This holiday weekend is a good one for our family. Felix was born the Sunday of Labor Day weekend two years ago, and Adam and I were married six years ago today! I can’t believe it’s been that long! Or maybe that it’s gone that fast? Time definitely moves at a quicker pace when there are babies involved!
People sometimes say that the day you’re married or when your children are born are the best days in your life. The wedding was great but the little moments between now and then have been so much better. And with a baby? The actual birthday is surely exciting, but nothing compared to the little boy I get to spend my days with now. And make no mistakes- both raising a child and sustaining a strong marriage take a lot of work - it’s not all sunshine and roses. But when it’s good, it’s great. I’m so lucky to have these two guys in my life - they’re truly the best!
Happy Anniversary, Adam! Happy belated Birthday Felix! I love you both!
When I’m getting dressed, I almost always start or end my outfit with an item of clothing from my Core Closet. That’s the portion of my wardrobe that works back to everything else - the building blocks! I hesitate to call it a capsule closet because I don’t like the idea limiting myself or going super minimal. Rather, I think of these pieces as the kind of stuff I will easily keep wearing for another five, ten or twenty years and mix with single season trend items.
1. Chambray Button Down 2. Striped Tee Shirt 3. Jean Jacket 4. Olive Green Utility Jacket 5. Classic Jeans 6. Black Pants (or black denim) 7. Black Skirt 8. Sunglasses 9. Leather Sandals 10. Leather Boots.
My motto for these core basics - BUY THE BEST YOU CAN AFFORD. It might seem insane to invest $500 in a pair of boots, but if you wear them regularly (even just twice a week for 5 months) times five years, that’s a cost per wear of $2.50. Compare that to a pair of $150 boots that you only wear every other week for a season, at a cost per wear of $15! The math favors the quality, durable, classic pieces!
If you’ve got that list covered, here are some more ideas for expanding upon it. These are things I wear a lot in the colder weather months and are just as versatile as the list above.
Black Leather Moto Jacket
I can’t believe this didn’t make my original list. Obviously leather is going to be best when the climate is cool to cold, so now it a good time of year to add one to your wardrobe if you haven’t yet done so.
Ponté Knit Black Dress
A classic silhouette in a stretch knit fabric means you can wear it for almost every occasion - with a jean jacket for a casual lunch, a blazer in the office or with heels and a statement necklace at a wedding. Quality is important here - you want to find a thicker fabric versus a lighter weight, tee shirt weight material. To get the most bang for your buck, choose a classic silhouette versus something super trendy. You can find a dress like this at just about any price point! As long as the fabric and fit work for you, it’s a good deal!
Navy Wool Peacoat
It’s just about as classic as you can get for a winter coat and looks just as chic with a cream sweater and jeans as it does over all black (yes - black and navy work together when it’s intentional!). I bought a J.Crew version a few years ago and ended up getting the exact same style for my mom as a gift.
A Different Style or Color of Jeans
We all have a pair we love, right? But if you’re wearing jeans for four or more days a week, you might want another great pair. Say you’ve got some skinny mid rises, perhaps you add a high waisted flare? Or play around with a darker or lighter wash? Denim is something you can find at every price point, so spend what fits your budget - maybe even a little more if you plan on wearing (and washing!) them a lot. These are all styles I’d want to wear if I was at my normal size!
Quality Leather Handbag
A well made bag is a great compliment to any outfit. I recommend leather because of it’s durability, but if that’s not in your budget, a vegan option will look just as good. One caveat - anytime the handles start looking worn or threads start to pop (or it’s just visibly dirty and no longer cleaning up well), it’s time to either take your bag to be repaired or invest in something new.
If you’re buying your first nice bag, I recommend going with black or brown, depending on what you already have covered with shoes. If the majority of what you wear works back to black - that’s your best bet. Ditto with brown.
Classic Sneakers
These aren’t necessarily a huge investment, but it’s nice to have a pair of sneakers that aren’t muddy,sweaty, or for working out. I think a fresh looking pair in black and white or neutrals are so cool. I favor the throw back versions, which every brand seems to be reproducing these days!
Cream Cable Knit Sweater
I love laying this piece with just about every jacket or coat I own. It looks great with jeans, black denim, olive skinnies - you name it. My favorite comes from Lands’ End and I love it enough to have it in multiple colors. This is more of a winter item than fall, so I expect more options will be arriving in the next month or two.
Thick Black Tights
I’ve been a long time lover of thick, high denier tights. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get high quality and believe me when I tell you, I’ve NEVER had a pair rip or run. Never! They have the warmth factor of a pair of pants in winter and if it’s really cold, you can double up (like the one time I was Edie Sedgwick for Halloween and only wore tights on bottom!). My favorites are from We Love Colors and are an 80 denier (which is the technical way to describe the thickness). If you can find higher, like a 120 denier, go for it!
Keep an eye out for Labor Day Sales this weekend, I’ve already seen up to 40% off! It’s a good time to grab something on your wish list at a big discount! I’d recommend keeping an eye out at J.Crew, Nordstrom, Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Lands’ End.
WhatIWore: First things first - thank you all for the lovely comments and notes you’ve sent over the past few days! Since we’re on a feminine theme this week, how about another day in pale pink? I really got into this shade last fall when I bought the moto jacket (see the other ways I’ve worn it here: one, two, three, four, five & six) and now that all things girly are on my mind, I want to wear it even more!
When: September 1, 2016
What: Shades: Karen Walker ‘Super Duper’ Blouse (Maternity): ASOS Jacket: Banana Republic (last season, similar options here) Jeans: Jeans: AG ‘Stilt’, (non maternity here) Heels: gift of Rockport from spring 2015
Where: Coffee Shop work session!!
We finally found a new babysitter!!! After our last gals left post graduation, it was just me and Felix, which is great in so many ways, but also gives me much less time to focus solely on getting things done. Work at home parents get all the props from me… it’s no easy task to balance! I really appreciate having a separate space (even if it’s a table at a coffee shop around the corner) for a few hours to be in the zone. So that’s what I’m doing today!!
I’m so excited to share some fun news with you! Our growing family is excited to announce we have a baby girl on the way! We are thrilled! This pregnancy has been so different from my first so I had a hunch we’d be adding a daughter to our crew. I even started a baby quilt for her room a few weeks before I knew for sure!
We’ve had a name picked out since before our first was born, so now we just need to narrow down a middle name. Knowing her gender has done a lot for me and pregnancy bonding and it’s so fun to say ‘she’ and to prep Felix for his little sister. Last night in his sleep he reached over to my stomach and said BABY! We’re expecting some adjustments, but also really looking forward to all of the sweet and wonderful little things that come with a new baby.
For those of you who’ve asked, the dress is from ASOS, Adam took the photos this morning at the park, and the bouquet was a collaboration between Adam and I (he went to the florist and picked out a bunch of pretty pink blooms and I arranged them!).
Studio Quirk
Hello! I’m Jessica Quirk!
Voted most likely to say “I could make that!”
Sewing & knitting obsessed, loves baking, making and spending time with my family.
I love shopping secondhand first and upcycling fabric into new creations. Check out all of my sewing projects here.
