Friday Styles: A Case in (Needle)Point

Most of the time, contributing to this blog is one of the high points of my day. It is my hobby and my great escape- when I'm doing the things I enjoy less (like unloading the dishwasher or picking up my dog's poo), I often let my mind wander and find myself daydreaming about what I want to write about next. I usually have a mental list a mile long of projects and ideas I can't wait to write about and share with you. But, for some reason, all the pleasure and joy I take in blogging goes out the window on Fridays, like a miracle in reverse. Maybe it's because I've already used up the week's best ideas, or because I am distracted and impatient to get the weekend started, but I find I end up with a massive, impenetrable writer's block on Friday. By Monday, that excitement and enthusiasm are always back in full force, but on Friday, I feel like I am running on fumes. "So, write Friday's post on Thursday!", my husband declares, as if I hadn't thought of that (and failed at it) already. So my latest solution to this problem is to start a new feature: Friday Styles. These posts will feature something that I own that I think is awesome, and that I think you should probably buy, too. That way, my reasoning goes, when I'm stuck, I can just look around my apartment until I spot something to write about. Hopefully, this will also help me rediscover all the great stuff I have stashed away in my place, and remember to be grateful for it. I hope you enjoy.

Custom Needlepoint Monogrammed Loafers, $158, from By Paige.
Okay, so I know I've shown these babies before, but it was almost a year ago, and I don't think I gave them the fanfare they deserve back then, so they are making an encore appearance today. These monogrammed needlepoint loafers were a gift from my husband, a man who never met a popped collar he didn't like (a.k.a. the reigning Preppiest Man Alive). While my own fashion choices are a little more eclectic, there is something wonderfully traditional, classic and pulled-together about the Brooks Brothers set, and I absolutely adore these shoes, from By Paige. Despite being personalized and handmade (you can choose everything from the pattern - think zebra- to the colors, to the font), I think they are very reasonably priced. And they are so comfortable, that I usually slip them on whenever I am just lounging around the apartment. I know they are a little over-the-top (that's sort of the point), but to keep them from going too "costume-y", I wear them with skinny jeans, a blazer, and chunky jewelry (as opposed to Lilly Pulitzer capris). The downside is that because they are custom, they can take up to 4 months to arrive- but at least you know that a classic like these will be in style (or not, depending on your perspective) forever.