The Small Things Blog

Light Transitional Jackets

Bridget Puckett — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:17:56 +0000

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven.

I’m always on the lookout for lightweight jackets this time of year. They’re perfect for those mornings that start a little cool, or simply adding one more layer to finish an outfit without committing to a heavy coat.

I rounded up a mix of sporty windbreakers, utility jackets, bombers, and lightweight puffers in a range of price points. Whether you’re looking for something casual to throw on with jeans or a polished layer you’ll wear all season, there are so many great options right now!

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A Summery Vanilla Top

Kate — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:58:20 +0000

This little subtle peplum hem linen-blend top from Madewell is a dream for summertime. It goes perfectly with a pair of jeans and is also a really pretty top to pair with white bottoms, either a linen short or white denim!

I was tempted by the brown gingham pattern, but I really am glad I landed on the vanilla color. It feels like an easy-to-wear “yellow” that leans more cream!

The post A Summery Vanilla Top first appeared on The Small Things Blog.

Travel-Sized Hair + Makeup Favorites

Bridget Puckett — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 18:55:30 +0000

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. Twenty-one. Twenty-two. Twenty-three. Twenty-four. Twenty-five. Twenty-six.

These are just some of my go-to hair and makeup products I use all the time in my everyday routine. And a lot of them also happen to come in travel sizes, which makes packing super easy when I’m on the go!

For makeup, these are the easy, no-fuss products I reach for constantly: lightweight base, cream blush, simple eye products, and mascaras that I know will always work. They’re the kind of things I don’t have to think about, which is exactly what I want, whether I’m at home or traveling.

And for hair, these are tried-and-true favorites I use regularly, especially for frizz, humidity, and just making my hair feel a little more polished without a lot of effort. When a mini version is available, I love being able to grab it for trips!

The post Travel-Sized Hair + Makeup Favorites first appeared on The Small Things Blog.

Amazon Prime Day: The Best Hair Deals

Amanda Lenweaver — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Amazon Prime Day hair deals from some fantastic brands

Prime Day is the best time to stock up on hair care must-haves, and this year, it did not disappoint! The sales on some of my top brands are deeply discounted. I’ve relied on these products for years, and Prime Day is a great time to refresh your routine while saving big.

My All-Time Hair Product and Tool Picks

Living Proof Dry Shampoo, Perfect Hair Day Advanced Clean

Pureology Smooth Gloss Treatment Mask

Shark FlexStyle Hair Styling System

Shark SpeedStyle Pro Flex

L’Oreal Paris Elvive Hyaluron Plump Shampoo and Conditioner Set

L’Oreal Paris Sulfate Free Bond Repair+ Shampoo and Conditioner Set

L’Oreal Paris Elvive Glycolic + Gloss High Shine Leave-In Hair Serum

L’Oreal Paris 21-in-1 Leave-In Conditioner Spray

Pureology Hydrate Shampoo

Pureology Hydrate Conditioner

Pureology Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray

Pureology Strength Cure Dream Healer Hair Serum

BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Spring Curling Iron

amika Perk Up Talc-free Dry Shampoo

amika Soulfood Nourishing Mask

amika Frizz-Me-Not Hydrating Anti-Frizz Treatment

amika The Shield Anti-humidity Spray

Kenra Design Spray 9 | Light Hold Hairspray

SexyHair Big Creme 2 Powder Play

ghd Original Styler – 1” Flat Iron

VERB Volume Dry Texture Spray

T3 AireLuxe Professional Ionic Hair Dryer and Brush Set

Bumble and bumble. Spray de Mode Flexible Hold Hair Spray

Drybar High Tops Self-Grip Rollers

Drybar Liquid Glass High-Gloss Smoothing Blowout Cream

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Multiplying Volume Styling Mist

Virtue Restorative Hair Mask Treatment

Virtue Recovery Damage Reverse Hair Serum

Kenra Anti-Humidity Spray 5

Malibu C Blondes Wellness Remedy

Olaplex N°.7 Bonding Oil

Drybar Hot Toddy Heat Protection Spray

Bumble and bumble. Surf Sea Salt Spray

K18 HeatBounce Conditioning Heat Protectant Spray

OUAI Wave Spray

The post Amazon Prime Day: The Best Hair Deals first appeared on The Small Things Blog.

Beach + Pool Totes

Bridget Puckett — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:29:47 +0000

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen.

I rounded up a mix of beach and pool totes at a variety of price points, from classic canvas carryalls to woven straw and crochet styles that feel perfectly suited for summer. Whether you’re packing for a beach day, afternoons at the pool, or a weekend getaway, these bags offer plenty of room.

The workhorse of my summer is the Lands’ End XL Zip Top Tote with the long handles. I use it for the pool, beach, going to the river…honestly, even just times I wanted to throw a change of clothes and some snacks inside of it for the kids!

If you need something practical, look for zip-top options like the Lululemon Daily Multi-Pocket Tote or waterproof styles from SpaceMuse and Simple Modern that can handle wet swimsuits and sandy towels. For a more elevated look, the woven seagrass, crochet, and linen totes bring plenty of texture while still offering room for sunscreen, snacks, and all the extras that seem to come along on every summer outing!

The post Beach + Pool Totes first appeared on The Small Things Blog.

Sunglasses for Summer

Bridget Puckett — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:36:39 +0000

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen.

No one could make an argument that I like a HUGE variety in my sunglasses, okay? But you know what–I like what I like, and these are a handful of some of my very favorite sunglasses!

From Amazon gems to some higher price point finds, hopefully, this curation gives you some inspiration for casual, sophisticated, and easy sunglasses to wear all year round!

The post Sunglasses for Summer first appeared on The Small Things Blog.

Denim Shorts I’m Loving (and they’re VERY budget friendly!)

Kate — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:40:51 +0000

You could cut the tags off, tell me they cost $100, and I would believe you. The style, the denim feel, the shape–they are perfect denim shorts!

Walmart Time and Tru Deconstructed Hem High Rise Shorts (under $20)- I have these in white (wearing in the above photo) and love the so much. They run very small so I would strongly recommend going up 1 size than your typical shorts size!

Target High Rise A-Line Denim Shorts (under $30)- These are a great pair of shorts that have essential details that make them special. They’re an a-line cut so they give you room in the thigh, they have two little slits on the sides that look flattering on the leg. They’re a high rise but have a little bit of give. I would recommend going with your bigger size, especially since shorts (in general) tend to run small.

Time and Tru High Rise Denim Shorts (under $20)- If you like a 5 inch inseam, you’ll love these shorts. They have a good amount of give without bagging out and they’re perfectly classic with the finished hem and high-ish rise. They’re a no-brainer for summer!

The post Denim Shorts I’m Loving (and they’re VERY budget friendly!) first appeared on The Small Things Blog.

links + small things

Amanda Lenweaver — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 14:55:09 +0000

We’re in a heat wave, and it’s intense! I’m grateful for the sunshine, but we really need rain because we are also in a drought. The summer in Raleigh is fun for playing outside as long as you are submerged in water up to your shoulders, and we’ve been doing that just about every day of the week. We’ll head out to swim even after dinner just to cool off a bit!

As I’m writing this, the Canes (Raleigh’s home hockey team) are heading into game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals in a few days. We are THRILLED with how far they have come in this series!

I finished listening to the book The Vacation by Kathryn Croft, and I’d give it about 3.5 stars. It kept my interest up until about 85% of the way, and then the ending was just too fast and felt a little disconnected/unrealistic for the storyline. Now I’m onto The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff. Have you read it?

Recent blog posts:

links + small things

Volumizing Products I WILL Repurchase

And here are a few things I mentioned on Instagram Stories recently that you may have missed:

Quince Tank

Linen Shorts

Soft Services Vacation Buffing Bar

Fancy Tank

Denim Shorts under $30

Marc Jacobs Blush in shade Self Centered

Marc Jacobs Bronzer in shade Light Medium

Marc Jacobs Eyeshadow in shade On Brand

Marc Jacobs Eyeliner in shade You Wish

Marc Jacobs Mascara

Marc Jacobs Lipstick in shade Love Drunk

Comfy Strappy Sandals

Pickleball Bag

Osea Mineral Sunscreen

Baby / Kid Sunscreen Stick

Kosas Dreambeam

Kosas Hydrating Lip

Kosas Bronzer

Barefaced Overachiever Enhanced

Ciele Skin Tint SPF

Walmart Shorts under $17

$20 Sports Bra I love

Black Wash Denim

Blue Denim from Target

Blue Denim shorts from Walmart

Cropped Tee

Easy Breezy Top

White Top

Arellia Skimmer Denim

Peter Thomas Roth SPF

Alterna Caviar Volume Mist

JVN Air Dry Cream

My fave Workout Tank

Light Denim Dress

Best Pickleball Shorts

Black Bag

Unbrush for tangles

Pima Cotton Pajama Pants

Have you seen something on IG Stories that you want to reference? It may be in the last links + small things blog post if it’s not above.

Do you have a question for Kate or want to reach out? Write to Connect@thesmallthingsblog.com, and someone from the team will get back to you!

Ongoing Promo Codes –

Miranda Frye: 15% off and free US shipping with code SMALLTHINGS15

BK Beauty: code SMALLTHINGS10 for 10% off

Stakt: Use code SMALLTHINGS15 for 15% off

Sardine: Smallthings15 for 15% off

Barefaced: 10% off for new customers – use code KATE10

YISE Beauty: 15% off at yisebeauty.com using code SMALLTHINGS15

SWEED Beauty: Code Kate-20 will get you 20% off

Loopy Cases: Code smallthings10 will get you 10% off one case

Sanctuary: SMALLTHINGS15 for 15% off

Jouer Cosmetics: 20% off using code SMALLTHINGS20

Paige: SmallThings15 for 15% off sitewide

Pistola Denim: KBSMALLTHINGS15 for 15% off until end of June 2026

OSEA Malibu: SmallThings10 for 10% off your first purchase

KOZAHK Jewelry: SmallThings20 for 20% off sitewide

VIRTUE Labs: Use code Kate20 for 20% off

Corkcicle: SHOPMY20 for a 20% off

THATCH Jewelry: Smallthings15 for 15% off

by/ rosie jane: SMALLTHINGS20 for 20% off

EBY: Smallthings15 for 15% off

Tilly Sveaas: KATEBRYAN15 for 15% off

The post links + small things first appeared on The Small Things Blog.

Volumizing Products I WILL Repurchase

Kate — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 16:22:16 +0000

There are a few volumizing products that I have been absolutely loving lately, and I thought I’d do a quick round-up here in case you’re in the market!

Ouai Thickening Spray – I really love using this from mid-shaft to ends to build out body and thickness through the middle of my hair. I haven’t really focused it too hard on the root area, but that’s only because I have a favorite root lifting spray that I’m into right now and that one is. . .

Aveda Volumizing Tonic – This is probably the first Aveda product I’ve used that has really impressed me. I’ve tried other things from this brand in the past, and they fell flat, but this volumizing tonic is excellent. It’s extremely lightweight, so it would be an excellent option for fine hair or anyone else looking for lift at the roots without residue.

Chris McMillan Volumizing Mousse – I need to try this on my air-dried hair, which I will do soon, but until then, I’ll continue using it as a volumizing mousse before a blow-dry. This will leave a bit of residue feel on your hair, but THAT is where the support comes in!

Kevin Murphy Body.Builder Mousse – One of my favorite mousses that I apply right at my roots. This has replaced Aquage Uplifting Foam for me (used to be my holy grail until they changed it), and it straight up delivers lift, fullness, and a lightness to the hair in mousse form!

The post Volumizing Products I WILL Repurchase first appeared on The Small Things Blog.

links + small things

Amanda Lenweaver — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 19:37:51 +0000

We’ve got a 90-degree weekend ahead of us, and we’re glad to be spending it at the lake with our friends! I’m dragging a little bit today because we stayed up so late watching Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals, but the Canes won, so it was totally worth it!!

I downloaded the book “Conform” to read on my Kindle after my sister highly recommended it. Have you read it? It feels a little out of the norm for what I typically read, but I’m curious to start it!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!