As always, I wanted to provide my monthly update of what my personal favorites were. I am truly trying to spend less overall so my “favorites” focus on clothing pieces, accessories, home decor, and things to do around New York. I try to be inclusive of everyone’s budgets so just let me know if you need a recommendation.
Dillard’s
I first discovered Dillard’s when I lived in Nashville. In the past couple of years, the Antonio Melani brand has been doing excellent collaborations with numerous influencers and designers. The designs have all been extremely unique and are of high quality. I will say some of the collaborations can run between $200-$300 per item. Besides the collaborations, I find amazing deals and unique styles on the website so I thought I would share some below! The collaborations are typically in stock for a couple of days which is refreshing that they actually have enough stock to support a launch. From the collaboration I bought the two piece linen set (here and here) and the linen dress. I am still looking at the dress with the fringe bottom and the square neckline linen dress if my size comes back in stock!
Amazon Finds
I love to find very aesthetic items on Amazon for a great price. I recently wrote an entire post on how to romanticize your life and it’s truly about the little things! After just browsing one evening, I found this striped kaftan in the middle as it reminds me of the Trina Turk dress I already own. The fabric is thin and it is not lined at all so I am planning to use as a bathing suit coverup this summer. I also got the adorable pink teacup for my desk that I have been drinking tea out of.
Manhattan Vintage Show
My love for vintage clothing goes back to when I was around 14 or 15 years old. In Indiana my dad would give us $20 and we could go try on jewelry, fur coats, hats, and more! Back then the items were obviously less expensive than they are now! My sister and I recently went to the Manhattan Vintage Show which are curated booths that sell designer vintage, fur coats, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, and amazing sunglasses. I found the items to be WAY TO EXPENSIVE at $300-$1000 per item. We only bought a couple pieces of jewelry at the show but I would say it is amazing to just walk around hence why the event is in my April Favorites. They are doing the show 4x a year now so make sure to catch it when you are in New York City!
Hermes Chypre Sandal
Number one, I know these are ridiculously expensive that’s why I have been keeping an eye out for this exact sandal for a couple of years. The Oran and Empire Sandal are too narrow and uncomfortable for my feet personally. I will say you can check in on the website and they do get sizes in stock frequently so it’s not that “rare” of a find as everyone thinks. If you prefer a store setting, the Williamsburg Hermes store has an insanely nice sales associate named Nick. I have already worn these sandals about 4 times and they didn’t need a break in period. I am sure the leather will slightly stretch over time but they are already comfortable! There are dupes for these sandals as well so if not in your price point I will be sure to link similar styles.
Small Business Corner
I really want to start putting small businesses that I have loved during the month. I have found that all the big box stores get all the hype and I want to be very intentional to support others. Some of the small businesses I will link I have been going to for years so I will stop gatekeeping!
Hot Looks Threading: I get all my waxing done here! I never need an appointment as they can usually fit me in within 5-10 minutes. I get my eyebrows, lips, and arms waxed here for an insanely good price. It definitely isn’t fancy but it does the job! I honestly hate when I have to make appointments that are weeks out so this place is perfect and easy on the wallet. For some reason I didn’t realize that if you have really light hair you can’t get laser done, hence why I wax my arms!
Settantatre Pasta Co: This pasta company was founded by a chef whose wife was diagnosed with Celiac disease. I recently found their store through a local farmer’s market in Jersey City. Store bought gluten free pasta I find has a really weird almost grainy texture. I bought the burrata tortelloni and the parpadelle pasta. I have to say both were delicious! My husband said the parpadelle tasted a little “eggy” but I think he is just extremely sensitive because I didn’t taste it. The company also has a list of delicious looking sauces and regular pasta.
