The Magpie Edit: Edition 04.

J. CREW CASHMERE CREWNECKS // BRAVETART // FAIR ISLE TURTLENECK SWEATER // APC MINI GRACE BAG // MRS. ALICE FEATHER WREATHS // MRS. ALICE GINGHAM TABLECLOTH // VELVET RIBBONS // LA DOUBLE J FEATHER TRIM TOP // LA DOUBLE J PANTS // RHINESTONE HEADBAND // VELVET PLATFORM SANDALS // J CREW CORDS // FOLLAIN ULTRA-HYDRATING MASK

+J CREW CORDS. These came and exceeded expectations. I love them. I ordered them in my true size (25), but took the petite for length reasons. I am still going to have to have them hemmed a bit because I want them to hit just at ankle and these are still a tiny bit long. I love the mocha color and surprised myself for going tone-on-tone with a camel cashmere crewneck the first day D.C. temps went below 60 degrees. (Then I promptly broke out into a sweat when it turned noon, and nearly 80 degrees, and switched outfits.). I love the play of textures between the cashmere, the cord, the layered fair isle around the shoulders (mine is old Zara but you can get a similar one here), the croc loafers (mine are old Veronica Beard but you can get similar here and here).

+BOXY CROSSBODY. I fell in love with the crossbody as a general concept while living in New York City, when I led a pedestrian lifestyle and it was handy not to have to adjust a tote on my shoulder, especially while carrying grocery bags or pushing a stroller. It also made me feel more secure while riding the subway — it would have been difficult for a purse-snatcher to remove it from me! You can see my Marc Jacobs J-Link Twist bag in the photo above, which they’ve sadly discontinued — I love the shape, colorblocking, and “bungee” ties on the side. It also feels less “logo-ed” than a lot of that brand’s bags, which I like. You can still find it in a fab pink here or solid black here. I shared a few other boxy crossbody options in this post — if I didn’t have this Marc Jacobs, I’d be lining up for the APC Grace (for some reason a better price at Farfetch, but I know many Magpies have Shopbop loyalty!) or saving up for the Celine.

+PATTERNED TROUSERS. I bought the new pair from Hill House and am sorry they are sold out — but I am so crazy excited to wear them, for two reasons: first, the pattern! You can still get this perfect navy pattern in their Louisa dress. I am in love with it — a dream to layer with stripes, or contrasting colors, for fall. Second, I had been wanting to snag a pair of bold trousers for fall. I had been lusting after this pair from La Double J, and Hill House’s hit close to the mark. You can get similar ones here. My vision is pairing these with velvet/suede platforms, a cashmere crewneck, and a big sparkly headband (<<one of my absolute favorite $10 purchases last winter — SO fun). So chic for heading out to dinner on a crisp evening.

+FOLLAIN ULTRA-HYDRATING MASK. I have been obsessed with this mask the past few weeks. I slather it on after washing my face at night and sleep with it on. The texture is rich and soothing — it feels to me akin to wrapping myself in a big, fluffy robe, or burying myself beneath an enormous duvet — but it is ultra-gentle and non-greasy. I wake up to deeply hydrated skin, but there’s also something about the ritual of putting it on at night that appeals. It feels like I’m taking care of myself? Like I’m comforting my skin? I don’t know – there is something calming about it as the final step in my nighttime regimen.

+BRAVETART. This is hands-down the best baking cookbook I’ve ever used. The instructions are clear and thoughtfully-written, and she does an excellent job explaining why she recommends certain ingredients (e.g., flours), temperatures (she often asks for “eggs, right out of the fridge”), processes (e.g., “chop chocolate vs using chocolate chips”). But mainly, everything I have made from here has been absurdly delicious and has turned out perfectly. I would say this cookbook is for an intermediate baker. It is not alienatingly full of complicated undertakings, but it has a bit more precision and complexity than your average “cream the butter and add the dry ingredients” formulas. She will, for example, tell you to turn the baking sheets and lower the heat at certain points, and she has specific “tells” to look for (“watch for the edges to be brown but the inside not set”). I have to strongly recommend you try her snickerdoodle recipe. I made these last weekend and Mr. Magpie put away about six in one sitting.

+FEATHER-TRIM EVERYTHING. I am swooning over the La Double J top that matches the patterned pants I mentioned above. In a dream world, I would wear the two together, but maybe I will just spring for the top to pair with denim. Feather trim is majorly trending ATM and I am going to share an entire post on this soon, but in the meantime, you might consider this J. Crew button-down, which sold out last winter, and is the perfect way to get the look without going too over the top. Great with jeans or tucked into a skirt!

+GINGHAM TABLECLOTH + BROWN NAPKINS. I’m thinking ahead and absolutely lusting after Mrs. Alice’s gingham x brown napkins situation. Wow! I’d love to splurge and buy the entire scene, but will likely go for just the gingham tablecloth and pair with less-expensive napkins like these or these. I love the feather wreaths so much, though — do I need them? And could I DIY the velvet bows? Just SO chic.