well hello, last day of 2022. quite frankly it feels a little surreal to be typing those words, wasn’t it just easter?! i’ve said it once and i’ll say it again, sometimes it feels like the days are years and the years are days. and maybe that’s just how it feels right now as i’m navigating the highs and lows of toddlerhood (times two). at any rate, as i try to wrap my mind around the fact that we’re on the precipice of the start of another year, i just wanted to start off by saying thank you for being here. whether you’re visiting this space for the first time or the 151st time, it means the world to me that you’d make a stop by my little corner of the internet. while i had every intention of giving the blog more attention this year, the truth is that it’s still not quite at the top of my priority list given my current life stage (see above, mothering toddlers). BUT i will set the same attention for 2023, to make more frequent visits to this url in hopes of scratching my creative itch and providing content that both provides inspiration and joy. so stay tuned.

with regards to this month’s purchases, guys, there (surprisingly!) weren’t many. i found myself quite fatigued by this year’s holiday collections. while i can certainly appreciate sequins, feathers, and a bit of sparkle, i know that they serve no purpose in my wardrobe at this current juncture. if 2022 has taught me anything, it’s that a wardrobe is more functional when it’s filled with pieces suited for your realistic lifestyle, not the one you fantasize about during your twins’ naptime. while i’d love to be the gal who attends christmas parties and makes plans for NYE, the truth is (and i’m very much happy about this fact), i am not. SO in making that realization, i saved myself a lot of money this holiday season. i also had the very real epiphany that i just really can’t stand winter. i don’t love knits or jackets or being cold. it has taken me 37 years to confirm that i am at my core a summer girl.

SO with that entire novel behind us, let’s get to the few items i decided to throw money at this month and just be warned that once the spring collections start arriving, this space will be a LOT more active. i best save up now. best wishes to you and yours for a fun, festive, happy, and healthy 2023.

xo

the homeruns

shaina mote lune pant denim in superwash (2) || i was just discussing with a friend the fact that if i see a garment on an actual human versus the website model i’m WAY more apt to purchase it for myself. there’s just something about seeing it on a real form without the smoke and mirrors and photoshop of retail marketing that gives me more confidence that said garment in question will be a winner for my closet as well. case in point -i recently saw these jeans on heather summers and instantly fell in love with their shape. heather herself was generous enough to message with me to help determining which size to order and i opted for my normal size (2) and they fit LIKE A GLOVE. i like to call them “horseshoe lite” meaning they have a slight bowed silhouette but not as dramatic as the style that has stolen my heart. they have a hook and eye closure and a flat-front with small pockets that sit just below my hip bones. they have an unprecedented 14″ rise(!) and just skim my ankles (i’m 5’7″) in length. i opted for their superwash (a light denim) but they also come in two additional washes -dark and black. while they were an investment, their quality is evident and they’ll be a piece i’ll have in my wardrobe for years. this is my first purchase by shaina mote but it certainly won’t be my last.

avene cicalfate + restorative protective cream || so funny thing about this purchase –it was 100% influenced by my favorite podcast in the world bitch sesh. the ladies were sharing their favorite products/2022 gift guide and at the top of casey wilson’s list was this product. it sounded lovely (and affordable!) so i double checked with my own esthetician and she enthusiastically endorsed it as well so i decided to order a small bottle to try. i’ve been using the averr aglow clear skin kit regimen for about a year(?) and have had wonderful results but i know skincare needs to be rotated every so often so your dermis doesn’t get too stagnant. i initially layered a pea-sized amount onto my face after a thorough cleanse both morning and night and after a few days i noticed a bit of redness and irritation. as soon as i stopped using the product, the breakouts dissipated. so i don’t think it’s a match for my face skin, however, i decided to try it on my lizard hands (they are SO dry this time of year!) and what do you know? my phalanges soaked that lotion right up! while it wasn’t a good match for my face, i’ll definitely be utilizing it on my hands until we get out of this winter weather.

amazon pointed toe glitter bow kitten heels (10 –sized up) || after hanging up my corporate hat four years ago, i took the liberty of donating all of my heels. in my mind, they didn’t serve me in my new chapter as a barre instructor and (eventual) new mom. and honestly it was the best decision because i don’t think there has been a single event or instance that i’ve needed a heel since. however this holiday season made me realize that perhaps i am missing a little something fancy in my otherwise mom-friendly wardrobe. i somehow managed to avoid purchasing anything sequined, velvet, feathered, or rhinestone-adorned this season out of sheer practicality (while i love an invitation to a holiday party, i probably won’t attend), but i realized that if i ever did want to shock anyone by playing cinderella for an evening (only to turn back into a pumpkin by 10:00 p.m.), i didn’t have anything overtly jeuje-worthy in my current wardrobe. SO i decided to get a little impractical. impractical on a budget. my best friend and fellow fashion fiend landed on these beauties and between the heel height (2″ or under!), the bow detail, and the price (under $50!) i was sold. we both agreed that even if they served me for a handful of date nights, they’d be worth my time. i haven’t had the best luck with amazon clothing so i was skeptical, but these look and feel so much more luxe than their price tag. i will say they’re not the most comfortable shoe in the world and i feel a little like a baby deer walking in them (yes, even in a kitten heel, mama is out of practice), but they are beautiful and they’re the perfect pop of pizazz i need to take a puff-sleeve top and horseshoe jeans from mom uniform to night on the town. they only come in whole sizes so if you’re in between like i am (9.5), size up!

skims fits everybody thong (small –purchased in clay) || truthfully, these were a gift in my stocking this year, but i’m still going to include them because you need to know that despite your opinions on ms. kardashian, SKIMS IS LEGIT, Y’ALL. as a hanky panky stan, i must admit, these fits everybody thongs are giving my beloved chonies a run for their money. i’m always looking for a seamless panty (i hate that word) to wear under my workout leggings and i think i’ve found them. they’re super stretchy so go with your normal size (i always find undies to run small so i usually size up but you don’t need to do that in these!) and they come in a ton of colors, too. these are also sold as a bundle of three for $36 (normally $18 a piece, so it’s like you’re getting one pair for FREE!) so brb, i’m off to order about 27 more pairs. bravo, kimberly, bravo.

and what has yet to arrive

loeffler randall jessalyn black floral quilted top (small) || as soon as this top arrived on loeffler randall’s site, i was smitten. i mean, have we ever seen a more “shawna” looking top? it definitely has a hefty price tag but i had a coupon and figured my lack of spending in december (and a recent good payday from liketoknow.it) warranted treating myself. i debated between the white and black floral print but ultimately landed on the darker shade (my instagram community also weighed in and black won by a landslide). i’m excited to see how it is in person and if it isn’t too overwhelming, i anticipate wearing it on a rogue warm winter day with my faux leather pants and well into spring with my favorite pair of distressed denim.

i also am very tempted to snag a few new (clean) makeup products to kickstart 2023. currently eyeing this liquid eyeshadow, this highlighting balm, and when this mascara comes back in stock, i’m ordering three tubes. it has fast become my favorite!

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