Jen Shoop, Author at Magpie by Jen Shoop

By: Jen Shoop

This was my first experience reading Emily Henry, and — where have I been? Many of you had written to urge me to read her books when looking for a juicy “NOBR” (North of Beach Read), and the consensus seems to be that her earlier books (specifically Book Lovers) are her best.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It read like cinema, which is unsurprising inasmuch as her previous books have been optioned for movie rights — clearly, Henry knows how to paint with a big screen brush. I found myself torn between dream-casting the main characters and feeling exasperated by the ridiculous premise and subsequent situations in which the characters find themselves. But halfway through the novel, I was chatting with a friend along these lines, and she said: “But who cares? She’s giving us what we want,” and a bell went off somewhere deep inside my mind. It’s true, the narrative structure is laughably improbable (the entire set-up: a former couple decide to pretend they are still together for a weekend so as not to upset their friends, “forcing them” to feign physical attraction, obscure their angst, and secretly fall in love again), but aren’t there entire genres dedicated to wild realms of fantasy? Why must this one conform to some semblance of “believability” just by virtue of its implied closeness to reality? By that I mean: this is not a novel where we encounter flying dragons or time travel or mutant creatures from the future. This is a novel that takes place in Maine, that names real things, real brands, real emotions. That by all accounts tracks with surprising candor and accuracy the ways in which people fall in love and make friends and find fault in themselves and choose the wrong paths and work through those undulations of spirit. And so I suppose it “feels like” the plot should bear equal credulity — but it does not. You know that famous Great Awakening era fustian from the 1730s we all learned about in grade school — “sinners in the hands of an angry god?” The characters in this novel are “lovers in the hands of a lusty goddess.” Henry continuously places her characters in absurd situations in which they must work through their own attraction to one another. And, yes, it’s far-fetched. But it makes for transportive and engrossing reading. So where’s the problem? I suppose I am saying I’d originally written off the plot distortions as poor craft but now I wonder whether we have an author who knows how to create a situation rife with juicy tension that will turn a reader’s head, and who shrugs in the face of “is this plot line believable” in favor of “is this plot line fun/saucy/captivating”?

I will say the novel suffered from length — I found myself skimming some of the protracted hand-wringing bits toward the end — and I’m not sure that the ancillary characters add much to the novel itself. They might as well be cardboard cut-outs, loosely keeping the plot on the rails. At the end of the day, we’re dialed in on the main characters and the rest feel interchangeable.

This is a great book for a glass of rose on the back porch, or laying in the sun sans little ones. (It is racy.) This is not protracted book club conversation material, but — another friend of mine observed that Emily Henry is “the Taylor Swift of beach read writers.” I knew exactly what she meant. There is a lot of glitter, a lot of feather penning, but there are passages (and Taylor Swift lyrics) that strike me as deeply true to the female experience — in the case of The Happy Place, I think Henry does a remarkable job capturing the crazed, wildly exciting, tender nuance of attraction in early relationships.

All in, a fun summer read. I will be reading her backlist!

Currently enjoying Remarkably Bright Creatures, per many Magpie recommendations. This one is a better pick for a discussion group, but it still reads glossily. Caveat: the first chapter (and subsequent ones) is/are told in the voice of an octopus in captivity, which initially feels like a red flag in terms of gimmickiness, but actually seems to work within the context of the book. Keep going…!

On audiobook, I just started Stephen King’s On Writing. I was looking for a companionable celebrity memoir, but came up dry, and this had been on my list for a long time. I love that it’s narrated by King himself. (Any other rave audibook recs? Some of my favorites here.)

More Magpie summer book recommendations here — what are you reading?

Post-Scripts.

+What was the first book or movie that really upset/moved you as a child?

+Footholds — quotes that get us through the tough times.

+There are many ways to read.

Shopping Break.

+Adore the shape and color options of this little woven bag. It gives me Gucci vibes.

+Love these pants and the matching crop top. Remind me of something Rhode would do, but pieces are under $100!

+Goop just launched a shampoo and conditioner that is garnering a little buzz. Gwyneth (partial, of course) was raving about it and I’m contemplating…

+I did end up ordering this two-piece — my first bikini buy in a long time.

+These sandals are SO fun.

+A great silhouette for white jeans.

+Your boy needs these swim trunks for the fourth! And how cute is this dress for your little love watching the parade?

+This classic cotton throw is currently on sale for under $100.

+Just ordered my children these insulated snack bags for camp.

+These seersucker fitness shorts are cute.

+This crochet bag is SO funky and fabulous.

+As elegant food storage as it comes.

By: Jen Shoop

*Image via.

A lot of Magpies bound for Nantucket, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Maine this summer! Below, some inspiration for packing for a New England summer!

01. RALPH LAUREN SWEATER // 02. CELINE SUNGLASSES // 03. LACOSTE POLO // 04. FRAME PALAZZO JEANS // 05. LL BEAN TOTE // 06. MINNOW SWIMSUIT // 07. FARM RIO DRESS // 08. MARYSIA TERRY COVER UP // 09. WIGGY KIT DRESS // 10. LAKE PAJAMAS // 11. ELIN HILDERBRAND’S HOTEL NANTUCKET // 12. TOTEME SWIMSUIT // 13. GUCCI BAG // 14. VERONICA BEARD DRESS // 15. BIRKS // 16. J. CREW SWEATSHIRT // 17. SMATHERS & BRANSON HAT // 18. THEORY SKORT // 19. POLLINI SANDAL // 20. HILL HOUSE NAP DRESS

Shop the Wardrobe.

P.S. More travel wardrobes here and here.

P.P.S. The loveliest words: “Stay a little longer.”

P.P.P.S. Dear Dad, you were right.

By: Jen Shoop

*Image via.

T.S. Eliot wrote a series of four long and characteristically dense poems that were eventually strung together and published under the title “Four Quartets” in 1943. Across them, Eliot’s verses pitch forth like javelins, powerful and weighted, plunging into the heart of things. Reading them requires intellectual athleticism. You have to be willing to clear the hurdles over and over again, straining to chase its allusive, obscure, deeply muscled, fast-moving meaning. Because of this, I dreaded his work in both my undergrad and grad school days, always doubted my own grasp of it, and I still lack much of a stomach (perhaps mind) for him. However — taken in small sips, a couple lines at a time, he can absolutely transform your thinking.

For some reason, many years ago, I excerpted a few sections of the the “East Coker” poem from the “Four Quartets,” and each time I happen to re-encounter those clippings, I find something new and earth-shattering.

Today, let’s sit with these:

Home is where one starts from. As we grow older

The world becomes stranger, the pattern more complicated

Of dead and living. Not the intense moment

Isolated, with no before and after,

But a lifetime burning in every moment

And not the lifetime of one man only

But of old stones that cannot be deciphered.

There is a time for the evening under starlight,

A time for the evening under lamplight

(The evening with the photograph album).

Love is most nearly itself

When here and now cease to matter.

Old men ought to be explorers

Here or there does not matter

We must be still and still moving

Into another intensity

For a further union, a deeper communion

Through the dark cold and the empty desolation,

The wave cry, the wind cry, the vast waters

Of the petrel and the porpoise.

In my end is my beginning.

******

I would bet a lot of money that each of us is surfacing with a different phrase, or a different view on a phrase, clenched in her fist. “In my end is my beginning” (!), “Old men ought to be explorers” (!!), “As we grow older, the world becomes stranger, the pattern more complicated” (!!!). Any of these have assuredly been inscribed on t-shirts, coffee mugs, social media profiles, etc. They are profound and perfectly cast. We could talk at some length about what he’s saying about aging, about what it means to live and die, just working with these spare couplets. But on this most recent revisiting, I was electrified by the phrases:

There is a time for the evening under starlight,

A time for the evening under lamplight

(The evening with the photograph album).

They resonate so powerfully with some of my recent writings on this new and more settled phase of life, on the quarterlife roam, on years that ask versus answer. When I read those lines, I think: there are seasons of life for exploration, for wandering starstruck, and equally seasons for quiet domesticity, for remembering, for the cloistering that comes with feeling settled. Both are illuminated (illuminating), just from different sources of light. I love the echo and resolution: the near-cinematic way in which we move from moon-lit pine needles to the yellow glow of a lamp after dinner. There is a time for both. There is an appropriateness, a designation, for each season. I find this reassuring in a time where I occasionally wonder what I’ve lost, if anything, in this gradual process of nesting inward. Are the wild starlight days gone? Have I lost my curiosity, my tolerance, my hunger for new and different experiences? I think not; there is, simply, a time for both.

Post-Scripts.

+On a different season of life, that called me inward: new motherhood.

+”I will look at the cliffs and clouds with quiet eyes.”

+Life is not a dress rehearsal.

Shopping Break.

+I do not need another woven bag BUT. I am currently debating between this Altuzurra (on super sale) in the rainbow stripe or one of these Marni micros. What do you think?

+Perfect under-$150 wedding guest dress for an affair that skews a bit more formal.

+Into these wide leg navy trousers.

+Been hearing good things about Charlotte Tilbury’s new blush. I’m still obsessing over this Merit one — I have two colors, but I’ve been wearing the bright pink Stockholm color daily since it arrived.

+This Gap denim dress is perfect.

+Love Sabre’s colorful cutlery sets. So fun — they make weeknight dinners feel festive, celebratory, whimsical!

+SUCH a cheery crochet dress. Love.

+This chocolate brown tank would look so chic with ecru jeans/trousers.

+Chic outdoor planters, on sale.

+I panic-ordered an enormous tin of Harney’s chamomile tea the other night at 1:45 a.m. We’ve all been working our way through a bad cold and I had a coughing fit in the middle of the night so I went down to make some tea. I took the last packet of chamomile! I must have it, and Harney’s peppermint, on hand at all times. They make everything better. Someone had sent me a Corksicle mug as a gift awhile ago, and I’d not used it until this night, but it was weirdly perfect? It kept the tea really warm at my bedside so I could sip it throughout the night, and it has a kind of…padded? underside that makes no noise on the bedside table, which is nice so I wouldn’t wake Mr. Magpie with both my coughing AND my clambering for a cup of tea.

+Into the retro vibes of these athletic shorts.

+Pretty linen dress.

+Fun rainbow striped tunic.

By: Jen Shoop

I spent two nights in Philadelphia this week, a reminder of the vastness of this world. I’ve lived on the Eastern seaboard most of my life, but had only visited it while touring colleges as a high school senior, when I briefly contemplated Penn, Villanova, and Haverford as contenders for my undergraduate perch. And yet here, only two hours and change from where I’ve been living for the past six years (first in NYC, then in MD), I found a bustling, historic, flavorful metropolis I knew next to nothing about. Discovering this city for the first time reminded me of how impossibly parochial our lives really are, and also of our dear friend Eric, who has always insisted there is a lot of the U.S. to see that goes unseen in favor of international travel. When he and Mr. Magpie lived together before we got married, the two of them would take seemingly random trips to Pittsburgh, to Philly, to small towns in the South and Midwest, on a post-college shoestring. The great indoors, the great domestic! he insisted. I get it, now, because Philly took me by surprise, and I saw my insignificance reflected back in the city’s vast metal and concrete. I’ve lived in urban areas most of my life, and big ones, but I was still overwhelmed by the pace and grit of it: construction, ceaseless movement, the way people move with purpose on the streets and expect you to know the idiosyncratic order of operations in every restaurant queue. It was something like discovering a multiverse. “How many other cities are there like this that we know nothing about?” I asked Landon. I felt woefully provincial!

Setting aside that not-entirely-unpleasant vertigo and sensation of smallness, I loved the city. The food was excellent, and there was a charm to the streets and their architecture that can be absent in parts of Manhattan — this, despite the fact that we were wading through orange smog from the Canada wildfires for much of our stay. We visited multiple spots recommended by Philly Magpies (thank you!), our favorites being Elixr coffee, Oyster House, and Suraya. Zhahav was easily the top-upvoted restaurant when I polled, but we dropped the ball on making reservations. Next time! We also had a fun dinner at Parc in Rittenhouse Square, but it didn’t feel as novel to us because we’ve been to the restauranteur’s other (very similar) restaurants in NYC (Pastis) and D.C. (Le Diplomate). Still — great ambiance, reliable food, fun people-watching, and they could take us at the last minute, which was not the case for a couple of other options on our docket. And! I enjoyed a truly memorable sandwich (The Surfer, spotlighting house-roasted turkey!) and an ice cold Diet Coke procured from Middle Child, which I then enjoyed in silence, while reading my Emily Henry book. I have many thoughts on the Henry book, but am still digesting and want to coordinate them all in a focused post. But, like, what is that genre?! Romance? (Does it matter?)

Here is the big insight I want to toss out to you:

It was really, really delightful to visit a nearby city with no agenda. I knew nobody there, had no business to pursue. I was simply tagging along for one of Mr. Magpie’s work trips. I got a lot of writing done, enjoyed a fair amount of solo reading time, and went on two romantic dates with my husband. When I am home, I am preoccupied and productive. The minute I set foot in our house after the drive home, I got to work clearing dishes, loading the dishwasher, reorganizing the kitchen counter, putting laundry in, filling milk cups, answering the questions of my highly inquisitive children, putting away the recycling. It is impossible for me to sit motionless at home because there are always tasks in front of me. In Philly, there were long stretches of opportunity and void. I ran quiet, and still. I remembered how lovely it is to do nothing, to have no demands of me or my time. Of course, appreciating that nothing-ness is only possible by virtue of contrast, and I am equally happy to be returned to the known and heart-filling fracas of home. But — we all need time to do nothing at all, to sit alone, collecting ourselves. When I was little, my father would sometimes comment on the water level of Rock Creek, which snaked through the park a couple of hundred feet from our home: “Look how low the creek is!” he’d say with concern, and I didn’t get why this mattered, but I’d nod all the same. In Philly, I realized I’d receded a bit low of my natural level, exposing stone and soft underbeds, receding inward, and now I feel I’m running high on the riverbanks.

For this reconstitution, I am grateful to you, Philadelphia.

A couple of other photos/notes from the week —

+On the recommendation of Caroline Chambers, a favorite food blogger — she is joyful and earnest and smart and she makes me lean into the relative chaos of raising young children — I paired cottage cheese (if you haven’t tried the brand GOOD, you haven’t lived) with cucumbers and everything bagel seasoning and WOW. It is divine. A perfect late morning snack or light lunch. I linked an everything bagel seasoning from Spice House, which is our favorite place to buy bulk spices — much better, fresher, more fragrant than what you can buy at the grocery, and they ship most spices free in flat packs. Spice House is also now carried at Nordstrom of all places and has some great “gift” assortments that I think would make great treats for any dedicated home cook, or burgeoning foodie.

+Beau and Ro sent me the loveliest tile-print dress with really pretty flutter sleeves and a self-cinch waist. This would be a good style for a nursing mama! I am new to this boutique, but I love the assortment of brands they carry (especially their cute Pink City Prints collection) and adore their house label, of which the dress I’m wearing is a part. (I also love this one.) *My tall Magpies need to jump on my dress: the maxi length is *really* long; I had to have mine tailored/hemmed! (I’m 5’0 for reference.) I’m wearing below with my beloved Jane Win “Joy” coin necklace I just mentioned in passing earlier this week. Truly one of my most prized possessions. A daily reminder to seek joy!

+While in Philly, I wore this J. McLaughlin caftan (currently on sale!), my Hill House Cosima dress (tempted to go back for their brown and white patterned version — the style is so flattering!), and my Mirth Sonoma dress (in a different pattern than the one shown — it’s actually this pattern, but there’s only one left…! On sale!). I slightly regret the latter because it is a true maxi and it’s hard to navigate city streets in a long dress, but otherwise, felt perfectly attired to go from casual lunch to writing in my hotel room to cocktails and dinner later. I alternated between my Gucci dad sandals, my Hermes Orans (look for less with these — love the new beige raffia option), and my Larroude Goldie mules depending on what I was doing. All three shoes worked with all three dresses! I also packed this tiny crossbody for dinners out, but mainly toted my new Dans La Main Kelly bag — because of the style of the bag, the green really wears like a neutral, I think. It looked perfect with everything. I had packed all my running gear but the smog/air quality put those plans off, which was just as well: I felt truly rested and unharried. My only other true must-haves for short-stint travel: Lake Pajamas Long-Shorts, this mini razor, and Billie wipes!

+I took a bunch of really cute photos of my son and I for an essay I wrote for the brand Buru, which will be published soon. I don’t want to give them all away, but meep! I am so glad I have them. I’m wearing one of the brand’s house label skirts — isn’t it so fab? Forever a fiend for stripes. I paired with my Dans La Main tote and my favorite $15 tee. (I’ve now purchased the tee in multiples. Take your true size / don’t size down / if in question, size up.) I also just ordered this long-sleeved white tee from J. Crew while on sale for $16! I love pairing LS white tees with fitness skirts / layering over fitness tanks / tucking into jeans with my everyday gold jewelry. (While you’re at J. Crew, my striped sweatshirt just went on sale for $59!). Hill is wearing a Lacoste polo and Zara green denim shorts! Don’t sleep on Zara for little boys. Such great colors and styles, and the price is right for messy little men.

Onward, Magpies! Have a great week.

By: Jen Shoop

My Latest Snag: More Summer Fitness!

This week, I picked up these shorts and this tank from J. Crew’s limited edition collaboration with Tracksmith, one of my favorite fitness wear companies. Their pieces are pricey but thoughtfully designed and very well-made. I also snagged this cropped seamless tee to pair with my high-waisted running shorts. As I write this, I am *this* close to ordering Hunza G’s Xandra bikini, too — on sale for $50 off here. I’m guessing I will have purchased by the time this post goes live. I haven’t purchased a bikini in awhile but have heard this one is really comfortable and flattering.

This Week’s Bestsellers.

01. MADEWELL DRESS // 02. LONGCHAMP CROSSBODY // 03. HOODED STRIPED SWEATSHIRT // 04. LULULEMON ALIGN DRESS* // 05. CELINE SUNGLASSES // 06. MESH SEASHELL BAGS // 07. J. CREW DRESS // 08. ELTA MD FACIAL SUNSCREEN // 09. FIRST DAY / LAST DAY FLAG // 10. TEMPTATION POSITANO DRESS // 11. 9SEED CAFTAN // 12. SHELL CLAW CLIP // 13. ZARA EMBROIDERED MINI // 14. VOLLRATH 8-QT MIXING BOWL*

*Full review here. This has been my most popular LTK post ever!

**This bowl may seem like the most random recommendation on the earth, but trust me — you will not know how you lived without it. Makes mixing and marinating so much easier. It’s enormous but really lightweight.

Weekend Musings: On Coming Back from a Mistake.

A few weeks ago, I overheard Mr. Magpie tell one of his team members: “It’s not about the misstep. There are going to be mistakes. It’s about how you respond to it.” We talked at length about this over dinner the other night. How do you handle a dropped ball? How do you come back from a big miss?

We decided that the people we respect most are the ones who handle those moments with a rare combination of cultivated self-awareness and self-confidence. These are the people who own their mistakes, who find the insight in the ashes, but don’t dwell on them or translate them into personal inadequacies. They operate like ball players: statistically, these athletes know they will never have a perfect batting average, but they play as if they might, and they don’t lose their swagger after a few bad trips to home plate. One of my bosses once put it this way: “Be a goldfish. Forget quickly. Keep swimming.”

What helps you come back from a mistake?

Shopping Break.

+This might be THE most versatile dress of summer. It can be styled a zillion ways, worn over a swimsuit, paired with sandals or flats, etc, etc!

+Fab gold sandals to wear with everything.

+This two-piece set would be chic over a bikini with the aforementioned sandals.

+Wait — this cocktail dress is SO wild and fantastic. Would pair with earrings like these.

+Two really cute H&M steals: this mini caftan and this $20 jersey dress! Love the low back.

+Adorable packaging on these candles. Cute little gift!

+Very drawn to this raw-edged hoodie, and I can’t explain why? So chic? Also love this linen pull-on dress from the brand.

+This is not shopping per se, but do you use 1Password yet?! It’s a game changer. Once you get over the fear of forgetting the master password, you never have to remember a password in your life, and it generates super-secure passwords for you. Brilliant. You can also share passwords with family members using it!

+This tweed blazer is a forever piece! Also love this brand’s satin trousers. So chic. CBK vibes!

+Such fun napkins. All of the patterns are BEYOND.

+Super stylish dining chairs.

+This black woven tote is a great price but gives me Loewe vibes in shape.

+Gorgeous linen mini — $120!

By: Jen Shoop

I live in soft, easy dresses for everyday life during the summer. I like the ones you can just pull on over your hand, pair with trendy sandals, and be on your way, like the embroidered dress from The Coast Brand seen above and below. The founder of this brand sent me this dress along with the loveliest note referencing some of my writing. It has been a true joy to meet other creative women pursuing their passions through my musings here at Magpie, whether in the comments section or via interactions with brands — what a treat.

A few others I have been wearing a ton this season: this Mirth (I own in a different pattern but it — like all of their dresses — is so comfortable, floaty, body-skimming), Mille’s Saffron dress (I own in the blue and white stripe but love all of the patterns), SZ Blockprints’ Jaipur, and this Zara.

A few others I adore / on my radar:

THIS MI GOLONDRINA

THIS H&M

THIS SPLENDID

THIS POMANDER PLACE (GOOD FOR MATERNITY/POST PARTUM TOO)

THIS JULIA AMORY

THIS LAKE

Unrelated, but I also wanted to share an excellent beauty sale that launched at Blue Mercury. Up to 30% off some fantastic prestige beauty lines and products. My top picks:

THE BEST TRANSLUCENT POWDER EVER…ADDS LUMINESCENCE AND NEVER LOOKS CAKEY. I USE THIS ANY TIME I’M WEARING FOUNDATION TO “SET”

DYSON AIR WRAP — 20% OFF…SO TEMPTING

M61 POWER GLOW PEELS — THESE ARE INCREDIBLE FOR A QUICK BRIGHTENING FIX…I USE THESE IF I’M IN A HURRY TO GET READY FOR AN EVENT BUT FEEL LIKE MY SKIN LOOKS DULL

MY FAVORITE FACIAL SUNSCREEN

I LOVE THESE SHIMMER SHADOW STICKS FOR EVENING — SO EASY TO APPLY

MY FAVORITE TEXTURIZING HAIRSPRAY…A MUST IF YOU’RE DOING LOOSE/BEACHY WAVES

DYING TO TRY THIS MASCARA

I’VE NOT YET TRIED THIS PRODUCT, BUT I KNOW MANY CONSIDER IT A “HOLY GRAIL” — MANY MAGPIES SWEAR BY THIS…JUST BE WARNED THAT THE SCENT CAN BE OFFPUTTING

P.S. More beauty favorites for summer.

P.P.S. More summer dresses — all under $200.

P.P.P.S. How do you handle chores in your home? (And a playlist for doing them!)

By: Jen Shoop

A few days ago, an influencer I follow on Instagram, Meghan Guffey, talked about her belief in “not sticking to a niche.” She said: “You don’t have to be a creator or businesswoman in a specific category and ‘stay in your lane.’ Don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise.”

Yes. First: a woman contains multitudes. We can re-make ourselves or draw out elements of our personalities and interests previously hidden at any moment. Like, is there anything more thrilling than discovering a girlfriend’s hidden and fascinating private passion? I love a friend with layers, with texture, who shares one day that she knows a lot about midcentury furniture or contributes in her spare time to coffee nerd Reddit thread or was a competitive tennis player as a teen “and sometimes still hits the ball around.” You are not one-dimensional. You are not confined to the career path you chose at 18, or relegated to only one hobby, or hemmed in by the interests of those around you. You can like what you like, and you can start doing it today.

But also: lane changing. Yes. My entire career has been a series of lane changes, and I know I have more to make. I still nurture big ambitions and see before me a lot of wood to chop. But I am both satisfied with and motivated by where I am today, which is to say — grateful that I had the gumption and questionably outsized confidence to make those big and scary changes when I did. It gets easier the more you do it. I realized that most of the critics with whom I war-gamed were louder in my mind. The truth is: most people are too focused on their own lanes to care or comment on the maneuvers you’re making. (Think of the howling wolves!) And if they do have something nasty or critical or undermining to say, well — let’s just say I’ve come to realize that many people cope by way of projection. And as Dylan Moran put it: “People will kill you over time, and how they’ll kill you is with tiny, harmless phrases, like ‘be realistic.'”

In other words — keep going! Make the change! Don’t be ‘realistic’! Would you rather the pain of being stuck or of growth? Any time I feel wildly out of my depth, I remind myself that most leaps forward are accommodated by temporary and occasionally excruciating discomfort. When I first published fiction on Magpie, I was physically ill with nerves. I don’t think I slept the night before. I kept re-reading the draft over and over again. I punted its publication back several times. It probably barely registered to most of my readers, but sharing that chapter represented an enormous threshold for me, as I’d been telling myself for years, “You are not a fiction-writer. You are an essayist. You are not qualified. Stay in your lane.” There’s something to be said for honing a particular and narrow craft, acquainting yourself thoroughly with its requisite tools, but my God! I was cramming myself into a closet no one told me I had to be in, silently policing my own interests.

I’m telling you, friends, life is short. A couple of close friends have lost their parents in the past year and I sit with them and feel as though time is just slipping through our fingers.

There are miles to go before I sleep —

!!!

Post-Scripts.

WOW, I am revved up today — but wanted to share two adjacent quotes that also get me going:

“I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.” – E.B. White

“I didn’t set out to be unusual or different. I just wanted to do things my way.” – Lilly Pulitzer

+On people pleasing and being weird.

+On recognizing the effort people put in.

+Make whatever you’re doing ‘the most important thing.’

Shopping Break.

+Eyeing this green striped dress for hot summer days. Will go perfectly with my new Dans La Main tote (I have in the green).

+Love this “strength” coin necklace — a good talisman for tough times. I own this similar “joy” coin necklace from Jane Win and wear it all the time. It really is a good reminder for me to seek out moments of joy in my everyday life. I love it! She has it in other motifs, too!

+Matches just further reduced a number of its sale items. Please, someone snag one of the Thierry Colson dresses! I am so sad I missed out when first marked down in my size. Other great snags that are a part of the reductions:

THIS JOHANNA ORTIZ (UNDER $225!)

THIS ADORABLE ANYA HINDMARCH TOTE (50% OFF)

THIS HOT PINK MATTEAU CAFTAN

THE MOST GORGEOUS FISHERMAN SANDALS

CHLOE NAMA SNEAKERS!

+A great (inexpensive) tote for family outings — love the structure! Great for schlepping things to park/playground/pool.

+These baking dishes are so chic — would love to serve a peach cobbler out of one this summer. These would also make a fabulous gift for newlyweds or couple friends.

+I have a pearl-trim cardigan super similar to this one — love it in the blue!

+Janie and Jack has so many cute items on mega sale at the moment. How cute is this little baby kimono onesie with matching leggings? Also love these tiny gingham shortalls for infant boys, somehow only $14!

+Love this mirror for a girl’s room.

+THE CHICEST hammock! Dying! I didn’t know I would ever want a hammock until I saw this.

+My daughter — who has grown increasingly picky about her clothing — loves this terry cloth polo dress.

+Cute pink polo dress for us.

+Two really sweet floral dresses: this Tuckernuck and this Faithfull.

+This embroidered skirt is SO cute.

By: Jen Shoop

After yesterday’s post on summer travel wardrobe inspo for the Mediterranean, I received a number of other destination-specific requests! Today, I’m focusing on summer travel to the mountains or lake. You’re aiming for active wear that feels fun but is highly practical for hiking, outdoor sports, and general traipsing through mud/forest, plus a few non-fussy dresses to throw on while enjoying rose on the back patio, or grabbing a drink at the local wood-paneled bar. Layers are key!

Included below: I just bought a few items from Tracksmith’s limited edition collab with J. Crew — these shorts and this tank! Their gear is pricey but really incredible for running. Very thoughtfully designed for runners and great quality. Not from the collab, but has anyone tried J. Crew’s CloudStretch line? I have this half-zip and this sports bra in my cart in the fun blue and white stripe.

Also – a reminder that you can find Hunza G suits 40% off here!

01. BEYOND YOGA TANK // 02. BEYOND YOGA LEGGINGS // 03. ON HIKING BOOTS // 04. LOEWE TOTE // 05. DOEN JULIE DRESS // 06. BIRKENSTOCKS // 07. DARN TOUGH HIKING SOCKS // 08. OUTDOOR RESEARCH VENTED HAT // 09. HUNZA G SUIT // 10. BELLROY DAY PACK // 11. ANINE BING SWEATSHIRT // 12. COTOPAXI JACKET // 13. MINNOW PJS // 14. PARAVEL LUGGAGE // 15. STATE BAGS FANNY PACK // 16. ON TRAIL RUNNING SHOE // 17. EVERLANE SWEATSHIRT // 18. BEYOND YOGA SHORTS // 19. THE GREAT HOLLY DRESS

Shop the Lake Wardrobe.

P.S. On the magic and mayhem of traveling with young children. Update: a few Magpies mention this in the comments, but we’ve since learned that traveling only with our children, as a family of four (e.g., with no other family/friends), makes a world of difference in terms of ease and stress.

P.P.S. It’s wedding guest season.

P.P.PS. Sealife-inspired accessories.

By: Jen Shoop

I was reading a few weeks ago about the concept of “the happiness u-curve.” Research by Dartmouth Professor David Blanchflower suggests that “Starting at age 18, your happiness level begins to decrease, reaching peak unhappiness at 47.2 in developed countries and 48.2 in developing countries.” The theory is that we re-evaluate our expectations as we go through life, and often find mismatches between them and our evolving reality — but the upside is that tend to grow happier later in life (in our 60s and beyond). The thing is —

A few years ago, I realized that happiness, for me, is not a static condition. I am not a particle that toggles between bands of “happiness” and “unhappiness” and stays put. I experience happiness in small bursts, usually at the hands of something wildly trivial, like the lay of sun on our back porch at four o’clock in the afternoon, the sight of my son’s pudgy, still-babyish fingers on my dress, Mr. Magpie carrying a handful of raspberries in from the garden in the morning, the smell of coffee at the beginning of a slow weekend morning. And so I think I have a different way of thinking about happiness that has little to do with life expectations and everything to do with realizing how impossibly short our lives are and how wonderful it is to experience brief moments of comfort, release, love.

I have noticed that, increasingly, my “slivers of joy” relate to what I can only describe as domesticity, and the broader experience of feeling “settled.” How predictable, I know! But a nontrivial amount of navel-gazing has led me to realize it is true: I am profoundly relieved to be through the ill-lit meanderings of my 20s and 30s, to have found stability in so many domains of my life. I am living in a string of answering years. I write that with trepidation, as I am also aware that life is rarely this good for that long. Still, I am sitting here in a kind of calm, cloistered hammock. The arc of my day-to-day life is pleasantly narrow, and I am grateful for the shade. I find slivers of joy in the smallest things, including the continuous, mindful way I put up my palm against unnecessary insinuations of stress. What I mean by this is that I am widening my margins wherever I can. In the narrowest sense, this looks like putting extra money in the parking meter so I won’t have to even think about rushing back to my car, and calendaring times to sift through the approximately 345 emails I’ve received about my children’s various camps (why, just why, do I need to download individual apps for individual camps?) I punt those prying fingers out of my way and lock them up in a 30 minute window on a day where I have the give in my schedule to accommodate them. I am also saying no to multiple activities in a single day, and blocking off entire afternoons to just spend time with Mr. Magpie — no agenda, no reservations. Just unfettered hours to hang out while a sitter looks after the kids, usually on a Friday afternoon, to avail ourselves of Mr. Magpie’s “summer Fridays” (a blessed vestige from our New York days — his office still practices this distinctly New York City convention, when the city drains of its white collar inhabitants, who head out East). In a broader sense, when I find myself keyed up over some issue or another, I have been liberal in jailbreaking myself: I turn off the computer. I go for a walk. I get my nails done. I ask myself, essentially: “Will this matter tomorrow? In a week? In a month? In a year?” and then I evaluate its severity, and it rarely extends beyond the “matters-in-a-week” bar.

I have also been practicing a Magpie reader re-frame (thank you eternally to the Magpie who shared this, as it actually occurs to me at least a few times a day at this point and completely changes my outlook at multiple points throughout my week), it’s not “I have to do this” but “I get to do this.” Wow! I think of this when I’m running errands, taking my children to an appointment or lesson, going for my run in the morning, sitting at my desk to write. All of these experiences are expressions of incredible good fortune and determination and I am truly the luckiest. Going to the grocery = having the means to do so, and multiple loving family members who lean on me for their nourishment (it is a gift itself to be needed!). Running in the morning = enjoying health and physical ability, having a schedule that permits this indulgence, living in an area that is beautiful to run through. Etc.

I guess what I’m saying is that when I first read about that u-curve concept, a shiver of dread ran through me. “Oh, great. Thanks, Doc. Now I’m on the escalator down to the pit of unhappiness for the next decade, until I turn 47.” But I think I know how to keep myself at the mezzanine. And it has to do with, as I put it elsewhere, “living lilliputian.” Seeking those slivers of joy where you can find them, in the smallest things. Permitting yourself to unfold into them. The stress of today likely won’t matter in a week, month, year, so let me pour myself into what happinesses I can find today.

What do you think?

Post-Scripts.

+My original essay on happiness.

+On being truly happy for friends.

+Serious and beautiful words.

Shopping Break.

+Have been getting a ton of wear out of this Hill House maxi. I have it in the stripe, but love it in the brown floral, too — such an understated-chic piece.

+Guys, can we talk about Emily Henry?! Where have I been living? Underneath a rock?! I am halfway through Happy Place and it is SO enjoyable (narrative mechanics are wildly implausible to the point of absurd but who cares? it’s fantasy of a different color!) and also I have so many thoughts on this genre of writing in general. Ahh! Cannot wait to discuss.

+ICYMI, J. Crew has really cute summer sandals for under $100 that have a classic/elegant bent to them. Love these. And if you’re a trendier gal, these $118 slides have been FLYING.

+I’ve been using these eye masks — had never tried an eye mask before! — and WOW. They legit, legit work. Like, my undereyes literally looked bright and…hard to find the right word, but almost hydrated? Plump? Soft? I can’t describe. Very impressed.

+This “starter pack” of kitchen spices would be such a cute gift for a college graduate moving into his/her first apartment, along with a couple of simple cookbooks.

+The colors in this striped skirt spark joy. Cute with the matching crop top or a solid-colored tank.

+A small desktop pleasure.

+A luxury citronella candle from Diptyque! We also think Thermacell works REALLY well, and will also put up a fan if we’re outside — fans really help keep mosquitoes/bugs away.

+Love these embroidered shorts from Zara.

+Matouk’s scalloped towels come with the cutest trim colors. I love the yellow!

+This $69 dress is giving MAJOR La Ligne vibes. Love it in the red.

+Under-$30 floral everyday dress. Great to throw on when you don’t know where the day will take ya!

+Currently lusting after this tan Tanya Taylor piece! I read a profile in Tanya Taylor in InKind magazine and I’m obsessed with her because of it. She is so ambitious but humble. Love!

+Everyone’s favorite water bottle, in a fun new color for summer.

+Another fitness dress to consider. (Still obsessing over my Lulu one.)

By: Jen Shoop

I have received a couple of different requests for summer travel wardrobe ideas. Going to tackle a few of these in the coming weeks. And even if you’re not headed to these fabulous destinations, you can still dress like it! I did want to mention that there is an entire internet sensation around this $20 Uniqlo sling bag. Lots of chic peas are carrying them and swearing by them as a great travel companion. Love in the cheery yellow! Also, I wore this funky Alemais dress (seen below) to my son’s birthday — such a fabulous and unexpected pattern and love the fit — and the wildly popular Hunza G Xandra bikini is on sale in flattering black here!

what to wear in the mediterranean in summer

01. VELVET X GRAHAM SPENCER BLOUSE // 02. CLARE VIVIER BAG // 03. LORETTA CAPONI DRESS // 04. TORY BURCH BIKINI // 05. TORY BURCH SHORTS // 06. MIGUELINA TROUSERS // 07. JULIETTA EARRINGS // 08. HUNZA G BIKINI // 09. ZARA SANDALS // 10. PAVOI HOOPS // 11. AWAY SUITCASE // 12. CARIUMA SNEAKERS // 13. HVN DRESS // 14. FLOWER SUNGLASSES // 15. ALAIA BAG // 16. ALEMAIS DRESS

Shop the Wardrobe.

Where are you headed? Any wardrobe requests?

P.S. Great travel gear.

P.P.S. My last travel diary.

P.P.P.S. New circles.

By: Jen Shoop

This post is sponsored by Shopbop.

Embracing my inner Parisienne in the classic moment shown above and below. I am in love with the cropped jacket and the skort situation — so comfortable and practical. I was thinking these pieces would be great components of a travel or capsule wardrobe, as they can be remixed so many different ways. The skort with a white tank and black strappy sandals for casual tourism, or with the jacket and flats on a chillier day, or paired with a matching white blazer and heels for a dressed-up moment; the jacket over a dress; the tee with jeans; etc. Sizing notes: the jacket runs a tad snug, I think. I took a 0 and it fits like a petite 0 in my opinion — the arms and length are perfect for me (I’m 5’0). The jacket comes with shoulder pads that I think you could cut out but I actually like the structure they offer. I’m normally a shoulder pad hater, but these make proportional sense. I took the skort in a 0 (my true size) and say it runs just shy of TTS — if between sizes, you might size up. I think a slightly looser fit in these would be welcome so the front doesn’t pull at all. I adore them!

The tee is by Z Supply, but currently in low stock — you might try this one or this one for a similar look — and the glasses are my tried-and-true Le Specs.

A moodboard featuring favorite Shopbop finds in this vein below…note that a handful of these items (I’ve asterisked in the links below) are on sale, plus an extra 25% off with code SHELL, including this SEA dress, which I just ordered!

01. SEA EYELET DRESS* // 02. TEE // 03. THEORY BLAZER // 04. THEORY SKORT // 05. MARNI TOTE // 06. GIA BORGINI SANDALS // 07. LE SPECS SUNGLASSES // 08. SANDALS // 09. SIGNIFICANT OTHER SEREN DRESS // 10. GANNI DRESS* // 11. SENSI STUDIO BAG // 12. BA&SH CARDIGAN // 13. TORY BURCH FLATS

If you’re looking for something with COLOR (typically more my speed), check out this julep stripe dress, this painterly Reformation (good family photo option), these pull-on pants, this bold floral Banjanan, and this La Double J!

By: Jen Shoop

I take so much inspo from black and white, unfussy basics styled to perfection by the minimalist (usually European) street style set. Below, 18 pieces to nail the vibe…

01. BA&SH CARDIGAN // 02. RAYBAN SUNGLASSES // 03. STEVE MADDEN SANDALS // 04. J. CREW FACTORY TEE // 05. STAUD SHORTS // 06. AGOLDE RILEY CROPS // 07. ENZA COSTA TANK // 08. ANINE BING SWEATSHIRT // 09. TORY BURCH SANDALS // 10. FRANK AND EILEEN PANTS // 11. LOEWE TOTE // 12. LOEWE SWEATSHIRT // 13. HILL HOUSE COSIMA DRESS // 14. MANSUR GAVRIEL FLATS // 15. RAILS SHIVONNE DRESS // 16. THE ROW SANDALS // 17. OLGA BERG CLUTCH // 18. LOEWE TOTE

P.S. More along these lines here and here.

P.P.S. Summer dresses under $200.

P.P.P.S. My favorite organization gear.

Post-Scripts.

Shopping Break.

Shop the Wardrobe.

Post-Scripts.