It's Friday night, I'm writing this and I am brain fried. Today, I had a hair appointment I made two months ago. I was only two miles away when I realized I didn't have my wallet. I left it in the other car, the car Karl had on the complete opposite side of the state. Three cheers for Apple Pay which I used to pay for the appointment and Venmo which I used to give my stylist his tip. I came home and realized we missed our daughter's honor roll assembly that morning and as I am typing this I realize I missed a 4pm call. I am off to co-lead my daughter's Girl Scout meeting and then plan on going right to bed, hoping that my brain is functioning far better in the morning.
But in good news, I was excited to see the sneak peek video for cabi's Spring Collection because… yours truly is in it! It's why I was in LA a few weeks ago and I can't wait to share more once it is made available! I also had a little something to say about women finding fellow women too vain or too bold and it ended up pretty popular (and popular with trolls who confirmed my feelings and were promptly deleted and blocked). And I was psyched to create this holiday capsule wardrobe with Talbots. My idea I pitched to them, my choice of what to have in the capsule, and I am thrilled you all like it as much as I do. Stay tuned for outfit posts to come showcasing looks from the capsule!
Sale Alert
A lot of retailers are getting a leg up on Black Friday, starting their deals now. I recommend that unless you're looking for an InstaPot, TV, smart home gadget, or an Xbox there's no harm in shopping now while there is a good selection and likely the same deals. I will still have a big Black Friday Sale post bright and early that morning but for beforehand, these are my picks:
- Universal Standard has today, buy one piece of loungewear or activewear and get the second one for free! The items part of the deal are available at this link.
- Baublebar has 25% off full-priced items with promo code FESTIVE25 and this deal is through November 27th. This is a great place to shop for that tween, teen, or young adult who loves trendy accessories (they have fabulous personalized hair clips and phone cases and the must-have headbands), and for you if you'd like a bit of bling for the holidays or a festive pair of statement earrings to “Christmas-up” your everyday wardrobe.
- Chico's has 40% off your purchase with promo code 55748. They have some seriously fabulous holiday fashion. My friend Tonya wore this red jumpsuit on Instagram and now I think I need it. This is one of those dresses that looks so glam but is comfy and travel-friendly AND machine washable. And you can make it warm and cozy with black fleece tights and ankle boots! I own this skirt, you can see it on me in this post. I also wore it in warm weather with a black camisole as you see here. I've also worn it with a graphic tee and moto jacket! I love this gold sequined jacket not just for the holidays but many social situations. Wear with a black shell and pants, jeans and a silky cami, ivory pants and an ivory or brushed gold shell, a white button-front shirt and ankle pants and more. And I love the idea of this velvet tank and matching pants to create a custom-fitting jumpsuit plus separates to wear in a variety of ways.
- Figleaves has up to 40% on swimwear at this link. This is one of my favorite places for cute cup-sized swimwear and this is a good deal to shop on sale before summer or to prep for your winter getaway.
- Henning, the new luxury plus size clothing line, has a buy more save more promotion. Spend $200 and get 10% off, spend $400 and get 15% off, $600 and get 20% off, $800 and get 25% off, and spend $1,000 and get 30% off. Shop the collection at this link.
- Clarks, one of my favorite footwear brands for quality and fit, has an extra 30% off sale styles at this link.
- Kohl's has their friends and family sale with 25% off your order with promo code FFTAKE25. This is great for gifting classics like a FitBit, Beats headphones, and weighted blankets. This is a great deal on a Kitchen Aid mixer, and I have this exact air fryer and love it – it's also a toaster and regular oven big enough to hold a frozen pizza.
- Banana Republic has 40% off your order and no promo code is necessary. Did I order this top, these pants, and this blazer for a mix and match bunch of fabulousness for the holidays and beyond? You becha! And this cami is a good choice for those who want a bit of sparkle to wear under a blazer or cardigan. I love the color mix of this striped crewneck sweater, I have this sweater and love it untucked with skinny jeans or tucked into most anything (and it's not itchy), and this long belted faux fur is perfect for pants and dresses.
- Gap has 40% off, and it goes up to 50% off if you have their card. If you're looking for something to wear for your family photos this season, their matching collection is ace. They have more sizes in stock of the colorful striped sweater I bought (FYI I chose an XL regular).
- I swear by our Ring.com doorbells and cameras (my initial Ring doorbell review). Best Buy has a bundle we own for $120 off. The separate chime is awesome; without it, you only hear the chime through your phone. This way the phone family, even if they don't have the app, know when someone is at the door (or enters your yard). If you want just the doorbell, Amazon has it for just $99.99 with free Prime shipping.
- I love the UE Boom speaker. It's small, it's mighty with not only big sound but quality sound. It can take a beating, and look sleek. This one we have it on sale for just $69.99 at Best Buy; this is a good deal because last Black Friday I got the same one for a “deal” of $99!
Weekend Reads
The Baltimore Museum of Art will celebrate 2020 by adopting a daring new policy designed to reverse the art worldās historic marginalization of female artists: Every artwork the BMA obtains for its permanent collection next year ā every painting, every sculpture, every ceramic figurine, whether through a purchase or donation ā will have been created by a woman. (Baltimore Sun)
With the holidays almost here, a necessary reminder that kids don't owe anyone a hug or a kiss. (Girl Scouts)
Trumpās notes turned into Morrissey songs at Patton Oswaltās request. This link has a few songs to listen to created by some funny and talented folk. (Brooklyn Vegan)
I introduced the term ‘Dad Rock' to the world. I have regrets. (Esquire)
āRespectful and inclusive language is important. And itās part of APA Style.ā Most of us grew up being taught that “his or hers” and using he and him when unsure of gender was the grammatically correct thing to do. Even the American Psychological Association has endorsed the use of the singular āthey.āā This article is really good at explaining why “they” has been adopted as a singular pronoun and why we should all adopt it. (Out)
And while we're on this topic, why people put their pronouns in their social media bios and email signatures and why all of us, yes even us cisgender folks, should. (Medium)
Marie Kondo has gone GOOP. (The Atlantic)
I can no longer find the article I saw on Facebook, but I read one saying you shouldn't use charging ports and cords in airports and music festivals because hackers can steal your data. This one from Lifehacker delves into it. Thanks to it, everyone I know it getting one of these tiny little data blocker gadgets for Christmas.
For Your Entertainment
A lot of new songs don't have videos, so I was scrolling through YouTube trying to find a song I liked that was recent and had a decent video when Karl said, “What about Madame Gandhi?” As soon as an issue of Bust Magazine arrives in our mailbox, he grabs it and heads straight to the music review where he saw Madame Gandhi's latest EP, Visions, received the coveted five-boob rating. I wasn't familiar with Kiran Gandhi who goes by Madame Gandhi but as soon as I heard her album I was a fan. Previously a drummer for M.I.A., Thievery Corporation, and Kehlani, Madame Gandhi was also known for running the London Marathon in 2015 bleeding freely on her period as a symbolic act to combat global menstrual stigma. Her first solo EP was in 2016 and she's been rocking the festival circuit and using her music for power and change ever since. Oh, and her style is hella fierce.
So many thoughts…first, I donāt know how in this day anyone has the fortitude to blog. My 14 year old son has an insane passion for sports commentary and my husband had encouraged him to blog or vlog about it. At first even I thought heād be great for people like me who know nothing about sports and want to learn. He refused. Now I think itās a smart idea since trolls abound just to ruin your attempts at being you.
I hear you about forgetting everything. My phone is a series of alarms and reminders now. Even something simple needs to be written down. My husband is less organized and often forgets things too. And has discovered the life changing magic of Apple Pay.
Speaking of life changing…Marie Kondo, why?
Finally thanks for that great article about not forcing hugs. I am 45 and still remember this family friend who forced me to give lip kisses. I hated it. I didnāt know how to say no then. On a related note Iām devastated to learn that a sweet college girl, Ruth George was murdered in Chicago by a man who was angry she ignored his cat calls. We need to train boys that no one owes them any attention and how to give proper attention.
Marie Kondo has gone from someone who had some interesting and harmlessly kooky things to say to being an ordinary huckster.
It’s so disappointing.
As always thanks for the roundup and some interesting āslow dayā reads I otherwise wouldāve mossed. Funny enough, my husband and I had a conversation about ājuice jackingā (his superpowers came with a special security training). Heās basically told me never use open WiFi and never plug your device directly into anything. We all have nice portable batteries that will charge us up on the go. Itās a non-negotiable. Ladies, learn to keep yourself safe not only physically, but technological as well! (Screw the trolls!)
I never did before, like you I love my portable battery. But I worry not all my loved ones are the same. Thank you for this reminder, it’s so important!
I guess trolls have infected even fashion bloggers? Itās really hard for me not to reply to some of these comments, but in the interest of positivity and gratitude, Iāll just say thanks for another great weekend read!
Thank you! And as they say, don’t feed the trolls!
Your combination of honesty and enthusiasm makes for pleasant reading and hard-resist-shopping (and I’m usually safe from Black Friday sales pitches, but yours make me weaken). Love your blog!
Thank you Claire!
I was thrilled to see you in the cabi Sneak Peek video! Hope it was a fun experience.
Thank you, and it was! I’ll be sure to recap it when the Spring line comes out!
Wow, all womens art. Kind of sexist no? Should they not chose their art on other criteria than the gender of the artist. Sad.
Huh. Interesting perspective. Did you read the article and the reasoning behind it?
On the contrary, it’s a reaction to a 104 year long trend in their acquisitions that THEY determined was sexist. I’m looking forward to discovering some new (and old) feminine voices.
I had not seen the Smiths version of Drumps (on purpose) notes. I did see the Ramones version and it is as equally funny. Sad!
What’s also funny is how you and the commenter above you both used sad as a sentence. And yours made me crack up because I knew the humor in it, and hers made me crack up because I don’t think she was attempting to be funny. Sad!
I’m surprised you don’t have more reliance on reminders on your phone and e calendars for appointments. I set up a reminder for all kinds of things and would be lost without that system. You will find life only gets more complicated as your daughter gets older!
I do have them, multiple calendars. I found that my calendars stopped syncing on my phone this week.
The Baltimore Museum of Art is a great place, and general admission is free. If you’re family has all been to the museums in DC and you’re looking for an excursion the museum in Baltimore is a fun place to go. From an accessibility aspect if riding Metro and walking is hard, the Baltimore museum is better b/c you can easily drive there and parking isn’t very hard.
Agree! And they have a great restaurant there to help make a day of it.
Okay the two of you are convincing me to make a family trip to it sooner rather than later. I don’t think I’ve been there in over a decade!
Baltimore is pretty awesome! Especially if you go beyond the inner harbor š
If you’re looking for a neighborhood to pop around near it, I’d suggest Hampden (also lots of great restaurants). A few miles north is Belvedere Square where you can catch a movie at an Art Deco movie theater and there’s a market with food stalls across the street.
I love Baltimore, I worked in the Inner Harbor for a while and my staff took me all over the city beyond the tourist spots. LOVE it!
Too bad they have adopted this sexist policy for 2020.