My August Obsessions + Discoveries.

Things I’m loving right now, in the swell of August:

01. Trespasses by Louise Kennedy.

Are you reading this month’s Magpie Book Club pick? OMG; I am loving it. A book for Sally Rooney fangirls, of which I am a card-carrying member. I am nearly finished and I have found myself writing “Joyce!” and “Cinema!” over and over again in the margins. Can’t wait to dig into it. My book review will be out next week! (Side note: below, I’m wearing the CUTEST $148 dress. It reminds me so much of La Double J!)

02. The Bandana Print Trend.

I wrote about this nano-trend earlier this summer but have been going crazy over the print right now. I ordered these shorts (on sale in select sizes here), this tote, and this scarf in the past week, and two other finds I can’t stop thinking about: this sports bra and these statement pants.

UPSIDE SHORTS // CALL IT BY YOUR NAME TOTE // MAISON LECOMTE FLAMENT SCARF // ALIX OF BOHEMIA PANTS // UPSIDE SPORTS BRA

03. The Mille Saffron Dress.

Mille Saffron dress. Last week, I slipped on one of my three Mille Saffron dresses and was reminded that it is, in fact, the perfect summer house dress. Loose fitting, easy-breezy, and the most joyful prints! I am constantly stopped by strangers when I wear these dresses; I feel like they are woefully under-represented out in the ether. I don’t think I’ve ever run into someone else wearing Mille! Is this our secret?! My code JEN15 gets you 15% off sitewide, and they are also (hopefully this is still live by the time this post is born) running an extra 50% off sale. (This shorter version of my Saffron dress is included!). But OMG, do we need this top for fall?! Tucked into high-waist ecru denim? BTW, Mille runs really generously — go down a size.

04. Culture Pop Soda.

Culture Pop soda. Have you tried this? I’m probably the last person on the planet, but I’m newly obsessed. The flavors are phenomenal, and I love a fizzy drink with lunch. To me its more like a stepped-up Spindrift — not too sweet, not too over-powering in flavor, but more concentrated in taste than Spindrift (and under 50 calories/can). Straight-up fun to drink. The most important thing to me: they do not contain any fake sweeteners. I have become so sensitive to that chemical taste! I can’t stand it. I have loved every flavor I’ve tried (we got the sampler with all of the flavors), but Mango/Lime and Strawberry/Rhubarb have been standouts. I tagged them on social media and they sent us a code – JENSHOOP10 if you want to try.

05. Doen’s Fall Collection.

Doen’s new fall collection. Ugh. I mentioned earlier this week but I truly want one of everything. I finally narrowed it down to this skirt, which I ordered this week, but I still have this dress and this gingham top in my cart.

LEFT: VERONICA BEARD TANK // BAUBLE BAR NECKLACE // TOTEME CLUTCH (ON SALE IN A DIFFERENT COLOR HERE) // LOEFFLER SANDALS // DOEN SKIRT

RIGHT: NACKIYE JACKET // MADEWELL BOAT SHOES // DOEN SKIRT // DONNI TEE // LIFFNER BAG

LEFT: J. CREW EYELET SHORTS // DOEN GINGHAM TOP // RL SUNNIES // CALL IT BY YOUR NAME TOTE // LOEFFLER SANDALS

RIGHT: DOEN GINGHAM TOP // MADEWELL BOAT SHOES // EVERLANE WAY-HIGH JEANS // LIFFNER BAG

06. Bubblegum Necklaces.

These $68 Bauble Bar necklaces have gone viral and are selling out in select colors — they’re also 25% off today! I own in two colors!

07. Ralph Lauren Redux + “The Materialists.”

Slightly (majorly) influenced by Dakota Johnson in “The Materialists” — a movie I loved?!?! have you seen?! I couldn’t get over the scene where she’s wearing the trench coat, Nikes, and this RL hat. I literally ordered that hat from the couch. The styling was a 10/10 for me; I will be recreating her under-cover look. (Side note: Dakota also wore DOEN (!) in a few scenes in the movie. The stylist knew what was up. I loved her Doen wedding guest dress look!)

TRENCH COAT // NIKES // DOEN DRESS // SUNNIES // HAT

Related: I’m falling back in love with RL in general. I’ve never exactly been out of love (I think my striped oxfords date back to my high school years, and I still wear them every season), but I feel a new energy. I recently ordered this denim button-down from them and it’s going to be my fall calling card. Looks SO GOOD paired with white eyelet now, with suede and corduroy later. The wash is perfection.

TEE // RICKY JEANS // BUTTON-DOWN // FAIR ISLE SWEATSHIRT // SUNNIES // TOTE // QUARTER-ZIP

08. “The Materialists” Movie.

“The Materialists” in general. This movie has been polarizing among friends and Magpies I’ve polled — some of my friends hated it, others found it “smeh,” a select few liked it. I thoroughly enjoyed it in spite of imperfect plot mechanics (some of it just didn’t hang together for me); Celine Song is insanely talented. The aesthetics of the movie, the texture of it, the scale of the frames she uses! She has such a photographic eye. I’m not crazy about either of the male actors in the film but I found Dakota captivating and some of the script knee-bucklingly romantic. (“When I look at you, I see gray hair and children who look like us.” OMG. If it’s not that, I don’t want it!). I thought it prodded the institution of marriage in interesting ways–Landon and I paused the movie multiple times and had generative conversations about some of the topics broached–and ultimately landed where I wanted it to.

09. Summer Moisture.

Summer moisture favorites: I’m sorry; I can’t stop raving about this eye cream (currently 25% off in Biossance’s Friends and Family sale!) and this moisturizer. Just so good. Both contain niacinamide, which reduces dark spots/brightens, and I find it actually well and truly works. They also have fantastic textures — I apply and feel like my skin is bouncy, happy, bright…! Finally, the eye cream’s rollerball applicator feels divine during these summer months.

10. Aplos N/A Aperitivi.

I mentioned this a few months ago, but Landon and I are trying to avoid or limit alcohol during most weeknights, but we still have the ritual of cocktail hour engrained in us, and find ourselves looking for a little something to mark the end of the workday and the beginning of our home life. I find this is an important ritual to maintain during this era of work-from-home, when work can feel boundary-less if you let it! We’ve tried a bunch of different brands, some shrubs, some teas. Landon likes select N/A beers, too. I’ve lately really enjoyed Aplos’ aperitivi–especially the Ume Spritz. They are not too sweet but have complex, interesting flavors. I also like to have these on hand for when we have non-drinking guests over for dinner. Something fun and interesting to sip on!