I have re-read this poem by Li-Young Lee nearly every day the past week, and find myself idling in this couplet in particular:
O, to take what we love inside,
to carry within us an orchard
The poem makes me think about the way we are never absorbing, or feeling, one thing. A single peach carries with it the wondrousness of fruit transformed from seed, the sun and shade of many days, the labor of field workers, the roadside marketing of a peach stand, and our happenstance meeting of it. Not to mention, of course, the wildflower idiosyncrasies and imaginations of our internal worlds. The way a peach might carry with it “the familiar dust of summer” — or the prismatic memory of a mother who adored the fruit, or the time you drove those dirt roads of Charlottesville that summer. Our lives becomes mosaics of the people, and places, we love.
I am comforted by the image of carrying orchards inside: how finite time is, but how wide our capacity to hold and love and draw in while we are here. How I might find myself donating the too-small shoes of my toddler son, but the memory of his feet padding around Glen Echo, and up the driveway of our home in Bethesda, and down the hallways with Tilly at his heels, will stay. How a peach is never just a peach, but the pinpoint access into a trove of memory, and reference, and the rhythms of the entire natural world.
And then the final stanza —
There are days we live
as if death were nowhere
in the background; from joy
to joy to joy, from wing to wing,
from blossom to blossom to
impossible blossom, to sweet impossible blossom.
Wow! Carpe diem. Let’s find a day where death is nowhere in the background and we are instead transfixed by the joy of a peach, a wing, a single blossom — ciphers enclosing the unfolding universe.
Post-Scripts.
+Another poem I love, on parenting. It of course hits differently this re-read: “Show them how to cry when pets and people die. // Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand. // And make the ordinary come alive for them.” Amen.
+Sneaker restocks! A) Sambas in a new spring colorway, with a wider gum cupsole — what do you think of it? I have to say my Sambas are my most-worn casual sneaker. They are so comfortable! B) NB 9060s.
+Beginning to collect items for the children’s Easter baskets. I ordered these hatching rainbow eggs — these types of dissolving experiments are a big hit with my children. For Valentine’s Day, my son gave out Valentines with dissolving dino eggs — similar to these! — and they were well-received! (Also nice to have a non-sugar treat.). And, these tokens we had from last year will be reused this year! We put them in the Easter eggs buried around the house.
+My mother wore this dress to my sister’s wedding two years ago and stunned in it. Now out in a pretty blue pattern. IDEAL mother of the bride dress.
+These embroidered shams ($15!) remind me a lot of my Serena and Lily set.
+Reformation’s latest linen-focused collection is gorgeous. I love this simple mini.
+Speaking of linen, these bustier-style linen maxis from Sir available in brown, red, or floral have captured my imagination for a saucy summer date.
+The best Amazon sleeping pillows! We have these in most of the bedrooms in our house.
By: Jen Shoop
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
Earlier this week, a former colleague of mine sent out his annual birthday email, in which he reflects on what he’s learned over the prior twelve months. These words leapt out at me: “Be the parent that has the slowest heartbeat, the most relaxed body, the emptiest mind.” He goes on to explain that achieving these psycho-physical states of calm enables him to “co-regulate his children,” but I thought — these are good, and concrete, north stars for anyone living a modern life, parents or not. Ever since, I’ve been checking in with myself at odd moments: is my heart racing? am I hunched over? is my mind overflowing? and attempting to make micro-adjustments not too dissimilar in ethos from the ones derived from my reflections on yutori earlier this year.
When I focus on practicing yutori (finding spaciousness in my life), I find myself…
+Leaving a few minutes before I need to so that I have time to look around, and walk — not sprint — to the destination.
+Rounding up — on parking meters, on the windows of time I estimate between errands, on how long it will take me to finish a particular task.
+Putting my phone away while getting my nails done, and finding other places and times to not multi-task. Sometimes this is as simple as not calling someone while I’m driving somewhere.
+Instead of racing through a chore like folding the pile of discarded clothes that seems to materialize on my closet floor every few days, looking at the clock and telling myself, “Take the next 15 to get that done.” It’s always too much time, as though I’m using a too-big box. There’s lots of elbow room. It feels far less stressful to be operating in a designated time slot versus viewing the chore as an impingement on or obstruction to my long list of “sanctioned” to-dos. (In other words, this, too is the job — the errands, the laundry, the putting away of dishes — and so why am I treating it as if it’s marginal?)
When I focus on finding my colleague’s proposed psycho-physical states of calm, I find myself:
+Changing the audio landscape around me — this sometimes means turning off the music, and other times turning it on. Sometimes I want my noise canceling headphones with no music playing — just muffled silence — and other times I want nothing on my ears. Still other times, I walk outside seeking birdsong and breeze.
+Taking slower breaths, releasing my tongue from the roof of my mouth, stretching or moving my body.
+Looking carefully at what’s around me — the flowers now in bloom alongside our driveway, the budding cherry blossoms across the street, the way my son runs across the cul de sac to retrieve the baseball, the cardinal on the branch outside my window. A friend of mine told me that seeing a cardinal is a sign that those who have passed are with us. I was terribly moved by this, as a family of cardinals lives in the arbor vitae in our backyard, and I routinely spotted them on the branches from my studio, but hadn’t ever given them much thought or careful notice. Now I make a point to watch them when they alight nearby. Profound visitations, easy to miss.
+Giving my husband or children a hug. I miss Tilly for many reasons, but this is a particularly hard pill: sitting on the floor by her dog bed, giving her some love at 2:02 in the afternoon, instantly settled and re-centered me.
Yutori is more conceptual — how might I manage my time differently to avoid the feelings of distractedness and overwhelm? My colleague’s approach anchors in the body: what might I change in my posture or position to relieve stress?
Both remind me to live where my feet are.
The necessary pre-op for all of this: what can I let go of? Whatdoes not matter today? The time I’m claiming for myself displaces other things — and I must make careful peace with those tradeoffs. After all, time is finite, in both liberating and terrifying ways. Molly Sims recently interviewed time management specialist Oliver Burkeman on her podcast, and he captured this duality well when he talked about the fact that the average human has about 4,000 weeks on this earth. He explained: “What’s so terrifying about a week is, on the one hand, you don’t get very many of them — 4, 000 or so is not a large number. But on the other hand, it’s kind of incredibly easy to wonder where the last week or two went in your life. So I just think that calls attention to the preciousness of it.”
A good tune to carry into the week ahead: “Let me call attention to the preciousness of this day.”
The words carry extra ballast this week, as my daughter turned seven — and how? Finding umbrage in the words: “Omnia mutantur, nihil interit” (“everything changes; nothing is lost”) and the sentiment that we carry all the ages of our children with us. We put on a big Taylor Swift to-do for our girl, singing “You Belong to Me” in a recording studio with 12 other little girls and a devoted brother, too. The favors were friendship bracelets and scrunchies tied together with these personalized tags — my favorite detail besides the Taylor Swift face cake (!!!). Live and learn: you can have any photograph imprinted on a sheet cake at Harris Teeter. I also personally thought these iridescent and disposable tableclothsmade the tablescape, especially as we tacked this sign to the wall. I live for a detail! We spread the tables with heart sunnies and loads of Taylor Swift stickers and it’s funny how crazy the girls were about them? I remember loving stickers at that age, too – what is it about them? Something material that you can imprint on the world? After the recording part, we had cake and made friendship bracelets. All of the photos of my daughter at the party involve lots of her other little girlfriends so I don’t feel comfortable posting but they were in seventh heaven, as was her abiding brother Hill — giving mini Elton John vibes as he looks on below.
On her proper birthday, she requested pancakes, bacon, and strawberries for breakfast, and pizza for dinner — and we obliged. Her favorite gift was the karaoke machine Mr. Magpie bought her (a Wirecutter rec for kids)! She is on that thing at all hours of the day, belting out Taylor Swift. I think it’s thrilling to have the microphone, the words, the disco ball. (You sync to an iPad so all the lyrics come up.) This gift was following closely by a new pair of Nike sneakers — she’d specifically asked for one “in a cool color.”
What else? I already shared some of my budding thoughts on our quick trip to Charlottesville here, but this Miranda Lambert song came on the radio and it captures a lot of the feelings, or adjacent ones. The sensation of getting back to some earlier state of life, self; the sensucht for something simple. I love the lyric “Right where the dirt road meets the asphalt // Meets the real world and says goodbye // I’m always driving back there in my mind.” It’s good line writing, especially the fixed “right where” in friction with the vaporous “says goodbye,” and the visual of dirt meeting asphalt as an imaginary distinction between “the old world” of memory and the “real world” of now. Good driving music, too — turn her on, turn it up, and see what you think.
A few other notes on the Charlottesville trip, most inquiries from readers: we stayed at Keswick and thought the experience was exceptional. Beautifully appointed rooms, friendly and hospitable staff, gracious common areas, thoughtful details. It does not feel much like the Keswick we knew back when we were engaged (15 years ago, oh my God!), but I’m not sure that change is an obvious demerit. The place still feels “soft around the edges” (a Magpie reader’s turn of phrase!) — slow, easy — just as the rest of Charlottesville does. We had drinks at Crawford’s (the bar in the hotel, seen below with my $10 shades) and then ate at Marigold, a beautiful dining room on the Keswick property with prompt and courteous staff. As with the hotel, there isn’t much that feels “old Virginia” about it. In fact, the restaurant — perhaps the entire hotel? — could easily be in Napa Valley. This felt interesting in the ambient cultural focus on the hyper-local, as it made us question that imperative, or the narratives we presume around authenticity. The photo at the top of this post is from the front courtyard of the hotel, and could easily be in Europe!
Final note on the trip: we had a beautiful time visiting a small winery called Gabriele Rausse. It is atypical of the Virginia wine scene — you aren’t in lush, rolling hills, emerging from a pillared building. The winery is set back into the side of a rocky hill, and the structure is modern-rustic. (Mr. Magpie and I joked it’d be the perfect house for a thriller.) The wines were solid, and they serve you crusty complimentary baguette with delicious olive oil as you taste. The real charm of the place: you’re sitting at picnic tables and slatted chairs nestled into foliage and gravel path, and you hear birdsong — and frogsong (!) — and nary a car. The owner’s dog meanders from table to table. We felt as far from the rush of our daily life as we could get. The winemaker is something of a darling in the Charlottesville wine community — he’s worked for Barboursville, Blenheim, White Hall, Afton Mountain, Kluge, and I think I saw he’s still head groundskeeper at Monticello, or has some prominent affiliation with its botanics. The wines are more old world European style (he is Italian!) than you’ll find at other Virginia vineyards. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area and looking for something new. Besides Gabriele Rausse, I’d recommend Early Mountain and Barboursville — I think those two have the best Virginia wines.
Final few notes:
+A Magpie asked for spring dresses (“think Derby”) and I had so much fun coming up with options. My top picks: this flirty and fun Rixo, this striped Rebecca Vallance (she deserves a julep), this happy yellow Simkhai, and this under-$200 ray of sunshine. I’m always drawn to “structure” / err on the side of preppy for horse race type festivities, but I also think you could run in the other direction with this floaty floral from Doen. And my polka dot dress from last weekend is giving Pretty Woman vibes — an iconic horse race moment to consider.
+Another reader question: good crossbody bag for a European summer trip. I recommended my Paris64 prismatic bag, seen in the photo at Crawford’s bar above! She goes effortlessly with a cocktail dress or jeans, zips all the way around, and carries just enough (phone, keys, wallet, lip gloss). I also haven’t seen her on anyone else, so I like that aspect. For the price, it looks much fancier than it is IMO. The leather is gorgeous. Comes in lots of colors.
+These jeans from La Ligne arrived and I’m dazzled by the fit. They work with my curves and are deeply comfortable — I wore them all day at my writing desk. I can’t say the same for all of my jeans. (Aside: the thought of ever wearing a low rise jean again sends shivers down my spine.) La Ligne also sent over this cropped denim top and this denim jacket and I cannot wait to style both. I usually err on the side of feminine/polished, so I like the challenge their more dressed-down-androgynous-leaning denim pieces present me with. I find I like to balance out with a ladylike ballet flat, cropped jacket, or bag. You can see me in the first outfit I wore them with below: Leset pointelle tee, macrame jacket (restocked!). Note that the jeans are olive green — a trending color at the moment (more on that here). Also, a little reminder that you can get 10% off at La Ligne with code MAGPIE10.
OK, off we go into the week ahead! Wishing you calm seas.
P.S. It’s Sunday! Mix up a Mai Tai and throw on the Oscars!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
A few things I loved this week:
+Travel as a concept: “Paris is for teaching you to appreciate and invest in nice things, New York is for reminding you to make them your own.” I loved this insight from fashion writer Laura Reilly in her newsletter Magasin. I have not spent enough time in Paris to fully appreciate it, but I can see how it would be true, and more generally found myself nodding at the subtext: the way place shapes and re-shapes my sense of self. Every time I travel, I see myself from the outside in. I kind of like Reilly’s formula and have been wondering how I’d fill in the blank: “Charlottesville is for teaching you ____, Bethesda is for reminding you ____.” (More on that recent trip here.)
+Spousal acts of service: The adorable Katie from Beach Reads and Bubbly has been sharing little snapshots of a small act of service from her husband: what he calls “TDS,” or “Turn Down Service.” Every night, he lays out a book and sleep mask for her, and folds down the sheets! Have you heard of anything sweeter? It reminded me of the way Mr. Magpie will fill my coffee mug with boiling water if I’m out for a run or in the shower when he’s making coffee. I always come down to a pre-warmed mug that I can fill with hot coffee when I’m ready. What little acts of service do your loved ones extend your way?
+Family photos: My photographer friend Claire referenced little old me in a blog post on what to wear for family portraits. Lots of great tips from photographers and stylists alike. You will not be surprised that my top rec, after the general rule of a dress with some sort of sleeve (less to fuss with, and worry about), was something from Doen.
+Spring fitness wear: I placed a large Nike order this week (in transparency, I am working on a project with them – so excited) and can’t wait for them to arrive. It included, among a few other items, these socks (I love their socks so much — I am almost always wearing them under boots / with sneakers even when I’m dressier because they’re so plush); this jacket (selling fast) in the ice blue; this sports bra (also in the ice blue); and these leggings in a few colors.
+Good socks: Speaking of socks, are Bombas worth the hype? I’ve also heard good things about these Stems ones. The colors, of course, are calling my name. I’m still digging my Target sock haul, but their quality is decidedly inferior to Nike.
+Idea of You: I’m sure you saw this, but Prime released the official preview for “The Idea of You” of you this week. I think a lot of us are uncertain about the casting, but it looks better than I expected…? Please share your thoughts/questions/concerns/re-castings in the comments. (And if you are wondering what I’m talking about, The Idea of You is a steamy modern romance that could also be qualified as Harry Styles fan fiction.)
+Spacey Kacey: Whoever is handling Kacey Musgraves’ PR in advance of her new album release deserves a raise. She’s been everywhere. I loved her curated Etsy board. The venue, the picks are all so perfectly-strummed. I love the little handmade mugs and this pretty handmaiden-chic dress.
+Everyday jewelry: It has meant so much to me to carry Tilly around on my ring finger the past week or two. I am feeling less raw: better able to smile when I think of her and talk about her without a wobble in my voice. Her talisman reassures me that she will not be forgotten. I wrote a little musing on talismans, and how they can ground us in moments of challenge, here. And on a much lighter note, these are the best trays for organizing jewelry. So easy to find everything — and keep it all untangled. One last note on everyday jewelry: I have gone back to wearing these Aureum earrings close to daily. I love the tiny bit of vintage-inspired polish they afford a t-shirt and jeans, a simple denim dress, etc.
+Everyday shoes: I’m newly obsessed with the brand Freda Salvador. I know many of you have worn and sworn by their waterproof boots in seasons past, but can we talk about their Bottega-esque woven ballet flats and chic fisherman sandals?!
+Ampersand thinking: My friend Alex wrote a beautiful little piece on “locating the shapes of joy” when feeling overwhelmed or stretched thin. She also spins a gorgeous portrait of the multiplicity of motherhood — how we are constantly feeling several, often contradictory, things at once. As she puts it: “Everything is two things emerges as the theme here; I’m aggressively, excessively, obsessively in love with my kids, and I am depleted by waking up in the night and playing referee in the endless bickering,” and then goes on to share other “ampersand thinking” moments. Everything is two (or more) things indeed. (And it’s OK if nothing resolves to a fine point: “I think a part of the wisdom earned by age is accepting that not everything resolves to a fine point. We may never get the the resolution, the explanation, the apology (or forgiveness, as the case may be). We may not find the caesura.” And that’s OK.)
+Snags this week: Towel scrunchies; my first pair of La Ligne jeans; Osea body scrub and body butter (10% off with code MAGPIE10); a new mascara from a new beauty brand that I’m VERY impressed with. I would put it up there with our team favorite $20 mascara — similar in result. Also received my new Alice Walk sweatshirt and paired with their striped tee beneath. They do the best colors, and of course the quality is unmatched. Truth be told, I could wear this and comfortable jeans every single day in my writing studio.
What You Loved This Week.
+Travel gurus: Can we pause for a moment and marvel at the treasure trove of travel philosophies and tips you shared in response to these prompts on planning a great vacation? Wow! Mr. Magpie and I were bowled over. He asked me whether I’d found any meaningful patterns across commenters. Several themes echoed (“splurge on the direct flight!” and “7-10 days is the ideal vacation length”), but the real tie that bound? Good travelers are non-dogmatic. That is, they change their perspectives on where to stay, what to do, how much to do, how long to visit, what to splurge on, depending on context. There were many comments that ran along the lines of: “Well, it depends. If I’m flying internationally…” or “If I’m with children…” or “If we’ll be spending most of our time ‘on campus’…” TL;DR: be flexible, and think carefully about your trip’s objectives and constraints.
+Magpie love: First time commenter Brittany posted a rich and compelling review of “Killers of the Flower Moon” on my Oscar Bets post, and shared its personal meaning to her as a Native American woman living in Oklahoma today. Strongly recommend you read her thoughts – I’m going to tune in!
She preceded it with: “Came back to this post to read the comments after you referenced it in the weekend drafts! As a side note, I am in constant awe by the comments section…this community, it fills my cup in ways I didn’t know I needed.”
I feel so much the same way. You all have been blowing me away me with your comments. (!)
+Must-have kitchen upgrade: From reader Ann: “Treat yourself to one of the House of Noa mats! We have had ours for over 3 years and it has been a game changer. A bit faded after multiple years but still so comfortable and withstood very heavy use in our previous dishwasher-free house (where it vastly improved the miserable exercise of handwashing dishes). We are considering purchasing a second at this point because our dog has totally abandoned her bed in favor of sleeping on this kitchen mat – and I don’t blame her at all! Truly a 10/10, leveling up the everyday sort of product.” Sold.
06. SOLDOUT.NYC EVERYTHING SHIRT — A spectacular, high-quality staple. You can size down. The material is divine! This is selling wildly all over the Internet!
11. JOE’S JEANS UTILITY PANTS — My favorite olive green trousers! Dress up with a blazer or blouse; dress down with a tee and sneaks.
By: Jen Shoop
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
It was the week of the little blue jacket! Alex Mill launched it as a part of its spring collection this week and I wore it three times. So versatile and fresh, and the perfect mid-weight layer for these 50-degree days. Leandra Medine has been talking about this color as a complement to the pops of red that have been everywhere (an example of which seen below in my red-and-white striped shirt) — in her words: “a response to (as in, good companion color to) the season’s surge of red.” Medine calls it “Bottega-ish” blue. Je l’adore. Wearing above/below with this Boden shirt, Alex Mill’s Carla jeans (run TTS, had to have them hemmed by about four or five inches, no joke — I’m 5’0 and these run long), and my favorite support bag, the Altuzarra Watermill, which I continue to yap about because it goes with everything in my closet.
Another take: the cardigan with a Kule striped tee, Loeffer Randall Leonies (divinely soft right out of the box), and Agolde Rileys. And of course the bag.
Date night in Charlottesville! Wearing a Cami NYC dress, L’Agence denim jacket, these under-$20 shades, a Paris64 crossbody, and these $60 Quince flats. As you can see, I was very excited for the occasion. You can also spot my Ossa phone case and wristlet in a few of these photos. Actually really handy when you’re in a tourist mode — you can keep the phone close at hand without having to physically hold it the entire time (just have it hanging off your wrist).
My car travel day look! I had mentioned I was planning to wear my Frank and Eileen sweatsuit, but I needed an outfit that could take me from morning Mass to wine tasting with a two hour car ride in the middle. I chose these Agolde pinch waist jeans, a plain J. Crew tee, the Quince mules, and this Veronica Beard vest (high sell-out risk!), which elevated everything. The Quince mules are like the convertible of shoes. You can wear them with dresses or jeans, and they feel perfectly midway between dressed up and down.
Earlier in the morning, I wore with a utility jacket with fun faux fur trim at the bottom half — sadly from a brand no longer in existence, Harvey Faircloth! I still wear the jacket each winter season.
The third time I wore “the jacket” this week — with a Leset pointelle tee, Agolde pinch waists, Quince flats, and Paris64 bag. (This was part of my travel ensemble. All the pieces so easy to mix and match!)
A shot of my packing for the trip! Everything played so nicely together.
Last but not least: my outfit for my daughter’s Taylor Swift-themed birthday party! I wore this tee (under $20) and these Sezane acid wash jeans. They were so fun and different! They run really small. Disregard the note on sizing down – I sized up one size and probably could have gone up two!
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I was moved this week by an excerpt from a Ted Talk by visual artist Maira Kalman, titled “Women Carrying Things.” She begins the segment:
“One day at a farmers market, I saw a woman carrying an absolutely gigantic cabbage. When I asked to photograph her, she looked really annoyed. And for some reason, I was so delighted by her crankiness. It seemed so authentic and true.
Let’s just say what we feel.
It made me think of all the things women hold, literally and metaphorically.
Balloons and grudges. And heavy loads and cabbages. And stupendous love and courage. And the pink ukulele under a cherry tree.
And from this a book was formed: “Women Holding Things.”
I immediately ordered a copy of the book to send to a loved one who will appreciate the sentiment, and who, more importantly, deserves to be seen for everything she carries — which, as is common with the women of substance in my life, is a lot.
I want to be concrete about this.
I have seen this woman carry:
A jangling tambourine, so as to encourage and graciously deflect attention from fellow karaoke performers feeling a bit nervous at the microphone;
Babies belonging to other mothers, without any appearance of being put upon;
Her own wants and needs, but lightly;
The wants and needs of others, more heavily;
Three pregnancies;
Laundry baskets up and down the stairs;
Tequila, on the rocks;
The snack wrappers, miscellaneous belongings, and wet bathing suits of her children;
The unthinkable grief of losing a child;
A new language and new customs in a new country;
The onus of smoothing out a path in that new country for her young children;
Love-worn books;
Small afternoon dishes of apple slices;
An easy laugh and a good tune;
And, me, in the backseat of an Uber, weeping into her shirt.
A Prompt.
A little prompt for you this Friday: take a minute to think about a woman who holds the universe together. What does she carry?
You can, obviously, keep whatever spills onto the page close to your heart, but I think she’d love to be seen in it, so you might think about sending it her way when you’re done. If that feels awkward to you, let me tell you a little story: our gruff neighbor in New York routinely avoided us in the hallways, yelled at our dog, slammed his door, but then a few days before Christmas left a small canvas he’d painted at our doorstep. I was so moved by the gesture that I entirely re-wrote my reading of him. And that was an amateur canvas from an unfriendly neighbor! So imagine how much it will mean for her to receive lovely words from someone she trusts.
And if you’re game, share some of your sketch in the comments section here, too. It could make a beautiful composite portrait of all the things we carry.
+It’s transitional coat season! This Barbour is so fab. Also love the Everlane liner jacket for this in-between time — perfect weight.
+These happy heels are in my cart. Kind of like my Watermill bag — have all the colors to go with anything and everything.
+The verdict is in: my son LOVED these healthier snack bars from Skout. My daughter hated them. So, maybe you’ll get lucky with one child in your home? Ingredient list is simple.
+A sweet initial sweatshirt for your little love for springtime.
+Pretty sheets for a little one’s bed — $29! While you’re there, you might consider these colored wine glasses and these candlestick holders for your Easter table, as well as this gorgeous coffee table book.
+Alex Mill’s new spring collection (launched Wednesday) is full of cheerful and remixable basics for the season ahead. You already know I love the Paris cardigan (in my “What I Loved Wearing This Week” post later this morning, you’ll see I wore it three times this week), but you might also consider this ribbed maxi, their iconic Nico cardigan, or their striped shirtdress.
+This tiny portable printer would have been such a fun party trick / distraction at my daughter’s seventh birthday — she could have posed with all her little friends and gotten pictures to pass out right away!
+The SoldOutNYC “Everything” button down I raved about earlier this week sold out and then was re-stocked for pre-order. Run! The quality of this shirt is nuts. The most elegant and silky fabric you’ve ever felt on your skin.
+My favorite solution for keeping desk and kitchen papers organized — sort into categories in these.
+Frank & Eileen launched some pretty new spring colors in their fleece capelets. I’m a big fan of this brand.
+A charming floral frock. It feels like birthday cake to me!
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I mentioned this earlier this week, but I’ve been loving “The Everything Shower” concept that’s been circulating. If you’re new to the term, an “Everything Shower” is the kind that goes beyond just washing hair and body — we’re talking scrubs, masks, exfoliation, meditation, the works. The sort of grooming ritual you might undertake before a big night out, or a reunion with a significant other. (Vogue explains it in full detail here.) Frankly, ever since I heard the term, I’ve been thinking of other “everything experiences” I occasionally undertake — for example, “everything makeup” (not just the basics), “everything dinners” (a set table with cloth napkins, candles, and a plated dessert), and “everything grocery shopping.” Just this week, my husband — normally the shopping Spartan between us — returned from Whole Foods with four bags overflowing with produce and dairy. We’re talking the double long raspberry clamshells, two pounds of strawberries, ten champagne mangoes, four English cucumbers, eight limes, a dozen apples, and a partridge in a pear tree. I told him he’d just had “an everything shop,” and how did it feel? “I went wild,” he said. Ha!
There is something indulgent but contained about “The Everything Shower” concept that I’m drawn to. What’s in yours?
If I’m going all in, I first apply my hair strengthening oils an hour in advance. I am loving Anablue’s treatment oil and Mielle’s rosemary-mint strengthening oil. I apply roughly a dropper full of each to the scalp, saving a tiny bit to work into the ends, and then massage my scalp thoroughly and run a brush through my hair from roots to tips a few times. (By the way, in case I haven’t mentioned it recently, do yourself a favor and buy a Mason Pearson brush — the best, and you’ll have it forever. I have this one, but Groupon of all places occasionally runs insanely good deals on them, as they are now!) Then I tie my hair back in one of these terry scrunchies discovered by Katie. (I had previously ruined a few silk scrunchies — these are my favorites; I swear they are just as good as Slip but less expensive — with the oils.)
I usually try to let the oil sink in for at least an hour, even longer if possible, and then I put on an audiobook (currently trying to make my way through Danny Meyer’s memoir, but I am finding the current section pedagogical in an off-putting way, in the same vein of the Swift lyric: “Did you hear my covert narcissism I disguise as altruism / Like some kind of congressman? (Tale as old as time)”) or podcast (a Magpie recommended Molly Sims’ “Lipstick on the Rim,” so I’m giving that a go), and hop into the hot shower.
On Everything Shower days, I like to apply Goop’s incredible Himalayan salt scrub with this scalp massager. The showers I use the scrub yield the best blowout days. Then I shave using boring old Gillette and my longtime favorite Billie razors. I’m still obsessed with the subscription model for this product — such a small thing, but so convenient to never have to think about buying razor blades. I also love the magnetic “stand” it comes with — you can attach it to a wall to keep it out of reach from small hands, but it just generally means you’re not yanking the razor off a bench after it’s been sitting in its own goop. For a time, I’d been using Hanni’s shave pillow, but it’s honestly a product best suited for waterless moments — think when you’re traveling/camping, or when you just need to quickly shave underarms/legs without getting in the shower. Brilliant for that purpose! Otherwise, I think it’s a bit wasted in a traditional shower.
After, I apply shampoo and conditioner. You can absolutely do the salt scrub and skip a shampoo and go straight to conditioner (sometimes I do this if I feel like my hair has been on the oily side), but in an Everything Shower context, I do the whole enchilada. My favorite everyday shampoos are Roz’s Foundations Shampoo and Conditioner (very similar in texture, scent, and result to Oribe, but less expensive and more lather) and Davines’ Oi shampoo and conditioner (you cannot beat the heavenly scent, and the conditioner is best when your hair is feeling ultra-dry — it’s rich almost like a mask!)
Next, I apply the unsexy but necessary Replenix Glycolic/Salicylic medical-grade acne wash (this really works) before Molton Brown’s body wash (I especially like the Rhubarb and Rose and Heavenly Gingerlily scents). Molton Brown has such gorgeous, rich scents, and an insane lather — a bottle will easily last you six, eight months, maybe longer! Finally: Hanni’s splash salve in-shower treatment. You apply to wet skin out of the direct stream of the shower and it transforms your skin into that of a silky-soft goddess. If you try one thing from this absurdly detailed post, you should try this. It’s insane! (OK, this and the Goop salt scrub — both incredible, category-defining products.)
After the shower: towel off and switch into my Weezie robe, then apply Hanni water balm spray (like a spray lotion) and oil (truly invisible and non-greasy) and towel dry my hair. After, I spritz hair all over with dpHue’s now-retired leave-in conditioning mist (I’m so sad they’ve done away with this product, but you can still score a few from this boutique!) and spritz the ends with Davines all-in-one milk. The former does great things for the softness/texture of my hair, and the latter detangles, primes, protects (and smells divine). I air-dry for about an hour before styling with hot tools — I have fine hair, but a lot of it, and it takes forever to dry.
If I’m going out for the evening, I use this time to apply a face mask (my favorites here and here — both still on sale as a part of Clarins’ Friends and Family sale!), but otherwise, I apply a thick layer of cream (I’m currently absolutely losing my mind over RMS’ Kakadu Luxe Cream, which is rich but also has a silky finish — leaves skin perfectly primed for makeup) and embark on my usual cosmetics routine.
Then comes heat styling my hair! I have been using and loving the t3 Airebrush — a step up from the Revlon — and I apply Roz’s thickening spray (not yet released, coming soon) from root to tip and then their root lift spray just at the roots at the crown of my head. I have major issues with volume and these help, and do not leave hair weighed down/greasy. You can be surprisingly heavy-handed with it!
Running through the (already elaborate) routine, I still feel I’m missing a body scrub and body cream, and I think I’m going to try both from OSEA — this salt scrub, this body cream. (This brand was recommended by a few beauty bloggers recently, and when I mentioned them on Instagram earlier this week, they offered up a promo code: 10% off with code MAGPIE10.) I also think I’m finally going to order the Crown Affair hair towel people have been raving about.
OK. Now share your favorite Everything Shower products, rituals, etc! How could I make mine more everything?!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
We are working with our interior designer on our formal living room and I can’t wait for it to come together. These projects take time and patience and ungodly sums of money, and each time we kick off a new part of the home together, I find myself wanting to zhush all other corners of our home, too. Below, a few beautiful recent finds…
P.P.P.S. This is an old post, but I still absolutely love this dresser.
By: Jen Shoop
I have been trying, unsuccessfully, to collect my thoughts on visiting Charlottesville, Virginia over the weekend. I see first the wide delta between the Jen who lived there in college and the Jen who presently taps here at her computer, but also find myself more deeply endeared and connected to the place than I did on my last visit five years ago, when I was pregnant with my son, and experiencing the routine dislocations and heart-swells of expecting a second child. Worrying about whether I would still be able to show my firstborn as much love and attention when the baby arrived exacerbated my experience of outsidership as I watched college students in blithe postures of youth wind their way along the Corner that no longer belonged to me. Everything was changing, and changed. How was it possible that I had called Mr. Magpie “baby” for the first time at The Biltmore, feeling my way through the early days of our relationship, and now I was lumbering my way past it, carrying his second child? My worries felt inapt for the venue. The angles were all wrong.
This visit, I saw still the long kite string between Jen of college years and Jen of now, but in a pleasant way, as though I had occasion to visit with an old friend, and look indulgently on her preferences and peculiarities. When I stood in front of Bryan Hall, where I took most of my classes as an English Major, I felt a benign kind of vertigo. How many hundreds of times had I walked this exact route, carrying problems and preoccupations of now-minuscule scale? Rushing to class, fretting over the final paragraph of papers, dodging rain storms, trying to avoid being seen, and also, principally, sinking into whatever I was studying. I stood there on a March morning in 2024 and a micro-canon’s contents exploded: Fin de Siecle — Charles Baudelaire — maladie — flaneur — spleen — Bathsheba — A Rebours — Wilde — Dorian Gray — aesthetes. That particular class on Fin de Siecle literature and culture had transformed me; I learned to read in it. When I was in high school, I wanted desperately to have the kind of discernment my smart friends seemed to carry around with ease: movies they liked, books they hated, all couched in adroit reviews. I, on the other hand, had a difficult time knowing what to think. Wasn’t everything good in some way? In that FDS class, I began to listen, and grab a hold of tiny strands of opinion, modeling myself after my brilliant professor. I stood at the balustrade that overlooks the Amphitheatre (currently under construction) and felt grateful for that class: one of my many comings of age. I sometimes look back at earlier versions of myself in shades of condescension, but the truth is: that Jen raised this one. I owe a lot to her strivings. And I bore fresh witness to many of the ones I’d forgotten about this past weekend.
Standing by Bryan Hall, I also thought about the strange boomeranging quality of life: how desperately I wanted to have opinions, to speak intelligently and critically about things of weight at the age of nineteen, and how now I find myself running in the other direction: how might I unstrap myself from judgment, from pre-formed opinions, and look at the world with green eyes? (And so which version of Jen had it better? The one learning or un-learning?)
There is also the magic of Charlottesville, the way it always feels like Saturday morning there. The air is still and clear, and people move about as though possessed by pleasant thought rather than urgency. Cars will stall a good hundred feet away so that you can cross the street without sprinting; cashiers will send you on your way with a warm “y’all have a good day.” Even if you aren’t the type, you feel as though you’d probably throw some bikes into the back of a station wagon on a weekend morning, or sit on the Downtown Mall with your dog, chatting with a friend, in the languid unfolding of an afternoon. And the topography! I am pre-conditioned to love it as a born-and-bred Mid-Atlantic girl, but there is nothing like the hills of Virginia, their lushness and easy slope, the way they seem to hold gently their fields and trees. Everything moves with grace, even the slow three-syllable trickle of its name, and its quieting opening digraph: Charlottesville. Hard to abbreviate anything down there. Hard to want to. It’s a place that spreads out and around you, and you think to yourself: just sit still.
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+If you’ve never dabbled, can I implore you to try one of J. Crew’s swimsuits for the season ahead? I own two that I reach for any time I need to not worry about what my swimsuit is doing — ha. (Think: chasing young children, water sports, etc.). I’m obsessed with this gingham one! Good amount of coverage and great silhouettes. I usually go up one size in their swimwear.
+This floral lace midi is spectacular, and under $160. I love the idea of dressing it down with a denim jacket.
+I keep hearing rave reviews about OSEA’s products, especially its body butter and marine cleanser. Is anyone here an evangelist? What should I start with? Leaning towards the body butter. I really love my Hanni products, but sometimes also want the experience of applying a thick cream after an “everything shower.” (Have you heard about that trend?)
+Patio chair covers you never knew you always needed. Along the same lines: a chic way to hide an ugly hose.
+And speaking of small outdoor improvements: I really want to get a birdfeeder this summer. I love birdsong, and my SIL introduced me to the magic of “birding” two summers ago. I have my heart set on this one.
+Longchamp’s mesh bags continue to allure — I picked up one of the ultra tiny sized ones last summer and found it woefully impractical (the moment you place anything in it, it looks bulgy and misshapen), but I have to say the larger sized ones intrigue. They’re more like a true accessory (think a scarf or a belt added for texture/color/contrast) than a functioning solution for corralling miscellaneous items you like to keep on your person. If you’re more practical, consider their beautiful Epure line. Absolutely beautiful bags!
+Currently obsessed with this Lizzie Fortunato necklace.
+Dries Van Noten’s FW2024 collection just waltzed down the runway last week, and you can already preorder from it on Moda Operandi. Does that not astound you?! I have never owned anything from DVN but I think the shapes, especially of its outerwear, are predictive of what we’ll see in the fall: coats that riff on the opera jacket silhouette in rich fabrics and colors (ahem!), skirts and tops with artful draping. (I feel like we’re seeing similar styles already with canary Khaite — c.f. this top, this dress.) COS is a great retailer for capturing these trends early for a fraction of the price: this swingy, opera-esque trench is perfect!
+I saw this dress and thought: that is what I want to wear for my 40th birthday this summer. Just beautiful. In reality, I’ll probably do something more like this (more reasonable!), which looks like Johanna Ortiz, but maybe 1/3 or 1/4 the price.
By: Jen Shoop
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
Updating and re-publishing this post to include some recent promo codes we’ve received, now alphabetized for convenience. I always ask brands if they’ll honor one for us! Let me know if there is a brand you’d like to see on this list and I’ll see what I can do to find a code.
My most-used and most-coveted codes are to La Ligne (10% off with MAGPIE10), Julia Amory (15% off with JEN-15), and SoldOut.NYC (15% off with JEN15) and my deepest coupon code is 30% off at Aurate with JENSHOOP. Our favorite lazy girl body care brand, Hanni, just updated our code from 15% off to 20% off with JEN20! Use it to test their brand new Fatty (“lip balm for skin”)!
+Anablue: 15% off with code JEN15. I have been using this treatment oil and think it has really helped with hair health.
+Appointed: 15% off select items with code MAGPIEBYJENSHOOP. You know I’m an enormous fan of their signature notebooks and planners. Just gorgeous. Good paper products are such a small and meaningful way to transform the mundane task of list-making or note-taking into something joyful.
+Aurate: 30% off with code JENSHOOP. I have been looking for a pretty everyday stud to alternate with my go-to pearls and love these and these.
+Flyte: 15% off with code JEN15. I own several colors of their lip sheers — they glide on like lip balm but leave a really pretty kiss of color.
+Freda Salvador: MAGPIE15 offers 15% off for 1st time customers on full priced styles. I own and love these!
+Glamsquad: $20 off for new users with code JenniferS and $15 off for repeat users with code JenniferS15. I’m obsessed with the luxury of having my hair blown out at home!
+Greatness Wins: 25% off with code JEN25. I’m really impressed with the quality of this half-zip. All the details are so well-designed!
+Hanni: 20% off with JEN20. I love their water balm (lotion spray) and splash salve (unique in-shower moisturizing treatment) and use them every time I shower.
+Joy Creative Shop: 10% off with MAGPIE10. I love their vinyl letter stickers for personalizing water bottles and lunch gear, their fill-in-the-blank thank you notes for children (expedites the process and the kids love “owning” the note-writing!), and their sticker tags!
+Julia Amory: 15% off with JEN-15. I basically order everything she releases. The best polished everyday wear. I especially love her day dresses.
+La Ligne: 10% off with code MAGPIE10. We know and love them for the striped knits, but I’ve been loving their other ready to wear options, too — silk pants, jeans, dresses!
+Left on Friday: 10% off with JENSHOOP10. My absolute favorite sweatshirt! The perfect vintage, lived-in, faded feel. Also love their ultra comfortable swim and athletic wear. I keep going back to try more!
+LeSportSac: 15% off with JEN15. LeSportSac is enjoying a comeback — I had these bags in the 90s and remember them being on prominent display in the department stores. Like Longchamp, these make great travel bags as they are virtually weightless and fold up flat — you can toss in your suitcase if you need extra room. I have this throwback spectator style.
+Linnea: 10% off the BEST and already-decently-priced candles with code MAGPIE10. These are luxury candles but under $40 and they come in the most interesting and evocative scents. I really love Heirloom Tomato for summer, but their Cashmere scent is a best-seller. I first learned about this brand from a Magpie reader and am so glad I did!
+Look Lifestyle: 20% off this fabulous bedding and sleepwear brand with code MAGPIE20. You can see my favorite pieces of theirs detailed in this post, but I am especially impressed with their down-alternative duvet. A great price for a really high-end feel.
+Lunya: 15% off with code magpiebyjenshoop. I own and adore this soft cotton modal robe and pajama set, but they’re especially known for their washable silk sets!
+March Hare: 20% off with MAGPIE20. The chicest watches — these remind me of vintage styles / have an Hermes flair. Especially love this wrap style.
+Margaux: $35 off an order of $200+ with MAGPIE35 (for first-time shoppers only). I own and love their classic ballet flats in red and these gorgeous ankle wrap sandals. The latter are really flattering on the leg in a neutral color (I have the rose napa).
+Mille: 15% off with code JEN15. I adore this brand — especially their Charlie tops and Saffron dresses (I own each in three patterns!). The colors and patterns are always interesting and vibrant. This brand runs really big – size down 1-2 sizes. I take an XXS (I’m typically an XS in other brands) and they are still voluminous on me.
+Patricia Green: 20% off your order with code MAGPIE. I own and love these Hermes-inspired sandals. Such great colors! Also love these.
+Pehr: 20% off with JEN-20. Their bins and pouches are absolute perfection. We use the bins for small sets of toys (think Barbie clothes, Maileg mice, etc) and the pouches are roomy and ideal for holding all the baby things in your tote.
+RMS Beauty: 20% off with Jen20. They have several products I LOVE, including this blurring/priming SPF SuperSerum (I wear beneath foundation), this bronzer, and this cream. I listened to a podcast in which the founder of RMS Beauty talked about her long, successful career as a makeup artist. She was on the cutting edge of clean beauty, searching for and ultimately not finding cleaner options for her customers, and she then turned to make her own. I deeply respect her as an entrepreneur!
+SoldOut.NYC: 15% off with JEN15. At this point, I think I have all of their tanks and tees in multiple colors. The absolute best quality basics.
+Soru: 15% off with code JEN15. I own and adore these dramatic heart studs.
+Spanx: 10% off and free shipping with SHOOPXSPANX. I love their AirEssentials pullovers and half-zips, and of course their magical pants.
+Thomas Grove: 15% off their magical facial oil with code JENNIFERSHOOP15. I shared a review here. I would say this is almost identical in terms of experience and results as Vintner’s Daughter, but less expensive. Love that it comes from a small, female-founded business!
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By: Jen Shoop
A few weeks ago, one of my girlfriends described our Magpie community as “strategic.” She was so right — I am constantly delighted and informed by the thoughtful ways you approach everything, from meal planning to skincare while traveling. I routinely pick up tiny, well-considered insights in the comments section. (Just this morning, I pulled up a Magpie comment from a few weeks ago with recommendations on where to eat in Charlottesville, VA! Thank you Hayden!) We’re just returning from a quick overnight trip there (we stayed at Keswick Hall, seen above), and the visit spurred lengthy conversations on the subject of travel and travel preferences, as we find ourselves with more time and inclination to get away, just the two of us, or as a family. (I found traveling with two young children over-intimidating, and we largely avoided it, for better or worse, for the past few years. Yet another reminder that the only constant is change.) Knowing how strategic and informed Magpies are on the subject of travel (fascinating Magpie tips on better travel days here), I wanted to toss out some nosy questions on how you approach and plan travel for leisure:
01. How do you decide where to visit? Do you keep a spreadsheet of ideas? Is it driven by ticket prices, or seasonality? By recommendations of friends or trusted travel resources? (And what are those resources?)
02. Are you more likely to spend on accommodations or destination/attractions? Why?
03. What are you more likely to splurge on: a convenient travel time, upgraded airplane seats, or upgraded accommodations? Why?
04. How do you select a hotel? Are you committed to one loyalty program / hotel group? Do you have a chain that you tend to prefer? What resources do you use to learn about and vet a hotel? Are there categories of accommodation that you routinely avoid (e.g., bed and breakfasts / AirBnBs / chains), and why?
05. How do you plan an itinerary? A girlfriend of mine recently said that Facebook Groups are a gold mine for this kind of information. Mr. Magpie and I tend to lean on Reddit. But how else do you plan what to do in a given destination?
06. How do you balance structured/planned activities with downtime for R&R?
07. What is the ideal length of trip? (This is probably going to be different if traveling with young children, no children, etc?)
08. Any other guiding principles for planning a great vacation?
09. Is there anywhere you have visited in the past year or two that you found truly exceptional? I’d love to compile a list of “Magpie approved” destinations / hotels / resorts, especially if you can include a quick note, e.g., “Great for family,” “The most romantic place you’ll ever visit,” etc.
10. Where are you traveling next?
I should mention that my perspectives on all of these questions are half-formed at best and am looking forward to being taken to school in your responses. The only element that I have found myself consistently drawn to and happy with: splurging on an exceptional hotel. I find that the amenities, finely appointed rooms, gracious common areas, and typically exceptional service frequently “make” a trip for me and play the largest role in the feeling of getting away and being cared-for.
I also wanted to mention that I recently discovered the travel Substack Yolo Intel and have been obsessing over its posts! I’ve only read a few posts but know I will be mining it for intel!
Please share your thoughts!
Post-Scripts.
+On the magic and mayhem of traveling with young children. I think about the comments on this post a lot. One of you made the point that traveling as a family unit (without extra friends, families, etc) makes a world of difference when your children are young, as you aren’t balancing the needs and routines and moods of your children with those of others. You can eat dinner at 5 without apology, call an audible and quit mini-golf early, stay an extra hour at the pool, etc. We’ve since traveled just as our immediate family and it really does make an enormous difference — feels much easier!
+One thing I love about traveling with just Mr. Magpie: it brings me back to “the befores.” Laying in a hotel bed with no definitive endpoint, no place to be, no drop off to get to, feels like such a delicious luxury at this phase of my life. Of course, we’re always ready to get back to the babies, but it is a really wonderful break, with the tap fully off.
Let’s Go Shopping.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
+I wore these $60 mules all weekend long — they were the only shoes I packed for Charlottesville despite three very different outfits (one for wine tasting, one for dinner and a concert, one for wandering around Grounds), and they suited every moment! They look much more expensive than their $60 price tag suggests!
+Another quiet luxury find: this Soldout.NYC “everything shirt.” OMG. The quality is insane — the fabric/material is unlike anything I’ve ever touched, with a silky satiny finish. The top runs oversized/boxy — you can size down, if you can snag one in your size! (Selling fast!)
+Have we talked about Glamsquad recently? I know I yapped about them last fall after a string of great experiences, but I find it so convenient to have a blowout at home, and not *that* much more expensive than going to a DryBar (especially if you factor in parking / the time you spend in transit / etc) — plus I find the quality more consistent. I think it ends up being around $80 for an at-home blowout (including tip) versus $70ish at a Drybar. (PS, do you remember when it used to cost $35 to get one?!). I’d happily pay an extra $10 to have it done in my home. Anyway, I’m thrilled because Glamsquad is offering us a discount code: $20 off for new users with code JenniferS and $15 for returning users with code JenniferS15. I will absolutely be using this code myself, as it makes the blowout that much more reasonable. Treat yourself the next time you’re heading out for dinner, have a big meeting, etc. I think it was Mally Goldman who said that (paraphrasing) a good blowout makes your outfit look better. I couldn’t agree more — when my hair is done, I feel like a different woman.
+Speaking of beauty: Emese Gormley has been raving about this splurgey bronzer and I’m totally bought in. I am nearly done with my most recent order of Guerlain’s Terracotta powder (which I have used and loved for probably a decade now) and think I’ll test this one next.
+I received a handful of questions about my hair strengthening routine over on Instagram. I have been using Mielle’s rosemary oil and Anablue’s treatment oil (15% off with code JEN15) every few days — basically if I’m going to exercise or know I plan to take a shower early in the day, I’ll wake up and apply a dropper full of each to my scalp, then massage into my hair and apply a tiny bit to the ends, too. This is heavy duty oil and you are really not in any shape to be interfacing with the public while wearing it — ha! — so I will then tie my hair back and put on a baseball cap for my run. Then I get home and shower it all out. I think this has been really helpful as I try to grow my hair out. I was also using Vegamour’s shampoo and conditioner but the scent was not for me, so I’ve been skipping. (BTW, Katie at Beach Reads and Bubbly recently shared these genius terry cloth scrunchies for use while applying a hair mask or hair oils. Really holds hair in place, and won’t stain like my satin scrunchies do. Ordered them immediately.)
+Have heard such good things about these “Find It” capsules for young children — such a clever activity! I have this earmarked as a gift for car travel or maybe just for my son’s fifth birthday.
+We’re all in an indigo mood right now — so many Magpies have bought my Gabriella dress (see me in it here), and these flared “Mer” jeans have also been majorly trending. I have codes for both: 20% off the dress with JEN-20 and 10% off the jeans with MAGPIE10. (Codes also work sitewide.). More great denim finds here.
+Finally, on the denim point: I wore this little denim jacket over this slip dress to go to a concert and it was PERFECT. The unfinished hem dressed things down but has a great, snug, stretchy fit that made me feel still pulled together. I also love this iconic denim jacket from La Ligne!
By: Jen Shoop
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
A little digest of discoveries and micro-trends on my mind at the moment.
01. A bit of buzz going on in the fashion editor Substack world, reinforced by French Vogue: olive/army green trending on the runways. I’ve always been a fan of the color and it took minimal convincing for me to order this dress in the utility green and these jeans (!) in the Eloise (green) color. (P.S. Reminder that you can get 10% off your order at La Ligne with code MAGPIE10.)
A few other pieces I love in the color: these wide-leg trousers, this pullover sweater, this bag, these Sandro crochet pants, striped shirt, Adidas Sambas, this quilted coat, and of course the Brylies.
The photo above is from this past fall, but I’m wearing these Joe’s Jeans Cleo pants (on sale for under $100 here and here), Hermes sandals (look for less here), a Talbots coatigan, FRP bag, and J. Crew tee. I love treating the olive green as though a neutral!
02. Toteme’s wildly popular t-lock clutch is now available for pre-order in a pebbled white color that will ship later this summer. Or you can go with available-right-now, timeless brown. So many chic peas I respect own this bag, or its crossbody sister, including my Internet friend Chrissy. It’s very right now, and Scandi-street-style chic (designed as it is by Stockholm Style Queen Elin Kling). This would be my top pick for a designer bag to wear right now.
03. New sportswear label on my radar: Greatness Wins, founded by Chris Riccobono, Derek Jeter, and ballerina Misty Copeland. With professional athletes involved, I’m auspicious about the design and quality. I like this pullover and these leggings.
04. Did you see The Great’s collab with Birkenstock? These are hippie-dirndl-core, and highly charming. I like this pair.
05. If you are lucky enough to score something before it sells out: under-the-radar brand Parke has loads of dressed-down street-wear styles for the in-the-know. I’d love to get my hands on one of their varsity sweatshirts. They remind me a bit in their self-referentiality of Clare Vivier’s “Liberez Les Sardines” hats — I am always stopped with questions about it when worn, which makes the copy on the website spot on: “a great conversation starter because no one knows what it means.”
06. Speaking of the Clare V. hat — their newer hat designs, especially the “Brentwood Country Mart” and denim “Ciao” are also fun investments.
07. I need another woven/straw/wicker bag like a hole in my head, but I found a little trove of Jacquemus panier basket bags on sale here that tempt. The blue is so fun and unexpected!
08. UBeauty reached out to offer us 20% off orders with code JENSHOOP! I still love their Lip Plasma. It’s spendy but the 20% off helps. I am not a lip gloss gal but this stuff is legit — not sticky, comes in great colors, and really fills/plumps lips without any of that tingly nonsense. This is my favorite gift for a girlfriend’s birthday — something she might not buy herself, but that she’d love to have in her handbag. Two other products of theirs I’ve tried: 1) the tinted Super Hydrator, which I fully finished within a few weeks of receiving. This is a fantastic product for mornings where you’re working out / don’t want a full face of makeup but do want a bit of coverage and glow. I’d throw this on before school dropoff or when going for a run. 2) the super intensive face oil. I’m still in the midst of using this — it is oily and rich, and I find I need to let it absorb for a few minutes before applying anything else. But! My God does it make your skin look like a glistening, glowing orb! I do not think it has dethroned my ride-or-die favorite face serum, but then again, it’s not a serum, exactly. I’ve been layering with other oils and moisturizers as my skin needs the hydration in the winter.
09. Sofia Richie Grange launched a collection with swimwear label Solid and Striped! I’m a giant fan of this brand — I have at least three of their suits and especially love the Annemarie silhouette. Pieces like this vest-like top and this knit dress transport us to her jetsetting lifestyle on the Mediterranean. They all feel like they’d be right at home paired with a Chanel tote and sunglasses.
A little plug: you can sign up for my newsletter here! The Friday Digest is sort of a “week in review” that spotlights things we’re buying, talking about in the comments section, reading, wearing.
On Monday, I sat down to the words, and these fell out:
A few years ago, I was in an intense situation with a friend. I could not make heads or tails of it: I experienced a groundlessness in which I questioned myself, my heart, my motivations. I sought the counsel of my most trusted, and heard many well-intended things that seemed to only further complicate my vision–a mixture of unreconcilable “care for yourself first” and “let it go” messages. Somewhere in there, a dear friend wrote to me and said: “Trust yourself in these situations. Keep that in mind when you’re ping-ponged between pleasing everyone. And know that it is absolutely not your job to please everyone, despite the fact that you do it with grace and smarts.”
Even now, the words wrap me like a hug. (Maybe you need to hear it today, too.) The notion of “trusting myself” had not come naturally. I had in fact sought the imprimatur of other people that I trusted because I was so certain I was misreading the situation, mishandling myself. It felt unnatural to stop and think: “But what, underneath it all, do I really think? When I discard those guard petals related to meeting the expectations of persons A and B? What is at the tender center?” The exercise was terrifying and then empowering because it forced me to recognize how clouded-over my thinking had been with concerns for how others are receiving a situation and my role in it. It is not in my nature to toss something out without careful forethought, or to trot out a truth that has even a small chance of wounding someone. But how often had the impulse led me to contort, diminish, or even erase myself?
At the end of the day, this is my one wild and precious life, and I do not want to experience it as a watered-down version of myself. I want to live it at full-strength. I am working to build up that muscle.
So when I write: “My girl, what would you have me know today?”
I hear back: “Remember to trust yourself.”
What would love have you know today?
One footnote I adored from Gilbert’s prompt: “Another way to tap into your direct line to Love is to use endearments for yourself. It is human nature to create sweet nicknames for people and animals we love but so rare that we apply them to ourselves. In the first few days of this public exercise, I was delighted to read letters here in which people referred to themselves as: my little pebble, my pal, my sweetest baby birdie, little piglet, my little pot sticker, honey, pookie, my little humbug, my Valkyrie, sweet pea, my little boy, my anxious little squirrel. Have fun with your endearments — try to be truly open without fear or embarrassment. In other words, let your guard down, my anxious little squirrels!”
How charming?! I chose the endearment “my girl,” because this is what my mother has always called me (“how’s my girl?” being her routine conversation starter on the phone), and I now use it with my own daughter. It always makes me feel closely held.
A little grid from the week:
01. Tilly’s new perch on my desk. I shared this photo on Instagram and had so many questions about the frame — a lucky Amazon find! The price is for a set of two! I put the second one in my daughter’s bedroom with a framed photo of Tilly she’d chosen.
02. On Sunday, I went for a three mile run in the cold, took a hot shower, and then applied Clarins’ Cryo-Flash Cream Mask, which I know many of you adore just as I do. It feels like ice when applied — chills the skin! — and leaves it rejuvenated. I’m addicted. The combo of cold-hot-cold was a delightful sensory triumvirate, too. Clarins has been running a Friends & Family promo that I hope will still be live at the time of publication — up to 25% off sitewide, plus free shipping.
03. Making my way through the Rita Dove anthology, but more importantly, able to do it outside with the slightly milder temps we’ve been enjoying! Here I am, sitting on our little wooden lawn bench, watching my children scoot, reading. I am wearing the Frank and Eileen Aspen set and my Sambas — I love the pastel combo.
04. Zara has the cutest finds for little boys right now! My son was in need of some more casual bumming-around-the-house-and-playing-outside clothes, so I picked up a bunch of pieces for him: dog leggings, “fun dude” tee, Keith Haring skateboard tee, plain pocket tee, joggers, striped tee.
05. Sweetgrass Home sent me the most adorable tissue box cover for my son’s room! I love finding ways to invite different playful patterns into his room. Sometimes it feels like girls get all the fun patterns! You can see more of his room, slowly coming together detail by detail, here. I also picked up this Amazon tissue box cover for my bedroom this week — the pattern looks like Schumacher!
06. I’m usually a color/pattern gal (you know my Lake obsession), but I have been loving this all-black ensemble from Lunya (pajama set + robe), too. The material is divinely soft. For some reason it makes me feel fabulous to wear after I’ve just blown my hair out?
07. A new nook in my writing studio, brought to you by this $119 wicker side table and this cute Anthro tray. I like to keep whatever I’m currently reading on its top — it’s first thing I see when I walk into the room, and it always invites me to read, or to think about what I’m reading.
08. Another gift from Sweetgrass Home: absolutely perfect spring napkins. The ric rac trim! These are the inspiration for my Easter tablescape. I’m imagining a confetti of differently colored tulips for the occasion. The green stems will go perfectly!
A final little shopping note: I have this dress in utility green, this tweed jacket, and this Mille tunic en route to me now. Also selected these jammies for my children for Easter! Now I must figure out what we’ll be wearing for the actual occasion…
And! Appointed is offering 20% off sitewide with code ANNIVERSARY. You might recall these are my favorite notebooks for hand-drafting, note-taking, list-making. They’re gorgeous, and you can have them personalized. The paper has a great weight to it — no bleed through.
