By: Jen Shoop

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

What I Loved This Week.

+WATCHING: Shōgun on Hulu, a miniseries that follows “the collision of two ambitious men from different worlds and a mysterious woman samurai,” set in 16th Century Japan. I am hooked. It has the empire building and culture clashing elements of “Game of Thrones” with less-lurid violence and, so far, better script-writing. Cosmo Jarvis, who plays the adventurous and clever English sailor John Blackthorne, is fantastic (and swoonworthy) as one of the leads.

+INSPIRED BY: Courtney Grow in red pants (mentioned earlier this week! — she’s wearing $1300 The Row pants, but I think these Sezane crops would nail the vibe for less) and dramatic liberty florals from Horror Vacui, seen on both the brand’s model and on street style starlet / Pilates instructor Alice Pilate. (I bought a Horror Vacui skirt several years ago that I still wear season after season, and it never fails to fetch compliments. You can find great past-season options on TRR, or get the look for less with this Doen.)

+HANDBAG TREND: Courtney is wearing The Row’s Idaho bag above, which reminds me that a lot has been written over the past year about the return of the East-West bag. A few I love in this general shape: Savette’s pochettes, Pam Munson’s Park tote, Demellier’s Vancouver clutch, Hereu’s Fleca bag, and this Amazon steal?! I added these and a few others to my “trending handbags for spring” collection here!

+LISTENING TO: The incredible birdsong in my backyard! I use the Cornell Bird Lab Merlin app to identify which birds I’m hearing — the app will “listen” and ID them for you. The most prominent (and, in my opinion, most charmingly singsong) is nearly always a Northern cardinal. A few weeks ago, I shared that many, including myself, believe that cardinals are signs that those who have passed are with us, and a Magpie reader wrote to me to share this ditty:

“When red birds appear, the departed are near.”

This tracks, as I feel strongly and routinely visited by my friend Elizabeth in our home here in Maryland. In the mystical way of the world, Kacey Musgraves just last week released a track titled “Cardinal” where she explores similar themes. We’re just living by asterism over here!

+LAUNCHING: DVF launched a diffusion line with Target this morning! Historically, these collabs sell out quickly! I am partial to DVF because I considered her wrap dresses the ultimate work wardrobe investment when I was fresh out of college. I’d save up my money and sift through the sale racks at Neiman’s and Intermix for discounted dresses and managed to amass a handful that I absolutely loved. I remember Katie Couric wore a red sleeveless patterned DVF wrap dress once and I had to have it — and I was able to track it down and make it mine! I wore it with such pride. And when my best friend landed a big job in finance, we made our way to the DVF in Meatpacking and she bought her first wrap dress there, too. Anyway, BIG fan. I am a little underwhelmed by the shapes/silhouettes in this collection, but I absolutely love this matching set: top, skirt. I had a really cute romper from DVF in that exact shape that I loved. I wonder where it went?!

+DRINKING: A pina verde, from Punch Drink (<<recipe linked). We had a very ripe pineapple on hand so Mr. Magpie made some fresh pineapple juice and came across this recipe, which also stars cream of coconut, lime, and green chartreuse. Such a fun Saturday evening drink. P.S. All my thoughts on making great cocktails at home here.

+JOAN DIDION LORE: I love Joan Didion’s famous packing list from her days as an itinerant journalist. So sparing and calculated, and yet clearly the result of much trial and error as well as thoughtful deference to her own comfort and routine. The list of a woman who knows herself, is it not? It’s made me think about what we take with us and why — what it essential and not, how we care for or neglect ourselves. I’m afraid I’m not much of an essentialist. In fact, I am a persistent overpacker. But this, too, reveals: I have trained myself to imagine in multiples. There is never one set and bound itinerary. We might do this, I could see myself wanting to wear this, and what if we decide to run into the ocean? What might be on your “essential packing list”? Do you find the task similarly challenging? What does it say about you?

+CLEANSING: I think I’ve found the perfect face wash: OSEA’s Marine Cleanser (10% off with MAGPIE10). I’ve been writing enthusiastically about this since the day I started using. You can really feel it working — cleansing! — but does not leave skin too tight. It really feels like it accomplishes something other than just sudsing on your face!

+SHOPPING: Two new candles for spring, from my favorite (slightly more reasonably priced) candle purveyor, Linnea: rosewater and rhubarb (10% off with code MAGPIE10)! For a splurge, I’m obsessed with all the scents from Cire Trudon — complex, rich, fabulous. I also have a fun package from Emerson Fry en route that includes this top I’d been eyeing for weeks!

What You’re Loving.

+PEANUT BUTTERS: Who knew so many Magpies were peanut butter aficionados? Your comments on this post did not disappoint. The top recs that came through, from all over the U.S.!:

TEDDIE (TOP VOTE GETTER — WE’VE BEEN USING AND LOVING — FROM MASSACHUSETTS)

KOEZE (VIRGINIA)

OLD HOME (MINNESOTA)

NORTH SHORE GOODIES COCONUT PEANUT BUTTER (HAWAII)

CB’S NUTS PEANUT BUTTER (WASHINGTON)

SMUCKERS NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER (NATIONAL)

+PRODUCE CLEANING: A lot of questions about our produce-washing routine (in response to this post). This article from America’s Test Kitchen does a better and more reputable job of explaining! I do think it’s important to let washed produce drain in a colander and then fully dry on kitchen towels if you’re washing in advance — otherwise, the moisture from the solution expedites molding! We use this pretty little glass jar (with spoon!) to keep the Arm and Hammer out on the countertop without the unsightly box.

+MAGIC PLATFORMS: OK, we both loved these. I keep speaking in exclamation points about them. You need them! Buy while on sale here. Several of you also chimed in to let me know you own, love, and wear them constantly in warm weather.

+OTHER BESTSELLERS: Lots of dresses this week! I love the ones you picked. I own nearly everything in this collage with the exception of the Doen dress and this Khaite-inspired tote (currently on sale)…do I need them?!

01. LAKE BRUNCH DRESS // 02. BARDOT DRESS ($129!) // 03. MADEWELL TOTE // 04. ALIX OF BOHEMIA PANTS // 05. DOEN FLORENCIA DRESS // 06. SEE BY CHLOE PLATFORMS // 07. MOSS BUNNIES // 08. J. CREW SWIMSUIT // 09. RAINBOW HATCHING EGGS // 10. PIN ART TOY // 11. BODEN STRIPE SHIRT // 12. ANCIENT GREEK SANDALS // 13. LA COQUETA DRESS // 14. MILLE SAFFRON DRESS

P.S. Strange to remember the early days of the pandemic. It does feel like we’re still processing that time, doesn’t it?

P.P.S. The headwater of a Hail Mary.

By: Jen Shoop

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

DINNER WITH MR. MAGPIE’S COUSIN: ZARA JACKET // LESET TEE // SLVRLAKE JEANS // QUINCE FLATS (NOT SEEN IN THESE PHOTOS) // VERONICA BEARD GOODY BAG

DATE NIGHT WITH MR. MAGPIE: UNTUCKIT BLOUSE (UNDER $80!) // SLVRLAKE JEANS // VERONICA BEARD GOODY BAG // THE SEE BY CHLOE PLATFORM SHOE (THEY ARE MAGIC AND YES YOU NEED THEM — STILL ON SALE FOR 25% OFF)

PARTIE DEUX: IT WAS CHILLIER THAN EXPECTED SO LAYERED THIS LA LIGNE DENIM TOP OVER IT ALL

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

SUNDAY MASS ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY: LAKE PAJAMAS BRUNCH DRESS // AMAZON SUNGLASSES // LOEFFLER RANDALL LEONIE FLATS // SNACK “CLUTCH” (HAHA)

FRANK AND EILEEN MONTAUK SWEATSUIT

RUNNING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH MY CHILDREN ON SATURDAY: LEFT ON FRIDAY TANK, LEGGINGS, SWEATSHIRT // NIKE DAYBREAK SNEAKERS

TYPICAL DAY AT MY DESK: G LABEL SWEATER // CITIZENS JEANS

GROCERIES: LA LIGNE MEREDITH JEANS // LA LIGNE SWEATER // CHANEL FLATS (LOOK FOR LESS HERE) // VERONICA BEARD GOODY BAG

P.S. My 10% off at La Ligne code is still running! You can find it, and all my promo codes, here. Working hard to keep this up to date.

P.P.S. You are enough. In case you need to hear it today!

P.P.P.S. The special sisterhood of friendships as a girl.

By: Jen Shoop

In this day of remote work, what does your lunch look like?

A colleague of Mr. Magpie’s recently posited that it is poor etiquette to eat while on a Zoom call. He and I conferred and felt this was not a bad bright line rule (no one wants to watch someone else eat…), but that there are circumstances to consider that might lend themselves to more flexible principles. For example, is this a quick, recurring chat with a direct report or a high-stakes presentation you’re helming? Will you mainly be looking at shared screens? Is it an enormous all-hands where most screens will be turned off anyway? Etc. And what if you are in meetings all day — what then? I thought back to my days in an office and remembered many conversations and informal meetings held at the lunch table, or while picking around salads around a desk. Has the screen culture upended that working lunch concept? Is it more or less unpleasant to listen to someone munching on a screen than to sit a few paces away from them in a room? Do speakers need to be turned off?

What do you think?

More generally, what does your lunch look like on an average workday?

I have a cushioned set of working circumstances: I am self-employed, set my own schedule, and can push things around as I please. I do have phone calls a few times a week, and I am draconian about showing up for those calls (e.g., not pushing them around or rescheduling at the last minute), but I tend to cluster these between 1-3 in the afternoon, as I find myself most creatively productive in the morning hours, and then like to leave an hour window for lunch and unwind (a buffer!) between 12-1. Last year, I committed to “no at-the-desk lunches,” and the habit has stuck. I had been finding myself mindlessly inhaling my lunch around the keyboard, which I hated, especially given how thoughtful Mr. Magpie is about our meals, including lunch fare. We nearly always plan our lunches 1-3 days in advance! Sometimes this just means issuing a placeholder (“we’re planning to order in tomorrow – we’ll figure out what we want in the morning”), but more often than not, it looks like: “let’s thaw out soup on Tuesday, make a salad on Wednesday, have dinner leftovers Thursday,” which entails reheating, ingredient-fetching, and other prepwork. Mr. Magpie and I eat lunch together almost every single day, knees knocking at the kitchen counter. I’ll push the timing around to accommodate his meeting schedule, but we usually aim for noon. We put on music, we catch up, we tackle STPs (Shoop Talking Points), and then we clean the kitchen together and go our separate ways. It feels delightfully civilized — and also like a breath of fresh air after sitting in the stale for too long.

Every week’s lunches look a little different, but in the past week, we enjoyed: homemade tomato soup and a radish-lettuce salad tossed with creamy dill dressing, Pho Nom Nom’s banh mis (seen above), leftover Persian food from Joon’s out in Tyson’s (very, very good).

How about you? Spill!

xoxo

Your Nosy Magpie

Post-Scripts.

+How do you meal plan?

+A recent food diary.

+This couscous salad makes an excellent lunch. It keeps well in the fridge. My mouth is watering thinking about it!

+We compiled all Magpie recipes into beautiful cards for your kitchen! Get the recipe card collection in your inbox here.

Shopping Break.

+Madewell has released a mesh flat — get the Khaite look for a fraction of the price, especially while the brand is running a 25% off promo! Also love these 90s straight jeans (esp in the white/ecru color) and this Khaite-inspired tote so many of you snapped up already. (The mini version is also really cute.)

+Gorgeous embroidered linen caftan. Also *love* the caftans from Asha. Either of these would be such pretty options for a maternity or newborn shoot. Or a family portrait on a beach!

+The new new for keeping little hands busy in car / restaurant / waiting room.

+These freezable snack pouches were the best gear purchase I made for my children this year. They actually keep the interior cold all day long, so you can pack cut fruit, yogurt pouches, cheese/salami without worrying it will spoil or get gross and slimy. They also have freezable lunchboxes but that might start to take up too much precious space in the freezer! I find two pouches fit nicely into one of the shelves on the door of our freezer. Several Magpie moms have also raved about the products from this brand for stowing/saving breast milk. Genius.

+Cute espadrille Mary Janes! Obsessed.

+One thing I missed in my Amazon Big Spring Sale roundup yesterday: these Sorbus bins. They are my absolute favorite for organization. In the medium, the perfect size for corralling oils / vinegars / baking ingredients / snack packs in a pantry, or shampoos / lotions / etc in a linen closet. It really is the perfect size – not too big that it’s unwieldy but not too small that it doesn’t fit what you need in there.

+A great midweight transitional cardigan to throw on over everything. Upgrade pick: Jenni Kayne.

+Speaking of Jenni Kayne — this under-$150 linen dress feels like something from Jenni Kayne: chic, artful, neutral weekend wear to live in.

+My children have been loving these dry erase chore charts. We’re honestly using them less for chore tracking and more to encourage them to be accountable for the little steps that need to be completed each day that we find ourselves constantly nudging them about — like finishing homework, wearing eye patch (my daughter has amblyopia and still wears a patch for an hour a day), laying out uniform. I find my daughter actually does these things with alacrity because she likes to check the box. We’ll see how long this lasts, but I’m encouraged.

+Just ordered these fun $14 shell earrings. They remind me in shape / style / chunkiness of the earrings from Aureum. You might remember I own and love these knots — almost always wearing them or my pearls during the week — and Aureum offered us 20% off sitewide with code JENS20.

+These indoor fans might be the most attractive fans I’ve ever seen. Gorgeous!

+Have been eyeing a Hunza G suit for my girl — I think she’d love the look/fit, and they are OSFA so you can get years of wear out of them, which is compelling, and drives the cost per wear down considerably. Also found these $14 Hunza G-inspired swimsuits at H&M — the lavender would be cute tucked into an Easter basket!

+Chic way to pack lunch, if you are still in an office setting!

+Speaking of H&M – this eyelet/lace shirt and skirt situation is insanely chic! I would probably wear the shirt over a white or nude tank with light wash denim.

By: Jen Shoop

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

A smattering of sales, launches, and newsworthy discoveries this Thursday:

+Sezane released its chic “Le Crop” jeans in a really fab tomato red color. I am obsessed with the idea of red jeans ever since I saw Courtney Grow in this outfit. I own Le Crops from Sezane in a different wash — super fun / chic / different, but size up! While you’re at Sezane, this $160 raffia crossbody is giving major Loewe-meets-Mansur-Gavriel vibes at a great pricepoint.

+Amazon is running a “Big Spring Sale,” and I was delighted to see Avene’s Cicalfate cream (seen above) was included. This was a Magpie reader rec many times over and I completely used up my first tube, so took advantage of the sale to re-up. It’s a wonder cream if skin is dry / irritated — it nursed my skin back to life when I’d dried it out trying to use a retinol cream. I linked a few other great finds that are a part of the spring sale here, including my favorite inexpensive leggings and this power washer, which would be a great buy while on sale — blast all of winter / cobwebs / debris off of your kids’ bikes, your outdoor rugs, etc! I’m beginning to think ahead to summer…

BEST INEXPENSIVE LEGGINGS // MY FAVORITE HAND SOAP FOR KITCHEN // TERRY HEADBAND FOR FACE MASKING // PORTABLE SPEAKER // SLIM HANGERS // AVENE WATER SPRAY // AVENE CICALFATE

+Calpak just released its popular Luna bag in several chic new colors. I saw a chic pea carrying one of these in a great blue color at the airport on the way back from Tulum — it seemed so practical yet attractive! I’ve also heard it’s great as a gym bag / diaper bag.

+Dorsey just released all of its chic cocktail rings in gold settings! I have this stunner in the sterling silver (you can see it in the top photo here), and it is a really fab piece to pull out for the evening. I’m also newly intrigued by these “Lucien earrings” that just became available for pre-order — apparently they sell out every time they become available. Finally, this pretty station bracelet that has been out of stock forever is available for pre-order and shipping in early April. I think this would be such a gorgeous gift for a Maid of Honor. I feel like it goes with absolutely anyone’s style — classic, feminine, edgy, etc!

+Parterre just released a gorgeous limited collection of skirts and dresses — I love the pattern on this skirt.

+I just spent way too much searching for all-white (including white sole) tennis shoes for my daughter — a requirement where she’ll be taking lessons this spring — and polled several mom friends with tennis-playing children and the options are hideous! I ended up reordering these under-$30 ones from last summer in the size up. (Kids can slip into them and velcro closed on the top themselves — neither of my children can yet tie their shoes! My children also really liked these shoes from tennis camp last summer and I notice that they really stabilize the foot well.) I was torn between these Asics and the less expensive Amazon ones and decided they were probably a toss up, so went for the pair almost $20 cheaper! If anyone has a better choice, LMK! I’ve also been snapping up tennis whites for the children — J. Crew is a surprisingly good source for this gear. My son loves these “active” shorts (available in white) so I got some of those and these performance white polos — at the time of writing, both are 50% off. I also got my daughter these shorts and this half-zip to supplement a few tennis skirts / polos / dresses we have from last summer that still fit.

+Last but not least, a few diamonds in the rough in the kids section of the Saks Friends & Family sale: a Lacoste polo dress for your little lady, Ralph Lauren linen oxfords and flat front shorts for your wee man, and the sweetest little bikini, under $30, down from almost $80!

P.S. How do you fill your cup in under an hour?

P.P.S. Leave the door ajar for joy.

P.P.P.S. Still time to shop for Easter, but we’re coming down to the wire!

By: Jen Shoop

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

When I was studying abroad (why is that time in my life weighing so heavily on my mind these days, I wonder? Clearly my subconscious is telling me something), fitness as we now know it (and even as I then knew it from my roost at an American university) wasn’t really a thing in Lyon. I found one dingy gym a few blocks from my apartment near Place Bellecour — a steamy, distressingly small room cluttered with stairmasters and ellipticals — and signed up for a ridiculous sum of money, as I was accustomed to the collegiate girl routine of “working out” after class, before “going out” in the evenings, and felt that incorporating this habit into my new life in France would make me feel more at home. I was perplexed to learn that many of the French patrons would exercise in street clothes — think jeans and a t-shirt! — or change into and out of their day clothes in the narrow locker room in the back without showering. Few would arrive in athletic wear. Looking back, I was assuredly infringing on an invisible social norm by strutting into the studio decked out in my Nike Tempo shorts and Virginia tees. One afternoon, on my way to the gym, a group of young French men heckled me from their car on Rue Auguste Comte, crescendoing to a loud round of: “Tu es sportive!” catcalls, which translates roughly as “You’re sporty!” Mr. Magpie and I laughed about it for years. What an odd come-on? Especially as the coup de grace of their heckle session? It’d be like yelling: “You’re a brunette!” or “You’re wearing a dress!” (…OK?)

But just last week, I came down the stairs in running leggings and a Nike tee, and Mr. Magpie yelled, out of the blue: “Tu es sportive!” — of course I’ll take that catcall.

In that spirit, a few fitness finds for the season ahead, in a confetti of great colors, so you can privately compliment yourself with “tu es sportive” the next time you get ready to exercise —

01. Vuori sports bra and tennis dress.

02. Greatness Wins half-zip (20% off with JEN20) — this new brand was founded by Derek Jeter and Misty Copeland. I love the details on the half-zip; very high quality.

03. Everything from Beyond Yoga’s new “pink bloom heather” color collection.

04. Nike jacket. Speaking of Nike: they are offering 50% off as a part of their spring sale. These waffle debut sneakers have been very popular among Magpies over the past year (non-athletic, more for casual fashion wear), but if you’re a runner, do not miss their Infinity Runs. I know I’ve shared these before, but these running leggings (also included in the sale, seen above!) are my absolute favorite. They have a good amount of stretch (not AS compressive as other styles) and have a great sleek, moisture-wicking performance material.

05. Lululemon Swiftly Tech tees.

06. Tracksmith sports bras, hat, and mesh running shorts.

07. Spanx ribbed straight dress. You might remember that I fell in love with and wore heavily the Lululemon Align dress last summer — one of my favorite things to wear while in the backyard with the kids, or going for a walk with my neighbors! Easy Saturday.

08. Left on Friday leggings and bra — super stretchy and comfortable, with a performance sheen to them.

09. For golf: love the look of this skort with this polo. I think I’m going to buy a pair of golf shoes this year, and like the sneaker-looking styles from Nike, like this and this.

For post-workout-lounge, I love this sweatshirt and sweat shorts combo from Vuori, and this shorts set from Frank and Eileen.

I also recently bought my daughter some cute athletic/lounge wear pieces from Gap, including this sweatshirt and the matching shorts.

Happy sweating!

P.S. Optimization fatigue.

P.P.S. How do you make big life decisions?

P.P.P.S. A woman of substance stands still in her center.

By: Jen Shoop

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

Saks is offering 25% off new arrivals as a part of their Friends & Family sale, and this includes the magical platform shoes I’ve been yapping about. If you are petite, I know you will order them and thank me later. Mr. Magpie took me out on a date last Friday and I wore them for the first time and we joked that I had spontaneously developed a new personality. I can’t explain it, but being 2-3″ taller than I actually am without the pain of heels is a true joy. The sale also includes…

THE ALTUZARRA TOTE I’VE BEEN WEARING NONSTOP (SEEN ABOVE)

SUPER COMFY MOTHER JEANS — TTS, WORK PERFECTLY FOR PETITES

A GORGEOUS TWEED CROP JACKET FROM BA&SH

GORGEOUS EMBROIDERED DRESS

Next up: Net-A-Porter is offering 20% off orders of $500+ and 25% off orders of $750+. Those are steep price thresholds to cross, but if you have been eyeing a statement handbag, formal dress, or pair of designer shoes, now’s the time to leap. A few top picks:

THIS MARNI BAG

THIS AJE GOWN

THESE MACH & MACH RAFFIA MULES

THIS SPECTACULAR AGUA BENDITA

SUMMER WEDDING GUEST QUEEN

TOD’S TOTE

P.S. On prayer.

P.P.S. On giving ourselves a soft landing when we need it.

P.P.P.S. Recent purchases and discoveries.

By: Jen Shoop

A few nights ago, I was dancing in the kitchen with my son in my arms — his head tilted back in joy, a smile stretching across his face. My daughter found us:

“Now my turn, mama – now my turn!”

I told her she was too big to be carried, but she persisted:

“My turn, can I have a turn?”

My daughter is a newly-minted seven-going-on-seventeen-year-old, and knows how to huff and eye roll and stamp her feet with the best of them, often responding to my husband and I with a sarcastic “…really?”,

and the other day I poked my head out the front door to call her for dinner,

and didn’t recognize her shape in the neighbor’s yard.

She was wearing her new flared leggings (a specific, passionate request) with a braid down her back, and it was the first time I’d misplaced her figure.

In the hospital, bleary the day after she was born, I had panicked to Mr. Magpie after the nurses had taken her out of the room to the nursery so that I could try to close my eyes: “What if I don’t recognize her?” He assured me that all the bassinets were marked, and added:

“Are you kidding? You’d know that cry anywhere, already.”

He was right, of course. I could pick her sound out of a million near-identicals. Her smell, too. The way she runs. Her rippling laugh. The shape of her toes.

But I’d looked across the yard, and not recognized her for a split-second, and I think this mis-sighting blurred my vision for a spell,

Because that night we were dancing in the kitchen, after she pawed at my shirt for a turn, I sat down on the couch and pulled her into my arms and bounced her on my knees and tickled her arms and swung her back and forth in my lap,

and she laughed and laughed,

and I saw her at 1, and 3, and 5,

and as a newborn in a hospital bassinet —

all the versions of her, returned to me, as though a matryoshka doll unlidded —

and I realized that she is still my baby girl, still needing to be tickled and held and swung around in my arms. She is seven. She believes in Santa, and wonders whether her dolls get up to mischief when her back is turned, and lays her head on my shoulder while I read to her at night. Only seven. I can’t let her posturing as an older girl, modeled on the teens who baby sit her, and the fact that my husband and I are often mired in conversations about rule-setting and reinforcements, obscure this truth:

She is little, and she needs love in the big ways, but in the little ways, too.

She needs not only boundaries and homework reminders and “what do you think?” conversations but impromptu back rubs and hand squeezes and fingers-running-through-hair. We say “I love you” ad infinitum in our house — several times a day, at least — but I had forgotten that she can still fit on my lap, and be swayed back and forth, and that she craves these tendernesses, too.

There is a possibly apocryphal haiku attributed to the Japanese poet Basho that runs:

To quiet down

the unsettled heart

of the daughter

A beautiful portrait of motherhood, isn’t? A piece of it, at least — one glinting prism of the stained glass composite: the centricity, the purposefulness, of a mother’s quieting presence. Today I sit here and think:

How many nights did I rock my girl to sleep? How many mornings did I carry her, plastered to my chest, in her carrier? How lucky I am to have her still seeking umbrage in my arms, and how snugly she fits.

Post Scripts.

+We carry all the ages of our children inside.

+Even so, it can be hard to say goodbye to each phase.

+The saltings of motherhood.

Shopping Break.

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

+Pretty tiered linen maxi from Boden – love the Liberty floral trim.

+FUN spring/summer bag from J. Crew. While you’re there: they just released a gauze button-down and we all need it in white.

+A bag from seasons past that I regret not snagging: the Khaite Amelia. You can get the vibe for less with this Demellier or this Pam Munson.

+Love this scalloped stepping stool in a girl’s room / bathroom.

+A lovely hostess gift. I also just ordered these lemon coasters to give as a hostess gift! Another (less expensive) go-to: this peach hot honey.

+The chicest little hand cream.

+The Outnet has some fabulous event-ready dresses for spring: this for a cocktail or garden party, this for black tie, this for preppy-leaning outdoor gathering (dress up/down!)

+Spanx’s AirEssentials half-zip is a great transition-to-spring staple. I love the yellow color!

+Cheerful play dress for a little lady.

+Can’t stop thinking about these fun sunglasses for summer…

+Lake just released children’s birthday pajamas! So cute.

+The actual cutest backpack I’ve ever seen for a little.

+For my scent enclave girlies: what are we thinking about these punchy scents from Jo Malone, like Yuzu Zest and Sunlit Cherimoya?

By: Jen Shoop

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

I’ve become an enormous fan of Goop Beauty over the past few years. It started with the GoopGlow Microderm Exfoliator (full review here), which a friend of mine sold me on by telling me “I always have to have a back up for my back up.” I’m addicted to it! I use it every few days, and especially if I’m trying to refresh myself before going out in the evening. There is really nothing else like it — instant facial! The exfoliator is my top recommended beauty product from the Goop line, but I’ve gradually added to my collection, and have come to rely on several other products as well.

Sharing my other favorite Goop Beauty products below:

01. Goop Glow Serum. Back in stock, finally! I was out of this for a few months and SPRINTED to re-up when they re-released it earlier this month. It has one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C you can find on the market, plus hyaluronic acid. For my skin, Vitamin C is the most consistently effective way to achieve radiance and glow. I’ve described it elsewhere as “turning the lights on.” I have tried and loved several Vitamin C products from other brands, and think this Goop formula is one of the best, alongside Biossance’s oil and Maya Chia’s Super Lift. (If you aren’t a fan of oils / runny serums, the Maya Chia is nice because it’s more like a lightweight lotion, but similarly effective.) If you’re on a budget, look no further than Mad Hippie’s $30 formula. Excellent, too – I’d put it in the same category as Goop, Biossance, and Maya Chia (and I’ve tried a lot of Vitamin C products!) What draws me to Goop’s formula is the hyaluronic acid component — I recently had my makeup done and the artist applied hyaluronic acid to my skin first. I really noticed a difference in my skin’s texture / brightness / suppleness (?) because of it.

02. Goop Himalayan Salt Scrub. The antecedent to a great hair day. I use this any time my hair feels oily and especially in the summer (get rid of all the chlorine, sand, sunscreen, sweat, etc.) A staple in my Everything Shower lineup. Christophe Robin has a similar formula but I’ve gradually come to prefer Goop’s — I love the way it suds/foams up and volumizes somehow.

03. Goop Colorblur Cheek Balm. Similar in concept to Merit but a little less oily and more pigmented — and with noticeably longer staying power. I love the Merit balms so much (colors are fab, and they are fool-proof when it comes to application — easy to layer, blur, blend), but I will say they don’t last all day. Goop sticks around, but you must be a little more precise with application. You can still apply with fingers, but you need to dapple it. I especially love the Afterglow color. I know it looks dark in the photo but it yields the prettiest cold weather flush. (I’ve elsewhere described this as a Winona Ryders-running-through-the-snow kind of effect.). I have almost all of the colors!

04. Goop Nourishing Repair Body Butter. A really good, heavy-duty body moisturizer. Scent-free for those sensitive to perfumes. I personally wish it came in a scented option, too, but this stuff is really effective for dead-of-winter dry skin. I went through two tubs of it this winter – I’d layer on top of my Hanni products (in-shower splash salve, post-shower water balm spray) in the dryest winter months. My feet and ankles are always especially dry and I needed something intensive.

05. Goop Luminous Cleansing Balm. One of their newer products — I love this. I’m a huge fan of using a balm to remove all makeup as a first step, and then washing with a cleanser. I also like the formulas from Elemis and Farmacy, and Goop’s is somewhere between the two in consistency — not as oily as Elemis or as dry (?) as Farmacy.

06. Goop Clean Nourishing Lip Balm. If you’re a balm girl, you need this. The pink is perfect for everyday wear — the sweetest kiss of color with a great moisturizing texture. I keep these in most of my handbags — easy to apply on the go — and a great alternative when I’m not wanting to have a glossy lip. (Otherwise, I wear my UBeauty lip plasma — reminder you can get 20% off with code JENSHOOP. If I want matte color, I am totally hooked on Trish McEvoy’s Easy Lip Color in shade Gentle.)

While we’re talking Goop, I have to say I’m deeply impressed with their in-house clothing line, G. Label. The pieces are spendy but the quality matches the price, and everything is meant to be “an upscale basic” you can wear a zillion ways. A few of my friends have bought their knitwear on my rec, and love it. (Two of my girlfriends own this Noah cardigan, which I also own and adore.) I find the cardigans run pretty snug/small, FYI (I own two of their cardigans!) Otherwise, the pieces seem to run TTS. This sweater, which I own in the fuchsia color, is spectacular!

Not Goop, but I’m already heavily testing the products from my OSEA order and please can you run and try this cleanser? My new favorite favorite. I’ve been looking for an everyday cleanser like this for awhile — this takes the cake. You can sort of feel it grabbing at your face — I can’t describe it any other way? — but it doesn’t leave skin unpleasantly tight. You can just tell it’s working. I love the scent. A perfect 10. (10% off with code MAGPIE10 — and as a side bar, if you spend $90, you get a free body essential mini duo now through 3/24.)

P.S. Loved learning how you handle skincare while traveling. (Comments are fascinating and pull us in lots of different directions! Just goes to show there is no one right way to do anything.)

P.P.S. My last batch of “honest beauty reviews.“

P.P.P.S. What do you eat for lunch?

By: Jen Shoop

Image via Cecilie Bahnsen.

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

Q: On the note of chic and sharp…I have my very first business luncheon upcoming, but haven’t the slightest idea what to wear. I would greatly appreciate any recs for budget looks that are still somewhat chic, but are not a dress or skirt?

A: These Madewell Harlow pants (remind me of Favorite Daughter’s popular pant) with a striped button-down (you might consider the options from Alex Mill or Everlane). Chic. If you don’t like the striped button-down, pair with a little cropped sweater-jacket like this over a luxe-looking white tee. Add some inexpensive slingbacks and a great pair of $10 shades!

Q: Self tanners.

A: I don’t use self-tanners because they always make me look orange. I’ve seen them work well on other people, though, so think it might just be my complexion? I have, however, polled Magpies in the past for their recs — the top three upvotes are always Salty Face’s tanning water, Isle of Paradise tanning drops, and St. Tropez mousse. Beauty icon Courtney Grow also swears by Jergen’s Natural Glow self-tanner, which you apply in the shower. Temptingly inexpensive!

Q: Do you have a black dress you would recommend for a funeral for someone in her 60s?

A: I am so sorry for your loss. I would look at Theory — they have beautiful, timeless black dresses in various silhouettes. I love this one.

Q: Classic tan wool coat.

A: Splurge: any of the ones from Max Mara. More reasonable: Aligne! I own this one. She’s gorgeous. Runs long/tall/lean — great for taller Magpies. If you’re on the petite side, you’ll likely need to have it tailored. I also love this one from Toteme.

Q: You had mentioned using a Pilates subscription at one point. Could you share more if you like(d) using this? For example, did you have favorite videos/instructors/routines? I’m thinking of trying this out and appreciate any tips.

A: Leaving this here for the team, as I haven’t found anything that has really stuck. I tried Melissa Wood Health (so many of you recommended), and I like her energy and the variety of videos she has (you can filter/sort by time, focus area, etc), but ultimately did not end up using it very often and let my subscription lapse. I think this has more to do with building a habit/routine. I always thought of the videos as “secondary to” running/biking or “if I have time leftover…” which is never a sticky starter. I’ve been better/more consistent about doing the core exercise videos from Apple Fitness+ right after I hop off the bike. I think this is because I use the Apple Fitness+ cycling videos, and I’m already in the app, with the TV set up and streaming, so it feels effortless to toggle over to a 10 minute core workout afterward on the mat beside the bike. All to say — finding a routine/setup with as few barriers as possible is key.

MWH and Apple Fitness+ are not pilates, though – anyone have any pilates videos they love?

Q: An inexpensive mesh bag (ideally machine washable) to hold a few pool toys.

A: These $14 ones come in great colors! We own and like these little guys — the kids can use to collect shells or you can sort their toys/goggles so that they each child has his/her own. Note dimensions, though — they are pretty small. Maybe the teenage size (I think this is a new offering?) is better? More expensive, but I’ve seen a lot of these Bogg bags at the pool. Easy to hose down, but have the added benefit of structure (can stand up right on their own).

On the subject of pool toys: how cute are these? And if you don’t have these, you need them this summer. THE BEST. My children played with them outside in the nice weather this past weekend! They are self-sealing, reusable water balloons! You can just dunk them in a bucket of water (or pool) to fill and the kids can do them on their own. SO much better than the kind you have to fill at the sink, and then have littering your yard!

Q: Favorite picks for outdoor toy storage (I think I remember reading once about wheeled bins?)

A: Yes – this mesh bin is a godsend for holding balls, mitts, garden toys, etc. The kids can wheel it out of the garage on their own and the mesh prevents mildew.

Q: Modest, casual shorts – practical to care for popsicle covered children in yet polished enough to run errands.

A: Many, many Magpies are devotees of Agolde’s long short (also available in a hemmed format — Madewell has an inspired-by pair to consider, too). I don’t know what it is about my proportions but they do not hit at the right length on me (I’ve also tried the non-long style)! I would try something like these from Rails (upgrade pick: VB; budget buy: Madewell). I also have and love these utility shorts from Madewell — they might be the only pair of shorts I routinely wear! I’m not much of a shorts gal, but these are tailored and flattering.

If you’re looking for something more casual, love these striped Kules (especially worn as a set, with the matching top!) and these “sweat shorts” from Frank and Eileen.

Q: Crossbody bag for European summer trip.

A: I really love my Paris64 one — small, versatile, zips closed, and no one else has one. I love that this bag can be dressed up with a cocktail dress or down with shorts/jeans. Lots of different fabric/color options, too! Also still a fan of Celine’s trio bags — you can still find on TheRealReal. Get in a fun color!

Q: Derby dress.

A: Love all my Derby girls this year! Had a few fashion requests about this event. I love this Simkhai, this OPT, this Rixo, this Rebecca Vallance, this Julia Amory, this Anthro, this Coco Shop.

Q: Styling gauze pants.

A: I like them worn as a set, with matching top (e.g., top and pant), or paired with a simple white tee and strappy sandals. I feel like you have to pair with cotton — I find they are so dressed-down, they look off if paired with a dressier blouse.

Q: Recommendations for Derby dresses for those of us over 50 who don’t want a maxi, a mini. Nothing low cut, nothing sleeveless and it MUST be comfortable to wear all day long. And to make this even more difficult, I am 5’3 and 98 pounds. It is REALLY difficult to find something without spending $1000. Ordered an expensive Tory Burch silk dress to try. Love Adam Lippes but too expensive. Found a few on sale that I love from Saks but I cannot return so I am not risking. Think Roland Mouret (but suspect not comfortable to wear 12 hours and move in all day).

A: What about this, this, or this from Cara Cara? Self-Portrait also has some pretty lace options that might be up your alley, like this or this. (Or this one on The Real Real!)

Q: Vinyl letters for your daughter’s water bottle???

A: These! (10% off with code MAGPIE10) I just ordered an A-Z set (I also have sets with just my children’s first initials) so I can have on hand to customize water bottles as gifts for my daughter’s friends. While there, I picked up this stationery set for her Easter basket! My MIL gave her a set of cards for her birthday and I was charmed to see her write notes to her little friends on them, all on her own. I realized I usually keep her personalized stationery (<<this boutique is run by a talented artist and fellow UVA grad) in my closet so she doesn’t tear through it, but wanted to get her something less precious to write notes on of her own volition.

P.S. All of my promo codes in one place here. I just updated these yesterday with a few new codes from Greatness Wins (20% off with JEN20), OSEA (10% off with MAGPIE10), and more.

P.P.S. I’m always updating my Shopbop hearts!

P.P.P.S. Still making my way out of a book hangover from this book. (More on book hangovers, and how to get out of them, here.)

By: Jen Shoop

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

01. A tall stack of cheap white towels in the linen closet by my sink. I use these to wash my face morning and night. I love that I needn’t be precious — if a little makeup or mascara gets on there, no problem! They are just for washing my face. I toss them into a wire basket I keep at the bottom of the linen closet when used and wash them every few days.

02. We wash nearly all of our produce in a solution of baking soda and water. (I’ve heard other Magpies use a solution of vinegar and water, but the effect is the same: the soda or vinegar act as a mild abrasive, dissolving waxes/coatings.) We then rinse in a colander. We’ve been doing this for months and months, typically several times a day as our children are fruit flies, so we tend to just leave the orange Arm and Hammer box by the sink! I recently bought this little glass jar with lid and spoon to decant the baking soda into — a little bit less of an eyesore.

03. Ditto my two salt cellars for fancy salts (seen above). We use Diamond Kosher salt in great quantities as we cook at home a lot, and store that in an open-mouth salt pig from Emile Henry (N.B.: these now come in really fun colors, BUT you can also get the look for much less with these ones, also available in great colors). But I found we were reaching for both our Maldon flake salt and our seaweed salt a lot, and I hated the way those containers looked on our kitchen counter. These inexpensive wood salt cellars to the rescue! I bought them in two slightly different wood types so you can easily tell which is which, and stack them on top of one another.

04. Return address labels! Save me so much time. Cheap and cute prints from this Etsy shop.

05. Beadboard drying rack. Life changing! I love that this can collapse into the wall when not in use, and that it’s mounted / out of the way. Contemplating buying a second one to flank the first. I use these all the time!

06. These cabinet/drawer organizers — the smaller ones are great for things like hair ties, paper clips, push pins, etc, and the larger for pens, bandaids, lipsticks, makeup brushes, lining up bottles of sunscreen, etc. These are so handy in the kitchen, bathroom, and any linen/storage area of the home. For larger sets of things, I love this exact brand in the medium size. Somehow the perfect dimensions for everything — great for organizing sets of bath/body products (shampoos, body washes, etc), medicines, and general categories of loose items (e.g. in the linen closet in our children’s bathroom — we toss all the random combs, brushes, etc in these).

07. For organizing travel items and/or backstock of cosmetics, I’m in love with these drawers! I keep them under my sink. The fact that they are clear is a huge bonus. You can see everything!

08. Portable speaker. We love this thing! We bring it outside any time we’re out watching the kids on their bikes/playing in the yard, having a cocktail or dinner, sitting on the front stoop, etc. Mr. Magpie also uses it while washing the car and doing yard work. We also bring it on trips — great for beach, hotel room, etc. Super durable and semi-water-proof too. The best!

I’m not including this in the “little households things I love” category but I have to say: this teak dining table was the first item we bought for our house in Bethesda and not a day goes by I don’t love it. I noticed it’s 30% off, which might be the least expensive I’ve ever seen it. Strongly rec. We purchased it as soon as we closed on the house. (I mean, maybe the same day we closed?) We were so hungry for outdoor space, and this was the one thing we absolutely needed: outdoor dining table and chairs. I love the classic teak style and it’s the perfect size for our back covered porch. Withstands swampy D.C. summers and frosty D.C. winters with poise. We paired with these dining chairs. (S&L has a similar style they just released here. Unrelated, but these kitchen pendants, also from S&L’s newest arrivals, is so retro-chic and different!)

P.S. Another S&L item I love, and all its virtues, here.

P.P.S. More household favorites and repeat buys, plus kitchen favorites you might not have.

P.P.P.S. What’s the first job each morning?

By: Jen Shoop

Last Friday, I was in the backseat of my car – a perch in which I rarely find myself – and I noticed smudge marks on the interior of the trunk windows from where Tilly used to press her nose against the glass. Her impressions, still fresh.

Grief cuts with jagged teeth, doesn’t it? It had been a sunny day, and an auspicious one, and I found myself promptly rift in two. I sat in grief’s jaw the rest of the morning.

So here we are, a month after her death, and still I find her nearby. Nose prints, a stray kibble in the back of the pantry, the muscle memory of rushing to close the door behind me lest she skitter out alongside. My son continues to talk through his own grief at odd moments, folding her into conversation as often as he can. In the car on Wednesday, he blurted out: “I’m sad of Tilly.” (His own prepositional construction.). “Me, too,” I replied. “And that’s OK – that just shows us how much we love her. What’s making you sad about her?” He said: “I was thinking about throwing her toys to her, and now I can’t.” We talked about her playing with her toys in heaven, and then the car went quiet, and I imagine we were both imagining her tug-of-warring with an angel.

Last Sunday, we were on our way home from my in-laws, and I told Mr. Magpie I had just found myself subconsciously anticipating Tilly’s face in the front window.

“How long until I stop having to remind myself she’s not here?” I asked.

“Maybe that’s not something we want to wish away,” he replied, gently.

It is painful to cast after her ghost as if she weren’t gone, and yet the not casting would mean something different. A lapse in proximity. A further release. A longer, lesser leash.

So I keep her on my ring finger. At night, after I take her off, I look at the impression on my skin and think it, too, is a kind of portrait of grief. An indentation that gradually attenuates. How soft we are, and how resilient, too.

Post-Scripts.

+More on losing Tilly here, and two weeks before she was gone, I had the wherewithal to realize I was sitting in “the good ol days” with her at my feet.

+Life takes root around the perimeter.

+Grief is unexpressed love.

Shopping Break.

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

+My Tilly ring. Truly one of my most treasured possessions.

+Can we talk about these magical Chloe shoes (<<linking where I found them on sale in the best run of sizes, but available at an even steeper discount in sizes 39 and 40 here)? I wrote on Instagram that I’m personally offended no short women had ever told me about them. They are so comfortable, so chic, and add like 3″ with no heel pain. OMG! Never taking them off. I wore them to dinner with Mr. Magpie on Friday and we both joked that they had become my new personality. I felt like a different woman in them! (A 5’3 one. Ha!)

+J. Crew just released a gorgeous linen maxi that I predict will be a staple for many of us during the evening hours this spring. (The chartreuse is fun!). Also comes in a mini length.

+I’m in love with this mini crossbody from Cuyana. Such good colors! While we’re talking cute spring bags: get the Cult Gaia look for less with this $50 clutch.

+NB just released the most adorable toddler sneaks in great colors for spring.

+When I finally sat mini down to select her Easter dress over the weekend, she surprised me by picking this Lilly P. and silver Jack Rogers! (More of my Easter picks here.)

+Three other gorgeous Easter/spring dress candidates: this Anthro (chintz-like pattern reminds me of my Doen dress!); this Zimmermann-esque steal from Dillards; Julia Amory’s Betty dress in the new ballet pink pattern.

+This De-Gournay-esque woven tapestry basket is gorgeous.

+Also! Two additional Easter basket possibilities: an Easter version of Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza (my daughter’s FAVORITE game – we play this several nights a week!) and these mini squishmallow capsules. My kids love these SO much. I got them each one. While you’re at Target: cute half-zip for you in a great pastel hue.

+If you waited too long to order a personalized Easter basket, this sweet Amazon one is adorable and arrives tomorrow.

+Cute initial caps for littles for spring.

By: Jen Shoop

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

A boomeranging week, feverish and achey at the start thanks to strep throat, then swingy and loose thanks to the warm spring weather at the end. I’ve been speaking in staccato exclamation points: “this weather!” and “these trees!” as I stumble out of the season of hibernation and marvel at the milky pink petals on the cherry and apple blossom trees. They perch proudly today, pert faces pointed at the sun, and will litter the lawn in two weeks’ time.

Mr. Magpie often tells a story of when he was driving to the beach with his grandmother as a boy, and she repeatedly commented: “The corn is so high!” as the fields flew by. At the time, her excitability — even her attentiveness — seemed to him wildly out of sync with the edgeless observation. (Why does she care so much about the corn?) I feel a bit like his grandmother this spring, unable to suppress the banal “the trees!” comments. I am reminded of Mary Oliver’s poem “Moccasin Flowers”:

But all my life–so far–
I have loved best
how the flowers rise
and open, how

the pink lungs of their bodies
enter the fore of the world
and stand there shining
and willing–the one

thing they can do before
they shuffle forward
into the floor of darkness, they
become the trees.

To wit: it’s not just the prettiness of the blossoms, it’s the profound hopefulness of their gesture. How beautiful to come into this world with a purpose, and to fulfill it. As she does in so much of her poetry, Oliver is reminding us that perhaps our reason for being is not as complex as we make it out to be. Perhaps it is just to “stand there shining / and willing.” I don’t mean to be inert. I mean to take up our roles with a kind of snappy acceptance, to exalt our way through life.

While I’m pawing at the existential this Sunday morning (sorry — hope you’ve had your coffee): Magpie reader Sophia recently shared a prompt she’d adapted from The Catholic Feminist substack: “How is what I am doing making a home for others?” I loved the provocation; it feels like the kind of litmus a true woman for others practices intuitively. Think of all the spaces in which we might apply it, beyond the literal in our own domesticities: inviting a quieter voice into a conversation; including a new acquaintance in a group outing; preparing foods that will be palatable to guests; accommodating/celebrating the religious or cultural traditions of a neighbor; letting friends know you are there for them in small and large ways. I read a quote somewhere along the lines of: encouraging someone to be herself, accommodating her as a whole, letting her know “you’re safe to be yourself here,” is the loudest way to love.

Adjacent thought: last summer, there was a boy at tennis camp who picked on my son, called him names, even took his shoes off his feet and threw them across the court. (I’m still unclear how all of this went down, and perplexed about the lack of intervention by a counselor, but this is the verbatim and unvaried story both my daughter and son have repeated dozens of times to me since!) At the end of the week, as we drove home, my son told me from his car seat: “There are people who don’t like me.” He said this in the typical four-year-old way, sandwiched between a wandering comment on the shape of the clouds in the sky, and a request for goldfish. I was near speechless, caught between rage and heartbreak. I wanted to let him know “you aren’t for everyone, and that’s OK” and “there are always going to be mean people in the world — a lot of times, those people are hurting, and we need to give them a lot of space” and “but there are so many people who do love you,” but the thing that came out first, and that has come out every night since when I say his prayers and affirmations: “You’re exactly what this family needs just the way you are, and we love all of you so much.” Which is to say, I saw the wound, or its potential, and the best way I knew to salve it was to let him know how beloved, and belonging, he is to us at home.

But how to give those words legs? I am sure I have many opportunities for refinement. How might I cultivate his quirkiness, his interests, the curlicues of his independence? How can I better make a home for him? These are the thoughts driving me forward into Monday.

Onward…!

Also from this week…

+We continued my daughter’s seventh birthday celebrations this week at the home of my in-laws! My MIL had festooned the dining room with flowers and tissue paper poms that made the entire celebration joyful, and then sent me home with the best party favors: cake, and flowers!

+My celebratory marg after I started feeling better from strep throat thanks to a z-pack. I wore the cheerful Mille dress twice this week! I own it in two colors and maybe want a third? So comfortable and breezy. Runs really big. I took an XXS, but it’s still super roomy! Also: bare feet! Praise be!

+A few nooks around the house: 1) Pretty new bath mats and towels from Anthropologie. They are offering us 20% off through 3/26 on all bedding, bath, and pillows with code JEN20. I love my scalloped bath mat (love the longer length option – can span two sinks at a vanity, or run alongside a tub/shower-length) and matching towels. My beloved Roz shampoo and conditioner in the background. 2) Haven Well Within (Talbots’ sister company) has released intimates, and I love my new scoop bralette and dulci bikini — the prettiest colors. Don’t you always feel more pulled together when your undergarments match?

+Speaking of feeling pulled together, I had Glamsquad do my hair and makeup on Friday. I originally scheduled this luxury because we had dinner plans with friends (later rescheduled), but I kept the appointment because I had a few brand projects to take pictures for, and Mr. Magpie asked me to go out on a date with him. It is so luxurious to have your hair done at home (you wash it yourself 15 minutes before they show up). Also a big time saver, convenient if you have kids at home with you, and not that much more expensive than going to a salon, especially once you factor in your time and parking costs. I asked GS for a promo code, and they are offering us $20 off for new users with code JenniferS and $15 off for repeat users with code JenniferS15. You can make appointments here. (I thought my team did a great job — if you’re local, you can request the stylists I believe! My hair stylist was Alexsys G and the makeup artist was Kaye G.). You can see the before and after below! I felt like a million bucks. If I had unlimited resources, I would have my hair blown out at home every few days…I hate doing my hair, and a good blowout is a surefire way to make me feel good about my outfit on a given day!

+I’m wearing the Frank & Eileen Montauk set above — my current favorite. The joggers have grown on me — I think they might be my favorite sweats I own at the moment. I love the relaxed-cinch cuff at the ankle in particular. A random detail, but it’s perfect. (Seen better below, while using sidewalk chalk with my boy one sunny day this week, wearing my Sambas. I know many of you bought these cool new iterations with a thicker gum band.) While we’re talking F&E, I saw they just launched this cute shorts sweat set in a fun seafoam green color and might need it, too…

+My baby boy, who belongs to me (!), looking big (!!) He turns five at the end of May, and I hate it! He’s wearing the striped Zara tee many of us bought — it’s a nice, heavy weight (more like a mariniere shirt) that almost doubles as a sweatshirt.

+A few shopping finds on my radar right now:

Mi Golondrina has the most spectacular capsule of spring dresses out right now. I can’t stop thinking about this one!

I did end up ordering this dress — so many of you did, I needed it, too! $129 and very on trend. I’m loving a slip dress right now!

Serious Khaite vibes for $128. (Compare with Khaite’s Osa tote.)

Quince launched some pretty pastel suitcases that are a fraction of the price of similar style ones from Beis, Away, etc.

I don’t mean to panic you, but apparently Outdoor Voices is shuttering most of its stores, and there are whispers it might be closing permanently! If you’re a devotee of its athletic dress (I know many of you are), now is the time to stock up.

A classic wrap sandal. I’ve never had a sandal like this, and love the chic sexiness. Perfect companion to le slip dress to achieve a breezy but sexy date night look.

P.S. On seeing our children as whole.

P.P.S. Visitations.

P.P.P.S. Onward.

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