Monday Shopping Report: There's Always a List.

I go through phases where I want absolutely nothing and then I suddenly want All The Things even though it's kind of a weird time of year for clothes - I am thoroughly sick of winter clothes but not yet sure what, exactly, I want for spring. But that hasn't stopped me from making a mental list of rando things I want. For instance:

Are faux leather leggings done? They aren't in their fist flush of trendiness but either way, I have be quietly obsessed with Athleta's Delancey Gleam Moto Tights. Not the black pair that's on sale, oh no, I want the weird chocolate/oxblood color that are still full price. I had some rewards stacked up so I finally snapped and ordered them so I could KNOW if they're for me. Sometimes you just need to know, you know? (Does anyone have them?) 

I've also been dealing with a fair amount of dryness since I started slapping Tretinoin on my face and remembered how much I loved the rms beauty oil that I used religiously a few years ago but didn't reorder for reasons that escape me. (I probably wanted to try something newer and shinier.) It comes in a mini size which is lovely because who knows if my face will still love it? I haven't used a facial oil in a while but I find I need to be a glazed donut like Marianne and seal in all my potions. 

In super-bargain news, this cute striped tunic sweater at Loft has been haunting Marianne and today it's marked down to $20! It's only available in a few sizes but $20! She ordered it right quick. 

In "things I want" news, I love my American Giant moto jacket so so much (outfit here) that I also want one of their amazing hoodies (preferably in the weird faded purple color that probably won't even look good on me.) They're expensive but they offer 20% off your first order, which helps. This is definitely a want, not a need, but it's on my mental list of Things I Will Probably End Up Buying Eventually. 

Also on that list - what Birkenstocks will Adrien buy this summer? I am currently enamored with the big buckle style, maybe these Arizonas in cognac? I just love how upscale they look. I also love the white/gold split style but probably too similar to what I already have. 

Weekend Window Shopping: Old Navy FTW.

I forget about Old Navy until someone reminds me all, THIS THING IS SO GOOD and then I hurry over to the website and find myself wanting freaking everything. (I blame Marianne - see below.) How do they do it? Here's my list:

Marianne bought this little fleece jackets for her walks and loves it. 

So cute and a great neutral for spring. 

This reminds me of my little tiered black dress that I wore a lot last summer. So easy!

I do love a pretty blouse-y blouse that you can wear with jeans, all casual-cool. 

Speaking of, these are exactly the jeans I'd wear with that top. I dig the little rip & repair detail!

Because it's still technically winter, I am very much into these cozy Vuori-dupe joggers. 

And also this! A hybrid hoodie is absolutely perfect for those not-warm-but-not-cold weather days.

Okay, let's jump back to spring with this super pretty thing that is totally a Marianne Dress. 

But if we're being honest, I'm still over here in comfy sweatshirt dress territory. 

Is this the year I jump back into skirts? Maaaaaybe. We'll see. 

Ugh, there's always, always a striped top that I want and this tunic would be perfect with...

These awesome faux leather leggings, right? And they have pockets! 

(And they come in a bunch of other colors and finishes, including this cool black zebra print.)

Finally, these cute slides are a great Freedom Moses dupe for way, way less. 

And such good colors! And leopard print! Eep.

Review: Athleta Whisper Featherless Jacket.

Hi! Here's another useless review because I managed to snag something that's basically out of stock. I swear I don't do this on purpose but I went to Florida on vacation and bought a quilted winter jacket because the sales assistant literally would not let me leave the store until I ordered it. She was mean but it was okay in the end. But first:

Yes, working from home has killed my office style but I am into everything I'm wearing. I love my Vuori pullover so much I'll probably buy it again in a different color. It's literally just a perfect fit and so comfortable but also looks nice and hangs just right. I'm wearing it with my Athleta Headlands Hybrid tights because hard pants are not for sitting at a desk all day. (Has anyone tried the Headlands jogger? I really need to go try them on!) 

More proof of my declining dress-up style: I am wearing my Lululemon everywhere belt bag OUT IN THE WORLD and I sincerely love it. It's the perfect size and great for thrifting or grocery shopping or walks or for when you need to be hands-free. (Pls hold, I am going to apologize to my Miu Miu bag. I'm sorry, baby. So sorry.) My sneakers are Madewell from last year, but these are this year's version and this pair at NR are also cute! Now, the Athleta Whisper Featherless Jacket:

Y'all. I am so glad that lady bullied me into ordering this. It comes in black and a few other good colors (mostly sold out on Athleta's website, but here at REI!) but the violet had my heart and nothing else would do. If you love it too, try going to a store and see if they can located one for you! Also, it's not on sale at REI, but it is in stock. It's a beautiful, unusual color, and more importantly it's a good jacket - it's the perfect medium weight and has an interesting fashion-y shape. It also runs big - I am wearing a small here. 

My favorite part - it covers my backside! I didn't really want a parka (though they do make this style in a parka-length) but I hate having a cold butt. I also love that the pockets have zippers. The only issue I have is that the collar is very high and kind of aggressive but it's also great at keeping my neck warm so I'm not complaining too much. And, it goes well with my little camo belt bag:

It all makes sense, right? And, while I love this purple jacket to the end of time, it also comes in silver which I am VERY tempted by. A friend of mine just got back from Breckenridge and said she saw a lot of silver puffer jackets, so now I'm like, WELL YES. (Who needs influencers when I have myself?) Here's a closeup of me wearing the dumb belt bag across my boob like a youth...though I have to admit, I'm kinda into it:

And here are the details of the jewelry I'm wearing that you absolutely can't see in any of the other photos because I'm the worst style blogger of all time:

My horn pendant is part of an old Madewell set (currently I am digging this one) and the little delicate rings necklace was a birthday gift from a very old friend! She bought it from her sister's amazing shop, Nine Roses. That's it for today! I hope this was helpful for the zero people who're desperate to buy a winter jacket at the end of February. (But seriously, Next Fall you will be so glad you did.) 

BUY THIS (So We Don't Have To): Nordstrom Clear The Rack.

Nordstrom Rack is offering an extra 25% off red-tag clearance (prices as marked) so why not spend my weekend digging through some truly regrettable items to find some really good buys? I mean, why not indeed:

Eep! I love this little Apiece Apart dress. I'm sorry there's only one left! Someone rescue it!

These statement earrings just seem like an outfit-maker. So bold and cool. 

In my quest to only wear comfy clothes, this is a sweatshirt that looks like a pretty top! 

Stompy suede boots under $60! For that price you can try out a style you're not 100% sure about (but dang, aren't they cool? I think they're cool.) 

These sweet little Kate Spade trinket trays would make a really nice gift and they're basically free.

Okay, it's still February and this Madewell jacket will do well for you right into spring. 

What? I didn't include anything with snakeprint? Here you go: a cool-ass Minkoff bag at a great price.

I am completely enamored with these metallic Sweaty Betty leggings. Shiny!

And because I apparently only like shiny things, why not a silver crossbody? It comes in a bunch of other colors but this one is by far the most fun. 

Don't get mad. Listen, this is expensive and there's literally only one left, but isn't it beautiful?

Ooh, and this one by Maje! It's kinda of summer-is-actually-coming dreamy, right? Okay, I'll stop now. 

Weekend Window Shopping: Madewell For Spring.

Madewell has a bunch of new offerings for spring and a very nice promotion to go with it: 20% off $150+ purchase of select items with code SPREETIME.  Denim isn't included which I think is rude but there's still a lot to love:

Weekend Shopping Report: Naples, FL

Hi there! You know when you go away for a magical weekend with your bestie and there's sun and palm trees and dolphins and then you come back and everything is gray and bleak? YEAH, THAT. WHERE ARE MY PALM TREES. But, it was completely worth it to fly completely across the country for a few days together and we had a really amazing time.

I want to cry looking at this. Instead, I'll tell you about the shopping portion of the weekend because that's what this blog is mostly about. We spent most of the weekend on the beach or by the pool, but Sunday much cooler and breezy so we spent a few hours at the fancy outdoor mall down the road while we waited for the sun to come back. 

They had an EverEve so we went in and tried on half the store. I tried on a few tops, specifically this one and this one, and they were cute but not for me. I also tried on these Good American Good Legs Cigarette jeans that I really liked (please to excuse the awkward angle and horrifying lighting):

They were good! The denim was a nice medium weight and had some stretch but felt like they wouldn't stretch out too much. I loved the raw hem and I thought they looked really good from the back. (Heh.) My Stones t-shirt is from Target, by the way. I didn't buy the jeans, but I might still. We'll see. 

I also tried on the AGolde Parker Long shorts (I'm wearing a size or two up because that's what they had) which were a miss for me. Maybe if they'd had my actual size? I do like the length but they're a button fly which is not my favorite.

Marianne tried on this dress which is gorgeous and was too big on her, but they ordered the right size online and it's been sent to her house. Fingers crossed! We both loved it. We then wandered over to Anthro so Marianne could smell all the giant candles but the clothes were all insane so we didn't try on anything.
 

She's wearing a skirt by Sita Murt and an older version of the good Target denim jacket. Isn't she cute? Always so cute. Our final stop was Athleta because I wanted to try on the Whisper Featherless Jacket:

They didn't have the on-sale color I wanted but the sales assistant browbeat me into ordering it online right that very second. So pushy! It arrives today, so I'll report back. And yes, I went to Florida and bought a puffer jacket. 

Let's end here. I love everything I'm wearing - my amazing Emerson Fry caftan that I wore A LOT on this trip, my Madewell packable hat that did a very excellent job of keeping my face out of the sun, my little Gorjana necklace for flair, and my favorite Ray-Ban Meteor sunglasses that I never get tired of. And that sunset. Sigh. 

Weekend Window Shopping: Banana Republic Factory, Anyone?

Every so often I check out Banana Republic and I'm like, ho ho ho you GUYS. WHAT.  (I mean, it's a cool jacket but wow.) And also, WHAT WHATTTT. I guess you know what to wear on your motorcycle with the sidecar for your goggle-wearing dog? I actually do love the moto-inspired collection (especially this scarf) but most of it is the stuff of fantasy. So, I totter over to Banana Republic Factory which is less about fantasy sequences and more about stuff I might actually buy:

Beauty: Our Skincare Routines.

 It's been quite a while since we posted our skincare routines, so here you go:

Adrien:

The last beauty routine I posted was in 2020, a few weeks after the world shut down. Before that, it was in 2019! A lot has changed, as you can imagine. My face is still crazy reactive but I'm also seeing changes in my skin that only retinol can tackle, so recently I signed up for a trial set of products from Agency, Curology's aging line. (With my own money! This is not a sponsored product and there's no referral link.) 

Now, my skin doesn't do well with a ton of products (or change) so before I signed up for Agency I'd simplified things a lot:

Evenings: A double cleanse with DHC cleansing oil and Cerave hydrating cleanser, my beloved Skinceuticals Phyto serum (more on that in a minute) topped with my Avene moisturizer. For actives I was using Differin twice a week and The Ordinary's Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% maybe once a week. My evening eye cream is Fig.1 Pro-Retinol Eye Cream, which I talked about recently.

Mornings: I rinse my face with warm water and apply Phyto, Avene moisturizer and my favorite Japanese sunscreen. My morning eye cream is Clinique Repairwear Anti-Gravity, a recently purchase which I freaking love. It brightens without any kind of annoying shimmer and plays well under concealer. 

I am going to do a separate review of the Agency trial because I have a lot to say about it but so far, I'm really impressed. Tretinoin is the shit, you guys, and the cream oil cleanser is really good. More on that soon - I want to wait until I get the full sized products. 

Other than Tret, my favorite product is the Skinceuticals Phyto Corrective Gel. It's expensive, but a little goes a long way. I bought it in September and just finished the bottle, so I got five months of daily use from one bottle! I love this stuff - it's soothing and moisturizing and when I have an allergic flare-up it's one of the few things I can put on my face that actually feels good.

Marianne:

Okay, I feel like I have to give a disclosure before I get into this, in only the way someone can feel preemptively defensive about their VERY EXPENSIVE face cream. I know. I KNOW. How on earth could I possibly justify a skin cream that costs $280 for a mere 50ml? Well, the sad truth is it freaking changed my skin unlike anything else I have tried in all my almost-45 years. Yes, friends, I hate to say it but the Augustinus Bader Rich Cream is worth the hype. 

My skin is glowing, my pores smaller, skin texture and color is even, and it’s all because of this stupid cream. Have you ever tried something expensive and kind of hoped it wouldn’t be good? I did, and the joke's on me because now I’m a fan for life. If you want to try it I would advise starting with the 15ml bottle, which lasts me about 5 weeks. But I warned you, okay? 

Other than this ridiculous cream (oh, and I have a 15ml bottle of the regular cream to try when it warms up, in case the rich cream is too heavy in the summer. So. That’s going to end well.), my skincare is pretty simple. 

Evening: I double cleanse with DHC cleansing oil and then non-foaming Cerave face wash. I apply a layer of The Ordinary Niacinamide and then a little Differin on my chin where I do still get the occasional hormonal pimple. I am currently very into this weird carrot eye stick, so I swipe that under each eye, and then the Bader. Usually 3 pumps will do. I let that soak in and then top with a layer of The Ordinary Rosehip Oil to seal everything in. I truly look like a glazed donut by the time I leave the bathroom. 

Morning: In the morning I’ll splash a little water on my face, pat in one pump of the Bader if I feel dry and another swipe of the carrot eye stick, and that’s it! SO LOW MAINTENANCE.

That's it! Let us know what you think and what's working for you right now.

Candle Time with Marianne: Boy Smells Review.

Marianne bought a few of the smaller sets of Boy Smells candles a while back and she told me about them via Marco Polo video. So nice! And, because I'm a total creeper and can't just let her tell me about things, I transcribed her comments for a blog post. (Be careful what you tell me - I WILL POST IT ON THE BLOG.) Ahem. Anyway, we both love the Boy Smells JUNE'S candle, which we discovered after a dinner at June's while in Austin, and Marianne appropriately gave me REDHEAD for my birthday which I'm burning right this second. It's spicy and complex, just like me. Here are a few more with Marianne's comments (and also mine because, again, I can't stop.)

POLYAMBEROUS
Marianne: I really like this one. Warm and spicy.
Me: I'll buy anything with an amber note, def want to check this one out.

EXTRA VERT
Marianne: Easy to like - it's very green smelling.
Me: Okay, this sounds amazing. I love mint and basil together.

SLOW BURN (the Kacey Musgraves candle)
Marianne: I hate it. I keep burning it to punish myself. Chris thinks it smells like Comet, I think it smells like an old lady and I kept burning it because sometimes they grow on me. I was hoping for that but still don't like it. 
Me: she gave it away. I think I'm gonna pass on this one.

CEDAR STACK
Marianne: Doesn't set off my allergies like most tree candles! So there's that
Me: If it smells like trees, I'm in. 

HINOKI FANTÔME 
Marianne: Smells so smokey that I thought I'd hate it but I don't 
Me: I like a fireplace smell but this sounds like too much smoke and incense for me. 

LANAI
Marianne: It's tropical, what's not to like.
Me: Coconut and clove? Sign me up. 

LES
Marianne: This one is so good - kind of fruity and fresh
Me: I am intrigued! I'm not sure about black current but it sounds interesting.