Jen Shoop, Author at Magpie by Jen Shoop

By: Jen Shoop

Last summer, a barred owl settled in on my neighbor’s property. He was the talk of the block because his nocturnal cries were unbelievably loud,* and would often wake my neighbors. We were all fascinated by this nighttime nuisance. I heard him, too, most memorably on a twilight walk with Tilly. I almost couldn’t discern the sound’s origination, as it projected and filled the street. Unlike birdsong, it did not blend into the background, a pleasant canopy. Rather, it pierced, a reverberation in equal parts wild and domestic, in some ways resembling human speech and in others, an alien call. I scanned the trees, now a trick of shadow in the crepuscular light, and saw nothing. I recalled the only thing I know about owls: that they see you well before you see them. I felt small and trespasser-like in my own neighborhood, in this borrowed suburbia. The street lights seemed to give way to a landscape that preceded us, and I imagined instead the mature trees, the sloping hills, the nests of barred owls as they might have appeared before pavements and postboxes and patio decks.

This is the thing about interruptions:

Like weeds, they are just plants we do not think we want.

But sometimes they offer us ways in, or out, of our own melancholy or habit or preoccupation. Sometimes what we dismiss as “bugs” are actually “features.”

This summer, I intend to accommodate what passes my way. I spend too much time coiling against intrusions and huddling away from the impromptu. Why this instinct? Or, rather, how have I come to live with such narrow margins? I know how, truly: it is the cluttering of schedules and the chaos of living with young children and the rush of the modern world. All the things we believe are novel to our generation but have probably been around for many. (If you read any fin de siecle authors, you find already the fast pace, the quick sketch, the ennui that “modernity” can engender.) Still, the sensation of over-fullness and over-busy-ness is real, and I am doing my best to unwind myself from it. I recently read a fabulous essay by Buru’s founder, Morgan Hutchinson, in In Kind’s newsletter, in which she talks about the moment she realized she had gone overboard, and possibly lost her center, for her daughter’s birthday party. She concludes:

I’m not suggesting that I don’t believe in striving for perfection. No need to shoot for the middle, when you can shoot for the stars—but, and this is a big but, you must pick your perfect.

The myth of the perfect mother is that she does all things perfectly. There is no such mother. However, there are countless mothers who do a few things perfectly. To these women, I raise a glass. They picked their perfect. They lean into what they know well, and they execute.
-Morgan Hutchinson

This resonates profoundly with the notion that we can only do a handful of things well at once. Marc Randolph put it similarly: “One of the most important skills for any entrepreneur is focus. There will always be hundreds of things broken and on fire — but you only have the resources to do two or three of them well.” Only, this is true not only for entrepreneurs, but for anyone living with purpose. You have space to do a few things well, or at least with intention: what will they be?

It might seem strange to begin an essay talking about accommodating interruptions and to end it imploring myself to live with focus, but there is an important thread that binds, and it is about uncomplicating my life so that I can be open and present. It is about making space for receptivity. Laying the mat for it. When I am “at capacity,” or overstimulated, or busy to the point of distraction, I find myself putting the bread in the fridge and the butter in the cupboard and telling my husband, as I did a few nights ago: “I love how it’s getting late darker and darker now.”

I want to see where the interruption and inconvenience and impromtu take me this summer.

After all, far be it for me to reclaim this neighborhood from the barred owls that lived here before us. There are entire worlds of meaning to discover, and they are waiting on my doorstep, if I can find the patience to listen.

Post-Scripts.

*You can hear a barred owl’s call here. By the way, I’m obsessed with this entire Cornell Labs project — they have an app called Merlin where you can record your surroundings and the app will identify which birds you are hearing. Unbelievable!

+Imprints of a new (suburban) lifestyle.

+The first job each morning.

+My missa cantata.

+On learning to pray.

Shopping Break.

+OMG but how cute are these striped shorts?! Dig as pool cover-up shorts or paired with the matching button-down or a white tank.

+This VW wagon for kids is SO extra and SO adorable.

+This little top is on sale for around $20 and darling with white/ecru pants/jeans.

+My kind of everyday dress. 20% off with code YOURULE.

+My favorite pull-on wide-leg crops are 40% off. I own them in white and adore. Wore them recently with Chanel espadrilles and a striped tee (details here), but I’m telling you that all you need is a good white tee* and some fab sandals and this will be your go-to drop-off/everyday outfit. Nancy Meyers approves.

*On the tee front: these u-necks from Uniqlo have totally grown on me. I was impressed with them the moment I purchased (initial impressions here), but I find I have been reaching for mine as soon as it’s out of the wash. They launder well and have a great polished look to them. I just ordered two more in white. Take your true size – do not be tempted to size down.

+Currently tempting me from the Net-A-Porter 70% off sale section.

+This $5 girl’s dress looks like Hanna Andersson!

+Love this new pattern from Mille.

+Currently reading. Perfect before bed indulgence.

+Isabel Marant’s Birkenstock-inspired sandals have been SO trendy this year. This pair is 40% off and selling fast.

+These inexpensive jelly slides are perfect for moms who spend a lot of time at pool / splash pads / have any chance of getting wet! Not jelly, but I did just buy this similar and inexpensive pair of metallic slides.

+Those metallic slides would look great with a breezy long dress — and I just saw Saks marked down a bunch of SPECTACULAR dresses from Hannah Artwear, including this striped one and this blockprint one.

+These structured belted pants are SO fabulous. Selling fast!

+Adore everything about this asymmetrical patterned dress. The color is really calling my name!

By: Jen Shoop

*Hill wearing Minnow polo and shorts and a Banwood helmet.

I had three separate requests for boys’ camp outfits last week! Love my fellow anticipators plotting for summer plans. Hill’s summer aesthetic is best described as “tiny 70s camp counselor” — this has been his vibe the last two summers and it is easy, comfortable, and cute. Below, some favorite finds along these lines…

Note that there are lots of looks for less. For example, I love these vintage-style track shorts from Petits Vilains, but you can get the look for less with this Amazon set. I also love all of the terry pieces from Minnow, but you can get the look for less from Gap Factory, Dillard’s, or Little Co by Lauren Conrad.

Two department store collections that I just filled my cart with: Kohls’ Little Co. by Lauren Conrad Line and Dillards’ Cass Club line. The former has lots of retro 70s Cali pieces that are cute and affordable (I love these lettuce edged biked shorts and dresses for girls!), and the latter has lots of preppy/golf styles that emulate pieces from Rhoback and Vineyard Vines, like these patterned golf shirts and these swim trunks. (They also have really cute patterned boxer briefs for toddler boys.)

Anyhow — camp finds for boys, below!

01. PRIMARY POLO // 02. PETITS VILAINS SHORTS // 03. CAP // 04. RINGER TEE // 05. MINNOW TERRY POLO // 06. YETI WATER BOTTLE // 07. OSO AND ME BINGO SHORTS // 08. LACOSTE POLO // 09. NATIVES // 10. SANDALS // 11. SHORTS // 12. AMAZON SHORTS // 13. KEDS // 14. CADETS CABANA SHORTS // 15. BULLDOZER SWEATSHIRT // 16. LES GAMINS SWEATSHIRT // 17. SANDALS // 18. INITIAL BALL CAP // 19. SOCKS // 20. GAP POCKET TEES // 21. WATERPROOF LABELS // 22. NATIVES // 23. WAVE TERRY SHORTS

P.S. “Today is not the final draft, the final chapter of parenting.” (Thoughts on parenting as process.)

P.P.S. We carry all of the ages of our children with us.

P.P.P.S. Everyday/camp outfits for girls.

By: Jen Shoop

I am feeling a big energy this week that I want to forward along to all of you Magpies: life is short; do the thing. I know that each and every one of you reading that sentence has a different, but crystal-clear, interpretation of “the thing.” It could be getting bangs (“a woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life”) or starting tennis or quitting a job or telling someone what they need to hear or weaning your baby or starting a new fitness regimen or putting your foot down or putting pen to paper or finally making the time to interview a babysitter or applying to a moonshot program or making a reservation for a family trip or signing up for Mandarin lessons or or or. Whatever it is —

this week,

let’s do the thing!

Rooting for you.

On a lighter note: so many Magpies headed to fabulous-sounding weddings in the upcoming months. My top pick for a summer garden-to-cocktail-attire wedding is this yellow Fanm Mon, which I mentioned yesterday (and is seen below), and several of you wrote to say “You MUST GET THAT DRESS!” (Including my mom!) Perhaps conditioned by that epic golden frock Kate Hudson wore in “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” I’ve always loved yellow for formal occasions. I owned a yellow cocktail dress my senior year of college and I felt like a million bucks in it. A frat boy messaged me after I posted a picture of myself in it on Facebook and wrote: “Yellow is your color, baby.” Yikes (!) but also — he wasn’t wrong? I’ve never forgotten that random message. I think yellow is my color!

For a more formal occasion, I am obsessed with this dandelion print Agua Bendita. I really must buy it. I love dandelions! Waiting surreptitiously for it to go on sale. Also — yellow again!

For black tie, I’m swooning over this Toteme. It is so fabulously dramatic and architectural. A true Audrey moment. It definitely has a perspective. I’d wear with simple black strappy heels and big earrings.

If I were looking to snag a budget buy, I’d pick up this ice blue ASOS. I love the pleating and unexpected color.

Below, some more chic options.

01. AGUA X AGUA BENDITA // 02. REBECCA DE RAVENEL EARRINGS // 03. REBECCA VALLANCE // 04. BRINKER AND ELIZA EARRINGS // 05. ASOS // 06. CARA CARA // 07. CULT GAIA // 08. AQUAZZURA HEELS // 09. LARROUDE SANDALS // 10. BRINKER AND ELIZA // 11. AMAZON PEARL CAGE BAG // 12. RASARIO // 13. NICOLA BATHIE EARRINGS // 14. HUNTER BELL // 15. LARROUDE SANDALS // 16. J. CREW // 17. REBECCA VALLANCE // 18. NICOLA BATHIE EARRINGS // 19. SACHIN AND BABI // 20. FARM RIO // 21. TARGET HEELS // 22. TUCKERNUCK EARRINGS // 23. PAM MUNSON CLUTCH // 24. LIZZIE FORTUNATO EARRINGS

Wedding Guest Dresses Under $300.

And, an entire collection of options under $300.

P.S. Let’s live this week, not visit it.

P.P.S. What was the first book or movie that made you cry?

P.P.P.S. On looking for signs. (Do you believe in them?)

By: Jen Shoop

This week, I enjoyed a lot of “maker’s time.” I’ve written about the bifurcation between “maker’s time” and “manager’s time” before, lifting from Paul Graham’s insights:

“The manager’s schedule is for bosses. It’s embodied in the traditional appointment book, with each day cut into one hour intervals. You can block off several hours for a single task if you need to, but by default you change what you’re doing every hour…Most powerful people are on the manager’s schedule. It’s the schedule of command. But there’s another way of using time that’s common among people who make things, like programmers and writers. They generally prefer to use time in units of half a day at least. You can’t write or program well in units of an hour. That’s barely enough time to get started.”

I enjoy a lot of “maker’s time” in general, but this week, I bathed in it. I actually went just north of “maker’s time” into “thinker’s time” territory, where I didn’t spend as much time as I usually do in the act of writing and production, but rather did a lot of processing while on long walks and runs, while sitting outside, while doing nothing with my hands. Sometimes we need time to do nothing at all. I was buffering, re-wiring. And I got a lot of reading and thinking done.

I re-read Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast for probably the fifth or sixth time. I rarely re-read (life is too short!) but there is something about this book that feels like returning to a creative center for me. In high school and especially college, I was fixated on the modernist movement. I view it now as a kind of bridge between representational art and the wilderness of abstraction, borrowing the best elements of both — especially in works by Hemingway. You can see he is in pursuit of truth, believes there is a kernel to be found, but he is also grappling with a world turned on its head in the aftermath of war and the decline of empire. It moves me to see artists writing into and against that ruin. In the depths of the pandemic, I watched a celebrity-studded musical performance put on, I believe, as an act of humanitarianism during the bleakest of lockdown hours (and also, she offers rather shrewdly, as a means to keep the names of musicians in households during a time in which no one was attending concerts), and I remember brushing tears out of my eyes when Kacey Musgraves sang “Rainbow.” I was sitting on the floor of my New York apartment, desperate and exhausted, and I thought: “Thank God for artists. They are so brave! Out there, entertaining us, singing over the death knell!” Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Eliot, Joyce were doing the same: tap-dancing on the embers. Well, perhaps not tap-dancing, but certainly leading us in song.

So, I re-read that, and the entire time, it felt like Hemingway was scolding me. You do too much explaining in your writing. You need to show, imply, but never tell! There is a part in A Moveable Feast where he talks about the time his wife, with good intention, brought all of his manuscripts, even the copies, on vacation as a surprise for Hemingway. Unfortunately, everything — every last page — was stolen from their room. He lost years of work. He does not comment on his emotional state, but demonstratively mentions that he took the train home that very night because he could not believe his wife would have taken every copy from their home. When he learns that this was, in fact, the case, he says only: “I do not want to think about what I did in that room after I discovered.” (Paraphrasing.) He has a wonderful way of using ellipsis, doesn’t he? At the same time, there is a sense of unhealthy self-suppression in Hemingway’s writing. Tom Wolfe delivered the commencement address at my college graduation and in it, he made a comment about Freud, and drew some metaphor from his writing about how our subconsciouses are constantly “rearranging the living room furniture” in terms of how we interact with the world around us. Wolfe said something like: “What scares me is that while we’re worrying about the repositioning of the living room furniture, what’s going on in the basement?”

I’m likely misremembering the exact phrasing or context of the Wolfe quote, but it captures the way I feel about Hemingway’s writing — we’re elbowing our way around the carefully-placed side tables and couches, but there’s a lot of grist and grind going on downstairs, and it doesn’t seem particularly auspicious.

Anyhow, it’s worth a read, or a listen, even if we have the sense that Hemingway is white-knuckling it through “the not-saids.”

I also read Curtis Sittenfeld’s Romantic Comedy, and I think I might let myself marinate on this one for awhile because I have so many thoughts, although very few of them are about the text itself (which I found, to be blunt and honest, middling) and more about her novelistic conventions (the way she draws on our cultural fixation with celebrities by fictionalizing their lives) and the way she confronts the pandemic squarely, as it was happening. I found myself shuddering to remember some of the very-real details she presents on the latter front: the fear, the isolation, the etiological messaging of COVID, the way the pandemic led us to do such dramatic things as wipe down our groceries with sanitizer, leave cities in the middle of the night to move in with aging parents, and drive across country to avoid the airport. It is good to have her facsimile of the times, because already, I think: that happened? It feels other-worldly, and yet we lived it, and now I go into the supermarket without thinking twice.

My critique of the book itself is that the narrative design felt flimsy and at the same time forced: the epistolary segment in the middle felt particularly gainful, as if she could avoid the hard work of building character by instead having them explain in excruciating detail the complexity of their inner lives in their own prose. The book also suffered from length. Most of the “sketches” she presents in the beginning were extraneous to the progression of the book, and yet we knew them over-intimately, as though house-guests overstaying their visits. I also found that the voices of the protagonist and her love interest fused with one another: they both spoke with the same witty self-awareness and appreciation for extreme, occasionally funny detail. It sort of felt like Sittenfeld was having a pleasant dream-banter with herself, which — I mean, is not the worst thing, because she is so bright. I marvel at her ability to fully conjure the inner world of a character (usually one modeled on a celebrity, no less!), one with internal shorthand, deep memory, and real feeling. As such, I would still recommend this book because I read half of it in one night, and it’s rare I plug in that way. It’s easy, entertaining reading and I do find the way she taps into our cultural obsession with celebrity addictive. I haven’t bothered to read any of the reviews of the book, but I imagined the protagonist to be a kind of Tina Fey and her love interest to be John Mayer. Danny Horst was, very clearly and almost literally, Pete Davidson.

All in, I appreciated the simulated trip to the moon, even though I was keenly aware of its artifice on the ride. Sometimes we need the lighterweight fare! Next up in this vein are Happy Place and Every Summer After. On the more substantive side of things, I think I might read some more Hemingway or Fitzgerald? Any other really good books out there?

Other things I consumed this week: I’m midway through the Mary Oliver audiobook I mentioned yesterday, we’re up to speed on “Succession,” and we started “The Diplomat” (I love Rufus Sewell) on HBO. By the time this is going live, we will have watched the movies “Still” (Michael J. Fox biopic) and “Air.” All in, a full and deep and diverting week of absorbing other media and thought.

Some other things I liked and thought about this week:

+This peach hot honey is SO delicious (!) I paired it with aged gouda and those Pink Himalayan salt crackers you can get at Whole Foods and WOW. I also keep thinking it would be delicious served with arugula and ricotta on a flatbread, or on a sandwich with spicy coppa.

+I wore a lot of stripes this week. I wrote about that here, and shared my exact outfit details seen in the header image here.

+The roses on the East side of our house are in bloom, and they remind me of Elizabeth. I actually call them “the Elizabeth roses.”

+Writing that last sentence out reminds me that our lives truly do become mosaics of the people we love.

+Last summer, I put together little “welcome to summer” surprise buckets for the children on their first official day of summer break. They included mini gliders, new goggles and swimsuits, sticker books, new water bottles, sunglasses, sidewalk chalk. I’m beginning to compile this year’s (will share what I include), but Mr. Magpie also wants to give them a few bigger “backyard summer” gifts, including a hockey goal and an Aqua Maze.

+These cotton shorts for running after the kids!

+We bought some of my son’s birthday gifts this week (will share all finds once we’ve settled on the remaining ones), and I wanted to mention we got him a big box of loose Legos and they’re currently 40% off! My daughter loves the sets where she can set up a scene once and then play with the figurines — it’s more about the character play for her. But my son LOVES to build. He is always messing with duplos and magnatiles, more interested in the construction element versus character play afterward. So interesting! Anyway, we thought the box of loose Legos would be a good fit for his interests, versus one of the scenes/vignettes.

+I keep thinking about a dramatic pair of jeweled summer shoes, like these or these. Wowza!

+We booked our travel for an end-of-summer wedding in Maine. I keep switching up what I want to wear, but current frontrunners are this Fanm Mon (with this clutch!), this Agua Bendita, and this Damaris Bailey. I’m pretty sure the latter two are not right for the vibe.

+I am really in love with the statement jackets at Veronica Beard right now — this, this, and this are spectacular.

+My neighbor just shared that she LOVES this shave oil. I’ve always just used Gillette for shaving but am going to up the ante here and follow suit. (More of my favorite shower products here.)

+Today is the final day of the Paravel sitewide sale — 25% off everything with code SUNSHINE. You really must treat yourself to this tote! I used it all last summer. Great for travel / pool / day adventures / schlepping kid gear from one place to the next.

+Finally, we got really into aperol spritzes this week. A perfect end of day, pre-dinner cocktail. Below, you can see it alongside grilled asparagus showered with parm, calabrian chilies, lemon, and olive oil, which we had alongside baked potatoes and grilled ribeye. I love you, summer! Going to try to share more of our dining program because so many of you loved my Grub Street Style food diary!

Fin!

By: Jen Shoop

*Image via.

My Latest Snag: Early Summer Fitness Finds.

I picked up a few fitness finds for early summer this week: this fitness dress (more sizes and colors here), which I intend to wear on morning walks / active days; this tank and skirt (guess I’m in my lilac era), and these running shorts. Shopbop also surprised me by sending me my first pair of On sneakers and I can’t wait to try them — I know many of you are big fans of this brand.

P.S. These $12 running tanks are still my favorite. They are a really soft, almost brushed material and I like the loose fit. Come in great colors!

This Week’s Bestsellers.

01. MADEWELL FITNESS DRESS // 02. KULE TEE // 03. OWALA WATER BOTTLE // 04. STEVE MADDEN SANDALS // 05. REEBOKS // 06. JOE’S JEANS // 07. RAINBOW ARCH SPRINKLER // 08. JOAQUINA BOTANICA MOISTURIZER // 09. TUCKERNUCK DRESS // 10. POCKET SCISSORS // 11. SPICY PEACH HONEY // 12. FARM RIO DRESS // 13. AMAZON HOOPS // 14. PICASSO TILES (50% OFF!) // 15. COTOPAXI ANORAK // 16. ZARA SANDALS

Weekend Musings: On “Close Looking.”

I’m currently listening to Wild and Precious: A Celebration of Mary Oliver, which is part biography, part oral history, part poetry recitation, largely narrated by the appealingly raspy-voiced Sophia Bush. About a dozen of you emailed me about this book (thank you!), as I write a lot about Mary Oliver. She exemplified so many of the virtues and ways of being to which I aspire — care, attentiveness, naturalism, discipline in her writing, humility. At one point in the audiobook, the celebrity chef Samin Nosrat (and fellow Mary Oliver devotee) identifies herself as a gardener and observes the parallels between poetry-writing and gardening. She describes going into the garden each morning “to look,” studying the way the light hits different parts of her yard, how things are growing, the minute but miraculous changes 24 hours can yield. She notes that poets, like gardeners, spend their time “looking.” Later, the poet Ross Gay — a poet and gardener himself — comments that all gardeners know that you can do everything “right” and still your garden may yield nothing. He doesn’t draw the line here between writing and gardening but I was struck all the same by the parallel. Sometimes you can be in a good headspace, putting pen to paper, filled to the brim with thought — and yet the tilled soil bears nothing. And so you learn to be patient, and humble, and wait.

Today, I am reflecting on these insights. What does it mean “to look closely”? Poets and gardeners train themselves to “look closely,” but it is more a mode of being than a function of trade. So: how might I live this out today in the realms that matter to me? I am thinking personally about “looking closely” in matters of parenting, marriage, writing, my home environment. Taking a minute to verbalize something that has impressed or touched me in one of these realms is a good start. Last night, I really stopped and studied the plants my husband has been hardening off, and I told him how much I admired his attentiveness to their well-being. He was standing at the Weber kettle, grilling a ribeye and some asparagus, and we both stooped over to look at the different seedlings, and to talk about the devotion they had required of him. It felt good and right to look in this way — to see my husband, to praise his efforts, to observe the fruit they had yielded.

How might I look closely today?

Shopping Break.

+Keep saying I’m not a shorts gal but finding exceptions to the rule. These Kule shorts are in my cart. So cute! Kind of want to pair them with the matching top so many of you ordered for a little spring set with my Gucci rubber sandals.

+Speaking of stripes, love everything about this yellow-and-white striped tee — especially the contrasting collar.

+I raved about both these Spanx pants (SERIOUSLY, so good – take your true size) and this ultra-plush-soft sweatshirt a few weeks ago (I have in olive green and love to pair with pink), and the Spanx team reached out to offer us 10% off orders with code SHOOPXSPANX!

+Obsessed with these dining chairs.

+Love this pitcher — looks handmade but under $30.

+This dress is so understated chic.

+Have been seeing lots of longer-length shorts — anyone taken the fashion plunge yet? These are less-expensive way to try the look. I would pair with a polished tee and polished sandals.

+The rave reviews are legit: this Tory Burch suit (I bought in the lavender scarf print) is ultra-flattering. A good amount of coverage in the rear. Love the new tile print one!

+This Zara jumpsuit is SO chic. Very Isabel Marant. Pair with dressy sneakers or flat, unfussy sandals.

+Girls’ bike shorts in cute colors/patterns for $5.

+The current “It” sandal.

+SERIOUSLY fun patterned pants.

+Hunter Bell is running a sale, and I’m deeply tempted by this 50% off style.

+The pattern on this La Double J dress is…wowwwww.

+Cherry print Tevas!

+Neon sneaks. So fun!

+Lake has a really cute new cover up out.

By: Jen Shoop

I recently paid a visit to Sephora in search of new everyday lip colors. For years, I have worn Chantecaille’s Bourbon Rose for a natural, everyday lip and I felt like I wanted to mix things up. I emerged with Ilia’s Balmy Gloss in Tahiti (not as dim/brown as it looks below — a pretty, natural-looking coral), Nars’ Roman Holiday (a bright, almost Barbie doll colored pink — but sheer), and Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk. So many of you had raved about the latter, saying that people ask whether you’ve had lip injections (!) when wearing it because it affords a noticeably fuller look. I was surprised at how natural it looked when applied — like truly an extension of my own lip color!

01. JOAQUINA BOTANICA MOISTURIZER — This was one of the most popular items I posted this week, and I’m eager to try, too! I am trying (desperately) to stick to my “one in, one out” policy for certain categories of skincare products but I want to skip the line and try this one.

02. ILIA BALMY LIP GLOSS — More like a liquid lipstick than a lip gloss or oil. Really beautiful color in the Tahiti, very natural-looking.

03. NASSIF FACIAL RADIANCE PADS — The gorgeous Nicole Cassidy said she swears by these. They look like they’re similar to the Glycolix pads many of us have been using for awhile, but you can no longer find the exact pads (15% vs 20%) that I used to use, and so I might switch to the Nassif to see if I like them.

04. OLIO E OSSO GLOW BODY OIL — I love to use a body oil during the summer, whenever I have my bare shoulders, to add a little radiance to my exposed skin!

05. JOAQUINA BOTANICA WHIPPED CLEANSER — This looks divine. Think I’ll try when I finish my Youth to the People cleanser, which I’m also loving. The latter leaves skin looking glassy-clear!

06. MERIT LIP OIL — I liked this so much I bought it for my mother! Not sticky at all!

07. KOSAS BROW POP — I need help in the brow department. Am I supposed to be tinting or microblading? I’m scared! I’ve only ever done eyebrow waxes. I’m also hearing good things about this brow pencil in the meantime…

08. CHARLOTTE TILBURY LIP CHEAT IN PILLOW TALK — A cult favorite.

09. GOOP GLOW EXFOLIATOR — I just ordered this. I mentioned it earlier this week and SO many of you raved about the entire Goop Glow line. I can’t wait! I also plan to order the Vitamin C serum once I finish my current bottle from another brand.

10. BYREDO LA TULIPE PERFUME — Such a pretty spring scent. I’ve been wearing this a lot lately — very sweet and floral, but non-cloying. Year-round, I wear Byredo’s Mojave Ghost, which I am still totally obsessed with. I have been looking for “my scent” for years and years and finally found it in Mojave Ghost, which is really difficult to describe, but the site describes it as “a woody composition inspired by the soulful beauty of the Mojave Desert. In this xeric wilderness, rare are the plants that dare to blossom. With a light and graceful character top notes of musky Ambrette combine with fresh Jamaican Nesberry.” It is feminine, sexy, complex, pretty. I’ve been stopped a few times by women wanting to know where it’s from. One of them said, “It just smells expensive.” Haha! I know what she means — it’s a really complex, nuanced, non-monotone scent!

11. VINTNER’S DAUGHTER CLEANSER — Also in my “to try” list for cleansers. I love their botanical serum!

12. GOOPGLOW SERUM — Cannot wait to try, per note above.

13. NARS ROMAN HOLIDAY — Pale, sheer pink goodness. I wore this in my 20s and happily rediscovered it.

14. MERIT CREAM BLUSH — Been using this beautiful, bright-pink blush daily since it arrived. It’s so easy and foolproof to apply and just SO HAPPY.

P.S. Nursery finds, and Etsy finds.

P.P.S. On becoming an expert in yourself.

P.P.P.S. Pretty skirts for spring.

By: Jen Shoop

Lately, I have been wearing a stripe-centric uniform: white jeans (<<these are phenomenally flattering, but I also have my eyes on this pair) or ecru wide-leg trousers similar to these, Uniqlo tees, a striped sweater or cardigan (a few by La Ligne, and I’ve also been wearing two that are sold out everywhere — a Toteme cardigan similar to this, and a J. Crew funnel neck sweatshirt similar to this), my Loeffler Randall flats, and a woven bag (usually this Pam Munson, because it’s surprisingly roomy and can be worn over my shoulder, aka requirements for mom life).

I just realized this stripe-centricity has carried over elsewhere: I keep most of my shopping finds in a private Pinterest board that I then use to pull together themes, color palettes, etc that inspire some of the blog posts I share here, and nearly everything I’ve pinned this week has been striped! Below, the striped spring and summer finds that have caught my eye:

01. LIVELY SWIM SUIT // 02. KITRI DRESS // 03. KULE TEE // 04. VIBI VENEZIA FLATS // 05. PRADA MULES // 06. H&M TOTE // 07. CASTANER HEELS // 08. SKIRT // 09. EMPORIO SIRENEUSE DRESS // 10. REBECCA VALLANCE DRESS // 11. LA DOUBLE J DRESS // 12. SANDRO DRESS // 13. DEMELLIER TOTE // 14. ALEXANDRE BIRMAN LOAFERS // 15. SKIRT // 16. GUCCI SLIDES // 17. J. CREW DRESS // 18. MARTA SCARAMPI BELT // 19. J. CREW TOTE // 20. BLOUSE // 21. LOEFFLER RANDALL MARY JANE // 22. TROUSERS

And I have an entire separate category for beautiful blue and white striped dresses to consider. These might be a good starting point for family photos this summer. I always think blue and white is timeless and looks great on everyone.

P.S. A fun cocktail to try this weekend. If you don’t have all the ingredients immediately available, you can also try a Tom Collins — much easier to come by!

P.P.S. Join me at the trees. I have been thinking a lot about Mary Oliver lately because I’m listening to a fascinating audiobook on Mary Oliver narrated by Sophia Bush that is part biography, part poetry recitation, and part oral history. Thanks to the nearly dozen Magpie readers who sent me the link to this book! You know me well.

P.P.P.S. Here’s your permission slip for the weekend.

By: Jen Shoop

*Seen above: Minnow shorts, dress, and rash guard.

Nearly every day, my daughter sprints through the door after school to shed her uniform and change into “comfy clothes.” I’ve been trying to find her cute pieces that are easy to pull on and comfortable. Below, some of my recent finds:

01. ROLLING STONES TEE // 02. HAIR CLIP SET // 03. ZARA SHORTS // 04. J. CREW FACTORY TEES // 05. HIGH TOPS // 06. WAFFLE SET // 07. MINNOW DRESS // 08. NATIVE DISNEY SANDALS // 09. HANNA ANDERSSON TERRY SHORTS // 10. HANNA ANDERSSON DRESS // 11. VEJAS // 12. BISBY TEE // 13. BISBY SHORTS // 14. PETITS VILAINS TEE // 15. PETITS VILAINS SHORTS // 16. TBBC PLAY DRESS // 17. NATURINO SNEAKERS // 18. TEA COLLECTION SHORTS // 19. SWEATSHIRT

P.S. More finds along these lines here.

P.P.S. Dressier finds for littles here.

P.P.P.S. Watching my children grow is deep emotional work.

By: Jen Shoop

*Image via.

My husband has been hardening off the seedlings he nurtured under grow lights in our basement, preparing them for transplantation in soil. The first few days, he’d place them outside under the shade of our covered patio each morning, bringing them in later in the day. Slowly, he increased the duration of these outdoor sessions from a few hours to an entire day, and then he began exposing them to direct sunlight, too. The idea is that you are acclimating the tender seedlings to the occasionally harsh conditions of the natural world, hence “hardening them off.”

Awhile ago, I read an essay where a woman shared that, during her menstrual cycle, she “takes care of herself as though she is sick,” not always because of the physical symptoms but also because of the hormonal, emotional ones. She puts herself to bed early, takes long rests, moves slowly. When I first read this, I was slightly put off by the pathologization of a very natural part of the female experience, but I haven’t been able to brush off the concept. Sometimes I feel that there are no sound, natural-seeming analogies, or models, for self-care, and here is one with obvious, literal applications. Take care of yourself as though you are sick. I think of it often, and not just as it pertains to the use case she presented. My husband’s ministrations to those seedlings — the way he sheltered them when they needed to be, and let them out in the sunshine when they could stand it, honoring their tolerances — also resonates.

This past week, I was out of sorts. I sat down at my desk a few days into my funk and decided that instead of railing against or ignoring the way I was feeling, I would accommodate it, and I would do so by “taking care of myself as though I was sick,” and by placing myself in the shade.

In her book Wintering, Kate May wrote:

“Plants and animals don’t fight the winter; they don’t pretend it’s not happening and attempt to carry on living the same lives they lived in the summer. They prepare. They adapt.”
-Kate May

I, too, was preparing and adapting. I wrote at the top of my planner for the week:

WELLNESS / WINTERING

Every time I’d sit at my desk, I’d see those words in my small blocky handwriting, and I’d relax a little bit. I am a disciplined person, but I consciously let myself off the hook in different ways these past few days. I took a really long walk with my dog when I should have been sitting at my desk. Mornings are my most productive time for writing, but I forfeited the opportunity in favor of quiet time alone. I sat with my kids while they colored, and I resisted the urge to tidy or tackle a to-do. I put myself to bed at 9 p.m., if not earlier, multiple nights in a row. I went for a run and wasn’t feeling it, so I stopped and walked the last mile. I took long showers. I moved slowly.

I normally find these accommodations excruciating, small admissions of failure. This week, though, I put up an umbrella marked WINTERING / WELLNESS and enjoyed the shade. I’ll be ready for the sun next week.

Post-Scripts.

+This is really a permutation — a more physically-oriented one — of “giving yourself a soft landing when you need it.”

+Onward!

+More on the concept of wintering.

+On “withdrawing” during early motherhood.

Shopping Break.

+Saks is running an insane private sale on some designers I rarely see marked down, including Oscar de la Renta, CO, Chloe, and more, but apparently you can only access it if you are an email subscriber? Check your inboxes and/or try the code SAKSALE. All my top picks here.

+P.S.A. that my new scalloped towels are currently 25% off with code CALM.

+Blair Eadie just launched the punchiest collab with Tuckernuck! Adore this bold caftan and these statement earrings.

+Saw this Celine bag and immediately emailed it to my husband after telling him “I don’t need a birthday gift this year.”

+Hoping this promo will still be live this morning — but picasso tiles, 50% off! They are interchangeable with Magnatiles in case you’re worried about mixing brands. We have sets of both that work great together. My kids still LOVE these and play with them all the time.

+Sofia Richie vibes.

+This sandal is actually perfect.

+Into these cute little swim skirts.

+Doen is also running a little sale at the moment. I LOVE this dress and this one is $149!

+Your daughter needs these goggles.

+Luli and Me just does the sweetest pieces for littles. I adore this one!

+This embroidered dress is a front-runner for a special event I have at the end of the summer. I love yellow!

+Pretty lilac mugs.

+A great-looking pair of comfortable trousers.

+Currently lusting after a Rue de Verneuil tote. Also love this tan striped variation.

+An unexpected, FABULOUS dress for a bride.

By: Jen Shoop

Reeboks are IN (!) and temporarily on sale for only $56 here, as a part of Shopbop’s surprise temporary spring sale, which is ending today. (More picks from this event below, but I own a few of the items and ordered a few more, including this classic white tee from Ayr, this Madewell sport dress, and this skirt (I also got the matching tank). Earlier this season, I also ordered but returned this beautiful striped maxi — it was so soft and inviting but ran really big and long I didn’t feel tailoring it would help. If you are tall, you might consider!)

Anyhow, before we get to that, I wanted to specifically spotlight my new white Reeboks. If you’ve been following for awhile, you know that I’ve worn my white/gray Nike Daybreaks pretty much ALL THE TIME these past few months. I have been startled by how frequently I’ve reached for them. They are so comfortable and I love the retro vibe. I haven’t worked up the energy to splurge on a pair of Loewes (my dream everyday sneaker), but the Nikes afford a similar aesthetic for 1/7th the price. My uniform these past few weeks has been my Gap kick flares (seen above – take your true size and thank me later…so comfortable and flattering) and a La Ligne knit, Ayr or Kule striped tee, or a white button-down, paired with Chanel flats if I need to be dressier or Nike Daybreaks if just putzing around the neighborhood.

I’ll be wearing my Reeboks the same way! I love the way the rubber “lip” from the sole comes up in the front — super similar to Loewe. They are also surprisingly comfortable — on par with my Nikes! See below for more inspo…and yes, the last photo is of “It Girl” Sofia Richie, whom we are all attempting to channel!

As for the Shopbop event, all my favorite picks below. The sale ends tonight!

ROW 1: CLEOBELLA DRESS // AGUA BENDITA DRESS // FRAME PALAZZO PANTS // RAG AND BONE MAXINE SHIRT

ROW 2: MADEWELL SPORT DRESS // BANJANAN MAXI // LOEFFLER RANDALL CROSSBODY // AYR TEE

ROW 3: AGUA BENDITA SUIT // VINCE STRIPED TEE // REEBOKS // GIRLFRIEND COLLECTIVE SKIRT

P.S. More great spring footwear.

P.P.S. Beach/pool finds for the season ahead.

P.P.P.S. “We publish the good news.”

By: Jen Shoop

A little commotion for PENELOPE CRUZ! She is too fabulous.

Q: Bachelorette in Austin (I’m not the bride), final night will be staying in and dress code is “cute pajamas.” If you can get to it, thank you!

A: Fun! My first thought was a pair of those feather-trim Sleepers. I bought the black over the holidays and actually wore the set to a kitschy cocktail party and then the top separately with jeans. Super fun and surprisingly comfortable. You can find them on sale in fun colors here and here. I also love these crisp shorts sets — the chartreuse is FUN!, this satin-y star print set from TopShop, and this striped J. Crew set. I feel like all of these would look fabulous with a coupe of champagne in hand.

Q: Engagement dress under $200. Not bright white please.

A: Congratulations! This is really spectacular and sweet (very Zimmermann, without the price tag), and because it’s linen, it won’t read BRIGHT WHITE. That would be my top pick. If you’re open to pattern, love this floral. The silhouette is so romantic! More of a modern take, but this taupe/ecru Monrow is understated sophistication. A bit over-budget, but this tweed mini has a Jackie.-O-does-a-civil-ceremony vibe.

Q: Two year old boy family outdoor wedding outfit, not a ring bearer.

A: This tiny seersucker suit (blazer and pants) will be the talk of the soiree. Hill owned this exact set at the age of two. If that’s too much, I love the Luca and Luca dressy shorts with mandarin collar shirts for a princely European look. I would pair either outfit (seersucker or shorts/mandarin collar shirt) with tiny suede drivers.

Q: I’d love some simple spring basics – light-colored sweaters, thicker long-sleeved t-shirts.

A: I love the spring knits from Alice Walk and La Ligne. Such great colors and stripes! For thicker t-shirts, you must try Kule. Its heavier weight than Ayr or Alice Walk and they do the BEST colors. Even if I hate everything in my closet, I know I can pull out a Kule tee and my favorite jeans and feel put together and happy. This Outdoor Voices tee is also a great everyday staple — not just for fitness! — and Ayr’s Early Morning tee has been on my radar as the perfect dog walking tee for these in-between months (paired with my fav leggings). More casual, but I’ve also been eyeing Frank and Eileen’s heritage popover and triple fleece capelet for awhile. They look like polished versions of athleisure. I feel like I’d wear that popover all the time.

Last but not least, pointelle is enjoying a little spot in the sun right now — I keep seeing people rave about LeSet’s tee. Very on trend.

Q: Fancy cocktail/black tie dress for a weekday lawyer banquet dinner. Becoming officer of org.

A: Way to go!!! Amazing! On the fashion-forward side of things, I just saw Liz Damrich in this Kika Vargas and WOW. Reading the room, though, I’m guessing “law firm” and “officer of org” call for something a bit more conservative. This navy La Ligne is gorgeous, as is this timeless column dress from Black Halo. Both so chic with hair pulled back in a low bun. And if you’re open to pattern, this Zimmermann with some high heels and big earrings!

And if no budget — this, or anything from Bernadette.

Q: Dress for my baby shower in late June (girl!) under $250.

A: Congratulations! My first thought was Anthro’s Somerset dress! It is really cute on, comes in different colors/patterns, etc. I also love the look of something like this — could work with a smaller bump — or a shirtdress like this, with the belt tied above bump. This striped number is under $100 and could be spectacular with simple gold or brown leather sandals and a straw bag/clutch.

Q: Mostly cotton knit lounge sets — too much synthetic out there!

A: I can’t stop thinking about these pointelle pants with this top! These little terry sets are also on my mind. Both are 100% cotton!

Q: Best facial sunscreen?

A: I still swear by Elta MD. Really blends into skin and layers well with other skincare/cosmetics. But most mornings, I put on Saie’s SPF-infused tinted moisturizer, as it eliminates a step in my getting-ready process (don’t need foundation stick after).

Q: Taylor Swift dresses!

A: WAH! Lucky you! I would wear something loud like this top and this skirt, or just a FUN going out dress that makes you feel like dancing, like this one I wore recently to a Derby party, this hot pink, this Juliet Dunn, or this happy ditty. Pair with flat shoes — sneakers, sandals, even cowboy boots (OMG)!

Q: Flower girl dress for three year old. Needs to be white!

A: Bellabliss has perfect, timeless options — check out this or this.

Q: Beach cover-ups.

A: At the top of my list right now is a caftan from Emerson Fry — love the pink or the blue striped. (Shorter lengthed versions available, too.) Did you see Julia Berolzheimer’s new collection with Hermoza? Some really cute finds there. I love the idea of these beach pants, or this wrap skirt. Such great patterns! Last summer, I really loved Julia Amory’s husband shirts as cover-ups (super light weight with an oversized fit), so I ordered this similar style for this year, but this one is also really cute if you prefer a midi length. Finally, one of my FAVORITE, most-reached-for cover-ups last summer was a plain white gauze one from Michael Stars that is no longer available. It always felt so good to put on after the beach/after the pool. This one from Madewell is similar, and this under-$30 style from Target is compelling, too. I’m now contemplating one of these more expensive ones from 9Seed. My cousin wore one of these a summer or two ago and it inspired me to buy the Michael Stars one!

P.S. How do you meal plan? What about staying on top of chores? The comments on these posts are fantastic.

By: Jen Shoop

*Image via Vogue.

If you’re more of a pared-down, capsule wardrobe type gal, this is a post for you. Today, I’m focusing on the kinds of wardrobe basics that can be remixed and re-matched ten ways to Tuesday. I’m lusting after several of the pieces on this list, especially this crisp white skort, this woven bucket bag, and this petal pink mini. I’m also loving the return of heavy gold jewelry, an effort largely spearheaded by J. Crew’s Olympia Gayot — I think we all need these bangles! (Look for less with these or these.). Meanwhile, these Hermes Chypre-inspired sandals are turning my head! I already bought a pair of dad sandals this season, but this style is really hot at the moment. Apparently all the Paris Hermes boutiques are sold out of the Chypres, and very limited colors/sizes available online! (Seen on the street style starlets above and below.) Get the look for less with these similar ones from SM for under $100 — but run, these are starting to sell quickly.