Jen Shoop, Author at Magpie by Jen Shoop

By: Jen Shoop

+THE PLUM YOU’RE GOING TO EAT NEXT SUMMER: I’ve shared this poem before, but I keep returning to its sentiment when I’m uncertain, or in wait. Landon and I have been in a steady, comfortable groove for the past few years, since moving to Bethesda, and yet I have also been working on big projects that are changing my day-to-day work, and shaping my creative process. I keep wondering where it will lead, and then I think of this poem, and I stand reassured. Trust the process. The plums are growing just for me. Related: I absolutely loved the energy of this reel I found this week (“she doesn’t know it yet, but the random guy her friends recorded her talking to at the bar last St. Patrick’s day was about to end her four years of being single” — wow!) Love is looking for us everywhere! Good things coming.

+IN PRAISE OF A NORMAL DAY: My daughter keeps a daily journal and I am disciplined about avoiding the temptation to read it; I want to honor her privacy, and keep it a sacred space for her. I have this searing memory of an afternoon that I find my childhood nanny reading my journal, and I was devastated! I had written a lot of nothing in it, but I had also documented petty complaints against her, and my siblings, and my parents, and I was sick with worry that she’d encountered one. I remember tiptoing around her for weeks, wondering whether I’d offended, and not knowing. I can’t in good conscious give my daughter that same experience. However, the other night, I was reading her “The Borrowers” as she was writing in her journal, and I accidentally saw what she’d written: “Today was a normal day. I felt good today.” I thought: That’s the heart of it, girl. To feel good on a normal day. To stretch out comfortably in the center of your life, not needing anything but its comfortable contours to feel good. Wow! From the mouth of babes. Also: in praise of a normal day.

+BESTSELLERS: So many of you picked up my favorite cropped terry sweatpants from Frank and Eileen, currently almost 50% off. I love them because they hold their shape nicely and look a bit more polished than your run of the mill sweats. I own them in white, navy, and pale blue. Several asked about sizing/fit; I take my true size in these (xs) and the fit is perfect. I am 5’0 and they are a perfect cropped length on me — hit an inch above my ankle maybe?

01. THE BEST CROPPED SWEATPANTS (RUN TTS) // 02. THE OUTSET LIP OASIS (GET THE NUDE/DUNE COLOR!!!) // 03. CURRENTBODY RED LIGHT LED MASK (USE JEN10 FOR 10% OFF) // 04. TUCKERNUCK DRESS // 05. LEE RADZIWILL BAG (!!!) — IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON INSTA/READ MY “WHAT I LOVED WEARING” SERIES, YOU KNOW I HAVE BEEN CARRYING HER EVERYWHERE // 06. BODEN STRIPED SHIRTDRESS // 07. THE COSIMA NAP DRESS (I BOUGHT THIS TOO, IN THE GREEN/WHITE STRIPE) // 08. J. CREW PATTERNED PANTS // 09. HANNI MOISTURIZING STICK // 10. COTTON SWEATER

+JUST FOR LAUGHS: This video on stopping into a tiny boutique (how familiar is this?!), how I feel when I eat a croissant (I can’t not love Timothee Chalamet, even though I have no interest in the Dylan movie; he was a very convincing Laurie in Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women,” and he had absurdly big shoes to fill after Christian Bale, and so I’ll forever love him), and some inside baseball humor for those of us in the field of letters.

+EYEING + BUYING: A few things on my radar at the moment…I am so excited about this TWP shirt I got. I think it’s the most excited I’ve been for a wardrobe addition in awhile! I just love the unusual silhouette — elevated and interesting basic — and this is exactly what I want to wear right now, with statement jeans.

I also wanted to give you a heads up that most of the Dorsey paracord necklaces sold out in under 24 hours of going live to public, but a few colors are left, and I think this khaki/green colorway is wildly chic. I have the navy and it adds such great dimension and interest to my daily stack. I love it layered beneath a button-down.

Lastly – I’ve mentioned these a bunch but I can’t stop raving about these open Bose earpods. They are one of my favorite upgrades for running. Not only do they stay in the ear (they have an over-ear design and never fall out) but are much more comfortable (a looser fit) and safe (you can hear more ambient noises). But one of the top selling points for me? It holds its charge for, like, ever. I think I’ve charged them once, or maybe twice, since I got them a few months ago.

SOLD OUT NYC DRESS (15% OFF WITH MAGPIE15) // TWP STRIPED BUTTON DOWN // ZARA TANK // DORSEY PARACORD NECKLACE // EVERLANE JEANS // LOEWE SUNGLASSES // CELINE SANDALS // LORO PIANA BAG // BOSE OPEN EARPODS

+KACEY MUSGRAVES X FINNEAS: Fellow Spacey Kacey lovers! I can’t wait to watch this entire set.

By: Jen Shoop

DOEN NERA TOP // JOE’S JEANS MARGO JEANS // HART NECKLACE (EXACT CHARMS HERE)

An Instagram follower said the outfit above was “giving Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing” and I AM LIVING for the reference. She’s not wrong.

A Perfect Everyday Dress.

The top is a t-shirt material! The bottom is loose, not-sheer poplin! I took a size down in this and find it very forgiving thanks to the drawstring waist.

LA LIGNE DRESS // ALICE WALK CASHMERE CARDIGAN // LEE RADZIWILL BAG // MANGO FLATS // LIZZIE FORTUNATO NECKLACE (SOLD OUT, SIMILAR HERE)

The Most Flattering Dress Silhouette.

In my opinion, nothing tops JA’s Betty! This is my second dress in this silhouette. The material is a really heavy cotton that falls beautifully and holds its shape very well.

JULIA AMORY DRESS // LEE RADZIWILL BAG

A Sweet Special Occasion Dress.

I had been hanging onto this embroidered Fanm Mon dress for a special occasion but actually broke it out for Sunday Mass. Sometimes the dress is the occasion? The embroidery is so gorgeous! I layered it beneath this Minnow stripe sweater to tone things down a bit.

FANM MON HULYA DRESS // LEE RADZIWILL BAG // MINNOW SWEATER // LARROUDE FLATS

Bits + Bobs from the Week.

The little outfits that filled in the blanks —

SPANX LEGGINGS AND HALF-ZIP (SECOND PICTURE IS OLD BUT GIVES A BETTER VIEW OF THE OUTFIT; MY COLOR IS SOLD OUT BUT THEY HAVE SO MANY GREAT OPTIONS NOW!)

FRANK AND EILEEN SWEAT SET // ALTUZZARA BAG // VARLEY JACKET // MAGPIE BIRDING CLUB HAT

PISTOLA UTILITY PANTS (SOOO GOOD — SORRY THE PHOTO IS NOT MORE INSPIRING BUT THESE ARE INCREDIBLY COMFORTABLE AND FLATTERING ON THE LEG; RUN A BIT BIG BUT I’D STILL ADVISE TAKING YOUR TRUE SIZE) // JULIA AMORY BUTTON-DOWN

APLN ROCK QUILTED JACKET // RHONE STANCE RIB SKORT (GO UP A SIZE) // RHONE STANCE RIB POLO // LEE RADZIWILL BAG // NIKE METCONS (BEST GYM SHOE)

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.

By: Jen Shoop

What would the audience be yelling at the screen right now?

What would the score sound like?

How would you describe the tone? (Comedic, dramatic, elegiac…?)

***

Landon and I watched the 2020 French film “The Taste of Things” (“La Passion de Dodin Bouffant”) over the weekend and were taken by its quiet poetry. It is a movie that shows and does not tell, gently looking at the mysteries of different seasons of love and desire. At its heart, the movie curls up around the quote: “Happiness is continuing to desire what you already have,” which, I think, is as perfect an expression of gratitude and mindfulness and living where your feet are as any. The goal, really?

It is also a movie for food-worshippers: the first 30 minutes of the film feature virtually no dialogue, and instead track the careful preparation of an elaborate Sunday feast in a breathtaking French chateau kitchen. The film’s reverence for food and its meticulous preparation verge on the religious.

We, of course, loved it.

Afterward, I told Landon that while I have mentally dedicated my 40s to my own writing ambitions, I want our 50s to be “our French chateau” era. Not that we would move to France, or live in a chateau — but that I would like for some portion of my life to be lived with a broad, squat kitchen with an open door that lets the garden air in and the sleepy dogs out, a robust potager, a long drive separating us from the world, and, above all, proximity to true depths of nature: meadows, lakes, trees, mountains. I almost don’t care where it is, but I would like that living experience, absconded from the world. I trust the fruit-bearing of this aspiration because when I think about my childhood summers in Colorado, I feel an automatic inner quiet descend; it has always been easiest for me to find peace, and God, in the Rockies, even when solely a visitation with its memory. When I returned in person to Colorado at 30 and 40, I reclaimed again the same settling hush, the pleasant self-erasure and then reconstitution borne of seeing oneself as simultaneously insignificant and part of the universe’s great stretch. As Elizabeth Bishop put it in one of my favorite poems: “The world is a mist. And then the world is minute and vast and clear. The tide is higher or lower. [She] couldn’t tell you which.”

The morning after we watched the movie, Landon went down to his own tiered garden beds to collect some herbs, and as I looked out at our backyard here in suburban Maryland, it occurred to me that we really aren’t that far off the mark. Maybe “French chateau era” is a little bit of a state of mind. Because we have the garden beds, and the fruiting trees, and the kiwi vines interwining around the railings, and Landon has been slowly hardening off his seedlings this past week, with our children observing the sprouts daily: “that one came up, Dada!” They together labeled the different varieties with blue painter’s tape, and Landon permitted them to letter the varietals in their own wobbly hands. Beyond this, we have neighbors close by, but they are erased when need be by the green screen of tall arbor vitae; we can sit happily unobserved in our backyard. So, maybe I can gently remove the thumb tack from the “Jen’s 50s: the decade of the French chateau” card. Maybe my own inner audience is screaming: You are missing nothing. Tu ne manques de rien.

Post-Scripts.

Image above via.

+What does happiness look like?

+On pouring from the center, not the rim.

+My Missa Cantata.

+What is the kindest thing a stranger has ever done for you?

+Goddesses of change.

Shopping Break.

+40% off J. Crew spring arrivals here. This includes my favorite white cotton cardigan — the best to throw on over a spring tank or dress; has the perfect fit and length — as well as this Kule-coded striped half-zip, a chic one-piece in the cutest print, and great spring-to-summer basic separates, like these linen tanks and button-downs. And, don’t miss their packable raffia hat while 40% off! Great look for less for my beloved Janessa Leone.

CARDIGAN // LINEN BUTTON-DOWN // RAFFIA HAT // SOLEIL PANTS // SANDALS

+Also on sale at J. Crew: these suede sandals, which I absolutely LOVE?! They have a Celine vibe.

+Love Mille’s latest collection, especially the red and white striped pieces — this top; this dress. But you know I live in my Saffron dresses. So easy-breezy for barefoot summer! This brand runs really big; go a size down. I still find myself swimming in their XXS pieces but love the effortless/voluminous vibe anyway. I think my code JEN15 still gets us 15% off!

+I periodically stock up on activity books for my kids for travel, rainy days, day excursions, etc. A few items I ordered: travel journals (the Lonely Planet one was excellent; my daughter loved it! but she’s already filled it out completely), Usborne stickers for Easter basket, drawing prompts for kids, this drawing game, paint by sticker books, and this travel brain teaser game.

+Dr. Diamond Metacine just launched a small discovery set that is a perfect way to try these heavily-hyped products without buying them all in full size. I really love their plasma and in fact was just mourning the fact that I’d gone through two bottles of it and have not had it on hand for awhile. I use this in lieu of a serum in AM/PM when I have it.

+20% off upholstery at Serena and Lily. A great time to buy a boldly patterned x-bench or ottoman coffee table. I also always take a spin through their clearance section — this gorgeous bedside table, this raffia-base lamp, and this fresh striped rug are 40% off! Meanwhile, this bobble-style lamp (perfect for a boy’s room) is 50% off!

+Ordered this cute paper garland and melamine plates for Easter. Rifle has so many sweet little desktop/paper/home gifts for teachers, mothers, etc. This notepad set is so precious, and I treated myself to this spiral-top notebook — first, the pattern! and second — fellow lefties will understand the gift of no right-side binding! Will spark such joy as my next hand drafting notepad.

+I really like notebooks with gridded or dotted pages (vs lined), though – these are so appealing to me. And these pens are the absolute BEST. The tip is so fine — like a tiny laser. I am obsessed with them.

+This Bottega bag…! And a look for less (under $40).

+Phillip Lim just relaunched its sample sale, and it includes one of my favorite everyday hangbags — the small soleil. I have it in a light brown color no longer available, but the shape and quality are fabulous, and I’ve literally never seen it on anyone else. The larger size is also very chic and I believe it fits over your shoulder (smaller one has to be held over the wrist / by the hand, which I know is a disincentive for some of you, but I really love this bag for little excursions, coffee dates, etc!)

+A perfect blue seersucker dress.

+One of my top tips for entertaining at home — have lots of nibbles in little bowls scattered throughout the area you’ll be entertaining: on side tables, coffee tables, at the bar. People love a little nibble! Bowls like these are perfect for this use case. Fill with little bites like cheez-its, Virginia peanuts, wasabi peas, sesame sticks, etc. (Lots of easy but elegant happy hour snack ideas here, btw.)

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.

By: Jen Shoop

This yellow set (top, skirt) from Significant Other sang out at me when I laid eyes on it. It actually made me nostalgic for the bridesmaid dresses at our wedding — strapless sunshine yellow numbers that offset the deep blue and purple hydrangea that spilled out of every vessel on every table. The set runs true to size, but the skirt is fairly long if you’re petite like myself; I must wear with heels. I have this mentally tagged for a trip to Bermuda to celebrate one of our best friend’s birthdays this summer! Playful, happy, unexpected! The fact that it’s a two-piece makes it feel different. I am styling here with my embroidered Pam Munson clutch, which is one of the absolute treasures of my wardrobe. Both pieces are on sale as a part of Shopbop’s tiered promotion, which ends tonight at midnight! More picks from the sale here.

A few other fun recent acquisitions:

SARDINE SUNGLASSES // HILL HOUSE COSIMA DRESS // SIGNIFICANT OTHER TOP AND SKIRT // K18 MOLECULAR HAIR TREATMENT // BOTTEGA-INSPIRED KEYRINGS // TWP BUTTON-DOWN // CADENCE MAGNETIC TRAVEL BEAUTY PODS // BIOSSANCE VITAMIN C OIL

Some notes below…

01. I haven’t bought from Hill House in a minute, but I picked up two things from their April capsule that launched earlier this week: 1) this floral, which I will admit is mildly to majorly influenced by the show Outlander, which Landon and I have been binging; I couldn’t resist the corset! 2) this striped Cosima. I already have this dress in a different print and find it so versatile and flattering! I know from past launches that they tend to sell out of their Cosimas quickly, so I had to snag. I went down to an XXS in both of these dresses; I find the Cosima too big in my regular size and I took a gamble with the floral, too.

You can see me in the Cosima in a different, past-season print below!

02. OK, not sure if this qualifies as “fun,” but I ordered a weighted vest on the rec of many Magpies! I read up on the matter, and you are supposed to aim for a weight that is 10% of your body weight, but Magpies reported that it’s *tough* to start with that much weight, and that they found it easier to work up to a heavier weight. Most Magpies started with 8-12 lb vests. I decided to order an 8 lb one and see how that felt. (ICYMI, many doctors say that the most important thing for women of my age — weighted workouts! This helps protect your bones / prevent bone density loss.)

03. I’ve been eyeing these TWP “ex” shirts since my girlfriend Inslee wore one when I visited her in Raleigh. The fit was so cool on her. I ended up snagging this interesting one in brown/white stripe — I have nothing like it in my closet and feel it will look so cool with white jeans and tortoise shades.

04. These fun Bottega-inspired key rings. (Compare with the real deal — $390 per.) I don’t know about you, but I have my house keys, and then all these other miscellaneous ones that I don’t need with me at all times — keys for my parents’, my PO box, etc. I feel like these will keep those sets isolated, and I can just grab whichever set I need. All my latest Amazon finds here, and seen below in collage form…

05. So many of you have raved about K18 so many times (one of you wrote that it had completely transformed your hair!) and I’m fully on board now. I actually follow Julia Amory’s method versus the instructions on the back of the bottle and find it works for my fine hair better than the recommended process. You are supposed to squeeze moisture out of your hair after you shampoo, work a few pumps in, and leave it (do not rinse out) but, even though it left my hair ultra-touchable and soft, I found it weighed my hair down. When I use this, I now shampoo, rinse, then apply K18 plus a layer of Lolavie restorative conditioner. Then I get out of the shower and go about my business for 30 minutes before rinsing out. Then let hair air-dry most of the way and finish with the AirWrap. It reallllly leaves my hair soft and shiny; I don’t even use any other product on it when blow-drying/styling. This is what I did in the photos above! No product except the K18! I think the difference is noticeable. I just bought a bigger bottle of this using Sephora’s promotion; I like that it’s available in a travel size so you can test without a huge commitment. Not a huge price break for me (I’m just an insider) but I’ll take it, since I was already planning to buy! I also picked up another bottle of this Biossance Vitamin C while 10% off. (All my Sephora picks here.)

06. New spring bras from Negative — this pink and this blue! This is my favorite undergarment brand; I live in these whipped bralettes. I realized over this past winter that in the cold months, I almost can’t bear to wear anything but cotton against my skin when I’m cold. I swear I wore this bralette with this pointelle tee 90% of the winter. I almost regret trying their whipped underwear because they are so $$$ but they are the only thing I will sleep in. Ultra comfortable but still pretty. I own in most of the colors at this point. They hold up well though! And don’t get me started on their whipped track pants. So, so comfortable. I advise going up one size in the pants; I find the elastic a little too snug in my true size in these.

07. I can’t explain why I’m so excited about these little magnetic travel cosmetic pods. I am going away with Landon for just the night and this is what’s getting my jazzed about packing — ha! How lame?! But they’re so cute and cleverly designed! I got with the “parcel” carrier case that came in this bundle. Cadence is currently offering 20% off sitewide — discount appears in cart. I have also been waiting for JA to release a new set of toiletry bags in a fun new design (I LOVE THESE — so well-designed, with lined interiors and the sweetest prints!), because my current set were stained with an oil that spilled on our last trip. I think I am going to get this chic brown ticking stripe set.

08. Playful new sunnies from a new-to-me brand! I’m in the mood for more color and fun now that we’re edging towards warmer weather, and these just made me smile.

P.S. What we’re reading this spring.

P.P.S. Drive gently.

P.P.P.S. A Magpie Desiderata. (Life lessons.)

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.

By: Jen Shoop

The return of my Q+A series!

Q: Bathing suits that are cute but not too sexy to be worn around my husband’s family.

A: I like this Minnow and this Marysia!

Q: A work bag for my 16″ laptop.

A: This Cuyana! I own and love her. Splurge: Metier.

Q: Crossbody bag for spring/summer.

A: This Paris64, this FRP, this Loro Piana, this Loewe, this Prada,

Q: Flowy summer dresses for growing bump.

A: Anything Mi Golondrina, Jenni Kayne, this Mille, this Julia Amory (worn unbelted), anything Juliet Dunn.

Q: A big, elevated straw tote for summer.

A: I am obsessing over this one.

Q: Fisherman sandals for summer.

A: This Freda Salvador! I’m obsessed with the raffia but there are also great solid colors. We have early access to their sale starting today — 20% off with code FREDAFRIEND. Sale opens up to wider public on 4/14! Look for less with these.

Q: Warm weather tops for work.

A: These TWP button-downs (look for less here), this linen vest, polished tanks and tees from SoldOut. Julia Amory has lots of polished and chic pieces to consider, too: this, this.

Q: Italy next month!

A: This Betty dress, this Tuckernuck, and linen separates — you know my thoughts on Frank and Eileen, but lots of more reasonably priced pieces here. (And/or raid J. Crew’s linen collection while 40% off — this top, these pants, this dress! Gap also has great picks.). I also thrive in easy everyday dresses — would pack pieces like this, this, this that you can dress up or down; you could pair any of them with dressy sneakers, leather sandals, or a heel for dinner. Have the BEST time.

Q: Outfit for 8-month old boy to wear to a wedding.

A: Depending on how formal – I’d do something like this or this. Petit prince!

Q: Black tie mid-May event in creative field.

A: This hot pink, this Johanna Ortiz, this Agua Bendita.

Q: Dress for son’s first communion dress under $250.

A: Congrats to your little guy! I like something elegant like this. This is a little over budget but you’ll get a ton of wear out of this dress and she’d be perfect too with a little kitten heel and basket bag. My code JEN-15 brings it down to $253!

Q: Anything for a Nantucket honeymoon in early June.

A: Slightly saucy white dresses in eyelet or linen, lace shorts to pair with a scoop neck tank, this simple shift (and a striped sweater to throw over shoulders), this gorgeous caftan to pair with a white swimsuit, pretty little white tops to pair with jeans, white linen sets like this.

Q: Summer play and pool shoes for myself.

A: Ancient Greek Eleftherias and these jellies from Anthro! I own and love both and find them both comfortable.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.

By: Jen Shoop

I’ve been in a big shop mode for my children the last few weeks — turn of the seasons, and several big events incoming. I absolutely had to get my son this adorable quarter zip and shorts set from Lewis; I am guessing this might be the final year he enjoys wearing clothing with cute animals on it — although he’s not my toughest shopping critic. I showed my daughter no fewer than twenty dress options for Easter Sunday and, on the 20th attempt, when I was beginning to wonder if we’d ever find something suiting her preferences, she determined she liked this one. (Her requests: “nothing poufy or frilly.” Reader, I obliged! 90% of the offerings fit this bill! I felt certain she’d be taken with this, this, or this, all of which earned definitive snubs.) I bought her this cardigan/jacket and these mary janes to finish the look — it’s often chilly on Easter morning!

As I’ve been shopping away, I wanted to share a couple of adorable children’s finds —

BACKPACK // LOAFERS // DOLL STROLLER // SWEATSHIRT // SCRIPTURE CARDS // MARY JANES // STRAWBERRY CLIPS // DOLL BASSINET // SCALLOPED SHORTS

Even more below!

01. Girls scalloped pull-on shorts for $25.

02. Sweetest backpack and lunchbox set!

03. Quilted doll bassinet.

04. Matching doll stroller.

05. I love Minnow — this gingham set is darling.

06. Waterproof sandals for littles. The velcro closure makes them easy on/off.

07. I want these strawberry clips for myself!

08. Zara kids finds are amazing right now — including this floral sweatshirt.

09. Another Zara strawberry pick.

10. Lewis quarter-zip — the pattern is so adorable.

11. How cute are these Mary Janes?!

12. A great rain jacket at a great price. We’ve owned these in several colors/sizes; the interior has a high quality, soft lining.

13. Cadets swim trunks. I snagged these for Disney trip!

14. Thinking ahead for summer — speedo goggles.

15. Stroller sign for a Disney trip — clever, since apparently everyone rents!

16. Scripture cards for littles.

17. This hooded bath towel is so cute!

18. J. Crew factory carries the best shirts for boys — such great prices too!

19. These sueded loafers are to die for. Remind me of Loro Piana.

Ways to Style:

MARY JANES // SWEATSHIRT // SHORTS

TOWEL // QUARTER-ZIP // SWIM TRUNKS // GOGGLES

SET // CLIPS // SANDALS

P.S. On being high maintenance to be low maintenance.

P.P.S. Spring finds under $250.

P.P.P.S. Stationery favorites.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.

By: Jen Shoop

Last week, I made a few hats available for purchase here on my blog; a small thing, an “inside baseball” buy for us Magpies. Mr. Magpie wore his hat all week — to school drop off; to pick up steak at the butcher; to weed in the garden. MAGPIE BIRDING CLUB, everywhere he went. I watched him move through his week, doing all the normal things–only it wasn’t normal at all, not to me. There he was, quietly pinning my universe in place.

This morning, a small token of gratitude for his unwavering support: a republishing of this essay asking him when, exactly, he found the time to light up the sky?

****

When did you hang the moon?

Was it the day we met, swatting mosquitoes in the crepuscular weight of August in the Midatlantic, the fixed stars hidden in the swollen heat?

Or that time we crossed paths that night at Scott Stadium, the world a dim blur as I floated silently out into galaxies beyond?

I was too busy noticing you, and the way you rolled your oxfords up your forearms, and smiled at me as if in appreciation, and widened your stance when we’d talk, planting yourself for proper conversation, to see that you were also lighting up the universe —

Or maybe they’re the same thing: the details of you as luminous and giving as the stellar sum.

I know only this —

There was that night at the bonfire in the Appalachians, shivering in the October chill, and the Milky Way glittered so close I felt I could reach out and touch its stars. And yet next to you, they appeared the unremarkable beige of a waiting room, and, like everything else, dissolved into white noise and atmospheric clutter. Funny, how love can do that: put everything else on mute. “We were together — I forget the rest.” Etcetera.

That night, you were doing nothing at all. Just standing next to me, taking my hand, loaning me your sweatshirt, making smalltalk with my girlfriends. And I saw that you must have tacked up the moon some time in the months prior, as unassumingly as you now replace the lightbulbs and switch the air filters. Oh, no big deal, you’d have said. Just changing the constellations.

Post-Scripts.

+Do you remember when we used to take our time?

+Van Morrison, young love, and more talk of the moon.

+An easy kind of love.

If you want more Magpie, you can subscribe to my Magpie Email Digest for a weekly roundup of top essays, musings, conversations, and finds!

Shopping Break.

+New in at Tuckernuck: this great dress. Giving major La Double J vibes. I ended up ordering this striped skirt — so good, so easy!

+REALLY good new arrivals at Gap, too: this linen dress, this gauze set, these barrel gauze pants, this Doen-esque dress, and these shorts for girls.

+Rhone just launched their “Stance line” of athletic wear, which is perfect for tennis, golf, pickleball. I got my hands on this athletic skirt and it’s both highly functional and chic! (And already selling out in certain sizes.) I have this tentatively planned for one of my three Disney days. You can pair with the matching tank or their court-to-course quarter zip for a finished look. I own and LOVE that quarter-zip — it has a great slightly swingy silhouette so it sort of skims over your shorts instead of snagging at the waist / looking fitted at the waist. Really flattering with bike shorts, leggings, etc. While you’re there, how cute is this gingham bra? My code SHOOP20 gets you 20% off.

+Loro Piana…drool. Speaking of LP, I just bought a few items for Mr. Magpie from the European brand Aurelien, which, while not cheap, has major LP energy for much less $$. I’m loving the styled looks like this, and this. European royalty vibes — ha. I especially like their footwear. I bought Mr. Magpie these “yacht loafers,” which look a lot like the styles from Loro Piana and Brunello Cucinelli, but are about half as expensive. (Get the look for even less with these.)

+I have been LOVING everything I’ve tried from Sarah Creal, but especially her undereye concealer (does NOT settle into fine lines — it is magic) and eye cream (slightly tinted so it offers a little bit of color correction); cannot wait to try their new bronzer. This beauty line is specifically formulated for “mature skin.”

+Shopbop sale still going strong! Realized after I compiled this roundup of my picks that the sale also included Agolde Parker shorts — the best. There’s been some debate in the comments here about whether or not denim shorts are a good idea for Disney but these are what I’m planning to wear, with this airy top. The sale also includes one of my favorite sweaters from La Ligne: this stripe! Also available in navy.

+See an everyday outfit look inspired by a few of the items I just mentioned here. Everything up to 25% off!

+I actually used the sale to buy a few things for Mr. Magpie: these classic khakis, this SSBD (he’s literally never owned an SSBD in his life, so we’ll see what he thinks…he always resists a little at first and then tells me later “you’re keeping me fresh”), and two pairs of shorts to pair the SSBD with. (The other pair of shorts are these — which are a little loud but I think will look amazing with a white terry polo or button-down.) Will look so good with his new loafers and his Garrett Leight sunglasses, which I unabashedly bought him because Brad Pitt wore them. Hehe. A little moodboard of my best finds for him here.

+Cute gifts for a little lady: this umbrella, this pouch. Both Target finds!

+I have been wearing this turquoise bracelet in my daily stack for weeks now. So unexpected and so chic! It was just restocked after being out of stock for months. A fabulous piece to work into your daily wardrobe, especially in the summer!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.

By: Jen Shoop

I’ve been drawn to pastel lately, but there is something undeniably chic about grounding your spring wardrobe in rich, chocolate brown and warm, earthy tones. These colors feel elevated, sophisticated, and unexpected this time of year. Above, I’m wearing the greatest everyday dress: the top is a t-shirt material and the bottom is a full and airy poplin. If you’re a new customer, you can get 10% off with MAGPIE10. I went a size down in this (took an xxs) and the fit is perfect, I think because of the drawstring waist. I layered beneath my favorite cashmere cardigan and accessorized with a Lizzie Fortunato necklace (sold out, similar here), these Mango flats, and my new beloved handbag: Tory Burch’s Lee Radziwill. I later further completed the neutral look with my new favorite lip product: The Outset’s lip oasis in dune (nude).

Brown and Neutral Favorites for Spring.

Some other standout items that have caught my eye in this palette: Banana’s patterned linin mini, Julia Amory’s Betty Dress (an absolute stunner that can be dressed up or dressed down — see me in mine below; use code JEN-15 for 15% off), and these Angie Crop Trousers from Splendid.

Some other gorgeous chocolate, neutral, and earth tone finds for the season:

LEFT TO RIGHT: MIREILLE POLKA DOT COCKTAIL DRESS // THE COSIMA NAP DRESS* // AMP FLARE MIDI DRESS // POET LINEN MINI DRESS // MACKEY MIDI DRESS

*Flagging this ultra-chic silhouette because HHH just launched a spring capsule this morning at 9 a.m. with this style in a new green-and-white stripe that I’m hoping to get my hands on!

LEFT TO RIGHT: VISCOSE LINEN MINI DRESS // EASY WIDE HEM PANTS // LIZZIE FORTUNATO NECKLACE // LOEWE SUNGLASSES // VIOLA COTTON POLO // HUNTING SEASON BAG

LEFT TO RIGHT: GAUZE SHIRT DRESS // DRAGON DIFFUSION BAG // SMOCKED CHIFFON DRESS // LIZZIE FORTUNATO NECKLACE // JANESSA LEONE COLETTE HAT // FOLLOW SUIT ONE-PIECE // JOHANNA ORTIZ PAREO // ZARA BANGLES

Outfit Ideas: Styling Brown for Spring.

POET LINEN MINI DRESS // CYNDI FLATS // LEATHER BUCKET BAG // BALI SUNGLASSES // GIGI HOOP EARRINGS

MIREILLE POLKA DOT COCKTAIL DRESS // FEATHERWEIGHT CASHMERE CARDIGAN // MIGNON FLAT SANDAL // DOME HUGGIES // RECTANGULAR SUNGLASSES (LOOK FOR LESS HERE)

VISCOSE LINEN MINI DRESS // GEMMA SCRUNCHIE ONE PIECE // OUTTA LOVE SUNGLASSES // JANESSA LEONE COLETTE HAT // NATURAL FIBER CLUTCH BAG // SLIM SQUARE FLIP FLOP

VIOLA COTTON POLO // LOW CURVE DENIM // LOEFFLER RANDALL SANDALS // WOVEN TOTE BAG RAFFIA // 1983C SUNGLASSES (LOOK FOR LESS HERE) // DEVON EARRINGS

P.S. Statement accessories for spring.

P.P.S. Elegant everyday dresses.

P.P.P.S. Microtrend: mesh flats and jellies for spring.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.

By: Jen Shoop

“A devoted runner!” the crossing guard called to me as she parted the traffic in driving 45-degree rain, Moses of suburbia. I expressed something half-formed, midway between a smile and a “hm!”, as I ran by. This, my perennial problem: l’esprit de l’escalier. I am slow on my feet, in running but also unexpected encouragement or discouragement; I need at least a mile to mull. So, after the moment had passed, I thought: Only I’m not. I’m sporadic and slow, untuned and untimed. A begrudging runner if anything; a laggard in leggings. After all, it had taken me thirty minutes to work up the nerve to brave the cold rain that morning. I kept waiting for a break that did not come, and had to reach for other attenuations: “There’s no such thing as bad weather,” I repeated to myself, as I pulled on my parka and gloves and stared into the poolings on the pavestone. And again when my shoes soaked through within sixty seconds of leaving the cosset of my home: There’s no such thing as bad weather. This time with a current of causticity. But after I’d run through all the reasons I could not be considered “a devoted runner,” I ran lightly with the guard’s encouragement nonetheless: a little bird surprised by happenstance nourishment.

I thought: How little it takes to spur myself on — only a stray word from a stranger!

And yet — I was out there with the rain and the birds and the sodden feet before her encouragement, too. And I would do well to praise myself for this determination, whether I consider myself a runner or not.

I thought then, as I often do, of how life’s tiniest moments read like metaphors for writing, and vice versa, because —

I am accustomed to the unseen feeling: most writing reads in a silent room; the creative routinely shares to no response. This is a common misconception about writing, I think: you don’t write to be heard, to be listened to, certainly not to be praised; you write to reveal form. I think sometimes of the artist as a plumber. You are working with the pipes downstairs. You may never know that the work you did last week drew a warm and welcome bath for a tired body. You are in fact completely unaware of where it ends up, and what the water looks like to the waiting woman upstairs. You are just tightening and connecting; swapping out copper pieces, often in the dark, sometimes with a little unwelcome mud or grit or water, tapping into the subterranean, tinkering your way to an unblocked flow.

And so when you receive a word of encouragement, you feel lit-up and unalone, and yet you know — you must know — you will continue to create, even in the silence; mainly in the silence.

I write this today thinking of a friend of mine who gave up on writing because she felt she had been turned down too many times. She wanted to publish a book, and had a few “we regret to inform you…” letters, maybe one with helpful criticism, but mainly heard nothing at all. I of course wanted to comfort her; to build her up. To howl against the short-sightedness of the agents and publishers. But I also wanted to say: most of us create in silence. This is I think the condition of it. Most of the time, we are running alone in the rain, inventing any number of secret rationales and mantras to keep ourselves in motion. Anything to keep the speed. Anything to form one bright streak through the squall. When we are lucky, some god calls out: “I see you in your devotions!” and you think how lucky and light your feet feel, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

So onward!, as we say. Keep going, even in the quiet, the rain, the dark. Especially in those conditions. Write into it.

Post Scripts.

+”The cold dark is an aperitif. I climb out of my mind and into my body.“

+More thoughts for disillusioned writers.

+When do you feel most like a mother?

+How Magpies “reset” for the week.

+How do you fill your cup in under an hour?

Shopping Break.

+Some great new markdowns at Nordstrom: my favorite cropped sweatpants, a great terry pullover (I own in multiple colors), and chic jelly sandals for pool days!

+Perfect striped t-shirt dress.

+I’m not sure when it will go live this morning, but Doen is dropping a final spring capsule today! They sent me a sneak peek and I had to have this ethereal little white top called the Nera top!

+OMG this gorgeous top!

+We’re almost to Agolde Parker season.

+I’m in love with vitamin c for my skin – I think a lot of us are. It’s the first, unmovable step in my skincare process in the morning. I’ve often likened it to “turning the lights on” in my skin — immediate, visible change. My two longtime favorite vit c products: Biossance oil (light, quick to absorb) and Goop. (I know many readers are devotees of Skinceuticals but there are enough reports of its offputting smell to deter me. Plus, it’s much more expensive!). What are your thoughts?

+This floral one-piece! With these sunshine yellow pants over.

+Sweetest shape sorter / stacking toy for babies! I have this in my cart as a baby shower gift add on.

+I just received these red gauze pants ($39!) and am obsessed with them. Super soft and the tomato red color is so fun! This is the kind of thing I like to throw on with a striped sweater for easy everyday wear.

+A great white top to pair with everything.

+Gorgeous floral skirt.

+Adorable girls’ raincoat.

+Obsessed with this dark wash denim dress.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.

By: Jen Shoop

iNothing says “effortless chic” like linen for spring and summer — the perfect balance of breezy and refined. Very Nancy Meyers FMC. I could not wait to break in this new linen set from Frank and Eileen (which I also own in white), but you can easily recreate the look for less with these Quince pants and the matching shirt, or Gap’s take, which I’m LOVING in the tomato red (top, bottom).

FRANK AND EILEEN SET // DOEN X K. JACQUES SANDALS // JANESSA LEONE HAT // ALTUZARRA TOTE

A few additional standout linen finds for less: this belted v-neck dress, this unexpected and high-fashion-looking a-line maxi, and these relaxed wide leg trousers. The latter remind me a lot of something that ScarJo’s character might have worn in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which is one of my all-time favorite movies — I regularly re-watch. And I just ordered this striped linen shorts set (top, bottom) at a great price.

At the higher end of the price point, how perfect are these Staud Cruz Linen Shorts?! I love the shape!

LEFT TO RIGHT: BELTED LINEN DRESS // A LINE LINEN DRESS // TIE DETAIL MIDI DRESS // COUCOU PLEATED MIDI DRESS

PLEATED MIDI SHIRTDRESS // WIDE LEG ESSENTIAL PANT // LINEN MAXI SLIP SKIRT // LINEN SHIRT

LINEN CARDIGAN // LINEN SHORTS WITH BELT // STRIPED TROUSERS

Styling Linen for Spring.

LINEN SHIRT // 90’S CROP MID RISE JEANS // OLIVIA LARGE RAFFIA SHOULDER BAG (LOOK FOR LESS HERE) // ATP ALASSIO SANDALS // DONNA SUNGLASSES

JORDYN TANK (LOOK FOR LESS HERE) // LINEN MAXI SLIP SKIRT // RILEY OPEN WEAVE BALLET FLAT // TORY BURCH LEE RADIZIWILL BAG // HEAVEN MAYHEM EARRINGS // LOEWE SUNGLASSES

COUCOU PLEATED MIDI DRESS // BASKET SMALL BAG IN PALM LEAF (LOOK FOR LESS HERE) // ALBA BALLET FLATS // LOEWE SUNGLASSES // JENNYBIRD EARRINGS

CRUZ LINEN SHORTS // KELLY SLIM FIT TEE (LOOK FOR LESS HERE) // RAFFIA WRAPPED STRETCH WAIST BELT // JAVIER VANILLA NAPA FLATS // NUBUCK BAG // BEANIE EARRINGS // DONNA SUNGLASSES

A LINE LINEN DRESS // LINEN CARDIGAN // POT DE MIEL // LAUREL SANDALS // LOEWE SUNGLASSES // THREAD HOOPS (LOOK FOR LESS HERE)

P.S. Things I love in my closet right now.

P.P.S. Microtrend: fisherman core.

P.P.P.S. On my radar: 3.18.2025.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.

By: Jen Shoop

Seen above: ALIX OF BOHEMIA TOP AND BOTTOMS

Shopbop is running its biggest promotion of the season: 15% off orders of $200+, 20% off orders of $500+, and 25% off orders of $800. Use code: STYLE. I know a lot of Magpies use this promotion to build out the basics of a spring and early summer wardrobe! A few great buys below…

First, this white top will be a staple of your spring to summer wardrobe. Tuck into white, colored, light, or dark wash denim (or denim shorts) and re-style infinity ways.

Second, use the promo to snag a Frank and Eileen sweatset in a great spring/summer color — top, bottoms.

More fabulous buys below…

ALIX OF BOHEMIA TOP AND BOTTOMS // CLEOBELLA TOP AND SHORTS // RAILS TOP AND SKIRT

HUNZA G SWIM // TEMPTATION POSITANO DRESS // LESET POINTELLE TEE

MARNI TOTE // LOEFFLER RANDALL SANDALS // JANESSA LEONE HAT // HUNZA G SWIM

P.S. The birds loved it. (Let your children be those little backyard thickets!)

P.P.S. A good month for change. Honestly, all of spring is.

P.P.P.S. Our favorite offbeat seasonal rituals.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.

By: Jen Shoop

In these books, there are fingerprints and water stains. Prefaces and TOCs. Dog-eared pages and half-ripped ones. My self at fourteen, my self at forty. Notes in the margins, and annotations in the back matter; cracked spines and old covers faded by sun and the vacation smells of spilt sunscreen and saltwater. Published by on such-and-such date. To Jen Love Dad, September 1998. At least twelve different readings of Jo March, or Elizabeth Bennett, or Anne Shirley — together, a logbook of a heart making its way a life.

Each time I dip in, I am the kingfisher. I find something new. Or, maybe, the text is the kingfisher, and I am the fish waiting to be found somewhere in the vast blue, storm-tossed by sea change or still in the shallows, depending on the day.

When I’d fish with my Dad in Colorado, I would see the rainbow trout inches beneath the clear mountain water, their sleek sliver bodies appearing stuck in situ. They were skittish, though, and we took care lest our shadows spook them off. I imagine myself trout-like now, waiting or whatever they were doing. Do they sleep like that, fins against the current? What a way to live.

In any case, they made for easy prey, eye-visible and hungry, as do I now. I imagine the text throwing out an easy line, landing on the fragile surface of the water, nearly nothing between it and my heart.

In any case, I want to be caught by the word. And I want to catch it, too.

Sunday Shopping.

ICYMI, we have Magpie hats! You can buy them here. (Below: real men wear “bad book girl” hats. While dry-brining steak for dinner no less.). I am completely charmed by all your notes about these hats — several of you are buying to wear to your book clubs!

Also had a few piquant shopping notes for you today:

+I’m newly obsessed with this nude color of The Outset’s lip oasis. They sent me the full run of their tinted glosses and I LOVE THIS NUDE. It’s such a great product — hydrating, plumping, keeps lips glossy for a LONG time, but not tacky. I love it. Try the nude!

+Rag and Bone’s excellent Maxine button-down is on sale for $100 (!) in this great taupe/white colorway. I’ve never seen such a steep discount and the color is so good! This is A Really Good Shirt. I own in blue and I love it so much — has a silky, drapey feel to it. Looks super polished IRL.

+I can’t keep myself away from a pair of utility pants; these are en route to me now. I really like to write in pants like these (movement, have a utilitarian workhorse vibe that puts me in a good headspace — “I will be productive in these”) and I thought the drawstring and pocket details were cool. Also come in white. Did I mention they’re under $160, and they have this Nili Lotan vibe going on? Love. Also, my code JEN15 brings them down to $134.

+Not shopping, but really enjoying the new AppleTV+ show The Studio! A lot of stirring questions about the intersection between art and business.