Loose Ends / 7.17.26

Going to Europe, the most fun Wednesday night, and lots of health anxiety. Plus, lots of affordable fashion finds, a few hosting pieces, and SO much color!!

What a week! Catching you up from last week, we had such a wonderful few days last weekend… Lots of friend time, family time, an art festival, delicious dinners, perfect rooftop weather… just an all around great weekend in the city!

This week was pretty good overall… It was a scorcher earlier in the week, and now we’re dealing with air quality issues from the Canadian wildfires so we can’t really go outside. But we managed to have an amazingly fun night on Wednesday (more on that below) and Dave’s dad made it through his surgery well on Monday, so the week can definitely still be counted as a success.

PS: This week’s newsletter is likely too long to fully read in your email, so you can click over to read the full newsletter here!

Image details above… Sunglasses, Fish Earrings, Beaded Necklace, White Tee, Phone Case, Stacking Ring, Oura Ring

This Week’s Rose(s) 🌹

Noah Kahan at Wrigley on Wednesday night was definitely the rose!!! We went with good friends of ours and had the best time before, during, and after. The concert was SO good! (And I’m now dying to watch his special on HBO.) We had seats on the floor and ran into so many people we knew, and even went to Murphy’s after with other friends we ran into. We were out way too late for a Wednesday (which may or may not have led to the Taco Bell mentioned below…), but it was one of those epic nights that fill your cup for weeks to come!

This Week’s Thorn(s) 🥀

Not a great week for the folks with health-related anxiety! Ooof. 🫣

The air quality yesterday (Thursday) in Chicago was truly horrible. Visibility is still not great today, but I had way less trouble breathing when I walked Marley this morning than I did yesterday. It was wild — as soon as you opened the door, it smelled like a bonfire. Dave and I both had headaches and felt ill after having to be outside to walk Marley or water our plants. Concerts and camps were cancelled. Friends hosting this weekend had to cancel. If you’re not in the area, this video is an accurate depiction. It’s supposed to clear up a bit by this evening, but return tomorrow (hopefully less severely) and anytime there are winds out of the north until the Canada wildfires are under control.

And then there’s the Cyclospora parasite… I hate to admit it, but I’ve had Taco Bell twice in the month of July, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see. 🫠

More on this below, but my fear of ticks is also spiraling a bit because of both Alpha-Gal and Lyme. Spending a lot of time outside and in gardens… Living right next to a park with a dog whose favorite activity is rolling around in the grass… Said dog also rolling all over our furniture…

Looking Ahead ✨

Our plans have tentatively been cancelled for the weekend due to the smoke, so I’m not sure what we’ll be up to. Our neighborhood has a few great street festivals during the summer and the first one (Burger Fest) is supposed to be this weekend. I’m not sure what’s going to end up happening with the air quality, so I guess it’s all TBD. 🤷‍♀️

Looking farther ahead, we booked flights to Belgium over the weekend!! Going in September. 🇧🇪 We haven’t booked anything else yet, and I found great hotels in both Bruges and Ghent, but if you have any advice for must-do’s, cities, or even things we can skip, I’m all ears! It’s a relatively quick trip, so I’m sure there will be things we have to miss this time around, but we are very excited none the less!

Open tabs from the week, filed here instead of my browser.

Obsessed with this fringe top that’s under $100!! Looks like Simon Miller for a fraction of the cost. Would be a great date night top with white or light denim! But there’s also a matching pant (at $105) if you want to make it a set.

This tassel clutch looks LUXE, but it’s under $100!

I am DYING over Weezie’s leopard print robe!!! On my wish list.

FOUND A DUPE for the Chan Luu taffeta shorts!!! How great is this brown pair for less than half the price?

We’ve reached the point of summer where it’s too hot to wear real bras and I keep seeing people rave about this bralette. SO TEMPTED!! I like how it doesn’t feel like a sports bra, like most of my other bralettes do.

This shell napkin holder has me drooling. So pretty!! The polished nickel makes it feel like a piece that could truly live anywhere, all year long.

This aluminum fish platter by the same brand is also so very chic.

And if you’re into the fish theme as much as I am lately, this water carafe would be cute on a summer tablescape!

These lace sneakers are a major splurge, but they would be so cute for a bridal after-party look!!

Another great little bridal era number here!!

Absolutely UNWELL over this rainbow striped cashmere polo and shorts set!!! So cute!!! And it has Dave’s initials on it. 🫶 (So does this little cove bag, and it’s a much more wallet-friendly find.)

These chartreuse sandals ($120) have been sold out on Shopbop, Zappos, and Nordstrom, but I just found them fully stocked in all sizes!!! (Probably because they look neon yellow on this website, but I swear to you — they’re more like a green chartreuse.)

Absolutely enamored with these striped hair clips!

Can you tell I’m craving ALL OF THE COLOR lately?! I’ve been saving all of my bright, happy, colorful finds HERE!

Rag & Bone’s Miramar fabric has a cult-following for a reason — looks like denim, feels like fleece. I just saw they now have a bucket hat in a similar material!!

If you’ve been to Positano on Italy’s coast, you likely know of the Da Adolfo beach club (that had gotten too popular for it’s own good at one point, or so I heard). Anyway, Staud released a Da Adolfo collab and it’s DREAMY! A few favorites: this beaded mesh sarong, this crochet hat, this striped tee, this tote bag, and this cotton-blend sweater.

Wowwwieeeee gimme these pink shorts!!! SO GOOD.

I’ve seen lots of people rave about these pants!!! Sporty, comfy, cute. Great for travel, kids sporting events, or just weekend wandering. I can’t decide if I like the red or the black better…?

This blue crochet set is GOOD!! Elevated lounge that I’m envisioning it for a lake house or fun weekend away. Great for coffee runs and weekend mornings, too.

This blue and white striped set is also amazing, and a bit easier to dress up since it’s a top and pants!!

Summer wedding guest dress under $200!

This drapey brown linen-blend set looks WAYYY more expensive than it is!

This straw shoulder bag with the beaded strap is v cute. (And would look great with the set above!)

I love a cotton sweater and the semi-unexpected colors of this brown, blue, and white version is no exception.

I almost fell over when I came across all of these shoes… You’ll never believe where they’re from! These chocolate brown kitten heels are SO CHIC for a girls night out. Or these ruffled raffia slides for vacation vibes. Or these woven ballet flats for the office and beyond. Chocolate brown raffia sparks immense joy for me and these slides are no exception.

Speaking of… These sandals look identical to Loewe for $35!! (See the real deal here for $1,150… 👀)

I’ve also been saving all of my favorite bandana print finds here!! Absolutely loving this little micro trend.

The Five Minute Journal specifically for mothers is back in stock! Would make a wonderful gift, especially with how gorgeous the cover is.

I got a box of these fragrance sachets and put them in our linen cabinet, coat closet, and even stuck one in our car.

Send this one to the men in your life! Nordstrom Anniversary Sale: Men’s Edit What started out as a personal edit for Dave last year turned into realizing a major pain point for most guys out there. The women’s sale gets so much (too much?) chirping, but there’s not a lot out there for the men. It was a labor of love to put together, but it’s the best of the best when it comes to men’s shopping. Check it out here!

Ruggable is having a huge sale! Up to 30% off almost everything. The Scalamandré collaboration is even included. You guys know I’m a huge fan of Ruggable now that they’ve created their newer one-piece “tufted” styles, so I have a bunch of my favorite rugs saved here.

If you’re anything like me, you might be feeling like you need a little summer detox. Cann is always my go-to when I want to cut back on drinking. They’re doing a big “Cannapalooza” sale right now where everything is Buy One, Get One 50% off! I’m not certain, but my code JRS10 may stack for first-time purchasers. The Variety Pack is a great place to start, or the Roadies that you mix with club soda.

EBY gave us a code! JRS15 will take 15% off your order. Peep all of their best sellers here, but their underwear is my absolute favorite. Slowly but surely replacing my entire drawer with this style.

Vivrelle has been my favorite discovery this summer! Code JESSICASTURDY will get you 50% off your first 2 months!

Kozakh was also so kind to give us a code!! JRS20 will take 20% off your order. I customized this charm necklace last summer and it’s truly one of my favorite pieces. You can shower, sweat, and swim in it! Truly waterproof and tarnish-free, and there’s a lifetime guarantee!! Big fan. (I think it goes without saying that this ‘Forever Buddy’ pet necklace is next on my list.)

I shared this video on Instagram this week because it’s SO important! You usually only think of Lyme Disease when you’re out in the woods, but it’s here in Chicago, too. And oddly enough, a friend of ours got bit by a tick a few weeks ago (not in Chicago), so it’s been top of mind.

I guess I’ve never really shared this online (considering Dave somehow didn’t even know 😂), but I actually got early Lyme Disease when I was a kid. Somewhere in the age 4-6 range, I think. I got bit by a tick when I was out checking on cows with my dad and developed a bullseye rash, but thankfully my parents and babysitter (who was an RN) were familiar with it and took me to the doctor right away. I have a weird core memory of my parents carrying me out the front door of my babysitter’s house to take me to the hospital because I was so lethargic that I couldn’t walk. Thankfully I was able to get treated and even ended up getting my favorite childhood stuffed animal (Stanley the Bear, from the doctor) out of the ordeal.

This video shares a lot more about the symptoms (flu-like) and what the rashes can look like — they’re actually not always a bullseye! Lyme is very commonly misdiagnosed, which is why it’s so scary. Because if you don’t catch it right away and start treatment, it can lead to chronic, longterm issues!

Happy Friday, friends! Hope you have a wonderful weekend and stay safe. xoxo

PS: If you’re feeling generous, do you mind giving this post a little tap on the heart icon? 🫶