Was it worth it?
13: Levi's 501 90s, Vitamin A's Jenna high leg one-piece swimsuit, Le Specs sunglasses, and more.
When I spend money—whether it’s on clothes, food, experiences, or something else—I like to feel good about it.
As much as possible, I try to be mindful of what I buy. I love finding a good deal, but I also don’t mind spending a little extra from time to time if it means better quality. I read a lot of reviews, pay attention to recommendations and try to base my purchases on their perceived value. I’m always asking myself, was it worth it?
Here are some thoughts on what I bought recently. What was money well spent, and what gave me buyer’s remorse?
Levi’s 501 90s
Before these 501 90s, I kind of brushed myself off as not a “Levi’s girl”. I tried a few different styles in the past (the ribcage, the wedgie, and the baggy dad jeans) and they never worked for me. I was finally persuaded to give the 501 90s a try after reading
’ take in her One Star Review that they are the closest style to a vintage pair and having other readers recommend them (thank you!)Can now confirm they were right—these jeans are as good as everyone says.
They’re a relaxed straight leg with just the right amount of slouch, and the denim is softer than I expected. Although some of the reviews said they run big, I went with my regular size in the 30 length, and they turned out exactly how I wanted them to fit. They’re a little loose in the leg and sit slightly below the waist, and believe it or not, I actually like the mid-rise, which is a style I haven’t worn since having kids. The ecru is an off-white wash, which is what I was looking for to replace an old pair of white Denim Forum jeans that no longer fit. I’ve worn these 501 90s a few times now and can already tell they’re going to be a staple for me this spring and summer.
Jenna high leg one-piece swimsuit
When it comes to swimwear, price points vary and the saying “you get what you pay for” usually applies. In a previous letter about what to save and splurge on,
commented that she invests in swimwear because “no one wants an ill-fitting bathing suit.” She’s not wrong.
I got 25% off this Vitamin A one-piece by signing up for their text messages, and even then, it’s a bit on the higher end of what I typically spend on swimwear, but it checked all the boxes for me (more on that here.) The fit is incredible with the square neckline and high (but not too high) leg cut that’s super flattering without being overly revealing. Something I didn’t want was anything too intricate or delicate, so I love the simplicity of this one-piece. The combination of the minimal style, luxe material, and cocoa colour feels classic and chic. I wore it on our family trip to Orlando last month, and it was comfortable enough to swim in all day and even go down waterslides. It also looks great paired with linen pants for lounging by the pool.
Le Specs Outta Love Sunglasses
I lost a pair of Le Specs sunglasses (these ones) recently during a grocery run after they fell out of my overstuffed bag. You see… this is why I can’t bring myself to splurge on designer sunglasses anymore. They’re too easy to lose.
Instead of repurchasing the exact same Le Specs sunglasses, I went for the Outta Love style (currently on sale), which has a similar minimal nineties silhouette, but with a slimmer, more petite, oval shape.
I love that they’re a bit daintier than my old ones and that they go with everything. I wear them almost all the time as they perfectly elevate an everyday outfit. If you ask me, you can’t beat Le Specs for quality, price, and style. I have my eye on the Work It sunglasses (on sale here) in dark tort next.
Hypochlorous Acid Spray
Over the last few months, I’ve tried the Magic Molecule and e11ement hypochlorous acid sprays, which are alternatives to the Tower 28 Beauty SOS Daily Rescue Spray. If you’ve never heard of them, these sprays are meant to be all-in-one skincare solutions that replicate naturally produced hypochlorous acid to help protect and heal our skin. They have a laundry list of supposed benefits, but I’ve used them mostly for my eczema and other minor skin irritations, and for my kids’ dry, itchy skin and bug bites.
The verdict so far? While I find they do an OK job of lessening the itch, calming inflammation, and repairing skin from some minor irritations, I don’t think they’re necessarily a “holy grail” product, especially if you struggle with more significant skin issues. My biggest complaint is that I often go through a lot of the product quickly and a bottle usually only lasts me 2 weeks. For this reason, I prefer the e11ement spray (which is Canadian-made/owned) over Magic Molecule because it’s a lot more affordable and they essentially work the same. Although I’m not yet completely sold on its effectiveness, I’m going to keep trying the spray for now. Anyone else try hypochlorous acid spray? What did you think?
Universal Studios Orlando
Last month, we took a family trip to Universal Studios Orlando, and just like after our trip to Disney a few years ago, we had friends and other parents ask us if it was worth it. In my attempt to keep this fairly brief, I’ll start by saying that, even though the costs of these trips can add up, witnessing the pure joy/excitement/bliss on our kids’ faces (+ all the memories) make them pretty priceless.
Our kids are very into Harry Potter right now, but we also watched ET and Jurassic Park before the trip so they had more things to be excited about. They’re 7 and 8, which are great ages for Universal, in my opinion.
My husband found a package deal through the Universal site, which included accommodations, park passes, a few meals, and other extras. We stayed at the Aventura Hotel, which was nothing fancy, but it was clean and modern, and we were able to use the facilities at other Universal hotel properties. The Loews Sapphire Hotel next door had an amazing pool with a waterslide for the kids, and we took the water taxi from there a lot since it was quicker and easier than the bus from our hotel.
A few other worth it/not worth it highlights:
I’m not big on theme parks, but Universal is definitely impressive and there are so many details that go into making it a cool experience. The kids loved Hogsmead and Diagon Alley (of course) and the water park, Volcano Bay.
There were longer lines for the The Hogwarts Express but it was fun! Our package came with early access to the parks, which we took advantage of to get there before the crowds. We didn’t get express passes and mostly just avoided rides with too long of a wait—it was fine.
We bought the kids one of the interactive Harry Potter wands to share because the cost was steep. It was hard for them to do some of the spells on their own, and some just plain didn’t work.
Yes, the butterbeer is good. The rest of the park food? Not so great. We relied a lot on Instacart for snacks and breakfast food (fruit, yogurt, granola, etc.), and mostly used Uber Eats for meals to our hotel. On our last day, we took a trip to Disney Springs and had dinner on the patio at The Boathouse for my husband’s birthday—that was definitely worth it.
As expected, all the merch, toys, and souvenirs were overpriced. To avoid the constant “Can I have this?” from our kids, we told them they could pick out something on their last day.
*For transparency, gifted items are marked. When I accept a gifting opportunity it’s because it’s a brand I shop at or a piece I’m curious about and want to share with you. All selections and thoughts are my own.
**This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small percentage from anything you purchase through a link, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate links help support the work that goes into these newsletters, and I carefully select recommendations based on what I love and would wear, regardless of a commission.
Those Le Specs look incredible on you! I'm so hard on my sunglasses and this brand is right up my alley.
Love the ecru Levi's on you!