I had so much fun putting together this list of randomly chic things (and have been dutifully noticing and collecting others since) that I decided to put together a pair of more niche, narrow editions focused on two of our collective favorite things: books and food. Would love for you to share what you’d add to these non-exhaustive lists–

Things I Find Randomly Chic: Book Edition.

Serif fonts

Deckled edges

A personal inscription

Cloth binding

Asterisms

Any sort of heath / moor/ mist / fog situation with a brooding love interest

Enemies to lovers trope (fans herself)

Annotated pages

Sally-Rooney-level believable dialogue

Ex libris plates

Sentences that reveal character with minimal exposition

Allusions to Greek mythology

A self-aware female protagonist

A home library (a la the photo above)*

The feeling of emerging from a book as a different person

Things I Find Randomly Chic: Food Edition.

Good butter served at room temperature

Maldon sea salt in a small dish

Tough, tattoo-ed, secretly-sweet butchers that nod knowingly when you bring them your husband’s recherche meat request

Ramps — if it’s on a menu, I implicitly trust the kitchen

Handwritten menus

Any time a server tells me: “Excellent order”

The evocative names on heirloom-variety seed packets: “Grandma Hadley’s lettuce”; “Jimmy Nardello peppers”

The blocky, black Sharpie handwriting of the butcher on the brown paper parcel containing our lamb chops

A French market basket laden with the day’s provisions: baguette, fromage, fruits de mer

The term fruits de mer

My husband’s potager garden, and the way he ministers to it year-round

Candlelight and table linens

The sizzle of butter in a well-seasoned Lodge skillet, and the maillard that results

The bald love that goes into preparing a meal

Post-Scripts.

*This doesn’t need to be a proper room or anything, but when I walk into someone’s home and see the walls and shelves and rooms crowded with BOOKS, I think….I love this person! I also think this when I see a birdhouse or little library in someone’s yard. Instant green flag.

+What do you eat when your fridge is bare?

+My husband’s biscuit recipe. (TDF.)

+The best gifts my husband has given me. (Almost none of them cost money.)

Shopping Break.

+Ooo this Magpie bestseller is currently 30% off!

+In case you left Christmas Eve’s outfit to the last minute: Julia Amory is offering free two-day shipping on orders over $200…try this!

+And if it’s NYE you’re after — this turtleneck is IT! Tuck into velvet pants or skirt, or pair with your favorite jeans if going more casual. Or go a little left-of-center with this dress — the top-selling item I’ve featured from Shopbop this month. The sequins scream happy new year but the color make it a whisper.

+Probably my most-worn earrings ever, besides my pearl studs, which my parents gave me in high school. Lightweight (feather-weight) and go with EVERYTHING.

+Speaking of jewelery, was surprised by how many of you ordered this diamond-cleaning kit!

+Elemis relaunched its Cyber Week promo — 30% off sitewide! This is my husband’s favorite face wash (great stocking stuffer if you do that kind of thing — you’d buy it for him anyway!), and you know my thoughts on winding down from the day with this.

+I took a full day off last week to sort through my kids’ rooms. It felt like the wrong time to do it (SUCH a busy time of year) but it was actually the best time to do it, as I cleared out all those little toys that seem to accumulate over the year from birthday parties, happy meals, dentist’s visits, etc; consolidated toys and books; made a big pile to donate. I also (therapeutically) resorted all of their little toys into these bins that they can actually see into. One bin for Legos, one for Playmobil, one for cars, one for action figures, etc. It felt so, so good. Like, cannot be overstated how amazing I felt. This was largely prompted by the arrival of my daughter’s desk, desk hutch, and desk chair (three or four months after ordering). We totally rearranged her room and AH! It feels so fresh, clean, airy! Just waiting for her rug to arrive.

+A few other re-ordered items that were a part of this cleanse: these bins (somehow perfect size for anything — cosmetics, medicine cabinet, arts and crafts, pantry — I’ve reordered like 5x), a Bigso box for my son’s special notes and cards (he is SO sentimental just like his mom, and really treasures these; we’d previously been sort of leaving them anywhere/everywhere and he was so excited to give them a home!); and attractive caddies for art supplies.

+These boots look a lot like our favorite Freda Salvadors — but cost $160.

+Treat yourself…trust me!!! In my top three or four “regrettable worth it” purchases.

+I’ve written about this on and off but…I’m now totally, helplessly addicted to this facial spray. Finished my last bottle and ordered anew. I use it 3x a day at least. After cleansing in the morning, after applying makeup (softens/sets), then after removing makeup in the evening, and sometimes for a random pick me up. The scent! The sensation of invigoration! AHHH. Honestly I just really love the sensory experience of spraying something a tiny bit refreshing / cleansing / astringent on clean skin. In the past, I’ve also used and liked the rosewater spray from Chantecaille for this purpose. But now I can’t explain it but I’m addicted to this Irene Forte. The bottle design — it may sound silly — but is flawless, too. Heavy, beautiful to look at, perfect applicator. I’m intrigued by their other offerings — esp their bestselling hibiscus night cream.

+When I ordered my kids Bombas socks for their stockings, I added these for myself and I have to say…joy-sparkers.

+Guest in Residence has some fab cashmere on sale. (I’m currently wearing a great look for less, too.)

+Obsessed with this reversible sherpa jacket.

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