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Q: Dress for family pictures on the beach.
A: I love the ethereal, effortless vibe of Doen for a beach family portrait. I own and adore this dress in one of the prints. LoveShackFancy is also a perfect brand for this — love this dress and own and adore this in white (runs big — this one is similar and on sale!) Those dresses are just meant for bare feet and sand dunes! I also think Julia Amory’s caftans would be a good pick, as would Mille’s Victoria in white. (I own both of those dress styles in different patterns/colors and not only would they photograph well, but I wear them a lot! I find that a dress with sleeves is usually a good choice for family portraits. More demure and you aren’t worrying how your arms look!). Two other great brands to consider for a beachy moment: Cleobella (like this!) or Mirth (like this)!
Q: Push present just under $1K.
A: Anything from Aurelia Demark! Special and heirloom. She has an entire section under $1000. I also love the heart necklaces from Dorsey, engraved with baby’s initials, nickname, or birth date!
Q: I’m going to Italy at the end of September. It will probably be pretty warm (but going all over, north and south) – should I stick with summer or fall colors? Or just the transitional/could go either way type items? I’m going to a Mimi Thorisson cooking workshop and will need a variety of casual and coastal dressy items. I’m looking for some recommendations of things to purchase (no kids so I’m going all out!), but I want to avoid anything with a strapless bra (no straps, strapless, one shoulder, deep V, etc. Motherhood has not been kind to my chest ha!)
A: Oo, how fab! Have the best time! I would pack a few Julia Amory caftans — she has some great ones in fall colors that are still airy/lightweight with Ancient Greek sandals and a lightweight knit cardi in case it gets chilly in the evening (own and love this and this — both would be perfect for transitional weather / not too heavy). I also love the breezy and layerable options from Doen and Emerson Fry. They walk the perfect line between fall colors and lightweight fabrics! I also think you can’t go wrong with a pair of linen pants (look for less with these, which I own and adore) to layer with tanks, striped tees, aforementioned lightweight knit sweaters, gold necklaces, and sandals, sneaks, or espadrilles.
Q: Grandma and me outfits — 24 month old girl.
A: This is the sweetest question. Look at Baybala! They have some of the sweetest matching/coordinating pieces for women and little ones. I love this for you and this for her, or this for you and this for her! I also love the matching pieces from Fanm Mon x Minnow — this for you, this for her — or even the matching knit sweaters would be cute. Maisonette also has a cute mommy (or grandma) and me section worth mining!
Q: The white tee you’re wearing.
A: You’re talking about this $15 Uniqlo tee! The best! So many Magpies have become converts. It’s thick and adds a little polish/structure to a casual look. I would advise taking your true size or going up a size if in question. Runs a tiny bit snug. You can see me in mine here.
Q: Cream tweed-like cardigan under $100.
A: This! I shared a bunch of cardigans/jackets at all pricepoints here if you want more options!
Q: Best friend’s 40th birthday dinner.
A: Fab! Depending on venue/vibe/climate, a few celebratory girl-dinner type looks I love: this Ro’s Garden, this Agua Bendita, this knit Zara, this La Double J top with jeans, this floral mini (imagine with strappy sandals), and this Marea caftan.
Q: Looking for a dress for a charity gala mid September. I really need to order something! The theme is A Night in New Orleans, and attire is listed as “Nola Glam/Cocktail.”
A: I’m feeling fringe/feathers! This J. Crew, this Saylor, this Olivia Von Halle, anything by Taller Marmo or La Double J, this HVN, this Cara Cara, or this funky Tuckernuck. I would pair with big glitzy earrings.
Q: Vase that is perfect size for standard bouquet of flowers from WF.
A: Afloral has lots of great options. Love this French Mason jar inspired one. I also love my lettuce leaf vase from Half Past Seven. You need to typically cut the stems down quite a bit so they fan out properly, but they are GREAT for bouquets of all the same flowers (especially, like 5 stems of peonies or 3 stems of hydrangea). The way the vase is designed, the stems fan out so beautifully for a full effect. Don’t be afraid to trim down stems! I prefer a short, tight posy to some stems that look lonely in the middle of a tall vase! Sometimes I’ll trim roses down a ton and arrange in these inexpensive julep cups.
Q: Jewelry ideas for me to give my husband for our five-year wedding anniversary.
A: Congratulations!!! Not sure on budget, but diamonds are forever — you will wear a Tiffany diamond solitaire necklace or studs for your entire life. A classic strand of Mikimoto pearls would also be divine. I love my Hermes H Heure watch and wear close to daily. Less expensive: Tiffany’s diamonds by the yard necklaces (I have one and adore it), a Van Cleef and Arpel bracelet, or any of the pieces from Dorsey’s lab grown gemstone collection. I wear this constantly.
If you’re looking for something a bit more custom/unusual, check out Aurelia Demark or Brent Neale.
Q: Best basics for little girls? Leggings, tops, boots, etc!
A: Leggings — Old Navy! I find J. Crew are too narrow and get faded quickly. I buy the Old Navy ones in bulk, and they come in great solids — navy, black, white, gray are my go-tos. Boots — I usually pick up a pair from Gap, Old Navy, or Cat and Jack because they come in trendy styles but don’t cost a fortune, though none of them have great quality and I usually toss them at the end of the season. I like this, this, and this! For an upgrade pick: have heard great things about these Native Treklites for girls. Love the trendy style, and I trust that brand knows what it’s doing! I also always get her a pair of Uggs for cold weather, and especially like the single-bow Bailey style. You just can’t beat them for warmth, versatility, durability, and my daughter loves them. For tops, I like to pair leggings with fun blouses like this (La Coqueta vibes for less) or this. For everyday wear, I love the little peter pan collar cotton dresses from Luigi and the play dresses from TBBC. These are adorable paired with Natives or sandals in the summer, Cientas or boots in the fall, can be paired with leggings, etc. Finally, the last few years, I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of the legging sets from Lila + Hayes, like these. The quality is amazing and you can obviously mix and match / style the blouses with skirts / pair the leggings with tees/knits / etc.
Q: Gold layering necklace to go with single diamond by the yard necklace.
A: I like the look with a delicate letter necklace like this!
Q: Wedding guest dress in Nov. Austin, so still warm. No black. Formal!
A: I love this Reformation, this Ulla, this Bernadette, this La Double J, this Staud, this Kleid.
Q: How about wedding guest options that are not dresses? I always end up buying dresses for events that are never worn again, and I’m over it. I would love to see some of your ideas. Thanks!
A: What about a black silk maxi skirt that you pair with a black silk tank for the occasion, and can then wear the pieces separately? Similar, but splurgier: this Zimmermann skirt and this top. I feel like you’d get a lot of mileage out of those pieces together and on their own! I also think a dressy suit like these trousers and this bustier top could be EPIC. You could wear with big jewelry and heels and then style the top / trousers separately later.
P.S. The myth of Soteria, or mourning the early days of my son’s childhood, which feels clouded over by pandemic/lockdown.
P.P.S. On visualizing balance.
P.P.P.S. A recent travel diary to NYC.
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