Shopping Archives - Dresses & Democracy

Categories: Gift Guides, Holidays, Shopping

Gift Guide: Amazon Gifts

Jewelry box // Candle set // Face mask set // Fuzzy socks // Scalloped spa headbands // Pink Dutch oven // Let That Sh*t Go journal // Blue toile pajamas (I have these in pink and love them!) // Gold stemless wine glasses // Shower fizzies // Lip oil (supposedly a great Dior dupe) // Cable knit blanket // Tennis bracelet // Pink and orange lounge set and striped beige lounge set (so cute that I had to include both!) // Confetti earrings // Brown shearling slippers // Wireless charging station // Woven tote bag // Pink and navy shawl (tons of color options available)

Categories: Gift Guides, Shopping

Gift Guide: Things I own and love

Pearl halo headband // Laneige lip mask (I love the “Sweet Candy” flavor) // Gold and diamond ring // Gold and pearl ring (this and the ring above it stack really well together) // Floral bathrobe // Pearl hoop earrings // Navy Nap Dress // Blackwatch plaid headband // Gold open-frame earrings // Glamorous Wash detergent // T3 curling iron set // Travel jewelry case // Book of the Month subscription // Printed nightgown // Pink belt bag (great Lululemon dupe) // Striped pajama set // Cashmere sweater // Capri Blue candle // Caudalie hand creme // Packing cubes

Categories: Gift Guides, Shopping

Gift Guide: Things I’d like to receive

Dior makeup set // Glitter platform Converse // Light blue brocade minidress // Red and pink floral silk scarf // Tan lounge set // Gold beaded huggie hoops // Black and white shift dress // Shower fizzies // Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk set // Black patent Mary Janes // Pink patterned pajama set // Crystal necklace // Floral apron and matching oven mitts // Five minute journal // Pearl and gold coin toggle necklace // Pink tote bag // Tan shirt jacket // Black and pearl heels // Light blue quarter-zip // Beige bow flats

Categories: Lifestyle, Money, Personal, Shopping

The other day, I opened up on my Instagram stories about my relationship and struggles with money, ending by asking for advice and recommendations to get better. I received over 50 DMs and recommendations (which might have been my most ever), as well as just a ton of support and messages about people in similar situations to mine. People asked me a few times to share the advice I received, and a couple suggested a blog post, so here we are!

A graphic with an image of dollar bills. The title says "Let's Talk About Money" with a subheading of "Opening up on my financial situation and sharing money tips I received." My blog title and website, Dresses & Democracy, is at the bottom.

About My Relationship with Money

How I Was Raised with Money

My relationship with money is complicated, to say the least. I was raised by a single mom who worked retail for basically most of my life up until the pandemic closed the store she worked at. If you’ve ever worked retail, then you know it’s not exactly a lucrative field, especially if you aren’t in management (which my mother was not). Because of this, I grew up without a lot of money. We never had to go without food or clothing, but we did have to shop at thrift stores (way before it became a trendy thing) and grocery shop at the cheaper stores.

I was really aware of money from a young age. We very rarely went to restaurants, and if we did, we weren’t allowed to order any drink other than water and had to eat off the kids menu. There were times I couldn’t go to the grocery store with my mom because she didn’t want to have to tell me “No” when I asked for snacks and extra food we couldn’t afford. I watched my mom struggle to pay medical bills and credit card debt. She had no savings or retirement money set aside, and for a long chunk of my life (including right now), no medical insurance either.

All of this is to say that I didn’t grow up with good money habits modeled for me at home.

My Current Money Situation

When I got my first full-time job out of college, I was 1. Making basically the same amount that my mom did at her highest point and 2. Really unaware of how to manage that money. In the spirit of honesty, I’ll go ahead and give salary details because I fully believe in transparency (and I’d be happy to discuss this further via DMs if you’re interested!), but I made $42K per year at my old job.

I was spending a large portion of this on rent. I lived alone in an expensive city because I moved during fall of 2020 and just did not want to deal with roommates potentially bringing home COVID. Because of that, I spent way too much on rent (pretty much half my paychecks), then the rest went to whatever I wanted. I had no budget and basically bought anything because I figured, “I have a stable job, so I’m fine!”

Reader, I was not fine! I didn’t save and still racked up credit card debt.

Then, when I started my current job, that came with a nice salary bump. Now I make $60K per year, which I’m extremely grateful for. I love my job so much, and the fact that I’m paid a good salary is a privilege I’m so happy to have. I’m no longer spending half my paycheck on rent! I have extra money!

So when I got this new job, I thought, “Hey, I made it work before on a lot smaller salary. Now, I’m making more so I can spend more!” I was also spending less on rent because I live with another person now. However, I still wasn’t saving or investing. I’ve been at this job for almost six months now, and I still find myself in the same position I was in at my old one: desperately waiting for payday and struggling to make ends meet.

Where I Am Now

I make enough money from my job to cover my needs, as well as savings and some wants! However, I’m having a lot of trouble doing that at the moment. I was never taught how to spend and save responsibly. I’d like to pay off the credit card debt that I have. I want to stop impulse shopping. When my next pay period comes around, I want to be in a place where I still have a decent amount of money in the bank. I’d like to quit acting like being a shopaholic with credit card debt is some cute and quirky little personality trait because it’s not. Luckily, I’ve gotten some great advice on how to do these things that I’ll share below!

But before I do that, I want to touch on something first regarding influencers. I am a nanoinfluencer, which is even smaller than a microinfluencer. My following isn’t super big, so I don’t do a lot of brand deals. I also don’t really get paid for what I post. This is okay with me! I’m doing this as a hobby, with no desire to turn it into a full-time job. All of my income comes from my full-time job. I get gifted items from time to time, but I’ve never done a paid sponsorship. I’m well aware that I probably could, but I don’t want this to feel like real work so I won’t.

Now, a lot of influencers, especially those with larger followings, are not the same way. It may seem like they’re sharing new things every single day because many of them are. I have to remind myself that in many of these cases, at least one of these things is probably true: 1. This person probably got sent that item for free, or they may even be getting paid to promote it, 2. They may come from generational wealth and could have family money or a trust fund to back them up (nothing wrong or disingenuous about this, but it’s just not my situation!), or 3. They could be racking up debt behind the scenes to afford the lifestyle they’re posting about (it really happens).

Those are all things I like to tell myself when I feel FOMO from seeing hauls or new items on Instagram or TikTok, and I hope they’re helpful to you too! A bit of perspective really goes a long way.

Money Advice & Resources

When I put out a call for money advice, y’all came through with the recommendations. I couldn’t keep track of where everything came from, especially resources that were mentioned by multiple people. However, if there’s a specific piece of advice that you gave me and want credited to you (especially in the General Advice section), please let me know and I’d be happy to give credit where credit is due.

Books to Read

Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping by and Get Your Financial Life Together by Erin Lowry
Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties by Beth Kobliner
I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
Spent: Break the Buying Obsession and Discover Your True Worth by Sally Palaian

People to Follow

Instagram

TikTok

Blogs and Websites

YouTube

Podcasts

The Financial Confessions
Financial Feminist
Girls That Invest
She’s On The Money

Other Resources

The #DebtFreeCommunity hashtag (this is great to follow to find other people and stay focused)
Talk About Money Facebook group
Banks that hold financial literacy classes (apparently lots of them do this)
Ibotta app
Mint app

General tips and advice

Set a budget and stick to it. Make note of where your money is going by logging your purchases in a spreadsheet.
Your goals need to be concrete and specific. Instead of just wanting to save more, say “I want to save $X by the end of the year.”
When you get your paychecks, pay yourself first with savings and investing. Automating this really helps!
Don’t cut yourself off cold turkey. Instead, give yourself a set amount of spending money for the month.
You can have anything you want but not everything. (This was one of my personal favorite pieces of advice that really put things into perspective for me!)
Unlink your cards from Apple Pay and PayPal.
Do a no spend challenge for a month, a few weeks, etc.
You don’t have to cut out all excess spending. You can choose to budget and spend money on things that truly make you happy, not just spend money on anything you want. Be intentional about what you purchase instead of buying just because.
Give yourself fair budgets for things like clothes and travel (stuff you like) so you feel justified in spending on them instead of guilty.
Create a wishlist and organize it by season. Don’t purchase anything that’s out of season.
It can be easier for some people to work backwards with saving so instead of a budget, try an aggressive savings goal and you can spend whatever is leftover after you’ve contributed to that.
Put anything you want on a list and think about it for at least a week until you can actually buy it.

Specific Changes I’m Going to Make

Again, a big thank you to anyone who gave me the advice I shared above. Anytime I’ve done this research in the past, I quickly became overwhelmed by what’s out there, so I’m extremely grateful to learn what’s worked for real people. Here are some of the things I’m going to adopt in my life based on what I’ve learned so far:

Actually setting a budget for myself once I get my next paycheck: In the past, I’d basically get paid, pay my rent and other bills, then spend whatever was leftover. I’ve heard a lot about the 50-30-20 rule where you spend 50% of your income on needs, 30% on wants, and 20% on savings. This seems like a good place for me to start, although I might switch it to 30% savings and 20% wants.
Stop using my credit cards until they’re paid off: Self-explanatory. I want to stop accruing interest on them, pay them off in full, and then learn to use them to my advantage (hello, cash back and points).
No more payment plans: I’ve been really bad about using the Afterpay or Affirm or other split payment options when shopping online. If I don’t have enough money to pay for something now, I’m going to start saving for it instead of just delaying the money coming out now.
Take inventory of my clothes, get rid of stuff I don’t wear, and adopt a “one in, one out” rule: Clothes are probably the number one thing I spend my money on. My closet is overflowing, and sometimes I even get embarrassed by how many clothing items I have. I’m going to stop holding onto things I’ve never worn (or worn just one time). I’m already in the process of doing a huge closet clean-out on Poshmark. I’ve also decided that if I’m going to buy new items, I have to get rid of something first because I truly feel that I have enough clothes.

If you’ve read this far, I’m really impressed and want to say thanks! I hope these tips can help some of y’all out as well because we all deserve to have enough money to live on (and this is a nice reminder that we really should increase the minimum wage). Also, one last thing before I sign off: I am extremely thrilled with how many women-founded and women-run resources are on this list! Money is NOT just for men!

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Categories: Fashion & Style, Shopping

An Updated Hill House Home & Nap Dress Review and Guide (with try-ons and a discount code!)

Disclaimer: Items linked in this post may be affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase, I might make a small commission. This comes at no additional cost to you, and the money I make helps me keep this blog up and running!

Last summer, after buying my first Nap Dress, I wrote a blog post reviewing it. I think it’s actually my most-read blog post ever. Since then, my Nap Dress collection has grown quite a bit. I wear a Nap Dress at least once a week (usually more). I own… quite a few of them.

Why I Love The Nap Dress

It’s clear that I love Nap Dresses. I’m not sponsored by Hill House (a girl can dream though), but I promote these dresses like I am. Why? Well, here are a few reasons I love them:

They’re super comfy. I can wear one all day long without getting uncomfortable. I actually have taken a nap in one before. The smocking and flowy silhouettes provide the ultimate balance of both style and comfort.
The quality is great. I love the fabrics and feel of all the Nap Dresses I own. I’ve only had an issue with an item once (which I’ll get too next), and nothing else since. And I wear these items often. Also, for the most part, they’re machine washable and easy to care for!
Their customer service rocks. Like I said above, I’ve only had an issue with an item once. A top I bought from them had a seam at the sleeve coming apart. I emailed customer service about it, and they quickly apologized, sent me a replacement, and provided me with a shipping label to return the defective one. They’re also extremely responsive on Instagram, both in DMs and in the comments on their posts.
They’re versatile. I’ve worn my Nap Dresses to work. I graduated college in a Nap Dress. I celebrated getting my job in a Nap Dress. I’ve worn them to weddings, in the winter and the summer. They’re easy to make casual or dressy. Do I need to go on?
It’s a woman-founded and -owned company. I love supporting women and female entrepreneurship!!! Hill House’s founder, Nell Diamond, is so freaking cool. She’s a working mom of precious children. She’s unapologetic about how girly, frilly style does not mean you shouldn’t be taken seriously in a professional environment (something I definitely appreciate). Also, she votes Dem (evidence here, here, and here), so obviously I support that. She’s been super kind when I’ve interacted with her through DMs, so I’m kind of obsessed with her and kinda want to be her when I grow up.
There’s such a kind community of fellow Nap Dress wearers. I’ve been blown away by how amazing Nap Dress Nation is. I’m in a few Facebook groups for it, and I’ve actually made some friends through it!
They. Added. Pockets. For a while, this was a lot of people’s main complaint. In Hill House’s most recent drop, they gave the people what they wanted. Their dresses now have pockets, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it!

Need I go on? I probably could forever. But in the interest of time, I’ll spare you the details. Let’s get into the review.

Discount Code

If you’re already convinced, I’ll go ahead and throw in my promo link. I am not being paid to promote this; anyone can do it. If you use this link to make your first Hill House Home purchase, you’ll get 20% off! I’ll also get a coupon for $20 off a purchase of mine. It’s a win-win for both of us!

Sizing

As I’m sure many of y’all can relate, women’s sizing tends to be pretty inconsistent. Typically, I’m either a small or medium and I can range from a size 2 to a size 6 depending on the brand and garment. However, I’m usually a size 2/4 and more often a small than a medium. I have a relatively small chest and I’m more bottom-heavy. My bra size is 32A, and I usually wear a 28 in jeans. As for height, I’m about 5’5″, although I do love wearing heels!

I take an XS in most of my Hill House dresses. I’ll be posting try-on photos and sizing below of all my items, though, and please don’t hesitate to ask me questions! I’ve found that in general, Hill House tends to run larger and most people can get away with sizing down. The smocking and flowy, tiered silhouettes of a lot of their garments make it so the sizing is pretty forgiving.

Dress Types and Try Ons

The Ellie

The Ellie is the classic Nap Dress style. I recommend this as everyone’s first style. I wear an XS in this one, and it’s the style I have the most of. An XS is one size down from what I usually wear, and I do recommend going a size down in the Ellie for most people trying the Nap Dress for the first time, unless you have a larger bust, in which case I’ve heard some people take their normal size to compensate for that.

The Nesli

I would describe the Nesli as an Ellie, but with puff sleeves. To me, they’re super similar dresses, with the sleeves being the main difference. I wear the same size in this as I do with the Ellie, an XS. This may be one of my favorite silhouettes that Hill House makes. I think it’s super flattering, and it’s just a fun, comfy style.

The Athena

I find the Athena to be almost like a shorter Nesli, but with smaller sleeves. I wear my same Nesli and Ellie size in this one, an XS. It’s the perfect summertime dress since it’s short and light, but it’s easy to transition to colder weather with some tights.

The Ophelia

The Ophelia is a newer silhouette, and it’s one of my favs. The lower neckline is flirtier, but the puff sleeves and full skirt still feel feminine and girly to me. Hill House changed their sizing for this drop, but I panicked and got my usual Ellie size, XS. I probably could have done my usual small, and if I get another I likely will size up. However, the smocked back makes the Ophelia pretty forgiving, and I didn’t want to deal with an exchange, so I’m fine with the size I have.

The Ava

The Ava is yet another dress from the last drop with the sizing change. I got an XS in this one as well, and I think it’s perfect. I could maybe do a small because it’s tighter in the torso, but because my chest is smaller, I would probably be concerned about the chest being too big. The ruffle sleeves can be worn on or off the shoulder, and this style comes with a removable sash. Personally, I like it tied in a bow at the front!

The Caroline

I don’t have a photo in this one because it happened to be in the laundry machine while I was writing this. (Sorry!) I have one Caroline that I mainly wear as a nightgown, but I do still love it. It’s super comfy to sleep and lounge in. I wear an XS in this style and it’s perfect, even with the smocking around the neck. I like my pajamas to be loose and comfy, but even with sizing down from my usual, an XS is the best size for me. If you’ve shopped Hill House before, I recommend going with your Ellie size in this. It’s the ideal Victorian ghost type of nightgown, if that’s your vibe (and it totally is mine).

Nap Dress FAQs

What’s your favorite silhouette?

Probably the Ellie or Ophelia! I love the Ellie for it versatility since you can wear it to so many different occasions, but the Ophelia is super flattering and makes me feel like a princess.

What style do you recommend to new customers?

Hands down, get an Ellie. I truly believe they’re universally flattering and the styling possibilities are endless. I’ve never seen an Ellie on someone and thought “Oh, that dress just doesn’t look good on them.” If you don’t believe me, go to the tagged photos on Hill House’s Instagram! Everyone needs an Ellie.

Do they run TTS?

Like I said above, I find that Hill House tends to run large. Unless you have a large chest, I’d recommend sizing down from your usual size. If you have any questions, their website also has a size guide with each item and they’re super responsive via DM on Instagram!

Does Hill House only make dresses?

No! They make home items such as bedding and bath linens (hence the name Hill House Home), and they’ve been expanding into other clothing items beyond dresses. There have also been rumors about potentially making shoes too! Some of the other items of theirs I have are…

The Quilt Coat, which I own in 2 colors because I love it that much.
The Kit Top, aka the perfect white blouse.
The Bea Jacket and the Olivia Skirt, which are my ultimate fun power suit.

What’s next on your list?

I’m hoping to snag an Elizabeth in the next drop! It’s like a short version of the Ellie, so I think it’ll be perfect for summer.

Any other question that wasn’t addressed here…

DM me on Instagram! I’m always down to chat Nap Dresses.

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Categories: Lifestyle, Shopping

My Amazon Favorites

I’ve been going back and forth on whether or not I should do a post like this. I get requests for my Amazon favorites occasionally (I think every content creator does), but I’ve had some trouble actually compiling the list. I know Amazon isn’t the best company in the world (workers should be treated with basic decency, money-hungry execs shouldn’t value profits over people, and union-busting is bad, just putting that out there), but these days, it’s as ubiquitous as Target or Walmart. Possibly even more so.

However, Amazon is convenient. Especially for someone like me who doesn’t have a car. I do order from Amazon from time to time, even if it isn’t the greatest company out there. One way I feel better about my purchases is when I select Amazon day delivery instead of the standard two day shipping, especially if I don’t need it right away. If I place multiple orders in one week, they’ll ship at once altogether instead of each item taking up just one box. It’s a little better for the environment, and every bit helps.

That being said, I want to touch on one more thing before getting into the main part of this post: A lot of these blog posts or YouTube videos can promote overconsumption. You do not need every item in this post. You probably don’t actually need any of them. I’ve largely stopped purchasing clothing from Amazon because I found that I’d only wear something once then never again. Before buying something, ask yourself if you’re purchasing it out of convenience or if you really truly want it? Or is it just cheap? Or available to get to you in two days?

My Amazon Favorites

Everything below is something I’ve purchased from Amazon and use frequently. There are quite a few items on the list, so I won’t go into details on everything. However, a few highlights worth noting:

These produce containers are kind of life-changing (and they help fruits and veggies last longer!).
I’ve been using these rollers a lot lately for styling my bangs.
My Instagram would be nothing without my trusty phone tripod!
I swear, every time I post in this sports bra, someone asks for a link to it.
The best no show socks, hands down.
My clothing rack, which I get asked about allllllll the time.
These pajamas are super comfy and the print is precious!

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Categories: Beauty, Fashion & Style, Lifestyle, Shopping

Recent Purchases Vol. 2

It’s no secret that I love to shop. Sometimes, though, this isn’t the best for my wallet. However, lately I’ve been trying to be more intentional about what I buy. This means purchasing things that I truly love, rather than just buying something I only like because it’s a good price.

For clothes, this means I want to cut down on my fast fashion purchases and move more towards higher-quality, investment pieces. I’ve really been finding my personal style this year, and I’ve found that it’s not exactly something I can get for cheap at Target or Forever 21. My tastes lean more towards unique items found in curated collections, boutiques, or smaller brands.

Below, you’ll find some things I’ve bought over the last few weeks. There are a few fashion items on this list, but it’s mainly other items like books or beauty items too! I’ve done a roundup like this previously, so here’s round two of it. I hope to make this a regular series that I post from time to time.

A Few Notes

On the books…

Target was doing a buy 2 get 1 free sale on books. Normally, I actually read ebooks on my iPad but I’ve been wanting to have more physical copies of books. These are all titles I’ve wanted to read for a while or that have come highly recommended to me, so I felt that buying them was a safe choice. I’m especially excited about Business Minded by Carly Riordan, which I hope will give me some insight on treating this blog like a business! Carly is a blogger I’ve been following for years, so I’m very excited to read more of her long-form writing in her first book. And also, Our Time Is Now by Stacey Abrams has been on my list forever. Stacey Abrams is one of the most incredible political figures of our time, and I can’t wait to read her words on how we can build civic engagement and become a better country.

On the skincare items…

Both items from the Inkey List (the cleansing balm and retinol) are repurchases. The Hero Cosmetics Lightning Wand comes recommended by my friend Melissa (@melissa_albano on Instagram). She posted that it’s helped her acne scars immensely, so I immediately placed an order for it. Truth be told, one of my biggest insecurities is acne scarring. Hoping that this works to reduce them for me!

On the dresses…

Remember how I mentioned that I was finding my style? Well, it’s filled with classic pieces, flowy dresses, grandmillennial florals, and beautiful colors. I absolutely adore each dress in this roundup. They feel like they’re just perfectly me!

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Categories: Fashion & Style, Shopping

Fun & Affordable Headband Roundup

I love headbands. Both in everyday life and in pictures I post on Instagram, they’ve kind of become my thing! Recently I’ve gotten a couple of DMs asking where I shop for headbands. I figured that I’d answer with a blog post! I’ve rounded up a bunch of my picks below. All of these are super cute and definitely on the more affordable side. Everything is under $50, but the majority are under $30 and lots are under $20! However, if any of these go out of stock, here are a few of my fav places to look for headbands as well:

Anthropologie: I know they don’t have a reputation for the most affordable clothes, but Anthropologie has a lot of really cute, trendy headbands for oftentimes great prices, especially if you can catch them on sale!
J. Crew: Oh, my beloved J. Crew! They have a ton of nice options, especially in the spring and summer.
Etsy: You may have to do some digging, but you can find some great headbands. Lots of shops will customize them the way you like them too!
Lele Sadoughi: These are definitely more of a splurge, but I covet these. I have one Lele headband and it’s one of my favs! Super comfy too.
Poshmark: Again, you might have to dig a bit, but Poshmark is nice if you’d like to save a little money. I actually got my Lele Sadoughi headband from there for a fraction of the original price!

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Categories: Beauty, Fashion & Style, Lifestyle, Shopping

My 2021 Favorites

I’m an absolute sucker for a favorites blog post or YouTube videos. Even a TikTok. I love seeing what other people love. And a yearly recap of the best of the best? Sign me up!

Therefore, I decided to write my own favorites list for 2021, splitting it up into categories (or else this list would just be too long!). Enjoy!

Fashion

The winner: Hill House Home & the Nap Dress

This feels like a cop out because it’s an entire brand. However, 2021 was the year I bought my first Nap Dress. Then my second. And then a ton more. I wear one of them every week, sometimes multiple days a week! Safe to say that I’m obsessed. I wrote a Nap Dress review blog post last year if you want to now more, but I’d like to do an updated version at some point since I’ve now acquired quite the collection. Perhaps in time for the next drop on February 2nd!

Runners up: MZ Wallace tote, Sarah Flint heels (use code SARAHFLINT-BATALIAW for $50 off!), and Anthropologie headbands

Beauty

The winner: Maybelline Super Stay Ink Crayon lipstick

To me, there’s something that’s just so grown up about being a woman who has a signature shade of lipstick. It exudes a sense of energy that says “I have it together.” I bought this on a whim to get to free shipping on a Target order one day. Since then, I’ve purchased it in three more shades. It stays on super well without being drying, and it isn’t a massive pain to take off either. I have the colors Achieve It All (the perfect nude and a dupe for the famous Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillowtalk), Change Is Good (reddish pink), Keep It Fun (a fun vibrant pink), and Seek Adventure (mauve-y pink).

Runners up: Sunday Riley CEO Glow Vitamin C + Turmeric Face Oil, Drybar Hot Toddy heat protectant, NARS Orgasm blush, and Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil

Books

The winner: Book of the Month and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

2021 was a year full of reading for me! I finished 34 books, which was above my goal of 30. In October, I decided to try Book of the Month after hearing some amazing things about it. I’ve been nothing but impressed thus far! Each month, you get to pick a new hardcover book for an unbeatable price. They have every genre you could think of, plus early releases of some titles! As for a specific book I loved, I read some amazing books this year, so picking just one favorite was super difficult. However, I think I’ll have to go with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It’s about an old Hollywood star who’s infamous for being married seven times and hasn’t talked about her husbands to the press — until now! The book straddles the genre line between romance and historical fiction, but it touches on so much more than just that. I absolutely devoured it. I won’t spoil too much, but the story is phenomenal and emotional. I cannot recommend it enough.

Runners up: Bringing Down the Duke (like Bridgerton, but feminist and about women’s suffrage), Big Little Lies (mom drama with secrets and a possible murder mystery), and One Last Stop (a queer romance and coming-of-age story about figuring your life out in your early twenties, with the most lovable cast of characters)

Lifestyle

The winner: Peloton App

In all honesty, I wish I could afford a real Peloton bike. However, I cannot with my current financial situation. Anyway, I decided to give the Peloton app a try when I heard about someone getting a subscription and a spin bike as a substitute for a Peloton. Pre-pandemic, I loved spin classes. My apartment’s gym has a few spin bikes, so I decided to try the app with those for at least the free trial period. Well, it’s been almost a year, and I’ve kept the subscription ever since. I mainly use the app for their spin and yoga classes, but I’ve done a few pilates classes here and there too. It’s under $15 a month for the app subscription, which is a lot more affordable than a monthly spin class membership.

Runners up: Papier wellness journal and matching pajama sets (some of my favs are here and here)

Miscellaneous

The winner: Gold clothing rack

Welcome to the random category I couldn’t think of a title for, but encompasses all my other favorites of the year! My clothing rack can be seen in the background of all my mirror selfies on Instagram. It’s part cute blogger backdrop, part storage solution to deal with the small closet I share with my boyfriend. I display some of my favorite dresses on it, and I love how it looks. I get asked where it’s from at least once a month. It’s definitely on the affordable side for a clothing rack, especially a nice-looking one. It’s lightweight yet sturdy, and it was easy enough for me to put together by myself. For styling advice, I only use these hangers on it and I try to stick to the same color palette in all of the clothing items. It’s a good decor piece that’s both fun and functional, which is key when you need to maximize storage space.

Runners up: Glamorous Wash laundry detergent, at home wax kit, pink disposable face masks (kids’ size, great for people with small faces like me), and 30 oz tumbler

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Categories: Holidays, Lifestyle, Shopping

What I’d Want for Christmas (if money was no object)

I’m going to get really personal in this introduction because this time of year, I think it’s really important. The past few years, my family hasn’t done much in the way of Christmas gifts because we haven’t been able to afford it. Last year, we actually didn’t exchange gifts at all.

My mom is a single mother who has worked retail jobs for most of my life, so money has always been pretty tight for us. The store my mom worked at most recently closed because of the pandemic in early 2020, and because she’s part of a high risk group, she hasn’t worked anywhere since. Last year, we declared Christmas an eating holiday (much like Thanksgiving) and just ate an elaborate meal to celebrate the day instead of opening up presents.

And honestly? I loved it. It was low-maintenance and not stressful for us.

This is all to say that you don’t need to have a million gifts under the tree for Christmas to be worthwhile. I know this is the time of year when tons of people show off a crowded Christmas tree and the days after are filled with “What I got for Christmas” hauls. In my opinion, it’s important to recognize that not all families can make that happen.

I grew up without a ton of money in my household, and Christmas was always a time of racking up credit card debt. Right now, I make more in my entry-level job now than my mom ever has. I don’t say this to guilt anyone or make them feel bad for having things, but rather to be transparent about where I come from. Almost everything I have, I’ve worked for and bought myself. And I feel that it’s important to acknowledge that.

I wanted to acknowledge all of this for full transparency about my background. I’m not rich or wealthy. I won’t be posting a video about all the gifts I got this year (but I will absolutely be watching other people’s on YouTube because I think they’re so fun to watch). And I’m fine with that. I appreciate that I get to spend a holiday with my family, even if it looks different from a lot of other people’s. It’s perfectly okay to not receive dozens of Christmas gifts, especially in times like these where finances are tight for many.

That all being said, it’s still fun to create a Christmas wishlist, even if it’s only things that I just might purchase for myself instead of waiting for Santa to bring them to me. A lot of the things on this list are out of my budget, but it’s fun for me to dream anyway. Some items on it I might eventually buy myself (a few I even have already!), and some are way out of my price range. I enjoyed putting this all together, so here’s what I’d want for Christmas if money wasn’t a concern of mine.

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