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We’re not taking the kids to Disney until later this spring, but this hasn’t stopped me from assembling a hefty wishlist of warm weather finds, organized in a few mood boards below. (In fact, we have several brief trips planned before then, but all to cold climates.) You’ll notice a lot of that powder blue…!
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I had never been a big athleisure lady — until this past month or two. With my new approach to working out (I strive to move my body for a minimum of 20 minutes each day, usually doing a Physique57 or Heather Robertson video, with a goal of two longer cardio workouts per week, where I run or cycle and then do a core workout video), I find myself wearing athleisure to school drop off and morning errands more often than not, as I do not have the time to shower and dress. Something’s gotta give; tradeoffs. I am going to write more about this soon, but I’ve been thinking a lot about something I read recently: everything is a tradeoff; you just need to figure out which emotional consequence you are more willing to accept. As in: you can either move your body and show up looking a little less polished (resulting, for me, in a feeling of not presenting my best self), or you can skip moving your body and show up fully dressed / appointed (resulting, for me, in a feeling of inertia / blah-ness that lingers throughout the day). When I compare the two emotional outcomes I anticipate, the decision is much easier for me to make. I want to be clear here and say that some (most?) women probably don’t even think about this as a tradeoff, and that’s of course correct, too, and even admirable to me. I grew up in a fairly formal household (my mom has worn jeans…twice? in her life and gives me a hard time if I’m wearing distressed denim; I distinctly remember her laying into my brother and his friends for wearing baseball hats at the dining room table — major rule), and I also dedicate a lot of my professional time to fashion, and so the inputs may be different for me.
Anyhow, even in athleisure, I like to feel as polished as possible. My secret to feeling pulled together is wearing mainly monochromatic sets and layering with non-athletic accessories and outerwear. Above, a typical morning look of Beyond Yoga leggings, a Beyond Yoga top, Varley fleece, and tall socks. The sneakers are actual gym shoes (the best ones I’ve found for doing lateral and forward movements — good ankle support, and I’ve needed them while doing side lunges!) but if I were running to school, I’d probably swap out for my Inuikiis, Adidas, or Veronica Beard sneaks. It’s been so cold out, I have been throwing on my white wool coat over the top!
I’ve been doing a little hunting to make some updates to my children’s rooms and — at least for me, I don’t want to make huge investments in accents and particularly upholstery that will likely be destroyed in a few years time. Below, some very chic finds at reasonable price points for the coastal look I’m after:
01. Woven swivel chair in a gorgeous sky blue. Great for a little reading corner in a child’s room.
We’ve watched movies together as a family for many years now, but typically, we’ve made the experience matinees, or sometimes dinner-and-a-movie specials. (Our children typically go to bed between 7:30-8.) Over the Christmas holiday, however, we let our kids stay up late two different nights to watch a movie after dinner with us. It felt like a rite of passage, one of those invisible parenthood thresholds: we have now officially entered the phase of true family movie nights, where the movie is the activity, and it’s dark out, and we’re snuggled on one couch under multiple blankets, and we’re all watching something we independently find enjoyable. We watched “The BFG” one night (my daughter is obsessed with Roald Dahl) and “Wild Robot” the other. I’d strongly recommend both, but especially “Wild Robot.” I teared up several times, as it tugged on multiple heartstrings while broaching the themes of watching your children grow up and fly the coop, identity as mother, outsidership versus community, and kindness in the face of austerity and even cruelty. There is a moment in which one of the characters tells a gosling learning to fly: “You’re not meant to fly like others; you’re meant to fly like yourself.” (!)
I’m wondering if you can share a few of your favorite family movies so I have a good lead list as we tuck into this new stage of family life? We’ve done a lot of the Disney animated classics already, so mainly looking for wholesome, feel-good live action films at this point. “Matilda” (old 90s one) is next on our list — my daughter and I are almost done reading the book together and I know she’ll love this!
A few movies we’ve watched and enjoyed together in the past year or so — please add to this list!
“The Sandlot”
“The Mitchells vs. The Machines”
“Robot Dreams”
“Homeward Bound”
“The Velveteen Rabbit”
“SpiderMan: Across the SpiderVerse”
“Babe the Pig”
Movies I remember loving but not sure if they’ll still hold up? — please weigh in!: “The Little Giants,” “Baby’s Day Out,” “The Apple Dumpling Gang,” “Grease,” “The Secret Garden,” “Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken,” “Goonies,” “Richie Rich,” “Back to the Future,” “Parent Trap,” “Willow,” “Sound of Music,” “Rookie of the Year,” “Mighty Ducks,” and “The Little Rascals.” Please share thoughts!
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+Tuckernuck’s sample sale starts today, with items up to 80% off! I haven’t had advanced access to which products will be included (sometimes brands give me an early glimpse so I can share) but will try to update this post later today with any can’t miss items.
+So obsessed with this new capsule from Posse! It’s everything I want to wear this spring/summer — elegant, slightly preppy but made modern, easy. I love this top, these pants, this boatneck, this matching skirt, this vest…! There are also gorgeous pieces in butter yellow…I want it all.
+I’m in the market for a proper desk for my daughter. She’s been using an all-purpose table with a small chair for awhile now — and she’s outgrown it. My top picks right now are this, this (the hutch is appealing — extra storage), and this. One thing I keep asking myself is whether she the styles will feel babyish when she’s getting into her teen years. I’d like to buy her something that could potentially go with her to college if need be! Crazy to imagine thinking like that…!
+And for you for a warm weather getaway: fun new statement raffia Mary Janes from Prada, these shorts, and this perfect Alemais dress. And of course if you missed out on the Follow Suit Flora at Tuckernuck (now sold out — soo many of us bought these), you can still find them in a bunch of colors here.
+Adorable $29 raincoat for a girl. Have also bought my kids these $31 raincoats for multiple years in a row. Best colors and have a nice, soft cotton lining.
By: Jen Shoop
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Prada set the scene for this season’s trendiest color with its recent runway shows — powder blue feels soft, sophisticated, retro, and somehow new again. I mean, pastels for spring are nothing novel (are we all thinking of the same Miranda Priestley line about flowers?), but it feels appropriate even now, in the bleak midwinter; I love the way it pairs with soft, browns, and even blacks. Above, wearing the most gorgeous sweater from La Ligne in the chicest blue shade. It photographed a bit darker than it is in IRL — I absolutely love her.
What does it take to draw you out of the sublunary fracas and into the heart of things?
More often than not: my son’s moondrop eyes, the sun on my skin as I sit on our pavestone patio, the no-sound-no-smell of snow, standing still by running water, the shape of my husband shoveling in the drive. What I mean is: many ordinary things are fragile bells calling me to the other world, that boundless meadow of goldenrod, that peaceful Olympus undisturbed by wind. That other world that is love only.
The secret is training to listen for their tintinnabulation, and then making the listening as essential to your day as breathing. I am not there yet. I make the bed in distraction, or make the breakfast in a hurry, when I should be making room for the holiness that reminds me of how good life is, how giving. My children downstairs, my husband at his desk; the memory of the raspberries we take from the garden in summer; the joy of writing; the gentle weather in the window; the soup on the stove for later lunch. There, while folding sheets, and putting away the discarded clothes of my children, and pecking at my keyboard, I can hear the chimes and faintly —
+I’m having my photograph taken for something and one of the options I ordered was this denim skirt (more sizes here) with matching top (more sizes here). SO chic. I’m very into the idea of a denim skirt so also ordered this style to compare.
+We just did a huge pantry clean out over the weekend – it felt SO good. We actually had a good supply of these bins and by the time we’d thrown out all the expired flours, spices, etc, we didn’t need any additional ones! So delightful to have all the flours, sugars, etc organized. The only new org solution I ordered was this water bottle rack (stackable!).
+Speaking of org, Pehr just restocked their fabulous canvas bins. We have lots of these in different shapes, colors, patterns. Great for organizing smaller sets of toys, or for nursery — diapers, swaddles, burp cloths, etc. I love to use these as the “gift basket” for baby showers. Fill with books, baby essentials, etc and then wrap in cello with a big ribbon.
+I just added this stick lamp to my closet and it is sparking so much joy! To have this soft light on top of my dresser in there — it adds instant ambiance (and brightness).
+Annie Selke makes the best rugs and I think for fairly reasonable prices given quality / pattern options / etc. Currently 20% off!
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J. Crew’s new arrivals grabbed my attention — loving the way they’ve jumped on a lot of the micro-trends I’ve been loving this season (pastels a la Prada, fine rib knits a la Leset) but given them their signature “crisp” J. Crew twist. I already shared my obsession with this new denim silhouette (seen above and below), and a few Magpies wrote to say that they are very similar to Agolde’s Ren jeans, but a fraction of the price (and available in petite and tall inseams)! Truly love the styling below. Should I order?!
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I wrote recently that love doesn’t fret over the furnishings. “Connection can happen anywhere. The magic of a marriage will show itself in a parking lot, in a hospital room, in a medium bar with medium drinks, in the dim light of a midnight nursery with a crying newborn. Life, and love, are happening right now, in the imperfect present.” In fact, some of the most romantic moments in my life have happened in the least picture-perfect ways. I am thinking about those hazy, exhausting early days of newborn parenthood, and of Landon and I watching that “Murder Mystery” movie with Adam Sandler and cheersing with a glass of wine while our infant son slept next to us. I had this profound feeling wash over me: it’s just me and you together in this one wild and precious life. Two backs against the lee, you know? I felt so connected to him, so relieved, so happy, even though I was aching from a c-section, wearing baggy nursing pajamas, and bone tired. I am also remembering the time Landon came and rescued me from an unfortunate situation with an ex-boyfriend — he drove straight from playing in a softball game to a date function, wearing sweats and dirt, and I can hardly think of a more romantic moment. Prince Charming with stains on his knees from sliding into home and a sweaty faded t-shirt he hadn’t had time to change. I mean…! Love doesn’t care. If anything, love thrives when your mask is askew.
In that spirit, some lowkey ideas for celebrating Valentine’s Day…
01. Make a festive cocktail, like this or this, or if you’re non-drinkers, a fun mocktail (Bardelia has a fun aperol spritz mocktail bundle) and put on agreat romantic playlist (see next point). We’ve been really into the latter linked cocktail, and various versions of it, lately — the Breville juicer I bought Mr. Magpie for Christmas makes “fluffy juice” (highly aerated) and this is an essential ingredient in any Garibaldi. I hadn’t been much of a campari fan until now!
02. Put on music that gives you the feels! It’s all about ambiance. I put together a playlist of some of my favorite love songs here (Spotify) and here (Apple).
03. Play a game together! I’m telling you, it’s a fantastic, different way to connect with your significant other. We love Wingspan and Azul — perfect two-player games. Azul is easier to learn, FWIW. Even just a festive drink, a romantic playlist, and a round of Azul in front of the fire would be a perfect way to spend Valentine’s Day.
04. Skip a “romantic” outfit. Wear an easy red sweater with jeans that make you feel good and bare feet. Or a cute but sneaky-sexy lounge outfit like these whipped track pants (divine, divine!) in the pale pink with the matching henley. (Truly, this set is one of the most comfortable things I’ve ever worn, but also saucy and flattering. He will be into this set, I promise.)
05. Make a romantic dinner at home. IMO, a perfect Valentine’s Day dinner would be Daniel Boulud’s hanger steak with shallot-red-wine sauce, Thomas Keller’s smashed marble potatoes, and a bitter winter green salad with a citrus vinaigrette. For dessert, something from a local bakery, like tiramisu or a slice of chocolate cake — something that would require a lot of time to make at home, and that feels special. Share one slice with two forks. If you’re in a pinch, Whole Foods’ Chantilly cake is actually really delicious and they often sell it by the slice. (There are entire subreddit threads extolling the virtues of this cake — it’s an airy sponge cake with a tangy whipped cream frosting and fresh berries. Strongly rec.)
06. Ask your spouse these questions and laugh about the answers together. Tinx also recently shared a few oddball table topic conversations to bring to a dinner party — I screenshotted to ask Landon and am copying and pasting below. Sometimes it’s fun to throw a curve ball conversation in there! Dying to know how many owls it would take for Landon to feel like something is wrong?
07. Watch a romantic movie together. Magpies have shared their favorite romantic scenes here and under-the-radar rom coms here. I know some men aren’t into this genre; you could also try something like “Hit Man” or “Fall Guy,” which are romances in “guy movie” costumes. Or watch some serious cinema — something nominated for lots of obscure film festival awards — and have a long conversation about it afterward. Make popcorn using this stovetop contraption and these kernels, or order a bunch of flavors of Jeni’s (controversial, but I really want to try this flavor) and lay them out with two spoons.
08. Surprise your significant other with a handwritten Valentine. Doesn’t need to be over the top — just a plain card, although I’m writing mine on this — but push yourself to capture something really specific about why you love him/her. I found some of the Magpie reader comments on this post — weird things we love about our significant others — generative. You could riff on this theme in the following formula: “Little things I love about you: the salt and pepper in your beard, the way you hold my hand when we walk the dog, the fact that you answer your phone on the first ring every single time.” These specifics will feel so special to him.
09. Open a special bottle of wine. Last week, Landon and I opened a bottle of wine we’d bought two years ago while in Napa, from Tank Winery. (More on that magical trip here, in case you’re headed that way. We loved, and I mean loved, Calistoga.) There was no special occasion — the bottle was the occasion. But Valentine’s Day presents us with a specific occasion to celebrate.
10. Light candles! Candlelight over lamplight forever. So easy but so romantic!
In case you exchange gifts for the occasion, or are shopping for it yourself, a few beautiful treasures…
I read a jarring, mystical poem by Galway Kinnell called “The Bear” this week. (You may recognize that name from my essay on “reteaching a thing its loveliness.“) It is a fever dream in seven unsteady parts about a man hunting a dying bear, crawling inside of it, and then waking and seeing a still-living bear in the ravine. At least I think that’s the sequence, but it is a poem of borderlessness, violence, and evolution in which we ask: what is real; what is dream? What is nature; what is man? What does it mean to hunt and trap and injure, and then crawl inside the wound? And then wake up and see the suffering from the outside?
I love a poem that asks and does not answer. Most good poetry does this, I think. (I’m thinking of Oliver now: “Let me keep my distance, always, from thosewho think they have the answers.“)
My challenge to you is to sit down and read this poem and just live inside it for a minute, not forcing meaning. Like the speaker of the poem: “open him and climb in / and close him up after, against the wind, / and sleep.”
Then write down the first ten words that come to mind.
I think you’ll be surprised at how much you have to say about the splattered paint — how easily the vision-words float from your mind’s eye to the page. In turn, you will see your own extraordinary depth and imaginativeness. To read is to create. Think of everything you just brought to the poem. Think of all the things you carry with you — your memories, your preferences, your scars, your wonderful ways of being.
As a writer, I “write to find out what’s inside” (Kurt Vonnegut), but reading isn’t too different after all. When you read that poem, what echoed in the well? What dormant part of you arrived on the page, snuck out of the stanza, curled up on the comma?
P.S. You can hear the poet read the poem here. What struck me about his reading was the fluidity between stanzas, especially stanzas four and five. I wanted to sit with that “and sleep” at the end of stanza four for awhile. I wanted a gaping, long pause. He didn’t give it to us! But I think his reading is a better fit for the thematic blurred lines of the poem. I also noticed, thanks to his reading, the repetition of certain words and movements — “ravine,” “blood,” the sensation of crawling in and out, looking from the outside. You get a lot from the auditory performance of a poem. Where does the breath want to naturally fall? When are we gasping for air versus slowing down? What sounds and rhythms recur?
P.P.S. Kinnell’s two children are named Fergus and Maud — both references to Yeats.
P.P.P.S. I absolutely loved (!) the phrase “the fairway of the bears” from this poem. I wrote it down in several places this week. It feels like a perfect title for something ominous.
Sunday Shopping Poetry.
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Image via.The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
+BALANCING PASSION WITH PATIENCE: “Pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you. Seek patience and passion in equal amounts. Patience alone will not build the temple. Passion alone will destroy its walls. To live a life of meaning is to balance the things that spark joy with the discipline to bring them into the world.” – Maya Angelou.
This inspired me deeply this week, especially after a few conversations with a dear friend and fellow creative who discovered someone had been copycatting her work. I witnessed the full, earnest swing of emotions as she processed this — frustration, hurt, bewilderment — and after she’d communicated with the imitator, and it had gone nowhere good, we talked about how the only possible next step was for her to focus on continuing to make great art. What else to do? Blinders on, head down. But I also thought how she’d lived out Angelou’s wisdom in a narrow way. She’d not let passion “destroy the walls” and she was persisting patiently in her craft.
(N.B. I tend to believe that karma never forgets an address — that person will eventually hit a stumbling block!)
+INSLEE x MAGPIE: This week, I fly to Raleigh, NC to visit my dear friend Inslee, as we are working on an incredibly special collaboration launching soon…! Like, within a few weeks soon. I cannot wait to share more. If you aren’t familiar with Inslee, she is a deeply talented artist and wise creative spirit. I love talking shop with her — she has such an informed perspective on her craft, on creativity, on running a successful art business. Funnily enough, we had coffee a few weeks ago and were talking about imitators/plagiarists in that conversation, too, and I asked her how she handled it. She said: “I just focus on making better art.” Amen. I’ll share the full backstory on our friendship (now spanning decades) in an upcoming post, but for now…get ready!
Are these not the most charming flowers you’ve ever seen?
+BESTSELLERS: The number one bestseller was this Veronica Beard dress, deeply discounted from $498 to $149. She is SO good — you can see me in her here. Trust me, your future (summer) self will thank you.
+SALES TO SHOP: 1)Doen’s Winter Sale! I ordered this chic top (don’t sleep on their tops — they’re all in this featherweight, ultra-tuckable material that adds no bulk), this pointelle tee ($59!), and this gorgeous dress. Love a seasonless dress like this — pair with boots now, wear into spring with flats. 2) Chappywrapwinter sale! We have this gorgeous one in our front room and I love that it’s sort of holiday but can also be used around the entire year because of the colors. 3) An additional 20% off Guest in Residence‘s incredible sale section this weekend only, plus I believe my code JEN15 gets you an extra 15% off that sale price (!!!). So many cashmere pieces at closeout prices. I’m contemplating this quilted cashmere beauty — I already have the cropped plaid version (also on super sale). Great layering piece!
Last but not least, Veronica Beard! Two of my favorite dresses from last summer are included in the sale — this and this, both $149…sooo good. I took a 00 in both of these and am usually a 0. The navy one fit like a glove; the paler blue one was a bit snug. So from my experience, I’d take your true size in the pale blue and contemplate going down a size in navy.
+SNAPS FROM THE WEEK: Things that caught my eye this week.
A STACK OF VINTAGE BOOKS IN OUR LIVING ROOM // NEW FRINGED MOCS! (20% OFF WITH JEN20)
EYELET SNEAKERS // MORNING SUSTENANCE (I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS ANTHOLOGY AND HIGHLY REC…I READ IT WITH COMPLETE HAPHAZARDNESS! JUST FLIP IT OPEN AND READ A POEM WHENEVER THE MOOD STRIKES)
I LOVED MR. MAGPIE IN THIS GRAY SWEATSHIRT (HE CALLS IT HIS “BIEBER SWEATSHIRT” BECAUSE JUSTIN BIEBER WEARS THIS BRAND) WITH LIGHTER WASH DENIM // GUEST BEDROOM PEACE
By: Jen Shoop
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A Magpie reader wrote to say that it can be hard to see the full outfits on laptop / desktop computer without scrolling a lot — I’m taking this under advisement to see if there are better solutions. In the meantime, you can always shop my outfits on ShopMy — that format may be a little easier from a scroll/shop standpoint. I try to post them there in real-time. Stay tuned! Feel free to send me other bits of feedback/suggestion on how to make reading Magpie a more pleasant experience. Feedback is a gift! Thank you!
