full disclosure: i bought a lot of stuff this month. some things were big winners, some not-so-much. what i can say is that the things i have made space for in my closet, i know i will have for years to come. plus i also did some spring cleaning and donated/sold a few pieces to make room/a little money to compensate for all of said purchases. i used to be better about pruning my closet regularly and following a more regimented “one in, one out” policy, so perhaps i should tighten things up so we don’t get too out of hand? if it’s any consolation, i did made quite a few trips to the post office for returns, lol.
anyway, let’s get to the goods!
the homeruns
zara faux leather marine straight pants (2/26) || ironically i really embraced leather pants during my pregnancy. if you followed my maternity style back then, you know these leggings got a TON of wear. i also had a couple pair of faux leather joggers that got me through those first months postpartum. now that we’re nearly two years out from that stage of my life (and the aforementioned pants no longer fit), i have been on the hunt for a viable replacement. after falling in love with this pair of pants, i saw zara also offered the same silhouette in a faux leather version. *adds to cart.* for $50, these are pretty amazing, guys. i feel like a modern day sandra dee so tell me about it, stud. it’s probably silly to have purchased these pants as we’re nearing the hottest time of the year, but i have some big big plans for them come fall. i find they run true to size and they’re lined with a cozy fabric so they’re insanely comfortable.
rebecca minkoff janine sweatshirt (medium –purchased in medium heather grey) || if you’re keeping score at home, you already know that this is my third rebecca minkoff janine sweatshirt. because when you find something you love, you get it in all the colors. to be fair, ms. minkoff offers this gem in about 12 colors so i have some ways to go, but for now, i’m so happy to have welcomed the grey version to my wardrobe. i find this sweatshirt to fit on the smaller side so i recommend sizing up at least one size for a cozier fit.
anthropologie maeve x cecelia pettersson ruffle-sleeve tee (small) || i believe one can never have too many white tops (they go with everything!), so that’s my justification of scooping up this cute little ruffle-sleeve tee for summer. i love the deep v neckline and of course the ruffled sleeves and while it’s a tad bit cropped, it’s perfect for front-tucking into high-waisted jeans/pants. i can’t wait to wear it with denim shorts and of course my new favorite bone-colored pants. i find it to fit true to size and also comes in pink and a floral print.
anthropologie porridge ruffled eyelet blouse (small) || see above for justification on snagging this top as well on a recent trip to anthro (i shopped in PERSON, what a thrill!), in addition to the fact that it was on the sale rack. it’s definitely more of a statement with the ruffled collar, but i’ll balance it out by wearing it with simple cropped jeans or wide-leg crop pants. i love eyelet for summer and this top will be perfect for staying cool when the temperatures heat up come july.
freda salvador keen woven mules (10) || after having these on my wish list for months and months i finally snagged them when they recently went on sale for 20% off. admittedly i’ve finally made the decision to invest in better footwear because i’m barreling toward 40 (how? i’m still 29 in my mind) and if not now, when?! these feet deserve to be slipped into some quality shoes so i made my first of what i fear to be MANY freda salvador purchases. but i’d rather have four pairs of really awesome shoes than a dozen of mediocre quality. i guess this is what aging looks like. ANYWAY, after hearing freda salvador’s praises sung loudly by some of my favorite influencers, i am here to say that they really do live up to the hype. they are incredibly comfortable and the craftsmanship is top notch. i sized up 1/2 size as i always do in a mule-style and they fit perfectly. i cannot wait to wear these non-stop.
mango mom high-waisted jeans (4 –sized up and ordered in medium blue) || my reasoning for purchasing these jeans was two-fold. first and foremost, they came highly recommended by a fellow twin mom and secondly, after hemming and hawing over ordering these (which -spoiler alert, i ended up ordering, very much disliking, and returning), i decided i should try a similar and MUCH less expensive version first to ensure i even liked the silhouette. i loved them as soon as i slipped them on. they’re the perfect mid-wash color, have a terrific high-rise (even with my long torso) and a very flattering tapered leg line. the only issue i faced was that they stretched out tremendously after only two wears. SO i donated the pair i wore (LOVE madewell’s denim recycling program! donate any pair of jeans and get a voucher for $20 off your next pair) and decided to reorder them in a smaller size. i also think i’m going to have them shortened slightly so i get that true cropped look.
mango jute shopper bag || what’s summer without a good straw bag?! i own a smaller version i snagged years ago from zara that i like to bring out for a rogue date night (these days date nights are very rogue). however what i’ve always disliked about the zara bag is that it doesn’t have a proper closure, so if it were to fall over, unfortunately all of its contents would spill out. therefore when i found this one, i loved the fact that it has a lining one can pull taught to secure the goods. plus it is HUGE and with twins, space is key to haul everything from diapers to snacks to extra clothes to toys! it fits perfectly under your arm and the brown leather straps are classic to be paired with everything in your summer wardrobe. if you’re looking for more straw bag options, i rounded up a few favorites here.
the misses
bala bangles (set of 2 1lb. weights) || this isn’t a garment but you do wear them so i figured i’d share my thoughts on this popular ankle/wrist weight because spoiler alert, THEY’RE OVERRATED! i have been entertaining getting myself a pair of light-weight ankle weights to wear them on our daily walks (and to up my studio barre on demand game) and after seeing these bangles everywhere, i figured they were worth their $50 price tag. even typing that makes me feel embarrassed. why on earth did i shell out FIFTY u.s. dollars for ankle weights?! i don’t know. thank goodness amazon has a great return policy because i promptly returned them no less than 12 hours of them arriving on our doorstep. sure they’re very instagrammy with their neutral-toned colors and sleek design. however, i found them to be ill-fitting. i’d say my ankles are average-sized and they still ran a little big. there is only so much velcro slack for proper adjustment and i couldn’t seem to get them tight enough for a secure fit. for $50, i feel like it’s more than fair to expect them to fit impeccably. because they did not, i just couldn’t justify keeping them. god bless amazon for easy returns!
madewell linen-blend ruffle tie-back jumpsuit (2) || did i need another jumpsuit? no, no i didn’t. however did the adorable back detail get me? yes, yes it did. as did the fact that madewell sent me $25 worth of coupons to use at my disposal. so well played, madewell, well played. to be honest, madewell hasn’t really impressed me this season (don’t get me started on my recent visit to find a pair of jeans -i tried on no less than eight pairs and left empty-handed) so when i spotted this jumpsuit, i felt compelled to try it since it’s the only thing that has really piqued my interest since last fall. unfortunately my long torso torpedoed yet another of my jumpsuit aspirations. i am SO bummed it didn’t quite work on me because on paper it is perfect -the ruffles, the tie-back detail, the cropped silhouette, the pockets, always the pockets. but like men, just because something (or someone) is great on an objective level doesn’t mean that thing (or person) is great for you. so on that metaphorical note, it’s not a match and it’s going back. BUT if you have an average-sized torso or are on the petite side, it’s so cute and would be a great versatile piece for your summer wardrobe. i had high hopes to pair it with these converse.
converse all star 70’s high top sneaker (7.5 –men’s sizing! in parchment (an off-white shade)) || if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. or at least that has been my motto in terms of high top converse. this is my third time trying this style of shoe because i’ll be darned, i really want to make this trend work for me. well third time wasn’t the charm because as soon as i slipped them on i was reminded of why they just don’t feel like “me.” also the sizing is nearly impossible to nail -am i ordering a men’s size, a women’s size, is it unisex? i do feel like the parchment color is a fun take on the classic style and would be versatile enough to be worn year-round but all in all, i’ve officially retired trying to make “fetch” happen. i’ll stick to my low-tops and beloved court sneakers.
j.crew tie-shoulder linen tank (xs –ordered in flax) || after seeing this cute little bow tank everywhere (and by “everywhere” i mean on the stylish women i follow on instagram) and it seemed like such a great versatile (and light-weight) piece to add to my summer wardrobe that i decided to snag it at 40% off (because you know mama loves a bargain!). when it arrived, it was better than expected in a few ways but fell short overall. the pros? the straps are actual straps with extra fabric to create the adorable bow detail (meaning wardrobe malfunctions are completely avoidable!) and the fit is loose and comfortable. the cons? the color did nothing for the skin tone and while the bows were right up my alley in terms of my feminine style, it felt like a novelty item that i might loose interest in after two or three wears. the cons won this time and back it went!
banana republic wide-leg paperbag pants (2 –ordered in transition cream) || leave it to me becoming a mom to finally up my trouser collection (after working in the corporate world for 11 years!) but i’m loving the trend lately and feel like a good high-waisted pant can do wonders for one’s morale. they are so dang flattering. i saw this pair on two people before deciding to purchase a pair for myself (they also went on sale for 40% off so let’s be honest, that’s what really convinced me!). unfortunately the mediocre website reviews were right, while they had such potential, they’re just not quite right. the fabric is some sort of vinyl, the kind of material you’d make a raincoat out of for its waterproof detail and even in a regular inseam, they’re still crazy long. i do appreciate how high of a rise they are (well above my belly button) but the amount of extra fabric around my hip area ultimately warranted them unflattering –the exact opposite vibe i was going for in the first place! so the search for cute trousers continues…right now, i’ve got my eyes on these.
j.crew sorrento lace-up sandals in leather (10 –ordered in black) || do not, i repeat, do not pay full-price for something at j.crew. i promise you that if you wait a day, heck, sometimes, even a few hours, they will place said item on sale for 30, 40, 50% off and you will be so glad you waited. i have been wanting to freshen up my sandal collection as we enter into summer and had my eye on these before spotting a very similar version at j.crew. the difference between the two is that the latter recently went on sale for FIFTY percent off and i chose that as my sign to scoop them up. i’ve had such good luck with j.crew shoes over the last few years that i was hopeful the lace-up sandals would be a no-brainer. unfortunately they were big misses. the quality was top-notch, but the fit was all wrong. i laced them up securely around my ankle but as soon as i lifted my foot to walk, i slid right out of the shoe? i attempted to adjust them a couple times before concluding they weren’t the hassle and packed them back up for immediate return.
and what has yet to arrive
cos stores puff-sleeve midi dress (xs) || after having such success with their two puff-sleeve tops, i have added cos into the rotation of online retailers i check regularly for new arrivals. then a promotional email dropped in my inbox notifying me of a site-wide 25% off discount and well, twist my arm. i have puff-sleeve radar so i was immediately drawn to this LBD with big personality. i will say it kind of looks like a potato sack on the website, but sometimes dresses don’t translate as well virtually as they do IRL. i’m also not completely averse to having a potato sack-like dress in my closet because sometimes they’re fun? fingers crossed it’s a contender because i’d love to style it now with lace-up sandals (i suppose now that the aforementioned ones didn’t work out, i should reconsider these?) and with cowboy boots or loafers in the fall.
reformation frances knit top (small –ordered in ivory) || reformation is one of those brands that has always seemed just out of reach. i have always admired their dresses especially, but their price tag was never quite justifiable. so color me surprised when i spotted this chic puff-sleeve top on @personallytaylor’s instagram stories, clicked on the link, and realized it was under $60! *adds to cart immediately* at this rate, my entire top collection is going to boast either a puff-sleeve or a ruffle and you know what? i’m totally okay with that. if the puff-sleeve top works out, i plan on ordering this top next!
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