In Spades

Style... in abundance

Top 5 Favorites – August 2021

AGOLDE Parker Long Denim ShortsI’m so excited for cooler temps and fall outfits.  But there are plenty of warm weather days ahead and your Top 5 Favorites from August 2021 are some of my fave summer staples.
Comfy, Flat Sandals

These come in a rainbow of colors (seriously, 10 colors!) and are the comfiest sandals I’ve probably ever worn. They have cushioned insoles and can be dressed up or down.

Bonus points: they’re now 30% off.

See how I styled them here.

Comfy, Heeled Sandals

Speaking of comfy sandals, these should win an award.  Not only do they look so much more expensive than they are, but you can wear them for hours.  They too have a padded insole.

They also come in 5 colors and are under $50.

See how I styled them here.

Denim Cutoffs

These made the list two months in a row and I won’t be surprised if they go for a third.  The longer inseam (4 inches) is super flattering and comfortable.  They are my favorite denim cutoffs.

See how I styled them here.

Target Beauty Finds

When Ulta Beauty launched at Target, I shared two of my go-to products on Instagram.  My favorite eye patches and self-tanner.  I loved being able to pick up both in the aisles at Target instead of waiting for an online order.  Yay for convenience!

Lounge Set

This lounge set comes in multiple colors and looks so chic. I love that it has a summer version, so you can swap shorts and a short-sleeved sweatshirt in warmer months.

It’s honestly one of the best loungewear investments I’ve made.  You will look so pulled together in this set.

See how I styled it here.

Would I Still Wear That?

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Would I Still Wear That post, so today – in honor of NYFW starting next week – we’ll be taking a trip down NYFW memory lane.

I picked 3 looks from early on in my NYFW adventure.  These aren’t necessarily my favorites, but they all have fun backstories.

First up…

The Balenciaga Cocktail Dress

Balenciaga black dress

This dress epitomizes my #1 Rule – develop relationships with sales associates.

This dress was originally pegged for a top customer.  She had a ton of things on hold and this was one of the things she decided against.  So it sat in a stockroom and was kind of forgotten about.  By the time someone realized it, it was past season and needed to go.

Hence, the tipoff from my favorite sales associate that scored me a Balenciaga cocktail dress on massive sale.  I love that it’s a little bit Breakfast at Tiffany’s, a little bit badass.

The Indie Designer

Tiko Paksa

This look brings up another good lesson – styling prowess evolves.

I would style this blazer differently today.  This was still early on in my NYFW adventure and while I put thought into my looks back then, my strategy certainly evolved.  I used to think if I had a top, bottom, shoes and a bag I was good to go.  I still think that, but with a bit more panache now.

I ended up styling it differently two years later at NYFW.  Which look do you prefer?

Tiko Paksa blazer & Marni tassel belt

This was the first time I wore Georgian designer Tiko Paksa.  She would go on to become one of my fave indie designers.  I wore her pieces at two other fashion weeks.

NYFW SS19 OOTD 4 Tiko PaksaTiko Paksa at NYFW S/S19

Tiko Paksa Resort 20Tiko Paksa at NYFW S/S20

The Arm Warmers

NYFW FW18 OOTD Day 2

This is probably my favorite of the three backstories.

I was 7 months pregnant for this fashion week, so my top priorities were staying warm and being comfortable.  This was during Raf Simons’ tenure at Calvin Klein and when I saw him send arm warmers down the runway, I about died.  The 1980s are my favorite decade so these HAD to come home with me.

When I came out of the dressing room, I showed the sales associate the floor-length green coat I planned to wear with them.  I was concerned it was a bad color combo and asked him if he thought I would look like a Green Bay Packer.  He replied:

“Honey, what is a Green Bay Packer?”

Of course.  What was I thinking?  Always remember your audience.

LikeToKnowIt would go on to feature this photo on their Instagram account.  The comments it garnered were HILARIOUS.  Clearly, I am in an arm warmer part-of-one.

Happily still wearing all three looks.  Cheers.

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Style Tips for Transitional Dressing

Lack of Color hat Lack of Color hat Lack of Color hatIsabel Marant pants (similar below) // Tank top // LTHR JKT (similar below)
Hat (also comes in black and brown) // Heels

If you missed my post from last week, I talked about how Western-inspired dressing – specifically cowboy boots – will be on trend for fall.

I recently picked up this hat and love the cowboy vibe.  To shake things up, I paired it with a leather moto jacket and sandals.  It’s the perfect transitional look from summer to fall.  This can often pose a challenge for those of us in warmer climates.  How do you get dressed when it’s fall but feels like the dead of summer?  I wrote a post about that here.  In short, the solution is layers.  Layers and the right footwear.

I like to pair fall pieces (jackets, cardigans) with spring/summer footwear.  If you add boots or shoes that require a sock, it’s just too hot.  Try a pair of sandals or a loafer (another super on-trend item for fall).

What fall pieces will you be adding to your closet?

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Cowboy Boots for Fall

Western Inspired Looks for FallWestern Inspired Looks for FallBlazer (similar) // Tank top // Sunglasses // Jeans (vintage, similar here) // Boots

Western-inspired dressing has long been a theme in the fashion world.  Not only is it prevalent in American brands (cowboy heritage), but many luxury European brands have equestrian roots.  Think Hermès, Chloé, Gucci.

When I saw cowboy boots styled over and over again in the Fall/Winter 2021 collections, I got excited.  This is an easy and fun way to get dressed.  Cowboy boots are comfortable.  They look awesome with versatile pieces we all own (i.e. blazers and jeans) and offer beautiful juxtaposition when paired with feminine dresses.

My boots are from Raf Simons’ now shuttered CALVIN KLEIN 205W39NYC line.  I paired them with vintage orange tab Levi’s and an oversized blazer.

Below are some of my favorite cowboy boots for Fall 2021 and the jeans, blazers and dresses I’d pair with them.

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My Updated Skincare Routine

Skincare RoutineIt’s been a while since I’ve done a beauty review, so I thought I’d share my updated skincare routine.

I had been using Augustinus Bader’s The Rich Cream and Biologique Recherche’s p50 lotion for over a year.  I was convinced I had found my holy grail moisturizer and toner and my search was over.  But like 95% of the beauty products in my arsenal, after about a year of use, they seemed to stop working.  I wasn’t seeing any visible benefits.  Maybe my skin got so used to both, they lost their efficacy.

And so a new search began.

Toner

I had heard great things about Moon Juice’s Acid Potion being a great alternative to p50 lotion.  While Biologique Recherche has one of the tightest quality control standards in the world and is considered very clean, the Acid Potion is officially green, clean beauty.

I’ve been using it for 4 months now and love it.  Unlike p50 lotion, I can feel it working every time I apply it (it tingles/burns).  A little goes a long way.  I put a few drops in my palms and pat it on my face and neck (no cotton ball).

I love that it’s easily accessible – it’s carried at Sephora, etc. – and comes in a glass bottle.

Final verdict?  I’d recommend Acid Potion over p50 lotion.

Moisturizer

At the end of the day, The Rich Cream ended up being too rich for me.  I tried switching to The Cream, but didn’t like it near as much.  For how expensive it was, I wasn’t seeing enough of a benefit to continue buying it.

I’m now using a combo of OSEA’s Atmosphere Protection Cream and Ere Perez’s All-Beauty Crème.  They clock in a $48 and $35 and leave my skin feeling so soft and hydrated.  I love that they’re both clean beauty.

Final verdict?  I love both and have re-orderd both several times.

Retinol

Due to pregnancy and breastfeeding, I couldn’t use retinol for years.  Now that I can, I chose this clean beauty version.

I use it two nights per week (start off with one night/week).  A lot of people will experience “purging” when they start retinol (your skin will break out and bring all of the yucky stuff to the surface).  Since I had been using p50 lotion, my skin was already well prepped so I didn’t experience this.

It makes my skin feel SO silky and smooth after applying.  It does, however, definitely dry out my skin (what it’s intended to do).  It comes with a hydrating serum they recommend using to cut down on the dryness.  It’s also offered in a mini size if you want to try it before committing to the $74 full-sized version.

The combination of these three products has increased cellular turnover, kept my skin smooth and hydrated and I love the results.

Final verdict?  I’ll be buying this again.