In 2018 I tried to be smart about my purchases. I didn’t shop as much as I have in previous years, but I did buy some items that I have gotten so much use out of. Here are some of my favorite clothing items I bought this past year that I would recommend without any hesitation. You’ll probably see me wearing a combination of at least 2 of the following items in each of the photos…they (mostly) all work so well together!
1. If you scroll through my instagram feed you’ll see me wearing these denim shorts in half of my photos. I seriously live in them. They’re stretchy but don’t get baggy, and I like that the raw hem is casual but because it’s folded it doesn’t look like a regular pair of cut-offs. These are definitely my number one purchase of the year! I’m 5’5″ and fluctuate between 125 and 130 and wear a size 26 in these.
2. No exaggeration, I have worn these rose gold Birkenstocks almost every day since I bought them. I needed supportive sandals while I was training for a marathon and these did the trick, but the gold/copper color dresses them up a bit. I wear these with shorts, yoga pants, striped t-shirt dresses…you name it. They’re incredible!
3. I have fallen in love with short-sleeve button up shirts, and I have this striped one in all 3 colors. I roll the sleeves twice and do a half tuck in the front and I think it looks great paired with blue and white denim shorts or jeans. Only the red color is available now but don’t worry, it doesn’t come across as Christmasy because the red is a bit of a faded color. I’m hoping it comes back in more colors this spring.
4. Life in Hawaii = life always near the water. These pink waterproof Birkenstocks were a random purchase that I’ve gotten so much use out of. Nice and comfy like normal Birks, but they can get wet and they’re way cheaper ($39.95)!! I like the pink color a lot but they also come in black, dark green, blue and red. I’ve always been a flip-flop girl but not so much anymore.
5. When I find something I like I buy it in lots of colors. I now have 4 of these striped athletic tanks and they’re great for wearing with yoga pants because they cover your bum. I wear them with shorts while running too. The stripes are sheer but because they’re thin the shirt doesn’t come across as scandalous or too revealing. I have it in maritime pine, milkshake pink, bright white and a blue color that’s no longer available. I probably wear the white one the most because it goes with everything!
6. We’re in the pool or at the beach a few days a week, so swimsuits are one of the things I can never get enough of. I now have three Albion Fit swimsuits and this striped bikini was the most recent addition. They’re on the pricier side of things but the quality is superb and the styles are pretty unique.
7. As the theme goes, I fell in love with these dreamcatcher earrings and now I have them in 2 colors. The raffia pair I have on in this photo was only available this past summer but I’m hoping they come back in stock. The other color I have is navy, which is available, as is white and gold. They’re large and fun statement earrings and they are so fun to pair with classic and simple outfits!
8. I love the look of straw bags, but sometimes a regular basket bag isn’t all that practical with little kids. I prefer a backpack style bag most of the time these days (I’m such a mom!). When I found this backpack straw bag online I knew I needed it! There aren’t any pockets on the inside or anything, but it holds all the stuff you need really well, and you have the option of wearing it as a backpack or carrying it by the hand strap.
