Jen Shoop, Author at Magpie by Jen Shoop

By: Jen Shoop

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Q: A dress for newborn photos!

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

Q: Laundry hamper, not woven / seagrass.

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

Q: Small crossbody bag.

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

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

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

Q: Crochet beach dress cover up.

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

Q: Maternity clothes – help!!!

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

Q: Melamine plates for everyday.

A: We own and use these constantly.

P.S. Where do you find meaningful stuff?

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

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

By: Jen Shoop

This post is sponsored by Frank and Eileen.

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

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

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

Shop the Post.

By: Jen Shoop

*Image via Cecilie Bahnsen.

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

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

A few that jumped to mind:

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

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

An easy laugh.

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

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

Asking lots of questions.

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

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

What are your green flags?

Post-Scripts.

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

+A winnowing inward.

+Moondance.

Shopping Break.

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

+Gazelle platforms in really fun new colors.

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

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

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

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

+Sweet spring jacket for your little love.

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

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

+Floaty white blouse for under $120.

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

+Horror Vacui’s latest collection is dreamy.

By: Jen Shoop

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

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

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

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

P.S. Detailed notes on my Dorsey pieces.

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

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

By: Jen Shoop

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

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

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

The Spring Dress Edit.

P.S. The headwater of a Hail Mary.

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

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

By: Jen Shoop

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

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

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

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

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

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

P.S. Maintaining wonder as a parent.

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

P.P.P.S. My treasure.

By: Jen Shoop

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

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

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

Instead of one, a few splintered out:

The first bracing breath when I step outside — medicinal.

Soft cotton base layers hugging the skin.

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

Warmed, socked feet by the fire.

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

The understanding that things must end to begin again.

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

Post-Scripts.

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

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

+Imprints of a new lifestyle.

+My introduction to birding.

+Wintering.

Shopping Break.

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

+A great $100 white blouse.

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

+Cozy knit lounge set.

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

+Inexpensive bamboo flatware.

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

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

+These baggy jean overalls turned my head.

+Folding chairs that are actually chic.

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

+Dramatic brass table lamp.

By: Jen Shoop

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Onward, Magpies —

Some snippets from the week, too.

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

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

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

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

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

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

+The first crocus sighting!

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

Some bits and bobs…

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

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

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

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

By: Jen Shoop

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

I’m switching up the format for Weekend Vibes today. I felt like letting some new air in.

Listening: Kacey Musgraves’ “A Deeper Well” single. I can’t wait for the entire album to come out. The track titles are winningly evocative.

Reading: The Spanish Love Deception. I needed something light and frivolous, both in the wake of Tilly’s passing and after enduring an aching book hangover post Demon Copperhead. This was a romance rec from a trusted friend. It’s off to a slow start but I am grateful for the froth nonetheless.

Eating: We tried pita sandwiches from Yellow in Georgetown this week — they were delicious. (And they should be, at $18/pop!). Yellow is by the team behind D.C.’s beloved Albi. We will be back!

Shopping: I had the most special experience at Catbird’s new Georgetown location this week. The team invited me to select a few pieces from their beautiful, delicate jewelry line and I picked out a slender signet ring with a T for Tilly in the middle, plus two delicate diamond solitaire rings (this and this) to flank it, guided by the thoughtful staff. Fortuitous, that they’d invite me there this week, and help me find a way to honor Tilly. (Life rearranges itself.) Anyhow, if you’re local, the store is whimsically beautiful and I think their pieces are perfect for commemorating milestones, birthdays, achievements, etc. – think cute charms to send off with college graduates, and delicate rings to mark promotions. Their best in-store sellers are their “permanent bracelets,” which they sodder at the seams on site. The team told me they see lots of best friends, mothers and daughters, and even lovers come in to do this together. So sweet.

Online, I treated myself to one of the Ossa phone wristlets in a fruit pattern!

Watching: We tried watching “Upgraded” on Prime on Valentine’s Day and it was terrible. DNF! I love Marisa Tomei but the accent and bald miming of “Devil Wears Prada” workplace dynamics were not only inauthentic but inert. Hoping to redeem ourselves tonight by watching one of the romantic comedies you recommended here.

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

Inspired By: This chic look Sara Reilly wore to NYFW. I love everything, including her hair! Her ensemble is Tibi, and I keep thinking how avant garde Banana Republic is with some of its styles this season, including this one, which is Tibi-adjacent. (This denim maxi dress is also a ten for me — wowww. Perfect wash and minimalist styling.)

Weekend Musing: Yutori.

At the dawn of 2024, I set “stretch” as my intention for the year ahead. I wrote: “…Not in the sense of “straining to make things work” or “reaching for bigger goals,” but rather: sitting in the center of a room, sprawling out. Shaking out my limbs, leaning elastic, unfurling into the day. I think what I really mean is: making space.”

This week, I learned about the Japanese concept of yutori, or spaciousness. After discovering the concept from a Japanese student, the poet Naomi Shihab Nye described yutori as “leaving early enough to get somewhere so that you know you’re going to arrive early, so when you get there, you have time to look around. Or — and then [the student] gave all these different definitions of what yutori was to her. But one of them was: after you read a poem just knowing you can hold it, you can be in that space of the poem. And it can hold you in its space. And you don’t have to explain it. You don’t have to paraphrase it. You just hold it, and it allows you to see differently.”

I’m running a revision on my 2024 intention: yutori better captures what I’m after. Finding spaciousness in my everyday life, and all of its modalities. Sometimes this means turning off all sound and music and driving in silence. Often this means “rounding up” in terms of how much time I think a given task or errand will take, so that I can accomplish it without feeling pinched or frazzled, and actually bear witness to what I’m doing. Physically clearing spaces that feel cluttered in my house. Actively practicing self-compassion when I have said or done the wrong thing. Taking small breaks to step outside, perch on the floor, take a deep breath. Honoring multiplicity in my reading and thinking. Allowing myself to sit in irresolution, wide open with thought.

Weekend Buy: Goop 25% Off Code.

Goop is running 25% off its beauty and wellness products this weekend with code glowy. I must implore you to snap up their excellent Microderm Instant Glow Exfoliator! I swear by this when I’m short on time. A two minute glow-up. It’s both a chemical and physical exfoliant and works like a charm. I also love their salt scrub for hair, especially in the summer months. Helps keep hair squeaky clean when you’re constantly sweating, swimming, applying spray sunscreen and bug repellent, etc.

Also had to sneak in two other great sale snags this weekend: 1) I just bought my son a few of these long-sleeved Lacoste polos, currently 50% off, and 2) my favorite facial cleanser is currently 20% off with code BIRTHDAY. It is creamy but exfoliating — I love it and miss it now that I’ve kicked my tube and moved on to other brands I’m testing. I am definitely buying myself one of these with the promotion.

This Week’s Bestsellers.

Far and away, the bestseller this week was this pair of J. Crew kick flare sweater pants, followed by my Donnis. Thoughts on how to style here, and I enjoyed Sarah Shapiro’s history and analysis on the style in her Substack here. A must-have for spring 2024!

01. ADIDAS SAMBAS // 02. GAP BELTED SHIRT // 03. DONNI RIB KNIT PANTS // 04. J. CREW SWEATER KICK FLARE PANTS // 05. J. CREW POINTELLE TEE // 06. ANCIENT GREEK SANDALS // 07. TARGET LAMP // 08. THROW PILLOW // 09. DORSEY CLEMENCE NECKLACE // 10. FRANK & EILEEN ASPEN SET // 11. T3 AIREBRUSH // 12. DOEN LEANNE DRESS // 13. TOWER28 MASCARA // 14. HALF PAST SEVEN LETTUCE LEAF VASE

P.S. “I don’t want anything to change.“

P.P.S. But also: nothing changes if nothing changes.

P.P.P.S. On taking risks in life.

By: Jen Shoop

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

The name of the game this week was comfort.

FRANK AND EILEEN ASPEN SET

I am in love with this Frank and Eileen set and wore it twice this week. It has a great, semi-structured fleece fabric that feels more elevated than your average lounge set. Would not mind being seen in this – would be a great travel outfit. Runs TTS.

QUINCE SWEATSHIRT AND SWEATPANTS // TARGET SOCKS

The Quince set is divinely soft and slouchy, and the colors are magnificent. This perfect lilac pink color is running low in stock — run if you love it! Runs TTS. Pants are a tad long on me (I’m 5’0) but I just flip up the cuffs or let them slouch.

PETITE PLUME PAJAMAS

These have a funky (in a good way) fit — oversized but cropped dimensions. The material is insanely soft. Love. Would be great for post partum.

QUINCE SWEATSHIRT // ALICE WALK TEE // VELVET BRYLIE PANTS

(Me discovering these pants play nicely with pastels.)

DOEN KAIRA DRESS // APC BAG // VERONICA BEARD JACKET

I already shared the details of an outfit centered around my Donni kick flares earlier this week.

P.S. Barnacles and joy.

P.P.S. “The saltings” of motherhood.

P.P.P.S. Bad days and blank pages.

By: Jen Shoop

This morning, re-publishing an essay from the archives. It glints with new meaning this week — the passage of time, the seemingly invisible gaining and losing of things we love. Today I am challenging myself to see it all — my daughter’s two front teeth, halfway-grown-in; my son’s defiant cowlick; the arbor vitae that dance outside my window all day long — and to invite these ephemera to sit still for a second, even if they won’t stay this way much longer.

****

A couple of college summers, Mr. Magpie waited tables at Faccia Luna in Arlington. His shifts ended late, but he routinely drove the 20-ish minutes to my childhood home in Northwest Washington, D.C., where he would eat his 11 p.m. dinner standing at the kitchen island. I learned a lot from those late night conversations: that you should never take a pen from a restaurant (he had to supply his own), that waiting tables is tiring work, that the customer is always right even if you must eat your pride to accommodate their quibbles or outright wrongnesses, and that he must have really liked me to make those midnight treks. “Tell me more,” I’d say, and he would describe the impatient guest who left a short tip, or the two women who sat in the corner all evening ordering only an appetizer, and I would imagine him navigating these interactions and wondering how anyone could not see who I did in their waiter. I felt a twinge of protectiveness, of near-jealousy, as I’d envision him accommodating both the unkindnesses and flirtations of strangers. “What else did they say?” I would pry, and he’d tilt his head back to remember. As the nights drew long, he would begin to gather himself to leave.

“Stay a little longer,” I’d plead,

and he would.

I’d forgotten these visitations (how?) until this weekend, when some alchemy of home town happenstance and dinner at a pizza joint not too dissimilar from Faccia Luna — Frankly Pizza in Kensington, MD — dredged them up. We made eyes over the table while our children fought over a sheet of stickers, and I found the delta between our lives right now and the ones we lived back in our early 20s staggering. On the way home, I had to clench my jaw to prevent tears from welling in my eyes. It was occurring to me that I now have so many of the things I one day dreamt of. That a lot of the anxious and worrisome meanderings of my twenties and thirties had finally deposited me here, in this car driving through the neighborhood of a close childhood friend, and I had my husband and two children and a spirited dog to show for it, and it was almost unbearable to think that after decades of willing life into an arrangement that resembles the one I am now enjoying, after hurtling through time like an arrow, after positively sprinting to find a vocation that is meaningful, to conceive and raise two young children, to move around the country in search of a comfortable and permanent perch, I am now at a landing that I never want to leave. Yes, there are goals for the future, but can’t we stay here a little longer?

Time, however, keeps moving apace, unguent and slick.

“I will be seven next year,” asserts my daughter, proudly, her front teeth wiggling,

And the azaleas that bloomed yesterday now litter the lawn.

My husband brings news of the green cherries on the the tree:

“They’ll be gone within a few weeks — damned chipmunks.”

My son burst into tears this morning when I informed him that it was not, in fact, his birthday. He had been confused by the nomenclature: we’d told him “tomorrow is the beginning of May!,” and he had conflated the month with his birthday, which falls on the 31st. His mouth formed an upside down u, his brow furrowed in disappointment: I could see the shape of his tiny spirit, desperate to grow.

I pulled him into myself, smelling his little-boy hair, still downy-soft; I wiped the tears from his cheeks. I wanted to say:

“Stay a little longer.”

Even if he does not want to hear it now,

are there any supplications more beautiful?

Post-Scripts.

+Despite the foregoing, I know that every phase is a good phase, and that we don’t ever lose the ages of our children: we carry them all with us, inside.

+A young Mr. Magpie and his Jeep.

+Falling in love at UVA.

Shopping Break.

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

+This denim dress is so good — looks like it’s from a higher-end designer, but under $120.

+Has anyone tried Kate McLoud’s body stones?! I keep hearing fantastic things. They are lotion bars. I think I’m going to treat myself. I will say I’m still loving all the deeply hydrating products from Hanni, though! I use this spray-on “balm” (sort of a liquid lotion) and oil every time I get out of the shower.

+Pretty scalloped personalized stationery.

+These kids’ pocket tees come in such great colors. While there, these are probably my son’s most-worn everyday pants and many of them are on sale. Great colors, sturdy, hold up well, easy to pull-on. A great buy.

+There’s this whole conversation going on amongst the serious fashion Substackers about how we’re heading into an era of richly draped clothing that one newsletter (Magasin) described as follows: “Fashion is entering a menswear revival that spans the Renaissance to the Regency—epochs apart but united in their ensembles of delicately billowing sleeves, sumptuous contrasts, and handsome finishes.” This dress from Banana feels of that vein. Love the ice blue color and looks like something Tibi would put out.

+Just when you think La Coqueta couldn’t get any sweeter…! Their spring collection is darling and perfect for Easter Sunday. This dress…! These shortalls!

+I’ve been getting a lot of mileage out of my new VB vest. Strongly rec a vest for this season into spring/summer. Banana has a good one here.

+The oushak rugs at Locust Lane are spectacular. I can’t get over the colors and motifs! They match the colors to Benjamin Moore paints. How clever?! Love this and this.

+Cute $20 Paris tee for layering beneath blazers, with sweats/leggings, etc.

+Fun terry cloth beach dress. Serious fashion writers and Substackers are calling this mid-blue the “it” color at the moment.

+For a maternity shoot: dreamy and gorgeous.

+This shoe flies a private jet to Ibiza for spring break. (I love her!!!)

By: Jen Shoop

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

01. I wrote quite a bit about this Half Past Seven vase last week, but it’s really a workhorse in our home. I reach for it almost every week! The perfect size for most little bodega bouquets, and I love the way it fans out the blooms. I filled mine with lilac this week — you’ll notice if you look up close that I was in such a state of distraction that some of the elastics are still in the water, but I figured this counted as a “smidgie” and am publishing nonetheless.

02. Alex Mill launched jeans today and they sent me a pair to test! They’ve been working to make vintage-inspired, perfect-fitting jeans for years now and are finally introducing. I chose the high-waisted Carla in the vintage dark indigo wash, and it is a really good wash. I love the way they fit, too – they’re too long on me now (I’m 5’0) but I’m debating how much to hem them. The trend seems to be longer these days, so I might keep these on the long side. Also, I’m sorry, but how good does a striped button-down (mine is Alex Mill’s Jo) look with jeans?! So simple and always so punchy. They also just released a great striped shirtdress and ribbed sweater dress. I’m obsessed with the versatility of both. I also saw them and thought: great wardrobe for an expecting mama — works with bump and for nursing.

03. I could hardly believe my eyes when I found this pennant wall hanging that reads: These are the good old days. I am trying to decide where to put it, and what size to get it in. I’m inclined to hang it in my writing studio so I look at it regularly. I would do well to keep that reminder top of mind. (More about what the phrase means so much to me here.)

04. While we’re talking writing studio stuff: I am obsessed with these dotted notepads in the 5.5 x 8.5 dimension — perfect size for quick jots and specifically for mapping out my days in iterative form. I have had so many errands, chores, calls, commitments this week that I’ve needed to wrap around strange requirements from my children’s school — they had two late-start days (where they went in at 10 AM); multiple free dress days; I always pick my son up early one day for speech therapy; no school Friday. I found myself needing to map out my days hour by hour and sometimes revising that schedule a few times. I don’t know why I find this soothing to do by hand. I have also been writing little notes to myself in the margins. “Drive gently” and “yutori” being highlighted and operative this week. And on the highlighter point: I also have been making great use of these highlighters and these white out pens. The highlighters are now my method for isolating the absolute, non-negotiable, must-complete items on my to-do list, which has been helpful this week, during which I have let a considerable amount drop in favor of self-care. And the white-out pens! Usually, I strike-through any tasks left unfinished at the end of the day, but sometimes I realize I mis-calendared a task and it feels gentler to just white it out. Splitting hairs, but these things really help me stay clear and focused. More of my favorite recent desk finds here.

05. My Quince sweatsuit (hoodie / joggers) arrived and it is divine! The softest, silkiest material, and the lilac color is beyond gorgeous. It just makes me feel restful looking at it. My colorway is running low in stock — run if you love it! Run TTS. Pants are a tad long on me (I’m 5’0) but I just flip up the cuffs or let them slouch. I’m a little more forgiving on the preciseness of the fit because I consider this set true loungewear for home.

06. Above, I’m wearing my beloved noise-canceling headphones and listening to Apple’s spa music playlist. The mind needs time to do nothing at all, or at least to propel itself on its own, with limited outside stimuli. I love these headphones for that reason.

07. My friend Mary discovered the cutest “pop open” love notes for putting in my children’s lunchboxes! I could hardly wait. They have the sweetest different messages in side.