By: Jen Shoop

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

Image via.

What I Loved This Week.

Continuing to play with the format of this post — it’s evolving into an intimate space for me to share little drafts and details of things I’m unpacking from the week.

Listening: The Definitive Sidney Bechet Collection. I listened to this while writing and editing the short fictional piece I shared yesterday. Perfect cocktail hour or dinner party music — makes you want to throw open the windows, dot the table with low-burning candles, and fare la scarpetta. (Another dinner party playlist I love here.)

Watching: Thank you, deeply and truly, for your romantic comedy recommendations. We re-watched Chocolat (delight) and “Before Sunrise” (another slam dunk). I don’t know how we hadn’t heard of the Ethan Hawke-Julie Delpy “Before Sunrise” trilogy, but we watched the first (100% Rotten Tomato score, and from well before the ratings started skewing generously high) and fell hard, and I can’t wait to devour the sequels. When I told my movie buff girlfriend we’d tuned in, she responded: “OMG find you a man who will watch “Before Sunrise” with you! I’ve got heart eyes for Landon watching and enjoying that Linklater classic by your side.” Which made me think of how much I take for granted in my life (!) On Valentine’s Day, Mr. Magpie trained home early from New York and whipped up my favorite meal (I have previously designated it as my preferred final meal on earth): bucatini a l’amatriciana with broccoli rabe sauteed with garlic and calabrian chili oil and tossed with parmesan. But first, he presented the broccoli rabe to me as if a bouquet of flowers — he knows the way to my heart. (I am borderline insane about broccoli rabe — I love it. My favorite vegetable.)

Reading: I read sections 1-6 of bell hooks’s “Appalachian Elegy” this week and found it interesting in dialogue with Demon Copperhead. The way she handles the turn in season — its violence, beauty, multivalence — is spectacular. I love the couplets “earth that is all at once a grave // a resting place a bed of new beginnings // avalanche of splendor” and “wild roses // come by fierce wind and hard rain.” But I’m stripping these words of their mordancy, and social awareness; the poem is well worth a read. These six sections will take you ten minutes or less, and will sit with you all week. In my pursuit of yutori this year, I am inviting more poetry into my life. It is such a demanding art form. It asks for patience, and slow reading. I ordered this anthology — a reputable mix of greats from the 20th century, edited by Rita Dove. (You may remember her from this fabulous poem — a great read when you need a little “get up and go.”)

Reflecting on: Self-compassion. I shared some approaches to practicing it here (most of the concepts plucked straight from Magpie reader comments), and have also been thinking about a quote from Dr. Pooja Laksmin in her recent book, Real Self-Care. “It’s less about ‘going easy on myself,’ and more about paying attention to how I talk to myself and slowly learning a new language.”

Shopping: For my daughter’s seventh birthday (!). We bought her a karaoke set (Wirecutter “runner up” rec for children), the American Girl pup spa she desperately wanted, Nike high tops “in a cool color” (also her request), some Barbie clothes, and a bunch of books. We were also invited to a 90s-themed party next weekend, and the invitation was epic. My girlfriend had details printed on what looked like a piece of torn out loose leaf paper, and it was folded into a dream catcher shape in the envelope. “Costumes required,” and I am delivering, friends. I hate the wide openness of Halloween, but give me something focused and I will show up. I’m going for a Clueless-meets-Britney-Spears moment, and ordered furry scrunchies (hair will be in pigtails), this skirt, these knee-high socks, and this phone case. In reality, in the mid-90s, I was wearing those Steve Madden black platform shoes with the stretchy band over the top, striped baby tees, a Tamagotchi around my neck, and frosted lip gloss, and towards the late 90s, I was easing into my preppy years, with lots of madras, A&F “skirts” (basically frayed and tattered, 4″ long scraps of fabric), anything Ralph Lauren. But neither of those looks felt as translatable or iconic as Cher Horowitz / Britney Spears. I think this may be sold out by the time this post goes live, but I also treated myself to this lace Zara jacket. So beautiful and feminine for spring. Other dainty, feminine options in a similar vein: J. Crew, Sezane, Self-Portrait, and of course iconic Oscar de la Renta. I’m also loving this lace-inset jacket from Veronica Beard. Zara has a crochet-inset jacket that presents a fun twist on the look, and under $100!

Looking forward to: Aforementioned 90s party, scheduled dinners with friends at Petite Cerise and Daru, and tickets to see the new Bonnard exhibit at the Phillips in a few weeks.

Inspired by: Kelly Rutherford. One of you Magpies once referred to her as “a low key fashion icon” and I totally agree. She sources fantastic, under-the-radar designers and has nailed “the wrong shoe rule,” which is a styling principle in which you get dressed and think “what would the perfect shoe for this outfit be?” and then run in the opposite direction, substituting a sneaker for a heel, or a loafer for a Mary Jane. The effect is meaningful fashion dissonance. I am too millennial (?) or just too much my mother’s daughter to do this well — but I am learning, and Kelly nails it, always. I also love the elevator selfies she shares of herself, often with her dog in frame. They remind me of my New York days, when I routinely did the same thing. I also love all the ivory she wears! How good is her chunky ivory knit?! For something a little more scaled back, try this dreamy Doen.

What You Loved This Week.

It turns out that we all love parts of winter in spite of, or because of, its austerities. There were so many beautiful responses to my provocation “What is your favorite part of winter?” I compiled them into a set of slides here because they deserved a more prominent place in this world. The replies were pure poetry: “The specific beauty of a low winter sun”; “a sneaky flask of Jameson”; “watching the birds at our bird feeders”; “honoring the call to hibernate and simplify routines”; “flushed rosy cheeks.” Thank you for helping me find the beauty in this moment, and reminding me to live where my feet are.

This week, I received a lot of compliments on my new Altuzzara Watermill bag, which is currently 20% off at Saks! Still a splurge but the colors means it will go with everything, and I personally think the leather makes it seasonless. I’ve been wearing in 30-40 degree February! (Rest of outfit seen below linked here.)

On the shopping front, this week’s bestsellers:

01. This beautiful striped shirtdress for spring. This has sold out many times in the past!

02. Lake Pajamas Relax kimono set. I’m not sure if the sale will still be going on as of today, but these were on sale in several compelling colors earlier this week, and if you missed the boat on the discount, I must convince you to take the plunge nonetheless. I am obsessed with this set. More flattering than the Relax set (which I also love) and just so soft and dreamy to wear.

03. The perfect vase. In constant use in my home.

04. Rosemary hair oil — I’m also using this! Hoping for stronger, healthier hair as I grow out my mane.

05. This jersey popover. I also have been wearing mine constantly. A perfect alternative to a white tee. Works with athleisure (I love it as a mid-layer with leggings), jeans, black pants, etc.

06. Free People knit set.

07. Paris tee.

08. Old Navy’s answer to the Highsport kick flare.

09. Alex Mill ribbed shirtdress.

10. Dorsey Clemence necklace. My fav.

11. My current favorite pants, recently restocked in my colorway — so glad many of you are enjoying, too. Run TTS; work great on petites.

12. Smocked waist dress.

13. Dyson AirWrap. I think this was a bestseller because it was 20% off at BM last weekend!

14. Lacoste long sleeved boy polos. I bought in several colors — 50% off! My son lives in these. They run small / short.

15. Lunchbox pop-open notes. I’ve been sending these in with my children — such a sweet way to say “I love you.”

P.S. When was the last time you felt truly happy?

By: Jen Shoop

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

ALTUZARRA WATERMILL BAG // CARA CARA JACKET (OLD, NEW SEASON PATTERN HERE; SIMILAR HERE) // STILL HERE DENIM SKIRT // LESET MARGO TEE // OSSA PHONE WRISTLET

FRANK & EILEEN EFFIE CAPELET // MADEWELL JEANS // OSSA PHONE WRISTLET // FRP COLLECTION BAG

QUINCE SWEATER // ALEX MILL BUTTON-DOWN // SLVRLAKE JEANS // CELINE PHONE SLING

VELVET BRYLIE PANTS // LESET POINTELLE TEE // VITA GRACE CARDIGAN (LOOK FOR LESS HERE)

ALEX MILL BUTTON-DOWN // ALEX MILL JEANS

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

P.P.S. Molisano midnight.

P.P.P.S. Chic recent home finds.

By: Jen Shoop

It was a small, clean room, the bedsheets starched and tucked neatly beneath the mattress, and a fresh pebble of fragrant milled soap on the spotless porcelain sink in the corner.  The portes-fenêtres opened to a stone courtyard with a fountain in the middle, and Violet pushed them open and imagined her ivory hands belonging to some ancient French woman, wringing out the wash or gesturing to the boulanger.  Instead, she was Violet: alone, and waiting to be seen.  Finding no audience in the courtyard’s vacancy, she withdrew and made a temporary fuss over her hand luggage.

Milner E. Fortnam was at that time making his way off the train platform, headphones around his neck, wearing his American-ness as ambitiously as a John Gast settler.  He stopped, without compunction, in the thronging flow of travelers and stood still to check a small gridded Moleskine in his pocket.  Then he looked at his leather wristwatch, and put on his sunglasses, and walked into Toulouse as if he’d been born to it.

He was six-foot-three, with the build of an athlete, which he was.  He crowded the squat entryway of L’Hotel D’Amande, blotting out the sky.  The hotel manager took him to Violet’s room, and bowed graciously in retreat.  

Never had there been a less romantic reunion: Milner assessing the accommodations and its demerits; Violet directing the placement of his belongings.  “We should have called JP’s guy,” he was saying, and added something about his American Express card, and Violet was absently agreeing and hugging her knees to her chest on the bed and waiting.  Violet had the sense, as she often did in Milner’s company, that she was playing house, just the way she had when she was a girl, and she’d watched her mother leave her father his dinner covered with a damp paper towel on the kitchen counter, a linen napkin to its left, and sneak new pieces of art and furniture into the living room and then speak evasively about when and how they’d arrived there, and sometimes get lost while staring blankly at the four carat diamond on her ring finger as she’d grip the steering wheel in their tony Washington, D.C. neighborhood.  Violet had parroted these gestures in the Fisher Price playhouse in her backyard, before it was over-visited by birds and squirrels and dismissed for its squalor.  Her mother had later hosed it down while smoking a cigarette in a white caftan, the torpor of an August in D.C. hanging heavy around her, and given up halfway through.  She arranged instead to have it thrown away by the Department of Public Works, plying the trash collectors to drag it to the curb for her when they arrived the following morning.  “A violation of code” and “we can’t possibly –”  But they did, and she and Violet watched as they carried away her play house from the screened-in porch, Totto barking in anguish alongside.  Violet’s mother had said, “I never did like all that plastic junking up the yard,” and Violet had nodded and rearranged her fond memories of the white and green house that had been hers, and the way its porous white walls permitted the sun to illuminate its interior on spring mornings. Violet was young then, and had not yet learned to observe rather than absorb the ponderousness of her mother’s moods and her father’s absences.  

Violet straightened up, momentarily bolstered by the idea that she was not her mother, after all, and could instead walk barefoot through the town if she wanted, or read the bodice ripper her friend had tucked into her bag, or be gentle with Milner in ways rarely shown to her.

Milner was changing shirts in front of the mirror, and combing back his hair, and Violet put on a black slip dress and her satin heels.  He said to her: “Very pretty,” as if he’d just taken in the sunset on the Chesapeake Bay but was keen to get back to his book.  

They walked to dinner, and she threw all her best angles at the on-lookers in the bistros, who made no performance of distraction.  She lit up every last light in Toulouse.

They stopped at Cochon D’Or, and Milner held up two fingers and gestured to a table in the front, and the maitre d’ accommodated.  They drank crisp, saline white wine out of pichets, and ordered steaming pots of mussels with saffron and garlic, and halfway through dinner, Violet started talking about Caroline, who was then studying nearby in Lyon, and how empty she felt without her close by, and how she thought maybe they should leave Toulouse early to visit her.  Violet didn’t know if it was the white wine or the Toulouse twilight, but she found herself profligate with her thoughts. “I feel this way any time I travel,” Violet sighed.  “Just so small and insignificant, as though I’m wasting time, but what is it I’m supposed to be doing?”  Milner dabbed his napkin to his mouth.  “Are you asking me what the meaning of life is?”  And Violet blushed and laughed, and refilled his glass.  He’d clipped her, too close to the sun.

Post Scripts.

+More fiction here and here.

+Thoughts on getting started with writing.

+Shaking hands with a blank page.

+A few launches and deals too good not to share as a foot-note:

01. Trish McEvoy is offering 20% off and free shipping. I have been using their bestselling Instant Eye Lift, which is a targeted, pigmented concealer for those of us with dark undereye circles. I think it’s excellent, but I will say it disturbs me lightly to need two separate concealers (one for eyes, one for rest of face). I also love their Eye Base Essentials. Frankly, I prefer an eye base / creamy eye product to an eyeshadow just to even things out

02. Goop just launched a cleansing balm. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become increasingly hooked on the routine of removing all makeup with a balm and then washing with a cleanser. I love the formulas from Elemis and Farmacy, and Goop’s (which I’ve been using for the pas tweek) is neck and neck with both. It’s more similar to Farmacy in consistency (less goopy / oily than Elemis) and works beautifully. I am such a Goop beauty fan girl. I truly love so many of their products, especially their exfoliator and hair scrub, and their Vitamin C when you can get your hands on a bottle! It keeps selling out! I’ve been waiting patiently to jump on a restock. I believe it’s the highest concentration of Vitamin C you can find.

03. Earlier this week, Minnow released an adorable spring collection and I want basically everything for my children. This brand has that rare ability to be sweet and also contemporary and cool. Emory will absolutely wear these patterns and styles! I especially love this two-piece for her (she loves bikinis) and the matching boardies for my son, but this floral print is adorable too and don’t get me started on all the clothes (this, this!)

04. I just ordered this rattan side table and this scalloped tray for the corner in my studio, and these scalloped lucite frames for my photos of Tilly girl. (I ordered this burl style one to frame a Tilly photo for Mr. Magpie’s office.)

05. The J. Crew pointelle tee everyone has been ordering is on sale for 40% off.

06. Updated my Shopbop hearts and blog shop, too!

By: Jen Shoop

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

Image via.

Some fun and delicious finds to spice up the pantry this February. Many (all?) of these would make great hostess gifts!

01. Kolsvart candy. The original and authentic Swedish fish. Mr. Magpie introduced me to these candies last Christmas and they are divine.

02. Colorful cutlery!

03. Black truffle popcorn. (Can attest, this is delicious.)

04. Dipping bowls.

05. Decorative clock.

06. Calabrian chili oil. We use this so much in our cooking, especially because Missy Robbins calls for a lot of it in her recipes. I’m obsessed with it on broccoli rabe with a little garlic and parm.

07. Fancy chips for your next cocktail party.

08. We discovered this seaweed salt via Samin Nosrat. Amazing, especially on rice. We keep ours in one of these salt cellars.

09. Cute utility stool. Also like these chic folding step ladders.

10. Our favorite kitchen towels.

11. High-end maple syrup. I found this via a Reddit thread!

12. Mepal lunch pots.

13. Pretty sugar and creamer set.

14. Hexagonal nut bowls.

15. Cheerful chopsticks.

P.S. More fun finds for home / pantry here.

P.P.S. One of my favorite cocktails for warmer weather — or for now, just imagine you’re enjoying the sun!

P.P.P.S. Notes on entertaining at home.

By: Jen Shoop

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

If you are new here, hi! Feel free to email (jennifer@magpiebyjenshoop.com) or direct message me on Instagram with shopping questions! I add them to a long list and answer them episodically in these “Ask Magpie” posts.

Also – if you like the photo above, you might love this dress.

Q: Am looking for suggestions for a gift for my friend who is turning 50. She is originally from NYC, has excellent style and is petite like you. She knows what she likes – and doesn’t like. I got her a Hanni set after learning about it here but want to amplify/supplement the gift. For reference, she lovingly made fun of my yoga gear, so got me leggings and a top from Lulu which I think was very generous.

A: Hi! Since you already have the shower theme going, what about one of the short-sleeved robes from Weezie? So amazing for post-shower styling/prep, especially if using hot tools. Alternately, people go crazy for this hair towel, which reportedly cuts drying time in half. I have one in my cart. I also absolutely love to gift these splurgey lip plasmas to girlfriends/sisters.

Q: I am looking for a good-looking tray to corral my 6-year olds “objets” (marbles, cut paper, lone legos, handful of coins) where he leaves them on top of the dresser. Maybe something in navy or navy/red?

A: What about one of these handsome leather valet trays? I like to mix in some “grown up” type accents into my son’s room. Leatherology offers similar in the colors you requested, too, but more expensive. Alternately, this in the blue in the small size, or these scalloped ones in a range of primary colors!

Q: Can you recommend a pretty gold bag for Mother of Groom with shoulder strap or chain?
Room for phone, lipstick etc. Need hands free at some points.

A: This was such a good question! So many evening clutches look so dated IMO. A few that do not — the oyster clutch or shell clutch from Simkhai; this vintage inspired Judith Lieber; this tiny Prada. If you’re open to something beyond gold, this pearl is fun, and I love this Bottega-esque rattan woven style from Poolside. I also found an Etsy shop that does a pearlized clutch similar to Simkhai’s oyster for a fraction of the price.

Q: Side table for living room, under $200.

A: Marshall’s has such great finds — what about this? Also always love this wicker side table from Urban.

Q: Fun sneakers that everyone won’t have. Not Adidas, Veja, etc.

A: I would look at Autry or these colorblocked ones from Woden! These ones from SeaVees also turned my head. More chic sneakers here!

Q: I like your chunky gold knot earrings – any looks for less?

A: Thank you! These were a gift from Aureum. I have been wearing them non-stop. A few brands that have great similar looks for $100 or less: Adina Eden, Heaven Mayhem, and Shashi.

Q: I love the way you honored Tilly with that signet ring. Any other thoughts for jewelry to commemorate a dog, closer to $100?

A: I’m so sorry for your loss, too. Thinking of you. Catbird has a less expensive, more vintage-looking signet ring option that is under $150 that might be a good fit. I tried it on, too — it’s very dainty and sweet. Sarah Chloe has a more traditional, chunkier signet style that is at a similar price point, and Gorjana also has an option that is somewhere between Catbird’s daintiness and Sarah Chloe’s boldness. GLDN also does slim initial rings that could be sweet to stack with your everyday jewelry. I have one of these rings with my daughter’s initials on one end and her birth date on the other – could be a sweet option, too. Or you could have your pup’s name engraved on a simple heart necklace!

Q: A dress for newborn photos!

A: Congrats, mama! I love something like this — feminine and classic — or one of the Asha caftans. This dress is also really interesting and different (look for less with this), and I’ve yet to meet a woman who doesn’t love her Emerson Fry Frances dress!

Q: Laundry hamper, not woven / seagrass.

A: How about this one? My son has one of these Poppin ones — a great option, too.

Q: Small crossbody bag.

A: I love my one from Paris64. It’s the perfect size for carrying just the essentials. Comes in tons of great colors / materials.

Q: Curious what you got for your daughter’s Taylor Swift themed birthday!

A: I got one of these friendship bracelet making sets for the girls to do after they perform their song (they’re going to a studio to record a music video of them singing Taylor Swift!), this garland, these streamers, these glasses as “props,” these plates for cake, and these stickers to scatter on the table. The party favor: a scrunchie and a few friendship bracelets tucked into this little personalized tag. Also! Harris Teeter will imprint any photograph onto a cake for you, so I had this picture printed (via Amazon) and brought it to them so they can put it on her birthday cake. This was my daughter’s request! (!!)

Q: Crochet beach dress cover up.

A: These are very on-trend. I love this, this, and this. Stylest also has one in a special quick-dry material.

Q: Maternity clothes – help!!!

A: I would look at Quince’s maternity section. They have great basics at reasonable prices. This dress is almost identical to one I wore every other day in my third trimester. I just swapped out the accessories to make it feel different. Also love that Beyond Yoga has some maternity options for more casual! Beyond that, stock up on bold cardigans and fun shoes to pair with maternity leggings / dresses.

Q: Melamine plates for everyday.

A: We own and use these constantly.

P.S. Where do you find meaningful stuff?

P.P.S. A specific part of Central Park that I loved, right by my first apartment on Central Park West.

P.P.P.S. A prelude to love.

By: Jen Shoop

This post is sponsored by Frank and Eileen.

I have been eyeing Frank & Eileen pieces for a long time now – several Magpies have raved about the quality of their lounge/travel sets in particular, and now I understand why. These pieces are easy and chic to wear together, or mix into my weekly wardrobe. The Patrick henley (comes in lots of colors, and two different materials) is the perfect alternative to a white tee. It’s a midweight, structured cotton with a perfectly casual dropped shoulder seam. I love the unfinished edges and boxy fit. I often throw it on with my favorite jeans for an effortless, comfortable, but polished everyday look. I paired here with Frank & Eileen’s iconic Murphy pant, aka “The Billion Dollar Pant.” I find these run just shy of TTS (a tad snug) but have a good amount of stretch in them, and are a legging’s dressier older sister. I like the way they look with a casual sneaker or ballet flat, but also appealing that you could tuck them into a boot.

frank and eileen patrick henley

I was excited to test out their widely-loved fleece sets. I’m wearing the Montauk set in white below. This is the kind of set I would wear while traveling. I am headed down to Charlottesville soon and this is my planned travel day outfit — comfortable, polished, easy to layer with. The pieces also work fantastically as separates, and you can buy them individually as well (capelet here; joggers here). I specifically like to wear this capelet (and the Effie, seen further down in this post) with jeans and leggings. Honestly, the short sleeves are a God-send for mom life, where I am constantly rolling up my sleeves to wash dishes, run baths, clean up spills, etc.

I also tested the Aspen set in ice blue. I absolutely love the fit of the Catherine sweatpants. If you’ve been following me for awhile, you know I set out to find the perfect sweatpants awhile ago, and these pants are it for me. I find the wide leg crop is my best bet as a petite (I’m 5’0) so I’m not constantly adjusting hem. And I adore the long-sleeved “Effie capelet,” which is one of Frank & Eileen’s bestsellers. You will get a ton of wear out of this one. She’s both dressed down thanks to the raw edges and dressed up thanks to the elegant rolled neck. The length of these capelets (but the Effie and the Audrey) appeals: they cover the rear if wearing leggings. A great alternative to a standard fit sweatshirt.

Shop the Post.

By: Jen Shoop

*Image via Cecilie Bahnsen.

Earlier this week, Nell Diamond (founder and CEO of Hill House) said on Instagram: “It’s such a red flag if someone judges you for liking reality TV. In my heart, I truly believe it’s anthropology.” I thought the comment was interesting, but I found myself principally wondering: “what are my red flags?” Top of the heap: overconfidence, rudeness to wait staff, consistent lack of punctuality. But then I interrupted myself. What a dull and dark litany to recite! It is so easy to spout out the things we don’t like. It makes us feel cool, and discerning. (I remember one time, many years ago, a friend and I were examining and ultimately criticizing someone else’s behavior, and he paused and said, “God, it feels good to be perfect, doesn’t it?” And we sat in a twinset of self-reproach for a stretch. I think of him often when I find myself criticizing someone else — an effective one-two punch alongside “What does it matter to me?“)

So: what about the things we vulnerably admit endear us to people? What are my green flags?

A few that jumped to mind:

When someone remembers and references a part of a story you’ve shared with them.

“Do you want to switch seats?” [So you can see better, sit next to a friend, etc.]

An easy laugh.

“I was just thinking of you.” Or: “I was just telling my mom/husband/boyfriend/sister about you / what you said / what you did.”

Comments on flora and fauna — “look at the daffodils,” or “I think those are cardinals.”

Asking lots of questions.

A text with a link to a song. There is something so intimate to me about this gesture: “I’m sitting here, enjoying this song, and I want you to experience it, too.”

A knowing look. Is there anything more life-affirming than catching the eye of a stranger who is also bearing witness to the phenomena of life, and feeling the same thing as you are?

What are your green flags?

Post-Scripts.

+Things that mattered to me at 18. (Almost none of which matters to me now.)

+A winnowing inward.

+Moondance.

Shopping Break.

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

+Gazelle platforms in really fun new colors.

+This VERY popular pointelle tee (bestseller last week) is now on sale for 40% off. Also, my Velvet Brylies were restocked in most sizes!

+$119 for two rattan table lamps. Perfect for a console table. While you’re at Marshall’s, PSA that they have a solid coffee table book selection at great prices, like this and this.

+Gorgeous crochet cardigan. I just bought something similar from Zara that sold out in 0.1 seconds. Perfect for throwing on over a spring dress, or pairing with white denim.

+Oo! Major look for less option for my Veronica Beard vest: this Anthro find.

+Sweet spring jacket for your little love.

+We have been battling an endless head cold for weeks! We’ve gone through so much Kleenex. It sent me on a hunt for attractive Kleenex box covers to add to a few rooms in our home. Chic options I discovered: Liberty florals, blockprint, woven, scattered stars, and Schumacher-esque. (The last two are en route to me!)

+Drooling over a pair of denim sandals for summer like these Guccis or these Hermes. (Looks for less here and here.)

+Floaty white blouse for under $120.

+I shared some of our plans for the children’s rooms earlier this week — also sourcing desk lamps. How cute are this for my son and this for my daughter?

+Horror Vacui’s latest collection is dreamy.

By: Jen Shoop

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

A sale good enough it merited its own post! Lake is running a great sale, and includes my two favorite pajamas ever: the long-short (I wear these to sleep in year-round) and the Relax Lounge Set (my favorite “I need to feel cozy” outfit). I take an XS in both. I would say take your true size or go up a size if at all in question — life is too short for too-snug pajamas (and I personally do not hang dry / air dry my pajamas).

The DreamKnit Kimono Pajama set is also included in select colors. This is the same dreamy material as the Relax set! I have a set on its way to me now!

That’s it and that’s all! Happy Tuesday morning, friends!

P.S. Detailed notes on my Dorsey pieces.

P.P.S. What food takes you back to your childhood dining table?

P.P.P.S. Forget your perfect offering.

By: Jen Shoop

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

Whether you’re looking for a wedding guest gown, an Easter dress, or a Derby get-up — below, the absolute prettiest dresses for spring 2024.

01. STAUD ORGANZA GOWN // 02. ANNA OCTOBER TULIP DRESS // 03. JENNIFER BEHR EARRINGS // 04. LOEFFLER RANDALL LANDON MESH FLAT // 05. CARA CARA DRESS // 06. AGUA BENDITA SENLIS DRESS // 07. HERMES SANDALS // 08. HUNTER BELL DRESS // 09. MARK CROSS WICKER BAG // 10. SORU HEART EARRINGS // 11. ZIMMERMANN DRESS // 12. LARROUDE PUMP // 13. & OTHER STORIES DRESS // 14. MIRTH IKAT DRESS // 15. VERANDAH DRESS // 16. KAANAS SANDALS // 17. NICOLA BATHIE EARRINGS // 18. PAMELA MUNSON CLUTCH

The Spring Dress Edit.

P.S. The headwater of a Hail Mary.

P.P.S. Somebody that I used to know.

P.P.P.S. Foliage consumes stone.

By: Jen Shoop

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I am in the midst of doing some buying for my son, who seems to be down to a handful of things that actually fit him / aren’t stained. I picked up long-sleeved Lacoste polos in white and navy (50% off!) a few days ago and have been building carts elsewehere since. I’m also eyeing these ecru jeans, these shorts in basically ever color/pattern as we head towards warmer weather, these pistachio colored pants, this snap-button pullover, this submarine sweatsuit, some fun Nikes.

On the home front, we are planning to buy some new furniture for our children’s rooms. We’re specifically looking for new bookcases and proper desks for both children. Mini now has nightly homework which she tends to do at the dining room table (fine with us, as we can guide her and glance over her shoulder every now and then), but there have been occasions where I’ve wanted her to have a proper space to sit down and work. She’s also prodigiously productive on the writing and drawing front (apple, meet tree), and I’d love to honor that energy by giving her a designated space. I’m still in the researching phase, but I’m out of the gate drawn to this Jenny Lind desk and this stationary chair (her room is carpeted). I thought this bookcase was sweet but can’t tell if it’s too sweet and will feel babyish in a few years. The classic Cameron may be a better bet. I did contemplate the Jenny Lind bookcase, but bookshelves with open sides is a complete non-starter for me. We currently have bookshelves with open sides, and it’s a nightmare to keep the books actually on the shelves — they’re always sliding off! We’ve tried to use book-ends — nothing helps. For my son, I love these shelving units from Crate and Barrel, and they also have matching desk options. The Hampshire bookcase and desk are handsome, too. For his room, I like this classic chair, although how cool is this botanical print chair? I’m looking for non-toddler-sized seating, but these play chairs also caught my eye in my hunt.

For organization, I’m eyeing these bins and this organizer. We have so many art supplies, activity books, etc — I just need to get a handle on it all.

Also beginning to contemplate Easter. I’d love mini to wear this dress, but am guessing she’s going to summarily reject it, so need to do some more recon on options for the occasion that will pass muster with her. If you have an itty bitty girl, you must consider this sweet bubble! This would also be very sweet for the occasion. For my son, something like this top with pastel pants, or seersucker with a white oxford.

Target already has some really fun/cute little Easter basket finds, including the fuzzy wind-up chicks and bunnies seen at the top of this post. I’m going to try to keep the “little toys and whirligigs” to a minimum this Easter, though — they are so fun for the children to open but I’m getting tired of throwing away so many of these little cheapie toys that tend to clutter our home. We’ll be re-using these Easter tokens and then I might get them a few things that have longer legs or map to their artistic interests: some Ooly pastels and drawing pads, Usborne sticker books, a small lego or Plus Plus set, some pastel Magatiles.

P.S. Maintaining wonder as a parent.

P.P.S. Focus and the fibers of motherhood.

P.P.P.S. My treasure.

By: Jen Shoop

I was struck last week by the title of this post on Cup of Jo: “My Favorite Part of Winter Is Making My Dad’s Meatloaf.”

Winter gets a bad rap, and I’m contributing to that zeitgeist with all of my laments for spring and celebrations of the pilgrim crocus. But winter has its own sparse appeal and bare-faced charms. What, I wondered, was my favorite part of winter?

Christmas came to mind first: its merriment and hygge. But what of the long, plodding months of January and February? And was there something specific, or shapely, I could trot out in response?

Instead of one, a few splintered out:

The first bracing breath when I step outside — medicinal.

Soft cotton base layers hugging the skin.

Standing on our covered porch, looking out at the snow-capped arbor vitae, whose fronds dance even in somber times.

Warmed, socked feet by the fire.

The perseverance of stick figure trees against the austerities of wind and ice.

The understanding that things must end to begin again.

What are your favorite parts of the season? (Let’s find reasons to celebrate this moment we’re in!)

Post-Scripts.

+Took the photo above back when we lived in NY and were visiting the Guggenheim on a snowy weekend.

+You can change at any time, and with nobody’s permission.

+Imprints of a new lifestyle.

+My introduction to birding.

+Wintering.

Shopping Break.

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

+A great $100 white blouse.

+Wore this $49 striped sweater in the chocolate brown last week — it is so, so similar to my La Ligne Marina. Great look for less.

+Cozy knit lounge set.

+H&M just released a less expensive version of Citizen’s fab brown gaucho jeans. While you’re at H&M, don’t miss these suede slingbacks.

+Inexpensive bamboo flatware.

+The most elegant candles of all time. I love the ones from Linnea for everyday burning / more reasonable price point, but these are IT.

+A wardrobe staple of mine: blue and white striped dresses. Love this and this as options.

+These baggy jean overalls turned my head.

+Folding chairs that are actually chic.

+Beyond Yoga’s new arrivals are so fun. They do the best colors! I’m especially drawn to their “sky blue heather” color.

+Dramatic brass table lamp.

By: Jen Shoop

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

“We look at the world once, in childhood. The rest is memory.” – Louise Gluck. I’ve been carrying these words around with me this week. At the risk of running litigious, I don’t fully agree: there have been many moments in my life in which I’ve crossed a threshold and seen the world anew. Becoming a parent, closing a business, losing a pregnancy, falling in love — to name a few. These experiences reset the system, and made me look at the world as though with borrowed eyes. But there is something so true, too, about Gluck’s sentiment, and it has to do with the way memory works like a pastiche, porous and overlaid, but its very first layers live, intransigently, in childhood. Sometimes I forget these lower elevations, and think only of the serac. Flowers, for example. I think of them now through the latter-day lenses of Mr. Magpie and his green thumb, and the way the roses that bloom on the side of our home draw me to Elizabeth, and my mother-in-law’s obsession with cut flowers, and the local flora of our home in Bethesda. But if I strain to the hear the music at the bottom, I know what I will find: my mother’s love of peonies, and the ants that crawled their tender petals, and the way she’d wrap the cut stems in wet paper towels and send them in with us as gifts for our teachers in the month of May. And the delicate glass flowers in my grandmother’s living room — “look, don’t touch.” And the flower-embroidered dress my father brought me from Mexico when I was little, and the way he’d say “ooh la la” every time I wore it.

I think of this and I panic for a moment about all of the “first looks” I have witnessed and stewarded with my own children. Was I adequately present, and helpful? Was I pointing them in the direction of wonder, or was I shoo-ing them out the door when they first saw a hopeful crocus poke through the tundra? I cannot think too long on this, or I find myself in a posture of self-recrimination, or moving through my motherhood with stiff performance. I must instead trust. Trust my children and their vibrant imaginations and tendernesses, and my own self, who I know to be a genuine noticer of the world, and a bleeding heart, too. As Edna St. Vincent Millay put it: “The world stands out on either side / No wider than the heart is wide.” Which is to say that we control the bandwidth of our appreciation for the world with heartstrings. And I know we are extravagant with those in this house.

Here is my prompt for this week: practicing notice. A few quotes that pertain:

Mary Oliver: “To pay attention / this is our endless and proper work.” and “Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”

Arthur E. Smith: “Metamorphosis is the naturally occurring consequence of paying attention.”

Simone Weil: “Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.”

In order to be effective at this, there are things I must let drop. (There are, after all, economies of attention.) What can I let go of? What is worth my focus?

Onward, Magpies —

Some snippets from the week, too.

+I found delicious raspberry-shortbread cookies in stock at Trader Joes. Divine! Strongly rec — worth a trip. Beneath them, and in the photo of my noodle lunch, you can see my placemats from Proper Table Co., which spark joy (and are highly functional) in our every day life. They introduce sophisticated designs and punchy colors to the table but don’t require laundering or ironing, and are easy to wipe down after the kids routinely smatter them with oatmeal, tomato sauce, etc. I just noticed she launched some new patterns that are FUN! The chopsticks in the photo are similar to these. Also spark joy.

+The sweetest book for helping children through the loss of a pet. It’s not too maudlin that you can’t make it through without crying, too. Sweet but not saccharine in the most perfect way.

+Taking time to sit and do nothing at all was just what the doctor ordered earlier this week. I like to listen to the Apple Music spa playlist with my noise canceling headphones when I need a minute to breathe and reset.

+Pajamas seen above are Petite Plume. My other two go-to pajamas for bumpy weeks (when I “take care of myself as though sick”) are Lake’s Relax Set and Lunya’s modal boxer set. Both have gorgeously soft and springy fabrics.

+I’ve featured these Camilla Moss scripture cards countless times but they are such a joy in my everyday life. This one has been sitting with me all week long.

+Soru sent me a few pieces of jewelry this week and these heart earrings arrived on Valentine’s Day! I put them on immediately. How gorgeous?!

+The first crocus sighting!

+Frank and Eileen sent me this collared popover (seen in final photo) and it’s honestly exactly what I want to wear daily. I put it in the same category as my Xirena white gauze blouse. Soft, breathable, requiring no adjustments. Throw on with your favorite jeans and you feel comfortable but pulled together. I like the way they look with my light-wash Charlotte jeans. (You can see my favorite Target socks and Ugg slippers peeking out at the bottom — #fashun. I love them so.). Also debuting my new Ossa phone wristlet. I love her!

Some bits and bobs…

+Blue Mercury is offering 20% off orders over $200. Now is a good time to stock up on our pricier beauty staples — I know many of you swear by Skinceuticals’ CE Ferulic serum, and I hate to admit that I’m positively dreading when I run out of my Augustinus Bader rich cream (also included in the sale). I find myself using it only when I’m going out and want my skin to look at its absolute best, which is to say, I realize its preciousness and effectiveness, and I’m trying to make my bottle stretch. Also a good time to stock up on splurgey candles and hand soap, or finally spring for the Dyson Air Wrap!!!

+Old Navy also released an answer to the Highsport kick flare — under $30! Shop here.

+Sezane’s new spring arrivals are spectacular. I am swooning over this skirt, this fun denim vest, this eyelet blouse, and this powder pink coat.

+Target is running a sale that ends tomorrow! You can score these Hermes-inspired sandals for $16, and these Loewe-like sneaks for $28. Also included: $8 sandals for the kids — mine have lived in these for several summers in a row. Inexpensive, waterproof, wipe-clean, easy to get on/off. Ditto some good deals on furniture/decor, like this rattan mirror and this console table.

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