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I cannot believe that I am sitting here recapping my best purchases of 2017. Where did this year go?! Just crazy. Anyways, I thought it would be fun to round up my best/favorite purchases of the year to share with you. I try new things all the time in the style realm as well as in beauty & hair, and in this post I can tell you the best of the best of what I’ve bought this year and what has been well worth the money!
Lovers & Friends Charisma jumpsuit here and here
First up has to be this jumpsuit I wore in Charleston in the spring. I think this was my absolute favorite purchase of the entire year. It has sold out in most sizes, but the large is actually on a huge sale here. I found the other sizes, some on a sale, here as well. For sizing reference, I am wearing a medium and I’m 5’9″, and usually a 6 in jumpsuits/dresses. But honestly, I could say that this was so much of a favorite purchase for me that if I had to go do it all again but my size wasn’t available, I’d totally look at getting another size and having it altered. I’m obsessed with the color and the material is really soft and just flattering. Okay you get it, I love it. 
Blank NYC Moto Jacket | Rebecca Minkoff Love Crossbody Bag | Blank NYC Distressed Jeans
This suede jacket was one of the year’s best sellers for a reason. It comes in a variety of colors and you can dress it up for special occasions or you can dress it down here like I did in this picture, with one of my favorite pairs of distressed jeans (you see me wear these all the time, I actually bought these in 2015 so I’m not sure I can say they were a best purchase of 2017, but obviously one of my favorite purchases ever since I’m still wearing them almost 3 years later. Under $100 and def worth the money!).
Also, this crossbody bag was my favorite bag purchase of the year. Another one that was well worth the money. I’m carrying it in the top picture in Charleston as well, it’s super versatile because the color goes with everything (although it also comes in other colors!) and again it’s something you can wear with your nicer outfits or your more casual ones. It’s for sure one of my all time fave pieces in my closet. It has my heart <3
ASTR Lace Midi Dress | Steve Madden Carrson Sandal
This lace midi dress was one of my personal best-selling items this year and I absolutely can understand why!! It is super flattering, extremely comfortable, and under $90! It comes in a bunch of colors (the white was a spring color, the fall/winter colors are out now) and is just a really great piece to own. I paired it with my favorite heels of the year. You also saw me wearing these with a ton of my outfits in 2017. I’m not normally a heels girls, however these have started to shift my mindset on them because they actually are really comfortable. If I can wear a pair of heels for hours at a time and not be in pain, then it’s for sure a winner. They are also under $90 and come in a bunch of colors as well.
This romper was another fun fave of mine this year. It’s comfortable, first off, which is pretty much a must for me with any outfit, but it’s very flattering, the material is soft, and it’s seriously just a perfect option for vacation, a bachelorette party, beach trip, girls trip, etc.! You can’t see it in this picture but I paired it with the Carrson sandals I linked above. Your legs will look a mile long in this combo!
Another look from my visit to Charleston last spring was this Yumi Kim maxi dress. I also wore it later to a wedding. It is very lightweight, and I absolutely love the cut of the top of the dress. The wrap style is super flattering, the tie waist really cinches in your waistline and the V neckline is just deep enough that it is still very classy. I got a TON of compliments in this. It also comes in other colors and patterns. FYI, while I generally wear a medium in most Yumi Kim dresses, I sized down to a small for this dress. I think because it’s a wrap dress you have more wiggle room to make it fit. I recommend any Yumi Kim dresses, they’re so pretty and definitely turn heads!! They’re great quality too so you get what you pay for, for sure.
These block heel sandals were definitely one of my most worn pair of shoes this year, I seriously love them so much. I hope they restock next year because everyone needs a pair. I’ve found some still available here and here, and I tell you what I have never worn a more comfortable pair of shoes that weren’t sneakers. I am not exaggerating! And I loved wearing them with dresses, shorts, and jeans. Obsessed is an understatement. You’ll see these from me for many years, I will likely wear them until they are falling apart, which at this rate will probably be awhile, because I wore them so many times this year and they still look perfect!
I’ll be honest with you, I had a little bit of a hard time wrapping my head around paying more than like $30 for a pair of jean shorts because honestly, they’re such a small piece of material, why is it worth $99?! Well, I put these babies on and figured out why. One Teaspoon makes your legs look a mile long and make your butt look so good. Paired them with my fave block heels from the above picture and it was one of my favorite spring/summer outfit combos.
Free People Split Back Pullover
I actually think that technically I bought this top in 2016 BUT it’s such a favorite amongst pretty much everybody that it routinely stays available. It sells like crazy for a reason and they keep making it because it’s so popular. It has the cutest split back which makes it great for spring and warmer weather, but you can also easily wear a tank top underneath and layer it in the colder months. I do this and wear it almost year round. You can wear it off the shoulder or as a more draped neck look. Comes in a bunch of colors too. And what do you know…wearing those sandals again 
Socialite Plunging Neck Romper and Maxi Romper
This romper was one of my most liked photos on Instagram and I specifically remember lots of people reaching out to me to say they also bought it and it was one of their favorites!! I love a romper and I can say this one fits to a T. I love that the back is all lace. It comes in a few colors and is under $70. There is also a maxi version of this that I absolutely love, that you can see here!! It comes in even more colors and is under $80. It is stunning. Again wearing those Carrson heels from the earlier pics too.
Free People T-shirt and Levi’s Jeans
This tee was another really popular one throughout the summer. Can be worn off the shoulder or not, it’s very flowy and comfy. It sold out a ton of times and is still sold out at various retailers. The white in particular was hard to find but I did find it in stock and ON SALE (yay!) here. There are other colors available and on sale here and here.
These Levi’s skinny jeans are another you’ve seen me wear a lot this year. It’s hard to say between these and the Blank NYC ones which are my favorites….I can’t choose!! Don’t make me choose!! When ordering these, get your normal size. I found they ran true to size, but when you get them, just know the first time you put them on they are going to feel SO tight. Just wear them around the house for a while, I swear they will loosen up and they will change to fit your body. That is what is so magical about these. They’re seriously so flattering on everyone. But then they don’t loose the shape or stretch out to much like so many jeans can. They hold their shape really well. They also come in a darker blue color if you prefer, which you can see here.
Quay Sunnies and Chicwish Tunic
Fun story about these sunglasses, I now have ordered my second pair because my sweet husband accidentally sat on my first pair in the car and absolutely demolished them. I mean broke them in to a variety of pieces, lol. I wasn’t even mad. I was just impressed. How he broke them into so many pieces I’m not sure. So I’ve since gotten another pair because I loved them so so much, and they’re a great price for what feels like a designer pair of sunglasses.
This Chicwish tunic is another favorite of mine, under $45 and great for spring, summer, and fall. I love how long and flowy it is, you can wear it with shorts, jeans, or even leggings and cute booties.
Chicwish Pearl Embellished Sweaterdress
This sweater dress is another absolute GEM from Chicwish. I wrote a full blog post on it here so I won’t go into great detail, but I seriously love it and based on the feedback on Insta, so does everyone else So cute & cozy. Also, my exact OTK boots are sold out but these are very similar!
Cableknit Sweaterdress | Over The Knee Boots | Free People Scarf
Another sweaterdress winner from Chicwish. Under $50 and so comfy. Wrote a full blog post on it here. Also, my OTK boots are on a seriously MAJOR SALE 50% off. Now is the time to snag them y’all. The color I’m wearing here is actually “Foxy”. It looks more gray in person than it does on the website so if you want more of a tan color, go for the “Havano” color. Both are on sale…also comes in black. My scarf is one of the ones that is forever selling out but it’s available in a few colors here. I have 2 colors and they’re the best scarves ever.
Spanx Leather Leggings | Moto Jacket
There’s that scarf again But really, the star of the show here is these Spanx leather leggings. Again they are a purchase from 2016 BUT they’re so amazing that they keep making them. I’m seriously, these need to be in the closets of women everywhere. They’re high waisted and suck everything in. Your butt will never look better, LOL.
Another must have is a leather moto jacket. This one is also Blank NYC, so it’s the same style as the suede jacket I shared previously. I wear a medium because sometimes I like to layer thicker things underneath. If I wasn’t going to do that, I could totally do a small, so it just depends on how you wear it. But everyone needs a leather jacket, am I right?!
Ruched Bodycon Dress | Madewell Kent Cardigan
This dress was one EVERYONE was raving about when it came out, and that’s because it’s so incredbly flattering, it’s cotton so it’s comfy, and it’s under $60. Comes in so many colors too, but to me, you can’t go wrong with a LBD. Also, this cardigan comes in 4 colors and is one of the softer cardigan’s I’ve had…it is perfect for throwing on over pretty much anything. It’s very warm for how light it is…a great piece to have too for cold airplanes or office buildings
Free People Laguna Thermal | Blank NYC Jeans | Hinge Booties
Some of my staple pieces right here y’all! The thermal has thumbholes (winning!) and comes in a bunch of colors. I’d recommend sizing down, I have a small on and I think I could have done an XS. My jeans are sold out, but yet again another Blank NYC item that I love. These booties are on sale too, and I wore these a ton so I hope you aren’t sick of seeing them already!!
This v-neck sweater is on sale for only $29 and will be a perfect item to have in your closet this winter. I sized up to a medium because I wanted it to be a little slouchy. It comes in 3 colors, and at the sale price, you might as well grab a couple!!
Ripped Ankle Skinny Jeans | Studded Sandals
These jeans were really popular, so much so they only have one size left!! They’re a great price point and very stretchy. These are super similar, if you want a pair but they don’t have your size. Also, these studded sandals are actually from Target and are sadly sold out (fingers crossed they come back in the spring!) but they were a perfect dupe for these designer babes. If you have the funds for those, go for it. They are so dreamy!!
Free People Cardigan | Joggers
This cardi is super cozy and soft, like wearing a blanket I love the cable knit detail and the split hem edges. It’s slouchy and perfect!! I can see myself definitely throwing this on year round on cooler evenings even in the summer. It would make a great summer bonfire sweater! Also, I totally live in joggers and these are no exception. So soft!! And I totally just throw on a pair of sneakers and run errands in them. Anything I can do to wear PJs all day, I will.
In case you didn’t believe me about the joggers, lol. But really, if you love cozy things like me, you NEED THIS HOODIE.
And why not, to stick with the joggers theme. This sweater is a new purchase of mine but I absolutely love it. Comes in three colors, this one is the mauve color.
This vest is super soft, super warm, and super on sale. Comes in the ivory and charcoal colors. Mine is the charcoal. Again wearing those Levi’s skinny jeans from above
And last but not least, these sneakers. The gray has sold out in this particular model, but I also have this shoe in black and it has this gray color. This model is still available in another color here too. You can’t go wrong. I love Nike’s for athleisure wear!!
Also, some of my favorite beauty purchases are below:
Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment: This has seriously done wonders for evening out my skin tone, clearing up blemishes or dark spots, and just all around brightening my skin and making it look better. It is a little on the pricier side, but seriously it’s worth it. And I just use a tiny dollop every night, like a dime size or even smaller for a thin layer on my face, so it lasts a long time.
PETER THOMAS ROTH 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift & Firm Hydra-Gel Eye Patches: Another must. I have spent so much money trying to find the best product to help with my undereye bags in the morning, and this hands down is the best at it. You just put the patches on for 10-15 minutes and then take them off, Voila! There are a LOT of patches in this one container, so it’s worth every penny and will last you a while. Great for putting on before date night or going out, or any morning where you maybe just didn’t get as much sleep as you needed!
Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray: This texturizing spray has changed my hair. I can finally get the texture and volume I want without any of that gross sticky residue. This spray still lets your hair move naturally but gives it more body and va va voom You really can’t go wrong with anything Oribe. I also use the shampoo and conditioner.
T3 Whirl Trio Interchangeable Styling Wand: I use this set for my waves & curls most days, and I love that it has interchangeable barrels. This is my favorite wand I’ve tried and it’s also really pretty with the white & rose gold. Which is neither here nor there, but I do like it
Hot Tools 24K Gold Curling Iron: I’ll be honest I’ve had this baby since 2014 and for a curling iron, it’s my favorite. It is under $50 so much more cost conscious and it has lasted me for SO many years!! Lots of hair stylists also use this brand and love it. I 100% recommend.
I hope you find this helpful for me to recap some of my best purchases!! Also, just wanted to quickly share some of the weekend sales going on too:
Bloomingdales: up to 70% off, no code necessary
Express: Up to 60% off, no code necessary
Madewell: extra 30% off sale, code YESPLEASE
Asos: up to 70% off, no code needed
Baublebar: Up to 60% off, no code needed
Steve Madden: Up to 40% off sale, code CHEERS
Have a wonderful last weekend of 2017!!
xo,
Bess
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