01. My favorite Varley set — this sweatshirt and these slim pants (seen above)! So chic together, or just snag the sweatshirt, which has such a great length (covers the rear; perfect for leggings). A great way to feel more pulled together on the sports sidelines!
02. My La Ligne Colby pants! Such a great statement heading into holiday season! Run big, FYI.
03. A droolworthy black suede crossbody. Love the hardware detail.
04. A Jenni Kayne sweater to live in. I want to throw this on and read in one of the cozy corners you described in response to this prompt.
05. A chic top in my current favorite color to pair with statement trousers
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01. The Magpies never lie — this Yves Durif brush is incredible (more of your RWIs here, plus the comments have lots of great additions). I specifically like it for detangling after a shower, for just-after-I-wake-up and want to brush out all the snags, and for mild styling after I use my Dyson AirWrap. I also own a Mason Pearson, which is great for different reasons — it’s good for redistributing oil and, for me at least, creating a bit more volume and body when hair is limp. The Mason Pearson is NOT great when you have already styled your hair with the AirWrap — I find it pulls the curl/bend right out and adds frizz/volume where I don’t want it. Yves Durif is the answer!
02. Santa Maria Novella scented clay pomegranate. While in Florence, we visited the iconic Santa Maria Novella shop and I treated myself to one of their clay pomegranates. These beautiful objets slowly release their classic scent — a sort of twist on a diffuser. I put it in my closet and every time I walk in, I’m delighted. The clay has this soapy-clean-rich scent that I can’t get enough of. Sorry, but I think this is going to be my new go-to housewarming gift / possibly what I get my MIL and mother for Christmas. Such an elegant and interesting surprise, and with a fun backstory given our recent visit to Italy.
03. Goop’s collab with New Balance. I need another sweatshirt like I need a hole in my head but how cute is this pink sweatsuit (top, bottom — or pair with the sweat shorts) and matching beanie?!
04. My favorite loafers, restocked but selling fast. These are so comfortable and the perfect balance of chunky and not chunky. I saw so many women wearing loafers in Italy and specifically pairing them with houndstooth / plaid / tweed blazers and am inspired to model myself on them — would specifically love to add this one to my closet. You can use code MAGPIE15 for 15% off.
05. The color kiwi/chartreuse, which I wrote about earlier this season. I’ve added several pops of it to my wardrobe (this Aligne cardigan was a delight with my Italy wardrobe – looks so interesting and luxe with brown) and a few other recent finds in this colorway: this asymmetrical Banana dress, this blazer (under $130), and this beanie, which I actually ordered myself.
06. Lizzie Fortunato jewelry. I wore this statement necklace several times in Italy; the colors are just spectacular with all the browns I’ve been wearing. Also obsessed with these oversized earrings to zhush up a cocktail dress.
07. The Julia Amory Betty dress in silk dupioni. Wow. What a huge statement! You can use code JEN-15 for 15% off. Such a great, festive dress!
09. My cashmere sweatsuit (top, bottoms) from Tuckernuck. Wore on the plane to/from Italy and was in love — two women stopped me in the airport to ask about it! It was so cozy and warm. I layered over this Donni tee, which was ideal — it’s ultra-soft and thin. I generally prefer my tees from SoldOut or Uniqlo when pairing with jeans, etc, because they’re a bit more polished, but these are fantastic for lounge and layering. (Heads up that I did have to have the sweatpants hemmed — they run long. Good for taller Magpies!)
10. My classic Barbour Bedale! This was the heaviest coat I packed for Italy and I was glad to have it on a few of the chillier and rainier days. I wore it onto the plane, too, as an extra layer (and because it was the bulkiest thing I packed). I actually received the most questions from Magpies on Instagram about this coat; you can’t beat a classic. I got mine from Tuckernuck and sized up to a 32 because I wanted a very oversized, boxy, borrowed-from-the-boys look. The 30 would probably still be a tad oversized, but I really like the hang/look of the bigger one.
11. My Ex Nihilo Lust in Paradise perfume. I genuinely missed it while traveling and could not wait to get home to have my everyday scent back in hand. I will not travel without it again!
12. These Italian jam jars at the breakfast spread we enjoyed each morning we stayed in Passalacqua in Lake Como!!!! I wish I’d asked the hotel where they were from. Does anyone know where to find these? I want to keep my jam in them! The closest I could find were these from Skye McAlpine!
13. These inexpensive quarter crew socks — plush and comfortable, plus the perfect gen-z-friendly height. I brought with me in Italy. Also seen below while in flight: these noise-canceling headphones, an ULTIMATE must-have for travel. I could not have flown without them! I love the way they reduce the heavy airplane noises, plus any conversation / footfall around you! Really help with sleeping. They also hold a charge for a long, long time.
14. I’ll try to stop yapping about these now, but these VB Valentinas are my most-worn sneaker…ever? I love love love them. Cozy (shearling-lined), chic, in the best espresso brown color, and they add a tiny bit of height.
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation. Image via Westman Atelier.
Credo is offering 20% off sitewide with code FRIENDS24. Now is the time I stock up on all my favorites since I no longer have VIB Rouge Status at Sephora! Below are my ride-or-die, instant-restock purchases — the items I would pay full price for to replenish once I deplete, and am therefore thrilled to buy at a discount using this promotion…
02. Tower28 MakeWaves mascara. My favorite everyday mascara. Lengthening, separating, lifting, does not clump. The best $20 mascara on the market, and why not get it for 20% off?!
03. Kosas AirBrow Gel. I love and adore this all-in-one product when I don’t have time to use a pencil to fill (I also use it as the last step after I’ve used the pencil when I do have the time). It fills, shades, and keeps brows in position.
04. Ilia Liquid Powder Tint in Cork. Trust me, this color is incredible if you have similar coloring to mine; the matte makes it everyday-appropriate, and it doesn’t read as “brown” so much as perfectly neutral. You can use a finger to swipe on over lid and instantly look evened out and polished. I am obsessed with it.
05. Osea Undaria Algae Body Oil. This is a non-greasy, nourishing oil that I absolutely LOVE to layer beneath lotion in the winter or wear on its own during the summer. Looks so pretty on bare skin, too — great on shoulders and legs for a little sheen. But not oily/greasy!!!
06. Roz Foundations Shampoo and Conditioner. As good as Oribe but less $$. Fantastic lather, clean scent, but does not weigh my fine hair down in any way.
07. GoopGlow Microderm Exfoliator. A chemical and physical exfoliant in one. I like to use this if I’m short on time and getting ready for an evening out — resets and refreshes skin in two minutes. My skin always feels baby-soft afterward.
08. Necessaire Body Lotion. Deeply hydrating but non-greasy. This brand’s ethos is to use skincare-grade ingredients on the body, and you can really feel/tell the difference. Your legs and shoulders look amazing after application, and never run dry.
10. Osea Ocean Cleanser. I will admit that I keep cheating on this cleanser with other brands that are sent my way, but this is the one I keep coming back to. It smells like heaven and feels SO creamy and hydrating in use. I always feel vaguely virtuous when using this? It feels restorative, wellness-oriented.
Last note: this sale is a good occasion to buy luxe beauty gifts for friends/sisters/mothers — if you’ve read for awhile, you know this is sort of my go-to gift category for other women. Who doesn’t love a splurgey beauty product?! This lipstick trio would be such a great surprise, or for more of a white elephant price point, this lip gloss. I think all of the Westman products come so beautifully and fetchingly packaged. I gave my sister in law these pretty soaps over the summer – she lived in Tucson, AZ with my brother for awhile and has always loved the desert culture, plus she has a great eye for design/style, and I knew she’d love the packaging. Finally, I love all things OSEA and think this oil/lotion set would be great for a fellow brand enthusiast, and how cute are these hair clips?!
At checkout, treat yourself to one of these Cocofloss toothbrushes — my favorite!
I am planning to treat myself to two new items: this scented detergent people go crazy about, to use for sheets/towels, and this concealer (I’ve never tried before!)
Good morning! This weekend, just a day or two after we put away the Halloween pumpkins and decor, I will be attending a holiday bazaar held by my high school alma mater. It’s an annual tradition that serves as “the soft launch” for the holidays. I think because the first half of October felt like the wind-up to our trip to Italy and the second half was in Italy, I’m shocked that we’re approaching the doorway to the holiday season? But I was thinking about how once November gets underway, it feels like a slip and slide into Christmas. And I wanted to take a minute to set the table by republishing an essay about the occasional strain and fracas of the holiday season, and how an unsavory event last year helped me recalibrate. Onward! It’s never the cream!
****
This week, I underwent the harrowing annual experience of a Thanksgiving week Whole Foods visit. Even when we plan our Thanksgiving meal prep with militaristic precision, there are still things we forget, or (in this case) weekend logistics that get in the way of the best laid plans.
The lot was gridlocked. I found myself waiting, with my signal on, for a woman to get into her car so I could take her spot. The driver behind me laid on the horn, likely not seeing that I was waiting for this woman to turn on her lights and reverse out of the spot. I sat there for what felt like an eternity (but was in actuality under 30 seconds) waiting for the car to back out while this woman honked and gesticulated with increasing wildness behind me. I pointed to the spot, and tried to yell back: “She’s coming out!” and the woman screamed back: “There are other spots, lady!” I did not see any in my immediate vicinity, and at this point, the car was reversing. I finally pulled in and the driver behind me careened around, yelling obscenities out the window in my general direction. Nervously, I walked into the Whole Foods and immediately saw the angry driver enter the store behind me. I found myself waiting for punishment as I skittishly selected my carrots and brussels sprouts. When I stole a look at the woman, I could tell she was pretending not to see me. It is so much easier to unleash frustration on someone when you are not face to face. For a split second, I contemplated approaching her with some kind of message, but what was there to say? The likelihood a confrontation in the supermarket would yield anything good was next to nil. (I thought, too, of Mr. Magpie’s frequent adage when encountering a situation where it appears that one party has bats in the belfry: “D.N.E.” or “Do not engage.”) Moreover, I was, frankly, relieved that she chose not to engage with me. After, I found myself walking around the shop as though on tenterhooks. When I returned home, I was unloading the groceries and Mr. Magpie held up the $8 bottle of fancy cream I’d bought for the mashed potatoes. “Why’d you get half and half?” he asked. “We need cream.” I burst into tears on the spot.
He knew, of course, it wasn’t the cream. It’s never the cream.
I stood there, wilted. A swarm of thoughts surrounded me, and I took some time to filter through them while putting pen to journal paper. Below, some insights that I am burnishing as I head into the holiday season, when stress levels can run high and interactions with others can run amok.
My first rivulet of thought was: how could I let a total stranger upset me in this way? I do not think I did anything wrong, but — at worst — I introduced a thirty second delay into her life, and her response was disproportionate. I rationally see that I should be able to let her aggression bounce right off me, as it was unmerited and seemingly blindly directed. This reminds me of one of themes I have returned to month after month in my mid-to-late 30s, as I try to unstrap myself from the habit of self-blame: You cannot control the behavior of others. Her flare-up said little about me and a lot about her.
My second, and more generous, thought: the holidays can be stressful, and people act in weird ways during them. I should give her a grace note and move on with my life. Maybe she was about to hit the road for a ten hour drive and I was inching her closer to rush hour. Maybe it’s the first Thanksgiving she’s spending on her own. Trust me, I can invent a thousand sob stories that will sufficiently fill in the blank. It is hard, though, to extend that kind of understanding when you are offered something entirely different. Still, it’s a north star, and something I hope to keep in the front of my mind during this season in particular. This is a time that calls for a gentle headspace.
Third, the fact that I burst into tears over this altogether minor scenario suggests I need to prioritize rest. This feels next to impossible to accomplish this week, with plans chock-a-block, but I came across a quote a few weeks ago that said: “Rest is more than napping on the sofa. Rest is anything that makes our nervous systems feel safe enough for our stress responses to switch off so our minds and bodies can recover and restore.” I am sitting here, drawing up a mental list of what those things might be — an early bedtime, a light-hearted book, taking a break from my desk to drop off a little gift I picked up from Whole Foods for a neighbor.
Which brings me to my final thought: we publish the good news. Yesterday, I took my children to see a staged performance of “A Year with Frog and the Toad” (an adaptation of the series by Arnold Lobel) at Imagination Stage. It was adorable, with clever sets and silly lyrics and actors who gave it their all. The performance tracks frog and toad around a calendar year, cycling through all the seasons, and ends with a darling Christmas cheer song that felt like the perfect way for us to ease into the holidays. My children were transfixed! The only reason I knew about this performance was because one of my neighbors generously offered us four tickets. I do not know this particular neighbor very well and was touched that she’d thought of us. I sat in the theater and thought how special it was to watch my son double over in laughter, and climb onto my lap during “the scary part,” and kick off the holiday season in this festive way, all because of my neighbor’s generosity.
I have a point: I could either headline the Whole Foods visit as “The Time a Stranger Yelled at Me” or “The Time I Went to Buy My Neighbor a Thank You Gift for Treating My Family to a Special Holiday Performance.” I think we all know the one that sticks. We publish the good news.
I’m wishing you all the happiest, coziest holiday season, but if you anticipate or find turbulence, I’m giving you a little squeeze and hoping some of my takeaways above might help smooth things out.
+Love all of Aligne’s Gabriella dresses (I own a denim one), but especially this cord style! Runs really generous — size down a size or two. More sizes here!
+This cashmere turtleneck arrived (I got in navy) and I’m completely hooked. It’s ultra-soft (not scratchy in the least) and ultra-thin — adds no bulk. A perfect winter base layer. You can use code JEN15 for 15% off. If the price is too steep, try this $59 option from Intimissi. StyledbyJerri was just raving about these!
+I saw one of the moms at soccer wearing this capelet in white with Alo leggings in toasted almond and she looked SO chic.
+Philip Lim generously sent me this bag, which is currently 70% off as a part of their sample sale, plus an extra 20% off with code JOY20, meaning you pay $220 for a bag that retailed for almost $900. It’s SO CHIC. I had a lot of Instagram Magpies ask me if there is a longer strap to wear over shoulder — there is not, so take that under advisement. However, the larger size appears to fit over shoulder.
+Everlane is offering 30% off sweaters, coats, and boots. I can’t implore you more to try their liner jackets while only $125. I have one I got maybe five years ago that I still wear season after season. It fills such a great void in my closet — a lighter top layer over a shirt when not too chilly, but can also fit over a sweater when temps drop. Also comes in a longer version that my mom owns and loves. And a great time to snag those riding boots at a discount! (I included these in my roundup of great riding boots.)
+Only a few of the Alice Walk wool capes left! I just wore mine yesterday to Mass. Truly the chicest top layer for this time of year. These always sell out. A great investment piece.
+Happy Ugg season. I still love these ultra-minis I bought last year. (I have in the olive color.)
+But speaking of La Ligne, I have to say I just love love love their Mini Marin sweater. I own several different styles they make and these are just top top top for me. I wear this stripe (in olive/black) or this solid (in red) at least 1-2x a week. SO soft and perfect fit for us petites, especially while wearing my dramatic and wide leg silhouettes this season.
By: Jen Shoop
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Currently struggling through a bad book hangover after finishing Sally Rooney’s latest novel, Intermezzo. I don’t read widely enough to authoritatively stake this kind of claim, but if there is a better contemporary writer out there, I…would be surprised. The way she captures character, and the complex and ambiguous interactions between people, often lived out through believable dialogue, is nothing short of masterful. But her expertise does not stop there; she is also a tremendous plotter (clever and satisfying twists and turns), and romance-teller (many sweet nothings in this book), and the text’s allusiveness shuttles me into a kind of English major glee. This is the best contemporary novel I’ve read since Demon Copperhead, and you know how I felt about that.
I am still unpacking the book, but as I read, I couldn’t stop thinking about the stories we tell ourselves, and the way these stories often masquerade as “truth” when they are far from it. These “tall tales,” or “misreadings” complicate and even jeopardize relationships. In Intermezzo, we meet two brothers working through grief and grappling with their roles in their relationship with one another and with themselves. As the plot unfolds, there are countless times in which they misinterpret the behaviors of one another, and misjudge themselves, too — hold themselves too highly accountable, mistake feelings for fact. How often do we tell the wrong stories about ourselves, and about others? How do we peel fact from fiction, the truth from the way we feel about it? It can be so difficult to find the purchase to separate the two, as everything arrives filtered by emotion, and memory, and context. It can sometimes feel that we are all little, glassed-off domes of complex, rooted emotion that we have no way of sharing clearly. How might I bring this awareness into my interactions with other people, and with myself, this week? I think we’d find much healthier self-talk if we could cultivate skill in peeling fact from story. For example, instead of “I am such a bad mom, I shouldn’t have lost my temper this morning,” it can be “I lost my patience this morning.” Or “I was SUCH AN AWKWARD LOSER in that conversation at that party; why was I trying to be funny?! I’m not funny!” it can be “I felt uncomfortable in a social setting.” I feel like observing the way we felt in a third party way might be helpful in avoiding unhealthy, and untrue, denigrations and judgments. Easier said than done, of course. But I’ve been trying recently to say “I felt xxx emotion” and go from there instead of “I am such an xxx, why did I do that?!”
It’s been a more difficult and painful process to think about the stories I’ve told myself about relationship breakdowns and tensions in the past, though. I find it almost impossible to fairly treat others and myself in these retrospectives. So often, they are colored by ossified hurt, or the “story” parts have slowly calcified into “fact” in weird ways, e.g., “she was so self-centered at that time in her life…” and “I was such a rule follower that I couldn’t find a way around.” (Are these facts, excuses, stories, lies…?)
More to come on the novel. I sprinted through a few mediocre romances as a palate cleanser — anything else that you’ve read that’s been wonderful lately?
Doen dropped a new collection last week and I am in love with this velvet dress for the holiday season. // Are we already thinking about holiday gifts? I am planning to buy these for a few girlfriends. I’m obsessed with all of the included products, and it’s the perfect price point. // Just got this new fair isle cardigan from Kilte in and am in love. She is this gorgeous soft, brushed material and I love the colors. // Our favorite blanket company just launched wraps — under $100 — another cute holiday gift idea. // If you’re looking for a great straight-leg jean to tuck into a riding boot, I hear the fit on these is fantastic. // The first thing I did when I got back from Italy was use this resurfacing flash peel. (20% off with JENSHOOP) // On the trip, two skin-savers were a) these face wipes, which not only remove makeup but also tone skin, smell fantastic, and come in handy single packets ideal for travel. I am going to have to try really hard not to dip into these between trips! and b) these eye masks. I swear to God, they erase a night of little sleep, jetlag, etc. I am totally hooked. They also come in single use sets, so great for tossing in a toiletry bag. I used them immediately after getting into our hotel, and midway through the trip, after a long drive from Tuscany to Como. // LOVE these pants — have in a non-corduroy fabric but obsessed with the dark green cord linked — and the fit is fantastic. Run TTS; will not need to be hemmed if you’re petite. // I’ll have to do a whole rundown of the great style I saw specifically in Florence on Italian women but the item I saw a lot that I’m totally lusting after is a plaid, slightly oversized, blazer, worn with wide-leg jeans and loafers. Few examples at different pricepoints: this Aritizia, this J. Crew, this Veronica Beard, this J. Crew Factory.
By: Jen Shoop
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
+DRIVE GENTLY: I saw a terrible car accident this past week and I couldn’t stop thinking about the boy (teenage driver) afterward. What must his mother have felt when receiving that call? What physical and financial duress would follow? It made me think about the sobering fact that today is someone else’s worst day. It was a reminder to go lightly, to drive gently, to give people grace. A single phone call, a moment of distraction in a car, can rearrange a life.
+KRISTEN BELL’S WARDROBE IN “NOBODY WANTS THIS”: I trust we’ve now all binged this Netflix series? For a minute, it was the only thing anyone could talk about. I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the chemistry between Bell and Brody, the quick-fire dialogue, and Bell’s styling, of course! Bazaar shared a carousel of some of her best looks. Yes pls! Of course the fair isle is wildly up my alley. All my fav fair isle sweaters here (reminder that this $50 Old Navy steal is SO GOOD and bound to sell out). I would wear absolutely everything she does in the series and style it almost exactly as she did, too.
+OUR DOUBTS ARE OUR TRAITORS: I came across this Shakespeare quote jotted into one of my drafting notebooks last week and it stuck with me. When was the last time you let self-doubt interfere with your intentions, your ambitions? Get them out of here!
+RICK RUBINS WISDOM: I recently ordered this book on creativity from music producer Rick Rubins. I’d listened to a few of his podcasts and loved his perspectives on the creation of art, much of which boils down to: pursue what interests you, and don’t worry about the audience. This Instagram account spotlights many of his wisdoms, and I couldn’t agree more. Art — whether written, painted, sculpted, performed — that comes from inside, or from the pursuit of what’s inside — will always be more authentic and interesting. I believe that it is the artist’s job to put something out into the world and the viewer’s job to decide what to make of it, and to determine its value. Strangely, though, I’ve found that the more specific and (for lack of a better word) weird, or idiosyncratic, writing is — the more it is ostensibly concerned with its reception — the more readers respond to it. Put differently: what doesn’t interest you probably won’t interest you reader, so stop writing what you feel is expected of you. I am clinging to this principle right now as I make my way through a part of the novel I’m working on and finding myself disinclined to round out an aspect of the plot that feels needed to make everything “work.” I keep avoiding it! So I think I’ll leave it out. Also: all good art should contain a little dash of “what the hell?” I am thinking specifically of Sally Rooney’s last two novels (currently reading her latest). Both are a bit esoteric, and Rooney is experimenting in fascinating ways. I applaud her for it. I was telling Landon that I think her earlier work was more palatable to a mass audience and these later works are more challenging, more artistically exploratory, and I love this, even if I find the work itself occasionally strident or challenging to read.
+AD TARGETING I CAN GET BEHIND: Last week, Instagram served up an ad for this instrumental Christmas music playlist on Spotify. Um, did they look into my brain?! I promised myself I’d wait until after Halloween, but the heart wants what it wants, and working while listening to this playlist put me in the happiest mood.
+EYEING + BUYING: Per my note above, it’s beginning to feel like…Christmas! Don’t hate me! But Hill House launched its popular tartan/holiday release last week and I ordered this streamlined style. I love that tartan and know I’ll be thrilled to have it in the rotation for holiday festivities. Weezie also opened up its holiday shop, and I couldn’t resist these bow motif hand towels for our powder room. And finally, I stole this critter corduroy hat from my son — I ordered it from J. Crew Factory for him but it’s just too cute! — and how FAB is this Line & Dot olive green sweater and skirt combo!?
+BESTELLERS:My Valentina sneakers! Truly one of my favorite purchases this year. I wore them quite a bit while traveling in Italy over the past week and find they are so easy to slip on. These leverback earrings were also very popular — the final restock of the year. One of my favorite everyday earrings. So lightweight and easy to wear; I’ve even slept in them.
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Surprise and ciao from Italy! I have been here since last Friday and am in fact on my way back to the US later today. Can’t wait to share more about this trip of a lifetime. In the meantime, a few outfit selfies.
COMO FOOD TOUR:AGOLDE JEANS // VERONICA BEARD BLAZER // APC BAG // DOLCE VITA FLATS
Ciao! More to come!
By: Jen Shoop
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
You can probably intuit this from my “What I Loved Wearing” series, but below, the most-worn items in my closet this season:
01. Quince Mongolian Cashmere Cardigan — The quality is incredible relative to price, and it’s just the perfect cozy top layer over anything and everything. I keep her hanging on the back of my desk chair and often layer her over another knit because I run cold. She was just restocked for pre-order — run! I wear an XS and find the sizing is generous, but that’s also sort of the style/look: meant to be a touch slouchy and oversized. This is SUCH a good look-for-less for the Jenni Kayne Cooper.
02. Leset pointelle long-sleeved tee. My most-reached-for base layer beneath a knit, blazer, etc. Cozy and I love the texture contrast.
03. Velvet Brylie pants. A great but not over-the-top take on the barrel leg. So flattering and wearable. Works beautifully on petites — I did not have to hem. Taller ladies, or those seeking a more dramatic silhouette, should consider the Nili Lotan Shon pant (they have a cult following).
04. La Ligne Marin sweater. I have solid red and an olive-black stripe and they are simply my favorite cozy top-layer sweater. They are warm, soft, beautifully made, and I think the cropped length works so well with these wider-leg silhouettes we’re favoring this season.
05. Veronica Beard Valentina Sneaker. I can’t believe how often I reach for these. They are so appealing — slip-on, warm, the perfect shade of brown. I love them with athleisure or jeans on the weekend while chasing my kids / running from birthday parties to soccer games.
06. Veronica Beard Taylor Jeans. The wash, the fit — they are perfectly on-trend and I love the high-ish rise.
07. Sezane Tomboy Shirt. I love the slim, tailored fit of this shirt. I also find that when you roll the sleeves, they actually stay put – I don’t know by what magic?! – but they are the only button-downs I’m not constantly fiddling with at the elbow.
08. SoldOut NYC tees. I own these in most of the colors and they are a perfect layering tee. Soft but with enough structure that they don’t look flimsy if you take off your sweater/jacket.
09. Sezane Emile cardigan. I love these as a top layer over another knit / turtleneck. They’re almost like a jacket — and they add such great texture and drama.
10. Any/all of my Veronica Beard blazers. If there is one splurge-worthy item in your closet, make it a VB blazer. You throw one on over a tee tucked into your favorite jeans and voila, you look incredible. The ones I wear most often are the Mabel (on sale here!) and the Makayla at the moment.
11. Pistola Wide Leg cords. This brand just fits me so well – these run TTS and I find them incredibly flattering.
12. My Chanel metallic with black grosgrain captoe ballet flats from 5 years ago. Similar here; look for less with these, which I also wear quite a bit (I have these in brown and red).
I wrote earlier this month that “sometimes it’s not the grand gesture, the dramatic sprint through the train terminal, the hand pulling you out of harm’s way; sometimes it’s your husband finding your knee beneath the table, and you thinking: little does he know he’s holding the world together right now.”
That said — who doesn’t equally love the boombox over the head, a la John Cusack in “Say Anything”?
What is the most romantic movie scene you’ve ever seen?
When Mr. Magpie was out of town a week or two ago, I re-watched “Out of Africa” and I continue to believe the scene in which Meryl Streep reaches her hand back to hold onto Robert Redford as they soar over Africa takes the cake in this category. It’s a moment of romantic restraint — just a hand squeeze — but there is intense connection, friction, and foreboding just beneath, and the surging soundtrack adds to the sense of crescendo. Earlier in the movie, Streep’s character asks how a pilot they are observing overhead is going to land his plane, and Redford’s character responds (paraphrasing): “That’s the secret — don’t.” And so when they are up in the air together, there is a feeling that things will end badly between them, which they do. But in that moment, they are alone, together, and they understand one another in a way no one else seems able to. There are scenes that are more intimate in the movie, like when he washes her hair (!) or walks into her tent while on safari, or dances with her on the terrace of her home, but it’s the hand squeeze in this scene that does it all!
A close second, perhaps, is the scene where Nicholas Cage sees Cher standing in front of The Metropolitan Opera in “Moonstruck.” The way he looks at her — ! There is no other word for it: he is lovestruck. It’s a quirky movie but their chemistry is powerful. And at the other end of the spectrum (love on full display — less nuance) there are parts in “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” (the 2022 Netflix adaptation) that I will never forget. (Have you seen it? Hot!). And I thought the romantic scenes in the adaptation of Sally Rooney’s “Normal People” were incredible. Difficult to take your eyes off of the actors, and so believable.
What do you think? What are the romantic scenes in cinematic history?
Post-Scripts.
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+I didn’t include these in the RWI roundup because they received fewer votes than the other items included, but a few of you were insisting Spanx’s AirEssentials pieces are regrettably worth it. I agree! I love the crewnecks and half-zips but just ordered these joggers in the brown color to try, too. I believe my code SHOOPXSPANX gets you 10% off still.
+Target has a solid look-for-less for the Spanx AirEssentials crewneck here.
+Jenni Kayne released its popular Cooper cardigan in a stripe!
+I keep thinking about this interesting top. Would be such a great way to dress up a pair of trousers for an evening out, or compliment to a dramatic skirt (look for less with this) for holiday wear.
+This capelet in the brown fleece is divine – I own in a different color but love the chocolate hue for this season!
+Still obsessed with our vacuum all these years later. Still works like a charm. I am just not a stick vacuum gal – I hated all the charging! This one is so, so powerful and has an easy to use retractable, loooong cord.
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Circling back to this conversation from a few weeks ago, as many of you have been messaging me with your own “Regrettably Worth Its” (RWIs) since we first encountered the phrase via A Thing Or Two podcast. A few of the responses that I have heard the most from you all:
Psycho dedication to dental health (specifically, most of you talked about flossing with Cocofloss)
In my opinion, the number one RWI in life is being the bigger person. It is so hard to bite your tongue / go high when they go low / reach out after an argument / let things go, but nearly always worth it.
+I bought the Skims tees and Yves Durif brush because of your empassioned claims! I don’t know why I still haven’t bought the Bombas — obviously, I love everything you’ve recommended! I’m no special flower – I need to get on the wagon – and just noticed you can get 20% off your first order with COMFORT20.
+Re: Skims tee. I’m really impressed. They have a very tight weave that holds you in / sucks you in and creates a great silhouette. Perfect with all the barrel / wide leg jeans we’ve been buying. Initially, I boldly ordered a size down in my tees (took XXS instead of XS) since I’m the most petite up top and usually can get away with sizing down. I wish I’d taken my true size — they are TIGHT — but I am keeping them. I was so impressed I went back and ordered more in my true size (XS). I got the short sleeve in black and heather gray and the long sleeved in white and truffle. People also love this lounge dress!
+And speaking of UBeauty, I just got their new FlashPeel in the mail and am SO obsessed. I don’t know if it’s the change in seasons, feeling a little rundown, etc, but my skin has really needed some extra TLC and this delivered instant results. You can use my code JENSHOOP for 20% off. The other item I love from UBeauty is this eye cream. I love love it. Deeply hydrating.
+For those of you who insisted on cleaning jewelry – tell us your tricks/tips! What products do you use? How often? I’m guessing you do more than sporadically use this diamond dazzle stick on your engagement ring…
+This brushed cashmere sweater is under $200 and so good. I’ve been seeing a lot of brushed-effect knitwear all of the sudden — I’m here for it.
+At soccer last weekend, about 50% of the moms were wearing brown leggings. Brown is THE color. SO chic! Love these, but I feel like the airlift ones from Alo are very popular among the moms in my school community.
+The last time I featured this Ann Mashburn bag, a bunch of you bought them. I just noticed they released it in a fab navy/green tartan for the holiday season. How perfect with a simple knit or a cheerful red topcoat?!
+This pleated maxi skirt has been very popular among Magpies. So elegant with a black turtleneck.
+Drooling over this ladylike boucle coat (on sale!). While we’re talking statement outerwear, how cool is this $200 mixed plaid top coat from Avec Les Filles?!
+I’m telling you, the Gwrap bags from Joy Creative are such a godsend. I basically only use them for gifting to children. (Some of my favorite go-to gifts for little kids here — the comments are a gold mine!). No tape, no rolls of paper — just drop the item inside and seal with one of the included to/from labels. They look adorable and couldn’t be easier! They just released a holiday set that I ordered in advance!
Towards the end of his life, in the midst of a terrible physical and mental collapse, William Carlos Williams wrote a poem called “Asphodel, That Greeny Flower.” I have read that he was so affected by recent strokes that he had to type it with the fingers of one hand, and could barely see his progress on paper. Much of it was written while he was admitted to a mental hospital for psychiatric treatment; he had recently been designated as Poetry Consultant to the Library of Congress, and then stripped of the appointment owing to his suspected political affiliations, and his wife of many years had begun to interrogate claims of his infidelities during this time, too. Those months must have seemed, for Williams, a long night, a torturous vigil.
And yet the poem is a beautiful affirmation of love in the face of destruction.
In it, he writes:
“I have learned much in my life / from books / and out of them / about love. / Death / is not the end of it.”
Later, he writes that love’s reward “is a fairy flower; / a cat of twenty lives. / If no one came to try it / the world / would be the loser.”
(The world would be the loser!)
and
“The storm bursts / or fades! it is not / the end of the world. / Love is something else, / or so I thought it, / a garden which expands.”
Love is a garden which expands! The illogic of its boundlessness, of its perennial bloom!
The entire poem, and its construction amidst bruising adversity, moves me so deeply — the way, as I wrote recently, “life will ask a lot of you, but love will continue to provide the provisional form you need to bear through.” For Williams, that form was a triadic line.
Worth a read if you need to recenter, to let go the things pawing at your pockets today. I find its conversational style easier to digest than you might expect — it reads like a long, whispered conversation between two lovers, and this intimacy itself is a talkback to torment.
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+Currently wearing this lilac sweater — under $200 and I love the brushed/slightly fuzzy texture. I also was surprised by how easy this color was to work in with neutrals for a fall moment. Would look great with burgundy. I wore with my Brylies in the putty color, as seen here.
+Two great new Tuckernuck arrivals: this olive velvet jacket and this perfect-for-Thanksgiving dress.
+But speaking of olive velvet! These Julia Amory coats are so interesting and different. (Use code JEN-15 for 15% off.). And of course love the new fall patterns of their Betty dress.
+Alice Walk recently restocked their excellent basics. I love, and I mean love, this zip-up sweatshirt. I have it in a solid and a stripe and kind of want this new khaki color. It’s a great lightweight with a longer hemline. I like to pair these sweatshirts with the whipped track pants from Negative for the ultimate hygge / cozy moment.
+Love this magnetic cord holder for a bedside, so you aren’t fishing around looking for the end all the time!
+G Label just launched the chicest new fall/winter styles. This brand is expensive but they release staple wardrobe pieces that you reach for over and over again, season after season. I love the subtle interest they add to every piece — a longer cuff, a larger ribbed collar, a keyhole detail! Just fantastic. I love this cardigan, this cloud crewneck, and of course this leather skirt.
+You can get the leather skirt look for less with this or this.
+Target brought back its fall collab with John Derian! They’ve had a few of these over the years and I absolutely treasure the pieces I’ve purchased. My kids LOVE these spider-motif melamine plates. I keep them with our Halloween/fall decor so they only see them during the month of October, and they always beg for their breakfasts on them and fight over the one with the biggest spider. This year, I ordered these mushroom figures for fall tablescapes! Also like these green coupes (mix up this cocktail in them!) and this fun serving tray (you could give out Halloween candy on it!) If spooky’s not your speed, go with this turkey tray for Thanksgiving.
+Our children have been begging us for outdoor Halloween decorations for years now. We are such curmudgeons! So many of the folks in our neighborhood does it up with spiderwebs, dramatic lights, inflatables, etc! We finally caved and ordered these $30 skeletons. The kids love arranging them on our front stoop / front bench.
+The Frank and Eileen Catherine sweatpant is on sale in select colors! I love this style — have it in navy and an ice blue.
By: Jen Shoop
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.Image via Pinterest.
My Amazon shopping cart is a reflection that fall has truly arrived with October’s beginning. Below, some of my latest, greatest finds befitting the season.
