Emma’s Coat (adult version here), Dress (adult version here), Tights, Mary Janes, and Bow

WINNER: Caroline L.! Enter to win the new $100 gift card giveaway here. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you’re looking for early Black Friday sales to shop, check out this post. :) Today, though, Mitch and I thought we’d take some time to give back and talk about what we’re grateful for.

And one of those things just so happens to be YOU! Really: you’re phenomenal, and we talk about how lucky we are to have you on a regular basis. Honestly, it feels like we have this little cheerleading squad behind us at all times. When things get hard or we’re feeling overwhelmed, our support team is there to cheer us on. You remind us daily–whether through your messages or through the act of reading and following–that life is wonderful and people are inherently good.

Thank you. More on that below, but as a token of thanks, we’re giving away a $100 Nordstrom e-gift card today. (Nordstrom just announced that they’re offering an extra 20 percent off selected sale products! AMAZING selection!) To enter to win, all you have to do is comment in the comment section below. Obviously, we’d love to hear what you’re grateful for. But as always, you can say whatever you want (as long as it’s PG), and it’ll count as an entry. (#swimmingscallops, anyone?) Just remember to include your email so we can get in touch with you! Do it like this so you don’t get spammed by bots: Kelly (at) kellyinthecity.com. <– Example // Good luck, guys! Thank you for being such a big part of our lives. The winner will be announced at 11:59 p.m. tonight. (Or, you know, as close to that as we can manage. Because let’s face it: we’re hot messes. 😜)

Also, we’d like to dedicate today’s post to the American Cancer Society. Please consider donating. Every little bit gets us closer to finding a cure.  ❤️

Okay. Here we go!

Mitch

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. None of us are at work right now. Instead, we are societally encouraged to overeat throughout the day. And if we’re lucky, we get to overeat with the people we love the most. This holiday is such a weird idea. Just imagine if Thanksgiving was being proposed for the first time today: Hey, everybody! We should really designate a Thursday in late November as a national day to give thanks. We could call it… I dunno… Thanksday or something. I’m not sold on the name. But wouldn’t it be nice if the government could, like, mandate a bank holiday to appreciate the beauty of life, togetherness and prosperity we all enjoy?

Well, it happened! Today, we collectively agree to disrupt our lives for the chance to share a meal with our families and friends. We also agree as a nation to cook the exact same meal for some reason–a meal that is so special and delicious that none of the dishes are ever served on any other day. Roasted turkey? Cranberry sauce? Pecan Pie? Thanksday exclusives!

My family does a nice “what are you thankful for” ritual–that is, if you aren’t denigrated to the kids’ table– and while I typically never know what to say, I’d like to take this platform as the husband of a fashion blogger to publicly proclaim my thanks in the tradition of the holiday.

  1.  Being here. As a guy who spent his 20s far away from home, I feel truly lucky to be so close to my family. A drive beats a flight any day, and I loved every minute of my drive home last night. I love that Emma gets to explore my family’s farm and hike around Lake Bloomington. After spending a weekend here, my face hurts from smiling so much.
  2. My in-laws. This is a big shoutout to Kelly’s parents who have accommodated our relocation with such loving acceptance. When I up and moved Kelly to Chicago, Chris and Cathy never pulled me aside to give me the business. Instead, they bent and continue to bend over backwards to be with us as often as possible. They are the most supportive in-laws I’ve ever had. ;)
  3. Kelly. My wife is astonishing. What else can I say? I met her eight years ago in the South Bronx, and now we have a house and a kid. She has taught me how to write, to take pictures, to be a good person, and to be a good dad. She works so hard for us everyday; she’s worked for four years until the middle of the night every single night to get everything done. I am so lucky that she is in my life. :)
  4. My parents. While I’m on the topic of luck, I have to shoutout my parents. As I write this, post dozens of family members are inbound. Turkeys have been grown, butchered, seasoned, baked and smoked. Green beans have been casseroled and cranberries have been sauced. Wine bottles have been chilled, corked and preemptively poured. Today is going to be a great day, and it isn’t an accident. My parents are the freaking best. As we pulled into the driveway and took Emma out of her car seat, she straight up shrieked when she saw her grandparents’ house. Honestly, I felt the same way.
  5. Emma. So it’s weird that Emma is a person. It seems like only a few months ago that Kelly and I were debating what gender the baby was and throwing around names. But to now have a full on human person living in our house is… crazy! The best part of it all is that Emma is so freaking cool. I love every minute I get to be with her. She is hilarious, inquisitive, kind and a little sassy. Emma has made my little life complete and I can’t wait until the morning when I get to play with her again. :)

Sorry for the sappy sentiment! It’s Thanksgiving, after all. I’d love to hear what you’re thankful for in the comments below. Happy Thanksgiving!

Kelly

I’ll keep this short and sweet, but I first want to reflect on just how wonderful my husband is. No, he’s not perfect. He never remembers to close cabinets and drawers, and he has this weird obsession with replacing our light switches in the hope of smart-ifying our home that was built in the 1800s. ;) But I adore him, and am so, so grateful that he’s my husband. He’s genuinely the kindest person I’ve ever known. He’ll do anything for Emma and me–or for his family and friends. (And that includes watching Moana like five times a day.) He’s funny and fun-loving; he’s sweet and romantic. He’s hardworking and talented; he’s adventurous and down for anything. It’s hard to sum him up in one short paragraph, but at the risk of sounding completely cliched, I’ll say it: he’s my everything. Thank you for all you do for us, Mitch. I love you, and I’m so in love with you.

And then there’s Emma. Goodness. About a zillion times per day, I think about how lucky I am to be her mom. At nearly 16 months, Emma is fearless. She has the spunkiest personality, and she is–at heart–an explorer. I live for her hugs and kisses; her little “oohs” and “aahs” in the morning when I go into her nursery to get her. I love seeing the world through her eyes, and I love watching her discover and learn and develop and play. Motherhood is challenging, and don’t get me wrong: I have my hard days. But everything, and I mean everything, is worth it the moment she rests her head on my shoulder or crawls into my lap or looks up at me and says, “Mama?” You are perfect, Emma Catherine, and I love you to pieces.

I’m also incredibly lucky to be a member my immediate family, Mitch’s immediate family, Mitch’s extended family, my mom’s side of the family, and my dad’s side of the family. Each “unit” is so special, and I’m constantly astounded by how close-knit, supportive and loving all of our families are. I’m so thankful to be a part of each and every one, and I truly wish I could be with everyone today. Why can’t we all just live in a commune or something? Come on, guys. I MISS YOU. (Side note: I realize I’m the one who moved the farthest away. Fingers crossed for wormholes or everyone deciding that they want to live in Chicago, haha.)

And my friends. Right now, I’m feeling incredibly grateful to have such wonderful and understanding friends. It’s not exactly new news that I struggle with being a good mom, working full time, maintaining the house, focusing on my marriage, and carving out time for friends. There’s just so much, and there are only so many hours in the day. Right now, I feel like a failure, and I’ve fallen out of touch with so many of my very best friends on account of everything I listed above and the fact that I now live in Chicago. Still, my friends are amazing. Every time I send a “I’m so sorry” text, I’m met with love and understanding. And for that, I am forever grateful. I can’t believe I have so many friends with whom I can simply pick up where we left off. I’m a lucky girl.

And as I mentioned earlier, I have YOU. I know I’m not the best at correspondence, and I’m trying really hard to become better. (So sorry. Character flaw, I suppose.) But thank you. Thank you for being an invisible rock when I’m having a rough day. Thank you for weighing in and offering up your opinion on matters I’m confused about. Thank you for dropping kind notes just because. You are fabulous, and I can’t imagine life without you.

Happy Thanksgiving! What are you grateful for?

Shop the post:

Emma’s Coat (adult version here), Dress (adult version here), Tights, Mary Janes, and Bow

Shop my favorite Black Friday sales early — and here are some great deals you shouldn’t miss:

Nordstrom

Nordstrom launched its sale early. A few awesome sale finds: this camel peacoat which is under $38 (go one size up); this pair of scalloped pumps (SO COMFY! They run TTS… just received them); my favorite AG jeansmy red tartan top (!!!); this pair of waterproof (!!!) over-the-knee boots (again, so comfy. I LOVE  mine. Order a half size up!); this pair of Rag & Bone jeans; and this pair of solid black block heel pumps. I also recommend this affordable pair of over-the-knee boots that my cousins swear by (and this similar pair), my favorite Free People sweater everthis $19 pair of leather leggings (!), my favorite booties, this camel fur-lined coat, this camel Ralph Lauren coat, this Penfield fleecethis buffalo check jacketmy light blue wrap coat, this cozy Free People sweater, and this gorgeous black dress. Oh! And lots of Barbour on sale.

L.L.Bean

You can use code “THANKS20” to take 20 percent off clothes and outerwear. (Plus get a $10 gift card when you spend $50 or more.) THIS IS HUGE! I love this navy sweater, this shearling vest, this pullover (such a classic!), this camel coat, these flannel pajamas, this fisherman sweater (size down), this duffle coat (OMG), this cashmere sweater, this quilted quarter-zip, this classic fisherman sweater, this fleece pullover, this red coat, this pea coat, the best plaid flannel shirt in the history of the world, this super soft and cozy pullover, and this cable-knit pullover. Goodness–SO obsessed with L.L.Bean this year!

Shopbop

The Shopbop sale is on! Use code “MORE17” to take 20 percent off orders of $200+, 25 percent off orders of $500+, and 30 percent off orders of $800+. First, let’s talk jeans. This is my favorite pair of Rag & Bone Jeans, and this is my favorite pair of AG Jeans… and both are included in the sale. I’m a HUGE fan of AG legging jeans, so this pair, this pair and this pair are on my list! Oh, and this super dark pair, which is great for the holidays and winter in general. This leopard Clare V. clutch is a fave and I wear it constantly; this pair of Commando leggings are SO comfy; David Lerner kills it with the leather leggings; I found my favorite booties for the lowest price I’ve ever seen them for; my Madewell tote is included; I really, really need this pair of cap toe pumps; and ooooh–the Gucci lookalike loafers! Other awesome finds: this bow-adorned dress, all the Stuart Weitzman bootsthe best oversized scarf ever (and its sister), all the Hunter boots, this striped bathing suit for a vacation, the Loeffler Randall scalloped Emi sandals, all the Mar Y Sol bags, this pair of leather leggings, this Chanel bag lookalike, and all the Salvatore Ferragamo bow-adorned pumps and flats.

Tuckernuck

GAH! So exciting. As you guys know, I’m a psychopath about Tuckernuck, haha. Every look is so classy and put-together, yet EASY–something I think we all need in our lives right about now. Today, you can take 20 percent off all orders, 25 percent off orders of $500+, and 30 percent off orders over $1,000 when you use code “GONUTS.” There’s so much to choose from, but my favorites include the fur vest (try the Nordstrom one if it’s sold out or the black version), this popcorn sweater, these cap toe pumps, this red plaid scarf, this plaid cape, this poncho, this black lace cami, this turtleneck, this metallic skirt, these dresses, these velvet leggings (such a staple!), this navy plaid scarf, this red tartan skirt (OMG), and this cashmere poncho. So good, right?!

J.Crew

Guys. J.Crew is currently offering 40 percent off and free shipping with code “THANKU,” and the new arrivals are out of this world amazing. Let’s just say you’re going to be seeing a lot of them on the blog in the weeks leading up to Christmas, haha. Obviously, I’m a huge fan of the shirt I’m wearing in these photos (though mine’s an older version), but I’m also obsessed with this fair isle sweater, this stewart plaid shirt, this velvet cami, this black watch plaid dress, these black watch plaid pants, this plaid ruffled top, this plaid midi dress, these black watch pajamas, these tartan loafers, and this tartan scarf. The best part is that J.Crew won’t be changing its sale; it’s going on through the weekend! So you can rest easy knowing you’re getting an awesome deal. (Plus, a lot of the plaid stuff will likely sell out. So good to grab it now! Seriously, though: J.Crew is making a huge comeback in my book. Woo!)

 

J.Crew Factory

J.Crew Factory is also killin’ it on the holiday front. Everything is 50 percent off right now (no code needed), and there are SO many amazing products to choose from. This houndstooth dress is IN MY CART, and I also love this drapey plaid top, this velvet tank, this tartan button-down (identical to the one I’m wearing in these pics?), this plaid ruffled tank, this ruffle collar plaid sweatshirt, this quilted plaid vest, this black watch plaid skirt, these tartan flats, this camel cable-knit sweaterthese sequined pumps (OMG), this tartan scarf, this stewart plaid ruffled shirt, and this bow-necked sweater. I mean, how does a plaid-loving girl even choose?!

Talbots

25 percent off your order with code “25ALL.”

I know. I used to think that Talbots was for old ladies, but one of two things is happening here:

  1. Talbots is upping its game.
  2. I’m becoming an old lady. 😉

Either way, let’s focus on the amazing selection of holiday shoes that Talbots is currently carrying. Holiday shoes sell out so quickly, but I feel like Talbots is a hidden gem in this department, and their stuff stays in stock much longer. That said, pounce now! They tend to disappear during the Black Friday madness. There are so many great pairs (see above), but my faves include THIS PAIRthe pom pom plaid pair, these bow mules, this pair of bow-adorned black watch plaid pumps, this pair of block heel plaid pumps, this pair of tortoise pumps, and these black watch flannel flats. Oh, and I have these leopard pumps and LOVE them, and I’m contemplating these cap toe pumps. For sizing purposes, I usually wear either a 7 or 7.5 in pumps, and I go with the 7 in Talbots heels. Hope that helps!

And remember to enter the giveaway: Comment below to win a $100 Nordstrom gift card!

^ You can say anything (as long as it’s PG), or simply tell us what you’re grateful for this year. Winner announced late tonight!

WINNER: Caroline L.! Enter to win the new $100 gift card giveaway here. :)

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