I’m running into a problem — I’ve now worn two dresses I had thought I was going to set aside for Thanksgiving because I love them so much! The first was the Cleobella dress I’m wearing here, which I wore out to dinner with friends, and now I am breaking out this Anna Cate dress (generously gifted to me by the brand and e-retailer Tuke Bazaar) for an event this weekend, too. Oops! The color and pattern are just so deliciously fall. I will be wearing with a chocolate brown headband.
This Week’s Most Popular: Fall Finds.
01. SILKY HIGH NECK LONG SLEEVE MAXI DRESS IN A STUNNING HAND-DRAWN RED PAISLEY PRINT
02. PINE GREEN WATER REPELLENT PUFFER VEST WITH DURABLE DOUBLE SLIDER ZIPPER — SUCH A GREAT WARM LAYERING STAPLE FOR COLD WEATHER!
03. VIBRANT PINK CROPPED TURTLENECK KNIT SWEATER IN A TIMELESS CABLE-KNIT PATTERN…THE UNEXPECTED COLOR AND MODERN CUT REALLY UPDATES THIS CLASSIC PIECE
04. 10-INCH TAPERED SPIRAL-SHAPED CANDLESTICKS THAT COME IN ANY COLOR YOU CAN THINK OF (PLUS THEY ARE LESS THAT $15 FOR A SET OF TWO)
05. NEUTRAL MATTE AND SHIMMERY EIGHT-COLOR LIMITED EDITION EYESHADOW PALETTE FROM BOBBI BROWN
06. WEATHERPROOF ANKLE DUCK BOOTS FOR LITTES WITH BLACK QUILTED UPPER AND SIDE ZIP FOR EASY ON AND OFF
07. BLUE AND WHITE TAPERED LAMPSHADE-STYLE NIGHT LIGHT WITH PERSONALIZED THREE LETTER MONOGRAM
08. WHITE LINEN DELICATE WREATH SASH WITH ORNATELY PRINTED LETTER MONOGRAM
09. WESTERN-INSPIRED COTTON LONG SLEEVE BLOUSE WITH FRONT BUTTON PLACKET, VOLUMINOUS SLEEVES, AND GORGEOUS PIN-TUCKED DETAILING AT THE NECKLINE
10. ICONIC GUCCI LOGO MONOGRAMMED SEMI-SHEER BLACK TIGHTS — THIS INVESTMENT PIECE IS UNDENIABLY CHIC AND WILL ELEVATE ANY OUTFIT
11. WHITE CHUNKY CABLE KNIT HIP-LENGTH CARDIGAN WITH RIBBED TRIM AND CONTRASTING TORTOISE-COLORED BUTTONS
12. SEASONALLY PATTERNED RED TARTAN MIDI-LENGTH FIT AND FLARE DRESS WITH ELEGANT PUFF SLEEVES
13. SET OF TWO BEIGE VELVET STACKABLE ORGANIZATION TRAYS WITH INDIVIDUAL COMPARTMENTS TO DISPLAY YOUR JEWELRY
14. FITTED TAN PLAID VERSATILE BELTED SHIRT JACKET WITH PLAYFUL FRINGE AT THE HEM AND PATCH POCKETS
15. BLACK SATIN HEELED STRAPPY PEEP-TOE SANDALS WITH CRYSTAL BUCKLE DETAIL AND DRAMATIC OSTRICH FEATHER ACCENTS FOR SOME CLASSY FLAIR
16. MARABOU FEATHER LIGHT-GREY CLUTCH PURSE WITH DETACHABLE GOLD METAL CHAIN STRAP
17. SLIM-FIT BLACK PONTE PANTS WITH ELASTIC WAISTBAND FROM EMERSON FRYE FOR COLD WEATHER LAYERING
Weekend Musings: Tomorrow’s Business.
A friend of mine recently used the expression “tomorrow’s business,” as in — “why worry about that now? that’s tomorrow’s business.” I loved the turn of phrase, finding it a sound rubric for separating what matters now from the whirl of worries outside of my immediate control.
+Truly drooling over these Marion Parke embellished velvet heels in the forest green. I might need them for Christmas eve? AHHHH. (But I did find them for 60% off in a chic blue, too.)
+Speaking of, this is my front-runner for a Christmas dress. I’ll pair with big statement earrings and high heels (hopefully the aforementioned).
+My two most-worn coats at the moment are this reversible (!) puffer/teddy coat (!!!!) — so beyond chic in the olive/chocolate color, and incredibly warm — and my quilted liner jacket from Everlane, when it’s a bit more mild. Both of them go with everything.
+This hybrid between a sherpa gilet and quilted liner jacket would also be a good pick for this time of year.
+Can you believe this sherpa trim tote is under $75?
+Just a reminder ICYMI that Target’s Sugar Paper gift wrap is now available! This always sells out and becomes difficult to find the closer we get to the holidays. It is SUCH good quality for the price — worth spending an extra few dollars per roll because it is very thick and the patterns are fantastic. The candy canes!
+These sequin-embellished herringbone shorts (!) could be a really fab twist on a festive look — pair with suede heels and a sweater/button-down?
+Already ordered this Nutcracker sticker book for my daughter.
+Love these boots. Get the look for less with these.
By: Jen Shoop
This post was challenging to write purely because I want to order each and every one of these fabulous steals…
The last few days, I have felt disconnected from myself, unable to settle into my thoughts and my body as I usually do. I have been the finical bird. I had trouble clipping back into my running routine after taking a break to nurse myself back from a nasty head cold, I was dizzied from trundling our way through an overstuffed social calendar, and household admin in general has been at (what feels like) an all-time high.
How do you recenter in these moments?
In an ideal world, I would have gotten outside for a long hike. I would have paused. I would have given myself a day off. I would have gotten outside of my head. When I do those things, I usually find myself in possession of a new perspective that reminds me that many inanities pass as urgencies.
But all of that felt impossible this week given various demands and commitments, and so I looked for “the small things.”
That is: in what small ways can I call myself back inside?
I found that being deliberate in — even a little extravagant with — the scant pauses throughout my day (the car ride home from dropping off the children, the shower before bed, the lunch break at noon) was the answer.
As an example, I have recently been taking my lunch at my desk in my writing studio. Usually, Mr. Magpie and I try to eat lunch together, but I have been pedal to the metal, and this has felt like one easy way to earn a little extra time in my workday. When I have finished these desktop lunches, I have been stacking my plates on a table outside my room rather than descending to place them in the dishwasher, as a civilized human might do. Then I have been sitting in my studio vaguely aware of the meal’s detritus, side-eying it as a chore I must eventually tackle.
As it turns out, these tiny “time-saving” decisions have been coloring my days, and not in a happy shade.
So instead, I have been repeating the words: “Make thisthe most important thing.” If I am taking lunch, I want to breathe into that noontime break. I want to sit at the dining table without my phone and enjoy a conversation with my husband. I want to clear the plates afterward, restoring the kitchen to its tidiness.
If I am going for a run, I don’t want it sandwiched in between other commitments, a distracted tick-mark on my daily agenda. I want to take the time to stretch, to pause to take a picture on the Crescent Trail, to sit in my warm car afterwards, responding to text messages about lyrics from Taylor Swift’s new album from my sisters. Surely the work, the admin of my life cannot be so intense so as to displace the five minutes of downtime here, ten minutes of jogging there, that make me feel better?
I am sure I have lost an hour of “productivity” in the wake of these gifts to myself, but the math that matters holds up:
It is about measuring my days in terms of presence, not productivity.
I am haunted by an interview I read recently with an angel of a woman who provides end-of-life care. She said that some of the most common things she heard from people as faced their own deaths: “I wish I’d worried less, I wish I’d worked less.”
In some ways, this message feels contradictory with the thrust of my more common posts on focus, self-reliance, discipline. But morose as this might sound, it has recently been occurring to me that there will come a time at the end of my life where so much of what clutters my day-to-day will seem absolutely immaterial to the point of laughable. I predict that in a few decades, I will not care whether I finished that damned short story I’ve been working on this month or next, but I will cling to the way Mr. Magpie burst into unbridled laughter over the lunch table today, that I will caress the many noontime meals we enjoyed in our quiet, child-free home this fall. I will not care whether I’d laundered my sheets this week day, but I will remember my son’s sunrise face peeking up from beneath the covers, radiating with laughter, deferring the laundering process. I will not care if my daughter went to school with a non-regulation uniform sweatshirt because I had not found time to track down the ones that went missing in the lost-and-found; I will think instead of our conversation the other night: “Do you know how much I love you?” I asked her. She nodded. “I’ve known since I was a baby,” she said, which I think she meant matter-of-factly, as in, “you’ve been telling me this since I was born,” but which shot me right in the heart.
I’m willing to lose a little productivity to make space for more of that.
In case you need to give yourself dispensation today to leave the toys on the floor, or the assignment til next week, or the laundry to tomorrow —
+Obsessed with these little minis from J. Crew in tartan and solids.
+I recently re-discovered a Kevyn Aucoin face countouring palette I bought years ago. I’m not big into contouring / heavy makeup, but I’ve used it a few times the last few weeks when getting ready for evenings out and some professional photographs, too — he includes instructions that make it really easy to highlight and accentuate the most flattering parts of your face. I also still use his SSE ALL THE TIME. It’s a great, heavy-duty concealer for my fellow Magpies with dark undereye circles.
+Inexpensive pearl handbag for your holiday party circuit!
By: Jen Shoop
I’ve had really good luck this year with fall wardrobe finds from Gap, J. Crew, and Janie and Jack in particular, which is lovely for me, as all of those retailers frequently run great promotions. My thoughts on sizing for these brands: Janie and Jack runs a bit small (my 3.5 year old son takes a 4), Gap and Old Navy runs TTS (my son takes a 3), Little English runs somewhere between TTS and small (I would size up in their pajamas / cotton pieces but you can take true size in other items…I do find their overalls run too narrow for my son), and J. Crew runs long and lean (depends on item, I usually size up for pants but go TTS or down a size for tops depending on the style I’m after — I generally prefer more form-fitting pieces). Below, all of my favorite current season finds in my son’s dresser, in case you’re looking to round things out for your own little one:
I am generally apprehensive about graphic tees/sweats/etc — I know that once they enter my house, they will be the only things the children want to wear, but every now and then, I decide I’m being too grinch-y and buy them a few motifs that I know they will love. Both adore Marvel and rock music, so we have a select few of the Target tees along these lines (similar to this and this). I did buy my son these Mickey sweats and this Toy Story tee this fall. He just loves those characters so much! And mini cherishes this Rolling Stones tee and will wear it every/any chance she has.
Q: Shoes to wear with HHH Louisa dress in red tartan for Christmas down in Florida?
A: I like to style my nap dresses for day with either Vibis or ballet flats — these silver ones would be really fun, and these $30 velvet ones would be right at home.
Q: Harry Potter Yule Ball dress.
A: Splurge, but why did this Bernadette statement spring to mind first? It feels robe-like in a Harry Potter adjacent way. Also love this red La Ligne with glitzy earrings and heels, this Veronica Beard (feels like something Emma Watson would wear?), this head-to-toe sequin HVN, this sequined Saylor, this pleated Ulla, and this OTS Aje. Or maybe something from one of these glitzy posts here, here, here?
Q: Presents for a friend’s first pregnancy (twin boys!) — baby shower, post-birth, etc.
A: What a dear friend you are! For baby shower, I would buy off her registry, as chances are, she has spent some time vetting what she wants. If you want to buy off-registry, or supplement, I nearly always tuck one of these Love-to-Dream sleepsacks in because it really changed my life when Hill was maybe two months old? He kept startling himself awake / would writhe out of his traditional swaddle (and we were good swaddlers!) and this enabled him to sleep for long. I also like to throw in a Wubbanub (God bless those names…), which are not only adorable but functional. The weight of the stuffed animal keeps the pacifier in baby’s mouth, and makes them easy to find (e.g., they don’t slip down the side of the crib into the netherworld). I also love to give Kissy Kissy footies (my favorite, favorite, favorite — a slightly wider fit that makes it easier to get on/off tiny baby, holds up spectacularly, gorgeous details) and 1212 onesies (also my favorite, favorite, favorite — very soft, two snaps at crotch, and a stretchy material that goes on over baby’s head easily). More inspo in this post on baby gear I wish I’d known about earlier and this post on layette finds.
Once babies arrive, I would focus on the parents. I would deliver a homemade meal, or have a meal delivered. I’ve mentioned this a bunch, but when we had mini, a girlfriend brought buy a big bag full of provisions from Eataly — cured meats, olive bread, fancy mayonnaise, olives, bar snacks, etc. It was heaven to have supplies for a midnight sandwich / quick bite whenever needed. I’ve paid that generosity forward and I usually assemble a bag or basket with bread from a good bakery, deli meats/cured meats, sliced cheeses, fancy mayo and mustard, fancy chips (truffle, etc), marcona almonds, dried fruit, yogurt covered pretzels, etc. Just things that are easy to grab and snack on when you’re up at 3 a.m. and famished. I usually like to drop this bag on a doorstep the day or day after the family arrives home from the hospital. I would not have wanted guests at that tender early time, and it’s magic to have a meal materialize when you’re in that haze.
One other thought — pay attention to the babies’ weights. One of my girlfriends delivered a preemie (and I know twins tend to be small) and I ran out to Baby Gap and bought whatever preemie sized items they had because the baby was swimming in newborn sized items!
Finally, check in!!! Just texting regularly meant the world to me. My girlfriend Steph would just send sporadic texts throughout the first few weeks — “Thinking of you, how’s it going?” and “How’d last night go?” and it meant THE WORLD to me to feel like I had an open ear / someone who saw me.
Q: A cropped turtleneck sweater to wear with a satin slip or skirt — thank you.
A: Chic chic! Love this one, this one (budget buy!), and this one, depending on the vibe you’re after.
Q: Best Secret Santa gift under $50.
A: Fun! A Pomegranate Puzzle (these are seriously the best quality puzzles and so fun to have out for the holidays), a Tara Andris desk calendar (don’t know how I lived before I had a desk calendar like this — I refer to it daily), a set of 12 appetizer plates from C&B (in constant use in house for snacks, bread plates, appetizers, coasters, etc!), cocktail napkins from Chefanie (love these and these), this Mama necklace, a set of Proper Table coasters, or an Emile Henry butter pot. Trust me, the butter pot will change your life. So excellent to always have soft, spreadable butter on hand. You put water in the bottom to create a seal/perserve. Two separate sets of recent house guests we’ve had bought them on the spot/before leaving after enjoying ours for the weekend.
Q: A really good, “heavy” old fashioned comforter. Not Pottery Barn. Not a duvet.
A: I would look at Company Store’s options — love this pattern, and it’s super discounted! I’ve been very impressed with their bedding. Ralph Lauren also does great, traditional patterned comforters, like this toile and this paisley.
Q: Brown suede bag.
A: Splurge: the Khaite Lotus. (Mouth waters). More reasonable: Banana actually has a fabulous bag out this season I’ve been eyeing — love the shape, the logo-less-ness, the rich chocolate color! Staud has a similar one in a slightly different shape that turned my head, too. APC also has their popular Grace bag in a chic suede option. Last but not least, J. Crew has a classic-looking suede tote out this season that would be practical and elegant.
Q: Something to wear to a 20-year high school reunion.
A: Something that makes you feel GREAT! Nothing you’ll be adjusting/tugging/etc. I was just thinking the other day how much I love the look of button-downs and oxfords, but find myself constantly pushing up the sleeves, re-tucking, etc. I mean, I’ll still wear them, but that’s the kind of thing I would avoid at an event where you want to feel comfortable. (Mine was fun but slightly dizzying!) Personally, I would wear a patterned fall midi dress paired with ballet flats or booties depending on weather. A few dresses I would consider that feel festive/fun but not over-dressed:
More dresses along these lines, including less expensive options, here.
If you’re more of a jeans girl, go that direction and pair with a fun top like this or this. (More great statement tops here.)
Q: Chic winter boots for around town — have Sorels, Bean Boots, Uggs.
A: Try a lug-sole — I have been loving these Madewells from last season this fall (this season has a slightly edgier lace-up variation). I like to wear with slightly cropped jeans so that the hem kind of plays with the top of the boot/some tucks in/some doesn’t/ a little camp sock shows, but would also look great paired with a dressier style of legging (I know a lot of you bought this pair of ponte pants from Emerson Fry for this exact reason!). Sam Edelman has a similar one in a waterproof formula that might be even more practical if you’re somewhere that expects precipitation regularly. And Target has a great lookalike pair for under $40 that many Magpies have bought.
Q: A holiday dress for my daughter with smocking.
A: I love this tartan one from Trotters — mini has a nearly identical one from Anavini I’m squeezing her into one more year! I also love this Il Porticciolo. Dillards has a similar tartan style for a little less. I treasure a few of the smocked Proper Peony holiday pieces I bought for mini when younger — something like this or this would be precious.
By: Jen Shoop
I am in the midst of testing a bunch of new beauty products after maybe six months of sticking with my trieds-and-true. I know a lot of you are waiting for my review of Westman Atelier’s skin drops (which apparently make your skin look like you’re using the Paris filter on Instagram), but mine have STILL not arrived after a shipping issue. I will say that Sephora has a really good return policy and will accept opened, used cosmetics if it’s clear you haven’t, for example, used half the bottle. I’d never returned a beauty product before, but I did just that after trying the Ilia Super Serum, which came so heavily hyped, but I just could not get it to work for me — the formula “broke,” it did not apply evenly, etc. So if you want to take advantage of the sale to test and see what you think and then return if it doesn’t work…
ICYMI, Sephora is running its annual tiered sale at the moment, which means VIB Rouge members enjoy 20% off and VIB members enjoy 15% off through November 7, and Insiders can earn 10% off starting tomorrow.
Below, a few great beauty buys to snag during the sale, most thoroughly tested and adored by yours truly, and some newer items/labels to consider.
01. RMS BEAUTY PRIMER — I ALWAYS STRUGGLE TO ADD AN EXTRA PRODUCT TO MY MAKEUP REGIMEN BUT WHEN I’M GOING OUT FOR THE EVENING, I HAVE BEEN WISHING I HAD A PRIMER TO SET THE STAGE, AND I LOVE OTHER RMS PRODUCTS
05. TATCHA DEWY SKIN CREAM — CURRENTLY USING THIS AND HAVE THOUGHTS. I FIND THIS PRODUCT DOES NOT ABSORB AS QUICKLY/SMOOTHLY AS OTHER FACE CREAMS, BUT IT REALLY DOES PLUMP, HYDRATE, BRIGHTEN AS IT SAYS! I’VE LEARNED TO APPLY AND THEN TAKE A BREAK TO DO MY HAIR / GET DRESSED / ETC TO LET THE MOISTURIZER ABSORB…OVERALL, RECOMMEND
06. SAIE HIGHLIGHTER — THE LILAC SEEMS INTIMIDATING BUT IT IS SUCH A FUN HOLOGRAPHIC EFFECT FOR A DEWY NIGHTTIME LOOK
08. DIOR LIP GLOW — THIS IS MY KIND OF LIP COLOR FOR EVERY DAY…MY LITMUS IS: “CAN I APPLY WITHOUT A MIRROR?” AND THIS IS DEFINITELY THE CASE WITH THIS BALM-LIKE HINT-OF-COLOR PRODUCT
13. WESTMAN ATELIER SQUEAKY CLEAN LIQUID LIP — I’M NOT A BIG GLOSS OR LIQUID LIP GIRL BUT I AM INTRIGUED BY THIS HEAVILY HYPED FORMULA…I FIND W.A. DOES THE BEST COLORS
In the excitement of my reunion with Elizabeth Bishop a week or two ago, I re-read some of her collected prose, including an endearing essay on poet Marianne Moore, Bishop’s mentor-turned-bosom-buddy. Bishop, sharp as nails herself, frames Moore as brilliant and meticulously considered in her writing, which spurred me to read some of Moore’s poetry.
A critic once described Moore as “a poet who controlled panic by presenting it as whimsy.” Bishop took this critic to task, replying: “Whimsy is sometimes there, of course, and so is humor (a gift these critics sadly seem to lack),” and then goes on: “Surely there is an element of mortal panic underlying all works of art?”
Still, my initial and admittedly ursine passes at Moore’s verse deposited me more in the critic’s camp. Her poetry presents as serious thought clouded by form and kitsch and archness. She is, sometimes, difficult to take seriously? Though even I can see just beneath the varnish, and across the poetic remove, her utter conviction. Still, I found myself hungering for the sleek heft of Bishop, the way she will draw us through delicately carved, and often ponderous, detail with the promise of one of her gorgeous clarities. I will swim for miles in search of those buoys. In the margins of one rather prolix essay of hers, my college self wrote: “Why am I bored here? Too much? As always with Bishop, all details must be important, but…” I was too reactive to literature at that time. My opinions took shape immediately, as though flash-frozen, and I found it difficult to mold them after, even if I learned how to mediate or suppress those emotions as a student, in my academic writing. If I found a passage overwrought, that was the end of it. Red ink: “Yawn.” I have learned over time to let my reactions to art congeal more slowly, over time, like pudding in the fridge. With Bishop, I am learning now that I am re-immersing myself, the long view is essential, especially given the fact that I know she was impressively exacting. At a posthumous reading of her poetry, poet and academic Lloyd Schwarz said: “Elizabeth worked fastidiously. Sometimes she’d spend years thinking about a phrase or word.” And celebrated poet Robert Lowell wrote of her:
“Do / you still hang your words in air, ten years / unfinished, glued to your notice board, with gaps / or empties for the unimaginable phrase– / unerring Muse who makes the casual perfect?”
Almost as a matter of respect for her artistic care, then, I am committed to open-mindedness (and if not open-mindedness, forbearance) for what occasionally passes as fustian. And it is always a passing, a costume, or at least a maneuver.
Anyhow, because I respect Bishop, I find myself craning my neck at Moore, squinting and pawing. What can we make of a poem like “Baseball and Writing“? The opening stanza is distressingly pithy or facile — I can’t tell which. It reminds me of the way Mr. Magpie and I often cringe and poke one another at the use of the words “coupon” and “ground round” in Craig Morgan’s country song “That’s What I Love about Sundays.” For context, we love country music, and, “ground round” notwithstanding, still love that song, so this is not a generalized angst against the genre. But these lyrics nettle:
It’s 35 cents off a ground round Baby, cut that coupon out
Far be it for me to censor words from inclusion in any form of art, but ah! Ground round just doesn’t feel right in sung lyrics? I feel similarly about Moore’s line: “pitcher, catcher, fielder, batter.” It is too on-the-nose, too cluttered with jargon? I feel drawn into some kind of other-place between poetry and prose.
But Bishop had this to say:
“Marianne was intensely interested in the techniques of things — how camellias are grown; how the quartz prisms work in crystal clocks; how the pangolin can close up his hear, nose, and eye apertures and walk on the outside edges of his hands ‘and save the claws / for digging’; how to drive a car; how the best pitchers throw a baseball; how to make a figurehead for her nephew’s sailboat. The exact way in which anything was done, or made, or functioned, was poetry to her.“
Here is the cipher; here are the poetics. Years ago, I would have resisted this furnishment of context. I was a textualist then, and both obstinate and jejune in that outlook — a dangerous pairing. Now, though, I welcome Bishop’s deputization. Is that laziness on my part or the kind of due respect we learn to bestow on the talented, the sage among us? Locum tenens.
But let me take, then, this observation — this invitation — to heart, today:
“The exact way in which anything was done, or made, or functioned, was poetry to her.“
Post-Scripts.
*Image above taken yesterday, amidst the moody, low-lying morning fog. I took this picture using the panorama function on my iPhone and when I returned to my desk, I encountered those words from Lowell, “do you still hang your words in the air,” and the image felt symmetrical to, or suggestive of, the expression in some way. It is striking, how much of our day can color what we read, and how we remember it.
+The smocked cuffs on this velvet mini add so much interest. Pair with patterned tights.
+Sugar Paper x Target is back! Take my word for it and order now or you will end up scrounging the bottom of the barrel if you wait. I made that mistake last year. I should have ordered more earlier!
+So many great brands are offering early discounts (pre-cyber-week!), include Kule, which is offering $50 off orders of $250+; $125 off orders of $500+; and $300 off orders of $1000+ using code KULEYULE. Great time to snag this classic stripe sweater for $50 off, or to stock up on a bunch of striped tees and turtlenecks. You could even buy all your sisters/girlfriends a striped tee for Christmas and save on the bundle! How cute?
+Oh my goodness, these marbled crackers would be such a fun exclamation point on a Thanksgiving table!
+These $30 ballet flats come in the best colors! Perfect pairing with your Thanksgiving dress.
+30% off rugs and entertaining at Serena and Lily. This rug is still one of my absolute favorite pieces we own. It was in our primary bedroom but now we’ve moved it into our family room. While there, note that these happy euro shams (a Magpie favorite last week) are now under $30!
+Love this blazer. Perfect to layer over a turtleneck with high waist jeans and fun flats, or over a fair isle sweater for a horse country moment.
+Zara came out with a lamb sweater reminiscent of the SEA one — but a fraction of the price!
+Make bathtime a little more fun for your little one with these.
+These hand-smocked traditional Christmas nighties for littles — swoon!!!!
+Speaking of Christmas jammies, I am so sad I missed out on these $15 nutcracker jammies in mini’s size! (Upgrade pick: Lake’s nutcracker jammies!)
+Early stocking stuffer idea: cute $5 mini puzzles with different cities!
By: Jen Shoop
Halloween is behind us, and I’m moving full steam ahead towards the holidays. I know a lot of you have already begun shopping, too. Today, gifts for best friends — whether they be siblings, mothers, MILs, or sisters from other misters. I own a lot of these items and/or own items from these brands and feel passionately about all. I aimed to keep these gifts under $200, with a handful of exceptions.
01. LAKE PAJAMAS — MY LONGTIME GO-TO GIFT FOR WOMEN…LOVE THIS CHARTREUSE COLOR
05. CIRE TRUDON CANDLE — I KNOW CANDLES SEEM LIKE AN IMPERSONAL GIFT, BUT TRUST ME, SHE WILL BE LIVING IN THE LAP OF LUXURY LIGHTING THIS NIGHT AFTER NIGHT
07. SPICE HOUSE BAKER’S COLLECTION — WE BUY ALL OF OUR SPICES FROM HERE AND THIS GIFT SET WOULD BE A MAJOR INGREDIENT UPGRADE FOR A LOVING BAKER IN YOUR LIFE
08. TISCH NEW YORK PLATES — WOW, THESE MAJORLY SPARK JOY FOR ME…I WANT TO HOST A DINNER PARTY WITH GIRLFRIENDS BASED SOLELY ON THESE PLATES
14. CURRIN AND CADE GLASS ORNAMENTS — I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE KIND OF LUXE GIFT ADULT WOMEN GIVE EACH OTHER; THE KIND OF THING THAT FEELS A LITTLE TOO EXTRA TO BUY YOURSELF?
16. MARIA DEL ORDEN BLOUSE — A GRANNY-CHIC STATEMENT FROM A VERY HOT LABEL FOR YOUR FELLOW VICTORIAN GHOST DRESSING FRIEND
17. ROUNDHOUSE DIPPING BOWL SET — HOW CUTE?! THIS IS ACTUALLY MY FRONT RUNNER FOR A FEW GIRLFRIENDS WHO ENJOY HOSTING…IMAGINE SETTING OUT LITTLE NIBBLES IN THESE
18. PROPER TABLE CO ACRYLIC PLACEMATS — HAVE RAVED ABOUT THESE SO MANY TIMES BUT THEY ARE FABULOUS FOR EVERYDAY DINING…GET THE LOOK WITHOUT THE LAUNDRY
19. VONBLOOM CHARM BRACELET — WELL-PRICED, AND SHE CAN ADD CHARMS OVER TIME (OR YOU CAN GIFT HER SOME OVER THE YEARS!)
*Above, I am wearing a past-season Zimmermann silk dress, a vintage faux fur jacket, Shrimps earrings, and a Michelle Wilhite clutch, generously gifted by the brand.
A lot of you have been asking for glitzy dresses for the holidays already. Today, my favorite glam finds for upcoming occasions —
P.S. Sunhouse Children is launching their gratitude sale today at 9 A.M. EST! This is always the promotion I use to stock up on their swimwear, which is my absolute favorite. This was my FAVORITE rash guard mini wore last summer, and these were my favorite trunks for micro. The details/patterns/fit are even better in person.
Below, a roundup of cozy and versatile sweaters to help get you through the next few chilly months in style — each walks the line between classic and statement that will add a little “je ne sais quoi” to your winter wardrobe.
CREAM AND BLACK RIBBED DROP SHOULDER SWEATER WITH HIGH TURTLENECK COLLAR…THE EXAGGERATED SPLIT CUFFS ON THIS IS SO UNEXPECTEDLY CHIC
NAVY FLARED-SLEEVE 100% MERINO WOOL MOCK-NECK SWEATER WITH ASYMMETRICAL BUTTON DETAILING
PLUSH, YET LIGHTWEIGHT MULTICOLOR VIBRANT FAIR ISLE CREWNECK SWEATER WITH CONTRASTING NAVY RIBBED TRIM
70S-STYLE MULTICOLOR JACQUARD STRIPE CLASSIC CREWNECK SWEATER MADE FROM AN UNBELIEVELY SOFT ALPACA BLEND
COTTON-CASHMERE BLEND RIBBED TURTLENECK SWEATER IN A COMFORTABLE, SLIGHTLY SLOUCHY FIT…CURRENTLY ON SALE, THIS IS A GREAT PRICE FOR A HIGH QUALITY BASIC
SOFT BLACK 100% WOOL CREWNECK KNIT SWEATER WITH RED HEART FROM AMI PARIS
TIMELESS IVORY CABLE KNIT MOCK-NECK SWEATER WITH SIDE SLITS MADE FROM THE MOST LUCIOUS WOOL AND ALPACA BLEND
CHUNKY RIB-KNIT SWEATER WITH RIBBED HEM DETAILING IN A PLAYFUL BUBBLEGUM PINK SHADE — UNDER $75
MERINO WOOL SOFT CREWNECK SWEATER IN A CUTE MULTICOLOR FARM-THEMED TAKE ON THE FAIR ISLE PATTERN
WARM ALPINE-COLORED FAIR ISLE CARDIGAN WITH BALLOON SLEEVES, AN ADORABLE SCALLOPED COLLAR, AND EVEN CUTER POM-POM DETAILS
SHAWL COLLAR WOOL CARDIGAN IN THE MOST INTRICATE PATTERN…IT FEATURES A NATURAL FARM LANDSCAPE WITH A SUNSET BACKGROUND — IMPRESSIVELY UNIQUE WITH AN UNDENIABLY CHIC LOOK
ICONIC EMBROIDERED TEDDY BEAR IVORY RIB-KNIT SWEATER FROM RALPH LAUREN WITH RIBBED TRIM
MONOGRAMMABLE LIGHTWEIGHT CREWNECK PUFF SLEEVE SWEATER WITH RHINESTONE CREST EMBELLISHMENT ON THE CHEST
CAMEL AND CREAM STRIPED WOOL-CASHMERE BLEND SWEATER WITH CHUNKY RIBBED TRIM
P.S. Have you visited the holiday shop? Also, a first look at holiday — all the staples you need from stockings to tree toppers.
Entertaining has always been a big part of my life with Mr. Magpie. We love to cook, we love to be at home, we love to surround ourselves with our friends and show them love through carefully (and sometimes complicatedly) planned meals. When we moved to Bethesda last year, I was ecstatic at the prospect of resuming this cherished pastime of ours with more regularity. It had been challenging to pull off in New York, in part owing to COVID, in part owing to space constraints, and in part owing to the ages of our young children. We still did it, but it felt far more difficult than in years past. But I will never forget a party we threw within the first few months of settling into our new home here in Maryland. I had the worst time at it. I was overwhelmed by the logistics, spent the entire party flitting around without ever really enjoying myself, and found myself on constant errand to refill bowls or fetch drinks or tidy up messes left behind by our littlest guests. I kept trying to clip into conversation, but my mind was skittering elsewhere. The experience startled me. Was I changing? Why hadn’t I enjoyed it as much as I normally do?
Mr. Magpie and I have conducted many post-mortems on this particular event. We’ve concluded that there were too many people there, and it was during a particularly busy time in our lives where we already felt pulled in too many directions. There were also a lot of little children present, which — God love them! — can fray at nerves in even the best of circumstances.
However, in the past few months, we’ve been entertaining more and more again, and I find myself far more comfortable and even joyful when hosting. This is in part because, burned by the aforementioned experience, we’ve been a bit more selective with the guest list, opting for much smaller groups, especially when children included. Somewhere around six or seven children, the numbers start to skew. Three children is three children but somehow seven children at a party feels like seventy-five. But the main difference? In fact, the key to successful entertaining?
Time.
I’d always known this — have always been a great anticipator and thoughtful planner — but recently, I’ve approached events from the standpoint of better time budgeting, and specifically have learned to “round up” rather than “round down” when estimating how much time to set aside for any given task. I’ve written about this elsewhere, but I’ve learned in the last few years that a key to moving through my life with calm is “rounding up,” in nearly every matter. Go up a size if in question — who wants too-tight clothes? Put more money in the meter than you anticipate needing — I hate feeling rushed by the meter! Assume a doctor’s appointment will take two hours rather than the optimistic thirty minutes. Double the recipe and freeze whatever’s left over. In so many ways, I used to cut things too close, and why? I was generating artificial stress and constraint for myself.
For Mr. Magpie’s fortieth birthday, we had seven or eight couples come by for dinner, and the evening went off without a hitch only because I had written every single task that needed to happen in advance, down to “slicing lemons for the cocktail station” and not only “setting the playlist” but “auditing the playlist,” and then organized them according to calendar date for the weeks prior. I’d return to the document every few days to see what needed to be done, what was next, etc. This sounds overly-rigid to the point of insane, but I swear the approach transformed the entire experience for me in a positive way. I found myself looking forward to each step, approaching each task with love and attentiveness. I wrote last week about the mindset of “making everything you are doing the most important thing,” and I applied that frame of mind to the preparations for this party. I remember one of the items on the list was sourcing place cards. Rather than doing it in a hurried huff, or settling for something at checkout at the local plant shop, I had a designated afternoon to poke around online to track down a set that sparked joy and would be delivered on time. So too with preparing the table linens. I mean, if you’re going to be ironing table linens for a crowd, at least light a candle, pour a cup of tea, and tune into an audiobook, and do it on a night where you have nothing else going on and don’t feel that angsty hurry you might if you’re trying to get it done just under the buzzer the morning of the party.
I learned, too, to take care of things at the earliest possible date. Some things must be done the day-of (e.g., procure fresh baguette, light candles, etc), but there are often elements of meals that can be handled well in advance. You can often take care of mise en place the night before and keep in airtight containers in the fridge, so “party day” is more about assembly than prep. This has also entered our calculus when menu-planning. We defer to items — especially desserts — that can be made a day or two ahead of time. For a recent party, I made chocolate cremeux from scratch (followed the recipe in my baking Bible, Bravetart) in large part because pudding keeps for up to a week in the fridge, and I could take care of that early on, enjoy the baking experience, and then clear my plate for day-of.
Overall, it’s about cadence, doing a little each day, so that these undertakings feel more like the treat they are than a slog.
Of course you probably know where I’m heading with this?
That this, in fact, is applicable to so much in life outside of entertaining?
That the more I declutter my day, the easier it is to breathe into what’s in front of me?
Pay attention to what you pay attention to. I’ve been thinking about that phrase a lot and while I think the general thrust is more about clipping the extraneous, I find it galvanizing from the standpoint of: “Be present in what you’re doing. Pay attention. Make what you’re doing the most important thing.” This dovetails with a beautiful quote from a lovely interview with Danica Murphy, in which she stated: “You look where your eyes go.” She was sharing that her father used to get on her case when she’d turn around to see what other racers were doing behind her while go-karting, and that she realized, later in life, that the phrase offered a philosophy for living. If you’re looking at the wall, that’s where you’re headed. If you’re looking at negative thoughts, you’re never going to build a happy life. So, too, with moving through my days. I do not want to fritter away my life in an unfocused haze, the finical bird looking this way and that. I want to point myself in a direction, an archerfish by design.
Onward!
Post-Scripts.
*”Archerfish are remarkably accurate in their shooting; an adult fish almost always hits the target on the first shot. They can bring down insects and other prey up to 3 m (10 ft) above the water’s surface. This is partially due to their good eyesight, but also to their ability to compensate for the refraction of light as it passes through the air-water interface when aiming at their prey.” Via.
+I wanted to share a few elements from the dinner party we recently hosted at my home, a snapshot of which is seen above. We served gildas (the original Basque pintxo — highest quality ingredients imperative; drizzle heavily with exceptional olive oil), serrano ham, and brandade (whipped salted cod + potato dish) on baguette from Bread Furst during cocktail hour. The menu was obviously slightly advanced (any anchovy-forward appetizer is a gamble with most crowds) but we knew all of our guests were big food people and they ate happily. I served these pintoxs with the gin-and-aperol-based Billingsley Punch from the Death + Co cocktail book. Punches are just the BEST way to serve cocktails to a crowd. You can prep in advance and I love that they are self-serve and guests can refill without waiting to be invited to another glass. Plus, I love the mild throwback of a punch bowl as a centerpiece. We inherited a beautiful one made of Waterford crystal that sparks major joy for me. For entree, Mr. Magpie served a paella with rabbit, chicken, chanterelles, and special Spanish white bean. He did this the traditional way, over a grill, and then served it the non-traditional way, with dollops of homemade aioli on top. We borrowed the aioli secret from Jose Andres — he serves his with aioli, too. I supplemented the paella centerpiece with a frisee-marcona almond-and blood orange salad dressed in a garlic spiked blood-orange-and-sherry-vinegar vinaigrette. We served a white rioja and a red rioja — both delicious and sourced from our favorite wine shop, Flatiron Wines, up in NYC. We have cases shipped down to us regularly. For dessert, I served up the aforementioned chocolate cremeux, topped with my own whipped cream, and a bit of shaved Mast chocolate on top. We complemented with the most delicious sherry we’d found at Nido in DC (chocolate/espresso notes) and espresso shortbread we’d bought from Bread Furst. We were all very full and happy.
+For the tablescape, I used this very inexpensive gingham tablecloth. I’m so glad I did, too, because the paella pan had a lot of soot from the grill that got all over the table and, even after laundering, it won’t be suitable for reuse in our dining room. Will save for outdoor events / stuff with the kids. I loved the taupe color and used these woven chargers beneath our rustic-looking Haand dinner plates. I offset with chocolate brown napkins (similar here), twist taper candles, and the cheekiest superlative place cards from Marrant Paper (generously gifted), propped up in these ultra-sleek Crate and Barrel card holders. The latter were so fun to assign to my guests and made for amusing pre-dining conversation. I used family silver with the name “Jennie” engraved on it — a great-great aunt! — and I love that she chose a nickname rather than monogram. So unusual. All of the cut flowers were from Trader Joe’s! I actually stopped at a nicer florist in Bethesda but, honestly, the flowers there on Friday morning were all droopy looking and I found the staff kind of pushy, so I left and went to Trader Joe’s instead. I always have fun seeing what’s fresh/eye-catching and arranging into small posies. I’ve learned over time that a few small bouquets are preferable, to my taste, to a big centerpiece because they do not inhibit conversation and make it easy to talk to someone even catty corner from you.
+I usually wear a dress when entertaining but this crowd was a fun one and I wore the feather top seen here with Agolde Pinch Waist jeans because we were all feeling festive. I had a lot of questions about sizing on the top and will say it is pretty cropped, and I’m 5’0 (short short). I feel most comfortable wearing this with high rise jeans that don’t show any belly. If in question, I would size up in that top. I took an XS and it fit me fine but I do think this is the type of style that is meant to look boxy on and you don’t want it feeling too tight — the silk/scarf-like fabric has no give. I styled with my new Hunter Blake earrings (c/o — thank you!) and two Jane Win necklaces — this one and this one (also c/o — thank you!). I have been really into layering heavy gold necklaces lately — so fun. They make my uniform of turtlenecks and jeans come alive!
Shopping Break.
+Just the prettiest forest green colored dress. I love this one because you could pair with burgundy/taupe/navy for a fall moment and then style with red for the holidays.
+Speaking of SEA, this navy ditty is on sale for $100!!! Run! (Check out the entire SEA sale section at Saks, too — do I need this wild patchwork denim vest? this ribbed floral mockneck? this bold patterned top?)
+And speaking of forest green, this green tiered mini is $70 and so adorable! I would layer with a turtleneck beneath and unbutton the front an extra couple of buttons to show off a tangle of gold jewelry.
+You know I love this sherpa funnel collar situation — under $40.
+This patterned puffer!!!! And another great patterned turtleneck, just released and 40% off.
+I am on the hunt for a big fabric pinboard from my office. I found this inexpensive one on Amazon and this latticed style on Etsy but does anyone have a rec? Maybe even one that uses fun patterned fabrics? I have all of these cards, clippings, notes from brands, menus, place cards, etc that I’d love to showcase in one place (e.g., not jammed in my desk drawer).
+I need this little cowhide stool for my son’s mildly Western-themed room.
+This sequin dress is under $200 and ready for festive holiday gatherings. This one is fun, too — also under $200!
+If you’re looking for an update on styling the Ellie nap dress for winter, consider layering one of these lace blouses beneath! I saw Nellie do something similar and it really worked.
PROPER TABLE PLACEMATS + NAPKINS. I’ve written about this small female-founded business a few times, but I have to rave specifically about their acrylic placemats, seen above! The lovely founder sent me a set, and Mr. Magpie enjoyed a midweek Shake Shack lunch on them the first day they arrived — we’ve not taken them off the weekday dining table since! They are great for families, as they are wipe-clean (no laundry) and they have clever “pads” underneath that keep the placemats firmly in place. (Does anyone else have issues with children accidentally sliding their placemats such that they are rocking dangerously off the edge of the table?). These come in such fantastic fabric-inspired prints so you get the look without the laundry/hassle. I am inspired by her Instagram account to incorporate these into more formal tablescapes, too. I am going to share some thoughts on this in an upcoming post organized around holiday tabletop inspo. More to come! But a little plug: these placemats would be such a great gift for a young married couple, or a mom with young children, or even a daughter just setting out for her first apartment!
BALLARD ATOLL MIRROR. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I am sharing more of my everyday outfits, and you can often see my Ballard mirror making an appearance in those selfies. I love the playful rippled edge. So artful!
CRATE AND BARREL CRESCENT GLASSES. I’ve had a few of these in my cupboard for awhile now, and they are in constant use. I like them both for juice and for wine — they are the perfect tiny pour. I had been hunting around for some pretty glasses to serve punch in for a dinner party, and was initially after a set of colored glasses, but I couldn’t find any I loved that would deliver in time, as I was a bit late in thinking this through. I ended up stopping by C&B to buy a few extra crescent glasses for the occasion and it’s the perfect solution because I drink out of them all the time anyhow! (P.S. – punches are SUCH a good trick for entertaining a crowd, as you can prepare in advance instead of shaking/mixing cocktails to order, and guests can serve themselves. We have made many of the punches out of this cocktail book and they’ve all been excellent.
NIDO WINE SHOP AND MARKET. If you are local to DC, you must check out Nido Wine Shop in Mount Pleasant. Mr. Magpie and I were prepping for the aforementioned dinner party, with plans to make paella and serve other Spanish fare alongside. We had difficulty sourcing a couple of ingredients (namely, serrano ham / hamon iberico / spanish cured meat; good cava; and the spears on which to serve Gildas, the most traditional pintxo from the Basque region), and Mr. Magpie heard about Nido, so we drove into town. We were so impressed! I walked in an immediately spotted Raventos i Blanc cava, which has been a longtime favorite cava of ours, but which we’d not seen carried elsewhere in the D.C. area. The owner rung us up and could not have been more passionate about her fares, or more pleasant to be around.
NOPE. Have you seen Jordan Peele’s latest horror movie? I strongly recommend as a candidate for Halloween tomorrow night. Peele is astoundingly original. He has to be one of the most authentic creatives out there at the moment. This movie participates in horror conventions but is entirely non-derivative — what a breath of fresh air in this era of “Marvel Movie VIII.” “Nope” is a fantastic spectacle, gorgeously designed and compellingly framed. Beyond the superficial, though, the movie makes smart commentary on the voyeuristic elements of contemporary culture as well as racial tensions in the film industry (and beyond), and even the overlap between the two. I have found some of Peele’s other horror movies — while invariably original, aesthetically-impressive, and fun — uneven in terms of clarity of theme. Sometimes I feel like they are trying to do too much, or plucking at too many motifs without every drawing any meaningful conclusions. “Nope,” on the other hand, is rock-solid, intentional, grippingly cohesive. I hope this movie earns some serious awards. I was blown away! Note: this is a true scary movie, with suspense and gore and all the rest, so do not watch unless you enjoy the genre!
CIRE TRUDON ABD EL KADER CANDLE. I treated myself to this splurgey candle and my goodness, these are just THE BEST, most luxurious candles out there. The scents are complex in a way that reminds me of that old adage that, in a well-decorated home, you should never be able to easily explain a wall color — it should always be “pinkish-beige” or “bluish-gray-with-some-green?” This is how I feel about these candles, of which I’ve now owned a few different scents. They are difficult to reduce to a single note. They just smell outstanding. They also have really good “throw” so your home smells perfumed throughout. The one I bought is their most popular scent.
SHERPA LOAFERS. Oh my goodness, these are SO fun. These are the kind of statement-making shoes that completely transform your everyday jeans and turtleneck (my personal uniform), and they are reasonably-priced, too! They remind me of a pair by Jimmy Choo. I’ve had a few questions on sizing — take your true size. They accommodate the fact that these shoes are lined with sherpa in their sizing. I was worried that they might fit snug because of the sherpa but they fit wonderfully in my true size!
J MCLAUGHLIN ARLETTE TURTLENECK. I have been eyeing this style for a year now, after seeing it on the ultra-chic Caitlin Fisher. I’ve been layering it with other pieces, like this gorgeous Alice Walk knit cape that has quickly become my favorite top layer. It is designed so that it doesn’t slide off / need a lot of adjustment to keep it in place, and it is surprisingly warm. I like to wear it draped over my shoulders and open in the front, but there are lots of different ways to wear it.
GLITZY FASHION. A girlfriend of mine reached out asking for NYE outfit ideas and I haven’t really been able to stop shopping for her (and me, and us) since. I am obsessed with the blouson style of this Sachin and Babi gown. What an incredible festive dress for a special occasion! Halston has a similar style for less, this fringed statement is BEYOND, and then this HVN has Kacey Musgraves written all over it (in the best way). And then how FAB is this pleated asymmetrical skirt?! Pair with a navy or black cashmere turtleneck and shine on, girl. And then this Rhode dark floral mini is just so — right. Love the shape, pattern, colors. These Jennifer Behr earrings are right at home amidst the glam, although — PSST — I found a very similar style for only $20 here!
PORTE & PAIRE VELVET PLATFORMS. These come in two great fall/winter colors — navy and burgundy. I always encourage my Magpies to take a chance on color. It’s so easy to go with black, but navy or burgundy would invite new fashion constraints and opportunities that will lead to interestingly dimensioned looks. And navy and black look fab together! Earlier this week, I wore my black suede Miu Miu platforms (seen here — I found the exact pair in a gorgeous navy satin here for under $300), and I was reminded how happy I am platforms are “in” at the moment. They are SO much easier to wear and more comfortable than traditional heels!
MICHELLE WILHITE CLUTCH. I am smitten with this brand and its gorgeous clutches. Can you even believe this one with that vintage-style bow brooch and all?! It’s a perfect match with a pair of gunmetal metallic Chanel ballet flats I wear constantly. The owner generously sent me this clutch and I cannot wait to style with all my dressier outfits this winter — will be sharing pictures of this on Instagram / here in the coming weeks.
GARMIN RUNNING WATCH. I have run with both this Garmin watch and an Apple watch and find myself reaching for the Garmin most days. I LOVE the physical button on the side to start/stop, as my fingers can get sweaty and with the Garmin, you can stop/start tracking without even looking at the watch! You can just feel for the button to pause. I also find that since it is ONLY a running watch (not also email/music/text/other apps), it makes getting out and tracking your run super easy. You hit like two buttons and you’re tracking your run. Finally, the face of the watch is big, which, in the case, makes it easy to see a lot of information at once, and it is virtually indestructible!
SHERPA VEST. Been wearing this a lot already this season. I even ran in it the other day, when it was super cold (like in low 30s when I got up), which I honestly wouldn’t recommend because I got very hot, but it’s the perfect top layer for running errands / at-home hygge.
P.P.S. This quote — “At least everything was important” — has colored everything for me these last few weeks. Mr. Magpie and I say it to one another all the time: “this [whatever we are doing, whether watching a movie together, preparing a dinner party, playing with the children] is the most important thing.” And we lean in.
