J. CREW DRESS (OLD, SIMILAR HERE, HERE, HERE); FRP COLLECTION BAG (10% OFF WITH MAGPIE10); J. MCLAUGHLIN BELT (LOOK FOR LESS HERE) // MARGAUX SANDALS (FINAL DAY TO USE CODE MAGPIE35 FOR $35 OFF A FIRST ORDER) // LA LIGNE CARDIGAN // RDR EARRINGS (OLD, SIMILAR FOR LESS HERE)
This morning, I’m republishing an essay from the archives that has been heavy on my mind since we parted (amicable) ways with our nanny two weeks ago. She was seeking full-time work, and we scarcely need two or three hours of support on weekdays. I tried, with no luck, to find a part-time replacement, before contemplating whether Landon and I could manage on our own, at least for summer, when routines are slack, and travel lays ahead. The children will be in camp for about half the summer…? The arrangement has been an adjustment, but I have been finding satisfaction in the way it feels to be at home, just the four of us. I find myself integrated in my children’s lives in a way I simply wasn’t before. I have tried to phrase that line seven different ways so as to diffuse the knot of guilt that collects each time I write it — cutting room floor evidence of my mixed emotions about its meaning. What do I do with the round happiness I feel doing it on our own? (Our being the operative word – Landon handles at least half of the afternoons each week!) Some of this must be conditioned by my admiration for my mother, a dutiful and wonderful stay-at-home mom. I realize this situation is privileged and nuanced — choosing to have a nanny, then choosing to go without. I know that many women don’t have these options. And so I find myself grappling with the very saltings I discussed below. Because I have the choice, have I made the right one for the past few years? Am I making the right choice now? Will my writing suffer? Will my patience wane? As with much of life, I will never know until I try. Onward.
*****
A week or two ago, I picked my son up from school, which is something I almost never do. He saw me through the transom window as he was descending from the upstairs classroom, and I heard his voice — almost a shriek — “Mama!” — followed by quick footwork down the stairs (TIP-tip-TIP-tip-TIP-tip). He flew through the doors, right into my arms.
“He was so happy when he saw you,” whispered his teacher knowingly, her eyes soft. She squeezed my arm.
Later that evening, we went over to dinner at my parents’ home with my sister and her family.
“Mama picked me up today. Not my nanny,” he announced loudly, and smugly, to no one and in response to nothing. He smirked and hugged his arms around himself in satisfaction.
Two mornings later, still in the miserable wake of daylight savings time, I went into his room to rouse him for school. Unlike adults, who need time to hatch and grumble about the imposition of light, children can go from dead asleep to wide awake in less than a second. His head popped up, and he smiled at me through morning eyes, and he said: “Remember when you picked me up at school?”
That night, I laid in my bed, unable to sleep, and I cried about this. What did it mean? It is not feasible for me to pick him up every day, at least in my current work flow. But could I change that? Would I one day regret all the 3 P.M. pick-ups I missed in favor of a more steady unfolding of creative time? Was it fair (to myself, to women in general) to say I “missed” those pick-ups in the first place? After all, I am working while he is being ferried home from school. I am providing for my family, and fulfilling my own vocation. I am present for so much of his life — almost every weekday breakfast, dinner, and bedtime, and we spend a lot of time together, just the four of us, on the weekends, in pursuit of our “not busy” lifestyle.
I scrambled for grounding elsewhere, plumbing my own childhood, in which my Dad dropped us off in the mornings and my Mom scooped us up in the afternoons. I don’t recall harboring or expressing any sentiment about the arrangement. But perhaps it is different when it is a parent versus a nanny.
I continued to strain for context. I reasoned: I drop him off every other morning; if I forewent that cockcrow commute regularly, would he say the same thing on the odd occasion I slipped into the driver’s seat? “Mama dropped me off today”? Perhaps he was simply expressing excitement about the un-ordinariness of my surprise pick-up, and if I were to retrieve him daily, he’d never make such proclamations–might, in fact, beg for someone else to get him.
A few weeks ago, I had drinks with two girlfriends, one of whom is a hard-working lawyer with intense hours and the other of whom is a hard-working stay at home mom with also-intense hours. The latter commented that she sometimes looks at her life and has no idea how she got here. “I went from finance to this, and sometimes I wonder about going back,” she mused. She expressed worry that she wasn’t fully living up to her potential, that she’d had a promising professional career and felt ambivalent about what it meant that she was now working in the home. My lawyer friend sighed. “The grass is always greener,” she offered. She went on to explain that her daughter had been tasked with ascribing a descriptive word to each member of her family, and that her daughter had described her as “work.”
We have reached the saltings. The sticky, swampy parts that nearly all of us footslog into and out of over the course of our motherhoods, unsure of footing, prey to unknown tides. There are no patterns here. No formulas; no bright lines. The inputs for each family are complex, individualized, and mutative. Particularly maddening: sometimes I feel I’ve struck a good, or workable balance, and then my son tells me, in twenty-two different ways, that all he wants is for me to pick him up from school once in awhile, and I feel like I’ve been yammering into a phone with a cut cord.
What then?
Deep breaths. A reminder that parenthood is a process, not a place, or a condition.
I let myself cry for a few minutes. Then I wondered about other ways to make myself available to him that would not be as challenging to accommodate in my current workweek. One such: in the afternoons, my children like to come into my studio bearing drawings, fistfuls of snacks, news of their worlds. The rule is (generally): one visitation after they arrive home, and then they need to respect my closed door. This has been a difficult boundary for both of my children, and a nearly impossible one for me. Sometimes I sit in my study wavering between furious impatience and heart-wracked agony when they are calling for me, and they know they are not to come in, and I long to retreat from my own rules, both to quiet the fracas and to give into their needs. But I am working, I remind myself — and them, when they are open to hearing it. And it is difficult (for me) to lay brushstrokes separated by small conversations. Beyond that, it is important to me to model discipline and seriousness about my craft. When my door is closed, it should be perceived no differently than when my husband is on a work call and his door is closed. And, of course, there is the bigger issue of remaining firm with boundaries.
But.
As it turns out, there is some give in the leather.
I have started to really shut my work off when my children skitter into my room in the afternoons. I fully turn myself away from the computer, remove my hands from the keys, pull him into my lap — or sometimes walk out into the liminal space between my studio and their rooms, get down onto his eye level, and focus myself such that I lean into that conversation. My goal, when I hear the door crack open, is to give 100% of my attention to him for those five minutes in which he must tell me about the scrape on his knee, or the cookie his teacher gave him at lunch, or the various meannesses of his sibling. If I can’t be there at pick-up, then I can be here, fully, waiting for him with anticipation and warmth, when he returns to me.
So onward we go. Looking for ways to show him that he is, and always has been, at the very center of my day, no matter who picks him up from school.
Oh, Magpies. If you are standing in the saltings today: I’m right there with you, feet half-sunk in the quick-moving sand.
+It’s the summer of the drop-waist dress! Consider this $40 steal!
+Our Margaux code for $35 off first time orders (use MAGPIE35) expires 6/16. I have been wearing these ankle wrap sandals constantly on the weekend. Also love this newer style they just released!
+Obsessed with Staud bags right now: this snail (!!!), this Celine-esque moon bag, this “tackle box.”
+I own this oversized denim maxi dress and LOVE it. Would be great with bump — runs very oversized, but in a stiff, heavy denim that makes it feel substantial and fashion-y. On sale in several colors right now!
A roundup of this week’s launches, sales, and discoveries…
01. Doen’s second summer collection is live and, per usual, exactly what we want to wear this summer. The slightly out-of-left-field sailor dress is sure to be a favorite (will go fast, I’d expect, especially since Courtney Grow spotlighted it on her Instastories yesterday), but wearable ginghams and airy white cottons abound, too. I’m still figuring out my order, because I already had this red drop-waist and these eyelet shorts in my cart…! All my Doen summer favorites here.
03. Back to J. Crew for a second: several Magpies messaged me about this new arrival. The buttons! The butter yellow color! The scallop trim! Reminds me a lot of the expensive styles from Lisa Marie Fernandez (another good brand to stalk on TRR). But I’m really loving J. Crew’s Doen-esque lace trim top and Ibiza-cool-girl crochet shorts.
04. On the crochet shorts: major trend incoming with boxer-style (<<ordered this $15 pair in the red gingham, seen above and below, and might go back for the green!; I took a small) or crochet shorts and a classic menswear button-down. If you want to go full-trend, pair with jellies, or a pair of high-vamp flats.
05. In a similar vein: Donni released a pair of poplin striped pants that have been flying off the shelves. Probably a better buy for taller Magpies based on the photos!
06. We all love Negative underwear, but have you explored their whipped loungewear, too? I just got my paws on a pair of these and they are divine. I already had their henley, which is beyond soft and sexy, too. And while you’re there, check out their new whipped bralette – also ordered to try! Great for layering beneath loose-fit / caftan-style dresses.
07. On the more buttoned-up side of the house: Veronica Beard’s new Baylee dress promises to be the ideal dress for a country club, workplace, or more formal/conservative outfit venue. Can you even?! Also swooning over this striped blazer and matching shorts situation from their latest drop. Like a dressed-up version of La Ligne’s uber-popular and now-sold-out Leo short. (If you’re now dreaming about a pair of striped knit shorts, a few other chic options: Kule, Frame, Rails. And if its striped knit pants you’re after: La Ligne and Mango might do the trick.
08. The Internet’s big sister, Tinx, launched a collab with UBeauty, releasing their fabulous lip plasma in the perfect shade of summer pink, fetchingly called “Rom Com.” I’ve been wearing and loving.
09. New-to-me jewelry label By Pariah has some highly chic earrings on offer, like these sophisticated and on-trend Luna earrings I swear I’ve seen on dozens of chic European women on Instagram.
10. Hotel Lobby released a suite of summer destination-oriented candles: the Hamptons, Capri, Poolside, and Positano. A great way to set the tone and mood for summer at home, and also a fabulous houseguest gift.
11. RMS Beauty launched a new hydra-setting powder yesterday, and I’m intrigued. I’m a big fan of this cosmetics brand — their stuff just really works and is often at the bleeding edge of skincare/beauty technology. They were clean before clean was a thing’ they’ve created lots of first-of-its-kind products that blur the line between skincare and cosmetics. A makeup artist was just telling me that you should really avoid powders with talc in them if you can, and RMS’ is talc-free. As a reminder, they offer us 20% off sitewide with code JEN20. My favorite, can’t-live-without RMS product: their super-serum, which is like a luminizing primer with SPF and other great skincare ingredients in it. I love it as a base layer before makeup (helps makeup go on smoothly, and stick), or on its own while I’m exercising.
12. Lingua Franca is now offering custom sweatshirts! You may remember this brand from their punny and clever sweaters. They reached out and invited me to design one, and I had one embroidered with “onward” over the heart. The Magpie refrain! They also offered us 10% off with code LFJEN10.
A few Magpies asked about “light summer layers” in response to my last Ask Magpie. One reader put it as follows: “I’ve been looking for light sweaters or jackets to wear over my summer dresses, both weekend and work, for first thing in the morning or when the air conditioning is too much. Everything I’ve considered either feels frumpy or too thick.”
I have a few pieces I love for these exact instances. The first is new to my closet this season: La Ligne’s Catroux cardigan (you can see me in it above). It is the perfect lightweight cotton with great pointelle details. I personally like that it works with dressier pieces (I was wearing the outfit above to a matinee at the Kennedy Center) — it would even accommodate a cocktail attire situation — but can also be worn with a sundress. In a similar vein: this J. Crew, this BA&SH, or this Madewell.
Another favorite that you have seen in tons of my selfies: this G Label beach cardigan, my permanent “desk sweater” during summer months as it seems to go over and with everything. Sadly, the exact style is sold out, but they released a similar version this year called the Susie that boasts a similar open weave and lightweight material. I haven’t yet found a perfect look-for-less, but this Free People cardigan has a nice loose fit and similar chunkiness to the weave, and this Brochu Walker feels similarly wearable-with-everything (though still pricey).
A few other light top layers I like for the season:
+Frank & Eileen’s fleece beach cardigan — I’m eyeing this for myself this summer. Looks totally perfect for throwing on over swim / exercise / ultra-casual wear during an active summer.
Over the weekend, we attended a birthday party, and one of our friends asked the birthday girl what her “jewel” from the year was: what had she learned?
On the eve of my fortieth, I find myself drawn to similar introspections and accountings, and they all seem to loop back to the mantra: not everything resolves to a fine point. The tender-footed awareness that I must find ways to let go. That I must cease fishing from obstinate isles, as Ezra Pound put it. What energy am I displacing by waiting for the explanations, the apologies, the endings, the final words? At some point, I must find peace by releasing those misplaced expectations. The agonizing truth is that the letting go isn’t a spectacular one-time drop. There is no ceremonious toss into the water, no burning of the artifacts. Letting go is in fact a series of intentional goodbyes. A building up of muscle. The recurring chorus: “That hurts // it’s OK // I’m still here.” The plodding, near-invisible way we develop strength by repetition. A friend told me that it took her a year to grieve the ending of a relationship: 365 days of slow, considered letting-gos.
But, take heart: everything is a flowing. Panta rhei. I press this to my cheek when I re-live Tilly’s final days, and flail against hurt, and equally, when I watch my children playing in the front yard. In ways good and bad, nothing will be the same in a year. So instead, we dive into the present, and we look at it as a beginning rather than a middle or an end, because is there any other way to live where our feet are?
Here, right now, are the blooming front-door hydrangeas, and the dog in our lap, and the chorus of children’s voices through the screened door, only this-young today:
life re-making itself.
Post-Scripts.
*Panta rhei is a quote attributed to Heraclitus, meaning “everything moves.”
+If you like the Reformation look but not the price tag, check out these cute pieces from new-to-me label VRG GRL: this linen floral ($111!) and this gorgeous linen maxi skirt.
+I love body oils on my shoulder / decolletage during the summer — just ordered this shimmery formula from European pharmacy brand Nuxe to try. My go-to must days is Osea though! (More of my summer skin prep favorites here.)
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I love testing new beauty products, but last week, I sorted my top drawer and removed all of the products I don’t love or haven’t been reaching for as often so that I have only my day-in-day-out favorites on hand versus the clutter I was facing each day. Below, the cream of the crop —
01. Goop Colorblur Blush. I find these have more staying power and pigmentation than Merit, and they come in the most gorgeous shades. I especially like Afterglow and Slipper.
02. Cle de Peau concealer. The OG. It is painfully expensive but the absolute best at true, skin-like coverage for any red spots, blemished, dark undereye circles, etc.
03. Ilia Liquid Powder Matte Eye Tint, specifically in shade “Cork.” I swipe this on my eyelids with a finger everyday. A cinch to apply and looks very natural — just evens everything out. I know the color looks dark brown but it applies semi-sheer and makes your face look evened out, polished, without the fuss of actually applying eye shadow with a brush.
04. Kosas AirBrow. Still my favorite brow tool. Shapes, colors, fills all in one magical, easy little swipe. The applicator is tiny so it’s hard to mess up!
06. Saie highlighter. This is my favorite of all the highlighters, and I’ve tried many, many brands. I know a stick highlighter is appealing from an application standpoint, but then you need to blend/buff anyway. I love to put a tiny bead of this on my fingertip and then dab onto cheekbones, brow, cupid’s bow, and tip of my nose. One tube of this lasts a very long time — good value.
07. Merit Lip Gelee in Les Deux. I love this stuff! I apply as a final layer over my daily lipstick (currently, Trish McEvoy’s lipstick in the Gentle color — a perfect everyday pink). I know many of you are enormous fans of Dior’s lip oil. Going to try that next.
08. Charlotte Tilbury lip cheat lipliner. WOW is this product incredible. I was loathe to introduce a lip liner to my beauty bag because it felt like one extra step, but this magical product makes my lips look fuller yet so natural. I use this with lots of different lip colors and it blends in really well.
09. Nyx Ink eyeliner. The best way to make your eyes pop. So inexpensive, with an ultra-fine felt tip. Have been using this exclusively for years now. Dries matte.
10. UBeauty lip plasma. If I don’t have the time or inclination to do liner, lipstick, and gloss, I just swipe some of this on and call it a day. It really plumps and fills the lips! Rose is my favorite color.
11. Westman Atelier Foundation Stick. Just the best. This blends beautifully and really looks like skin while providing a decent amount of coverage. I apply with my Merit brush, but this $8 Amazon brush is a seriously good dupe for the Merit one. All my favorite makeup brushes here.
12. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray. OMG, where has this been all my life?! This actually works. I used to feel like my morning makeup had faded or disappeared by around 3 in the afternoon — now I rarely touch up! I’m linking the trial/mini size here so you can test in a small format first, but trust me — you’ll end up purchasing the full size in good time.
Side notes: my makeup bag in the above photo is Weezie! And based on several responses to my “What are your grooming routines?” post, I know several of you are big fans of the Nuface — and I found it on sale here!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
A few of my favorite daytime dress finds for summer —
01. Julia Amory’s Betty. I was wowed by this dress when it arrived. It’s a heavy-duty, structured cotton with incredible attention to detail, including a wide row-stitched hem and deep pockets. It looks like a million bucks and feels like something that was made years ago — the quality is absolutely incredible. The fabric is a cotton-spandex blend that gives shape and stretch and does not wrinkle easily. I have it on good authority that these dresses are running very low in stock, FYI. (I’m wearing above with my Dans La Main bag! And, heads up, the Dorsey Clemence necklace I wear daily — you can see it in the last photo above — was just restocked! I love this style so much. I find it easy to dress up and down and wear it around the clock to layer with one or two other necklaces.)
03. This breezy Marea. Love the shape and the sweet print! Adorable!
04. The HHH Cosima dress. Try to get your hands on one of these! Each time they’ve launched this early summer, they’ve sold out. The silhouette is so flattering and easy to wear. Currently available in a tile / floral situation, and limited sizing of the seashell print I own here, or hold out for restocks of some of their more mixable pieces, like stripes or the solid brown I really wish I’d snagged. HHH also released the dress in a limited edition coke bottle red lace that would be spectacular for a dressier event (only a few left). You can get a similar look to the Cosima for less with this Madewell.
05. Doen’s Marianne dress. I’ve been noticing a micro-trend of drop-waist dresses and I love this one, or the sister style, the Mallory, which is sold out at Doen but still available in a few sizes in trending gingham at Saks. Look for less with this Gap x Doen dress in denim or white eyelet.
06. Mirth Vienna dress. Can be worn with or without the belt — so easy but pulled-together. J’adore.
07. Mille Saffron dress. I own this in several patterns and frankly wish I could wear them daily. They are ultra-light and comfortable and Mille has the best patterns. I like these dresses styled with either my Ancient Greek Eleftherias or Birks. Mille also has a mini version of the Saffron, and I also adore their Garden dress. This brand runs really big, so go down a size. 15% off with JEN15.
08. Printfresh x House of Lars caftan. I own this in the blue/red pattern (but all three options are SO fun) and cannot wear it without receiving questions and compliments! Such a head turner and so easy to wear. Not exactly the same, but this $140 dress gives me a similar vibe/feel in terms of bold pattern and easy shape.
09. Cleobella Ingrid dress. I absolutely love the pattern and sash waist. So chic with leather sandals (<<reminder that MAGPIE35 gets you $35 your first order — this code is only valid through June 14!), tortoise shades, and a big straw basket bag.
10. Jenni Kayne’s Day dress is quiet luxury / minimalist chic / elegance personified. I’d pair this with a trendy raffia sandal. You can get the Jenni Kayne look for less with this or this.
11. There’s something about this vintage-inspired Ciao Lucia dress that has my attention. It’s sold out once already and is currently available in very limited sizes for pre-order. It looks so effortless but fashion-y, like something Alice Pilate would wear while vacationing somewhere in the Mediterranean. This J. Crew linen mini is similar in ethos.
12. Anything by Juliet Dunn (more styles here). They are spendy but so, so comfortable (lightest, airiest, softest cotton — I save these for the dog days of summer) and beautiful. I love the tie-shouldered midi (20% off with YOUROCK) best.
13. Emerson Fry’s Frances dress — universally flattering and elongating. I adore this dress. I find it so easy to style up and down — could wear to a child’s graduation just as easily as a backyard hang.
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I returned to my poetry-reading habit this week. It invites — demands — stillness for brief periods of 10, 15 minutes — another way of practicing yutori. Any more and my mind fizzles, an overheated engine, before wandering the back roads. Which is to say, I begin to drive through non-poetic parts, like logistics for school pick-up, what’s for dinner tomorrow, did I switch the laundry?, etc. I read Wendell Berry this week. I’ve loved his poem “The Peace of Wild Things” for some time now — Mary Oliver-esque, and his Asphodel phrase “the forethought of grief” impressed itself so firmly on me that it gave shape to the ache of knowing Tilly was going to die, and soon — but didn’t know much about him or his back catalog. He has an interesting personal history, having gone from prestigious fellowships at Stanford and in Paris to cultivating corn and raising sheep on a 117-acre farmstead in Kentucky. I love the embedded naturalism of his writing — his poetry is a palmarius of place-feel. But the lyric that resonated most with me this week was “Be Still in Haste,” a still-waters-run-deep ode to present-mindedness:
How quietly I begin again
from this moment looking at the clock, I start over
so much time has passed, and is equaled by whatever split-second is present
from this moment this moment is the first
The line breaks and syntactical inversions suggest the impermanence of time, the way past, present, future collect and overlap, but mainly reminds us that we have today. That we can start a new 24-hour period at any time. That yesterday was not the final draft. That nothing changes if nothing changes. That the whole sky is ours. That we can change right now, today, and with nobody’s permission. I must often remind myself of the latter, inclined as I am toward self-imposed rules and people-pleasing. I can read this book, prefer that order, skip this song, change my mind just because.
Also this week: my baby turned five. We had the best, simplest birthday at home — he requested steak and fries for dinner followed by an ice cream cake. Mini decorated the patio table with crepe paper, party hats, and swizzle sticks, and we listened to the “Trolls Band Together” soundtrack on repeat (his favorite). Mr. Magpie caught the photo below of him looking up at me — a golden moment if I’ve ever had one.
On Saturday, Lan and I went out to dinner at Aventino — IMO, the best restaurant in Bethesda. Sophisticated menu, beverage program, interior. Great waitstaff. We sat at the bar (our preference) for an early dinner, and were home and in bed by nine. Perfect.
We continued to celebrate our five year old with a snakes and cake party on Sunday. (If you’re local, you must check out The Reptile Guys and specifically request Walter — he was incredible! He brought by tons of lizards, snakes, and other reptiles and offered a funny, interactive, and educational performance that transfixed twelve 5 year olds for 45 minutes. No small feat!). Below: Hill with a spiny-tailed lizard and Cheetoh fingers/mouth. It was beautiful out, so we spread a few picnic blankets on our front lawn and had the “show” outside, which suited everyone (including the animals) just fine. I was neglectful of photo-taking, but there were some fun details I wish I’d snapped, including these adorable snake cups, these sturdy leaf-print plates and these metallic leaf-shaped ones, this enormous stuffed boa (my “centerpiece”), this “pin the tongue on the cobra” game, and these inflatable snakes. For party favors, I filled a basket with various age-appropriate/early reader snake books (like this and this) and let each child pick one. I know it’s not as exciting as a proper goody bag (several of the kids asked where they were), but I am personally tired of throwing away all those little plastic toys in periodic purge-fests. They just clutter my home! Books never go to waste! I made Stella Park’s chocolate cake and milk chocolate frosting from scratch (labor of love – I’m pretty sure none of the kids would have noticed if I’d used a boxed mix, but we enjoyed them for days afterward), and mini helped me put together this playlist for the party. Sharing here, because it’s full of party music that your kids will know and love (with a few of my favorites sprinkled in), but it’s none of the Cocomelon/Kidbopz drivel!
Hill is of course wearing Oso and Me top and shorts — my favorite! Below, Hill dutifully working on his favorite gift he received: this Lego space station set. He worked on it around the clock for several days, waking at 6 to get started and sprinting upstairs after school to continue. I can’t believe how focused and determined he was — he completed the entire thing himself and then beamed as we descended on his room to analyze and ask questions.
Also this week: enjoyed several veggie and havarti sandwiches, availing myself of bounty from Mr. Magpie’s garden. There is something deeply satisfying about clipping some lettuce and herbs for lunch from our own backyard. Landon has the happiest bed of lettuce in particular — deer tongue, romaine, green leaf. The secret to a great veggie sandwich is Duke’s mayonnaise, in case you’re wondering.
Above and below, wearing pieces from Sezane’s short-lived collection with Momoni (this dress, these shorts). Most of the collection sold out so quickly but sometimes they do restock with returns, so keep an eye out if you liked either of these pieces, or you can shop the remaining items here — such great tile-print patterns in fun summer colors. You could just dive right into them! Major Mediterranean vibes. Wearing my favorite reasonably-priced raffia fisherman sandals above, too!
Currently hooked on Dr. Diamond Metacine’s Instafacial plasma. They generously sent me their full skincare set, which costs a pretty penny, but I was dying to try after Courtney Grow insisted it’s as effective as Botox. I don’t know about that claim, but I can say it has noticeably firmed my skin and shrunk my pores since I started using two weeks ago. I use in conjunction with Vitamin C in the morning, as I don’t think it delivers much glow/vitality but it does firm things up.
Lastly, beautiful hydrangea in the neighborhood (I just learned that the color of the buds relate to the acidity in the soil!) and homemade pina coladas. I used the recipe 2/3 of the way down in this article. They don’t specify how much ice to use if blending (which I strongly recommend), so my contribution: I used about 2 cups for a single cocktail, and it turned out perfectly. Blend for longer than you think you need to.
Onward into the week!
P.S. I’m always updating my shop, Shopbop hearts, and Amazon store.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation. Image via.
What Inspired Me This Week…
+BEFRIENDING YOUR BODY: This 60-second “compassionate body scan” immediately relaxed me and made me think differently, more gently, about my body and its abilities. “Can you be in compassion for what’s here but also perhaps just a little bit of awe?” she asks. I had been feeling frustrated just that morning with my shoulder — it’s been acting up a bit after runs (I think I run with my arms too tight to my sides) and while lifting in my Heather Robertson training sessions — and the next morning, I thought instead: “You’ve been working so hard! No wonder you’re cranky.” It found myself modifying the workout to accommodate. (Realted: approaches to self-compassion.)
+A BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE: I loved Barbara Kingsolver’s tribute to her recently deceased father. Gorgeous, loving, carefully-chosen words, and how lovely to end with: “He saw me into this world and I’m thankful I could help see him out, holding onto the seeds he planted in my soul. Wendell Kingsolver, 7/21/1928 – 5/30/2024. A big life.”
+LR GETS INTO THE JELLY GAME: Were you one of the lucky few that snagged a pair of these rhinestone jellies when they launched and immediately sold out earlier this week? Jellies are the shoe of summer, anchored by The Row’s Mara (look for less with these) and Ancient Greek’s offerings.
+MINETTA TAVERN COMES TO DC: Keith McNally is bringing NYC’ storied Minetta Tavern to Union Market. Woohoo! A few of our favorite DC area restaurants and attractions here. I should also mention that we finally found a favorite date night spot in Bethesda proper: Aventino. We’ve been twice and mean to make a habit of it. Outrageously good with a sophisticated menu, elegant interior, and interesting cocktail program. (I don’t mean to be a snob, but I am kind of a snob about cocktails since we’ve made a study of them at home — notes here — for the past few years. And Aventino has drinks that really piqued our interest — stuff we’d never had or seen before.)
+A CHIC COUPLE: I fell down a deep rabbit hole looking at all the beautiful outfits (and backdrops) from Instagram super couple Nicolas and Laura. I think Landon needs a white linen blazer.
+ON THE SHOPPING FRONT…01) I snagged these earrings for everyday wear — I’ve been looking for more simple, everyday earrings to alternate with my pearl studs and my Dorsey leverbacks. Aurate is offering us 30% off (!!!) with code JENSHOOP. 02) I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of this gorgeous silk skirt. I love the way La Ligne can make a maxi silk skirt seem approachable for everyday. They have such a great knack for implicit styling — the casual-chic outfit, the easy vibe just suggest themselves. 03) Intrigued by Hill House’s new swim collection. Founder Nellie Diamond described it as “lots of coverage, just the way I like it,” which isn’t far afield from my own preferences when we’re at our pool with the kids! I specifically like this cover up skirt. 04) Showing a bit more skin, I found some stock of the wildly popular Follow Suit Floras here! Use code YOUROCK for 20% off. These keep selling out — I think Tuckernuck has more stock than Follow Suit does! 05) Eyeing these hiking boots for Colorado. Of course, these boots would also be perfectly at home in my Aspen wardrobe. (More ideas on what to pack for an adventurous/outdoorsy summer here.) 06) Crown Affair now offers their products in travel sizes! I know several of you prefer to buy travel/trial sized versions of your favorite stuff when traveling as opposed to decanting / dealing with the wrong bottles. (More thoughts on this here.)
+STYLING ANTHRO’S COLETTE SHORTS: (This is a sponsored mention.). Anthropologie sent me their Colette shorts and I styled them three different ways. Note that the shorts run small/snug – I’d go a size up in these – and are short. But, vive la leg this summer, my friends! My mantra.
+A WALDEN STATE OF MIND: A lot of generous words on my Walden post this week. One Magpie wrote me after and said: “Walden is a state of mind,” and I couldn’t agree more. It’s about finding little ways to capture the quiet, the natural, the peaceful in your own home. How might we create a lakehouse vibe at home? Candles, open windows, a cozy quilt, an early bedtime…I was also fascinated by Jaclyn’s comment that she finds “staycations” more effective for productivity sprints than actual out-of-house writer retreats. And she’s a published author! (Read her books here and here!)
+BESTSELLERS: This shirt continues to reign supreme. Never seen more Magpies buy a single item in the history of this blog!
