Last week I was hit with an evil case of strep throat which had me bedridden for a a few days. I say evil because it came on the same day as the massive blizzard that swept the city (rude) and the same week I was supposed to travel across the country for one of my best friend’s bachelorettes in our college town of Santa Barbara, California (incredibly inconsiderate!).

It’s one thing to get a little common cold. It’s another to have a diabolical fever during the depths if winter when you have 2 days to PTO pending and 80 degree weather ready to welcome your sun-starved skin. Needless to say I had a bit of an existential menty B.

New York is a city of skyrocket highs and hellish lows. And being properly sick in the city is especially punishing. No one wants to call an Uber to Urgent Care when they’re running at 102 degrees… add dirty, slushy snow in the mix and a routine bacterial infection becomes a sick curse of universal karma—what did I do to deserve THIS? I was being such a drama.

Some moments of clarity that came as the week went on:

• Antibiotics are amazing! Science and medicine are amazing! Yay for it not being the flu!

• Spring is coming. Deep, late winter is a season I did not experience until I moved to New York 5 years ago. So much will change energetically when we spring forward this weekend. Hallelujah.

• Fomo really sucks but this too shall pass. There are margarita and sun-filled weekends with these women on the horizon.

• Living alone is challenging but it’s a good reminder in how capable and strong you are… but, also:

• NYC is a small town masked as a big city and people treat it as such! One of my friends had Pura Vida smoothies and juices and treats delivered to my doorstep. Another dropped off soup (in a bag with a bow!). There’s an understanding here of how little acts of love go a long way and I’m grateful to have built a community of friends who care for me.

Anyway, I think I might have needed one of those shake you up moments and good cries. I felt better once I got it all out.

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Turning 34.

I turned 34 in Feb! At dinner, my friend asked me how I felt about 33 and I was proud to say that 33 was one of my most favorite years. The first few years of my 30s felt tumultuous and disconnected. But last year was peaceful, centered, and happy! What more could you want out of a yearly reflection?

I launched my Substack on my birthday last year and having this as a creative outlet has done wonders for my mental health. It feels like such a natural expression of energy and made me realize: if you do things that make you feel like YOU… goodness will follow!

Hoping to channel that same energy into 34 (and beyond). And if you’re new to the Extra Dressed community—first of all, hi <3—please give my very first post a read. I think it’s a great introduction to who I am and what to expect on here!

Jessica McCormack taste on an Anthro budget

A year+ ago I fell in love with this Jessica McCormack diamond choker necklace. Unfortunately for me (and likely for you) it’s out of our price range…coming in at a whopping $135K, depending on the diamond.

Luckily for me (and maybe for you) I am a great look for less kind of girl and sourced a handful of pieces that give the same vibe. Or at least an adjacent vibe. I got the Anthropologie one and wore it on my birthday and think it scratched the itch!!! Everything linked below.

1. Luv AJ | The Chrome Orb Pendant Necklace ($90)

2. Lili Claspe | Mara Oval Charm ($45)

3. Electric Picks | Old Money Necklace ($98)

4. Heaven Mayhem | Gaze Choker ($980… still a deal, lol)

5. Anthropologie | Gem Pendant Chord ($50)

6. Heaven Mayhem | Solene Choker Set ($150, love how these are buildable!)

7. Shashi | Roux Cuff Necklace ($187)

8. Anthropologie | Bezel Pendant ($48)

9. Shashi | Lasso Silk Necklace ($110)

10. Alexis Bittar Liquid Lucite Collar ($295)

11. Veronica Beard | Cord Pendant ($150)

12. Luv AJ | Marais Pendant ($99)

As a head’s up, everything linked below is an affiliate link!… and if the $135K necklace is in fact in your price range, please let me know. I will create an affiliate link JUST for you <333333

The Yes Pile — everything I loved in February

Ooooo there’s something about a birthday month that makes shopping hit even harder! I also included some of my favorite bites and sips, activities, reads, pods, etc.

• I’ve been listening to this playlist on repeat. It’s great for WFH and cooking and probably also good for makeouts but I’ve yet to test the theory. So please do, and report back!

• This Eberjey bralette is a g damn dream. It’s soft and lifting and invisible under clothes. I am so glad I popped into the store and treated myself to this. It feels comfy enough to sleep in, but actually makes the girls perk up.

• Ossa New York Case: I am soooo in love with this thing. It makes my phone feel less like a phone and more like a cutie little accessory. Consider her extra dressed.

• Old Navy and Gap are popping TF off for spring. I think it might warrant a full post because they are coming for you, Aritzia. But I really love this short sleeve polo, ballet flats, and structured blazer

• Summer Fridays Lip Balm: I think that this might be my favorite lip balm of all time? I recently got Brown Sugar and it’s pretty — but the best one is Pink Sugar. I love the scent and the sheerness. If I could have these on auto-subscribe, I would.

• Experiment Beauty is going to be huge this year. Some products just have IT and these ones really do. The Super Saturated Serum is perfectly viscous and juicy, which leaves your skin hydrated and plump. But the Molecular Mesh feels like silk against the skin. Not quite a gel, not quite a cream, somewhere in the middle. 10/10 recommend.

• Loving this podcast Articles of Interest - all about the ins and outs of the fashion industry. The Made in the USA episode way EYE-OPENING. If you are intentional about your shopping or curious how things are made, I highly rec. My kind of investigative journalism.

• Circus by Sam Edelman Zoey Cap Toe Flats. Like HELLO? I’ve never felt so soon by an Instagram ad.

• The cutest bag for spring is one that has tulip handles. Edie Parker is a branding queen and this bag is so thoughtfully created… she deserves her flowers ;)

• Nivea Cocoa Butter Lotion. Hydrating, fast-absorbing, smells like a damn dream, leaves skin silky for hours and costs < $10? Mmm yercominghomewithme.

• For NYC Locals, my favorite bites were:

  • Breakfast burrito from High Life Burger, just trust me and my California roots

  • The mixed green salad and pomodoro pizza from Gjelina

  • Spicy cucumber mag from Rintintin, one of my favorite margaritas in the city and maybe the world

  • If you like creamy, sweet drinks than the Dolce Vita latte from Fellini will be your bestie

  • The cinnamon rolls from Noa (WV) and Hani’s Bakery (EV) were incredible, but nothing will ever beat the cinny b from Losers!!! Order ahead and pickup on Sundays.

xx Caylee

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this post you may also love The Dressing Room, Volume 1

Follow me on Instagram + TikTok :)

I had this whole article written and ready to publish last week and it felt so tone deaf given the events in Minneapolis I decided to scratch the whole thing and start anew. I trust that we can talk about laser hair removal another time!

My feelings over the course of the last week have oscillated from devastation and rage to gratitude and optimism and riding the wave of all of them is emotionally taxing. I’m sure many of you feel the same. Quite simply, it’s a lot.

While my intention for Extra Dressed is to create an online world that’s as indulgent, playful and fun as its name suggests, it would be dishonest of me to ignore some of the other things I am feeling.

So the goal of this week’s Dressing Room is to acknowledge how overwhelming everything feels and rather than sit in that negative energy, offer some ways that we can seek joy and keep our whimsy alive!!!

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Action is the antidote & the kids are alright.

I wrote an article over the summer after attending the No Kings Protest that focused on action as the antidote. It remains true! It will always be true! Helplessness is a feeling that we cannot indulge because there’s always going to be a way for you to make a positive difference.

If you’re looking for ways that you can get involved in and/or give back to your community, I encourage you to give it a read ↓

Another resource that my Mom shared with me this week is an app called 5 Calls: Contact Your Congress. It’s a fabulous app and an easy way for you make a political impact. After entering your zip code, the app lets you know which legislators are in your area and provides you with their phone number and a script to read.

PSA: Calling your representative is the most effective way you can influence policy!

Replace your doomscrolling with 5 minutes of phone calls. I promise you will feel better, if only slightly.

I was also deeply inspired by the videos I saw online covering the hundreds of thousands of students who walked out of their classrooms on Friday to protest ICE. These walkouts happened in all corners of the county — from Texas to California to Georgia to Washington to Utah — and seeing all these young people with signs in support of their neighbors filled me with a lot of hope! If you want to get your algorithm onto #HopeTok I suggest you take a peek.

Whimsy in practice = bedazzling Aquaphor

My most viral articles on this app have been about whimsical habits to keep you from spiraling into the darkness. I love that of all my writing, these have garnered the biggest reach! Without parroting the originals too much, whimsy, to me, is intentionally making the everyday more fun and cute. And this looks different for everyone.

Maybe it’s always wearing fuzzy socks at home. Or taking the scenic route home from work every day, even if it takes 10 extra minutes. Or sending your friends snail mail for their birthday and decorating the card.

For me, right now, it’s ~*bedazzling*~.

You know that partin Legally Blonde where Elle says that endorphins make people happy and happy people don’t kill their husbands, they just don’t? That same logic applies to bedazzling. It’s statistically impossible to be sad when you’re gluing rhinestones onto inanimate objects*.

I’ve found that the more random the object, the more whimsy is conjured up in the moment and the longer it lasts. How silly to glue rhinestones on a tube of Aquaphor! How fun to see it glisten and sparkle on your bedside table day after day, night after night!

This level of harmless frivolity adds tangible amounts of joy to my life. If you’re looking for a low-barrier-to-entry craft that will distract your mind, keep you off your phone, and leave you with a sparkly little something… I highly suggest.

*source: me.

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The Yes Pile — everything I’m loving lately and think you will, too.

I had a lot of loves this month:

• The Uncool by Cameron Crowe is one of the best memoirs I have ever read/listened to! A natural storyteller with a pretty incredible life story to share. You likely already know about his teenage stint as a Rolling Stone reporter for a touring band as it was later adapted it into a screenplay (yes, speaking about Almost Famous). But that’s only scratching the surface. He has hundreds of encounters and experiences with some of the most famous people in the world from David Bowie to The Eagles, but he recounts them with humility and kindness. Could not recommend more!

• Saie Dew Bronze Soft Focus Sculpting Liquid Bronzer is sooooo good. I saw a gal on TikTok use it and it blended so effortlessly I was sold on my second watch. It adds warmth and dimension without feeling like you’re wearing a full face of makeup. I also use it as an eyeshadow! My favorite makeup find from the last year.

• Everything that from writes is internet gold. I love his mind! I love his words! And giving a SWM (straight white male) an unrequited compliment online is not something I am doing frequently. He deserves it, ok! A lot of his posts are paywalled now (get that bag, babe). But he removed the setting on a couple so poor people everyone could enjoy them:

  Uncynical

  45 things that are true

  I am not very old. I am not very wise. But there are a few things I know to be true. I think they can serve as shortcuts and solves in many situations…

  Read more

  3 months ago · 418 likes · 12 comments · Dylan

• The prebiotic sodas from Trader Joes are just as good as Poppi. I’m not going to say they’re better because I don’t have enough to go off of, but as someone who drinks a sparkly beverage at least once a day I give them a heavy stamp of approval.

• Scallion rotisserie chicken in a bag. The perfect meal to cook for one. I’m so happy when my FYP gives me something that actually changes my life!

• Yoga Space, Greenwich Village is my favorite workout studio in downtown Manhattan. I was introduced to it this summer by a friend who frequents their Greenpoint location, but I go to GV since it’s in my neighborhood. The studio itself it gorgeous, the teachers are cool, and there’s a great range of workouts: traditional yoga, mat pilates, sculpt, and stretching, to name a few.

xx Caylee

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this post you may also love:

Dressing rooms are one of my most cherished creative spaces. Some are better than others, but when I step into the stall with an arm full of clothes, my imagination gets goooooing. It’s not just about finding the dress, but envisioning who you’ll be when you wear it. The possibilities are endless! Dressing rooms are also the birth place of girl math (non-derogatory). A $250 item can easily become free with a quick cost-per-wear analysis and the right mindset.

All this to say, I’m taking everything I know about a beautiful brick-and-mortar dressing room experience and channeling it into this digital one.

You can expect more thoughts and musings, recommendations of all kinds, FASHUN (of course), and whatever else feels ~right~ upon sending. I hope it’s an always-fun read that sparks creativity and inspiration and excitement… like the feeling you get when you try something on and immediately add it to the “yes” pile.

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“Thanks, it’s vintage!” and other shopping revelations

When I was looking back at my favorite outfits of 2025 (as one does) I realized that many of them were vintage or thrifted or bought on second-hand sites like eBay and Poshmark. I also tried Pickle, a popular renting site in NYC and other big cities, which lead me to one of my favorite purchases* of the year. My closet gained some special one-of-a-kind items, all that felt very ~me~, despite having lived whole other lives before coming into mine.

And that’s the other thing. The romantic in me loves the story that comes with pre-loved pieces. I found a 1960s fur-trimmed peacoat when I was shopping in South Beach and my god, how I long to know her backstory. What’s a girl like that doing in 80 degree weather?! I did the only ethical thing: swiftly brought her back to Manhattan… where she very clearly belongs.

Along with these second-hand finds, I also noticed that I added some really lovely high-quality staples to my wardrobe. These are things I reach for almost daily, most notably cashmere sweaters, extremely well-tailored denim, and all around higher quality fabrics.

Both of these learnings made me quite happy! On one side, I spent more time sourcing items that are unique and make me feel alive when I wear them, and on the other, I stocked my wardrobe with foundational, evergreen elements that help keep the others grounded.

It felt like a very balanced shopping year.

If shopping intentionally, developing your sense of personal style, or investing in some of those foundational pieces is on your 2026 vision board—you’re in the right place! We’ll do it together <3

*Unfortunately for me, I did in fact pay to rent the dress from Pickle and then pay again to buy it, so at that point I could have just bought a new dress full-price… but WHERE is the fun in that???

The things I bought full-price and really love:

• Athleta Track Pants

• Agolde Denim

• Aritzia Cashmere Cardigan

• Dolce Vita Ballerinas

• Peche wool x cashmere blend coat

Trending now: word of the day

I’ve started a daily notes project called word of the day where I match a series of photos with a word they all embody. I was inspired by ’s good pairings series last year and wanted a similarly creative daily challenge. It’s been so fun!!!

Blending words and visuals has always been my cuppa tea and this feels like putting a pretty little micro story out into the world everyday. Plus, Pinterest is the only scroll free of doom.

What words should I do next? Please advise!

(seeing it like this, I really wish I did 6 photos instead of 5… live & learn, kids)

Side note: I heard a rumor that Open AI might be buying Pinterest? In which case we will need to throw the entirety of earth in the trash and try again. I simply shan’t go on if that happens. Leave my user-generated content happy place alone!

The Yes Pile — everything I’m loving lately and think you will, too.

One of my favorite parts of other people’s newsletters is where they share all the random things they are watching/reading/eating/shopping/hyper-fixating on… etc. And as someone who consumes a lot (lower screen time DID make it onto the vision board), I realized that I too have recommendations that are worthy of a share!!!

• Good Hang with Amy Poehler is one of the best podcasts I have ever listened to. You know it’s good when you elect to watch it on YouTube, dedicating to a whole hour of sit down time, rather than just turn it on during your commute. Not only does she have the most impressive rolodex of funny, endearing, successful people who are at her beck and call, she also is an expert conversationalist. She will make an excellent late night talk show host one day…soon. I love them all, but some of my favorite episodes are Kate McKinnon, Ina Garten and the greatest of all, Cole Escola.

• The Magnolia Parks series by Jessa Hastings has me in a forever chokehold. I am not much of a romance reader, but there’s something about Jessa’s writing that transports me back into the fuzzy, manic, magical feelings of your first love. The good, the bad, and definitely the toxic. It’s kind of like Gossip Girl with its upper echelon class of characters, but I always think of the Beckham kids when I’m reading it. Yes, as in David and Victoria Beckham’s kids. I don’t think I’ve ever re-read a book (why not, I wonder?), but I re-read the first three of this series back-to-back-to-back on a recent trip to London. Would make a great winter into Valentine’s read.

• I’ve been preaching my haircare routine to anyone who will listen, including my parents’ real estate agent and a random girl at the airport who very sweetly, but lightly complimented mine. To set the scene, you need to know two things:

  • 1) I’m an insufferable freak when it comes to hair. It’s just my thing. Well one of my things. I always think things are worse than they are and will cry if more than the agreed upon length is cut. I’m not proud of it, but I feel it’s important for you to know.

  • 2) I got a #botched cut and keratin treatment over the summer… and I know that you’re probably not taking that seriously considering what I just told you BUT the hairstylist I went to for a correction told me, and I quote, “most people are being dramatic when they say they got a bad haircut but this is terrible.” Mhm. I’ve never been simultaneously validated and horrified.

  • All that to say, the two products that healed my hair and have it in an incredibly healthy, hydrated state are the Olaplex Serum #9 and the L’oreal Glossing Treatment - shine on you crazy diamond! I also use the NatureLab. Tokyo Scalp Scrub once a week and have been preaching this for years.

  • You can see it post everything shower and blowout HERE.

• My latest food obsession is the kimchi from Trader Joes. Does anyone else eat this thing by the tub? My gut health is about to be insane. It’s so flavorful, I put it on everything.

• I think that of Style Toast is one of the cutest follows on the internet. She always makes these fun quizzes for us to do, like a little fashion tarot card pull.

  style toast

  064: who am i?

  After two and a half weeks in limbo, I’m coming back to myself…

  Read more

  3 months ago · 60 likes · 4 comments · Brooke

• I know that everyone and their mom is watching Heated Rivalry, but considering I was catching up with a veryyyy cool friend yesterday who said, “what’s that?” when I asked if she had watched it… it STILL warrants a plug. Watch this show. And watch it with your boyfriend bc you want a boyfriend who appreciates all aspects yearning and romance ;)

OK, that’s all for now. See you in the next Dressing Room.

xx Caylee

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this post you may also love An end of year reflection that will make you feel warm & fuzzy inside