Confession: I’m a YouTube beauty junkie. I love watching makeup tutorials, vlogs from my favorite You Tubers, and makeup hauls. The tricky thing about watching these types of videos? It makes me want to buy, buy, buy! The latest foundation from It Cosmetics? I must have it! The new Tarte eye palette? Yes please! A ridiculously expensive and unnecessary Hourglass powder trio? Gimme!!!

My YouTube love does NOT help my attempts to become more minimal. At least it didn’t until I discovered Kimberly Clark’s Anti-Haul videos.

She creates highly entertaining videos about why she isn’t going to buy a certain product. I find them equally as addictive as makeup haul videos, except I don’t leave them feeling like I need to spend every last penny at Sephora.

So, if you’ve never seen Kimberly’s videos, happy Wednesday, my friends:

Literally. Tiniest lucky cat in the world. #Iheartyou

This is just distraction really. Cath and I are still trying to process the heart-breaking election here in the States.

I feel angry and sad and embarrassed — and absolutely devastated that so many people here (and around the world) will be afraid to live in or visit the United States because of fear-mongering and cruelty supported by a racist, sexist and bigoted president.

Yes, Cath and I both believe in continuing to fight the good fight, but I know we both feel like we need time to process this before we pick up the pieces and can move forward through this hostility toward a united humanity.

And hopefully in four years or less, love and inclusion will triumph over divisiveness, racism, and fear.

Much love to you all!

In this election I’m not voting for the lesser of two evils. I’m voting for the person that fought for minority and disabled children after leaving law school when she could have gone to a cushy firm and made partner. I’m voting for the person who fought for healthcare for families and children and continues to do so. I’m voting for the person who said “human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights” even though she was encouraged not to — and has continued to support women domestically and internationally. I’m voting for the person who worked across party lines as a senator and got money allocated for 9/11 responders (and to think when she was running for that senate seat everyone said she would be too polarizing and wouldn’t get anything done). I’m voting for the person who is the most qualified presidential candidate we have ever had in the history of our democracy.

Does she walk on water? No. Do I think she’s a perfect person? No. Do I agree 100% with all of her policies and choices? No. Has she made mistakes in her long, political career? Yes.

But I don’t expect perfection in the White House (even if you came close, Barack and Michelle!). I want a hard-working, strong and whip-smart, public advocate who embraces equality and can weather the undeniably complex issues of our present and our future.

Guess what? One of my all time favorite clothing items is gray. Shocker, I know – especially if you saw my ideal closet post and that whole post about my favorite gray shirt. Gray might as well be my favorite color – and black.

I purchased this Funktional sweatshirt years ago hoping it would up my cool factor – you know, that whole boxy/structured/minimalist look. Turns out, I’m not cool enough to achieve that look, but I wear the sweatshirt all the time anyways because it’s so warm (I always packed it when I was visiting Lar in Scotland). It’s also structured enough that I can get away with wearing it to work in the winter.

I love how roomy it is and it’s the perfect length. Am I wearing jeggings? Stretchy pants? Real jeans? You can’t tell because the sweatshirt more than covers the waist and hip area. #winning

The fabric is more neoprene-y than sweatshirt-y, which is why it keeps its shape even after a number of washes. I wish all of my winter clothes were made of this material. I would walk around in my boxy, structured, yet comfy outfits all day long.

I wear black most of the time. It’s so easy! And so forgiving! And I can pretend I look artsy or Parisian-ish. But apart from the preponderance of dark neutrals in my closet, red is the other favorite. It’s as if the brighter, more exuberant side of my sartorial predilections smacks the moody dark attire out of its moribund ways when things get too gloomy.

The red item I wear the most, when in need of de-moribundification, is this lovely toggle coat. I figure as Cath was talking about her winter woolies, I would as well.

I love the toggles, the hood (no umbrella needed — take that, Seattle drizzle!) and, most of all, the crimson red of its wool blend exterior.

I’ve owned the coat for nearly three years. It’s the only item I managed to snag from the brief, but delightful Kate Spade line called Saturday, that is now defunct.

It’s been around the world (or bits of Europe and the US) and back, and made me feel pulled together at a fancy dinner in Edinburgh and stomping around the streets of Berlin (with my beautiful and brilliant friend Dexin — see above).

Having lived for nearly five years in places of incomparable gloomy weather, my red coat always makes me feel a wee bit more cheerful: armor against the gray. And for that, I am most grateful.

I think one reason we have so much stuff in our closets is because, well, there’s so much stuff in our closets! We can never find things and gems get buried and aren’t unearthed until we have a good clear-out. And after a wee while, we start buying things again and the cycle continues.

So Cath and I thought it would be a good idea to write about specific pieces in our closets that we love. It will be like a gratitude journal for our wardrobes — we’ll focus on what we already have and not feel like we constantly need more. As an added bonus, we thought we would sketch our favorite items — a small act of homage to the things we tend to take for granted in our closets.

So to start, here are my much-prized Ferragamos:

I’ve always loved Audrey Hepburn’s style, and what says ‘Audrey’ more than a classic ballet flat? And not just a flat, but a Ferragamo flat?

A few years ago, I had saved up enough money from our sponsorship with Shopbop that I could actually afford what would normally be way-too-expensive shoes for me. I also was thinking the whole time “I’m getting Audrey’s shoes!!!”

When I finally held them in my hands (and then put them on my feet), I felt ready to be whisked away by Fred Astaire or run through Paris at night with Cary Grant. After I bought the shoes, I learned that this particular style was not actually worn by Audrey (she preferred one of Ferragamo’s lower-heeled flats), but much loved by … Margaret Thatcher. Heyho. They are still a lovely pair of ballet flats that have just enough of a heel to give my already staggering height of 5’3 a bit of a boost.

On a more personal note, I first put these shoes on after I had been in the hospital for two weeks due to complications from Endometriosis. I still felt terrible and incredibly sad and vulnerable, but getting to shuffle around my flat in my Audrey/Thatcher shoes, I momentarily felt as light as air. 

So thank you so much, Thatcher Ferragamos. I look forward to many more years of floating through the air with you on my feet!