Covet & Acquire

Photo credit: Janis Nicolay

In my 'forever' home, I'd love to have a mud room. A place to take off my coat, shoes, barn boots, etc. — and to hang my hat or handbag (literally and figuratively) at the end the day.

But, in my current carriage house, I don't have that luxury. Space is at a premium, so I had to find an option that did double ... or triple duty in the small space behind my door.

So, I started a manhunt bench-hunt to find the perfect coat rack with a storage bench. I found the one pictured at a local discount furniture warehouse.

With this compact design, I'm able to hang several coats and bags on the rack, while my shoes are stored mess-free in the box underneath. And I usually keep my keys in a basket on the bench. So far, it has been an essential part of my home.

Looking for something similar? Here are a few other small home coat racks with storage that caught my eye.

I love jewelry. In fact, I would go so far as to say I have a slight obsession with it.

And, I really like to buy it for myself.

I've never been one to wait until someone purchases the perfect piece for me. OK, unless it's that piece of jewelry, in which case I will wait for the right one to come along. ;)

But, in the case of chic everyday pieces, I love Pandora because the designs are affordable, stylish and they're easy to pair with my other favourite jewelry items. I'm wearing a few pieces in the pics above, and shop a few of my current favourites below.

I've fallen for wide-leg pants lately. They are easy to wear, comfortable and can easily be dressed up or down.

Plus, they're super comfy too.

I picked up this bold red pair of wide-leg trousers recently from Le Chateau, and I immediately knew that I wanted to style them as a monochrome look. The vibrant shade is just too good not to play up.

What I was surprised by with this look was how wearable it felt as soon as I put it on. From the fun pink sneakers to my new obsession — this Max Mara Studio wool coat — this outfit felt effortless, and therefore, endlessly appealing.

Are you loving wide-leg pants?

I love a good outfit that a) makes you feel good as soon as you put it on, b) doesn't require a lot of effort to throw together, and c) looks chic.

In my opinion, this outfit ticks all three of the above.

While the pieces themselves aren't overly statement-making, when combined, the look feels pulled together and polished.

I wasn't sure how much I would wear these wax-coated pants from Le Chateau, but I've already stepped out in them a time or two. They feel perfect for a date night or weekend. Oh, and they're super comfortable to!

What it is: A collection of cleansers infused with natural botanicals found in the south of Franc — these wash away dirt with several texture choices including cream, oil, foam and more.

Beauty bonus: Despite the formulas being gentle enough for sensitive skin, they mean business on removing the day’s looks. No leftover residue or smudged mascara remnants here.

Beauty bummer: Not a bummer for lovers of calendula scent, one of us wasn’t so jazzed on the oil cleanser because of it.

Overall: This collection of cleansers offers a nice range of choices for those who are looking for a little bit of a different texture. Our favourite was the cleansing milk with an impressive ability to remove multiple coats of mascara with relatively little residue.

To their credit, all the cleansers left skin feeling refreshed without feeling stripped.
Would recommend? Yes
Price: $29
Where to buy: L’Occitane; loccitane.com

I've had this CHANEL Mini Flap bag for several years now — crazily enough, it's actually been more than seven years since I purchased it. 

While I've acquired several other CHANEL pieces since then, this square mini flap bag remains a favourite. But that endearment has nothing to do with the material it's made of. Not at all.

Read my comparison review between the square mini and rectangle mini here.

I purchased this handbag because I was hunting for the coveted bordeaux-and-gold-hardware combination from 2012. I passed up on a caviar leather medium (a decision that still haunts me to this day) and I immediately regretted it. Of course, when I went back to purchase it, it was long gone.

So, I settled for this lambskin option when I found it through an SA in the U.S.

From the moment I bought it, I knew lambskin wasn't for me. The material, while so buttery soft, is so prone to scratches and rubs. Even opening the flap can seem hazardous. And, for someone who likes to keep their handbags in pristine condition, even when using them, this reality of lambskin has been a bit of a nightmare.

So, the solution for me has been not to use this beauty very much.

But, the other day, I decided to pull it out and wear it. Very aware of what I was pairing it with, in order to be mindful of colour transfers and scratches, I wore a pair of corduroy trousers. At the end of the day, the handbag showed visible scuffs on the back. I was shocked.

It was a very good reminder why I don't use this handbag very often, and why I will never buy a lambskin bag again.

Have you had any luck with lambskin? 

Some days (read: most days) I can't bear to stress about what I'm going to wear.

I remember when I first started this blog — in 2011, I can barely believe it — I used to stress about what I was going to wear for each post. And while, admittedly, I still do get a little worked up every now and again about it, these days, I feel like I've really added key pieces to my wardrobe that I feel comfortable and confident, both in wearing them and styling them.

Take, for instance, these simple turtleneck tops from Le Chateau. I'm pretty sure I own them in every colour. They're easy to wash, wear well, last forever and, in short, I'm obsessed.

My Levi's jeans have become another constant companion in my closet. Perhaps it's this familiarity that prompted me to pick up these corduroy options recently. While I like the slightly more voluminous fit, I'm definitely going to have to do a bit more work with creating a few looks that I feel really comfortable and confident in.

Otherwise, I'll just be wearing the above outfit on repeat. ;)

What are some of your wear-anywhere pieces? 

What it is: A warm floral scent from Yves Saint Laurent that combines French lavender and Moroccan orange blossom.

Beauty bonus: A spring-like update, the orange blossom has us dreaming of warmer weather.

Beauty bummer: We found this fragrance didn’t have the staying power we were hoping for on our skin.

Overall: This scent is a sweet update to our fragrance wardrobe. With a slightly different profile than we usually choose, this scent took some getting used to. Truth be told, it smelled very different on a few people in our family, and admittedly, it wasn't a fast favourite.

We found it was very floral-forward on us, with very little of the subtle musk notes the description mentioned.

As noted, the fragrance didn't last as long as some eau de parfums on our skin.
Would recommend? Maybe.  It's a nice new scent, but it's not a favourite.
Price: $125
Where to buy: Sephora