2024 felt like I started who I was over and over and over again. From jaw surgery to leaving my job, from Mitch’s return home to our wedding, it felt like I both knew with some certainty who I was/wanted to be but was also searching for answers about who I could become.
One of the best lessons 2024 taught me was about learning to discern my personal preferences. While I haven’t mastered this in its entirety yet, I have become slowly but surely more comfortable with my ability to say whether something is a “love for me” or a “love on them!” This year was a grand exercise in that discernment, and it has paid dividends as evidenced by my absolute favorite purchases I made this past year:
I have never been one to have shiny, bouncy curls— it’s a product of having fine, curly/wavy hair that can look like a frizzball at the mere mention of rain, and somehow look like an oil slick after a 5 minute cat-nap— but that changed when I bought the Airwrap!
I never thought I could justify buying such an expensive hair tool; however, it has completely revolutionized my routine and streamlined a process that I always assumed must be laborious and time consuming. It wasn’t necessarily that I have thick hair that took a long time to dry… no. But when you rough dry curly hair, it doesn’t look smooth in any sense of the word and I was often left either curling, straightening, or tugging through it with my Revlon hot brush (which I’m convinced was burning my hair). In 20 minutes, I can now go from wet hair to silk curls! (I prep and set my hair with this and this.)
I have never had such smooth, frizz free, all-day volume unless I’m straight out of a salon! I beg my girlfriends to try it when they come over!!
While I technically bought this book in 2023, I didn’t crack it open and truly work through the whole thing until very late in 2024. I take it on planes and work through it in my Notes app. I love how deeply Allison Bornstein asks us to think about our style, things that influence us, and how we’re taking all of those things in and living with and through them! Allison is incredibly thoughtful in her writing, and she greets you and your closet with kindness and joy.
I have long lusted over the RHODE Lulani dress, but was gutted that I wouldn’t be able to get my hands on one when they announced at the end of 2024 that the brand would close (both because it’s out of my price range and because it almost never pops up on resale sites). This Pommander Place dress is no true substitute, but it’s a close enough silhouette that I was happy to try it. I ended up beyond thrilled with this dress, and have never felt straight out of a movie when I put it on to attend The Nutcracker this Christmas! It’s weighty, and the flounced hem feels perfectly feminine! I’m 5’3 and did not need to shorten it; I took my normal size Small.
These Schutz heels are insanely comfortable for being as tall as they are! I ordered a 7.5 on Poshmark before our wedding and probably should have sized up to an 8, but they stay secure and are great for walking and dancing all day or night! I wore them to our rehearsal dinner and for an outdoor patio wedding where I danced for at least an hour straight! If your feet swell, the strap marks can look a little weird when you take the shoes off, but they don’t cut into your feet at all.
Speaking of comfortable shoes, these Margaux flats are like BUTTER. I cannot say enough good things about them, which were soft and perfectly broken in straight out of the box. I take my normal 38 in these (if you’re unfamiliar with that sizing, it’s somewhere in the 7.5-8 realm, depending on the shoe). I wear the blue with so many different outfits, and I’m looking to add a few of the neutrals to my rotation this year! I have been eyeing this version as well.
6. Longchamp Medium Le Pliage Tote Bag
Do you have a bag that you’ll never give up? For me, that’s the Le Pliage. This is hands down the best bag I’ve ever owned and this year I finally bought myself a much needed upgrade (my last version, which was an Amazon dupe and was in tatters, I’d had since 2015). I keep all of my regular do-dads in it, but can easily throw my laptop in to make it a work bag or use it as a personal item when traveling!
7. Burberry Long Chelsea Trench Coat
If you’re a fan of French fashion, you’re bound to have a trench coat pinned on Pinterest or saved on Instagram. For many years I’ve gotten by with a Land’s End waterproof shorter trench, but it would easily crumple/wrinkle and look worse for wear than I felt like it was… and that bothered me a lot. I’ve lusted after owning a Burberry for a long time, as they’re the gold standard of trench coats, and I stalked for one endlessly on Poshmark. I scored mine for about $250 before taxes and it was perfectly tailored to my size (if not a teensy bit big)! I can be rough with this coat, fold it over, sit on it, etc. and it holds up beautifully, and while not totally waterproof, it is water resistant enough to work in a light drizzle! Great alternatives I’d recommend include this, this, and this option if you’re not buying secondhand!
8. Sézane Floral Dress
Sézane is the brand everybody is talking about, and I love a lot of what they make. The Lauretta dress in particular has been a huge hit for me and saw me through summer (when I bought it) through the fall, but I can’t wait to wear it in the spring too! If you’ve followed me for a little while, you know I had my colors done in August 2024 (read about that here!) and this dress is a beautiful lilac/periwinkle that falls perfectly in my palette!
(P.S. Here is a size 36/4 for sale on Poshmark! I went up to a 38 for a little extra room, and am normally a 36/4.)
These were hands down THE purchase of 2024 for me! I saved for over a year to get them (and wrote on my calendar that I would drive up to the boutique in DC to try them on… many… many times…). Let me tell you right now… they are worth every penny!! I have never felt the way that I do when I wear my Chanel slingbacks: they’re comfortable, they’re sophisticated, they’re elegant. They dress up any outfit and they make you walk juuuust a little bit taller everywhere you go in them! You feel like ten million bucks— a million would be selling yourself far too short when you’re wearing these beautiful, timeless, iconic shoes!
If you’re looking for a more affordable option, these are the best ones I’ve found— no one would know the difference!
10. Sézane Perfume
Just like their clothing, Sézane is known for their scent. Did you know they often spray the clothing in packages with this eau de toilette for a little something special when you receive it? While it has long been a product we couldn’t buy online in the US (you had to get it from one of their limited physical locations), it’s now available online! I’m always complimented when I wear this perfume, and if you like a light, green-floral profile, then this is for you!
xx happy hunting!
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