I went and got a sparkly new piercing in the flat of my left ear! That brings my total number of piercings up to 8.
I begged to get my earlobes pierced when I was a kid, and I got them done at Claire’s for my eighth birthday. Some time in my early teens I got the seconds done, again at Claire’s. At 15 or so, I did the helix myself with an ice cube, an earring, and determination. It took a long time. I could *hear* the progress I was making, and at a certain point, I just figured I had to be almost done and should just keep going. First thing I said to my mom when she got home was “I did something and if you don’t like it, I can take it out.” She let me keep it.
When did I do the thirds? Maybe late teens or early twenties? It’s a little fuzzy. Somewhere with a piercing gun like Claire’s again, I’m sure. I was young, didn’t have much money, and I don’t think people were as aware of the ills of the piercing gun as they are now. I definitely wasn’t. My newest piercing was done with a needle at a proper place (Luxe Piercing for those of you nearby).
I was more nervous than I remember being before, only because it had been so long and I knew I’d be doing something in the cartilage, but it was fine! A few seconds and it was over. It’s been almost a week and it’s healing nicely so far.
Every day, I choose what to wear from my collection of hoops, huggies, studs, and cuffs. I’m having so much fun.
Hey, that’s me! I want these things! Perhaps you do too. And anyway, I’m just having some fun with the title. Let’s look at some pretty things for all of us.
First off, #1 on this list is clearly gray hair. Let those sparklies grow in! I realize I missed the whole silver sisters grow-out culture that has been taking place by not photographing myself constantly but here I am, fully dye-free. (That hasn’t happened since I was 13!) I’ve had just about every color, and this one’s my favorite.
Next up, embrace those piercings! The 90s are back, and thankfully I put plenty of holes in my ears back then that are still able to be put to use. I have three lobe piercings in each ear, and one helix in my upper left. My thirties were my STATEMENTEARRINGS decade, but lately I’ve returned to an ear full of delicate studs and tiny hoops. Do I find myself wanting little earrings that look like eyeballs and lightning bolts and snakes and feeling it might be a little too gimmicky? Yes. Except for these Snake Huggies. They are beautiful and I still wish I had a pair.
These are the ones I’m wearing in the photo above:
Should I get another piercing? The faux conch is making me want a real one. I suppose I can just continue to wear it though.
Nail polish and rings? Oh yes. I’m hard on my hands, doing projects like scraping wallpaper or other things around the house, but my polish has been holding up. I have been enjoying all three colors that I recently bought from J. Hannah (Compost, which I told you about before, along with Fauna and Ghost Ranch). I also very badly want their onyx and mother of pearl Form Inlay Ring II in gold. It is perfect and I’ve not seen anything else quite like it. Also, I’ve been wearing this Double Groove Ring ring a lot lately, and I pair it with a few fun rings I have similar to this Gumball Pearl Ring and Atom Ring.
Pink lipstick. Suddenly I don’t have pale skin against dark hair! The complexion remains the same, but the gray has made my hair look so much lighter and the stark contrast (that I liked) is gone. I’ve been playing with makeup, and I look amazing in pink lipstick now. Cool pink though, brighter than the nudes and muddy roses that are so easily found. I’m wearing Blush Pink from Laura Mercier in the photo above, but I also love Givenchy’s Rose Boudoir.
Barrettes! I’m growing out bangs. This barrette looks like a baguette and that makes me smile. I’m very into all four colors of these Tortoiseshell Pearlized Barrettes and this swirly Jumbo Box Barrette. And then these Teardrop Barrettes look like cheap plastic blobs on their own, but like shiny precious stones in the hair. These all look like entirely too much when presented together like this, but I only ever wear one at a time, and I do wear one everyday.
There we go, some fashion frivolity on this first day of November.
I go through cycles in which I want very little and then I want everything new and all at once. I assume this is common? I would like some Mary Janes and a new pair of lace-up boots, cozy sweaters and midi dresses. And so many perfumes! (I will let myself have a little perfume. As a treat.)
My closet shelves got a little sprucing up! I rearranged things to better sort my jewelry (the earrings were piling up in a bowl, getting tangled and dusty) and the newly blank space between the shelves looked painfully bare. I had brought home the beetle, dragonfly, and bee from Target a while back at $10/pop, not knowing where I’d use them, and I’m so glad I did! Clearly my house didn’t already have enough bugs as decor.
I’d been wanting a glass jewelry box to keep my earrings dust-free. The long, low version I bought this weekend is out of stock online, though stores may still have them (Oakbrook did) and there are plenty of other options below if you’re looking for something similar. Add a little ribbon to the clasp like I did if you’re feeling extra.
People always ask why I have a Dictionary in my closet when it shows up in photos; it’s a Kate Spade book clutch! I got it years ago so it’s long discontinued, but they’re still available on eBay pretty regularly. The striped pouch behind it is new and I’ve included it below, along with more adorable clutches I would happily sport. (I’m picking up one of the super cute paint tube pouches for Eleanor’s birthday!)
I added pom poms to my striped clutch, and I switch them around to different bags all the time. Mine was from Tory Burch last year — I saw it on one of the bags that I thought was just OK, but the embellishment was the best part by far. I was jazzed when I realized you could buy them separately! A wrist loop and tassel would complement any of the clutches above, and here are a bunch of other fun options.
A simple outfit’s secret weapon! I wear glasses everyday, and then I usually pick either a bold lip or bold earrings, and I can personally attest to the awesomeness of numbers 2 and 3 below.
This is my fall/winter uniform. A simple but flattering sweater, cute comfortable shoes (these are sort of a warmer version of the inexpensive flats I wear all the time), and my favorite jeans.( I just went through years of Instagram photos because I was certain there was a photo of me in them. And there is! And you can barely tell. Trust though, these jeans are awesome.) Glasses, rosy lips, and statement earrings.
Also! I’ve been wanting something similar to Chloe’s ‘Faye’ and I’m going to go check out that Ted Baker bag. I think it will do nicely!
I have seven holes total in my ears. Three in each lobe, and a helix piercing in the cartilage of my left ear. (What? It was the 90s.) I did that last one myself, in high school, with an ice cube and an earring post. Not recommended! I told my mom “I did something. If you don’t like it, I can take it out…”
Yeah, I don’t use all of those piercings anymore, but I do like one good pair of earrings. Pixie cuts and earrings are BFFs.
Tela Earrings, Tiro Tiro
I showed these in September, but I’m still thinking about ’em.
Rose Gold Flathead Studs, Bauble Bar
The handywoman in me wants these.
Mountain Hoop Earrings, Lila Rice
Big and angular, FTW.
Small Square Studs, Kate Spade
Despite the name, these are not small. They’re of a lovely scale with a nice clear color.
1909 by Erica Weiner, Catbird
For channeling William Tell.
Torchlit Brass Drops, Anthropologie
I’ve shown these before too, back in June. I keep hoping they’ll go on sale, but it’s not looking likely. So huge! So awesome!
Staccato Earrings, Madewell
These are teeny tiny, and I have worn these in my second ear piercings a few times lately. Rebel rebel.
Stacked Jewel Earrings, J. Crew
I’m not in love with the way they look on screen, but in person they’re fantastic.
Lady Marmalade Studs, Kate Spade
A pretty option for when you need a something sparkly but not TOO sparkly.
Clara Earrings, Loren Hope
These are larger than you might think, but I like that in earrings.
And I tweeted this when Eleanor initially said it, but it’s too good not to share here. Genius copywriting, by a four-year-old:
“Earrings. They can go in your ears, and STAY in your ears. Earrings. Put them in your holes.”
