Happy weekend, friends! For many years since launching Style Charade, I had a series called Friday Charades, which was designed to be a recap of the things I’m loving, watching, reading, cooking, and shopping right now. It was met with a lot of positive feedback, and the only reason we slowed down on it was because of how busy life became.
However, after chatting with a few of you, I realized it became a series you genuinely looked forward to reading. As such, I’m excited to resurrect the series in a new form! Moving forward, we’ll be transitioning to Weekend Charades, which will go live every Saturday morning.
Consider this your weekly catch-up of fun (and positive things around the Internet), fashion news you need to know, and so much more. Please DM me with feedback in the coming weeks, as it’s so nice to connect with you and hear your insights. After all, I truly love personalizing these round-ups, so please let me know if you want me to add anything in the months to come!
What We’re Up To
This weekend, we’re heading to the inaugural Art Coast Food & Wine Festival in Saugatuck, Michigan, a destination we love and visited last year. Between Masters of Food & Wine at Paws Up Montana and Kohler Food & Wine, we truly love celebrating the chefs, the culinary offerings and the wine, so I’m so excited there’s another Midwest festival to enjoy. BRAVO Top Chef’s Kristen Kish is headlining (love her!), and the weekend wraps with Saturday’s Grand Tasting. It should be a good time!
In My Cart
Before we pack the car for our road trip, I also wanted to share some of the things I’m loving this week, from a fabulous holiday drop (don’t overlook these lace-up boots with faux shearling) to a few of my favorite holiday decorating ideas.
J.Crew’s Holiday Drop
Leave it to J.Crew to debut the perfect new holiday collection. It’s a total win, from the sweaters to the sequin pieces. I just saved these winter lace-up boots with faux shearling to purchase for a holiday gift for a loved one, and they look so similar to a pair I already own. Also, these bow earrings? C’mon!
Cailini Coastal’s Holiday Collection
Cailini Coastal’s holiday pieces are a dream for a blue and white Christmas, just like our hydrangea Christmas tree. You really can’t go wrong with any of the pieces from their line. We love incorporating the decor items, from their stockings to festive accents.
Party Season, Early
From our Sail to Sable x Style Charade Holiday 2026 collection, the Anne Velvet Midi Dress (pictured above) is made for the season’s parties. Add a little tinsel tweed and Lisi Lerch’s gorgeous new holiday bags, including this sweet wreath clutch and perfect tartan bag.
Tried and Loved
Our hydrangea Christmas tree is still one of my favorite holiday projects to date. We started with a Birch Lane 7.5′ pre-lit fir tree and filled it with faux hydrangeas (find them in The Amazon Edit below). Here’s my step-by-step guide.
Generally, I don’t lean towards traditional red and green holiday decor. SO many brands offer unique takes on color combinations to add visual interest to your home. For example, we loved the blush and sage tones of our Frontgate tree, and the beautiful blues from our Cailini Coastal décor.
My full Christmas decorations list is fully customized with the top new arrivals, from ornaments to the flocked garland on our mantel. Plus, my picks for the best flocked Christmas trees.
The Amazon Edit
Looking for more attainable finds? Amazon is a great place to start. I love these holiday items all under $100:
The Charades List
Reading: The Correspondent, a recommendation from our sweet neighbor. Author, Virginia Evans has the most wonderful writing style. I find myself laughing out loud and every emotion in between.
Watching: The Mob on Hulu, a total guilty pleasure where celebrities compete in a mob-inspired game hosted by Parker Posey.
Listening: My go-to’s are Crime Junkie, Amy Poehler’s Good Hang, and Smartless – the perfect trio of podcasts.
Cooking: Joshua Weissman’s chicken parmesan recipe, which makes leftovers for lunches and dinners. Be sure to watch his YouTube video on how to make it. As part of it, he highly recommends both the fresh rosemary and bacon additions. Don’t overlook them!
In Case You Missed It: Recently on Style Charade
I’ve loved being more active on the blog lately, and excited to share some of the recent blog posts:
- Is the Veronica Beard Dickey Coat Worth It? My Honest Review
- How to Sleep Better After Daylight Saving Time
- Exclusive Preview of the Style Charade Holiday 2026 Collection
Happy Weekend
Wishing you a cozy weekend. Also, if you haven’t shopped it yet, a quick reminder the Sephora Savings Event ends Nov 9: here’s what to buy.
Have a great rest of your weekend, friends!