Cheryl Shops

Whenever I create my birthday posts, I like to look back on the previous year and see what I ended up getting. (Update on 2023: two of five items received, plus one more in progress.) Turns out these posts have some pretty strong manifesting powers, and who am I to argue with that? In the spirit of abundance, here's what's on my wishlist for this year. 

Of all the famous quotes Coco Chanel dropped in her lifetime, for some reason, people tend to remember this one: "Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off." It's solid advice, but if you like accessories as much as I do, it can feel a bit stifling. (And frankly, I prefer "The best things in life are free. The second best are very expensive," which is 1000% spot on.) I truly believe that accessories can make your outfit: a strategically placed belt can transform your entire silhouette, the right earrings can light up your whole face, and never underestimate the power of a chic scarf. I do agree that too much can be...too much, but when you find accessories that you love, a little can go a long way. So with that in mind, here are the 5 accessories I'm wearing the most in 2024 (so far).

As I've noted several times in the last year or so, we're in the middle of a silhouette shift from skinny jeans to wide-leg jeans, and for some of us, it's been a bit rocky. Honestly, I was happy to see skinny jeans go—I owned several pairs over the years but was never a huge fan; I have very bony ankles and if my jeans are too fitted there, they make me look awkwardly out of proportion. I like wide-leg trousers in general (shout out to the Madewell Harlow pant, one of my best buys of 2023), but because denim is such a thick fabric, any sort of slouchy or relaxed jean can be tricky to pull off. That hasn't stopped me from trying (check out this post at your own risk) and still probably won't in the future, but I recently came to the conclusion that straight-leg jeans just work so much better for my body type, so until I find a fit that I like even more, I'm just going to stick with them. I have three go-to cuts from three different brands; read on for my honest opinion on the best straight leg jeans out there.