In Spades

Style... in abundance

The Best Clean Burning Candles Under $40

Clean burning candles under $40I first discovered Otherland candles when searching for affordable holiday gifts.

We go through tons of candles in our house, so I’ve done my fair share of research.  From cheap to expensive, I can honestly say these candles are my favorite.

Why?

  • They have the best throw of any candle brand I’ve come across
  • They are clean-burning (no toxins or bad stuff)
  • They burn for 55 hours
  • They’re under $40
  • They constantly release new scents

I like to keep 2-3 of them on hand as gifts. They make great hostess, holiday or thank you gifts!

Throw is how well a candle’s scent permeates a room.

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Target’s Newest Green Collaboration

Hilton Carter x TargetI’ve always loved Target’s home & garden section, so their latest collab with Hilton Carter has me SO excited.  He’s a fabulous interior designer, author and plant enthusiast.

Let’s just say I definitely do not have a green thumb.  These faux house plants are right up my alley.  I’m loving the chic planters, wall mounts and vases as well.

The collection debuts May 14 and is priced from $8 – $130.

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Levi’s x Target

Levi's x TargetLevi’s and Target.  Is there anything more to be said?

Launching February 28th, two of my favorite brands will release a limited-edition, sustainable collection.

From fashion to home decor, most items are made from recycled glass and textiles.  The rugs are GoodWeave certified.

GoodWeave’s goal is to combat child labor in the handwoven-goods industry, support adult artisans, and provide education to thousands of at-risk children in India who might otherwise need to work. To become certified, manufacturers must meet strict standards and agree to random independent inspections.

There is even a collection for pets.

Prices range from $3 – $150 for home, decor, men’s, women’s, kid’s and pet’s.

I, for one, cannot wait.

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Fitness Favorites: Workout Clothes & Gear

Workout Clothes 2021Okay, I know what you’re thinking.  A fashion fitness post?

Up until getting a Peloton, I rarely talked about my workout routine.  But after a year of working out every single day, it’s time.  Full disclosure, I’ve been wearing the same workout clothes for YEARS and finally refreshed my collection.

It’s so true: new workout clothes certainly make a girl feel inspired to exercise!

The Best Workout Leggings

Everyone raves about Lululemon’s Align Pants (I am NOT one of them).  The real hero pair IMO are these.  No pilling, no stretching out, no looking like crap after a few washes.  They have the most breathable fabric and the high waist holds you in without feeling TOO tight or restricting.  They are the main leggings I wear for workouts.

If you want a more comfortable “loungey” pair, go for these.  They are SO much better than the Align pant.  They hold up after washing and aren’t see-through even in bright colors.  They truly are the perfect balance of comfort and function.

For high impact workouts or outdoor workouts during cooler weather, I love these.

My Favorite Fitness Gear

My Best Purchases of 2020

Looking back on what a year this has been I thought it would be helpful to share the items I purchased that turned out to be SO worth it.

If you’ve been on the fence about any of these, I highly recommend them all!

Best Clothing Purchase

While outings that necessitate fun clothes were clearly off the table this year, I still purchased a range of practical and fun pieces.

The best one, hands down, was this pair of jeans.

I wrote a full review of why they’re so great, but in a nutshell, they look amazing on every body type and break in BEAUTIFULLY (so comfy).

I’ve worn them more than any other article of clothing I purchased this year.

Best Wardrobe Staple

This is actually a tie.

The pandemic made me realize I will never wear an underwire bra again.  This bra is the most comfortable thing I own.  I love that the straps are fully adjustable and you can wear it with or without the padding.  It consistently made your Top 5 Favorites list.  I own 7 of them and will never wear another bra.

These pajamas are divine.  Yes, I also own washable silk pajamas and love them.  But the reality is that washable silk looks like crap after you wash it.  Reaching for a crumpled mess right before bed is not appealing to me.  And you know I will not be steaming my pj’s.

These jammies are SUPER comfortable.  Bonus points: they’re made from organic cotton and hold up extremely well.  I like the long-sleeved sets best, but they also make a short-sleeved set; a great option for summer.

They make me feel put together, which I love.  My ratty t-shirts and pajama pants from college are comfortable, but are anything but cute.

Best Shoe Purchase

While I made some fun shoe purchases this year, the best pair I bought are these boots.  A more affordable version of my Bottega Veneta storm boots, they are SUPER comfortable, easy to take off and on and strike the perfect combat/Chelsea boot balance.  I’ve worn them almost every day since getting them.

Best Beauty Purchase

This foundation brush changed my life.  Check out my full review here.

Best Makeup Purchase

I really wanted this for its rave reviews.  But it’s not green beauty.  Thankfully I found this and was blown away.  It reflects light subtly to hide imperfections and luminize the skin.  You can use it on your face and body.  It comes in two shades – Rich and Deep – and I’m wearing the lighter of the two (Rich).

If you want a real-life filter or airbrush effect for your face and body, this is it.  A must-have in any makeup bag.

Best Fitness Purchase

Peloton bike

We invested in a Peloton this year and it has paid for itself multiple times over.  I just completed 200 rides and have a total of 250 lifetime workouts.  It’s not just a bike.  It’s a community.  There is yoga, pilates, barre, boot camp, meditation… the list goes on.  I stick to mostly barre, boot camp and yoga when I’m not riding.

Check out my full review of the Peloton here.

Best Wellness Purchase

Yin Power

I’m one of those people that struggles with hormonal cystic acne.  While I found a handful of products that worked pretty well (and I still do recommend them; check out my post here), nothing completely eliminated the problem.  Until I found this.

I have never taken adaptogens prior to this, but WOW.  For those who don’t want to be on prescription meds to eliminate hormonal acne, I can’t recommend this enough.

Best Skincare Purchase

p50 lotion

If you’ve never heard of p50 lotion, Google it.  It has a cult following and for good reason.  You can only purchase it at two places online in the US.  I will be writing a full review soon, but in a nutshell, it’s a toner that tightens, brightens and exfoliates.  It will change your life.

Best Home Purchase

If you don’t have a cordless vacuum, I can confidently say they’re a must-have.  With the amount of time we spent in our house this year, getting a Dyson cordless was an absolute necessity.  We have ours mounted to a wall in the kitchen and it’s so easy to grab and do a quick clean up.  Who wants to haul a big vacuum out of the hall closet anyway?