October went too quick, and nearly every year, this month consistently reminds me how I wish we lived in a world where the leaves were always turned red or yellow. We had a super busy month, but some of my favorite moments included having a small Halloween soirée at our apartment (pics at the end of this post!), and celebrating my late friend, Lindsey’s, first heavenly birthday. She would have been 28 on 10/20. These moments have had me filled with gratitude for friends and extended families. My dad always joked when I was growing up: you can choose your friends not your family, and while he’s right, I think it goes even further… you can choose friends who become your family, too. Here’s what I’ve been loving this month.

FASHION

Two-Piece Rib Knit Long Sleeve Crop Top — Cue that obnoxious Tiktok audio: “If I like it, I’ll just get it in another color!” I actually said exactly this in my last monthly post feat. this same sweater in the gray shade. I love how cozy it is and how you can dress it up or down (honestly, you can even throw a black turtleneck bodysuit underneath) and I simply couldn’t go without this new caramel color they dropped. It’ll be super cute paired with a leather skirt, pants or even just some black denim!

Cuup The Balconette Bra — Long gone are the days where I used to go to the mall and spend hours in Victoria’s Secret PINK. Not only have I pretty much moved on from the brand (sorry not sorry), I’m finally at the age where I feel like I’m grown up enough (lol) to spend money on nice lingerie. This pretty balconette bra is one of the splurges I recently made, and it’s worth every penny. It’s super comfortable, the material is super high quality and the straps easily adjustable. Not to mention, it’s chic AF!

Drop Dangle Earrings Amazon Fashion — Lol, so I actually got these earrings for my Christine Halloween costume (yes, Sean was the Phantom), but I’m also kind of enthralled with them as something I could wear on the reg, too. I love the marbleized beetle shell look, plus the dangling pearls, and I feel like they’d look stunning paired with an evening dress — maybe something satin black or brown.

home decor

Long Stem Glass Floating Candle Holders — There’s not much I love more than the look of floating candles, which is why I knew I had to have them for our small Halloween gathering. These candle holders are stunning to look at and the black smoke hue on the glass edges them up a little. Sure, I technically bought them for Halloween but damn, I will probably keep these out all year around!

Black Velvet Duvet Set — Switching up our bedding to something cozier and dark was on the docket as we transition to the colder months, and I couldn’t be more impressed with this comfy set from Amazon Home. It comes with a duvet (ideal if you’re in a tiny NYC apartment and can’t store your current comforter anywhere besides ON the bed lol), plus two king/queen sized- pillow cases and totally warms up any bedroom space with a comfy touch.

LUSH Orange Blossom Candle * gifted * — October is all about lighting candles, IMO. Not only does it give your spot instantly cozy vibes with one swipe of a match, it also makes it smell amazing too. Orange Blossom is the ideal fall scent, and I love lighting this in our room at night to help us relax, unwind and beat all the sunday scaries.

“Keep thy friend Under thy own life’s key.”

[All’s Well That Ends Well 1.1]

Cheers, xx A. Martine