Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I was hoping to get this post out before the 1st of the year, but life has been so busy lately that I’m a little late! I hope y’all have had a wonderful holiday season, and thank you for visiting my little corner of the internet!
Today I want to share a few of my favorite beauty, fashion, and lifestyle purchases of 2022. It can be difficult to narrow things down to a shortlist, but these are all things I have purchased (or been gifted) and loved throughout the year and would 100 percent recommend. I’ve been working on being more mindful and sustainable when it comes to shopping (which I want to continue into 2023), so I have significantly minimized my first-hand buying over the past year, but these things would be tough to go without!
Fashion
J. CREW COAT // I adore this cocoon coat from J. Crew and I’m so disappointed they decided to update the style! I wish I could buy it in more colors, but I find the new horizontal pockets to be less flattering than the diagonal pockets of the original coat – I’ll have to try on the new version in-store before their spring sale to be sure! I bought this version at a major discount in the spring, and I’m so happy I did. I’ve gotten so much use out of it living in Indiana, and it makes my simple outfits look so much more polished and elegant. I purchased it in a size 2 Petite, and I think the length is perfect on my 5’3″ frame.
LAKE PAJAMAS // These are a new favorite (I received two pairs for Christmas), but they are so good I had to share! If you have a similar style to mine, I’m sure you’ve heard of Lake on social media, as their influencer ads are everywhere. I promise you, this is one of those times when the product is actually worth the hype. The Pima cotton is so soft and breathable, and I feel so cute wearing them! They’re also way more appropriate to wear around extended family than my Eberjey Gisele pajamas (which are also a favorite of mine), and they come out of the wash just as soft as they were originally, which is a huge plus in my book! I’m usually a size 2 and I got these in the size Small Cropped. They’re definitely roomy (which is my preference for PJs) and the cropped length is perfect for petites.
CASHMERE PONCHO // I have two of these cashmere-wool blend ponchos (one in light gray and one in black), and they’re both so soft and classic! I love throwing them on over dresses, collared shirts, and turtlenecks, and they’re a great way to add a stylish layer of warmth in the spring and fall.
LULULEMON BELT BAG // I never thought I’d be a belt bag person, but these seem to be a part of the suburbanite uniform where I live, so I decided to order one in October to try it out, and I was thoroughly surprised! The convenience is unmatched – especially for running quick errands or going for walks. I love all of the little pockets for organization, and it’s the perfect size for all of my essentials.
EXPRESS COAT // The coat of the season! This is probably the boldest item in my wardrobe, and I love it. I originally purchased it for my husband’s office holiday party, but I’ve worn it many times since. The bright red color is so fun and festive, and the length helps keep me warm in chilly temperatures! I purchased mine in an XS and it’s a great fit with room for layers underneath.
OLIVE & PIPER STUDS // I ordered these beautiful stud earrings in the style ‘Bordeaux’ for my wedding day, and I’ve been wearing them ever since. I love that they’re a little bit of an upgrade from my usual pearl studs in terms of formality, and they can make a simple outfit of a sweater and jeans feel so much more elegant. These are my go-to earrings for special events, going to Mass, date nights, and days when I just want my accessories to be a little more bold.
J. CREW SCARF // This ribbed scarf from J. Crew is so soft. The light cream color is just as beautiful as it is versatile, as it goes with just about everything in my wardrobe. I received this for Christmas from my parents this year, so I got it just in time to test it in the winter freeze, and I can confirm – it really does keep you warm!
NORDSTROM CZ STUDS // I received these earrings from my in-laws for my birthday, and they’re so fun! They’re just as classic as a pair of pearls, and they’re my go-to casual studs when I want a little sparkle!
Lifestyle
LE CREUSET DUTCH OVEN // We received this as a wedding gift, and it is wonderful. Ours is the 5.5-quart deep oven, and it’s perfect for soups and stews, pasta, bread baking, potato boiling, braising, and frying. It’s one of our most-used kitchen items, and while it is expensive, I think the quality is definitely worth the price point.
STANLEY CUP // Y’all…something about this water bottle is just different. I’ve used all kinds of trendy water bottles from S’well to CamelBak to Nalgene to Hydro Flask, and I can tell you, the Stanley Cup is just better in so many ways. It’s 40 ounces, so you don’t have to refill it often, the handle makes it so much easier and ergonomic to hold versus just having a loop on the lid, the removable straw makes it so much easier to clean than bottles with attached straws, and it actually fits in my car cup holders! These sell out really quickly, but I got lucky with an early-morning Nordstrom restock in October. I post restock alerts on my LTK, so follow me there for updates if you want to get your hands on one!
SHARK VACUUM // We bought this when we moved into our first apartment after the wedding, and it is such a great vacuum! It comes apart in so many different ways for convenient cleaning, has three different power settings for hardwood, low pile, and high pile carpets, has a light so you see where you’re vacuuming, and is easy to clean!
Beauty
JO MALONE PERFUME // This was another wedding-related purchase! I received the 3.4oz bottle of Jo Malone’s English Pear & Freesia scent for Christmas 2021 and it is now my everyday scent. I wanted something a little different for our wedding day and honeymoon, so I went and tested all of Jo Malone’s fragrances at Nordstrom with Jacob, and we decided on Nectarine Blossom & Honey. I went with the smaller bottle, and I love it – it smells so fresh and feminine! I use it for date nights and special occasions, and it brings back all of our wedding memories!
BLOW DRY SPRAY // I’ve been using this Kristin Ess Blow Dry Spray for most of the year, and it’s helped keep my hair strong and healthy (I use heat when I blow dry most days of the week). It has a very nice scent and the spray nozzle does a great job of evenly dispersing the product throughout my hair – definitely my go-to when it comes to heat protection!
CREAM BLUSH // This Honest Company cream blush in the shade ‘Peony Pink’ was another stocking stuffer that I fell in love with immediately! The color makes my skin look so fresh and youthful, and a little goes a long way. I have oily skin, and somehow this still manages to stay on all day (maybe even better than my powder blushes!). It also looks a lot more natural on the skin than powders, and it can be used as a lip color as well. It’s also nice that it’s a clean product! I don’t use all clean beauty just yet, but I’m working on transitioning my personal care and home products to non-toxic alternatives, so the clean ingredients are just another bonus!
IT COSMETICS FACE CREAM // I received this product from IT Cosmetics to review, and it is definitely one of my favorite face creams I’ve ever tried. Earlier in the year, I started a round of two prescription retinols and decided to stop buying high-end skincare (that wasn’t giving me the results I wanted) in favor of the Cetaphil and CeraVe products that had been recommended by my dermatologist. I still love my Cetaphil face wash and night cream, but the IT Confidence in a Cream moisturizer feels so nice on the skin and is my go-to for the daytime.
LANOLIPS TINTED LIP BALM // I much prefer the comfort and hydration of tinted lip balms to lipsticks when it comes to my everyday makeup look. I came across the Lanolips Tinted Lip Balm in ‘Rhubarb’ when I was searching for the perfect rosy pink shade for every day, and I’m a big fan. I love how glossy it looks on the lips, and it’s super comfortable to wear. It’s not transfer-proof by any means, but I don’t mind at all!
ESSIE POLISH IN ‘BALLET SLIPPERS’ // I’ve tried many light pink polishes, and ‘Ballet Slippers’ is by far the most flattering I’ve found for my skin tone. I decided to give this a try when I read that it was a favorite of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and I’m so glad I did! Another favorite from this year was Essie’s Marshmallow’. It’s a slightly sheer off-white shade that’s wonderful for highlighting a summer tan. I find it to be much softer and more feminine than stark white polishes, and it also layers very nicely with other sheer shades.
PEARL CLIPS // These are so fun and definitely upgraded my clip game! Before these, I had a single black clip that barely held my thick, curly hair up. I got tired of having to constantly re-clip my hair when it fell, so new clips were definitely on my shopping list. My husband ordered these for me as a stocking stuffer, and I love them! They’re sturdy enough to hold my hair up and the pearl details are just darling!
I have that same pearl clip set, and I love it! It’s so lovely! Looks like you scored some really great, timeless pieces. Thank you so much for sharing – happy new year!