5 Recent Purchases + Best Memorial Day Weekend Sales
I may not have shared new outfits in a while (we haven’t shot any outfits since 2022!!!), but I am still shopping…partially because it’s still something I like to do (for the most part) but mostly because I’m still changing sizes. The size-change thing is the most annoying part. I truly do not know what my “true” size is right now because it varies from day to day. WHY do bodies do this?! Being in your 30s is fun, they said…
Anyway, I rounded up some of my recent sartorial purchases from BlankNYC (via Shopbop), J.Crew, Madewell, and Uniqlo. All of these items I decided to keep! Fingers crossed they’ll fit me for longer than one year. I also rounded up some of the best 2023 Memorial Day Weekend sales at the end of this post in case you have your eyes on anything and want to snag it at a discount!
5 Recent Purchases | May 2023
BlankNYC Track Record Pants (size 28)
I purchased these faux leather pants by BlankNYC a couple of months ago when they went on sale at Shopbop (looks like as of publication, they’re on sale at Nordstrom…shop ‘em in the widget below)! I’ve never owned a pair of leather or faux leather pants and always think they look so cool on others. Jury’s out on if I like them on me, but I kept them so I guess I need to at least try to wear them out some time, haha.
The interior of the pants is so soft! I also love the slight flare at the hem. As I mentioned above, I don’t really know what my true size is right now, but size 28 fits well unless I’m super bloated. (I sized up on the off chance that they ran slim, and I’m glad I did.) They’re a little bit longer than I thought they would be but it’s because I’m much shorter than the model in the stock photos.
My only question: How does one clean faux leather pants? I think this might be why I haven’t worn them yet, I’m worried about them getting dirty somehow.
J.Crew Fresco Top in Soft Gauze (white and utility green, size S)
I don’t browse J.Crew all that often (mostly because there are no more stores near me and their returns aren’t free) but I found myself on the site…and in love with the Fresco top in soft gauze! I kept coming back to it, so I finally bit the bullet a few weeks ago and bought a couple even though they were on final sale. I spent $50 for both which was not a bad deal! I don’t typically buy a lot of duplicates of the same item but loved both of these colors.
If any retailer calls something “soft gauze”, it’s pretty much guaranteed that I will want to buy it, lol. I need to make a list of all of my purchase-trigger phrases because there definitely are a few words/phrases that always make me want to hit purchase no matter what it is!
This top is super soft though not as lightweight/thin as I thought it’d be. It’s definitely the perfect weight for cool summer nights (outdoor concerts, late evening dinner and drinks on the patio, etc.)! They fit perfectly in size small and the white is only slightly sheer!
Madewell Curvy Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Crop Jean in Ward Wash: Raw-Hem Edition (size 28)
Have I mentioned how annoying it is when your jeans don’t fit? ARGH. I took this as an opportunity to try another pair of curvy perfect vintage wide leg crop jeans while Madewell is doing 30% off sitewide. I was drawn to these because of the wash (love a light wash for spring/summer) and the raw hem (yes, I will wear these to work) but didn’t know if they’d feel too 90s in person.
I loved ‘em so much that I wore them the very next day! And in shocking news, Korri actually LOVES these jeans (he normally hates wide leg styles, he calls them “baggy jeans” and they remind him of the 90s too much lol). I was so surprised when he said he liked them. I keep things that I like even if he doesn’t like them, though, don’t you worry. 😆
I sized up to a 28 to accommodate my super bloated days. Life is too short to squeeze into jeans and pants! Petite lengths weren’t available but that’s fine since this is a cropped style to begin with. They have an interesting texture to them that my other jeans don’t have (and it makes them feel thicker). I do think I got a returned pair; it was missing one of the tags and came wrinkled along the hips like they’ve already been worn. But luckily they seem fine.
Madewell Softfade Cotton Boxy-Crop Tank (lighthouse, chamomile, and coal; size S)
I recently realized that I love pairing tank tops with top layers (cardigans, blazers, etc.), especially in the warmer months. I wear tank tops under layers way more than tees because then I don’t have to deal with sleeves bunching up.
I saw these softfade boxy cropped tanks at Madewell and was immediately sold. I’ve worn the lighthouse color twice since they arrived and already know I’m going to wear these a ton. The crop length is perfect; I can wear them with high-rise jeans and pants and not have to worry about tucking and untucking. I also love the wide straps and don’t find the arm holes to be too big. Size small fits perfectly!
Lighthouse, a creamy white, will probably get worn the most out of the three colors, followed by coal. Lighthouse is very slightly sheer but I feel fine wearing it to work with a nude-to-me bra. Chamomile is a different color for me (I don’t normally go for yellow) but I bought it because it’s close to fitting into my “true summer” color palette!
Uniqlo Cotton Linen Shorts (navy, size M)
It’s been a minute since I ordered anything from Uniqlo (their returns aren’t free, so that’s a big deterrent even though I love their stuff). I decided to risk it and purchase a new pair of shorts. These cotton linen shorts are just as cute as I was hoping they would be! They also fit me perfectly in size medium (phew). I would purchase them in other colors if they had more options I wanted (the light blue color is tempting and sort of reminds me of a light wash denim).
These shorts feature a 50% cotton, 50% linen blend and are not sheer in navy (the website says that only the off white color is slightly sheer). They feature a gathered, paperbag waist-style waistband with drawstring, side pockets, and a loose fit around the legs.
2023 Memorial Day Weekend Sales
The first really big sale weekend of the year is here. I’m trying really hard to keep myself from spending all of my paycheck (of course today was payday LOL), but so far I’ve placed orders with Madewell (for the wide leg jeans above) and Everlane and am planning on a couple of others. These are the sales I’m checking out. Let me know what you’re buying this weekend! Happy shopping, friends. 🤑
Abercrombie — 20% off almost everything
Amour Vert — 30% off sitewide
The Container Store — 30% off sidewide
Everlane — up to 30% off select styles — My favorite sandals are on sale in two colors! (Read my thoughts in this blog post.)
Farmacy Beauty — up to 51% off sale products — Read my Farmacy Beauty review!
J.Crew — extra 60% off sale styles + 40% off select full-price styles with code WEEKEND
Knickey — up to 50% off sitewide — I love the high-rise thong and high-rise brief the most. I take size small but may also get a few mediums for bloated days!
Madewell — 30% off sitewide + extra 40% off select sale with code WARMUP
MATE the Label — 30% off sitewide — Read my reviews of their classic tee + thermals and their tencel cotton sleepwear.
Nordstrom — Half Yearly Sale: up to 60% off