Oh, November…

Collage details from left to right: earrings, bracelet; striped shirt dress; pearl drop earrings; similar red coral and pearl necklace; cream shirt dress; sunglasses, shoes; the cream bag is currently not available; similar navy dress; woven leather basket bag; red shoes and fish sweater are old/sold out.

WHAT I/WE DID

It’s been a strange month. I wrote a little bit about it here, but mostly, I retracted to decide on a path forward. And I’ve also been working on tuning things out and maintaining my peace.

As I sat down to “think” this post, I honestly could not remember November. Our brains tend to block trauma, they say, and I know it to be true. Maybe I am being dramatic but, we know we lost something this past month… all of us, though some haven’t realized it yet.

We ended up canceling most of our plans but had a nice Thanksgiving at home. We never travel on holidays, if we can help it, so celebrating at home is quite honestly, ideal for me. We cooked, enjoyed our food, and ended up re-watching Stranger Things. Yup, quite a nice way to spend a holiday, if you ask me.

In other news, most of the month, it was still too hot to be outside, and after a perfect weekend, we’re now dealing with frigid temperatures [for Florida]. They shouldn’t last long, so I’m not complaining too much. But please send help — we’re freezing over here! Haha, I just had to…

NOVEMBER BLOG POSTS ROUNDUP

Naturally, the holiday season has been in focus on the blog in November, even if it was quieter here than usual.

5 things that bring me joy this week. A lot less of this series went up on the blog this month, but it made it back eventually…

Stocking stuffers, sales, and what I’m buying this Black Friday. If you’re still looking for ideas, this list should cover you (and yes, some things are still on sale).

A perfect holiday dress. I wanted this dress the moment I saw it and I don’t regret this purchase.

Holiday style. If you’re looking for holiday outfit ideas, this post is for you.

The Ordinary Skincare favorites. Their “slowvember” sale ends today if you’re interested in trying (or stocking up on) some of their products. I shared my favorites in this post.

Handmade and unique gifts. Just gifts you won’t see everywhere!

Gifts for her. Because she deserves to be spoiled, end of story!

October at a glance... Our month-at-a-glance post that you seem to love is shared month after month.

What I bought

Shopping this month has been… interesting. I did, however, find something I have been looking for, plus, a few extras, because, of course, I did…

This linen blend midi dress, because I am obsessed with seamed styles. I haven’t received it yet. Update: I received it today and it’s much nicer in person — the photos online aren’t doing it justice. I recommend your normal size as it expands a bit when worn as linen does, however, if you’re in between sizes, consider going up.

These pointy leather flats. I have been looking for classic brown flats and these were on a too-good-to-pass sale. I just received these and have not opened the package yet. Update: I love them! The insole is padded so they feel comfortable. They are true to size but require breaking in.

This pleated dress reviewed here.

This water dental flosser. I’m actually excited about this one because it’s been great so far. I’ve only used it a handful of times, but I swear it’s made a difference already. It takes some getting used to and figuring out the setting that works best for you, but once you've done that, it’s a dream. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Stocked up on my favorite hair oil and shampoo that are under $10 and [hair] lifesavers! You can read more about the hair oil in this post.

I also bought a leather tote bag I have been looking for, but I haven’t received it yet to share about it.

MY MOST WORN ITEM(s) IN NOVEMBER

This woven leather basket bag. I love that it goes with so many items in my closet and is big enough to fit most of my necessities. I’ve been reaching for it a lot this past month.
These oversized sunglasses in navy.

These Sarah Flint ballet flats that, sadly, are not available at the moment. A gentle reminder that you can use code SF-EM-15 for 15% off your Sarah Flint order of $230 or more.

WHAT I READ

For the second embarrassing month in a row, I couldn’t “silence” my mind to focus on reading. Though I tried. I tried to get to some books that were recommended to me, to only discover that I had forgotten my library passcode and I had to call them to retrieve it? I have yet to look into that… But yes, nothing to report here…

What we watched

Rivals. We finished watching this after giving up on it last month, and only because we ran out of things to watch. The show got better as it evolved, I have to admit.

Where the Crawdads Sing. I remember trying to read the book it’s based on, but couldn’t get past the first chapter — it was too depressing. So was the movie, at first, of course, but darn, did it leave a mark. Such a good one!

Normal People. We started watching it but abandoned it because we found it to be incredibly slow and, honestly, boring.

Stranger Things. I explained here why we decided to rewatch it, and honestly, it’s been nice, though having to relive the emotional moments was not a favorite. We’re on season 4 now, and… I’m kind of bored with some episodes…

SONG OF THE MONTH

Back to the basics…

WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE ON THE INTERNET

Best Of 2024: Most Popular Movies. We watched two from this list — Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which wasn’t bad, and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which I absolutely love.

Best Of 2024: Most Popular TV Shows. We haven’t watched any of these, have you?

This Stunning Lodge Is One of the Most Affordable Luxury Stays in Italy's Dolomites — With Panoramic Views and a Spring-fed Pool. Fancy a trip to Italy’s mountains?

13 Festive Train Rides You Can Take for the Holidays. This would be a lovely holiday activity!

Santa's Scenic Railway. And another!

Goodbye November 2024… December… bring joy, please!

SHOP MY FINDS HERE AND HERE…