Things I Bought and Had Thoughts About

Admittedly, my shopping recently has been light. With the session over, I no longer need work clothes. I’m also trying to be more intentional with my summer shopping, since last summer, it felt like I ended up with a closet full of nothing to wear. But I have purchased a few things that I wanted to review in case you’ve been considering the same purchases.

Last year, I tried the No Makeup Foundation. I really liked it in person — easy to apply, light on the skin — but in photos and videos, it looked like I was wearing nothing. So when TIBAL posted about the Laura Mercier Balm and how she liked it better than the No Makeup foundation and felt it lasted longer, I purchased it immediately.

My experience was not so positive. First off, this is a light foundation, to get the medium-coverage that I need, I had to apply so much makeup that it felt like I was wearing a ton. Second, the balm is appropriately named, because unless I set it with powder, by midday my face was an oil slick. This product is definitely for a certain demographic — dry skin, likes a matte finish, needs long wear. If that’s you, congratulations! But it is not me.

Dorsey continues to be an “it brand” among the fashion girlies. Pop onto to the channels of the biggest influencers in the business, and they all wear the brands lab grown sapphire and diamond jewelry.

Last fall, I broke the ice with these incredible Porter earrings that I still adore. I recently made two other purchases — the Petite Rhen Ring (above) and the Clemence Necklace.

First, the Rhen ring is gorgeous — heavy, sparkly, stylish, perfect for layering. I tried it on, adored it, but realized I would need two (one yellow, one white) to get the look I wanted. And if I’m going to spend four-figures on a piece of jewelry, I have other options I would prefer to own.

Second, I have several influencer friends who love their Clemence Necklaces — the dainty station necklace has a lot of fans, and would fit into any wardrobe seamlessly. I bought the shorter two-tone option, and for the price, I realized that I wouldn’t wear it enough to justify the expense. Though, I certainly have friends who wear theirs every day.

April may seem like a weird time to be buying a sweater, but September will be here before you know it. This Nordstrom sweater is sale-priced at $90 and is one of the coolest pieces I own. It’s got a unique texture, it’s 100% cotton, and it layers over shorts for chilly nights or with denim and work skirts for rainy days.

Also, this is my plug not to sleep on the in-house Nordstrom brand. The pieces have timeless, quiet luxury vibes. My cart currently contains this super chic summer dress (also in plus) and this peplum top. It’s nice to find a line that has consistently good quality in a mid-price point, where you also get the benefit of Nordstrom tailoring when you need hems and darts.

I have a tough time finding workout tops because I don’t want anything too tight, too short, or too sheer. I also like a sleeve. Translation, I’m over 35 living in a TikTok world. But I bought this top, final sale from the Lululemon site last week, and it’s everything I hoped it would be and more. I bought a size 8, which is a little big (could have easily done a 6, maybe even a 4 if I wanted a slimmer fit), and it’s breezy, chic and light enough to wear on a 75-degree day with no issues. I bought two more, and at $54 is 5x better quality than an Amazon top at just 2x the price.

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