-trend dimensions, and the color is fabulous.
+Super love this quilted sweatshirt with the perfect puff sleeve. I have a black sweatshirt with a puff sleeve / ruffle at the shoulder and it always makes me feel just a tiny bit more pulled together than basic athleisure. Great for things like carpool pick-up line, playground, etc.
+Sequin midi skirt is a YES. Perfect for NYE with a cashmere crewneck.
+Here to report that people are losing their minds over these Ugg slippers. Tastemakers Lilly Sisto and Courtney Grow have been wearing them a lot!
+Personally, these are more my speed when it comes to slippers I won’t be mind getting caught wearing while picking up coffee.
+These tall battery-operated lamps are SO brilliant for outdoor dining! No cords, no fuss! I absolutely love the style, too.
+These $30 knit sets are great for little ones in cool weather — micro had this last year! Love the green.
+These multi-colored candlesticks have been in my cart all week…I’m considering buying the pink, blue, and two of the greens and clustering on a tablescape.
+This $30 baby cardigan is beyond adorable.
+I love my Rowenta steamer, but this handheld one is super chic, too. However, I have to say I am eyeing Rowenta’s full-sized/pro-grade one. I love the idea I can just leave this one standing in the laundry room rather than pulling ours out of the closet every time I want to steam.
+These puzzles by Ordinary Habit are gorgeous! Would make a fun family gift…or just buy for yourself. We’re entering puzzle season! I love having a puzzle out to work on around the holidays!
+I have been seeing a lot of hot pink lately and I’m into it. This Reformation dress had me doing a double take, and Hunter Bell’s holiday collection is full of stunning hot pink pieces like this top.
+But do I need this green velvet dress from Reformation, too?! Eee. This season’s collection is calling my name!
+These suede pumps are ready for the holidays.
+Wellies ornament!
+I will be doing an entire post on Christmas day outfits for littles, but I think this Anavini is absolute perfection.
+These lacy tights remind me of Gucci. Pair with a simple black mini dress.
+This bag is ultra-sophisticated.
I find myself at the opposite end of the crying spectrum and at times wish I could cry more easily. When I remain stone-faced at truly sad moments, I can’t bring myself to tears and would like to have that external signal to others that I share in their feelings.
Isn’t it interesting how we feel about our own personalities in the context of a group or community?
So interesting! I can completely understand how that would present its own challenges, though I am sure you have helped people soldier through rocky moments by at least outwardly appearing to be a strong, calming presence, so don’t be too hard on yourself! And I think empathy can be expressed powerfully in language and actions as well.
xx
I am a “crier” also. This story may seem silly to some but, last summer I hand raised two orphaned Mourning doves (which I had never done before) that were at most maybe a week old. Both doves made it to young adult hood (I also taught them to fly) and it was time for them to be released and set free. I did not know how to do this myself, so, my wonderful hubby and I took them to a wildlife care facility near us so that they could learn how NOT to be dependent on humans and ultimately set free. I must have cried on & off for about a week (it was a very hard goodbye for me). I missed these little birds so much. Yes, happy tears were among the “miss you so much tears” but knowing that they were going to learn how to be doves and set free and live the life that God had created them to made me happy! But, looking at the pictures of them still make my eyes swell up.
Wow! What an experience! I can totally understand why that would have been so moving, on so many levels. Many years ago, I made an off-handed, meant-to-be-humorous comment to a family friend about how my dad was sort of useless in the kitchen, and that when I worked for him in his law office on occasion (which I was doing at that time, while completing graduate school), I would often make him sandwiches in the little kitchenette off his office as part of my “official duties.” She smiled politely but then said, “Gosh, it’s nice to be needed, isn’t it?” I was mortified. I needed the reprimand, to be honest – it’s forever changed my outlook and I find myself far less likely to complain about the routine care that goes into raising children, running a household, etc. Anyway, I can imagine that part of the difficulty in saying goodbye to those birds was the sensation of going from “being needed” to “not being needed anymore”!
xx
Funnily enough, I was just about to reply to your comment about footholds but the hymn “On Eagles Wings” makes me cry. When it’s played randomly in Mass the lump starts and the tears fall!
Also yes, that story made me cry! Anything like that – people being afraid of being humiliated or actually being humiliated will usually make me cry!
Same here! So moving. I think it’s about seeing how vulnerable we all are underneath it all!
xx
Oh man they played this at my grandpa’s funeral… it really got me when we were processing out. Another one during Lent – Were You There (when they crucified my lord).
That one (“Were You There”) gets me, too, Marcella! So moving, especially when sung without instrumentation!
We are getting close to the time of year where I am constantly weeping at the sound of Christmas hymns…
Oh Claire! I sing “O Little Town of Bethlehem” to my children every single night…curiously it’s been their lullaby for as long as I can remember, along with “Edelweiss” from Sound of Music, and I sing it to them regardless of season. Every now and then, I’ll catch my four year old singing it on her own (botching about half the words) and it is beyond moving. I cry every single time I hear it coming from her little mouth!
xx