Jen Shoop, Author at Magpie by Jen Shoop

By: Jen Shoop

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I’ve been pestering Landon for years to share some of his recipes with the Magpie community, and I finally wore him down. He’s not been gatekeeping — he’s just particular and studied about his recipes, and he’s wanted to perfect them over time. (A process of which I have been the happy beneficiary.) I could not be more thrilled to share his unbelievably delicious buttermilk biscuit recipe today. These are buttery, beautifully laminated biscuits that will undoubtedly outshine whatever else you’re enjoying them with. We usually have them with fried chicken and collards, but they’d also be magnificent for brunch/breakfast with eggs or served with jams and fruits. On recent bakings, he’s swapped out a portion of the flour for cake flour and the result is a biscuit with the loveliest, softest crumb. You will lose your mind.

I apologize that the photo above is the only one I have of these outrageously delicious biscuits — I normally take the time to shoot in better light — but my lack of care should reflect how eager I was to dig in.

Ingredients.

Flour – 3.25 c (475 g) – use up to 130g of cake flour for a more tender, cake-like biscuit.
Baking powder – 4 tsp (16 g)
Baking soda – 0.5 tsp (3 g)
Salt – 1 tbsp (10 g)
Sugar – 3.0 tsp (12 g)
Butter – 8 oz (225 g) – separated by 4 oz diced ¼” cubes and 4 oz diced ½” cubes, frozen for not more than 30 minutes
Buttermilk – up to 1.5 c (360 ml) – less on a rainy day, more on a clear, dry day
Melted butter, for brushing on the biscuits
Maldon sea salt, for sprinkling

Tips:

Be flexible when adding buttermilk. The weather / environment can change how much buttermilk is needed.
Don’t overwork the dough or touch it too much with your hands. You don’t want the butter to melt before putting it in the oven. Keeping everything very cold (especially the butter and the
buttermilk) will help.

Preparation.

Adjust an oven rack to the top position. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix well so all ingredients are well integrated.

Add ¼” cubes of butter to flour. Rub and pinch until flour mixture looks well crumbled. Add the ½” cubes of butter and rub and pinch until larger butter pieces are pebble/pea sized. The ¼” cubes are mixed when the mixture looks “well crumbled.” The ½” is done when mixture looks pebble/pea sized.

Make a well in the center of the bowl, pour the buttermilk into the well, and mix by hand or with a spatula until the dough comes together. This will produce a very dry and shaggy dough.

Turn the dough onto lightly floured work surface, dust dough with flour, and roll it into a ½-inch thick rectangle (12” x 9”), applying even pressure and squaring off the edges. Laminate the dough by folding it into thirds, like a letter (a bench scraper may be helpful), and dust with flour; rotate 90 degrees, then
roll the dough into a ½-inch thick rectangle again. Repeat this procedure several times – I shoot for a total of seven times. Dust with flour as necessary. Optional – refrigerate for one hour between laminations.

Place the rectangle of biscuit dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper – the dough should almost fill a quarter sheet. Using a bench scraper or similar implement, make a ¼” cut around the perimeter edge of the dough and then cut into squares (this will yield approximately 8 to 9 biscuits). Chill the cut biscuits for an hour.

Bake the biscuits until they are golden brown, about 25 minutes, plus or minus 5. Remove them from the oven, brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter and sprinkle them with the sea or Maldon salt. Let rest for 15 minutes on a wire rack.

Post-Scripts.

+A summer salad you must try.

+Indoor BBQ shrimp.

+Things I’ve learned from cooking and entertaining.

+Kitchen gear to amp up your cooking game.

Shopping Break.

+Easy, cute summer dress for under $35. Love the unexpected cerulean blue color!

+All swim is 30% off at Monica + Andy, meaning they are $21/pop! They have the most darling prints at the moment. I bought my children matching sets (swimsuits for girls here, trunks for boys here) in the “ice pop” print (hoping they arrive in time for this weekend, but if not, will be great for the Fourth) and the swan floatie print. Also picked up some of their $30 jammies — these for my son in the red-white-blue stripe, and these for my daughter in the cherry print.

+Absolute summer staple. I have a similar one from Xirena that I wear ALL THE TIME. Lightweight, chic. Great for pairing with jeans.

+Love the embroidery on this dress.

+Bought my daughter these soft shorts for layering under her TBBC dresses and long tees and she loves them! I adore the little lettuce leaf edge.

+These running shorts arrived and I love them. They have a longer inseam than most running shorts, which is my personal preference. I like to wear them with these semi-cropped tanks from Willa Collective.

+During these summer months, I slather SPF onto my face and neck whenever I’m running, and I wear a hat. I’m not messing around! I really like Elta MD’s formula. It is really lightweight, blends with no white cast, and is suitable for even acne-prone skin. For my body, I love SuperGoop. It is so easy to blend, smells great, and really lasts, even at pool/in water.

+On the fitness front, currently in my cart: this bright blue cropped tank and matching leggings set, and these shorts from Spanx. I have this fitness skort from Spanx and I LOVE the way it feels/wears. Slimming but not restrictive.

+Love the pattern on this mini caftan. Great colors for Memorial Day / Fourth.

+Cute rope detail flush mount, and how cute is this ball lamp?

+Cute under-$50 summer tote.

+A fab easy and chic everyday dress. Just looks effortless and comfortable!

+Birkenstocks for kids! I hadn’t even thought about these for mini but saw the cutest little girl wearing them with a sundress at the playground this past weekend and now I want to add them to her summer wardrobe. They appeal to me because I’m sure they will hold up really well!

+Bermuda shorts are having a moment this summer.

+MaisonMe just launched a cute summer collection and I love this dress for me and these shorts for mini.

By: Jen Shoop

*Above: my Calpak beauty case and Amazon sunglasses (Loewe-inspired). All beauty products detailed below.

I’ve recently revamped my daily skincare regimen, almost from top to bottom. I had been feeling like my skin was dull at the end of winter and I was also (conveniently) at the end of most tubes/ bottles in my lineup, so I decided to try a whole new regimen, which I am loving. My goal was to curate products specifically oriented around radiant skin, and I think they are collectively delivering.

I apply in the following order:

YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE CLEANSER — Bright and foamy, leaves skin looking glassy-clear and feeling squeaky clean. I love the vegetal scent.
BIOLOGIQUE RECHERCHE LOTION P50 — I apply using a cotton pad immediately after cleansing. This is a liquid exfoliant. I’ve heard people go wild over this product for years and years, including my mother. I don’t think it’s been a total game-changer for me but I do feel like my skin is really “prepped” after I apply — it just has this smooth, evened out feel to it. Speaking candidly, I probably will not repurchase / will omit this step when the bottle is done and see how I feel about it. It could be that after I pause use I notice changes, but for now, I’m so-so on it. Beyond that, I’ve found a TOP FAVORITE new product in Goop’s exfoliant so this might be redundant. (Read on for my rave review.)
DR. LARA DEVGAN VITAMIN C+B+E FERULIC SERUM — I received this as a gift and it’s wonderful. I’ve written about this many times, but I find Vitamin C serums to be the single most important steps in achieving radiance in my skin. My face absolutely GLOWS after I apply. I’ve described it elsewhere as “turning on the lights in my skin.” I like several different Vitamin C products, and my favorite remains Biossance’s rose oil, but Dr. Lara Devgan’s is really good, too. It has a nice light and runny consistency that makes it easy to pat onto skin. I don’t love the scent — like a few other Vitamin C formulas, it has an almost copper-like scent? Metallic? But it does evaporate quickly after application. Overall, was just thrilled to have a high quality Vitamin C product in the repertoire as a gift. When I finish this bottle, I want to try Goop Beauty’s formula after many of you raved about it.
CLARINS DOUBLE SERUM — This remains a staple in my skincare regimen. I absolutely adore it. Vitamin C is all about radiance but this serum really adds a suppleness, softness, elasticity, even fullness to my skin. Using a Vitamin C product and following with this makes you look like you just woke up after the best night of sleep in your life.
DR. BARBARA STURM GLOW DROPS — Shopbop gifted me a tube of these glow drops I’ve been eyeing forever, and I do like them, but I think they’re almost superfluous given the previous four steps. Still, I’m really aiming for ultra-dewy, ultra-glow-y skin after I noticed dullness and dryness during the winter. Still, applying all these layers of radiance/hydration/luminizers really does incredible things.

I’m currently omitting moisturizer from my regimen because I find my skin so hydrated and happy after the previous five (!) steps, but if I’m running a bit dry, I use Origins GinZing, which is a great price for a great product. It has a nice, gel-like, lightweight consistency, and it really does deliver on the brightness front.

Now for the really groundbreaking item I’ve been waiting to share: Goop Beauty’s GoopGlow. OMG. I’m obsessed! So many of you raved about this product, and — I think I mentioned this a few days ago — my sister’s friend specifically said that she always orders “a back up for her back up” because she cannot live without it. I get the hype. This product — which I now use 2x a week — gives new birth to your skin. Like, you apply it, leave it for 2-3 minutes, and then scrub off to the softest, happiest, smoothest, most beautiful skin you’ve ever seen. I am wild about this product! I especially love to use it after I’ve come back from a long, sweaty run. I feel like I’m scrubbing off all the sweat, the random debris/dirt/grit, etc, and I am born again. I also have to say that I took a break from Tata Harper’s daily exfoliating cleanser because my skin was running really dry during the winter and I thought maybe it was too much abrasiveness, but I miss that scrubbed-clean feeling. GoopGlow is both a physical and chemical exfoliant, so you get that polished feeling while also the tingliness of a chemical exfoliant. Truly a wonderful product.

For body skincare, I am also absolutely mindblown by Olio E Osso’s Glow Body Oil. It literally beautifies your skin and imbues it with this gorgeous luminosity. I mean, it’s like you’re sitting at a candlelit dinner! I am in love. Will be using this all summer long on shoulders, legs, decolletage. Love.

In terms of cosmetics, a few favorite glow-centric products:

SuperGoop Glowscreen — A great everyday SPF that delivers a tiny bit of coverage and glow. I love wearing this on mornings I’m going running. I don’t want to run with makeup on, but I do need SPF, and this gives me just that tad bit of something extra in case I run into neighbors.
L’Oreal Lumi Glotion — A great drugstore buy. I use this as a primer if I’m going out at night and really want to dial up the glow, or dab on my cheeks and even on my collarbone/shoulders for just a little kiss.
Saie Glowy Super Gel — This product is very similar to L’Oreal’s but with a tiny bit more concentration of glow (L’Oreal’s is a bit more liquid) and a slightly more natural finish. I own both and use both regularly, almost whichever my hand grabs first.
RMS Beauty Living Luminizer — This is SUCH a good product when you want no color — just a tiny dab of sheen/dewiness. I love love this product and have used it for years.
Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm — A really great product that adds just a tiny bit of shine and hydration with minimal color.

01. YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE CLEANSER // 02. DR. LARA DEVGAN VITAMIN C+B+E FERULIC SERUM // 03. CLARINS DOUBLE SERUM // 04. ORIGINS GINZING MOISTURIZER // 05. GOOPGLOW // 06. BIOLOGIQUE RECHERCHE LOTION P50 // 07. DR. BARBARA STURM GLOW DROPS // 08. SUMMER FRIDAY’S LIP BUTTER BALM // 09. OLIO E OSSO GLOW BODY OIL // 10. L’OREAL LUMI GLOTION // 11. RMS BEAUTY LIVING LUMINIZER // 12. SUPERGOOP GLOWSCREEN // 13. SAIE GLOWY SUPERGEL

I also am always and forever buying new cosmetics bags (a weird fixation of mine) and a few pretty and functional ones I’ve come across below. I am really loving my new Calpak case (I have it in the large, but there are smaller sizes) — it can fit A TON. You can see it in the photo at top but you can actually keep all your beauty and cosmetics in one place.

01. BISCUIT HOME COSMETIC BAG // 02. DAGNE DOVER MILA ORGANIZER // 03. PALMETTO HOME QUILTED POUCH // 04. LEATHEROLOGY TRAIN CASE // 05. SUNG & CO APPLIQUE POUCHES // 06. EMBROIDERED POUCH // 07. MARK AND GRAHAM TRAVEL CASE // 08. LIBERTY WASH BAG // 09. WHITE ELEPHANT DESIGNS COSMETICS POUCHES // 10. CALPAK COSMETICS CASE

P.S. More recent beauty discoveries.

P.P.S. Organization inspo.

P.P.P.S. Have you made a Magpie Mai Tai yet?

By: Jen Shoop

Mr. Magpie and I had an interesting conversation the other day about the fact that many of our closest friends share something in common — but we couldn’t put a name to what that “something” was. We kept dancing around it, throwing out nouns that proved, on closer inspection, either adjacent or partial: curiosity, earnestness, passion, creativity, intellectual confidence, down-to-earthness, sensitivity to others, civility. Writing them out, I see some interesting tensions in the list, but all of them are true, albeit incomplete, descriptors of our inner circle. When I think about our very best friends — the ones with whom we spend holidays, travel, and eagerly plan dinners and adventures — they are the kinds who arrive in good spirits and optimism, and gamely engage in unwieldy conversations that travel from the trivial to the heartbreaking. We have one set of friends who refer to our convenings, semi-ironically (in the sense that the term is far too high-falutin’ for what these conversations are), as “salons” and often come prepared with nuanced topics to discuss. I could not have loved my girlfriend more than when she cleared her throat after dinner and said: “I have a salon subject to discuss,” and proceeded to recount the ins and outs of an article on children who had gotten tattoos at young ages with parental consent. I do not want to invite conversation about that topic here, but my point is this: I treasure the free-flowing, earnest, nonjudgmental, deeply curious conversations I have with my dearest friends. Arthur Conan Doyle wrote: “To a great mind, nothing is little,” and these are the kinds of people who gamely dive in to any topic on offer, whether tattoos, traffic laws in New York City, or the role John Hughes played in shaping our understanding of family values. They are smart, yes, but it is more than raw intelligence: inquisitiveness is the common denominator. For example, one of my girlfriends (a serious lawyer!) has gone deep into a niche luxury resale subculture, and one of my other friends (a serious commercial real estate broker) found this so interesting, he started to watch some of the auction videos with her, entirely on her account. I loved bearing witness to this unlikely cross-pollination. I enjoy surrounding myself with people who tinker, who ask questions, who want to know how things are made, who see a flame in someone else and are drawn to it.

I recently read a transcript of a fascinating interview between Leslie Stephens and jewelry designer Betsy Cross in which Stephens shared:

“When I competed on my high school’s ski team, my coach would say “Don’t shop for turns,” meaning don’t be picky and wait for a perfect turn in moguls—just take the turn. That phrase often comes to mind when I’m reading magazines or the Sunday New York Times, flipping through it for articles of interest. Often, when I read a section cover-to-cover, rather than “shopping for turns” or cherry-picking the articles I know will interest me, I come across unexpectedly interesting stories that open a new door for me, whether that leads to a story idea or simply a tangent of personal research I’ll use down the line.”

She later adds: “Doing things that are not directly related to your primary creative pursuits may feel “unproductive,” but may act as flint. Liz Gilbert writes about a season when she was going through writers’ block, so turned her curiosity toward tending her garden. She began to research her plants as a hobby, which evolved into her novel The Signature of All Things.“

It’s funny, now that I think about it, the way I consider my closest friends “great minds,” and how they in fact contradict the adage that “great minds think alike.” None of them think alike, and that’s what makes their company so stimulating.

I’m curious: do you feel that your friends share similar traits/values? What are they?

Post-Scripts.

+On female friendships and the things that matter.

+Narratives of friendship.

+On getting over a failed friendship. (I’m still not totally there.)

+On being yourself.

Shopping Break.

+This ric rac trim chambray dress is darling!

+Just ordered my son some of these monogrammed shorts. Perfect for his tennis camps this summer!

+I don’t usually love bike shorts for exercise, but this fruit print pair (with matching bra) are beyond adorable.

+These oval Celine sunglasses are SERIOUSLY trending.

+This crochet dress is in my cart. Under $120!

+I own this top in two patterns…do I need the bold green awning stripe, too?

+Roller Rabbit has the cutest hair clips — love this heart style and this lemon one, too! Speaking of RR, these new citrus jammies are adorable.

+And speaking of citrus, you need this candle. It smells so delightfully summery — perfect in a kitchen. 10% off with code MAGPIE10!

+Further speaking of citrus — everyone has a citrus press like this, right?! Couldn’t live without mine.

+OMG these earrings are SO fabulous! ($124!)

+Love these kick shorts for little girls. Great colors. Perfect for layering under little play dresses and tees!

+Food52 is offering 20% off sitewide (and 25% off orders over $200) with code SUMMER. All my favorite kitchen/dining picks from that site here.

+This Gucci scarf has the prettiest pattern.

+A fab striped tote.

+Hunter Bell nails it again! So good!

+This is my favorite notebook for lists. As a leftie, I deeply appreciate the spiral biding along the top.

By: Jen Shoop

*Above, wearing my beloved Mille dress and Gucci sandals.

This week, we strummed the first strains of summer. Mr. Magpie’s strawberries are ripening by the fistful, and we are spending a lot of time sitting outside. Even two years into living in Bethesda, the backyard suburban experience remains a marvel. I hope to never lose my wonderment over the magic of owning a little piece of land in which my children can run barefoot, and my husband can cultivate his garden, and I can reset when I need to find a center. One morning this week, I sat on the top step of the stairwell that leads down to the garage and again used the Cornell Bird identifying app. I sat with it long enough to learn how to differentiate between the calls of the American Robin and the Northern Cardinal, two birds of abundance in our yard, and I thought for a moment how strange it was that I’d never taken the time to do this before. Now I go into the yard and hear them clearly and can’t imagine that I lived for so long without discerning anything but background noise.

Specific summer milestones I am looking forward to:

+Salty french fries at the pool, when fingers are pruney and cholorinated

+The fireflies — they have emerged in incredible numbers the past two years; some nights in late June and early July, it is almost like the trees are strung up with lights

+Stepping out of the swampy humidity of D.C. into the rush of cool air in our home

+Swimming in Deep Creek Lake

+Bushels of Old-Bay-dredged blue crab picked outside

+Late and loose bedtimes, mornings with more give

+Daily deliveries from Mr. Magpie’s garden — a few raspberries, a cucumber, a fistful of mint

+Strawberry-pink glasses of rose

+The clusters of neighborhood children that congregate in our cul de sac and can often be found playing elaborate games of hide and seek across multiple neighbors’ backyards

+Striped beach towels drying on the balcony railing

+Grilled vegetables, grilled fish, grilled everything

+The Garrett County Fair

+My children’s pink cheeks, flushed from heat and activity, glimpsed in my rear view mirror as we drive quietly home from a busy day at summer camp or a friend’ house

+The way D.C. looks overgrown and overlush in its medians and parks this time of year

+Beach reads speckled with sunscreen and water

+Bare feet

What about you?

****

Now, onto a photo journal of this week — everything that caught my eye.

Mr. Magpie’s meal planning stack (The Splendid Table, recommended by Missy Robbins, and Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking) for the week against our newly delivered slipper chair, which our interior designer, Kelley, had upholstered in Thibaut’s Windsor pattern. This chair shape is very similar.

Common weekend morning sight: my son lingering in his Lila + Hayes pajamas (his absolute favorite – he wears these year-round and owns them in a fleet of patterns…I just ordered him this baseball themed set while 20% off). I’m wearing this Marea dress, which is one of my favorite everyday dresses — really light and airy and flattering. Also eyeing their “house dresses” and this strappy style.

On Mother’s Day, mini wore the sweetest floral dress from Bisby. I’ve been in a process of accommodating her fashion/style preferences and this is one we can both agree on. She is anti smocking and anti sash at this point, and Bisby delivered! I love that I captured this photo of her, because she is majorly into throwing up peace signs and making smirks at the camera — my little teen! — but here she is with her unbridled sweetness.

My Mother’s Day outfit was this Farm Rio dress, which I paired with a J. McLaughlin belt (a spring/summertime MVP — love that the belt has no pre-bored holes so you can really cinch it exactly where you want to), my Pam Munson Isla Bahia, and my favorite Larroude mules. I felt so deeply spoiled this past weekend. I had two pockets of daytime during which I read (!), which rarely happens on the weekends, since I’m normally with the children or doing chores or whirling through plans. Mr. Magpie also made me pancakes (he used the Stella Parks recipe, which was bananas — SO GOOD) and one of my favorite meals: pasta al limone and broccoli rabe sauteed in garlic on the side. My mouth is watering just thinking of this meal.

Boll and Branch sponsored a few Instagram stories I shared with my Instagram Magpies on Friday, which was truly an honor because I have been a fan of their bedding for a long while now and have purchased many of their products over the years. I love this new eyelet duvet and sheet set. I am not being sponsored to share this information here, but I am deeply enthusiastic about their bedding. I find it to be well-priced, great quality (launders well), and sophisticated in design. Mr. Magpie came into the room while I was zhushing the bedding, not expecting the fresh set to be arranged, and said, “Oh wow! It looks great!” Mr. Magpie is a pretty observant guy but, I mean, it takes a lot for a man to notice and make exclamations about bedding. Anyhow, they are offering Magpies 20% off with code MAGPIE20. Let me again say that if you buy nothing else, you should try the waffle bed blanket. It is truly the best weight, and I love the texture. You know how Oprah does her “favorite things” series? The waffle bed blanket would absolutely be in mine.

As an aside, I am wearing a past-season Caroline nap dress from Hill House in the top photo, but they just released this nightgown style in a fun botanical print. This is a great “padding around the house / lazy summer morning” situation. I put this on and feel like I am in the 1890s in a pleasant kind of way.

This week, I powered through Every Summer After by Carley Fortune. I mentioned it earlier this week as a good “before-bed, wind-down” kind of book, but that was when I was only 20% in. Now that I’m 70% through, I have to say it rates highly on the smut scale, and runs…threadbare in the plot and character development categories. Look, I know some books aren’t meant to be groundbreaking feats of technical or character-related virtuosity, and in fact often seek out the lighter fare, but this one…hm. Does anyone have any recommendations for beach read type books that offer a little something extra? Like, more in the Sittenfeld category? (Also, the frosted plastic cup above is a staple for outdoor living. They are inexpensive but dishwasher safe. You won’t be frustrated if you lose one, or a neighbor accidentally carries one home, etc.)

My neighbor and I have been taking Wednesday walks together and they are quickly becoming a high-point of my week. It is wonderful to break out of my studio and enjoy an hour of conversation smack dab in the middle of the work day and work week. I am reminded on these walks of the value of braiding myself into my community. The connection to the people, to the place just feels good. My neighbor is a speculative fiction writer, and a tenured one — she has a proper writing group and speaks about plot mechanics and design in the most interesting, studied ways. I have been writing for decades but my preferred medium (personal essay) is so different, and it is fascinating to learn about the craft side of long-form fiction writing.

Above, I’m breaking in my new On shoes. I’ve seen these ALL over the place and I have to say that I now understand why. They are really cushiony and the design of the sole almost propels you forward? It like rocks your foot as you walk?

I finally broke out of a two- or three-week-long stint during which my son only wanted to read a firetruck book that was so boring that eventually I had to tell him we were going to take a break from it. I try to bite my tongue during story time and let him choose what he wants because my goal is simply to instill a love of books and reading at this age — not make it feel forced or homework-like — but I had to intervene on day 21. He elected for this simple board book on shapes and colors featuring the work of Bauhaus artist Josef Albers. I winced at first because it is a bit babyish for him, but I realized on revisiting it a few times this week that it offers its own kind of useful instruction in “close looking” at art. I found my son twisting the book around to look at the paintings from different angles, and also shaking the book because it sometimes led colors to almost vibrate on the page. It was clever and exciting.

We’ll end here: I was very tempted by these gorgeous J’adior slingbacks at Saks this week. Oo la la!

P.S. ICYMI, J. Crew is offering an extra 50% off sale with code SHOPEARLY. I just bought my daughter a few pairs of $12 jammies in this style and this one. This adorable suit is only $15!

By: Jen Shoop

My Latest Snag: My Hill House Order.

Mainly excited about my Hill House order, which included this mini dress in the cutest sailboat print and this striped midi, but I also finally bought my son a play table for his room. He loves building and we bought him legos for his birthday, so I think this will get a ton of use! I thought the design of this table was clever, as you can change out the legs for a longer length as he grows.

This Week’s Bestsellers.

I am particularly obsessed with this week’s roundup of bestsellers. So many fashion-forward, interesting pieces. I’m smitten with this gorgeous, classic ivory dress and of course we’re all testing this hyped shave oil!

01. FAVORITE DAUGHTER DRESS // 02. SHAVE OIL // 03. WAVE BATH TOWELS // 04. 9SEED CAFTAN // 05. SANDRO TWEED DRESS // 06. ZARA SANDALS // 07. TERRY SKINCARE HEADBAND // 08. GIRLS ATHLETIC SHORTS // 09. CHUCKS // 10. JUMPSUIT // 11. LA DOUBLE J DRESS // 12. STRIPED TEE // 13. LINEN SHORTS // 14. POCKET SCISSORS // 15. JENNI KAYNE TROUSERS

Weekend Musings: On Second Chances in Motherhood.

I wrote awhile ago about parenting as a “process,” about realizing that today is not the final version, or complete draft, of who you are as a mother. Those words sprang to mind earlier this week when I took my daughter to her opthalmologist. My daughter has amblyopia, a sight disorder in which the brain fails to process inputs from one eye and over time favors the other. It is treatable when caught early, as we did at her 18 month wellness visit, and has meant that she has had to wear an eye patch for several hours a day most of her life in order to strengthen the affected eye. Unfortunately, this week, we learned she will need to persist in her patching regimen for another another year or two or possibly three, which has been a difficult setback after six months of no patching. I know we will get through to the other side, where the patch is part of the routine, but the transition back in has been rough. Watching crocodile tears stream down her cheeks as she rolled out highly logical, observant reasons as to why she did not want to resume patching was nothing short of heartbreaking. I had nothing to lean on but “the doctor said we have to,” and so instead, I just sat stroking her back and permitting her to hold my phone screen inches from her face as a distraction as she adjusted to using one, weaker eye. But I digress. We will get through this; we have before. Onward.

What I really want to say is that when I took her to the opthalmologist earlier this week, they dilated her eyes, and this happening gave me occasion to right a wrong I have sat with for years. When mini was 18 months old, I took her to an eye specialist right after her pediatrician observed that she might have amblyopia. They were late to begin with, but then they dilated her eyes and we sat for what felt like hours in the waiting room waiting for it to kick in, then waiting for the exam, then waiting for a diagnosis and instructions, then checking out, etc. It was a slow operation there, and I kept looking at my watch, as I was backing into a meeting on the East Side. Realizing the timing was growing tight, I arranged to have our nanny come to meet us at the doctor so that I could jet off in a cab to my meeting just after. My daughter had been clingy in the office — but understandably. It’s never fun to be poked and prodded and told to wait and then re-enter, and if I haven’t made this clear, it was a long, long visit — probably close to two or two and a half hours when all was said and done. Finally, we made our way through checkout and I met our nanny holding my daughter in one hand and pushing the stroller in the other. When I went to hand her over, mini went hysterical. She was screaming my name, she was clawing for me, she was longboarding her body to avoid being buckled into her stroller. She would not be comforted. We shuffled around the lobby of this UWS medical building for at least ten minutes — I would soothe her and then try to distract during the handoff, or we’d invite her to wander around by herself to just sort of “air out” for a minute. Nothing seemed to work. Finally, my nanny said, “Jen, you just have to go.” I knew she was right: I was protracting things, and I was running really late, too.

I still remember the tears streaming down her cheeks, her palms reaching out for me. It was horrific, and I felt unglued. It wasn’t until halfway across the 67th Street Transverse that I realized she had been beside herself because her eyes had been dilated and the world was blurry and confusing to her and she was far too young to comprehend that this was temporary. I had been her guide, her center, and without my familiar presence, she’d lost it.

Of course, she was fine. My nanny sent pictures of her happily playing in the bath tub within about thirty minutes of the separation, and life went on. But I never forgave myself for abandoning her that morning on the Upper West Side, for not seeing how badly she needed me, for not being where I needed to be that day as a mother.

So when mini had to have her eyes dilated this past week, I saw a chance to re-do things, to submit a second draft. She was worried about how blurry the world looked, and I reassured her in every way I knew how. When we got home, I climbed into her bed with her and read her books for as long as she wanted, and she happily laid on her back, laughing at all the right parts and squinting at the page now and then. We then pulled out a big pad of Mad Libs — the perfect pastime for her, as I could read the “blanks” and she could shout out the answers, and then we could double over in laughter together. By lunchtime, her eyesight was back to normal, but I kept pulling her in for hugs and kisses and telling her how much I loved her the remainder of the day.

What a gift, to have the chance to try again.

So I’m writing again — more for myself than anyone else — that if today is a hard day, it is not the last chapter, the final installment, the apotheosis of my motherhood. I will get up tomorrow and try again.

P.S. More about my daughter’s vision journey here.

Shopping Break.

+How fabulous is this rainbow brite striped shirtdress from Buru? If you are a new mom, you should know about this brand, which is focused on highly functional clothing for motherhood. Many (most?) of their pieces are nursing friendly.

+This seashell necklace is SO fabulous. Pair with an LWD or an LBD and you’re done.

+A heads up that these wildly popular sandals were restocked in all sizes!

+Just picked up a bunch of items for mini on super sale at J. Crew — extra 50% off sale using code SHOPEARLY. I got her two pairs of these jammies and these, a few t-shirts (she’s been begging me for some of the “sparkly ones” that flip color, as most of her classmates have these, so I got her one of these!), and this swimsuit (not on sale, but so cute)!

+20% off Boll and Branch with code MAGPIE20! You know I adore their waffle bed blankets in particular. We use them year-round! They’re the perfect weight and add such a cozy texture contrast. Love!

+Speaking of swim for littles: Hunza G vibes for your little love.

+Just ordered this long picnic blanket for the summer ahead.

+CUTE $20 top! I love this tucked into high-waisted denim.

+Still not over this under-$100 green woven clutch. SO good. Looks much more expensive than the price tag suggests.

+Into these dramatic seashell earrings. I guess I’m into sealife-inspired jewelry these days!

+Another great J. Crew dress. Love the blockprint option!

+Cute floral romper.

+A gorgeous white eyelet statement.

By: Jen Shoop

*Above: Zara lace-up heels!

I am all fired up this morning because I discovered this embroidered maxi dress, which reminds me so much of the Julia Amory ones I’ve been eyeing, but is under $100! Such an unexpected shade of pistachio, too. Ordering immediately.

Some other fabulous finds I’ve been eyeing of theirs below. I want to specifically call out this embroidered linen dress, which is reminiscent of the spectacular caftans from Vita Kin!

01. DRESS // 02. LINEN MINI // 03. BLOUSE // 04. BASKET BAG // 05. WEDGE ESPADRILLES // 06. PRINTED BLOUSE // 07. PRINTED PANTS // 08. POPLIN MIDI DRESS // 09. SANDALS // 10. BLOCKPRINT MINI // 11. BELTED MINI DRESS // 12. MINI DRESS // 13. BUCKLED SANDALS // 14. MIDI DRESS

P.S. I’m trying to keep my “Zara favorites list” up to date — there are more finds linked, including cute children’s scores!

P.P.S. Some chic recent home finds.

P.P.P.S. Worry dolls and endings.

By: Jen Shoop

We watched Michael J. Fox’s “Still” biopic earlier this week, and I found it deeply moving, beautifully edited and paced, and inventive in its splicing of film footage, reenactment, and interview. Normally, reenactments are cringe-y, shadowy affairs — heavy footsteps up grainy stairwells — but this movie handled the transitions with such finesse that I occasionally forgot what was what. Incredible sleight of hand, if you think about it, and what it really said to me was that this movie was an act of tremendous love. There is a great quote by Arthur Clarke that runs: “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic,” and I found myself thinking adjacently that any production borne of tremendous love and attention to detail yields analogous sorcery. It was clear, watching “Still,” that the crew had taken great pains to hide any signs of duct tape. The result was a lofting testament to a man of humility, humor, perspective, strength who is showing us how to live a graceful life with a degenerative disease.

I have been thinking with increasing un-ease about a line in the movie in which Fox describes his Parkinson’s Disease as “cosmic payback for his success.” I found myself wanting to reassure him that sometimes horrible things just happen, seeking an intellectual wedge that might separate the frailty of our human bodies from the richness of our lived experiences. I spluttered in thought afterwards. On the one hand, his comment brought to mind the adage “to whom much is given, much is expected” and the corollary that “God gives you what you can handle,” in which case, Fox has clearly stepped up to the plate and used his wealth and his diagnosis to advance medical research on the disease. But on the other hand —

A few years ago, and I fully realize the triviality of this example in relation to Fox’s experience, I wrote an essay straining to make sense of a haphazard injury. I’d tripped over the lip of a rug in my apartment while six months pregnant and split my forehead open. I had to have ten stitches right down the middle of my face, but the baby was blessedly OK. I speculated for weeks about what this could possibly mean. Was it “cosmic payback” for my own vanity? Was it a sign that I needed to stop rushing, to slow down? Was it a wake-up call I hadn’t yet fully unpacked?

A chorus of Magpies assured me: “sometimes accidents just happen.” And one reader responded to my fledgling navel-gazing by sharing that she had delivered a stillborn baby, and that she refused to believe that her tragedy was anything but a tragedy. I think of her all the time.

I’ve been sitting in this disarray for years now, unable to reconcile her heartfelt, hard-earned, valid observation with the tenets of my faith in any tidy way. And maybe that’s OK. The older I get, the less certain I feel about anything but the centricity of love in a life well-spent. Which is to say: perhaps my charter in life is not to reconnoiter the exact perimeter lines between fate and free will. Perhaps those will always feel blurry and renegotiable and categorically imprecise. I am learning that those may not be the questions I am here to answer — to let others more lawyerly or capable of complexity or faith-enriched dig in that soil. Instead, perhaps I am meant to be asking how love can lead me through those times of confusion. Maybe it is not “why did this happen?” but “how can I meet this moment as my most loving self?”

Which is to say: perhaps it is not my place to think anything at all about Fox’s assessment of his diagnosis, but simply to sit in empathy.

Post-Scripts.

+A poem on parenting that I love.

+On flow as an intention for the 2023 year.

+One of the best practical resolutions I had for this year — it’s completely changed the pace and feel of my everyday life.

Shopping Break.

+I just ordered this Goop tinted lip balm in the peony color after my friend Lauren recommended it! Definitely having a Goop beauty moment. I also ordered the exfoliator so many of you raved about and cannot wait to give a thorough review. My sister’s friend messaged me to say that she loves this exfoliator so much that she bought “a back up of the back up” (!). Do you have any beauty products like that? That you can’t possibly imagine living without and therefore buy in a panic every few months? The two items that come to mind for me are Kevyn Aucoin’s SSE (I have very dark circles under my eyes and this is the only thing that really covers them — if you buy it, don’t panic at how thick and pigmented it is. You only need a tiny bit applied in the inner corner of your eye and then blended well with a beauty blender) and, increasingly (!), this Merit brush, which I now use to apply foundation/tinted moisturizer as well as bronzer and blush. It is SO GOOD at blending products invisibly without lifting color off your face. I swear it has changed my beauty application process. Actually, after writing this paragraph, I ordered a second brush just to have on hand!

+Adore this gingham maxi skirt. I have a blue gingham skirt that is similar that I bought from Gap two or three years ago and wear EVERY season without fail.

+My kind of utility pant.

+Chic summer blouse to pair with jeans.

+My daughter has been asking to “borrow” my State Bags belt bag, which I have in a hot pink color (no longer available) and wear all the time. I especially like it for hands-free dog walking and taking walks with my neighbor, which we now do every Wednesday. Anyhow, I bought her this strawberry belt bag of her own!

+We love a hot pink moment. This looks like something by Ciao Lucia or Ulla Johnson!

+A bold beach/picnic blanket! This brand also makes really great, thin, packable towels. I used to keep these under our stroller when we spent lots of time at the splash pads in Central Park.

+I mentioned this recently, but this coffee maker is our obsession. It’s sort of a hybrid between drip coffee and pour over and yields the smoothest, most delicious cup. Mr. Magpie grinds our beans daily for it. Could be a good coffee upgrade for your home, or a wonderful Father’s Day gift for a coffee lover! Comes in such great colors. Love the style! Don’t mind having it out on the counter!

+Just ordered this funky little crochet dress. It’s such a stretch for me but I kind of dig it?!

+Can you EVEN with this fabulous bag from Mme Mink?!

+Very tempted by this dress for my girl, though she increasingly refuses to wear the dresses I buy for her! Such a fun and unexpected pattern.

+Gorgeous ombre “spritz” dress.

+Speaking of aperol spritzes, Lake’s new summer arrivals are so festive and citrusy. I love this shorts set and this pointelle capri set.

+$15 digger jammies for my fellow mamas with construction-obsessed children.

+For summer birthday parties.

By: Jen Shoop

Some things never go out of style — Jackie O. in white jeans and a black tee will forever feel fresh and chic. Below, channeling her ways with some chic summer finds, all under $150:

01. EVERLANE RIVIERA DRESS // 02. ADIDAS GAZELLES // 03. EMBROIDERED BLOUSE // 04. AMAZON EARRINGS // 05. SEVEN FOR ALL MANKIND SHORTS // 06. GAP SHORTS // 07. LESET POINTELLE TEE // 08. PISTOLA JEANS* // 09. TKEES SANDALS // 10. COS SHIRT // 11. COS SKIRT // 12. AMAZON SUNGLASSES // 13. MADEWELL DRESS // 14. HEART NECKLACE // 15. J. CREW TANK // 16. LL BEAN TOTE // 17. AMAZON SANDALS* // 18. DAILY PLANNER // 19. WOVEN BAG // 20. EVERLANE PANTS

*Own and love these — super, super stretchy. Take your true size and wear nude underwear.

**You may remember that these were my gateway drug sandals — I ended up returning and investing in a pair from Gucci because I realized they weren’t as hard to style as I’d imagined. These are VERY chic and look higher end than they are! Seen below.

P.S. Pretty day dresses.

P.P.S. Current favorite lounge + athleisure.

P.P.P.S. What’s your house music?

By: Jen Shoop

I went for an annual OBGYN exam earlier this week. I’d been putting it off for nearly six months, which is highly unlike me, as I am disciplined, perfunctory, steely-minded about routine check-ups. I consider preventative care a gift to my future self and my family. I go with the hope of catching things early, asking the questions that keep me up at night, and moving through life with fewer question marks. I wrote earlier this year that fixing my teeth “made space for better things,” and I feel the same way about routine/maintenance health care: a clean bill of health, or at least a diagnosis, clears my mind for more important things. But in this case, I’d disliked the first OBGYN I’d found after moving from NYC to Bethesda and had let myself go slack on the search for a replacement — a feint only thinly veiling my dread.

As with most things, the anticipation was far worse than the experience, and I felt weightless after I completed the appointment. But in the waiting room, and then as I frantically changed into my robe (as I always do, under the persistent misapprehension that the doctor will somehow barge in before I’ve changed — this, despite the fact that it has never happened, the doctors always knock and usually keep you waiting for too long, and it’s not as if modesty matters anyway given proximity to the impending exam), I found myself leaden with nerves. During the very routine questions the aide asked while tapping away proficiently on her keyboard to record my answers, I almost burst into tears twice: first, when asked about my pregnancies (three) and deliveries (two) and second, when asked about cancer in my family. I have spent so much time thinking about these matters, but somehow, the questions flew over the battlements and lodged in the tenderest and most vulnerable slope of my heart. I pretended to cough as I galvanized myself, rallying my wits about me, answering as simply and unemotionally as I could. But there are some questions that simply cannot be answered with a straight face, no matter how much time has passed.

After, I sat in my car with the air conditioning blasting and collected myself. I looked in the mirror and understood at once the shape of my earlier dread:

It was not immaturity or indolence that had led me to duck —

It was heartbreak and hurt I had not wanted to visit with.

And who would? I murmured, mothering myself, giving myself a tiny squeeze. You did great, I added, surprised when these almost half-baked words of reassurance seemed to gild themselves in mid-air, settling warmly, snugly across me. As I sat in that car, offering myself a soft landing, I was aware that I was in the presence of a small and peculiar kind of transcendence. Not the kind that Emerson wrote about, not the variety that changes the soul, not the sort that moves mountains or galvanizes communities or drops people to their knees. No, this was palm-sized and personal and so wafer-thin you might swat it away if you aren’t careful. Somehow, a tiny mercy had floated from the divine down to the doctor’s office parking lot, and I had been still enough to catch it.

This, it occurred to me, is prayer. The real kind: quiet, but answering.

Post-Scripts.

+On my mother visiting Mary’s house.

+A humble thing.

+On turning 34: “I don’t know, and that’s OK.”

+On leaving New York.

Shopping Break.

+Boys floafers still available, but selling fast. I like the green and brown options.

+Into this versatile $110 dress in either the brown or the black — both great, chic staples you could pair with heels or sandals.

+I bought my husband this water bottle for the stationery bike but liked it so much I slowly co-opted it. Just ordered myself my own in the pretty pink color.

+These colorful glasses are so chic. I rounded up all my favorite kitchen/dining finds in one place here. A lot of these would make incredible purchases for Father’s Day if your dad/spouse love to cook! I actually just bought the glass cake dome I shared on that list because it was sold out forever! Mr. Magpie gave me the matching cake stand for Christmas but we’d been waiting for a dome restock. Can’t wait for it to arrive.

+Fun Bottega-inspired bag for under $50.

+Been hearing really good things about these $25 running shorts.

+Another fitness find in my cart: this twist-front Lululemon tee.

+These dramatic pants are SO GOOD.

+My kind of celebration dress.

+ICYMI: so many of us have ordered this hyped shave oil. Cannot wait to try!

+Just ordered this clutch organizer for my closet. I have one area that really needs some help in the organization department.

+Darling little statement bag.

+A great everyday tank at a great price. Love the stripe!

+Love the look of these casual everyday shorts for men. Perfect length.

+This colorblocked backpack is so cute in the primary colors for a little boy!

+These strawberry shorts for a little girl — too cute!

+Love this oversized flat heart necklace — under $50!

By: Jen Shoop

*Image via.

Do you have plans for the kick-off to summer? We are heading to the pool, entertaining out of town guests, and going to a BBQ at a friend’s — smells like summer. I can’t wait to break out my new HHH purchases for the weekend, including this striped dress, which I plan to wear with my Tory Burch platform fisherman sandals and a basket bag, and this little boat print dress as a pool cover-up. (The boat print in this style of dress would also be adorable for a BBQ.)

01. HILL HOUSE COSIMA DRESS // 02. ANYA HINDMARCH BAG // 03. MELAMINE PLATES // 04. ULLA J SANDALS // 05. LELA ROSE MIDI DRESS // 06. YETI COOLER // 07. SUNHOUSE CHILDRENS DRESS // 08. CAT AND JACK JELLIES // 09. ZARA SANDALS // 10. RADIO FLYER WAGON // 11. MANGO DRESS // 12. TKEES SANDALS // 13. SUNNYLIFE PICNIC BASKET // 14. CHAPPY WRAP BLANKET // 15. RHOBACK POLO // 16. TBBC SHORTS // 17. KEDS SNEAKERS // 18. RDR EARRINGS // 19. PINK CITY PRINTS DRESS // 20. COS TOP // 21. COS SKIRT // 22. IL BISONTE BAG // 23. RUE DE VERNEUIL TOTE // 24. CHANEL DAD SANDALS

P.S. A great recipe to feed a crowd, and my favorite bar snack for big gatherings.

P.P.S. I can’t wait for the fireflies this summer.

P.P.P.S. Outdoor patio living.

By: Jen Shoop

Q: Father’s day gift ideas.

A: I’ll have to share a full gift guide soon, but a few really great picks, depending on interest:

THERMAPEN — THE BEST DIGITAL MEAT THERMOMETER…GREAT FOR GRILLING ENTHUSIASTS

RAY BAN SUNGLASSES — HAVEN’T YET MET A MAN WHO DOESN’T LOOK GREAT IN THEM

ZELDA FOR NINTENDO SWITCH — FOR THE GAMING ENTHUSIASTS

MARTINI GLASSES

RHOBACK GOLF SHIRT (“THAT’S WHAT MARYLAND DOES, CRABCAKES AND FOOTBALL”)

HANDSOME FLATS

TERRY POLO HE’LL NEVER TAKE OFF

ICON STATUS SWIM TRUNKS

Q: “Cowboy cocktail” dress under $150 for wedding welcome party in Aspen. (Guest.)

A: SO fun, and so glad you asked! I love this SEA dress (on super sale) or this Xirena!

Q: Graduation gift for my nephew, who is becoming an investment banker.

A: An engraved money clip, a Caran D’Ache pen, elegant stationery, or a proper set of towels for his new apartment.

Q: Shorts that aren’t denim.

A: I’ve been hearing such good things about these pull-on linen shorts from J. Crew. Also high on my radar: these Sevens (selling out quickly elsewhere), these SEA shorts, these black Faithfulls, these Pistolas, and these striped Madewells. If you’re looking for a statement style, check out Juliet Dunn! One of my girlfriends swears by these with white tanks/tees. These Chufys are also really fun.

Q: Lady jackets. Obsessed with the Nili Lotan but hoping for a less expensive option.

A: Still an investment, but all of the styles at VB are blowing my mind. Love this lilac one. A bit more reasonably priced: BA&SH! Very Celine but a fraction of the price. Budget: Urban Revivo. (This denim one is so cool!)

Q: Date night outfits.

A: A romantic dress from Doen — they have this “just rolled out of bed like this” vibe. Effortless, sexy, feminine, laidback. Jenni Kayne’s Rhode dress is also fetching: simple but saucy.

Q: Sneakers to wear with dresses for 48 hours in NYC at the end of June. Something with a little black?

A: In a dream world, these Celines or these Isabel Marants. SO good. I also am really into Converse hi-tops right now — been working up the courage to order a pair to play around with styling. I was intimidated by dad sandals but then I ordered them and they ain’t so scary, so I’ve built up a little sartorial courage to try new footwear styles. Look to Sylvanitas for style tips!

I’m also a forever fan of classic Supergas. They still look fresh to me. And I’m still a Golden Goose fan! Love the mid star style.

Q: Bump-friendly dress for black tie wedding under $300 if possible.

A: Try Staud’s Ilana dress or one of these Tuckernucks (the yellow with feather trim is fab!). I also think this ASOS could accommodate. Just “dress up” with high heels and big earrings!

Q: Summer crossbody bag under $200.

A: I’m in love with this woven bucket crossbody. SO good — looks like it could be a higher end designer (Ulla, Isabel Marant, etc). I also think these Naghedis are super cute! I have the tote version, but just saw a mom at my daughter’s school wearing one of these and it was adorable. More colors here. A little bit over budget, but this white woven crossbody from LR is fabulous, too, and would go with everything. Love the Bottega vibe.

Q: Freshly post partum outfits for very soon-to-be first time mom.

A: I would buy a fleet of new nap dresses! So comfortable, easy to wash, and just the cutest prints. I still live in several of mine. I also really love the Julia Amory shirtdresses and think they’d be wonderful postpartum wear. They’re soft, skim the body, and have the button front for nursing.

Q: College graduation gifts around $100.

A: I love the idea of a fresh set of bath towels for a graduate. It’s practical, it’s adult — she/he will forever thank you for this investment in their new home! If that feels too practical or intimate or boring for the recipient, some beautiful paper goods, a set of pajamas that actually matches (ha), a Catbird initial necklace, some beautiful stationery.

Q: Black coat dress.

A: This $228 one is perfection. Looks like Valentino!

Q: Active wear that provides sun protection.

A: Lululemon has a line of UV protected clothing! Love these shirts. The brand Coolibar also has some good basics.

Q: I’d love some tropical decor recs for a future Ask Magpie segment. Live in Florida and recently replaced dining chairs with white chippendales and added a white wooden spool coffee table for the open room space. Would love ideas for accessorizing.

A: This sounds so fabulous! I would lean on Amanda Lindroth. I love her wicker trays, bins, and side tables. For lighting, something fun like this or this or a lampshade like this or these from Matilda Goad. If you’re bold with color, you have to check out the playful lighting options from Stray Dog, too! I love a neutral rug like this underfoot, and some fun statement pillows like this or this, and how fab is this coral/shell mirror?

For a splurge, you must check out Oomph! I am obsessed with everything they do, but especially consoles like this.

By: Jen Shoop

*Image above via Alice Pilate. I loved her playful look, including her Loewe glasses; I bought these $10 “inspired-bys” on Amazon. Her terry dress is La Veste. Lake has a similar option!

I’ve been having a lot of fun getting dressed in the morning the past week or two — I feel like I become my true self when it comes to fashion in the warmer months. I could live in easy dresses and bright colors all year round, and I love a loud statement sandal or pair of $10 sunglasses. Below, two little mood boards sharing some fun everyday outfit options — these are all variations on things I have worn and how I style myself on “normal days,” e.g., days I’m doing drop off, working at my desk, running errands, etc. These are practical but FUN. I do first want to mention that Hill House’s summer collection launches today at noon and I am ordering their new Cosima dress in the blue and white stripe and their Genevieve mini dress in the “loveboat” pattern to wear as a pool cover-up, as you’ll see them included in the mood boards below. The pattern on the latter is beyond adorable and reminds me of D. Porthault! I might sit on it to wear on Fourth of July with strappy sandals first though. So, so cute!