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01. I mentioned this in my Sunday post, but I’ve noticed a lot of these faux wrap style skirts this season. Just ordered one of the silk dupioni faux-wrap skirts from Julia Amory that I’ve been yapping about recently. I absolutely love the styling inspo she’s shared here and here. (Skirt is 15% off with JEN-15.)
02. My faux-suede skirt (seen at top of post)! $50 and so good IRL. I wore this with tall croc boots (still 25% off!) and this $70 cardigan yesterday, and Mr. Magpie commented multiple times that I looked “so pretty.” (P.S., if you love the suede / faux-suede trend, I shared a roundup of chic top suede top layers last week.)
03. Got this coated denim skirt in color-of-the-season espresso brown last week and it is SO good. (Seen above, with this cashmere tee and fair isle cardi.) Runs a tad small, FYI. Currently 25% off! I’d advise going up a size. (You can get the look for less with this, plus 15% off with JEN15).
04. Cannot get this STUNNING plaid skirt from Veronica Beard out of my head. I imagine pairing it with a chunky ivory cardigan, or a slim-fit turtleneck (<< this one is $15 and I bought in two colors).
05. Obsessed with this saddle brown midi skirt. The belt is such a great addition. I like the way the brand styled it on their site, with a tall suede boot (I’ve shared this boot a few times but it’s seriously comfortable despite the high heel height and gives you the best silhouette) and ribbed turtleneck (look for less here), but it’s almost sold out there, so linking to the inventory at Saks here.
07. For something a bit more boho, you might consider the pattern options from Mille. I’d pair with a white tee and chunky knit cardigan. You can get 15% off sitewide at Mille with JEN15.
08. This equestrian toile print mini is so fun. Love the unexpected sheen of the fabric. Would be so great for a fall tailgate with a little crewneck sweater and tall boots.
09. I’ve been crushing on fair isle lately (a roundup of my favorite fair isle sweaters for the season here) — go big on the trend with this maxi skirt.
10. This cord midi skirt is right up my alley. I love the idea of pairing this with lots of other fall textures — cashmere, pointelle, croc, suede! Love the green and rust colors in particular.
12. Denim maxi skirt in the coolest sand wash. If you like the brown denim trend, this is a good addition to your wardrobe. How cute with a striped button-down or cashmere cardigan?
13. Another great fall pattern from Cara Cara. I like this with a slim fit turtleneck and cropped blazer. Family photo option! In a similar vein, love this Emerson Fry patterned maxi. My bestie is wearing this in her family portrait.
14. A faux leather midi skirt slam dunk from Tuckernuck! Almost sold out, sadly – so good in both colors. Also available in a denim that made my head turn.
Ed. note: This morning, republishing a modestly edited version of an essay I initially wrote two years ago. Even two years later, with children squarely out of the neediest toddler years, the following quote still rings profoundly true, “Motherhood is a surfeit. It is too-much, too-fast, and I can’t say that feeling of over-the-top-ness ever goes away.” In ways beautiful and challenging, motherhood continues to feel like an overabundance.
****
My mother took the photo above — our first picture as a family of three. We were returning from Prentice Women’s Hospital in Chicago after I’d delivered my daughter via c-section three days prior. After being discharged, I’d had to walk multiple long hospital corridors in order to get down to the car, white-knuckling it as I’d pushed myself to keep up with the nurse, who — it seemed to me — was walking at a manic speed. The climb into the car and every subsequent divot in the road on the way home jostled me and shot off new rivulets of pain. Beyond the incision woes, I was exhausted from nearly 72 hours without sleep, emotionally overwhelmed by the birth experience and the indecencies of recovery, having trouble breastfeeding my daughter, and knocked sideways by the medication, which left me feeling as though my head was disconnected from my body. I was also weepily tender about my daughter — her blinking eyes, the noises she made, the fact that she was mine. Her presence was a reality that felt nearly incomprehensible to me. I wanted to hold her around the clock. I could not take my eyes from her. I was living on the moon. Meanwhile, love swallowed me each time I watched my husband tend to both my daughter and myself. I was humbled by his devotion, rent in two when I’d look over at my daughter’s tiny form against his chest. At the same time, I was beleaguered by something a close friend had said to me the day before my daughter was born: “It will never be the same. Soak up this last night, just you and your husband.” I think she meant something positive or perhaps was trying to “give it to me straight,” but the words kept ricocheting through my head, forcing me to think in terms of the befores and afters and all the changes to my life. I did not want to say it aloud — could scarcely pony up the courage to say it to myself — as I worried it made me seem unmotherly, or ungrateful, but I inwardly wondered whether life would ever “go back to normal”? Would I ever feel better? Would I ever find stasis or calm? Would my husband look at me the same way? I wanted to be positive, but I felt like I couldn’t get my bearings: shiny, new, enormous thoughts raced through my mind as though on a freeway joyride.
So when my mother opened the back door to our home to take the photo above, I distinctly remember blinking back tears whose provenance was difficult to make out.
Of course, when you look at this photo, you see a squinting smile and the start of something new and beautiful. Which it was.
But —
I guess I am writing this to say that the euphoria of new parenthood is only a part of the story, not all of it. I had been so focused on the unknowns of delivery that I had not even remotely accommodated the emotional aftermath. A few minutes after my mother took this photo, I would attempt to climb the stairs to my bedroom and stop halfway through, clutching Mr. Magpie’s shirt in sobs. I remember that the stairs were painful, but that the challenging ascent was more an excuse to let the tears flow than anything else, and I needed that catharsis. I wept so many times during those first few weeks of motherhood. I wept to my mother, alone in the shower, on the phone with friends, in Mr. Magpie’s arms. I wept for no reason and every reason. I wept without knowing why. A friend stopped by a week after my daughter was born, and she asked about the birth experience, and I opened my mouth and no words came. Instead, tears streamed down my face. I was embarrassed and confused by the enormity of my emotions, and apologized. She reached over and squeezed my arm. “Let it out, girl. Let it out. Hormones, medication, the intensity of the experience — it’s a perfect storm.” When my son was born about two years later, my mother came into the recovery room, her hands outstretched. I watched her make a beeline for the baby, who was ensconced in my husband’s arms, and then stop mid-stride and shake her head before pivoting to come to me. “I have to check on my baby first,” she said. I will never forget the wisdom baked into that course correction. As a new mom, it can sometimes feel as though you are meant to sideline all of the emotional and physical chaos you are enduring in order to fawn happily over the baby. But the mother matters. The mother is half — arguably more — of the equation. And becoming a parent is a lot.
I write this not to be morose or discouraging, because not all tears bespeak grief or pain, and every birth experience is different,
and I write this careful not to tarnish in any way the unfathomable, gorgeous gift of having a baby,
and I write this at the risk of sounding ungrateful and possibly unmotherly (I hope not, I hope not, I hope not),
because if there is anything I wish for a new mom, it is the space and freedom to permit herself to feel how she feels, and fully.
Motherhood is a surfeit. It is too-much, too-fast, and I can’t say that feeling of over-the-top-ness ever goes away. Yes, you get into rhythms and find your sea-legs, but the emotions of parenthood remain outsized, surging, wont to spill over. I wish I had known that. I wish I had given myself the grace during those early days; I have needed it constantly since. Earlier this week, I learned that my daughter, who has an eye condition called amblyopia that requires her to wear a patch over one eye for several hours a day, would need to return to her patching regimen after a brief break during which we were trying to assess whether we had permanently corrected the condition. My daughter took this information on the chin, nodding solemnly at the doctor, then asking after a picture hanging on the wall, then happily selecting a superhero sticker for her dress. We discussed a plan — routine, rewards — in the car ride home, and she trotted off to her room afterwards, seemingly unfettered by the regression. When she was out of earshot, I closed the door to my husband’s office and cried on his shoulder. The next morning, after I’d affixed her patch for the first time in several months, I squeezed her and then absented myself to the back patio, where I grounded myself by staring at the dew on the kiwi vines that wrap around our patio railing, and praying that Mary stand with me there. Her condition is correctible and in the grand scheme of things not a big deal. We have done this for years. And yet I carry this modest burden as though lead because I do not want anything to weigh her down. Like Demeter, I would walk to the ends of the earth, live in tundra and stone, for her. I cried, in other words, because I am her mother, and what happens to her echoes in me.
Post-Scripts.
+Another intense and beautiful memory from my daughter’s birth.
+This $70 bag is borderline viral – keeps selling out and looks SO chic!
+OK, Talbots is killing it in the outerwear department this fall. Veronica Beard vibes for less. Love this longline topcoat, this wool blend bomber, and of course my suede jacket. At the time of drafting this post, all three are 40% off.
+Love this rugby shirt for my son from Minnow’s new collection with Jamie Mizrahi.
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This past week, I checked into a hotel and wrote for close to 24 hours. Even when I was not at my laptop, I was stewing in my own writing, a pickle in its brine. I have never written like this before — or perhaps have not had occasion to write like this, with no time box or small voices at the door, since college and graduate school, when I would abscond to the lowest level of Clemons Library at the University of Virginia, and the bowels of Lauinger at Georgetown, and work for unreported hours. But then it was not the soul-satisfying work of writing what I wish. It was reading Daniel Deronda, and pretending to care about epistemology. And so, I return to my first statement: I have never written like this before.
The overnight retreat was a fascinating exercise in understanding my own process. For one thing, I realized how much I can accomplish in the smallest crescents of unclaimed time in my normal life. Constraints can be a good thing. By contradistinction, when I first arrived at the hotel, I was flustered by the expanse in front of me. I told my friend that I felt like Ricky Bobby in “Talledega Nights,” when he’s standing in front of a camera the first time: “I don’t know what to do with my hands.” I kept flitting around, writing in half starts. Eventually I clicked in, but — it’s true, what they say: necessity is the mother of invention. If I have 30 minutes to write, I will make it work. So if you are waiting to start something “when you have time,” or murmuring against your dreams: “maybe in the next lifetime,” don’t. You can start today, right now. It can be small. You can knit for 15 minutes, or sketch on the back of the napkin while waiting for your food, or dictate the lyrics of a song into your phone while in carpool line. The best time to plant a tree is thirty years ago; the next best time is right now. Andale, andale!
But also: I had been contemplating getting away to write like this for some time, and I told one of my writer friends about it, and she said: “If not now, when?” She made the point that I had some momentum with this project and that I should capitalize on it. It gave me the giddy up to maneuver my schedule and make it happen, and — it was hard, in certain ways, if I’m being honest. You don’t realize how lockstep the march of a life with young children is until you switch up the beat. It meant adjusting plans, tossing a lot of responsibilities at Mr. Magpie, shoe-horning a week’s worth of my usual work and admin into three days. My son wrote me a card that said I MISS YOU MAMA. And I thought: “is this selfish of me?” But c’mon, Jen! It was 24 hours. The admin will always be there; the impetus to write this specific project will not. I don’t know how other writers feel, but some projects seem to flower overnight and wither just as quickly, and if you aren’t light on your feet, you’ve missed the bloom. If there is some project that is calling to you, chase it. If you live to write, you understand what I mean.
All of this may seem inapplicable to those of you who are not writers. But there is something here that I think is important: don’t be afraid of trying new things, or trying old things in a new way. Even if the practice does not yield the results you expect, you learn something about yourself, and any project that draws you closer to understanding who you are, to becoming an expert in yourself, is worthy. Don’t you want to leave this world having known you really understood yourself? Having known you put it all out there, you tried? I don’t want to sit in the bleachers, observing my life from a remove. I read a quote this week: You are the only person who can play your part. Amen. Let’s bring out the main character energy this week —
And onward —
Writing uniform: Varley sweatshirt and slim pants // a hat I had embroidered (small way to be on my own team!) // Dorsey earrings
My world for 24 hours
Nothing better than room service. I had initially contemplated renting a cabin type set-up for this writing bender but it proved to be perfect that I could just have meals delivered whenever I wanted — no cooking/cleaning/shopping/packing!
Glad I brought these hydrating eye masks. They REALLY work if you have tired eyes — I barely slept and these brought me back to life in the morning. I keep one or two of these in my travel makeup bag, pre-packed. I’ve also heard really good things about YSE Beauty Eye Patches — and a little less expensive! BTW, I still think about your dissenting perspectives on how to handle skincare while traveling. I used to decant what I liked into smaller tubs but one of you convinced me to just buy the travel/trial size of the products you like because they come in the perfect applicator bottles, and you can always decant into those once you’ve depleted! You really do sometimes need “the right bottle.” I feel that way about this Osea facial cleanser! This is a really good buy – I love all the products included in this little trial set. I believe my code MAGPIE10 will get you 10% off.
Oh, also – Mr. Magpie and I love these toothbrushes from Cocofloss. Very soft bristled (won’t scratch enamel) but have a lot of bristles that bend around the shape of your teeth — get everything out. He also just got us hooked on this Japanese toothpaste that people are raving about. Apparently the hydroxyapatite in it remineralizes and brightens teeth, and some of the reviews are CRAZY positive. We’ve only been using a week but I love it. Foams up really nicely (you only use a tiny pea-sized amount) and leaves teeth feeling scrubbed clean but not in that burny way some toothpastes do. It’s $$ but you use a tiny amount each day!
Last note: I know I share a lot of Lake Pajamas but they truly are a regrettably worth it item. Basically the only thing I sleep in, and I especially love the pima long-long sets right now. This pattern sparks joy!
This Ralph Lauren dress is divine (and currently 25% off). Top is a soft sweater material, bottom is a flattering pleated situation. I might wear this for Thanksgiving! // My new cookie cookbook // Have you tried Elemis’ glow priming moisturizer?! It is SO good. There are a lot of good products in this category – I also like RMS Super Radiance Primer and SuperGoop’s Glowscreen. But the Elemis really made me look airbrushed this week. It’s currently 20% off. I also love Elemis’ resurfacing pads and face wash. The latter is the kind of cleanser hat really feels like it’s doing something – you notice an immediate difference. Sometimes I want that, and sometimes I don’t. If I want something more gentle (especially in the morning), I use either Osea’s cleanser (my sister and her wife are obsessed with this too) or True Botanical’s divinely scented nourishing cleanser. But you know sometimes you have those days where you really want to scrub yourself clean? Elemis is the answer. // I keep seeing this cool faux-wrap mini skirt shape. Julia Amory has a great one (love the burgundy color — JEN-15 for 15% off), and so does Sezane and Hunter Bell. // Speaking of Julia Amory, this reel of her convinced me I need the Jenni Kayne Cooper cardigan, but then a few Magpie readers pointed me in the direction of Quince’s look for less and I ordered that one. I also found a look for less for around $100 at Few Moda! I just wore one of their $80 cashmere cardigans this week and was impressed. See me styling it here. // I wore the Few Moda cashmere cardi with these sneakers, which are shearling lined and slip-on! (Laces are ornamental.). They are SO comfortable. These sneakers are nearly sold out everywhere, but you can still find a few here and here. More favorite brown sneakers for fall here.
***
Per notes above: me in the Ralph Lauren dress. I photographed this outfit as a part of a project I did with Saks, and I absolutely LOVE the dress. Everything is 25% off, FYI! The dress, the Paris Texas croc boots, the Little Liffner bag! (The Little Liffner bags are a good get in this sale — this brand is so trendy and it’s hard to get something current-season on sale! This mini suede bucket bag…!)
And me in the $80 cashmere cardigan. I love the look of a cardi tucked into jeans, nothing beneath! This is not the softest cashmere, but it’s also $80 and I love the color and fit. And the sneaks! You need these. So cozy and chic. I think these will be my casual shoe for Italy? Need to start mapping out what I’m packing.
Onward!
By: Jen Shoop
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.Image via Beacon Hill Bookstore.
+BEACON HILL BOOKSTORE: I appear to be the last person on the planet to know about this charming book seller, but I immediately added Beacon Hill Bookstore to my destination wishlist. Are you kidding?! How beyond! So many of you messaged me on Instagram about this dreamy spot — the intel is that it gets very crowded on the weekends, and to aim for off hours and weekday mornings. This made me wonder: what are you favorite indie book shops? I polled my Magpie readers on Instagram and generated the lists below! Please sound off in the comments if you have additions!
+JENNI KAYNE LOOK FOR LESS: OMG! Thank you to the TWO readers who sent me this look-for-less version of Jenni Kayne’s Cooper cardigan. I’ve been itching to purchase the latter all season but think I’ll try this one.
+A PROVOCATIVE QUOTE ON FEAR: I loved everything in this carousel The Pouf shared this week, but especially the following quote: “Fear can be a good thing – it means you have something to lose.” A serious reframe that really made me stop in my tracks. It also made me wonder how we sift out the moments where we must push past fear to try something new, put ourselves out there, etc. And, an adjacent memory surfaced: in my early 20s, one of my friends told me: “Never get into a fight with someone who has less to lose than you do.” I’m a peace-maker by nature, so it’s not that I needed a warning to avoid escalating or antagonizing, but still: I’ll never forget it. It mainly made me realize how much I have, and how petty and demeaning conflict can be. A good reminder the next time someone says something that leaves you flinty — is it really worth it? Probably not worth putting what you have on the line.
+GUEST IN RESIDENCE: Recently discovered this ultra-cool brand, Guest in Residence, with Gigi Hadid as its creative director. The styling is SO COOL (seen below, via their Instagram) – and pretty different from my own – but I am eagerly imagining giving them a Jen spin. I would love to own several of the pieces from their latest collection, but especially this cropped cashmere jacket (haven’t seen anything like it, and it involves on-trend kiwi/chartreuse), plaid overshirts, and this pointelle cardi.
+A FEW OTHER STYLING NOTES: I wore a twist on the second style note above this week and have to rave about a few components. First, I LOVE this coated maxi skirt. It makes me look much taller than I am and is just so chic and unexpected. It’s currently 25% off! (FYI, runs a tad small. I took my true size and it still fits but I’d maybe advise sizing up if at all in question.) And the boots!!! I haven’t worn a heel this high in ages but it’s actually very comfortable and looks so chic on the leg. I love the pointed toe. A perfect deep brown color, too. I paired with this ultra-soft Ann Mashburn cardigan — if you are sensitive to itchy fabrics, this one is for you. Super soft. I layered this on top of one of Tuckernuck’s cashmere tees (mine is the oxblood color). Such a great alternative to the white tees I usually wear. Styling here with these dramatic Dorsey earrings.
+BESTSELLERS:This perfect family portrait dress (also chic for fall cocktail party, Thanksgiving, etc!) was wildly popular this week. Lots of Tuckernuck in the hits list this week thanks to their sale earlier this week. If you missed it, don’t worry – you can still get 20% off sitewide with YOUROCK.
*I shared the top photo on Instagram this week and to girlfriends replied (with compliments!) about my eye makeup! Ha – I could never do it this well myself. I had my makeup done by Glamsquad for a photo shoot I did for Saks. A little reminder that you can get $20 off for new users with code JenniferS and $15 off for repeat users with code JenniferS15. I am hooked on their at-home blow outs!
By: Jen Shoop
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation. Image via.
Q: Travel-friendly clothing for a trip to Spain in November.
A: I’d pack chic sneaks and Mary Janes (or these), your favorite jeans, cotton base layers, a heavier sweater jacket (great look for less here), a dressier fall blouse like this or this, a dress that won’t wrinkle badly, utility pants, and a few statement sweaters (this, this). I’m thinking of lots of layers and colors that will be easy to mix and match.
A: I actually just got this one from Ann Mashburn. She’s so perfect – the colors! — and very soft. Veronica Beard also has some great options — this, this — for more of an investment, and I adore this one from Frame, currently 25% off as a part of their F&F sale. This pullover from Mille (15% off with JEN15) is also sexy chic. Some options under $250: this Bloomies, this Doen, this Boden, this Tuckernuck. I love the way fair isle looks paired with pointelle!
Q: Question for a future post: what blouse should I wear under a gold Sezane double breasted pantsuit for November event? I don’t think the model is wearing any blouse (!) but I think a white/cream satin, silk or tuxedo shirt might work. Do you have any recommendations? Thank you!
A: So chic! I love the idea of a cashmere crewneck short sleeved sweater or ribbed henley, and agree white/cream would be good. I also think a really polished white tee would look great beneath. If you’d prefer a blouse, I like a stripe like this, or a statement style like this. For something classic, try this.
Q: A gold bracelet or cuff – something timeless that will get a lot of wear.
A: I absolutely love the bracelets from Aurelia Demark. They are customizable and so special. You can engrave a heart, have silhouettes for each child, etc. I would wear this daily if I owned. I have also been wearing this heart charm bracelet (under $200) a lot lately — you can see it here. I feel like the little heart dangling off feels so feminine, and softens my everyday look. Upgrade pick: Marlo Laz. For more of a bangle/cuff moment, I have been drawn to the fine jewelry options from Dana Rebecca — they all have the look of “family jewelry.” I love this bangle.
Q: For your next installment, could you recommend some outfits for an upcoming work trip in a few weeks? I will be meeting my team for the first time IRL, and as their lead I want to look polished and professional but not dowdy!
A: Not sure if this is more professional or casual? If on the professional side, I’d wear a dress like this or this with a sharp flat or kitten heel. If more casual, I’d recreate this exact outfit. In general, the formula of a smart blazer with dark wash denim is a good one!
Q: Any gift ideas for a handful of close college girlfriends that are hosting a baby shower for me next week? The theme apparently centers around my love for lemons and our beagle!
Q: Flowy elastic waist pants that work for pregnancy. Due in Jan and don’t want only jeans and leggings.
A: Congratulations!!! I think you need a true maternity pant for this — otherwise, the waist will dig in or not sit in the right place as you grow. I’d go with these from H&M! Also like these knit ones, styled with an oversized striped button-down and great flats. Finally, I don’t know anything about them, but while researching this question, discovered these pants from the brand Bump Suit. Worth a test?
Q: Workout outfits.
A: I feel like a broken record, but I always feel best and chicest in my Beyond Yoga matching sets. Love this heathered gray (top, bottoms) paired with a fun sweatshirt and socks for a Lady Di moment. For something less throwback, I love this color-of-the-season brown set (top, bottoms) with a Varley fleece. One of my most-worn current combos (while still warm out) are these bike shorts with these quilted long sleeved tees from Addison Bay and these exact mid-calf socks. Finally, I love the styles from newer brand Year of Ours. I own and love this longline bralette, and have my eyes on these, too.
Q: A white bodysuit to tuck into wide leg pants and jeans.
A: Try Wolford! People rave about this bodysuit. I’d also contemplate Everlane – much less expensive but I tend to love what they make. Finally, I know a lot of Magpies swear by all things Skims! (This is a commonly listed/referenced “regrettably worth it” brand.)
Q: Slip on alternative to a lace up athletic shoe to provide support on long walks. Years ago I liked Bensimon but need more support these days.
A: These Veronica Beards are slip on (the laces are ornamental) and SO warm and comfortable — not to mention verrrrry chic. Just got them in this week and am obsessed. I’ve not tried these, but I’ve heard Kiziks are comfortable and their whole bit is that they’re slip on.
Q: I love the Kilte Liz set but it’s not in budget. Any look for less?
A: Ugh, I love them too. I will always be a fan of the pointed toe – so elongating and flattering. I found them on sale here, but other options are these Massimo Duttis and these Aeydes.
Q: Thoughtful/special wedding gift ideas/places to look for a couple who has everything.
A: Honestly, buy off their registry! If they have everything, they will have curated the list and it’s more likely to be used. But a slight twist on this that my MIL cleverly did: she purchased multiple serving dishes and extra accessories from our china line. I hadn’t even thought about this but it is SO fantastic to have two big serving bowls, two big serving platters, and even the coordinating creamer and sugar pots from our line! We use them all the time when hosting. So see if you can track down any special add-ons to their china. Maybe a serving platter, a big bowl, a coffee pot, egg cups, etc!
Another really special gift – one of my mother’s friends bought us the flag that flew at the US Capitol on the day of our wedding. She worked there so it had special resonance, but I believe anyone can do this. We now fly it out front of our home most of the year.
The suede jacket trend is taking over almost all socials like Pinterest (see above)! I love how this trend plays into fall materials and colors. It makes a classy statement over a neutral or simple outfit. Below, a few of the coveted suede pieces I’ve seen for fall.
01. My Talbots jacket! She is gorgeous IRL. I love that she comes in a petite size so the sleeves really fit. You can see me wearing it here!
03. Sezane has a few suede top layers that are selling super fast — I’m worried they’ll be gone by the time this goes live, but sometimes they do small restocks or people return, so keep your eyes peeled. I love the Will overshirt in both suede colors (reminds me of Toteme), and of course this gorgeous cropped jacket, similar to mine but a little less expensive.
04. I saw my friend Stephanie wearing an oversized fringe suede jacket during fashion week — she looked fabulous. I think hers is a not-yet-released Cynthia Rowley, but I found something similar via The Great (also available here). Can’t speak to quality, but you can get one for a bargain here.
I was four when my parents moved myself and my siblings from a stone house in Connecticut to a stone house in Washington, D.C. I remember the morning we left, but unusually. I have no recollection of moving vans, or watching my then-home disappear in the rear view, or driving down 95 to the swamp to which I would forever belong. Instead, I recall with clarity playing in a shard of hallway light on the floor of my still-dark bedroom. I had a rattan canopy bed whose lumbering shape loomed over me, portentous, and I was brushing the postiche hair of an aquamarine My Little Pony. Outside my door, my parents spoke in soft syllables, but their rapid footfall told a different story.
This is my first sentient memory.
It seems curious that I am only able to draw out the antecedents: not the actual move, not the Rock Creek Park house that would raise me. But on the other hand, in this firstling remembrance, I find so much of me: the imagining, the listening, the held breath before the leap. And perhaps this is the mystical mechanic of all memory-making, anyhow. Our minds will seem to send out the offprint instead of the original article, the endnote instead of the body, but on further study, we learn that maybe we have been mis-parsing the parts. And what seemed like marginalia is in fact longform expression.
How we feel about things almost always overwrites their actual happening.
And how liberating to realize this? Onward, then — beyond the loup-garou.
Post-Scripts.
+What was your first sentient memory as a child? What do you find when looking at it today?
+How I’d describe D.C. as a native Washingtonian. (I was born in DC, left for two years to live in Connecticut while my father was in-house counsel for a major technology corporation, and then lived here until I went off to college.)
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+Shopbop is offering us an extra 25% percent of sale items with code EXTRA25, including the barrel leg jeans I’ve been wearing a ton this season (run just a touch big – I’d take your true size though)! You can see me in mine here, here, here. More of my top picks below, including this Alex Mill cardigan I own and adore! I also wanted to mention that if you like my Veronica Beard brown jeans (I styled them here) but have been looking for a less expensive version, you might consider these DL1961s, on super sale!
+Today through Friday, Hotel Lobby Candles is offering us Magpies 15% off with code JEN15. They have the chic, sophisticated scented candles – I’ve tried a bunch of them and love to gift, too. And I have been LOVING their hand wash, which they just released in their limited edition Hamptons scent (!). I burned that candle (sadly sold out) all summer long and my sister described it as “our perfect signature house scent.”
+Suede everything has been trending this fall — I have a guide to the suede top layer / overshirt / jacket going live later today — but how great is this little mini? Under $60! Pair with a cozy knit for texture contrast. This is exactly how I’d like to style.
+Mr. Magpie and I have been using this face cream exclusively for weeks now. It is SO GOOD. Very similar in texture and results to Augustinus Bader. I just told my mom to switch! She’s been using AB for awhile and I’m curious how she thinks it will compare. (If you are a die-hard AB fan, though, you can get it for 25% off here! Pretty steep discount! More of my top picks from Blue Mercury’s beauty sale here.)
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I have been on the lookout for a chic pair of fall sneakers, possibly to bring with me for walking on our Italy trip, but absolutely to pair with jeans for casual outfits. I really want a pair in brown (the color of the season), and I narrowed it down to these:
01. VB Valentinas — lined in shearling! I love the Loewe-esque rubber outsole.
02. Isabel Marant Beth — these have been around for seasons and seasons and I’ve never owned a pair. I love the triple velcro and especially like this pair, in all brown.
03. Tod’s T Vintage — obsessed (!) with these. Love everything about them – shape, colorblocking, etc. A major splurge though. (Other colors here.). I should mention that Yoox has a good supply of Tods sneakers at great prices — I slightly prefer the T Vintage shape, but I’m also considering these and these.
04. Dolce Vita Notice — I own these in the camel suede (the brand generously sent me this pair, but they were sold out in the dark brown espresso at the time). Heads up that these run small. I would go up a half size if you plan to wear without socks and possibly a full size if you plan to wear with wintery socks.
05. Adidas BRMD — these have become ubiquitous but they are comfortable and chic and I love this brown on brown colorway.
06. Hogan — these look like they could be Tods/Loewe but are less expensive. I’ve never seen anyone with a pair of these IRL!
07. Voile Blanche — runner up. Not available in the dark brown I’m after but they’re super chic.
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation. Image above via J. Crew.
A guide to my favorite outerwear this season below. I’ve also been tracking the suede jacket / shacket / over-shirt micro-trend and am working on a roundup of my favorites that will go live later this week.
03. I feel like I’ve covered barn jackets a lot this season, but this denim Everlane is the one I ended up ordering (also available in non-denim options). Also love this Alex Mill in red (just recently made available again for pre-order after selling out), this Aritzia in the white, and this long version from J. Crew, which makes me want to wear chunky loafers or delicate kitten heel slingbacks (Hitchcock heroine vibes).
08. Fun quilted exaggerated collar style from Loeffler Randall. I love the way she styles pieces like this on her own Instagram account. Makes me want to live in pilgrim collars!
10. A few of you have asked for puffer/quilted coats that come down to mid-thigh — literally, two or three of you have had this exact spec! I’m assuming this is for cooler area residents who need more coverage. I love this Quince option. I also love my Everlane quilted liner jacket (have had for maybe five years now?), but it’s not particularly insulating/warm. I’d opt for the Quince if you are in sub-40 temps frequently, or this Canada Goose if you’re in Boston/Chicago/etc.
13. I cannot wait to pull my Alice Walk wool cape out for fall. The chicest top layer! I found this style that is similar but a little less expensive. Looks very chic, too.
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Well hello, Tuesday! Tuckernuck is offering 20% off orders over $250, 25% off orders over $500, 30% off orders over $1000. A great opportunity to round out your fall wardrobe. I’m especially excited about this cashmere sweatsuit (hoodie, wide leg pants). The fit is fantastic — I think the key is that the cashmere is thin and drapey. I’ve tried a few other knit sets that wind up feeling bulky or stiff. This one has a beautiful drape. I am planning to wear this on the overnight flight to Italy this fall. Note that the pants are very long — will work for tall Magpies. I had to have them tailored. I’m wearing below with my new and spectacular Mansur Gavriel bag! I am obsessed with the shape, silhouette, and unexpected dark green color!
Anyhow, all of my top picks from the Tuckernuck sale…
01. DRESSED UP BLOUSE. If you don’t have this top in your closet, today’s the day. I own her in the blue and white stripe and she has the best silhouette/structure and silkiest material. A great way to dress up jeans. I love her in the oxblood color for fall.
02. FALL EVENT DRESS. So many great options, but I especially love this dark floral with the on-trend kiwi/chartreuse belt lining for a special event at school, work, etc; this bustier style for a cocktail party or wedding; and this patchwork floral for fall family photos or Thanksgiving.
03. EVERYDAY KNITS. I just got this pointelle turtleneck to tuck into trousers, skirts, jeans. Will look so good layered beneath a heavier knit or cropped jacket. Also loving this short-sleeved cashmere blend tee for pairing with slip skirts and wide-leg jeans.
04. AUTUMN FLATS. The high-vamp on these beauties reminds me of Loro Piana or Le Monde Beryl, but it’s also a perfect time to get your hands on Loeffler Randall’s sublimely comfortable Leonies in satin or intrecciato leather. If you want more of a statement, you must consider these studded LRs. Studding is a nano-trend I’ve been noticing a lot lately. These are so good!
05. BIG OL BAG FOR MOM LIFE. A great opportunity to get a durable Naghedi for mom life, or frequent travel, or gym. This one is enormous and will be my go-to for Saturday soccer / t-ball. Because’s it’s a) black and b) neoprene, I won’t mind if it sits on a dirty bench or gets a little bit of water bottle spillage.
06. LEVELED UP ATHLEISURE. A Magpie recently asked “what do we wear for school drop off?!” and I agree that athleisure is right for the instance, but that you can make it feel a bit more sophisticated if you pay attention to material, wear a matching/monochromatic set, and mix in everyday wear (e.g., striped button down with sweats; leather handbag; loafers). I would strongly rec the aforementioned Tuckernuck cashmere set (seen above — hoodie, wide leg pants). I also love this polo-style sweatshirt and this snap-neck pullover; either would be great with leggings in the same color family.
P.S. If you’re new here, or just never commented, why don’t you introduce yourself to the Magpie community by answering these fun questions?
in the fall, I think about school, and specifically high school,
and when I think about high school, I think about this one stretch of wood-slatted balcony that skirted the quadrangle on our campus, and my friend Elizabeth running across it with me. I don’t know if it’s one memory, or a composite of multiple. We were on the way to class, or we were late for class, or we walked that route daily, or we didn’t. But we were young and mirthful and together. Elizabeth died when I was 25, and now I must find her there, in the off-handed recoleta of my high school years, instead of in my texts, or on a Christmas card pinned to my fridge, or at Aventino for happy hour.
But I was thinking the other day, when someone asked where I went to high school, and I visited with her for a brief and mute millisecond, how high school has turned into her. How “Visitation” has become shorthand for “Elizabeth.” And how maybe this is one way we grieve, by turning places into the people we loved and lost. It is my subconscious reminding me to find her. A cartography of the heart.
There is a fantastic line in J.D. Salinger’s haunting short story, “A Girl I Knew,” in which he writes:
“Probably for every man there is at least one city that sooner or later turns into a girl. How well or how badly the man actually knew the girl doesn’t necessarily affect the transformation. She was there, and she was the whole city, and that’s that.”
How many places become people in our lives?
Elizabeth is high school; my father is Aspen; Meredith is London;
Landon is the state of Virginia, the entire mid-Atlantic — the world map for that matter.
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+I wore this blouse to recess duty at my children’s school last week, and one of the other moms asked where I got it, and said: “I can never find good, interesting tops like that.” I am on it! A few other blouses that are great to pair with everyday jeans for a little extra something:
+Fun fall statement pants. (Also love my Julia Amory Babes! Mine are the brown ikat, but they also released a great navy pattern. And did you see their new dupioni mini skirts? So cute for fall with a chunky knit. You can get 15% off a Julia Amory with JEN-15)
+I just learned that Rothys was founded by a relative of one of the parents in my son’s class! I have never tried their shoes but have always been intrigued. I like these brown pointed toe Mary Janes, and they have a new Birk-like clog for at-home / walking the dog / getting the mail / taking the trash out that looks dreamy. I’ve been trying to figure out what I’ll wear for such brief outdoor excursions in the cold weather instead of the trusty Birk Arizonas I keep at my door…
+If you’re in the market for a classic navy blazer, J. Crew just released a great one. I have this blazer in a white summer-weight material and the fit is absolute perfection.
+Joe’s Jeans invited me to pick a few items from their fall collection and I cannot wait to style this skirt. I want to pair it with cashmere, suede, silk? All the different textures! Look for less with this skirt.
+I am Alice Walk’s biggest fangirl. Love the look of this cashmere button-front sweater. The best colors! I find everything I get from them is in HEAVY rotation in my daily wardrobe. Just fantastic elevated staples that fit exactly how you want them to fit.
+OK this wrap sweater looks like a dream for chilly weekends. I immediately imagined sitting in an adirondack around a fire at night.
