It is getting hotter in the South with no signs that fall is coming up! I’m still spending a lot of time outside and in the pool so I’m okay with summer taking it’s time before we switch to cooler weather. When I packed my suitcases, yes plural, to spend the summer at my parents in North Carolina I admit that I did over pack. It’s not summer until you wear those fun summer dresses, the cute tops and summer themed graphic tees! I’ve been getting up early every morning and enjoying a slow wake up with coffee while walking around the garden or working on my laptop. I get dressed every day in a cute outfit and wear a different swimsuit everyday. Outside my door there is a pandemic so I’m trying my best to accept this new normal and not letting it get in the way of my new routines.
I have one more week here in the South before Jake comes for a week vacation in September and then we load up the car to head back to Philadelphia. Now I’m scrambling to get as much time in the pool that I can and any errands that need to get done before we head back to the city. I’ll be sad to leave but I definitely miss my cat and my house and especially Jake. July always seems like a long month, I can’t even remember the 4th of July! In years past, August always flies by so I will enjoy summer mode as much as I can.
I spent my mornings in cozy pajamas drinking coffee, getting ready in the morning with a quick and easy makeup routine, and spending my afternoons in the pool with good sun protection. If you missed it, I shared a lot of blog posts about haircare so be sure to check them out. I covered my favorite leave in conditioners, and two new lines of shampoo with Love Beauty and Planet and Loreal. Since we don’t have a car in Philly, I’ve been borrowing my parents to run a few errands to stock up on items that we need and get some new home decor items. Finally, I like to do a big to do list for each day, month and basically a life to do list. I wrote a blog post about what I have been working on and things I should be doing mid-year. It’s a good read!
I hope everyone had a good July and got to enjoy some normal summer activities. If not, we still have August to make the most out of summer while we stay home. Ever since I’ve been doing one thing a day to bring me joy and happiness, it’s definitely improved my days.
When I was clicking through the sale preview pages I realized that a few of the items looked very familiar. So maybe that’s proof I really do have good taste? Over the last few years I’ve been more picky about my purchases and choosing to spend more money on some items because I know they will last me for years.
Some items in my closet (and in storage) are from Nordstrom sales in the past. I think why this sale is SO popular is because you can’t beat these sales on items that truly are investment pieces that you can use daily. Other items in my closet are from Target and honestly, they do the same job. I love wearing clothes and buying clothes. I was happy to see that some items I’ve purchased from other retailers were included in the sale (for example a brown leather skirt). I purchased mine from another retailer last year and now I can’t wait to wear it again this year in new ways.
I love shopping but I love a good deal more. Below I put together a long post of items that I currently own that are a part of the Nordstrom sale. Some are from Nordstrom or other higher end stores and some items are from Target. Do some browsing and see what catches your eye. If you have the budget, do some shopping. The way that I look at it is you can buy 10 fast fashion bags that will break and fall apart easily or buy one amazing designer handbag that you can use every day for years. This year I’m shopping the sales on the jewelry to get presents for friends and family and a few things for myself because you can’t beat that price.
Happy shopping!
TORY BURCH LEATHER TOTE PURSE // If you want to buy yourself a nice designer item that you will definitely use a lot, I suggest getting a designer handbag. I treated myself to a Tory Burch bag in 2018 and it looks like I just bought it. I use it a lot in the fall as my everyday bag and I love that it acts like a tote bag because I can throw things easily in there and it’s small enough to be an everyday bag.
CHARLOTTE TILBURY LIPSTICK // I worked on a campaign with Charlotte Tilbury more than a year ago and that is when I finally understood why everyone is obsessed with this lipstick! It’s goes on smooth and I find it lasts all day. You can read more about the brand in this blog post here.
KATE SPADE INITIAL PENDANT NECKLACE // This is a necklace that I wear all the time because it’s tiny and goes with any type of outfit. I bought mine during a Nordstrom sale years ago and it still has its gold color even after wearing it in the rain, lots of sweat and daily wear. This would be a great present for someone or for yourself.
PLATED STUD EARRINGS // Whenever I wear these earrings, which is often, I always get compliments on them. They look super expensive but are very budget friendly which is great for treating yourself or stocking up on gifts. The earrings work for everyday and for work so these have been my go to since I got them a few years ago.
PAJAMA SETS // I love to buy pajamas and I’m actually a little embarrassed by how many pajama sets I own. That being said, Nordstrom does have pajama sets on sale during the sale but I have never purchased them. For now I am sticking with my pajama sets from Target because I feel like they are just as soft and are more budget friendly. I recently did a full blog post about my favorite pajama sets from target here.
MULES // I am slightly embarrassed by how many pairs of mules I own because they are so easy to slip into and walk out the door. This year, multiple colors will be on sale and I suggest you grab a few. They last forever and I wear them all year round. Great for weekends and can be worn at work so it’s a show that you really do get a lot of wear out of. I own mules in pink, 3 black pairs and white. I told you, I’m obsessed!
WHITE SNEAKERS // I have spent months trying to find a chic white sneaker that can be worn not for working out. I love the look of white sneakers with jeans or a dress but struggled to find a pair that would work. Recently I just purchased a pair of white Steve Madden sneakers at TJ Maxx and they look so good on! Obviously they are last seasons so I’m excited to see a new version this year just as chic!
LOAFERS // I purchased black loafers late last summer and they honestly became my most worn shoes. I’m excited to see these included in the sale because they are super affordable! The loafers are a great shoe to commute to work in and you can wear around the office. Honestly, a shoe that you can wear all the time is worth every penny.
ADIDAS SNEAKERS // Sneakers are always a great item to stock up on during this sale. I recently picked up some similar Adidas sneakers for $29 at Costco that I didn’t need but for that price I thought why not. Later that week I saw a whole display at TJ Maxx with the same sneaker for $35 I believe. Both were a great bargain and I assume “last years style”. But do sneakers go out of style?
OUAI LEAVE IN CONDITIONER // I recently rounded up a few of my favorite leave in conditioners lately and what do you know, the Ouai one is currently included in the sale! I’ll spray my hair with two squirts with the leave in conditioner and then brush my hair from root to end so the product goes all over my hair. A little bit goes a long way and I can tell I’m going to have this for a long time! Read more about my favorite leave in conditioners in this blog post here.
PLAID DOUBLE BREASTED BLAZER // Every year during the Nordstrom sale there is a plaid double breasted blazer on sale. I’ve wanted one for a while but my work dress code didn’t require them so I didn’t get one last year. So you can imagine how excited I was to see one on sale at Target for a much smaller price than the one listed on Nordstrom. I’m linking this years Target version here. I will say that I felt a lot better about throwing my blazer in my work bag on my way to work when I needed to wear a coat.
TORY BURCH LOGO EARRINGS // I bought a similar style Tory Burch logo earrings back in 2018 and I’m still wearing mine all the time. I love to wear them for work because they can dress up an outfit and for everyday look. It’s a nice small designer investment you can make if you have a budget.
TIE WAIST ANKLE PANTS // If you are looking for new work pants then these pants that have a cute bow detail would be perfect! I’ve purchased a few pairs from LOFT over the last year and love how polished an outfit looks when I wear them with a top to work. I’m linking the LOFT version here in case you want to compare.
KNEE HIGH BOOTS // I love these boots and the looks I can do with them. Last year during the sale I had like no money because we were in the process of moving so I was not able to get the boots. Insert sad emoji here. Luckily, a few months later I found an amazing dupe for the boots at Target. The price? Just what you would expect – affordable! So I bought them and they have been sitting on my closet floor since then. The point is, just because something looks pretty doesn’t mean you will actually wear it. And sometimes waiting to buy something pays off!
MULE SHOES WITH A HEEL // At work I used to have a drawer full of shoes that I could slip on after I got to work in Uggs or sneakers. Commuting to work on the train was not glamorous and I was not running in heels! I had a pair of brown leather mules with a block heel in my drawer that were easy to slip into if I had meetings that day and wanted to look professional. With long pants or even a dress, they give the appearance that you are wearing heels but you are actually wearing comfy shoes!
BLACK SUEDE WATERPROOF BOOTIES // It is so nice to have a pair of nice looking shoes that you can do anything in without worrying about the weather. A few years ago I bought waterpoof suede booties because they were inexpensive not realizing how much I would wear them over the years. Great for commuting, great for picking out a Christmas tree (see picture above) and perfect for unpredictable weather.
BROWN LEATHER SKIRT // Personally, I didn’t know I needed a brown leather skirt until I bought one. It’s an easy way to dress up oversized tees, sweaters and blouses. I purchased mine from another retailer last winter and I’m excited to see that the style is back. I’ve also noticed Meghan Markle often wearing a leather pencil skirt and a matching blouse. It’s a very chic look!
LANCOME HYPNOSE MASCARA DUO // If you are looking for a good mascara deal, this is the one for you! I wore this mascara a lot for when I used to go out with friends or dates because it gives a lot of volume and lots of lashes. Since running out I’ve tried to use drug store mascaras but nothing is as good as this mascara. Also the primer is amazing and the makeup remover mini is great for traveling! They offer the best deal on mascara sets right now during the Nordstrom Sale.
T3 HAIR CURLING IRON // Yes, it is pricey but I love my curling iron so much! It gives me gorgeous curls in just a few minutes and they last all day. For days that I wake up with frizzy hair, I can quickly curl my hair to get polished perfect curls in minutes.
T3 HAIR DRYER // After my hair dryer from high school stopped working, I put my money together and purchased the T3 hair dryer that everyone was talking about. I knew I needed to invest in a good hair dryer because I have a lot of thick hair and it normally takes forever to blow dry it, With all of that time using high heat on my hair, it can really damage your hair. So now with my T3 hair dryer, my hair dries faster with that polished shine look and I’ve noticed my hair looks less fried.
BRUSH SET // Normally I wouldn’t look to Nordstrom to buy new hair brushes but when you break it down, the cost per brush is so inexpensive! This will definitely be in my cart to purchase!
MADEWELL JEANS // I sure do miss working at J Crew because of that employee discount! One thing that I would tell anyone is to invest in good denim. It lasts forever and if you can wait for a good sale, you can get a good deal! I’ve tried wearing other budget friendly jeans and while they can be good, nothing compares to Madewell and J. Crew jeans.
I love lists because they keep track of all of the things going through my mind and help me get it all done! Since we are halfway into 2020 and starting a new month, I thought it would be good to do a long list to start off the month! Those New Years Resolutions have long been forgotten along with those plans and projects to accomplish during quarantine? Are we still pretending to work out every day from home? I wanted to make a realistic list of things to do this month of stuff I should do and things I may have overlooked.
Clean your door knobs Okay, so I know this sounds crazy but during the pandemic I’ve realized how rarely I’ve ever cleaned a door knob. I’ll grab a Clorox wipe or just a paper towel and spray it really good with a cleaning spray and then walk around wiping down the door knobs. Takes a few minutes and gives me some peace knowing our home is COVID free!
Water your plants My poor plants! I prefer succulents since they are tricky to kill and my one plant is really struggling because I just forget about it! I’ve added watering my plants to my Sunday refresh routine and I’ll add it to my calendar to remind me!
Save a copy of any rent/mortgage policies for COVID Things changed very quickly in 2020 and we all got a lot of emails from every retailer, credit card and company that has our email letting us know that they are here for us. I saved every notice about a COVID policy change in case I need to refer to it in the future. Know your options and be prepared in case you need assistance or receive conflicting notices.
Clean your fridge Take everything out and scrub it clean real good! Invest in some fridge organizers and glass tuperware to keep your fridge looking clean and organized.
Back up your photos We are all on our laptops more than ever right now so use your downtime productively. I’ve always used Google Photos to back up my photos and recently started to clear out junk and create albums so I can easily get to photos.
Finance check in Take a look at your income and note any changes since COVID. If you are saving money on your commute or daily Starbucks, add that money that you are not spending to your savings since you are already used to not spending it. Now is a good time to look at those quarantine purchases and how much money you spent. Looking at previous purchases will help you stop making impulse buys!
Buy a new toothbrush If you have to think about when the last time you got a new one, it’s been to long. I have a little reminder in my planner to get a new toothbrush head for my electric toothbrush every 3 months. After going on trips and forgetting a toothbrush too many times, I finally got a toothbrush to leave at my parents house in North Carolina, one for my toiletry bag and bunch of toothbrush heads to easily swap out every 3 months. Now I have no excuses for forgetting a toothbrush and not changing it on time.
Create a file for important documents If you asked me where my passport or birth certificate was, I would have to wait a few minutes to think and try a few places. A goal for me is to create an actual file with these important documents so I can find them easily when I design and decorate a guest room turned office in September. For now the goal is to find the documents….
Make a list of local restaurants to try I can’t wait to go back to Philly in the fall and one thing I am really looking forward to is going out to eat again. Jake and I are making a list of restaurants that are safe that we would like to visit. It’s a great way to support local businesses and help with making plans to get out of the house during the week.
Make cleaning caddies A bit excessive, but I have a bucket in all of my bathrooms and on each floor with cleaning products with a cabinet of extras so I always have what I need to clean. When everyone was struggling to find to find cleaners, I was prepared because of my Grove Collaborative subscription. Stock up because the stores are still bare and we will be getting another wave of Covid soon…
One of my favorite things about being at my parents house in North Carolina is being able to get dressed up and wear makeup while we run the essential errands. My parents live in a county with very few COVID cases and the stores are taking precautions seriously so shopping can be safe. It’s also summer and feels like 114 degrees in the South so I want an easy makeup routine without much fuss because it will melt off! Everything you see below is simple and quick to apply. I wear a little makeup to help myself look and feel put together without taking a long time to get ready. You’ll notice that there are very few products because it’s summer so no one wants to wear a lot of makeup!
Mascara Great for everyday when you want some volume and color for us blondes!
Eyeliner Super easy to apply and gives a perfect thick black liquid line that lasts all day.
Eyeshadow I brought a ton of eyeshadow palettes with me and I keep grabbing this one for a natural everyday look. I linked a similar one since mine is discontinued.
Setting Powder with SPF If my face looks a little red I like to use this setting spray because it’s a bit lighter than my current shade. Plus there is SPF!
Foundation I don’t wear foundation often but when I want to wear a bit more makeup, I’ve been using this one because it looks the most natural and doesn’t melt off my face in the heat.
Last week I went into Target to get one thing and somehow pajamas ended up in my cart. Don’t you just hate that?! I was also really excited to see that my leopard short sleeve pajama set are also back in stock. I wear these all the time because they are so soft and comfy. Target is really killing it in the pajama game because they are so soft and affordable so I’m always buying another set! Be sure to grab a pajama set asap because these do not stay on the rack for long!
Anyone else’s email full of email after email about a sale? The last few months being at home made me realize that we did need a few things for our home but I wasn’t paying Amazon prices and sometimes you just need to see the things in store, ya know? So while in North Carolina I’ve been able to do some in store shopping because my parents town is very large (lots of land) and a small population. Stores are often empty especially on the weekdays so that is when I browse. I wanted to share what stores I am keeping an eye on for sales and good deals on home items.
Starting off with TJ Maxx, Homegoods and Marshalls because for the months the physical stores were closed, they still continued to receive weekly shipments. My mom and I went to Homegoods a week or so after one opened back up and it was like Christmas because so many items were on clearance. Those kitchen basics like a butter dish we never got around to buying was on clearance. These stores need to clear the shelves to make room for more stuff. Lots of holiday decor ( Easter, Spring and Summer) were really cheap because they need to make room for Fall and back to school items. Now that the stores are back open, I am still seeing a good amount of items in the clearance section marked down.
My parents have a Belk around the corner so we went there recently to stock up on bedding and towels for their Air BnB. While I was there I took advantage of some good sales as well, They have name brand kitchen and home items that were on major sale so Jake got some presents! Belk also has adorable bedding so we got some for my bedroom here at my parents house since I took all of my stuff with me to Philly. I also bought too many candles because they were only $6…. Oops!
I’m sure you have heard that Pier1 is closing. They have a slow liquidation and markdowns are on Thursdays so that is when I pop into the store and browse. Right now I am only purchasing items that go on clearance because the prices are still a bit high. I was able to get adorable Easter bunny plates that were less than $1 each. My mom got me some cute seagull beach themed plates and Jake sent me money to get lemon themed dinner plates because I’ve had my eyes on them for weeks. I talked more about my recent Pier1 haul here. If you can, stop by a store and do some shopping. Most of the items listed online are marked sold out but are available in store so it’s best to shop in store.
I’ve only been to Hobby Lobby a few times because we never had one near us. It’s where my mom and I went to get some decor for her laundry room redesign and it’s impossible to go in and not get something! I have been watching their sales, some categories have been 50% off and Spring/Summer items are significantly discounted to make room for fall.
My parents have been talking about Ollie’s since they moved down here but I never heard of it. I finally went and now I’m making stops all the time to browse. It’s similar to Big Lots with just more inexpensive items and more known brand names. They have a large book section and everything is under $5 so I went a little crazy stocking up!
In the South there is a giant Walmart in every town. I went there with my mom a few weeks ago when we redesigned an old playroom into a craft room for her to get some cube organizers and containers to organize her crafts. While we were there, we bought new towels for the pool and I got some items for our home. I’m in love with a lot of the Better, Homes and Garden collection and the price was too good not to take advantage of!
Of course I have been to Target while I’ve been visiting my parents. I’ve been pretty good at not buying much there but I have been buying a lot of home items that are in the dollar bins. Cute lazy Susan’s, lemon decor, serving platters and more!
My parents town is full of antique stores so I’ve been going to a few with my parents. Even if we don’t buy anything, it’s been fun to just walk around in air conditioning and look at some cool stuff. I’ve purchased new lamps, a table for $40 that will stay at my parents house until we get a bigger house and other little things. Living in a city is great but being in a small town makes me miss how easy it is to go to a store, how affordable things can be. So after a few of my shopping trips, I told Jake that he better rent a SUV when he comes to visit and take me back Philly in September!
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