While there was a beautiful sense of unity and empowerment seeing and participating in last Saturday’s events, we know it’s just the beginning of our fight, as what happened in the days following clearly showed us. We shouldn’t have to see eye to eye on every issue to unite in preserving our country, our democracy, and our laws. In case you missed it last week, here is a post that Cup of Jo posted that gives easy, actionable ways to help/participate. But as a design and lifestyle blog, we are also here to be a soft place to land. So, in happier news, Emily and Brian went to NYC these last few days to celebrate their 25th anniversary! It’s a pretty wonderful thing to get to witness two people who love and care about each other so deeply. They’ve been together longer than they haven’t! Pretty freaking cool:) Links?
This week’s house tour is of none other than Aly Michalka’s (of pop-rock sister duo Aly & AJ) Santa Barbara home. It’s not your typical celebrity house tour. It’s warm, lived-in, and chock-full of meaningful mementos. She even has very “Boro fabric-like” kitchen curtains we are pretty in love with. Check it out here!
From Emily: I forget how much walking you do in New York! I’m back to wearing these “all day long walking platform sandals” in New York this week. So glad I bought them because they really are my favorite city walking shoes. I linked these up last year and they are still going strong. I can wear them for hours of walking (opting for sneakers if I’m really walking around town). But if you want some height while still being comfortable, these “dayspring” Sorels are pretty awesome. Also wearing my Everlane ballet flats more than I thought – a great night time alternative to heels when we are headed to Time square to see Broadway shows and need to rush around a bit more than heels would allow.
From Caitlin: I have a confession: I’ve broken my “shop small or not at all” rule twice in the last six months – once for this Abercrombie dress (I should have never tried it on! It was too flattering! I couldn’t put it back!) but the second was for this $89 pair of summer-weight Everlane jeans. My weight has been fluctuating a lot over the past few years – I gain and lose ~40 pounds with no rhyme or reason – and a recent try-on revealed that all of my hard pants and belts are currently too large. I needed a pair of dressier jeans and wanted to invest in a pair with a bit of stretch and a super classic silhouette, so I grabbed these on a whim…and OH MY GOSH, THEY ARE INCREDIBLE. A super high rise which feels compressive (in the nice, supportive way), great shaping on the rear, they’re comfortable enough to sit in all day, lightweight enough to wear when it’s 80 degrees outside, and the silhouette is the perfect flare-meets-wide leg proportion. This is my fifth pair of jeans from Everlane and they’ve officially replaced Madewell for me. Get your normal size! (It’s not just me, either – the reviews are glowing.)
Also from Caitlin: But I do have one small business recommendation to balance the forces that be! I’ve been wearing these cool, modernist, all-leather flip flops nonstop for the last few weeks. They’re only $68 (!!!), but they look so much more expensive than the price tag. It does take a second to get used to the sensation (your big toe is free!), but I walked a mile in them to a Koreatown Karaoke bar last weekend (and a mile back when I was decidedly a bit less sober) with no issues. The brand has SO MANY chic, fresh styles, even if these are a little too out there for you – you can’t go wrong.
From Jess: I didn’t have a new product to recommend confidently this week, so I’m reminding you of one that I’ve already talked about, and LOVE (plus, it’s been a while). That product is my makeup brush cleanser “shampoo”. Y’all, it’s the best and so easy to use. I never thought I’d be a gal who washes her makeup brushes routinely, but I now am, and if you want, you can too. You get your brush wet, throw a little cleanser on the bristles or your hand, massage it into your palm under running water, then BOOM! Clean brush:) It’s also under $5.69, and I promise you’re makeup will go on so much better with a clean brush.
From Mallory: Last year, I snagged these shorts in a darker blue wash (then I cut them to be a bit shorter), and they’re my favorite pair by far, even a year later! I wear them so much that I snagged this year’s version in the lighter wash – I love the detailed pleat and how they’re a bit roomier on the thighs. I’m planning to hem them a bit again because I know I’ll wear them more, but the Bermuda cut is also super cute!
From Arlyn: I’ve been using the same kind-of-wonky bathroom scale for well over a decade. Since I first got that scale, so many new models have hit the market that have additional measures and markers, such as body fat analysis and muscle mass. I was eyeing the (very expensive) Hume Body Pod, but really didn’t want to spend $200+ on a scale…another tool that may just make me obsess. So after some research, I found the Wyze Ultra, and so far, it’s been great! It has a great app that’s super easy to use, but you don’t even need it to operate (just to evaluate your results). Some reviews say the body fat metrics might not be super accurate, but honestly, I’m more interested in knowing how my body fat and muscle mass are trending rather than an exacting measurement so I can feel better about my workout efforts! For about $50, I’m quite happy with it.
From Gretchen: If you know anything about lotions, potions, and hand soaps, then you definitely know about Aesop. Now, I’m not good enough nor rich enough to keep my sinks stocked with such luxury, but I might have to take out a loan and start because I was recently gifted the Eleos Body Cleanser & Hand Balm Duo, and OMG I am obsessed! There is just something about this smell that has me HOOKED. It’s woodsy but spa-like, perfectly aromatic but not too in-your-face, and I just feel SO FRESH whenever I use it. The hand cream is really great (and super moisturizing), but it’s the body wash that I will 100% splurge on in the future. I simply cannot and will not allow myself to run out of this stuff. It makes my showering routine 10x more enjoyable, and the best part is the smell actually LASTS on my body, which isn’t something that usually happens for me with any other body wash. It’s just so good. I’m putting this on my wish list for all future birthdays and holidays–expensive but worth it.
From Marlee: I am about to start a whole room re-org project, which means I really need to start thinking about better storage options. Since my room needs to function as both a bedroom and an office space (for two people, it’s a struggle), I’m going to add some open shelving above my desk area to get as many things off the ground as possible. I found these collapsible storage crates that come in SO many different color combinations, so I snagged a few to use as catchall storage on the shelving – I love to have pops of color and am not a fan of matchy-matchy generic storage containers. I’m feeling so inspired to get organized (especially after seeing Emily start to get her prop shed organized… more coming soon on that…), and these are super fun and affordable.
Thanks for hanging out for a little bit and see you tomorrow. xx
Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: A Modern Traditional Green Tiled Bathroom (With A Last Minute Sink Pivot)
