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One of the things I’ve learned to do the past few trips — create a packing list using the iPhones Notes function as soon as we set travel plans. Then I add items I want to make sure I bring the minute they cross my mind. (I might be in bed at 11 p.m. and think “I need to remember their goggles!” — then I can deposit that item to the list and move on with my life in peace.) I’ve been saving all of these lists because most of the time, they’re a good blueprint/starting point for future trips, and just need a little customization (e.g., now I have Ski Trip list, a Beach list, a Lake list).
I’ve already detailed some great car and travel activities for children here and here, but today focusing on the gear and schlep side of things. I am in the market for some of these myself as my children get older and our needs change. (For example, we’ll be traveling for over a week in Colorado this summer, and I know I’ll need to find them carry on bags!)
01. For kids duffels/totes, I like the look of these patterned, personalizable ones from M&G, but backpacks are probably the easiest way to ensure they can carry them for some portion of the trip. The State Bags ones are so fun. For something that will grow with them (into teen years), these Calpaks do it all. I like the shoe compartment! And I have friends who swear by the Patagonia Black Hole bags for family travel — they come in a range of sizes and are virtually indestructible, but weigh nothing on their own. Cotopaxi makes similar styles in fun colors.
02. For car travel, I still love these enormous Lands End bags in the XXL size. I have one for each child. My son still sits in a carseat, and this fits comfortably beneath his feet. I like that they’re open top so I can reach back and get whatever I need! I fill them with packing cubes!
03. Speaking of packing cubes: each family member has a different color set so it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. I have these inexpensive ones for the kids. We also have a set of compression cubes if we’re short on space for slightly bulkier items. And purely for aesthetics, how cute is this set of floral patterned ones?
04. Never without a pouch of snacks. Handy to then throw wrappers back inside the pouch.
05. For car travel, blankets are a must! I also find this makes bedtime cozier/easier for them.
06. When they were younger, I’d put them in little ribbed pajama-like sets like these for travel days. Nowadays, I find that’s less important — just make sure they’re wearing layers/something comfortable.
07. Travel white noise machine! Another must. I find the more I can make their new sleeping arrangements feel familiar (the white noise they hear at home, the blankets and stuffies they sleep with) the better. Hatch also has a tiny traveling white noise machine they just released that would have been great for babies still in infant carseats / strollers at all times.
08. These Speck iPhone cases are the best. Super rubbery and thick — and the handle is easy for the kids to hold but can also be used to prop it up at an angle on a table.
09. These small hard-sided suitcases (currently on sale) are cute for little ones! You can personalize with these vinyl stickers.
10. For mama on travel day: a backpack (<<I own and love this, still!) and/or belt bag are so handy for a hands-free life, although this Dagne Dover has a great crossbody strap that would make for easier schlepping. The XL does fit under an airplane seat. And this gender-neutral Cotopaxi would be a good option if you want to be able to share the backpack carrying duties with a spouse.
P.S. The magic and mayhem of traveling with young children.
Over the weekend, I asked Magpies on Instagram what they would tell their 20-year-old selves. The answers to this question always move me, as they pumice away the inessential and collectively point at the simple truths that
life finds a way;
that this, too, shall pass;
and that you must learn to trust yourself, and find joy in the immediate.
Put differently, it will all be OK — so enjoy the good in the present. When I posed this same prompt two years ago, this was in fact the central chorus: it will all be OK, that ultimate emollient of mothering reassurance.
A few that jumped out at me from this batch:
You’ll find more happiness from the things you do for yourself than the things others do for you.
Time is a thief. Live where your feet are and don’t rush to the next thing.
Stop doubting yourself.
Stay open and be vulnerable.
It will look nothing like what you picture, and it will be OK.
To this litany, I would add some fine-grained learnings I have found myself leaning on in recent years:
Not everything will resolve to a fine point. You may never get the apology, the explanation, the final word. You must learn to accept the irresolution.
Maturity hinges on a fine understanding what you can and cannot control. You cannot control the behavior of others; you can control how you respond to it.
Say the thing that needs to be said. But not everything does need to be said. You must learn to discern what matters and let the rest go. This is especially true in marriage: assume the best in your partner; let the rest slick off. For the things that do matter: do not bottle them up or worry unnecessarily about contingencies, possible reactions, and the like. If you made a mistake, own it and apologize for it rather than browbeating and wondering what the other party is thinking. If you are going to be late, let the person know rather than careening through traffic in a fit of stress. Mr. Magpie calls this “getting the monkey off your back.” Look whatever it is in the face, and say what needs to be said.
You can do anything for 24 hours. Words I repeated to myself before the births of my children, but the principle extends elsewhere, especially when I am anticipating an intense exchange with someone, or an unpleasant situation. You are strong, and you can withstand more than you think. Just know that this, too, will be over in a day’s time.
You can start a new 24 hour cycle at any time. A great Magpie reader quote (thanks, Mia!). You do not need to wait for tomorrow to hit the reset button. You can decide at 9:05 a.m. that today is a new day, and get started.
You are not for everyone, and that’s OK. Hard to accept if you are a people-pleaser, but essential to rising above the guilt and emotional contortions that can quagmire and obscure.
An apology asks for nothing. Do not give or receive a “sorry” that involves conditions. If you cannot apologize in earnest, you need to ask yourself why. If someone extends an apology that makes demands, be weary and protect yourself.
Worrying imagines too many endings that never come. And no amount of worrying changes the future. It is difficult to break out of a habit of worrying, but one narrow visual I have been using lately: just because the thought path presents itself doesn’t mean you need to walk down it. When you see the storm clouds gathering (“what if…” and “what about…”), imagine yourself standing at the trailhead and moving in a different direction.
Comparison is the thief of joy. Keep your blinders on; don’t worry about what your neighbor is doing. A more empowering way to think of it: why would we ask directions from someone who has no idea where we want to go? Everyone’s path is different — focus on defining your own.
Drive gently. Give yourself, and others, a soft landing. Life can demand so much of us — fashion yourself as a gentle resting place. You never know what is going on in the inner worlds of those around you; go easy.
When you find yourself judging someone else, ask: what does it matter to me?
How you do anything is how you do everything. Care about the small things. Bring the best and most consistent energy you can to any enterprise, whether making the children’s lunches or making a big work presentation. Mr. Magpie’s dad always says, “the shoes make the man,” and I think this is true in a more abstract sense: how we present ourselves, how we move through our lives, comes down to detail.
You will not always find inspiration, so you must learn to be disciplined. True in every realm I can think of — entrepreneurship, parenthood, fitness, creativity, relationships. You must find ways to muscle through the lean times. Half the battle is showing up.
“Experiment with your life. You will make mistakes. And they are right, too.” Words from Anais Nin – there is no way to say it better! Try the thing! Be unafraid to fail! Bring a “You’re going to love it” energy (courtesy of my Dad)!
“Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” Words from Mary Oliver. Attention is one of the greatest forms of love. Permit yourself to be startled, and delighted, by what you find. In Chicago, I participated in a start-up incubator and one of the mentors once said: “Pessimism is always cooler. But be the optimist. The true entrepreneur is an irrepressible optimist.” I think about that all the time — how it feels cooler, more discerning, to be negative, and how it can feel twee and cheesy to speak in exclamation points. But if you want joy, you must court it!
+Under-$40 eyelet dress if you need something last minute for Easter.
+Really loving these hair products from Roz: this thickening spray and this root lift spray. I’ve been using both and I love the results for my fine, straight hair. You can use a lot of the product without it feeling crispy / gross — truly invisible, and they really work.
+This sunglasses cord is so kitschy and fun. It reminded me in ethos of the cheeky totes from The Jacksons. I own and love one of them — such a fun pop of personality.
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I’ve been on a little shopping spree for my children — all my best finds detailed below:
01. Just bought my son several pairs of Oso & Me shorts — these are my absolute favorites. You can see my tiny three year old son wearing them a few summers ago with Floafers and a Lacoste polo (select colors on sale!) above. A great retro (read: short) length in the best colors. I also love the Cadets and Minnow ones, but find the Oso & Me need the least “care” — they seem to come out of the laundry less wrinkly than the other brands. I also think the contrast color drawstring waist tie is adorable. They run TTS! With this order, I threw one of their striped tees into the cart — I love the look. I always randomly hunt for promo codes and discovered KATE20 got me 20% off my order! Hope it works for you. I don’t know who Kate is, but thanks for the code!
02. Just ordered my children new Natives for the season ahead — lilac for my daughter (because purple is Taylor Swift’s favorite color) and these blue/green ones for my son. I know these are no secret — everyone has them and love them! — and I continue to think they’re the greatest shoe for little kids in the summer. Hose down, no ties, breathable, less likely to fall off a foot than a croc. The colors are amazing. I think I’ll tuck these into the Easter baskets. I also did find a few pairs 50% off at Marshall’s — if you’re lucky, you’ll find your little one’s size! These and these are cute! I’ll probably also buy my son another pair of Floafers — such a cute option for a boy in the summer. Slightly dressier than Natives / work with nicer outfits.
03. I don’t know what it is about boys and socks, but my son destroys his (read: stained them dark brown / spattered with black) within a matter of weeks. (His shoes are also always full of wood chips, mulch, and miscellaneous twigs. Boy things? This never happened with Emory.) Ordered a new set of these after I went on a rampage and threw out all his socks over the weekend.
04. My son plays with Magnatiles constantly. They are one of the few toys we keep permanently out in a bin in our family room — we relegate the rest to their bedrooms, the basement, and the upstairs play area. (We do keep lots of coloring/art materials and games on hand in the family room, though — these feel more appropriate to the space.). I just found these little Magnatile people (all of the magnetic tile brands are interchangeable I’ve found) to add to his Easter basket. (BTW, not sure if the deal will still be going on, but there are some sets of Picasso Tiles that are included in Amazon’s Big Spring sale.)
05. Recent J. Crew kids orders: these shorts for mini; tennis whites (for him: shorts, shirt; for her: shorts, half zip); and a new bikini for my girl. A few other swimsuits I saw and liked while shopping around: this sailboat print for girls and boys; this pom two piece (on super sale); Hunza G (and a look for less from H&M); this textured Old Navy; and this adorable Minnow (it’s in my cart)!
06. At the last minute, we’re taking a little trip over spring break that will entail a hotel pool. I am surprising the kids with a few new dive toys: these gems and these ray gliders. I also have a few others in my cart to buy for summer: penguin diving sticks, Gabby’s Dollhouse diving toys, these dive buddies.
07. Three other pool finds you need to know about: the best lightweight towels (fold down to nothing — I used to keep this in my stroller / diaper bag back when mini would frequent the splash pads of NYC), the best goggles (that elastic strap is SO much better than the usual rubbery kind — doesn’t snag in hair and easier to stretch out and put on head), and reusable water balloons!
09. A rainbow detangling brush for your little lady! I also love the Wet Brush brand ones. I own multiples and our nanny thinks they are superior to Mason Pearson!
10. Soccer season is starting soon! I’ve been hunting down cute athletic wear for my girl. I like these shorts.
11. Mentioned over the weekend, but I love these dry erase chore charts! My children have been super motivated by this. We use less for chores and more for “these are the things that must be done every day.” I find my children are exercising more independence and ownership over the things we are always nagging at them to get done.
12. A few recent activity purchases for upcoming travel / Mass / restaurants / other excursions: this travel game pad, water color pages, pin art toys (I bought two because I know my children will fight over this in the car), dinosaur puffy stickers, Polly Pocket poodle set, these sticker wows.
14. Sitting here trying to pick which color Calpak Luna to buy. I love the new monochrome options. I keep having a need for stowing kids athletic wear / something smaller to schlep after school outfit changes and accessories and think this is perfect.
P.P.P.S. Have been working to keep my Amazon shop updated! Wanted to specifically mention that a Magpie found my obsessed-over platform sandal on sale for under $200 on Amazon. Linked here!
By: Jen Shoop
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Now if the weather would only cooperate…! I did a try on of several of the new dresses I have on tap for upcoming special occasions — a dinner party, an oyster roast, a child’s birthday party where most of us parents are conveniently really good friends (and the party therefore feels like a party for us, too), and a date with Mr. Magpie are all on deck!
Several of the dresses in this roundup were gifted to me by Few Moda, including this one, which reminded me of a style by SEA. I’ve been curious about Few Moda forever and have heard good things from several Magpies who have tried. You can either pay a fee up front to get heavy discounts on everything you order, or pay more a la carte for individual items. The prices are very reasonable regardless, and they produce many of their garments in the same factories as higher end brands. (For example, this one is produced by the same factory that produces SEA’s dresses.) I wasn’t sure I needed another smocked dress but this one is an absolute dream in a soft, gauzey material that I could sleep in, and I will 100% be wearing this — probably to a date night with Landon. I like the slightly lower neckline and the dramatic sleeves, which take the dress in an unexpectedly sexier direction.
I feel a little cruel sharing this one as it’s now sold out, and it is SO good — the pattern reminds me of something Emilia Wickstead might have released! — but the brand’s founder, Tara Moni, indicated that restocks are likely, so sign up for an alert! I will be wearing this to the child’s birthday party. It’s breezy, chic, effortless, fun.
I know many, many of you ordered this dress, too. She’s a stunner – I literally can’t believe the price point ($129!). The pattern is so elegant / high-end, and the color soft and romantic. Slip dresses are having a moment, too, and I couldn’t help myself. I took a size 2 and the fit is perfect (I’m typically a size 0, FYI). I styled this imagining a summer wedding (of which I have been invited to ZERO — we are officially in a different age category; all our friends are married off!), but can easily convert this into a date night situation with flat sandals and a jean jacket over top. (This one’s great for layering over slip dresses because it’s snug/fitted — but very stretchy, so not restrictive — and I like the contrast between the raw hem and the refined silkiness of the dress. You can see me wearing mine with another slip dress here (scroll down). I also REALLY love this oversized denim jacket from La Ligne, which makes everything feel cooler? The fit is fab. Just boxy/oversized enough. La Ligne really knows how to cut a garment for max coolness – they just get it. You can see me layering mine over a Doen dress here — scroll down. Also, reminder that MAGPIE10 gets you 10% off at La Ligne.)
BTW, I’m wearing my forever favorite Alexandre Birman Claritas below. They are high — I can’t believe I used to wear these all the time! I’m such a wimp nowadays. But, as high heels go, these are pretty wearable, and they go with absolutely everything in your closet. Like, any cocktail dress or formal dress — these will match. In a similar vein, but less expensive and slightly lower heel: these Larroudes, which people have told me are very comfortable!
Runs a bit big — I’m not sure I’d suggest sizing down, but if you’re between sizes, take your smaller size. This reminds me so much of the Reformation Tagliatelle dress, but over $100 less (even less expensive if you are a member of Few Moda) and would be perfect for a spring wedding (I’d pair with these sandals!) or a romantic date night. One thing that jumped out at me about this dress: it’s a linen blend, which means it’s very soft — softer than linen / not scratchy at all.
Oooo this dress is FUN. The color palette, the dramatic OTS situation, the flounce at the hem! A great birthday party dress. I am contemplating wearing this to the Oyster Roast I mentioned with some fun hoop earrings. I took an XXS in this. As you can see on the site, you can also wear with the straps/sleeves on the shoulder, but I prefer the OTS look.
OK, I’m not usually a mini girl (one of my girlfriends and I joke that we haven’t seen our knees since 2010), but this dress was too fun to pass up. It reminded me of the styles from Juliet Dunn and the color sparks SERIOUS joy. This dress runs big (I took an XS, and wish there were a smaller size), but you can cinch it up at the waistline so it still works. This would be fun for drinks with girlfriends, or a tropical trip somewhere. I love the ric rac trim at the hem!
With the exception of the Bardot dress I styled with heels, I wore these Margaux sandals with all of the dresses above and they work with every last one. I absolutely ADORE them. They’re similar in ethos to our favorite Ancient Greeks, but the ankle wrap adds a little something else? I ordered in the rose nappa color. One thing I love about Margaux is that they offer a wide range of sizes and widths. I’m technically a 34.5 (!! tiniest feet ever) and usually just make do with a 35 that’s a tad too big. So nice to find a brand that really fits!
A few other absolutely gorgeous spring dresses to consider:
04. Of course you know I love all things Doen — a saw Monica de La Villardière wearing this one and I think I have to have it. Again, not usually a mini girl, but it’s just so sweet.
06. This Oliphant dress is dreamy — I’m imagining it for a backyard party / rose with friends / etc.
07. Just launched a week or so ago, and nearly all sold out, but this Tuckernuck is SO good. Love the pattern and shape of the dress.
08. I own this caftan in a different color and it’s a TOTAL stunner. The detail, the sash, the crispness of the fabric — a 10.
09. This Mi Golondrina is right up my alley. The stripes, the loose fit, the airy ease of it all! You know, one of my top litmus tests when buying a dress that I have no specific occasion in mind for is: is it a barefoot dress? The kind of thing I will really throw on with bare feet and pad around the house in? If so, I’ll probably get a good cost per wear out of it. Mille’s Saffron dress is this way — my favorite thing to throw on in the evenings and I now own it in three patterns…and this Mi Golondrina fits the same bill.
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Two-Headed Calf
Tomorrow when the farm boys find this freak of nature, they will wrap his body in newspaper and carry him to the museum.
But tonight he is alive and in the north field with his mother. It is a perfect summer evening: the moon rising over the orchard, the wind in the grass. And as he stares into the sky, there are twice as many stars as usual.
-Laura Gilpin
The crux of being different, of seeing the world differently: its ostracism (or worse) alongside its instrinsic reward. Here is this differently-abled, differently-shaped being who sees twice as many stars as any other soul — ! (Who is the richer in this scenario?) The scene’s poignancy also depends on the calf’s lack of self-awareness. He knows nothing of tomorrow, or the farm boys it will bring: only that he has a mother who loves him and stands next to him in the field.
The poem jumped out at me this week for several reasons. First, I am often thinking about normalizing “the different” with my children, an impulse shaped by my daughter’s eye condition and the fact that my sister was bullied terribly in elementary school, and for no ostensible reason beside her own genius and special way of being. To a much less painful degree, I considered myself an outsider in my tween and early teen years, too. Perhaps most of us feel that way at that cruel and ungainly age, but I remember, with sharpness, the first day of high school, the way I longed to be one of the girls who had an older sister who’d shown her how to wear her uniform and her hair. (I’d mismanaged both.) The pain was acute, and I felt its biting presence in countless other interactions, or as was more often the case, non-interactions: not being invited places, not having a date to the dance, not knowing what to wear on free dress days, not having anyone to carpool with, not having a permanent lunch group. It took weeks before I settled into a friend group, and even then, I was not sure I’d found my home. For all of these reasons, I find myself rushing to correct my children, the television, the books we are reading, myself when “othering” tones emerge. We talk a lot at home about how different people do things differently. How it’s OK if X family has Y rule while we have Z, how A friend does B activity while we do C. My husband recently said “wouldn’t it be boring if everyone was the same?” This seemed to resonate with my seven year old. (There’s a great book by Sesame Street on difference that chimes a similar chord and was a bedtime staple for years for both of my children.) Still, I see us chugging along towards the cliquey years of girlhood with my daughter with a sense of dread.
I was also receptive to the sentiments because I fell down a Substack hole on Tuesday afternoon and discovered the beautiful words of Hanif Kureishi, a writer who collapsed in Rome in 2021 and permanently injured his spine and neck. He has been publishing introspections on his blog with the help of his son, as he is no longer able to use his own hands. There is a poetry to this arrangement: the way we translate for our children when they are too young to speak, and here is a child returning the favor for his parent. I am moved by their implied intimacy. There is something about the early stages of writing, of manipulating words and deleting lines and stringing them back together, that feels terribly vulnerable — something I would find challenging to do with an audience, even of closest kin. All good writing starts with bad drafts. It is lumpy, misshapen, barely there. How humbling to perform those initial, often-off-key strummings in front of a loved one. But — life finds a way, art finds a way. To wit, Bertolt Brecht’s short poem, “Motto”: “In the dark times, Will there also be singing? Yes, there will also be singing. About the dark times.” The creative impulse heeds no traffic signs: it moves according to its own prerogative for self-expression.
Kureishi writes boldly about the changes his injury and disability have brought upon his life, and one of his posts moved me to tears:
“When I went to the gym this afternoon and saw all the patients with their broken or malformed bodies being manipulated and caressed by the physiotherapists, something in me changed.
I thought, if you only watch the news and tv shows, you would have the impression that the world is only a harsh place, inhabited by money-grubbing and narcissistic individuals. When you see the mutual work done in the gym, it is a place of beauty, collaboration and respect.
Many of the patients I have spoken to are aware that those on the outside world are appalled, if not afraid, of those with disabilities. It is as if having a disability were contagious, which it is.
Most of us at some time in our lives will suffer from a catastrophic health crisis which will make us feel isolated and afraid. But it is as if we want to believe that we live in a world of many healthy and well-functioning people. We do not.”
He writes later on:
“The Hungarian psychoanalyst Sándor Ferenczi wrote, I have heard, a paper about remarkable children who have been traumatized. The trauma, according to him, produces an incredibly rapid growth spurt because the child has to develop fast in order to comprehend and organise himself around the new horror.
I am aware of this in my own life; as a teenager I was so traumatised by racism and the unpleasantness of the school I was attending at the time that I began to read and write at a remarkable rate.
I was far more developed than my peers. Trauma saved me and made me into a writer. Something similar is happening here, I am finding a way to cope with the horror of my recent accident.”
I thought, of course, of the two-headed calf poem, about the way life’s cruelties can also transform our vision. Life can put such tremendous pressure on us, and yet we can emerge gem-like, spectacularly transfigured.
The poem, alongside the Kureishi’s words and the context from which he writes them, feel as though they do not belong to me, but isn’t one of the most powerful agencies of art the way it invites us to bear witness? I feel today my heart stretched wide.
What else from this week, friends?
Goody bags of various types: the Veronica Beard (the bag is actually named “The Goody”), a grocery bag of Trader Joe treats (they have some really cute small sized packages of treats perfect for Easter baskets), and a little bundle of beauty favorites I sent off to a Magpie last week. I had written on Instagram how much joy I find in discovering and testing new beauty products (many recommended but you all), and how I’d come across several recently thanks to your sharing your “Everything Shower” routines, and I wanted to pay it forward, so I randomly selected an Instagram follower to send a little bundle of beauty surprises to. You’ll notice the package included Goop Beauty (my favorite Goop products here) and UBeauty (20% off with JENSHOOP). This lip plasma set is such a great, splurgey gift for a girlfriend/mother who is also beauty obsessed.
Also this week: began getting my Easter tabletop sorted. In the Roundhouse sent me a suite of beautiful pieces in pink and green that will be the centerpoint — nearly all of which are currently 25% off with code EASTER25, through today only. The discount makes the shipping more palatable! (The company is based in Australia.). The tulip platter is my favorite, but I also love the bold striped plates, the cutlery, the glasses…! All so eye-catching and punchy. Of course the old Amazon moss bunnies vie for their place in the sun, too. (There’s still time to order outfits and decor for Easter!)
Also wanted to mention that everything from In the Roundhouse arrives beautifully boxed — any of these would make spectacular gifts. The presentation is perfect! You could just tie the box with a satin ribbon, (no wrapping paper needed), and it would be gorgeous. I love companies that pay attention to that sort of thing. I ordered some coasters from The Roundhouse as a hostess gift for a girlfriend hosting a games and cocktails night this weekend. I’d strongly rec throwing a set or two into your order so you have them on hand! (If you’re stateside, you can also buy them from Shopbop and get free, fast shipping.)
Final note on RoundHouse: I couldn’t resist plating one of our Jeni’s ice cream sandwiches on the striped plate. How perfect a match?! Also a reminder that desserts don’t always need to be fancy, homemade, etc — how charmed would you be if your hostess emerged from the kitchen with a tray of Jeni’s ice cream sandwiches for dessert?! The wrapper alone…!
Not from Roundhouse, but how beyond cute and fun are these superlative place cards from paperie Dear Annabelle? Seeing this spread of colorful tabletop finds and these cards makes me want to throw an intimate spring dinner for a few girlfriends…also: Dear Annabelle is offering us 15% off with code JEN15.
A few other snapshots from the week: 1) a gorgeous new dress from Australian label Maggie, which is beginning to expand its reach into America. I cannot wait to style it (and several other warm weather dresses on my rack, including this Mille and this Few Moda!) but it has been cold here this week, and I couldn’t bring myself to try it on, even inside, with the heat blasting. On Thursday, it was 23 degrees when we woke up, and I begrudgingly fished my boots out of the closet and layered myself appropriately — you can see what I wore in the photo at the very top of this post. 2) New nude/blush sandals to wear everywhere. How gorgeous is the leather ankle wrap? I loved the neutral color, too. I didn’t have anything like these in my closet and I feel like they’ll be another great “dress up or dress down” option. 3) Another shoe I loved from this week, but did not bring home with me: a perfect Chanel spring tweed ballet flat, spotted at Saks. 4) Nori’s ironing-board-free steam iron! I had been intrigued by this contraption for a long time and was delighted when the brand reached out and offered me one. It really is an ordeal to get the ironing board out — I use my handheld Rowenta steamer 90% of the time, unless it’s something that really needs a good press. (I’ll be honest, I prefer to iron my beloved Soldout NYC Everything shirt — hope that isn’t disincentivizing to anyone!) I have been contemplating upgrading my steamer to a professional grade one — I still think I might. The Nori press works really well on cuffs, collars, tie belts/sashes, pants (!), and the part of the top sheet you have folded out and showing. Harder to use on bigger swaths of fabric / dresses / etc. I will definitely be folding this into the rotation! 5) The sleepwear brand HA Designs sent me the most gorgeous surprise in the mail — monogrammed pajamas! They are ultra soft, almost a ribbed cotton material. Would be gorgeous for a bride!
Lastly, my limited-time promo code for Anthropologie’s bedding, bath, and pillows expires on Tuesday (3/26) — use JEN20 for 20% off. Great opportunity to snag these pretty towels on sale.
P.P.S. Organized all my recent Amazon finds and orders here. At the last minute, we decided to go away for part of my children’s spring break, and I am racing to get organized for pool days! We need new dive toys, goggles, all the things. You can see a few of my finds in this roundup. My daughter loves her Bling20 goggles but I have to say, these Speedo ones are infinitely better. The thin elastic strap in the back is SO much easier to get on and off heads, and doesn’t snag hair as easily. Lots of great color combos and new patterns, too!
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What I Loved This Week.
+WATCHING: Shōgun on Hulu, a miniseries that follows “the collision of two ambitious men from different worlds and a mysterious woman samurai,” set in 16th Century Japan. I am hooked. It has the empire building and culture clashing elements of “Game of Thrones” with less-lurid violence and, so far, better script-writing. Cosmo Jarvis, who plays the adventurous and clever English sailor John Blackthorne, is fantastic (and swoonworthy) as one of the leads.
+INSPIRED BY:Courtney Grow in red pants (mentioned earlier this week! — she’s wearing $1300 The Row pants, but I think these Sezane crops would nail the vibe for less) and dramatic liberty florals from Horror Vacui, seen on both the brand’s model and on street style starlet / Pilates instructor Alice Pilate. (I bought a Horror Vacui skirt several years ago that I still wear season after season, and it never fails to fetch compliments. You can find great past-season options on TRR, or get the look for less with this Doen.)
+HANDBAG TREND: Courtney is wearing The Row’s Idaho bag above, which reminds me that a lot has been written over the past year about the return of the East-West bag. A few I love in this general shape: Savette’s pochettes, Pam Munson’s Park tote, Demellier’s Vancouver clutch, Hereu’s Fleca bag, and this Amazon steal?! I added these and a few others to my “trending handbags for spring” collection here!
+LISTENING TO: The incredible birdsong in my backyard! I use the Cornell Bird Lab Merlin app to identify which birds I’m hearing — the app will “listen” and ID them for you. The most prominent (and, in my opinion, most charmingly singsong) is nearly always a Northern cardinal. A few weeks ago, I shared that many, including myself, believe that cardinals are signs that those who have passed are with us, and a Magpie reader wrote to me to share this ditty:
+LAUNCHING: DVF launched a diffusion line with Target this morning! Historically, these collabs sell out quickly! I am partial to DVF because I considered her wrap dresses the ultimate work wardrobe investment when I was fresh out of college. I’d save up my money and sift through the sale racks at Neiman’s and Intermix for discounted dresses and managed to amass a handful that I absolutely loved. I remember Katie Couric wore a red sleeveless patterned DVF wrap dress once and I had to have it — and I was able to track it down and make it mine! I wore it with such pride. And when my best friend landed a big job in finance, we made our way to the DVF in Meatpacking and she bought her first wrap dress there, too. Anyway, BIG fan. I am a little underwhelmed by the shapes/silhouettes in this collection, but I absolutely love this matching set: top, skirt. I had a really cute romper from DVF in that exact shape that I loved. I wonder where it went?!
+DRINKING: A pina verde, from Punch Drink (<<recipe linked). We had a very ripe pineapple on hand so Mr. Magpie made some fresh pineapple juice and came across this recipe, which also stars cream of coconut, lime, and green chartreuse. Such a fun Saturday evening drink. P.S. All my thoughts on making great cocktails at home here.
+JOAN DIDION LORE: I love Joan Didion’s famous packing list from her days as an itinerant journalist. So sparing and calculated, and yet clearly the result of much trial and error as well as thoughtful deference to her own comfort and routine. The list of a woman who knows herself, is it not? It’s made me think about what we take with us and why — what it essential and not, how we care for or neglect ourselves. I’m afraid I’m not much of an essentialist. In fact, I am a persistent overpacker. But this, too, reveals: I have trained myself to imagine in multiples. There is never one set and bound itinerary. We might do this, I could see myself wanting to wear this, and what if we decide to run into the ocean? What might be on your “essential packing list”? Do you find the task similarly challenging? What does it say about you?
+CLEANSING: I think I’ve found the perfect face wash: OSEA’s Marine Cleanser (10% off with MAGPIE10). I’ve been writing enthusiastically about this since the day I started using. You can really feel it working — cleansing! — but does not leave skin too tight. It really feels like it accomplishes something other than just sudsing on your face!
+SHOPPING: Two new candles for spring, from my favorite (slightly more reasonably priced) candle purveyor, Linnea: rosewater and rhubarb (10% off with code MAGPIE10)! For a splurge, I’m obsessed with all the scents from Cire Trudon — complex, rich, fabulous. I also have a fun package from Emerson Fry en route that includes this top I’d been eyeing for weeks!
What You’re Loving.
+PEANUT BUTTERS: Who knew so many Magpies were peanut butter aficionados? Your comments on this post did not disappoint. The top recs that came through, from all over the U.S.!:
TEDDIE (TOP VOTE GETTER — WE’VE BEEN USING AND LOVING — FROM MASSACHUSETTS)
+PRODUCE CLEANING: A lot of questions about our produce-washing routine (in response to this post). This article from America’s Test Kitchen does a better and more reputable job of explaining! I do think it’s important to let washed produce drain in a colander and then fully dry on kitchen towels if you’re washing in advance — otherwise, the moisture from the solution expedites molding! We use this pretty little glass jar (with spoon!) to keep the Arm and Hammer out on the countertop without the unsightly box.
+MAGIC PLATFORMS: OK, we both loved these. I keep speaking in exclamation points about them. You need them! Buy while on sale here. Several of you also chimed in to let me know you own, love, and wear them constantly in warm weather.
+OTHER BESTSELLERS: Lots of dresses this week! I love the ones you picked. I own nearly everything in this collage with the exception of the Doen dress and this Khaite-inspired tote (currently on sale)…do I need them?!
In this day of remote work, what does your lunch look like?
A colleague of Mr. Magpie’s recently posited that it is poor etiquette to eat while on a Zoom call. He and I conferred and felt this was not a bad bright line rule (no one wants to watch someone else eat…), but that there are circumstances to consider that might lend themselves to more flexible principles. For example, is this a quick, recurring chat with a direct report or a high-stakes presentation you’re helming? Will you mainly be looking at shared screens? Is it an enormous all-hands where most screens will be turned off anyway? Etc. And what if you are in meetings all day — what then? I thought back to my days in an office and remembered many conversations and informal meetings held at the lunch table, or while picking around salads around a desk. Has the screen culture upended that working lunch concept? Is it more or less unpleasant to listen to someone munching on a screen than to sit a few paces away from them in a room? Do speakers need to be turned off?
What do you think?
More generally, what does your lunch look like on an average workday?
I have a cushioned set of working circumstances: I am self-employed, set my own schedule, and can push things around as I please. I do have phone calls a few times a week, and I am draconian about showing up for those calls (e.g., not pushing them around or rescheduling at the last minute), but I tend to cluster these between 1-3 in the afternoon, as I find myself most creatively productive in the morning hours, and then like to leave an hour window for lunch and unwind (a buffer!) between 12-1. Last year, I committed to “no at-the-desk lunches,” and the habit has stuck. I had been finding myself mindlessly inhaling my lunch around the keyboard, which I hated, especially given how thoughtful Mr. Magpie is about our meals, including lunch fare. We nearly always plan our lunches 1-3 days in advance! Sometimes this just means issuing a placeholder (“we’re planning to order in tomorrow – we’ll figure out what we want in the morning”), but more often than not, it looks like: “let’s thaw out soup on Tuesday, make a salad on Wednesday, have dinner leftovers Thursday,” which entails reheating, ingredient-fetching, and other prepwork. Mr. Magpie and I eat lunch together almost every single day, knees knocking at the kitchen counter. I’ll push the timing around to accommodate his meeting schedule, but we usually aim for noon. We put on music, we catch up, we tackle STPs (Shoop Talking Points), and then we clean the kitchen together and go our separate ways. It feels delightfully civilized — and also like a breath of fresh air after sitting in the stale for too long.
Every week’s lunches look a little different, but in the past week, we enjoyed: homemade tomato soup and a radish-lettuce salad tossed with creamy dill dressing, Pho Nom Nom’s banh mis (seen above), leftover Persian food from Joon’s out in Tyson’s (very, very good).
+This couscous salad makes an excellent lunch. It keeps well in the fridge. My mouth is watering thinking about it!
+We compiled all Magpie recipes into beautiful cards for your kitchen! Get the recipe card collection in your inbox here.
Shopping Break.
+Madewell has released a mesh flat — get the Khaite look for a fraction of the price, especially while the brand is running a 25% off promo! Also love these 90s straight jeans (esp in the white/ecru color) and this Khaite-inspired tote so many of you snapped up already. (The mini version is also really cute.)
+Gorgeous embroidered linen caftan. Also *love* the caftans from Asha. Either of these would be such pretty options for a maternity or newborn shoot. Or a family portrait on a beach!
+The new new for keeping little hands busy in car / restaurant / waiting room.
+These freezable snack pouches were the best gear purchase I made for my children this year. They actually keep the interior cold all day long, so you can pack cut fruit, yogurt pouches, cheese/salami without worrying it will spoil or get gross and slimy. They also have freezable lunchboxes but that might start to take up too much precious space in the freezer! I find two pouches fit nicely into one of the shelves on the door of our freezer. Several Magpie moms have also raved about the products from this brand for stowing/saving breast milk. Genius.
+One thing I missed in my Amazon Big Spring Sale roundup yesterday: these Sorbus bins. They are my absolute favorite for organization. In the medium, the perfect size for corralling oils / vinegars / baking ingredients / snack packs in a pantry, or shampoos / lotions / etc in a linen closet. It really is the perfect size – not too big that it’s unwieldy but not too small that it doesn’t fit what you need in there.
+A great midweight transitional cardigan to throw on over everything. Upgrade pick: Jenni Kayne.
+Speaking of Jenni Kayne — this under-$150 linen dress feels like something from Jenni Kayne: chic, artful, neutral weekend wear to live in.
+My children have been loving these dry erase chore charts. We’re honestly using them less for chore tracking and more to encourage them to be accountable for the little steps that need to be completed each day that we find ourselves constantly nudging them about — like finishing homework, wearing eye patch (my daughter has amblyopia and still wears a patch for an hour a day), laying out uniform. I find my daughter actually does these things with alacrity because she likes to check the box. We’ll see how long this lasts, but I’m encouraged.
+Just ordered these fun $14 shell earrings. They remind me in shape / style / chunkiness of the earrings from Aureum. You might remember I own and love these knots — almost always wearing them or my pearls during the week — and Aureum offered us 20% off sitewide with code JENS20.
+These indoor fans might be the most attractive fans I’ve ever seen. Gorgeous!
+Have been eyeing a Hunza G suit for my girl — I think she’d love the look/fit, and they are OSFA so you can get years of wear out of them, which is compelling, and drives the cost per wear down considerably. Also found these $14 Hunza G-inspired swimsuits at H&M — the lavender would be cute tucked into an Easter basket!
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A smattering of sales, launches, and newsworthy discoveries this Thursday:
+Sezane released its chic “Le Crop” jeans in a really fab tomato red color. I am obsessed with the idea of red jeans ever since I saw Courtney Grow in this outfit. I own Le Crops from Sezane in a different wash — super fun / chic / different, but size up! While you’re at Sezane, this $160 raffia crossbody is giving major Loewe-meets-Mansur-Gavriel vibes at a great pricepoint.
+Amazon is running a “Big Spring Sale,” and I was delighted to see Avene’s Cicalfate cream (seen above) was included. This was a Magpie reader rec many times over and I completely used up my first tube, so took advantage of the sale to re-up. It’s a wonder cream if skin is dry / irritated — it nursed my skin back to life when I’d dried it out trying to use a retinol cream. I linked a few other great finds that are a part of the spring sale here, including my favorite inexpensive leggings and this power washer, which would be a great buy while on sale — blast all of winter / cobwebs / debris off of your kids’ bikes, your outdoor rugs, etc! I’m beginning to think ahead to summer…
+Calpak just released its popular Luna bag in several chic new colors. I saw a chic pea carrying one of these in a great blue color at the airport on the way back from Tulum — it seemed so practical yet attractive! I’ve also heard it’s great as a gym bag / diaper bag.
+Dorsey just released all of its chic cocktail rings in gold settings! I have this stunner in the sterling silver (you can see it in the top photo here), and it is a really fab piece to pull out for the evening. I’m also newly intrigued by these “Lucien earrings” that just became available for pre-order — apparently they sell out every time they become available. Finally, this pretty station bracelet that has been out of stock forever is available for pre-order and shipping in early April. I think this would be such a gorgeous gift for a Maid of Honor. I feel like it goes with absolutely anyone’s style — classic, feminine, edgy, etc!
+I just spent way too much searching for all-white (including white sole) tennis shoes for my daughter — a requirement where she’ll be taking lessons this spring — and polled several mom friends with tennis-playing children and the options are hideous! I ended up reordering these under-$30 ones from last summer in the size up. (Kids can slip into them and velcro closed on the top themselves — neither of my children can yet tie their shoes! My children also really liked these shoes from tennis camp last summer and I notice that they really stabilize the foot well.) I was torn between these Asics and the less expensive Amazon ones and decided they were probably a toss up, so went for the pair almost $20 cheaper! If anyone has a better choice, LMK! I’ve also been snapping up tennis whites for the children — J. Crew is a surprisingly good source for this gear. My son loves these “active” shorts (available in white) so I got some of those and these performance white polos — at the time of writing, both are 50% off. I also got my daughter these shorts and this half-zip to supplement a few tennis skirts / polos / dresses we have from last summer that still fit.
+Last but not least, a few diamonds in the rough in the kids section of the Saks Friends & Family sale: a Lacoste polo dress for your little lady, Ralph Lauren linen oxfords and flat front shorts for your wee man, and the sweetest little bikini, under $30, down from almost $80!
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When I was studying abroad (why is that time in my life weighing so heavily on my mind these days, I wonder? Clearly my subconscious is telling me something), fitness as we now know it (and even as I then knew it from my roost at an American university) wasn’t really a thing in Lyon. I found one dingy gym a few blocks from my apartment near Place Bellecour — a steamy, distressingly small room cluttered with stairmasters and ellipticals — and signed up for a ridiculous sum of money, as I was accustomed to the collegiate girl routine of “working out” after class, before “going out” in the evenings, and felt that incorporating this habit into my new life in France would make me feel more at home. I was perplexed to learn that many of the French patrons would exercise in street clothes — think jeans and a t-shirt! — or change into and out of their day clothes in the narrow locker room in the back without showering. Few would arrive in athletic wear. Looking back, I was assuredly infringing on an invisible social norm by strutting into the studio decked out in my Nike Tempo shorts and Virginia tees. One afternoon, on my way to the gym, a group of young French men heckled me from their car on Rue Auguste Comte, crescendoing to a loud round of: “Tu es sportive!” catcalls, which translates roughly as “You’re sporty!” Mr. Magpie and I laughed about it for years. What an odd come-on? Especially as the coup de grace of their heckle session? It’d be like yelling: “You’re a brunette!” or “You’re wearing a dress!” (…OK?)
But just last week, I came down the stairs in running leggings and a Nike tee, and Mr. Magpie yelled, out of the blue: “Tu es sportive!” — of course I’ll take that catcall.
In that spirit, a few fitness finds for the season ahead, in a confetti of great colors, so you can privately compliment yourself with “tu es sportive” the next time you get ready to exercise —
02. Greatness Wins half-zip (20% off with JEN20) — this new brand was founded by Derek Jeter and Misty Copeland. I love the details on the half-zip; very high quality.
04. Nike jacket. Speaking of Nike: they are offering 50% off as a part of their spring sale. These waffle debut sneakers have been very popular among Magpies over the past year (non-athletic, more for casual fashion wear), but if you’re a runner, do not miss their Infinity Runs. I know I’ve shared these before, but these running leggings (also included in the sale, seen above!) are my absolute favorite. They have a good amount of stretch (not AS compressive as other styles) and have a great sleek, moisture-wicking performance material.
07. Spanx ribbed straight dress. You might remember that I fell in love with and wore heavily the Lululemon Align dress last summer — one of my favorite things to wear while in the backyard with the kids, or going for a walk with my neighbors! Easy Saturday.
08. Left on Friday leggings and bra — super stretchy and comfortable, with a performance sheen to them.
09. For golf: love the look of this skort with this polo. I think I’m going to buy a pair of golf shoes this year, and like the sneaker-looking styles from Nike, like this and this.
For post-workout-lounge, I love this sweatshirt and sweat shorts combo from Vuori, and this shorts set from Frank and Eileen.
I also recently bought my daughter some cute athletic/lounge wear pieces from Gap, including this sweatshirt and the matching shorts.
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Saks is offering 25% off new arrivals as a part of their Friends & Family sale, and this includes the magical platform shoes I’ve been yapping about. If you are petite, I know you will order them and thank me later. Mr. Magpie took me out on a date last Friday and I wore them for the first time and we joked that I had spontaneously developed a new personality. I can’t explain it, but being 2-3″ taller than I actually am without the pain of heels is a true joy. The sale also includes…
Next up: Net-A-Porter is offering 20% off orders of $500+ and 25% off orders of $750+. Those are steep price thresholds to cross, but if you have been eyeing a statement handbag, formal dress, or pair of designer shoes, now’s the time to leap. A few top picks:
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I’ve become an enormous fan of Goop Beauty over the past few years. It started with the GoopGlow Microderm Exfoliator (full review here), which a friend of mine sold me on by telling me “I always have to have a back up for my back up.” I’m addicted to it! I use it every few days, and especially if I’m trying to refresh myself before going out in the evening. There is really nothing else like it — instant facial! The exfoliator is my top recommended beauty product from the Goop line, but I’ve gradually added to my collection, and have come to rely on several other products as well. Sharing all my other favorites below, and note that I have a code for 15% off all Goop beauty products — SHOOP15.
My Goop Beauty Favorites.
01. Goop Glow Serum. Back in stock, finally! I was out of this for a few months and SPRINTED to re-up when they re-released it earlier this month. It has one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C you can find on the market, plus hyaluronic acid. For my skin, Vitamin C is the most consistently effective way to achieve radiance and glow. I’ve described it elsewhere as “turning the lights on.” I have tried and loved several Vitamin C products from other brands, and think this Goop formula is one of the best, alongside Biossance’s oil and Maya Chia’s Super Lift. (If you aren’t a fan of oils / runny serums, the Maya Chia is nice because it’s more like a lightweight lotion, but similarly effective.) If you’re on a budget, look no further than Mad Hippie’s $30 formula. Excellent, too – I’d put it in the same category as Goop, Biossance, and Maya Chia (and I’ve tried a lot of Vitamin C products!) What draws me to Goop’s formula is the hyaluronic acid component — I recently had my makeup done and the artist applied hyaluronic acid to my skin first. I really noticed a difference in my skin’s texture / brightness / suppleness (?) because of it.
02. Goop Himalayan Salt Scrub. The antecedent to a great hair day. I use this any time my hair feels oily and especially in the summer (get rid of all the chlorine, sand, sunscreen, sweat, etc.) A staple in my Everything Shower lineup. Christophe Robin has a similar formula but I’ve gradually come to prefer Goop’s — I love the way it suds/foams up and volumizes somehow.
03. Goop Colorblur Cheek Balm. Similar in concept to Merit but a little less oily and more pigmented — and with noticeably longer staying power. I love the Merit balms so much (colors are fab, and they are fool-proof when it comes to application — easy to layer, blur, blend), but I will say they don’t last all day. Goop sticksaround, but you must be a little more precise with application. You can still apply with fingers, but you need to dapple it. I especially love the Afterglow color. I know it looks dark in the photo but it yields the prettiest cold weather flush. (I’ve elsewhere described this as a Winona Ryders-running-through-the-snow kind of effect.). I have almost all of the colors!
04. Goop Nourishing Repair Body Butter. A really good, heavy-duty body moisturizer. Scent-free for those sensitive to perfumes. I personally wish it came in a scented option, too, but this stuff is really effective for dead-of-winter dry skin. I went through two tubs of it this winter – I’d layer on top of my Hanni products (in-shower splash salve, post-shower water balm spray) in the dryest winter months. My feet and ankles are always especially dry and I needed something intensive.
05. Goop Luminous Cleansing Balm. One of their newer products — I love this. I’m a huge fan of using a balm to remove all makeup as a first step, and then washing with a cleanser. I also like the formulas from Elemis and Farmacy, and Goop’s is somewhere between the two in consistency — not as oily as Elemis or as dry (?) as Farmacy.
06. Goop Clean Nourishing Lip Balm. If you’re a balm girl, you need this. The pink is perfect for everyday wear — the sweetest kiss of color with a great moisturizing texture. I keep these in most of my handbags — easy to apply on the go — and a great alternative when I’m not wanting to have a glossy lip. (Otherwise, I wear my UBeauty lip plasma — reminder you can get 20% off with code JENSHOOP. If I want matte color, I am totally hooked on Trish McEvoy’s Easy Lip Color in shade Gentle.)
While we’re talking Goop, I have to say I’m deeply impressed with their in-house clothing line, G. Label. The pieces are spendy but the quality matches the price, and everything is meant to be “an upscale basic” you can wear a zillion ways. A few of my friends have bought their knitwear on my rec, and love it. (Two of my girlfriends own this Noah cardigan, which I also own and adore.) I find the cardigans run pretty snug/small, FYI (I own two of their cardigans!) Otherwise, the pieces seem to run TTS. This sweater, which I own in the fuchsia color, is spectacular!
Goop Beauty Promo Code.
Reminder that you can get 15% off your order of all Goop Beauty or G Label products with SHOOP15!
P.S. Loved learning how you handle skincare while traveling. (Comments are fascinating and pull us in lots of different directions! Just goes to show there is no one right way to do anything.)
