Jen’s Weekend Drafts: Bad Book Girls, Loving Things Moms Say to Each Other + More.

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+BAD BOOK GIRLS: I loved the thoughtful and vulnerable comments on this post about being “a bad book girl,” and especially the way Deborah started her note: “From one bad book girl to another…” and finished it:

“Eventually I went to graduate school and studied English and became a professor. That—and literary theory—sort of gave me permission to read as I liked. And so I do.

I think I too am a bad reader—for how and what I read, for my escapism, for my late nights with my kindle while my sweet husband sleeps next to me (definitely not the husband referred to earlier)..But bad reading is one of the defining tropes of my life.

So I say, give yourself grace in this too and also in how you approach writing. Follow that self constructed maze as you like. It’s your life’s work and as a fellow bad reader-and bad gurl, really—I know you’re doing it right.”

Wow! It made me think even more critically about the rules, or rubrics, I’m observing even as I pursue my own ways and reasons to read, and write, for that matter. I saw Kacey Musgraves perform in Baltimore last weekend and I’m riding high on her “follow your arrow” mantra — it’s all of a piece, isn’t it?

We all have permission to be “bad book girls” — whether that means reading against the grain, reading “lowbrow,” reading on a Kindle, reading BRADs, reading slowly, reading quickly, repeat reading, reading things others have put down as “tripe” or “down market” or “smut” or any of the other creative terms people use to look down their noses at certain categories of text. I have a good friend who is wickedly smart — has pushed me to think more carefully about nearly everything in my life — and she is almost always reading BRADs, while keeping a side-car “serious book” that she makes her way through just so that when people ask her: “What are you reading?”, she’ll have a honest, palatable answer that fits her “book girl” persona in certain company. I completely empathize with this. Fellow bad book girl, though why do we occasionally need to hide in secret?

+MOTHER TO MOTHER LOVE: I loved this post from writer Ellie Hughes — more to add to our growing “A Million Ways to Say I Love You” Project. “I hear you, it’s such a tough stage.” Yes — I have leaned on these intimacies to muddle through.

+STREET STYLE PERFECTION: Deeply inspired by this look on model Linh Niller.

+THE NUTCRACKER LOUNGE: In what has become Magpie Reader Core Culture, many of us talk about the magic of “the nutcracker lounge,” or a cozy corner of the home that we transform into a hygge, holiday-centric wonderland during the winter months. The idea was conceived of by Magpie reader Kelly, who wrote, when asked what she loves about winter: “Every winter we cover out outdoor couch in faux fur blankets and set out a tray of candles, my husband calls it the “Nutcracker Lounge.”” Kelly sent me a photo of their NL over the weekend, and I asked if I could include it here — how charming!?

+FOR A LAUGH: Poking fun at the challenging-to-pronounce names in fashion. My best friend and I have been texting about “Noiii Balanche” since — once you hear it, you’ll never not.

+COOL GIRL BELT: I feel like I’ve been seeing this Dehanche Hollyhock belt EVERYWHERE recently (image below via) and it’s such a chic statement — slightly Western, slightly edgy, very luxe. It’s currently 20% off when you add to cart. I’m eyeing one for myself…brown suede or black leather?!

+LAST DAY OF THE HILL HOUSE SALE: Today is the final day to get 30% off at Hill House with code EVERYTHING30. An ideal time to pick up a last-minute dress for Thanksgiving, or a tartan for your holiday party lineup (I own the latter in a longer version that’s now sold out).

+EYEING + BUYING:

A CHERRY RED PUFFER JACKET // THE CHICEST SWEATER I’VE SEEN THIS SEASON // ABSOLUTELY STUNNING VERONICA BEARD GOWN // BEEN SPOTTING THIS DEHANCHE BELT EVERYWHERE — CURRENTLY 20% OFF WHEN ADDED TO CART // A CHIC STOCKING STUFFER // CUTE AND INEXPENSIVE HOLIDAY JAMMIES // A CLEVER ACTIVITY CHART FOR KIDS

+BESTSELLERS: This Varley sweatshirt — so good — but I can’t recommend the matching pants in the 25″ slim cuff style for fellow petites more! LOVE them. So flattering and a perfect fit.

01. VARLEY SWEATSHIRT // 02. UGG SLIPPERS (YOU JUST HAVE TO) // 03. JEWEL BUTTON CARDIGAN // 04. MY NEW SHOWERING OBSESSION (BEST $8 YOU’LL SPEND THIS MONTH) // 05. CROWN AFFAIR DRY SHAMPOO (THE GOAT) // 06. QUINCE SUEDE SHOPPER (LOOKS LIKE METIER, BUT COSTS $150) // 07. MY FAV CASHMERE CARDIGAN ($159!) // 08. CASHMERE CARDIGAN // 09. SOREL BOOTS // 10. J. CREW SEQUIN DRESS // 11. HILL HOUSE JACKET // 12. J. CREW SWEATER