Hi, everyone! I hope you had a nice MLK Day weekend. As I type this, it feels good to be back blogging after an impromptu hiatus over the past month.

To get you up to speed on what’s been going on with me, I went into the holidays feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally burned-out. It didn’t help matters that I then pushed myself too far on the amount of travel (read: driving) I did during the holidays. Then, just as I started to settle back into my routine in my DC apartment and feel more like myself again at the beginning of January, the insurrection at the Capitol happened. It’s difficult to describe the fear I felt that day and in the following days, both as a Washingtonian and an American.

Thankfully, I’ve been in a better headspace the past few days and am now ready to get back into the groove of blogging. But before I turn to today’s lighter subject matter of my favorite purchases from 2020, let me be abundantly clear: The noose outside of the Capitol was despicable. The ‘Camp Auschwitz’ attire was despicable. The entire domestic terrorist attack was despicable. I condemn white supremacy. I condemn anti-Semitism. I have zero tolerance for bigotry of any kind and zero tolerance for hate speech. I will always be vocal about this. It’s not partisan politics; it’s standing up for human rights and practicing basic human decency.

ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | SIX | SEVEN | EIGHT | NINE | TEN

ONE | Utility romper, Abercrombie. This romper was one of my most-worn items in 2020. I reached for it countless times because it’s the perfect mix of cute, casual, and comfortable. My exact romper is no longer carried, but you can find similar jumpsuits here and here.

TWO | Beach Club Texture Spray, IGK.  I could probably count the number of times I’ve blowdried my hair since last March on one hand. Despite my lack of motivation to style my hair, I don’t like going to bed with a wet head and waking up with all kinds of weird crimps. The perfect solution? IGK Beach Club Texturizing Spray. After showering, I twist my hair in sections, spritz the texture spray, pin the sections to my head, and wake up the next morning with tousled beach waves. I shared a full tutorial of the process earlier this year.

THREE | Silk eye mask, Slip. I can’t stop talking about this product. Anyone who’s interacted with me in the last six months likely knows about my obsession with my silk eye mask. It’s the best little luxury to add to your nighttime routine. I love that the eye mask is incredibly soft and protects the delicate skin around my eyes from being tugged (which happens if you’re a stomach sleeper, like me). The band doesn’t leave a crimp in my hair. And, of course, the mask blocks out light, too. I have the mask in red but am tempted to scoop it up in this banana leaf print (currently 62% off!) as well.

FOUR | Darsa lamp, Safavieh. I’d had the same bedside lamp since I was a freshman in college and decided it was time for an upgrade. The Darsa lamp was exactly what I had in mind at an affordable price point. I ordered a pair and they make me so happy every time I look at them. Seriously, Max is getting a bit tired of me saying how pretty the lamps are. 😂

FIVE | Dohn white noise machine, Amazon. I first purchased this white noise machine in 2016 when I was living in a loud sorority house, and it quickly became one of my must-have items. So much so that when I was stuck in Florida during the beginning of the pandemic, I ordered another one to have with me. I’ve sung the praises of this product many times, but I truly can’t recommend it enough for light sleepers, those with noisy neighbors, and anyone with a baby!

SIX | Elastic-waist pleated midi skirt, J. Crew Factory. While there weren’t many occasions for dressing up in 2020, simply putting on this skirt to wear around the house (and to vote, as seen here) made me happy. It’s such a flattering cut for a midi-skirt, even on petite frames like mine. My exact skirt is currently on sale, and so is this similar version from J. Crew that comes in classic, petite, and tall sizes.

SEVEN | Silk face mask, Night. Another winner from 2020 was this silk face mask. It’s by far the most comfortable mask I own and it doesn’t irritate my skin like other masks do. I love that it cinches at the nose and has adjustable straps.

EIGHT | Glowscreen, Supergoop! I got serious about using SPF in 2020. This product made it easy to incorporate SPF into my everyday routine and, as a bonus, gave me a pearlescent glow. You can read my full product review for more details.

NINE | Wireless keyboard, Amazon. Like many of you, working from home became the new normal for me last year. One of the game-changers in my WFH setup was this inexpensive wireless keyboard. With it, I’m able to prop up my laptop to eye-level, which prevents that awful crane neck posture that is so common.

TEN | Navy striped tennis shoes, J. Crew x Newbalance. Wow, J. Crew and New Balance hit a home run with these shoes. I don’t think I’ve ever clicked ‘purchase’ as quickly as I did when I saw these sneakers. They’re adorable and comfortable. I’ve worn them almost every day since they arrived in October.

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