*Image above via Faire Child, whose founder describes herself as an “ambassador for puddle jumping.” You can shop their unisex, waterproof coats and rain pants here!
I had a couple of requests for cool-weather boots and outerwear for little ones in my last batch of shopping queries, and am responding belatedly here with some ideas…
FOR BOTH TINY BOYS AND GIRLS, THESE WIDGEON FLEECES ARE AMAZING — THE VELCRO CLOSURE MAKES IT SO EASY TO GET ON/OFF BABY, AND THE HOOD CINCHES AROUND THE BABY’S FACE
*Image above via Amy L Berry. The mirror above her gorgeous writing desk is Fleur Home and — swoon! I love them all, but especially this geometric one, this scalloped one, and this floor mirror. The stationery looks super similar to this affordable set from Joy Creative, and the tray is Lindroth Design. Do you not love those leather pulls?!
I came across the most evocative poem the other day —
para mami
One day I will write you a letter after I have gathered enough words I have heard pop! pop! pop! like little soap bubbles escaping the animated mouths of the women who share pieces of gossip like bombones in la lavanderÃa every Sunday
One day I will write you a letter after I have gathered enough words that blossom without thorns in painted mouths, in someone else’s countries… In my corner, I listen to how voices ring without the sting of bofetadas and how they undulate above gushing water and swirling clothes in machines that vibrate in la lavanderÃa
One day, I will write you a letter after I have gathered enough words and enough courage to let them ring in my mute dreams until they sing to me: Write us. AsÃ. In your childhood tongue. Recóbranos. Recover us. At that time, I will be able to return without fear to la lavanderÃa with my bags of clothes and enough words and surrender myself to the bubbles.
-“Gathering Words,” MarÃa Luisa Arroyo
(You can also read it in the original Spanish here.)
Arroyo conjures so much here, and so deftly, about language, family, and identity. The familiar scenes and sounds of the laundromat percolate against the protagonist’s desire to venture out into the beyond and acquire her own life experiences and the “words” that they release. We are awash in the swell and fade of these conflicting experiences as Arroyo toggles between the very physical details of sitting in “her corner” in the lavandaria — the sounds of women’s voices, the soap bubbles escaping, the vibrating machines — and the heartfelt metaphorical (and occasionally slippery-with-allusion) stuff of both belonging and wanting to leave. The poem dances, with elegance, between these two modes, in turn inviting us to perch on the metafictional: the way in which the writing of a text (i.e. the letter the protagonist intends to write her mother) intersects with identity (cultural, linguistic, familial, etc). I marvel that the poem is an anticipated homecoming, an inversion or reimagining of the classic “hero journeys home” narrative. All is conjecture, but the protagonist’s heart remains unwaveringly focused on a return to her mother. She is dreaming of a journey into the wideness of language and at the same time determined to make it “home,” to her “childhood tongue,” to la lavanderia, and to her mother.
+I need this limited-edition Diptyque candle for fall, honoring the magic of Paris. I love these candles because when they’re done, you can use hot water to remove the residue/wax and then repurpose the beautiful glasses as pen cups or makeup brush holders.
+This cuticle oil pen is my favorite thing ever. I apply before bed almost every night. Love the smell, too.
+This fantastic (clean!) cleanser from Indie Lee is 50% off today. I travel with this — it has a delicate, gel-like consistency and feels fantastic to wash with. Olio E Osso’s cult-following lip/cheek tints are also 50% off today only! I might use the promo as an excuse to test!
+A super investment, but this dress is a knockout — would be perfect for a mother of the bride.
+I know a lot of us just stocked up on the Minnow sale, but all swim for girls and boys at Nantucket Kids is 50% off with code SPLASH. Love this sailboat print — $24 with code!
+Something about the design of this batter bowl gives me all the good fall feels. I see it and imagine myself in a farmhouse whipping up some pumpkin pancakes while foliage is a riotous orange.
+People go crazy over this cropped athletic tank — $23! I did not think I’d love a cropped athletic tank but I absolutely adore my ones from Beyond Yoga (currently on sale). I like to pair with my high-rise running shorts/leggings. Added one of the Amazon ones to my cart to test.
+This fab sweater is almost sold out but SO good to pair with jeans, a skirt, or even under a navy tartan napdress!
+Custom name polo for your little man as he heads back to school.
+I got so much use out of this running headband last year. I like that it’s not super thick but it does keep you warm.
+ICYMI: this dress is under $100 and seriously on-trend. SEA-meets-Veronica-Beard-meets-Mille-meets…
+Pretty floaty maxi nightgown. Would work with bump!
By: Jen Shoop
*I came across the snap above and had one thought: this is the perfect backdrop for wearing an autumnal Hill House dress.
At the moment, I am thinking only of getting my hands on one of Hill House’s new dresses for fall today at 12 EST — the Cher dress in tartan. I intend to wear it with a black turtleneck, black opaque tights, and padded headband. I know a lot of you are excited about the return of the solid navy Ellie (perfect for early fall / layering beneath a statement cardigan as temps cool…can you even imagine paired with these spiffy holiday flats and a pearl cardigan for a festive moment later on this season?! (BTW, I wear this pearl trim cardigan alll the time. It’s basically my desk sweater and I throw it on over my shoulders at my desk constantly. It’s a very generously sized, boxy fit on me, but I like that. My mom hates this sweater because the cuffs are frayed. Ha!). The Nesli will also be on offer in two great fall florals — a burgundy and an emerald. Gosh I love these dresses!
Anyhow, if you aren’t a nap dress gal, a few other fabulous fall dresses — many perfect for Thanksgiving! — along with some amazing shoes that might interest you…
ALSO — ALSO! You must see these $138 bow-topped slides (on sale for even less — under $100 — in fewer sizes here). They are sort of the PERFECT winter/fall shoe for a festive moment when you don’t want to wear heels. A few other fab festive flats/kitten heels:
*I took the amateur photo above of our garden beds. If you squint you can see the green carrot tops in the foreground.
She insists we pause at the carrots she planted with her father at each descent to the garage, her eyes scanning for the tender green blades that disclose their just-realizing incipience.
“They growed-ed overnight,” she confesses knowingly, testing a turn of phrase not-her-own in babyish language all hers, a past participle dangling with ungainliness at the end. I know I should correct the grammar, but I savor it instead: a curio of her quickly-evaporating early youth.
Something elastic happens to time once you become a mother. An hour can feel like a lifetime, and a year can zip by so quickly it nearly erases itself, and the malapropisms and baby grammar and peek-a-boo along with it. And running straight through (or perhaps an asymptote of or other-geometric-function-whose-name-I-can’t-recall to) those distortions: the wilderness of time as witnessed by a child. Time has virtually no meaning to my daughter. A doctor’s appointment could be in four months or four minutes and will still engender the same furious trepidation.
“I will not open my mouth for the doctor,” she insists, sternly, despite the fact that the appointment is in two months.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” I tell her, but to a four-year-old, we are already halfway across that bridge and the troll is nigh beneath us.
Conversely, next week might as well be next decade. She’s been asking about Christmas since January 1st with varying degrees of frustration. Mr. Magpie and I engage in semi-regular strategy sessions about when to break certain things to her. We don’t want to delude her, but why tell her about something today that she will then fret about for weeks, with no firm grasp on when it will become a reality? Why have her wake every morning and ask “is today the dentist?” or “is tomorrow Christmas?” A wall calendar helps, but only so much. She will occasionally, painstakingly, count the number of squares between today and some date with a sticker on it next month, interrupting herself at each error to start over. And when we’ve recited all twenty-two days between now and then, she seems to arrive at no useful conclusion. “Is twenty-two days long or short?” she asks. (How do I answer that? Both? Neither?) Most nights, we retreat from the exchange, and I deposit her in her bed with no greater clarity on the matter, and then my heart stops when she asks: “Can I play with toys when I’m a grown up?”
And so I know that something is processing, that she is beginning to calculate. I can spot the tender green blades.
Still: “I’ll ride when I’m older,” she sniffed recently, turning her tender baby cheek away from the extravagance of a bicycle gifted by her grandparents mid-year, and not to mark any particular milestone or occasion.
“When?” I ask.
“When I’m six.”
Then: Halloween is “too long away.”
And: “How old am I?” I have on occasion asked her.
“Nineteen hundred,” she shrugged once. Another time: “Seven.”
So time is elastic to her, too, but in a different way. For her, time is an inkblot, a void. It is simultaneously cause for grave concern about what she can and cannot do upon reaching certain milestones and simply a convenience: a way of putting-off or getting-to things she wants or does not. “I’ll bike when I’m six,” she says, meaning instead: “I am scared and don’t want to think about that for a long, long time.”
But for me, time is both a plundering thief and a sentry. It steals from me, on feline feet, and at the same time leaves me looking with bewilderment at the long arm of the clock. (How will I ever make it to bed time?)
Anyhow, there is something about the carrots now-sprouting in our garden beds and my daughter’s ministrations to them that catches in my throat. The garden is drawing our time graphs closer to one another, near-syncing them. Something about the immaterial-turned-very-material experience of time as a mother seems to conflate with her attentiveness to those invisible-today-and-two-inches-long-tomorrow seedlings. She is beginning to see that I am not the keeper of time, the mercurial figure who can tell her that one day she is going to the dentist and the next day she is seeing her cousins, who is both seven and nineteen hundred. She is beginning to witness rhythms bigger than us all. I love watching this awareness coagulate, but is it yet another demerit to time that I vaguely begrudge it for superseding me in her eyes?
These resentments gain me nothing. They are reflexive and futile and yet —
They remind me to keep my eyes on those blades while still-tender.
+Today at 12 EST, Hill House launches their “university collection.” I’m mainly excited about their new “Cher” dress in tartan plaid, but they also have some lovely emerald green and burgundy print nap dresses perfect for easing into fall.
+Have been getting some use out of my Shabbies this season already! I like to pair them with a really polished flat (i.e., Chanel captoe or pointed toe flat) and crisp white tee to balance out the edginess. Would look great topped with a tweed blazer.
+I own this skirt in a different print and je l’adore.
+This floaty white dress is spectacular — very LSF but only $118!
+Treat your husband: Vilbrequin suits are on sale at Gilt. These are the “It” suit of the well-heeled European crowd. Mr. Magpie has their Moorea trunks — I love them in solids paired with a Lacoste polo for poolside lounge, and I also got him a new pair of printed ones.
+Adding this to my fall wardrobe wishlist for micro.
+Love this chunky blue sweater — such a great color!
+These melamine plates are always very popular — didn’t realize you could JUST buy the plates. I’d only ever seen them in the huge set!
+Cute fall hair clips for a little love. (More darling finds here.)
+This sleepover tote for a little lady is so darling, as is the matching garment bag! Love this print!
By: Jen Shoop
*Image above via Meri Meri featuring their precious swan and flamingo costumes.
I’ve had a lot of requests for Halloween costumes for littles this year, so here goes. First, some ideas from years past — mini has been a giraffe (her spirit animal — we’ve had this Melissa & Doug stuffed animal and this framed Sharon Montrose in her room; they just felt right for her always), a bee (I went as her beekeeper by wearing this netting hat), Cinderella (with the perfect “glass” slippers — so sweet; micro was her pumpkin), and an Ariel (I went as Ursula with this mask and Mr. Magpie actually wore this King Triton beard, crown, and trident, while micro was a furious little Sebastian). I’ve linked the exact costumes we used every year with the exception of mini’s bee costume, which is no longer carried, but was by the brand Princess Paradise — I LOVE their baby/toddler costumes with the nubby/loopy texture. So sweet and different/higher quality than just a plush material. I love the pig and giraffe!
This year, mini insists she wants to go as SpiderMan, so SpiderMan it is. And NOT SpiderWoman or some tutu variation of SpiderMan, either. So I guess this is where we are at the moment.
I already shared some darling Halloween pajamas at the bottom of this post (pro tip: order now, these do sell out) — but a few options for Halloween candy baskets. My children have these personalized ones from Bella Bean. We also have their Easter baskets. I liked them back when we were Manhattanites and were short on space — we could lay them flat, as they are fabric — and they are surprisingly big so I found I repurposed them (especially in the Easter basket colors) for lots of things, i.e., passing out end-of-school-year treats to classmates, delivering Valentines, etc. I also like this monogrammable burlap style and these ones, too.
P.P.S. Allie of Alexandra Bee Blog mentioned me in a series of posts on navigating the early days of motherhood, and mentioned that she found my posts on matrescence (the process of becoming a mother) helpful. Since then, I’ve had a few new readers ask me to point me towards posts on this subject, so I thought I’d share a few here:
*No one asked for this, but I think we all need some tweed in our lives. Love with the padded black headband— I actually bought this exact set from Amazon and it’s perfect for only $7…I also got some wear out of the oversized pearl style!
Q: Perfect lightweight striped sweater to wear with leggings.
Q: Do you mind helping me shop for a classy yet unique black bathing suit (either two piece or one piece)? It’s for a bachelorette party in Florida in September. Thinking Marysia Venice vibes (but haven’t been able to find the style in my size in black).
A: So fun! OK, so, if you want to go MAJOR, check out Maygel Coronel. It’s a hot new swimwear label and I guarantee you will be the talk of the party. I adore this one and this one. I have also personally be lusting after an investment piece from Lisa Marie Fernandez like this or this. Another option: these rash guards are so impossibly chic. You can unzip it to *there*. I kind of love the houndstooth!
For baby: La Coqueta knit set in a color that coordinates with your dress. I love this pink, this blue, this unisex gray. Timeless and beyond darling. Both of my babies had a few of these sets and they were just too precious for words. The little knit bonnets are also darling!
Q: Outfit for first birthday outside in the heat. (For my son and for myself!)
A: For you: lots of great hot weather dress picks here, but I love the classic shirting stripe and on-trend smocking of this dress. For him: this romper is my all-time favorite on micro. Can be worn with a little white tee beneath or sans shirt if very hot. Pair with these sandals in brown, Keds graham sneakers, or Cienta t-straps.
Q: Wedding gifts when the registry is tapped out and you don’t want to give money!
A: Buy them an extra (duplicate) serving dish or bowl in their china. This was one of the best things my mother-in-law did for me — it means that at holidays/gatherings, we always have enough dishes to serve all sides in that coordinate with the china! I would include an explanatory note in your card to the couple explaining this so they don’t say “eh, a duplicate, let’s return.” But if that’s not thrilling to you, consider a few heavy-hitting kitchen items we cannot live without that they may not have registered for…
A: I shared some fall family portrait ideas here, but if you’re not beholden to a certain color palette/season, a few dresses I love at the moment that I would consider…
As you may have gathered, I’m drawn towards feminine midi-to-maxi-length dresses, and not afraid of patterns! Most of these are not sleeveless, too, which I think tends to make most of us feel a little more comfortable!
Q: A classic wooden queen bed that looks timeless and is well made.
Q: 3rd trimester maternity and postpartum fall/winter outfits.
A: Oo girl, hang in there! The last few weeks are so tough. I would probably be living in Hill House nap dresses because it’s been so warm, and maybe a few dresses from Frances Hart and Gap. Postpartum: this nursing sweater dress is so chic! Pair with ballet flats and big shades to hide the dark circles :). I also lived in maternity leggings, nursing tanks, and longline cardigans the first few weeks after mini was born, when it was still cold out and I wasn’t going anywhere anyhow! A few statement cardigans I love:
You’d be amazed at what a statement cardigan, a slick of blush/lipstick, and a headband can do for a tired mama!
Q: Classic luxe animal print coat — a forever piece.
A: Etro. If you aren’t wedded to animal print, I’d urge you to consider a MaxMara Madame Coat. CHIC! And if you’re game to have faux fur stand in for animal print, this Shrimps is beyond.
Q: Adorable and trendy sister-in-law birthday gift.
A: So sweet — I am thinking a set of personalized letterpress cards, a Hill House robe, statement earrings or hoops, an Alex Mill half-zip, a pair of Lake Pajamas, my beloved Clarins serum, a personalized bracelet. Basically all things I own and adore or would love to receive as a gift!
Q: Entryway table no longer than 40″ and coordinating mirror, ideally under $500 for both.
A: I spent some time digging for this and somehow the best I could do was $600 for both pieces — but perhaps you can get lucky with a 15% off coupon by signing up for new emails, or a holiday promotion? How about this acrylic console (so chic and versatile) and this dramatic statement mirror? A big statement for ~$600 together. Or this white driftwood style console with a round mirror? Last but not least, this clean-lined wood console with a rope or rattan mirror to go with it.
Q: A leather jacket — not too moto!
A: I LOVE this elegant collarless style. Somehow ladylike and sporty at the same time, with a trim silhouette. Bonus points: it’s on sale for under $300. This quilted leather style is much pricier but also turned my head — sophisticated! — and while we’re talking high-end, this peplum The Row is beyond (you can get the look for less with this Drome). Finally, something about the color of this All Saints style makes it feel a lot less “moto” than the same variation in black.
Q: A black blazer.
A: Chic! I would look at Smythe — people absolutely love this brand; flattering and beautifully tailored — as well as L’Agence, J. Crew, and Banana. Veronica Beard is a bit more of a statement with the exaggerated buttons but I find her pieces exceptionally well-cut, flattering, and high quality. More and more I find myself turning to her for sophisticated staples with a little twist. You can get the VB look-for-less with this under-$100 steal. For a less-structured/more-laidback style, consider Cinq a Sept.
Q: School drop off outfits.
A: If you’re in the athleisure lane, loads of inspo here. But my personal aesthetic is probably going to be a fall dress like this or this paired with a cardigan if chilly and clogs. I actually think clogs are my dream drive-to-school shoe because I prefer to drive barefoot anyway. These will be easy to slip into and out of when I need to jump out of the car! As it gets chillier, will test out some new denim/pants and statement sweaters!
Q: Accent chairs (with arms — not the slipper style).
A: As I don’t know your color scheme/aesthetic, I’ll just share a few shopstopping non-slipper style accent chairs i love:
A: A feminine mini with some volume like this (more sizes here) or this. Anything slinky/form-fitting paired with OTK boots feels like a bit much to me.
Q: Rehearsal dinner dress for my sister’s wedding. I’m the MOH!
A: Congratulations! So special. I’m not sure of the formality so sharing a few options — I love (!) this floral with the open back. Sophisticated but festive! I also love this Caroline Constas, this Anthro, this Rebecca Taylor, this Vampire’s Wife. And this tiered floral feels like a Brock Collection piece, but is under $500. I don’t usually do black, but this one is spectacular, especially with big earrings and an updo or red lip.
Q: End of summer cocktail garden party dress.
A: Agua Bendita, baby! (This one is also magical.) This brand runs narrow and loooong. Unless you are tall, you’ll need to have the maxis seriously shortened which is nontrivial because you’ll need a seamstress to ensure the flounce doesn’t look disproportionate with the dress! For something a bit breezier, Doen or Coco Shop. And for something with a touch more structure, Daydress or Reformation.
Q: Chair/chaise for bedroom. Already in room: ivory headboard, gray nightstands, wood dresser.
A: Fun! I shared some chic accent chairs a few queries but, bu you might also consider this round style, which comes in tons of colors — something about the shape and fill affords a softness that befits a bedroom. Alternately: this daybed or this chaise/bench.
Q: Outfit ideas for first birthday picture for little girl!
Q: What to send/gift to a new mom? I’m out of town.
A: I like to arrange to have food/a meal delivered. A sweet friend just had a parcel of Murray’s cheese and meats delivered to us as a “welcome to your new home” gesture and I’m tucking that away as a possible future gift for new parents — celebratory but easy to eat! Who doesn’t love charcuterie and cheese?! I’ve also had lasagnas delivered, arranged gift baskets through Eataly, sent babkas/pastries, etc. Not having to think about meals is such a treat! I also have gifted Lake Pajamas nursing jammies to several new moms. So wonderful to have something comfortable and luxe to nurse in!
Q: How do you style your Hermes scarf?
A: I like to pair them with contrasting prints or stripes, i.e., a striped Kule tee or dress or a printed shirtdress like this or this (which I own and have worn many times with one of my Hermes scarves). Mixing the colors/prints feels so youthful and unexpected. They are also a no-brainer with white, like this shirtdress or this linen one when I’m feeling conservative.
There were also loads more specific wedding guest dresses and maternity shoot outfit requests — will continue to try to serve these up in future posts!
Athleisure has gradually made its way into my wardrobe. I tend to prefer to get fully dressed most workdays — i.e., skirt/blouse/jeans/dress/shoes/accessories — because it puts me in a solid headspace to greet and power through my day, but there are pockets of time and occasions where athleisure has become a welcome alternative of more formal dressing. I’m thinking specifically of slow Saturdays bathing the dog and handling chores around the house, or downtime before/after a formal event, or running out for coffee, or morning drop-off. One styling approach that has helped me feel pulled together even when in leggings is going monochromatic or tonal, i.e., wearing a similarly hued sweatshirt and leggings. Below, a few favorite moments in the athleisure category…
THIS NUBBY FLEECE IS ANOTHER ABSOLUTE CLOSET FAVORITE OF MINE, AS IS THIS $30 ZIP-UP
JUST ORDERED MYSELF THESE HOKAS TO TRY FOR RUNNING
LOVE ALL THE DETAILS OF THIS MIXED-MEDIA PULLOVER — THE HALF-ZIP, THE MIXED TEXTURES, THE COLOR OPTIONS, THE NECKLINE (PERFECT FOR A COOL GIRL HAIR TUCK) AND A SNEAK LIKE THIS…
+My favorite $69 shades are back in a fab oatmeal color. You can also get them on sale in black (one of the three colors I own, as I also have them in caramel and tortoise), plus an extra 15% off with code FUN15, bringing them down to $45 (and free ship!). (Meghan Markle is also a fan.)
+Select colors of Ayr’s wildly popular striped tees are on sale for $55, including in this chic rose color. (BTW, this $12 Target tee reminds me a bit of Ayr’s cut, but with a pocket!)
+People are obsessed with this travel toiletry bag. Apparently it fits an absolute ton and is wonderfully designed. The hook sounds convenient to hang so you can find everything easily!
+This black tie gown is under $400 and reads Zimmermann to me. Also like this dark Agua Bendita for an autumn cocktail-attire affair. Even more special occasion wear for fall here.
+Speaking of new babies, Reed + Barton piggy banks make for an heirloom-tier gift for a new little one. Mini received one when she was born and we bought micro his own! They were on my mind the other day when a friend asked what to give as godparents to the newborns. I had initially thought of one of these beautiful personalized crosses, which I have gifted in the past, but also understood perhaps she wanted to give something else for the baby’s birth and then would give something more religious for the Baptism. A few other fabulous “heirloom-quality” gifts for a new one:
+Lake Pajamas just restocked their wildly popular smocked cotton nightgowns.
+Another Banana Republic slam dunk. Love the silhouette, love that they’re machine-washable, love the colors! Also love this boucle shacket, especially as it’s styled on the site — with a big belt over top! OMG how chic.
+These suede mules are insanely chic — they remind me of something by Mansur Gavriel but are currently on sale for under $100!
+I have been testing this squalane toning spray and I have to say I really like it. I spray it onto clean skin, before serums/SPF, and then also use it again to set/soften makeup at the end of applying and often as a midday pick-me-up. I tend to rotate through these kinds of sprays — I have also liked Chantecaille’s Rose Spray (though I have a girlfriend who insists Mario Badescu’s formula is very similar and like 1/10th the price), Kopari’s Coconut Spray, and Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir. They’re all addictive and useful in the routine though I find that when I’m through with a bottle, I don’t necessarily rush to replace. Then a few months later, I’ll happen upon another spray and love it and wonder why I let those lapses happen. I’m not sure — maybe it’s just not a truly essential product. A nice-to-have, not need-to-have. Regardless, I’m enjoying the squalane spray while I have it on hand!
+Lunch box notes for your little love, and a fun initial notepad for you.
GORGEOUS OUTDOOR THROW — WE HAVE A NEW BLACK WROUGH IRON TABLE SET SIMILAR TO THIS FOR A SEPARATE FLAGSTONE TERRACE THAT IS BENEATH OUR PATIO AND I THINK IT’D BE SO CHIC (AND FUNCTIONAL) TO BUY TWO OF THESE TO LAY OVER THE CHAIRS ON CHILLY NIGHTS
IRON-ON PATCHES (ALSO COME IN PINK) TO PERSONALIZE A LITTLE ONE’S JEAN JACKET OR BACKPACK, OR EVEN ONE OF THESE STONEY-CLOVER-INSPIRED POUCHES
JUST BOUGHT MINI THIS $8 COTTON DRESS IN THE OLIVE COLOR TO PAIR WITH FLORAL LEGGINGS LIKE THESE AND VEJAS (SELLING OUT EVERYWHERE)
ALSO BOUGHT IT IN STRIPE AND WISH I’D BEEN ABLE TO SNAG IT IN THE LONG-SLEEVE BEFORE IT SOLD OUT IN HER SIZE! — I FIND I REACH FOR MINI’S COLLECTION OF LUIGI PETER PAN COLLAR COTTON DRESSES AT LEAST 2X A WEEK…THIS IS A MORE INFORMAL LOOK FOR LESS SITUATION!
When asked how he created the celebrated sculpture of David, Michelangelo responded that he’d “simply chiseled away what wasn’t David.”* I feel as though I have always envisioned self-improvement as a constructive process, something akin to building muscle or forging tools. Accretive. But perhaps it can be the inverse: cleansing, streamlining, stripping away the excesses, performances, and projections and standing stock-still with the barest silhouette of ourselves. Just what’s core. Whittling down to your own spectacular intrinsic structure. Sometimes life does the hewing for us, baring our tenderest constitutions in the process, but it occurs to me that perhaps sometimes we must take matters into our own hands, sculpting ourselves free of the superfluous plaster we’ve accrued along the way.
Post-Scripts.
+I came upon this story about Michelangelo in Cleere Cherry Reaves’ new devotional, Radiate. I mentioned a few months ago that I am not particularly adept at praying, and I am finding the devotional format helpful in focusing. I had never worked my way through a devotional before, though, and am having mixed emotions as I progress through it. I love the ritual of reading a page each day and find the messages instructive, but the language feels uncomfortably familiar for a gal raised in a fairly conservative Catholic tradition. (The prayers often start with: “Hey Jesus,” and I know my grandparents would have cringed at the lack of formality. At the same time, what is prayer but a conversation with God? Why should I let the casual tone make me uneasy?). Paradoxically, I also find some of the sermonizing ultra-intense. Still, I am appreciating it enough that I bought a copy for my sister, too.
+Today’s sylphlike musing is a footnote on my earlier post about settling into decades-old friendships. I actually received a number of direct messages and emails about this post, sharing similar experiences and heartaches and growing pains. It reminded me of the saying that there are “friends for seasons, friends for reasons, and friends for a lifetime.” As I age, I am not sure I buy into that categorization. I have some friends who have boomeranged from what seemed like “a season” into “a lifetime,” and vice versa. I am thinking of a few high school and college girlfriends with whom I lost touch for a couple of years but who are now some of my closest friends. Geography and life stage play such a powerful role in friendships. Still, there are some that we are bound to lose along the way, for better or worse. (It usually feels like it’s for the worse.)
+I have found that motherhood tends to put particular pressure on female friendships. It can either forge an indelible bond or fracture things beyond repair.
+These ceramic berry baskets are absolutely charming for stowing fresh produce in the fridge or on the counter (one for cherry tomatoes, one for blueberries, etc.). I also think it would be sweet to present a gift in one of these wrapped up in cellophane with a big ribbon.
+Inexpensive way to get the layered gold necklace look for fall — love the idea of this layered over a white blouse with an interesting collar. More chic gold layering necklaces here.
+This slinky black dress would be great for layering beneath statement cardigans this fall.
+Nordie’s is now offering my favorite everyday lip product as a value pack — two for $29! I love that this wears like lip balm but adds noticeable color. Not so much pigment that you can’t apply sans mirror, either, which is my idiosyncratic metric for everyday wearability. Like, I need to be able to slick it on as I run out the door without worrying I will look like a clown, and this fits the bill.
+Love this reasonably priced shacket. Imagine with leggings for fall…
+A stylish, easy-to-grab way to organize children’s individually-wrapped snacks.
+Have to order mini these adorable floral print pajamas while they’re 40% off.
+I have seen many a chic interior designer style/accessorize rooms with these Fortnum & Mason hampers. Fun way to weave a London vibe into a room and doubles as storage.
One day, I will invest in a Chanel tweed jacket. I love that they work on any age, are seemingly fad-proof, and can be dressed up or down as well as made to feel either edgy or classic. See above and below for inspo. Many of these chic peas demonstrate beautifully how well this jacket can transform jeans and a tee!
A few favorite tweed finds for the fall 2021 season…
Even more options below. Immediately below, sharing some crazy chic tweed toppers, cardigans, and jackets (and a few non-tweeds that feel like “sister pieces”) at all pricepoints…
LONGLINE IVORY WITH PERFECT PEARL BUTTONS — LOVE THE TIE WAIST!
I also feel compelled to note that Hill House has a back-to-school drop coming up on September 9th; you can see the line sheet here, and plan accordingly. I was planning on holding out to see what tartans and velvets they have up their sleeve for the holidays but I think I really must have their brand new Cher dress (see below) for sure in the tartan but maybe also in that fabulous coconut tweed?!?!?! AHHHHH j’adore les deux! I want to wear both with a turtleneck and opaque tights and maybe these heels for a serious throwback to Gossip Girl / Clueless moment. Can you tell I’m obsessing over the return of 90s fashion?!
I can’t stop thinking ahead to cool weather and just snagged this ribbed button pullover from Talbots’ new sister brand, Haven Well Within. I love the collar, buttons, and texture — it sort of reminds me of those Alice Walk sweaters I’ve been eyeing, but in sweatshirt form. I had a difficult time picking a color but went with the shell pink, though I also loved the camel color. This is the kind of thing you can throw on over some trendy new jeans with clogs and feel pulled together but comfortable for school pick-up/drop-off.
“I can’t think of any better representation of beauty than someone who is unafraid to be herself.”
Moving home has put unanticipated pressure on this line of thinking. I have been returning to lovely, multi-decades-old friendships and there have been more than a few occasions where I have found myself straining — whether to accommodate older versions of myself that I feel my friends are expecting, or to present myself as I would like to now be presented. It sounds ridiculous, possibly graceless, to write that out, but the delta between me at 25 and me at 37 is nontrivial. I have lived entire lives in that period, undergone tremendous transformations, lost myself and saved face countless times. And there has been a part of me that has felt I “owe” my friends the version of myself at 25, a headspace now entirely foreign to me. It took a few weeks to shake all of that off and remind myself that my only job is to be me. Forget expectations, silence concerns that me-as-I-am-now is not how they would like me to be, and remember that I am not responsible for the reactions of others.
Has anyone else been through similar frictions upon returning to her hometown?
Post-Scripts: Booties!
+These chic booties are 25% off. I have owned them in suede and leather in the last two years — love them in the gray!
+This white top looks like it could be Khaite or some other exclusive high-end label — it’s not inexpensive, but it looks high end designer!
+Basically the only sunglasses I’ve worn for the past few weeks straight. Under $70!
+This floral skirt is stunning, with or without the matching blouse. Etsy gems!
+Looks like we will be wearing masks for awhile now. I like the look of these, though I have to say I’ve been using N95 masks almost exclusively for the past year. I find them to be the most comfortable — they have structure so the fabric is never pressing against your face, and I find the stretchy part that goes behind the ear much less irritating than most others I’ve tried.
+Gold bamboo flatware, and this pretty ice blue flatware is on sale!
