A Little Bit of Shopping | November 2025
Today I stumbled on this carousel of Mary Oliver poems, and this particular passage felt special -
“Look, I want to love this world like it’s the last chance I’m ever going to get to be alive and know it.”
Isn’t that something?! Just another lens to see the day through.
*
Has everyone listened to Lily Allen’s West End Girl? I’ve been giving myself the assignment to listen to a new album, start to finish, a couple times a week and this one was a task earlier this month. The way the story tumbles out song by song, it feels like an audio book in song format and you really must pay attention to the lyrics. To that end, I wasn’t immediately into it, but I found myself going back to listen again and again, and wow. Now I’m obsessed.
If you haven’t yet, I do recommend it (but without little ears in the vicinity) and I like Dallas Major and Nonmonogomummy most.
And just a thought - what a startling juxtaposition to get Taylor’s engagement album just a few weeks before Lily’s divorce album and listen to them in tandem most days!
*
I’m on vacation this week! And good god, I’ve been looking forward to this for so long - it’s my first full week off since 2024. I stole this particular plan from those PTO hacks that always start popping up in January and can officially co-sign on the effectiveness. My office is closed for Thanksgiving and Black Friday, so I took off Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday preceding the holiday, effectively getting the full week, bookended by two weekends, for the mere price of 3 PTO days. AND my kids are in school until Wednesday afternoon, so I have a couple of days to galavant around without responsibilities and I am positively drunk on the freedom.
We’ll travel for the holiday, spending the end of the week with my husband’s family a few hours away, but with any luck, we’ll be home again by Friday evening and I have plans to get the Christmas tree up and decorated, with plenty of time to watch Home Alone and start a Christmas puzzle.
How are you spending your holiday weekend?
On to some shopping -
Left: Holiday Party Inspiration - Links here || Right: Target Holiday Picks - Links here
My office’s holiday party is coming up in mid-December and it’s a banger. I work for a formerly small company that blew up in the last couple of years, but a lot of my colleagues got hired alongside me when the company was in its infancy. I was fresh out of college and we sort of grew up together, so these parties feel more like a chance to let loose with old friends, you know? I’m actively hunting for something to wear and right now I’m leaning towards the long, swingy star covered dress from LOFT, but was equally surprised and delighted with the finds over at Target.
Left: Moon and Star Necklaces - Links here || Right: LOFT Holiday Looks - Links here
How cute are those star and moon necklaces!? And PS - LOFT has so many good picks for holiday dressing this year. I feel like I think of LOFT for workwear and forget to meander around for anything else. That two-piece gold sequin number!
Left: Winter Theme Puzzles - Links here || Right: Sherpa Pullover Hoodie - Links here
Look, I know we’re not ready to discuss winter, but she’s coming and we’ve got lots of early evening hours to fill. Anyone else want to fall asleep as soon as it gets dark? I feel like the 6-9pm hours are so boring and if I don’t find a hobby, I’m going to be sleeping on the couch around 7:30. I’m on the hunt for some puzzles that are winter-themed but not specifically Christmas coded and this mix delivers.
And how good is this sherpa pullover hoodie? I love the pink, but I think I’d probably actually get the neutral tan and actually wear it.
Left: Hot Pink and Cozy - Links here || Right: Casual and Neutral - Links here
Back to the hot pink picks! I love a good fuzzy scarf and these Ugg socks look so cozy.
Okay, let’s say I have to actually get dressed and leave my house. I’d love to hunker down like this until April, but alas…work and groceries and whatnot. I love this elevated neutral outfit and a good pair of fleece lined tights would make it realistic to pull off even after it gets really chilly.
Left: GAP Holiday Party Dresses - Links here || Right: Good Accessories - Links here
Another surprise spot to find business casual dresses to wear to a holiday party - the GAP! Not too formal and could be repurposed all year around, I expect.
The accessories make the outfit, no?
Left: J Crew Pre-Winter Sale - Links here || Right: Festive Balms - Links here
Nobody runs a sale like J Crew and Factory. It’s worth checking out regularly, because I swear they always have some kind of sale going on.
I’m such a sucker for balms and live for a festive set. The glossier balms in gingersnap and peppermint bark are a TREAT. I have the Summer Fridays in vanilla and would like to complete the set with that hot cocoa.
In Case You Missed It -
Weekend Musings from around this time last year.