We’re taking a stroll down memory lane and sharing a few of our favorites from 2022. These are tried and true fashion, beauty and decor finds we use all the time (and would buy again!). Some you’ve seen on the blog and some are new. All are worth a second look, especially if you are looking for a last minute gift.
Because friends share the good stuff, add your favorites in the comments. We’re looking to try new things in 2023!
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Favorite Clothing Purchase
CHRISTA : Does a purse count in this category? I’m still loving my favorite Tory Burch Kira crossbody bag (originally shared last February in this post). It’s the perfect size and softest leather. I’m seeing online that it is sold out in most places, but Tory Burch has this updated square version that might be on my 2023 wish list!
MEGAN : I’m not sure I can pick just one! I can’t stop wearing my coated jeans (currently on sale). They have been my wardrobe holiday hero, most recently with a cream silk cami and my sequined duster. In everyday life I’ve been wearing my P448 sneakers a lot (limited sizing because they are on sale, but these are fully stocked and similar!). They are great with jeans, khakis, joggers…so comfortable and elevate any look. Both Nordstrom Anniversary Sale purchases.
Favorite Lipstick
CHRISTA : I can’t recommend the tarte Maracuja Juicy lip balm (hibiscus color) enough. Love it so much that it was my favorite things gift this year! They also have a lip plumper, lip creme, lip liner and lipstick, too — and I love them all. (And remember when we celebrated National Lipstick Day on the blog?)
MEGAN : If you know me in real life, you know that I ALWAYS have 32 lipsticks in my purse, pocket, fanny pack, car… you get the idea. My current fav is a lip oil by Merit. No weird taste, not sticky, not too heavy; it’s very natural and layers really well over other lipsticks. (chef’s kiss!) I have the color “Pink Beet” and it’s the perfect cool pink. Also notable, this is a clean beauty product.
Favorite Nail Color
CHRISTA : I took a break from doing my nails, but when I started getting color again last week, I went right to my favorite OPI “Just Lanai-ing Around.”
MEGAN : The LONDONTOWN Illuminating Nail Concealer (in color Milky – I know it looks white, but it’s so good!) is by far my favorite polish this year. It gives that fresh manicured look without a trip to the salon. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Favorite Shoes
CHRISTA : You’ve seen them on the blog many times, so no surprise when I say my favorite shoes are the SCHUTZ Victorie sandals (natural/cork with the clear straps). Fun fact: It was Megan who actually introduced me to these — she is a true influencer! They’re the kind of shoe that just works with everything! If you don’t have them yet, grab a pair so you’re ready for your spring break vacay!
MEGAN : Well I already talked about my P448s, so I guess I get two favorite shoes! My other favorite shoe purchase this year is my white Cushionaire Berkinstock Arizona dupes. I trounced all over Paris in them and found them on my feet daily even after I got home. It should be noted that lots of the chic Parisian ladies were also wearing white comfort sandals. Ya heard it here first!
Favorite Song
CHRISTA : My radio is always playing Alt Nation on Sirrius XM, and there are so many artists on there that I love. What I liked best about Alt Nation is that they always share new artists, so I’m always discovering a new favorite! It’s impossible to pick just one (Matt Maeson, Dean Lewis, Glass Animals, Walk the Moon, The Killers, Panic at the Disco! just to name a few!), so here’s a new song I’m enjoying right now:
MEGAN : Spotify tells me that my most played song in 2022 was “You and Me” by Dave Matthews. But is that my favorite? Nope. In August I went to the Chris Stapleton concert and it was awesome. I love “Broken Halos” and “Tennessee Whiskey” but my favorite is “Starting Over”. I think it’s the line “…where ever we are is where I wanna be…”. It speaks to my soul.
Favorite Recipe
CHRISTA : OMG. What’s a recipe??? Isn’t this Megan’s category? Just kidding…sort of! I love starting my day with this breakfast protein shake. It fills me up, I feel less bloated and it’s a great way to start the day. The shake includes:
- 6 oz. almond milk
- 3/4 banana (it’s 3/4 because my dogs each get a piece!)
- 2 scoops chocolate protein powder
- 1 scoop “fruits & greens” powder supplement
- 1 cup ice
- 1 Tbsp almond butter
MEGAN : Gotta go with my Granny’s Wacky Cake. It’s so good and easy! I’m going to make it for Christmas and switch the vanilla buttercream frosting to peppermint buttercream and sprinkle crushed candy canes on top. YUM!
Favorite Book
CHRISTA : As you can probably tell from the blog, I’m not a huge reader. The book from 2022 that I enjoyed the most was The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid — it was a great book, but also memorable since I read it by the pool in Miami! I prefer reading on my Kindle on vacation — it’s so easy to pack and I always have a few good reads downloaded. (And don’t forget to check out Amazon First Reads for a free Kindle book every month with your Prime membership.) I do like to read online (blogs, newsletters, etc.) and really enjoy Katie Courics’ daily emails — great to catch up on a little bit of news, a little bit of lifestyle tips.
MEGAN : Picking a favorite book is like choosing a favorite child, impossible. However, The Beekeeper of Aleppo has stuck with me through out these last few months. I find myself thinking of Nuri and his wife as I hear the stories in the news about Ukraine. The Beekeeper of Aleppo is about a husband and wife immigrating from Syria through Greece to England. It chronicles their struggles to leave their beloved home and the atrocities they encounter on their journey. An amazingly beautiful (sometimes heartbreaking) story that is relevant to our world on so many levels.
Favorite Walk and Talk Gear
CHRISTA : I have two answers for this one, and they’ve both been shared a lot on the blog. That’s because they are THAT good (they both made our gift guides for a reason!). My Simple Modern water bottle keeps water icy cold, and the lululemon belt bag is the handiest for walks. (The lululemon belt bag is always going out of stock, so we have the perfect dupe for you — they even sell it in a camo print or the fun Sherpa!)
MEGAN : My ON Sneakers are without a doubt my favorite Walk and Talk gear. Second only to my walking buddies, especially Christa!
Favorite Amazon Find
MEGAN : I discovered these last December when I gifted them to my workout buddies. The Shower Steamer Tabs have been a Style Among Friends all time MVP. If you have a cold, allergies, a bad day or just need to feel like you are at the spa these little shower steamers are the perfect pick me up. They are also the perfect hostess gift. Put them in a cute bowl, slide it into a cellophane bag and stick a bow on it.
CHRISTA : My favorite discovery from Amazon might just be the Prime Try Before You Buy option. (Check out our post about it here.) Buying clothes on Amazon is challenging (hot or miss on quality)and everything ships separately making it a lot to track. But buying them with the Try Before You Buy simplifies the process. You can get up to six items at a time, it all ships together (making any returns easier, too) and you only pay for what you keep. It’s like Stitch Fix without the extra stylist fee. Now I’m buying all my clothes on Amazon this way — saving them in the Try Before You Buy cart and checking out when I have six items to try. Bonus: this way of shopping eliminates those impulse clothing buys that NEVER really work anyway!
My favorite purchase using the Try Before You Buy is this sweater that I wear all the time! The Drop clothing by Amazon has really impressed me with their quality.
Favorite Splurge
CHRISTA : My new skincare from Stripes definitely feels like a splurge every morning! Leaves my skin feeling so soft and smooth. It’s like my own little spa treatment every day! Try it — you deserve it!
MEGAN : Purses are my weakness…well, and shoes. But purses are my fav. Lately I’ve been loving Clare V. Her whimsical style really fits my vibe. The Moyen in black (woven leather, crescent shape) has quickly achieved status in my collection. I added an Amazon bag strap and she gets even more compliments now! The perfect size, holds all my lipsticks, a wallet, my phone and a few other necessities.
Favorite Haircare
MEGAN : I love my hair dryer, it’s fast and not too hot. In fact it uses ionic technology to dry hair faster and with less frizz and static. I bought this on a whim because it looks so similar to another very expensive one and you know what? It’s great. Ten months later and I’m still loving it and so is my hair.
CHRISTA : Since I cut my hair shorter, I am styling it a lot more (no more go-to pony tail!). My two favorite things to get the style just right are my Kristen Ess Volumizing Mousse (a favorite for a long time now) and my T3 curling iron (for my shorter hair I use the 1″ size). With many weeks of practice and a lot of YouTube videos, I think I finally mastered understand the technique for creating waves!
Favorite Etsy Find
MEGAN : I’m a sucker for anything personalized and these charcuterie/cutting/bread boards by Tuckahoe Hardwoods are stunning. Locally made on the eastern shore of Maryland, they can be personalized with a name or date. Priced around $50 (depending on the size) they make the perfect wedding, engagement, anniversary (what year is wood?), holiday or birthday gift. Mine is beautiful and I’ve gifted these many times as well. Pro tip: They ship!
CHRISTA : I love Etsy! It’s a go to place for unique gifts and home decor. One of my favorite shops for gifts is Curio Press for a beautiful selection of personalized notecards and notepads. This list pad might be just what you need to start the new year feeling organized.
And check out our Etsy Mother’s Day Gift Guide for more favorites.
Favorite Show/Movie
CHRISTA : This is a hard one. You know the Style Among Friends girls LOVE a good Netflix binge! If I could have a do over and rewatch any show I shared in 2022 (for the first time…again), it would be Severance on Apple TV. Imagine if you could separate your work life from your home life — Severance does just that in the most extreme way possible! Just a warning — plan to binge this one because once you start watching, you won’t want to stop until you get to the end.
MEGAN : I’m not sure how much of it was the show and how much is my fascination (inspiration) with Nora Brannock’s wardrobe. The Watcher is the winner for me. But I have about 200 runners up.
Favorite Home Decor
CHRISTA : I shared last February that I was planning to wallpaper the ceiling in our bedroom. Well, delays happened and we finally received our new light after waiting eight months. And here is the finished result! I love it and wish I could do this in more rooms! Moral of the story — don’t be afraid to take some risks in your decor because you’ll love the end result!
MEGAN : Why thank you for asking. My kitchen!
Favorite Retailer
MEGAN : I’m a Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack girl with a dash of Target, Walmart and Amazon sprinkled on top.
CHRISTA : Is it fair to ask us to pick just one? I regularly check to see what’s new at White House Black Market, Ann Taylor, Nordstrom, LOFT and (a new one for me) Evereve. (And Amazon, of course!)
And, for 2022, don’t miss the Best of 2022 Reader Favorites and the Top Posts from 2022.
We love to try new things! (Stating the obvious, right??!) Share a few of your favorite finds from 2022 in the comments — who knows, they may become our favorite in 2023! And we’d love to hear what your favorite part of Style Among Friends has been this year — the gift guides, the outfit selfies, the randomness of the walk and talk? What’s been your fav? Be sure to let us know! xo, Megan and Christa
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