What I love this week: a few budget-friendly finds
With spring and warmer weather on the horizon, I’ve been keeping an eye out for lightweight wardrobe basics. These are practical and budget-friendly…
To wear…
I’ve been featuring a lot of blazers lately, but if they aren’t your style, or if you’re looking for a more casual alternative, here’s a neat shirt jacket to consider.
I love the idea of a shirt jacket as a casual topper, but so many styles I’ve looked at are either very oversized or very “lumberjack” or both. This one from Talbot’s has a refined (but not stiff or fussy) look. The fabric is lightweight, and it runs true-to-size for a slim-not-snug fit. (If you want a more relaxed fit, you might want to size up.) It’s offered in 3 colors, in Misses, Petite, Plus, and Plus Petite sizes. AND Talbot’s is currently offering 25% off your purchase!
For years, I’ve always included a silk tank or two in my travel wardrobes. Usually I’ve worn as a base layer underneath sweaters or tops. During warmer months, I’ll wear underneath an open linen shirt. I’ve been looking to replace one or more of them, and ordered this v-neck style in washable silk.
It just arrived, and I’ll be keeping it. I love that there’s an inner layer, so it’s opaque, and it’s cut to be bra-friendly, even in the armholes. It runs true-to-size for a slim fit, and is available in a bunch of colors, sizes XS-XL.
To the rescue…
Lately my heels have been very dry and cracked, even with regular filing and moisturizing. Even tried some fancy shea butter from the fancy market, but it didn’t seem to help much. I recently picked up another tube of this “skin food” and have been applying a generous dollop nightly. It’s made a big difference, and on my elbows too.
To watch…
We’ve recently enjoyed two Italian language series, both about women who defied the conventions of their time to forge their own paths.
The Law According to Lidia Poët is based on the life of Italy’s first woman lawyer. In this (mostly) fictionalized series, she fights to practice law while solving murders. It’s on Netflix.
Luisa Spagnoli was the woman who started the Perugina chocolate empire from a small confectioners shop in Perugia. The series (available on Amazon Prime) is a dramatized biopic. Luisa was a driven and inventive woman, who also implemented some ahead-of-the-times workplace reforms to make life easier for her female employees. (On-site childcare, fair wages, nursing breaks, time off, etc.) And she had a complicated personal life, and for a time was considered scandalous.
Both series are beautifully filmed, have fabulous costuming, and make me want to go back to Italy!
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Good morning Susan. May I ask what size you purchased in the silk tank since it is a slim fit? The website doesn’t list the length but it looks short enough for a petite. Will you be wearing it out or does it need to be tucked in? Wish it came in white for us winters. Can you break down the color options for the different seasons? Thank you,
Hi Rose, yes, it’s not too long for a Petite! I purchased size Small.
We watched The Law according to Lydia Poet and loved it! Only thing we did not like was the inclusion of the rock music. thought it did not belong in this show. what do you think?
Blazers usually feel too formal for my style, and I haven’t found a shirt jacket that isn’t too bulky or stiff. I’ll have to see if Talbot’s has something for my cool coloring and style. Otherwise, , I may have to stick with my worn in jean jacket or sweater blazer for a more relaxed but slightly structured look.
Thanks for the series recommendation. I’m really enjoying your last recommendation, “Emily in Paris” so far. I wonder why it doesn’t get much love from viewers?
That Talbot’s jacket has my name written all over it if the color shown is accurate. So challenging to find “autumn” colors this time of year. Will call my local Talbot’s to see if they have it in the store. Too many times I’ve seen something interesting in the catalog but the local store doesn’t have it.
I love the silk tank tops but would prefer the neck to be a tiny bit higher. So I can hide the wrinkles on my chest. Hard to find, such tops.
Greetje
I agree with you about the “shackets”. People are wearing these hideous things because they are shown everywhere as stylish. Makes me afraid for intelligence of the human race. I do love silk, I need to try Quince products.
I’ve been looking for some V Neck Tanks for a while so, thank you! I’m developing the dreaded “turkey neck” and find that v neck lines are the best look for me. I’ll be ordering a couple of these to wear under some v neck cardigans for spring and summer. Ordered the Fern and Seahorse cardigans from Anthropologie and was looking for an olive and ivory tank or tee to wear underneath them.
Lanolin! Sold in a tube in the infant section for breast-feeding mothers is my ultimate solution for rough cracked heels. I apply overnight and wear cotton socks. It has resolved a decades-long struggle with cracked heels. Also my solution for rough, chapped lips. I only wish I had discovered this years ago!
For potential travelers: ‘The Law According to Lidia Poet’ on Netflix is set in architecturally-rich Turin/Torino, where my husband is from. The show really showcases the city’s beauty and historic buildings! Turin is a great stop on its own or if you are to visit the Piedmont / Piemonte wine region (Barolo, Nebbiolo and Barbera), is home to Fiat and Alfa Romeo and is THE chocolate city of Italy: there are quite a few artisan chocolate companies. The little chocolate/hazelnut ‘gold bar’ gianduiotto originated there. It is not a mainstream tourist destination, but offers an authentic big city w/ an easy-to-walk center, and is famous for its covered sidewalks (portici).
For those that enjoy a lighter series, also set in Turin, my husband and I LOVED Netflix’s charming ‘An Astrological Guide for Broken Hearts’.
Yes! We really enjoyed the Lida Poet series as well, especially because we could recognize Turin, which we’ve been lucky enough to visit a few times. And we also loved An Astrological Guide for Broken Hearts! Another Italian series — light, romantic, fun — that’s filmed in Turin is Sul Più Bello or Out of My League, also on Netflix with English subtitles. We were tickled to recognize that a party scene takes place in the rooftop bar of the hotel we stayed at, with a magnificent view of beautiful Turin.
Will check that out, Frances: thank you!
Why, oh why don’t don’t stores give us actual garment measurements? It’s not like they don’t know them. A factory had to cut and sew them. This looks like a nice tank. It also looks very short. The last thing I want is a crop top with my stomach.
I am a huge fan of Quince, but had somehow missed this lovely tank. Thanks for flagging it! Bought it in my fave autumn-friendly color — the copper brown.
I like that Weleda… but the very best for rough feet, both heels and toes, is Vermont Bee Balm! At $5 it is a true bargain, and it works better than anything I have ever tried! http://www.vermontbeebalm.com/
bag balm is the best.
Love your blog. Been following you for years. Believe it or not, you and I are pretty much the same size so it would be helpful to me if you could let us know the size of the clothing you feature. In particular what size do you wear in the Talbot jacket featured in this posting?
Hi Jane, thanks! I ordered the Small Petite and it’s a good fit.
Susan, I’ve been reading for a few years and have bought a lot from your suggestions.
In trying to build a wardrobe for my new life (unexpectedly retired and moving to a warmer climate) I use Pinterest a lot. I’m very visual and like to refer back to good outfits. I have dozens of your posts saved from prior years and refer to them. Like the hoody sweatshirt with the jacket that you posted on January 16 – I would not have thought to wear my hoodie with my similar jacket. And the “six style formula” article is very useful.
But recently, I’ve not been able to save any of your photos to Pinterest. I get an error message, whether using Chrome or Edge or on my iPad. Could you please check to see if that is something that you can have fixed? Thanks so much!
Hi Coach Laura, thanks so much and I’m sorry you’re having trouble with the pin function. I’m not able to duplicate the problem in Chrome and don’t have Edge. Can you tell me a) are you using the red “Pin It” heart in the upper left hand corner, b) what is the error message you’re getting, and c) are you having the same issue on other websites? This information will help me troubleshoot the issue. Thanks again!
Here is the error that I get after clicking on the red “pin it” symbol. Parameter ‘image_url’ with the value ‘data:image/svg+xml,’ is not a valid URL format. I get the same error in chrome and edge.
But after I posted, I went into Pinterest to your personal page, and I can save those images. However, when I open the linked article and try to save an image, I get the same error message. It’s a good work-around to save some things …but I still can’t find the one of you in the Eileen Fisher linen shirt tied over the sundress. It saved the top photo of you in the green linen shirt from that post but not the exact photo I wanted.
OK, thanks!