*Above: the one that got away. I am still bummed I didn’t get this dress before it sold out!
Q: Summer pajamas!
A: I love a fresh pair of Lake shorties for summer, and I’ve been eyeing one of Lunya’s washable silk sets for awhile now. I also like some of the styles from Cozyland, like this set, and these Eberjeys are ultra soft and classic. Also love this whipstitch set! And how cute is this set from J. Crew? If you’re a nightgown gal, check out the dreamy options from If Only If and Lenora.
Q: Casual beach cover-ups.
A: I love this Tuckernuck, this Kule, this Lake, this Hill House, this La Veste, this Tuckernuck, this 9Seed, this Emerson Fry, this VV, this Marysia, these terry shorts from Gap.
Q: Maternity jeans. Tried DLs and Hatch and am at a loss.
A: I lived in a few pairs of the Mama J side panel skinny jeans from J. Brand, which has now gone out of business, but you can still find a few pairs here and here. They were so comfortable and I know I turned a lot of Magpies onto that style! I also had good luck with Gap’s maternity jeans. Take your true (pre-maternity) size in both.
I didn’t try them while pregnant, but I think Madewell’s denim is generally excellent – you might check their maternity options out, too! Finally, Spanx has some maternity styles worth a check. I’ve been really impressed with everything I’ve tried of theirs — I truly think they contemplate fit, design, function.
Q: Outfits to wear out to dinner this summer.
A: I love an easy-chic dress like…
THIS MATTEAU (BROWN IS SO UNDERRATED)
Q: Midwest nighttime tailgate party with clients.
A: Oo, this is a tricky one. I would wear a dress like this or this with polished sandals like these or these, or — if it’s at, like, a football stadium and you feel a dress will be out of place, white jeans and a shirt like this (look for less with this), this, or this tucked in, or white jeans with a polished tee and a big necklace. I like the idea of the jeans with a pair of Vibi Venezias or Ancient Greek sandals. Basically looking for pieces that have a bit of polish/structure/sophistication to them but aren’t too uptight.
Q: Have friends who host us 4x a year. Would love new ideas for local DC gifts we can bring.
A: Appointed paper products! I actually just bought one of their notebooks for a girlfriend of mine. Who doesn’t love beautiful paper products? I use them exclusively at my desk, and they’re a D.C. business. Another idea would be to go to Bread Furst and stock up on some of their pantry items — they have such wonderful items, and many of them are made by Bread Furst so they have a local vibe. Alternately, a bag of the exquisite coffee from Grace Street Roasters or the latest must-read from Politics & Prose, tucked into a Politics & Prose bag.
Q: A showstopping wedding guest dress. No budget.
Q: Did you buy anything from the Doen summer launch?
A: I did not – I am so bummed I didn’t act more quickly on this gingham dress. I saw it the day it launched and had it open in my browser tabs but it sold out before I scooped it up. I love so many of the pieces, though — this patterned dress is so chic, my ultra-chic sister bought this skirt, and how gorgeous is the pattern on this dress?
Q: Casual summer tops.
A: Love the options from Emerson Fry and Mille tucked into shorts/jeans. I also have a major soft spot for gauze (no pun intended), and love this Xirena (own it and adore it), this J. Crew and this Gap (in rainbow stripe or pink especially). If you’re a tee gal, try Ayr’s Sno Cone tee. The fit is perfect.
Q: 40th birthday gift for a girlfriend.
A: My first thought was Goop Glow — this exfoliator I am OBSESSED WITH. I love to gift luxury beauty items to my sisters/mom/friends. My second thought was an Alice Walk sweatshirt — an elevated basic she’ll live in.
Other options, at different price points: an FRP Collection bag, a journal from Appointed, a caftan from SZ Blockprints, a Kule tee, Olio e Osso body oil, a Calpak jewelry case (really substantial and elegant — I have one!), or my beloved Weezie robe.
Q: Cross body small bag / fanny pack that isn’t the Lululemon.
A: I love my belt bag from State. Perfect size and has a bit more polish than the Lulu one. Also think this inexpensive cane style one is adorable, and this Away one in the fun hot pink would be great for a color contrast.
If you’re after a crossbody, I use this FRP ALL the time in the summer months. Perfect size for just the essentials. And I’m totally in love with Mansur’s new woven bucket bag, which can be worn as a crossbody. SO CHIC. A girlfriend of mine has one of the Bembien ones, and it’s SO chic, too.
Splurges: this Bottega or this Loewe.
Q: Wedding reception dress. Under $1000 ideally.
A: WOW. Congratulations! This is over budget, but it’s on sale and is a timeless classic knockout stunner. So elegant. Anything Emilia Wickstead will make you feel and look like a million bucks — this one is on sale for under the budget you’ve specified. Doen also just released a stunning boho bride piece — wowza. For a more casual affair, I love the eyelet pieces from Loretta Caponi — so romantic — or this fabulous Farm Rio. This paneled slip dress or this 1960s-inspired shift would be fantastic minimalist-chic choices, and this sequined panel screams CELEBRATE.
Q: Niche, but any top sale recs from Matches or Net-A-Porter?
A: My kind of question. I’m such a bargain hunter. From Net, this Loretta Caponi is currently in my cart, and you must snag this Hunza G suit while it’s 40% off! I love it! From Matches, take a look at the Thierry Colson pieces. I’m so sad I missed their Venetia dresses — I’ve been eyeing them for seasons and seasons now and keep wanting to snag when they drop in price but they’re now sold out in my size. This black top is fab, too.