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My Black Friday Wishlist
1. Wool Baseball Cap | 2. Bib Necklace | 3. Peach Sweater | 4. Black Flare Denim | 5. Black & White Polo | 6. Silk Dress | 7. Black Ankle Boot | 8. Curved Yoke Top | 9. Brown Leather Booties | 10. Plaid Sweater | 11. Sleeveless Sweater | 12. Flare Denim | 13. Grey Cashmere Sweater | 14. Shirtdress | 15. Skirt | 16. Denim Jumper | 17. Lace-up Bootie | 18. Oxfords | 19. Wool Hat | 20. 3/4 Sleeve Sweater | 21. Grey Booties | 22. Silk Blouse
I have a ton of shoots coming up so the other day I went out shopping for like 9 hours which sounds fun, but ‘post baby body’ shopping is actually VERY frustrating – things just aren’t the same and clothes are trickier to buy. Many of the above I found to be so flattering, forgiving and stylish so I figured I’d round them up for you.
My favorite of all of those? FRAME DENIM. I was on the verge of tears after trying on a million pairs of jeans at Madewell and Anthro. Then I went to Nordstroms and tried on some Frame and was so relieved that they made me look/feel skinnier and had enough lycra to be super comfortable (I bought two of the Le High, jeans). These jeans know how to wrangle all the parts (lift the butt) and make my stomach look flat and trust me, it ain’t right now. Everything else I love and want, but in case you all need a good denim brand that is actually worth the $200 splurge, that’s my official non-paid endorsement.
Happy shopping, folks.
I love those Frame jeans! fyi Shopbop is having a huge Black Friday sale with across-the-board discounts that include Frame.
Yea, I pinned these before i knew where the sales are so I should dictate that so you guys find the best prices. good luck!
I love those flare jeans! I definitely need to get a pair for myself today!
Paige
Nice selection. Navy blue induce trust.
again, delighted you can afford $398 shoes. for some of us that’s more than we have to spend for all wardrobe for the whole year. aspiration is good, but please remember who your readers are.
I didn’t necessarily buy everything here (only a couple pieces, actually) but I do really like them all.
The price point you choose is perfect for me, a loyal reader! So THANK YOU EMILY! Ignore the grinches.
For that matter, I think you can own it. Because you are a #bosslady.
I don’t thin you need to explain yourself to anyone Emily. Some of you need to get a grip.
*think
Lovely stuff, but as someone who works at a nonprofit I can’t help but feel a little deflated that people actually spend that kind of money on ‘just clothes’.
I’ll stick with actual funky, flea market style!
It’s helpful to be familiar with the high end designs so you can spot a good, less expensive option when you see one!
It’s good to be familiar with high end designs so you can spot a good, less expensive option when you see one! Keep up the good work Emily!
whaaaat? or maybe you should buy stuff you like…
Some boots are worth $150-250. They typically wear differently, they last longer, they support feet, knees and posture better, they make someone look more professional and confident. Those boots can be worn with professional looking trousers, no need to wear ugly snickers in winter and then be cold in loafers in the office. How much you’d spend on boots should depend on the climate you live in and the need you have. That’s why it’s not fair to judge someone else for their choices. If you don’t have a need for quality boots you don’t buy them, but if you do then maybe you should consider it. Quality shoes not only look better but they typically hold up much longer. Same goes for coats. As long as you go for elegant over trendy, it’s likely a good purchase.
Coats and boots, yes, make an investment. $150 for a trendy ballcap or cotton sweater? Not so much.
You’re following someone online who designs high end spaces for a living. You expect to be able to afford everything she recommends? We’re all living vicariously through Emily. I’d be a little peeved if the only things she posted were Walmart shoes…
I really hate Jean shopping I am seriously thinking of hiring one of those personal shoppers. You are quite courageous to go jean shopping post baby. You go girl!
I’m surprised you have to provide your own wardrobe/dress yourself for shoots!
Hi all,
I’d just like to remind everyone that we come here for inspiration! It’s totally possibly to view all her posts in this way and then take responsibility for finding what works within our individual means and budgets! Let’s keep it friendly, k?
Great style post! Loved it. Fell in love with Paul Green a few years ago – can’t get enough. I always check for when they’re on sale at Zappos or 6pm.
I died over that striped top but alas they sold out of my size. Post again when you’re wearing some of the stuff. I so want to see!
I understand that you need to look good for your clients, the camera and yourself. But speaking as someone who the financial crisis reduced in means from solidly middle class to living from paycheck to paycheck, even when I had that kind of money to spend, $200 for a pair of jeans just felt unnecessarily overpriced. In the end, I’m glad I saved my money for the Gap brand. They fit me fine and I was able to sock my money away for my un and underemployment years. I went thru my savings and still own the Gap jeans.
Not sure I would have kept my sanity if I’d blown my money on $200 jeans. Don’t know how other people do it.
Even more baffling, why you as a commenter chose to complain/criticize the content of this post… because it didn’t address your very specific life circumstances and preferences.
I will now explain how other people spend money on $200 jeans: we earn it. We spend it.
I think you missed my point. I used to earn it too. My career was designing drugs for cancer research. But my industry laid off thousands of researchers in the last decade and now there is a surplus of us talented and experienced researchers. When I had that kind of money, it still seemed unreasonably extravagant. If you earn it, by all means, blow it on whatever you like. But the good times don’t last forever. I only wish that people with a big microphone don’t forget that it’s not 2008 anymore and incomes come and go much more quickly these days. I’d rather be an ant than a grasshopper. Plus, the Gap jeans fit fine. $150 more is not going to make that much difference. Actually, I come here for the styling and pics, not for the lack of empathy from people who clearly have not experienced any fallout from the last 8 years. So, given your knee jerk response, I’m going to have to think hard about whether Emily’s blog is really where I want to spend my time. She might be reaching for a different demographic and there are other places. I know, don’t let the door… Read more »
Maybe it’s not about the money, as much as it’s about the fit and quality. The jeans Emily has shown are trouser quality jeans. They are consistently dark and can be worn to an office on Casual Friday without sacrificing a professional look. It also works for someone in Emily’s profession. Gap doesn’t offer anything close to what Emily has shown. The wash is different, the fabric is thinner and the cut is completely different. It’s the cost of doing a business/working. Prices are changing anyway. Things don’t cost what they used to when you were working.
Um, I am working. My company is business casual. I don’t make enough money to buy jeans like that and we can only wear jeans once a week. Come to think of it, no one in this big company wears jeans that cost $200/pair and some people here are very well paid.
It’s a matter of priorities. We manage to look nice on less.
I appreciate you trying to offer up advice but I think you are still missing the point. There are people that can and will always be able to afford $200 jeans. And those that can’t are free to use those images as style inspiration. If she features a living room renovation with a couch that costs $8,000 are you going to complain about that too?
yes, because an $8,000 couch is no better than a $1,000 dollar one or even an Ikea one. I think the phrase is ‘FU money’?
‘merica, where 30% of our community uses the food bank but our a$$ looks good in $200 dollar jeans!
I think we need to remember that we all value different things and spend our money differently. I have friends who drop loads of money on clothes (which isn’t important to me). They probably shake their head at my home decor purchases. To each his own, and let’s not judge.
We should also not forget that quality DOES matter and there is a difference between an 8000 dollar couch and an IKEA couch. There is frame construction, materials, responsibly grown wood, fair working conditions etc. Not all cheap is good. By the same turn, not all things that are expensive are good quality and knowing the difference is important.
Bottom line: If you are fine with GAP jeans and an IKEA couch than fantastic – I’m happy for you. I wear jeans 7 days a week and will pay for quality because it looks and feels different to me. If it feels wrong to you – don’t spend it. You are a grown up and you make your own choices. When life circumstances change, we change our spending habits. Don’t rain on Emily’s parade (or anyone else’s)!
Hi Emily,
I loved your wallpaper roundup. Have you done a mirror roundup by any chance? I’m looking for something beautiful for my entryway. I’d be excited for any store recommendations for this entryway project :)))
Thanks! Love your blog and your clothing roundup too ;)
Hi Emily. Thanks for the great post! I was so inspired by this look. I see that a few people have criticized the prices and I wanted to comment that I bet you have a lot of international readers, I live in Norway and therefor I would probably never order these products because of shipping and taxes. I use everything that you post as inspiration and I try to find the same look, fell and style when I go shopping. I just wanted to say thank you. You are awesome and I love reading this blog.
I just had a baby so THANK YOU! I appreciate your nine hours of legwork!
And I hope all of these mean and judgmental comments won’t dissuade you from posting similar roundups in the future. This is great blog content so far as I am concerned.
Signed, recent Mom who buys the occasional $200 pair of jeans because they are quality.
dear pretty and stylish and cool and fun emily~ i hope you see this comment! i spent my younger teen years deep in the midwest, in a small iowa town, where i would sneak over to the magazine rack at the local library {my strict baptist parents did NOT approve of fashion mags} and devour all the beautiful, quirky, fabulous and oh-so-expensive things presented in fashion editorials. when i was an older teen, my family moved to another mecca of fashion: oklahoma city {and, okay, i have to give my city props and say okc is much more fashionable and cool now than it was in the late 90’s and early 2000’s}. ;) as i’ve gotten older, i still regularly devour fashion editorials and of course i am addicted to some good style blogs! i will probably never be able to afford the clothing, shoes, and bags that are usually featured, but you better believe i’ve become an avid thrifter who is known for my sense of style! :) so THANK YOU for featuring whatever cute things your heart desires on YOUR BLOG!! you are one of my favorites. you work hard, you love your family, you’ve got good style.… Read more »
Bravo and ditto!
I find these negative comments so surprising. This is the only blog I even follow anymore – internet commenters, whether it’s here, CNN, the Slate, NYT make me depressed about humanity. Have the negative commenters here never followed an aspirational/style blog before? I used to follow many (when I had time, in school) and could never have afforded most of the things posted on any of them. But I could take that inspiration to Forever21 or wherever I had access to and try to recreate the looks that appealed to me. Same for interior design. Instagram fulfills that same “inspiration” niche for me now. I make an upper middle class income in my professional career. I can afford $200 jeans occasionally if they will be a staple in my closet and make me feel good about myself. I usually have two “go to” pairs of jeans at a time, maybe three if you throw in a boyfriend jean, and I wear these for a couple of years until they wear out. $200 seems like a fair price for something I’ll wear a couple of times a week for a couple of years, including on casual friday at the office. Similarly,… Read more »