Monday Memo No. 109
Helpful finds for a sweeter holiday season. (And beyond!)
Gift Guides
You may have noticed, but I have been hard at work, like all good elves, putting together five gift guides that will finish off even the toughest person remaining on your list. I’m focusing on real, actual, no seriously what do I get them gifts for every kind of gifting this year. There’s a LOT to explore and most things can still arrive in time for Christmas so check out all of my guides below! Best Holiday Gifts: Under $100 Best Holiday Gifts: Beauty & Skincare Best Holiday Gifts: Tech Gadgets Best Holiday Gifts: Kitchen & Home Best Holiday Gifts: Outside-The-Box
Owning The Interview
If you follow on Instagram, you may have heard the exciting news that Rich and I recently launched a digital course, Owning The Interview! This labor of love has been over two years in the making and offers job hunters the comprehensive insider strategies to approach any interview with confidence. It’s always vital to have strong skills when looking for a new job, but perhaps never more important than this year, when so much has changed for so many of us professionally. In creating this course, we combined our own extensive experience on both sides of the interview table with tips from dozens of executives and hiring managers from Fortune 500 companies, startups, and everything in between to offer the most robust suite of tools for any job interview, no matter what level and no matter what industry. Make no mistake: this is not your average fluffy interview course that’s going to tell you to sit up straight and make eye contact. We’re breaking down the specific methods and secret tactics that make all the difference in standing out from the competition that you truly won’t hear anywhere else.
Tommy John Loungewear & Pajamas
Basically, the entire internet has been singing the praises of Tommy John loungewear this year. Obviously, I had to try them (I live for this kind of research), and I was delighted to discover that yes, they’re every bit as amazing as promised. I tried this henley jogger set in two colors, both stunning, and I have a feeling I’m not done yet. However, the real winner from Tommy John might have to be their pajama set, which quickly climbed to the top of my list of pajama greatest hits. Yes, I keep a list. For the next 24 hours, you can get 25% off your Tommy John order with code MARYORTON25. I truly can’t recommend their pieces highly enough. The fit and fabrics are EXCEPTIONAL and everything washes really well. Man, I love it when the internet is right.
Most Popular On Amazon
I thought I’d take a second to let you know about a few Amazon products I’ve talked about recently that have resulted in crazy amounts of clicks, purchases and rave reviews:-
- We’re really, really into fleece-lined leggings, but color me not shocked. I mean how comfy do they look?? Also, THEY HAVE POCKETS.
- Comfy bralettes. I mean obviously. It is 2020 after all.
- Comfy long-sleeeve tees. Similarly speaking, this was the year our basics and comfortable work-from-home wear really did a lot of the wardrobe heavy-lifting. This tee is so soft, so comfortable, and makes for the perfect stand-alone top or layering piece.
- We didn’t abandon all sense of elevated style, however, and I was delighted to see this A-line skirt stand out to so many of you. Love all the plaid options!
- I raved about this ultra-soft french terry sweatshirt so much (for good reason), that I wasn’t at all surprised to see it appear as a top performer. I’ve got three colors now. And you know that’s just a start.
Holiday Movie Rankings & Streaming Info
You can stop googling “best holiday movies” every weekend. I’ve found a MUCH better resource. This site ranks all the greatest holiday movies, gives you their rotten tomato score AND tells you where you can stream them. I appreciate that they’ve taken the effort out of watching movies from home, which is kind of the whole point. Happy Holidays, one and all.
Fenty Beauty Glow Trio
The holidays are such a good time to grab deals on beauty items you’ve been meaning to try, because both full-size and smaller versions of products are often packaged together in adorable gifts, as is the case with this STEAL on three glow-focused Fenty products you can use all year long. (It’s on sale right now!)
The Spruce Eats Cooking School
We’re all searching for amazing holiday recipes, but remember: that’s only productive if we know how to COOK. I love the resourcefulness of this Cooking School section on The Spruce Eats. Whether you’re brand new to cooking at home this much (thanks 2020!) or you just want to brush up on your skills, this is an amazing free resource for feeling more confident in the kitchen.
Net-A-Porter’s Gillian Anderson Cover Story
Give me everything Gillian Anderson has ever worn or will ever wear. If you haven’t yet seen this STUNNING Net-A-Porter shoot starring one of my favorite British-American actors, Gillian Anderson, run, don’t walk. Or in this case, CLICK DON’T BOOKMARK. The styling is impeccable and I essentially want every single thing she’s wearing, which is cool because it’s all shoppable at Net-A-Porter if you’re looking for some killer investment pieces. While you’re there, check out their incredible 70% off sale.
Gorgeous Fair Isle Sweaters
Fair Isle sweaters that aren’t obnoxious! What a feat. When shopping the cozy wonder that is Fair Isle, it’s important to remember that IT’S NOT ALWAYS CHRISTMAS. Look for patterns and colors like these, that don’t scream holiday, but definitely have a few things to say about style. This one is my personal fave.
The Monocle Guide To Better Living
This year we’ve been in survival mode a LOT. I love the idea of starting off 2021 by reminding ourselves that we can read up on living well, too. This engaging guide will walk you (or your giftee) through all aspects of upgrading your everyday items and practices. It’s genius. What a great gift.
French Girl Rose Lip Polish
Anyone else suffering from what I’ll charmingly call WINTER MOUTH? This rose lip polish can tackle the issue at hand. It’s a sugar scrub that’s mint-infused and formulated with nourishing butters, designed to remove dry skin and leave lips feeling soft and hydrated.
Box One Game
This is a game for one person so feel free to ignore your family for 24 hours and play to your heart’s content! Created by Neil Patrick Harris (yes I’m serious!), this is the perfect gift for anyone who’s a fan of puzzles, codes, escape rooms, etc. While you can play Box One with more than one person, this is really a thoughtful gift for anyone who’s been riding out the pandemic solo.
The Best Trader Joe’s Holiday Products
Hello and welcome to my holiday season grocery list. If you look forward to Trader Joe’s festive items all year, make sure you peruse this master list for anything you might accidentally be overlooking. By the way, if the store is out of chocolate-covered peppermint Joe-Joes, I’m going to require hospitalization.
Best Places To Donate Unwanted Items
At the holidays, and certainly at the start of the new year, we’ll all likely be focused on giving more than receiving, especially this year. This helpful guide will help you determine the best places to donate your previously loved items to those who can give them a second life.
Stuart Weitzman Faux Pearl Embellished Leather Loafers
Literally everything you need to know in order to add to cart instantly is in the title of these fabulous flats, but allow me to tempt you even further: They are SO COMFY. You know I love a good loafre, and when you add a faux pearl embellishment well then, it’s a crime NOT to own them, really. (They’re majorly marked down right now!)
Bluapple Produce Freshness Saver Balls
It’s cold outside, let’s commit to leaving the house to go to the grocery store as infrequently as possible. These genius little apple-shaped fridge inserts extend the life of your produce by 2-3 times! They’re refillable, so just add a new insert every three months or so. This is great for the holidays when we’re all likely to have lots of fresh ingredients around for festive recipes!
One response to “Monday Memo No. 109”
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Okay. I was just telling my husband I want to take a cooking class, but you know we can’t leave our home…this website is great!
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