Three urgent matters to discuss this morning:
Item No. 1: J. Crew just came out with a super classic, super elegant shirtdress in a variety of excellent colors and stripes. I snagged one in the khaki color, inspired by Grace Kelly in High Society (she wore a couple of khaki-colored outfits in it), though I am not kidding when I say I sat in my desk chair debating between navy and khaki for a good twenty or twenty five minutes. If I like the fit of the khaki, I’ll certainly be ordering it in other shades. To me, a poplin shirtdress is perfection for weekday attire — comfortable and unfussy enough for running around town with mini, but pulled together enough to feel appropriate at cocktails or dinner. I’ve been inspired by the entire getup Natalie Joos is wearing in the photo above for years, having repinned it about two dozen times. There’s something at once retro feminine and unfussily chic about it, especially with those elegant bow-towed kitten heels. I’d love to recreate the look with these or these.
Item No. 2: I had been dragging my way through Catherine Steadman’s wildly popular Something in the Water (Reese Witherspoon bought the rights to this, I think?) and was contemplating abandoning it. It was slow-moving and I hated the narrator’s clipped, vague way of speaking. Then she arrived at Bora Bora for her honeymoon and WOAH — suddenly I found myself breathlessly, anxiously turning the pages. This couple makes one bad decision after the next, leaving me in the “don’t go in there!” posture that so many horror movies elicit. It is a delicious ride at the moment. Please read if you need a roller coaster of a book (thrilling, evanescent), but beware the tedious start.
Item No. 3: I had to let you know about the Shopbop sale currently raging with all.the.amazing.things.
DARLING BOW-SHOULDERED SUNDRESS (NOW $118!)
THE COOLEST STATEMENT BLOUSE (UNDER $70, PERFECTION WITH WHITE JEANS)
AN EVERYDAY DRESS (UNDER $60!) THAT I’D WEAR WHILE CHASING MINI
ULLA JOHNSON MAGIC FOR $80 (MY TOP PICK; CURRENTLY IN CART!!!)
ANY OF THESE DREAMY DISCOUNTED PIECES FROM BANJANAN
TWO EPIC DRESSES FROM MY WEDDING GUEST ATTIRE ROUNDUP, NOW DISCOUNTED: THIS STRIPED STUNNER AND THIS SAUCY ALICE MCCALL
P.S. An ode to the em-dash.
P.P.S. Re-reading my chronicle of the botched move to NYC almost leaves me in hives. I re-read it now through a glass, with the kind of emotional numbness that comes from time and a will to move on, but it was so, so hard. Still: worth it. (Even with a baby.)
P.P.P.S. My favorite new cocktail napkins and mini’s new cutlery. I’ve found that she prefers an implement that can actually spear a piece of food versus the dull ends on her Beabas, which were EXCELLENT just a couple of months back, as they are easy for her to hold and maneuver.