My Latest Snag: Agolde Pinch Waist Jeans.
I first came across this pair of Agolde jeans (seen above; NOTE: available on sale for $50?!?!! in a different wash similar to the ones above here) when I was pregnant and they were all that I could think about for a long while because I could not wear them and also could not order them, as I’d be outside the return window by the time I’d be able to fit into my usual size. They haunted me for months. Every time I’d imagine my postpartum style, it was those jeans with a white frilly blouse. So when they sold out on Shopbop, I was highly disappointed. (Apparently no one could keep this style in stock!) Then — I recently checked back (on a whim) and there the were! I have never worn a style of denim like this. I favor skinny jeans or the mildest of boyfriend jeans because I am petite but curvy and a lot of the wider leg styles do not do me any favors. These are different. I have to hem them so that they show more ankle but MAN are they flattering and I cannot tell you how much I adore the wash, especially when paired with a frilly white top (I’ll be wearing this one). The denim has no stretch to it (at all) but it all hangs really nicely and elongates the torso. I would say they run a tiny bit big, if you’re contemplating ordering. IN.LOVE.
These have a similar vibe, but cost less and I love their wash. I love J. Crew denim. 40% of my denim collection is J. Brand, 40% is J. Crew, and the remaining 20% are pairs I probably will never wear again. (With the exception of my new Agoldes!)
You’re Sooooo Popular: A Chic Rug.
The most popular items on the blog this past week:
+CHIC striped rug for a boy’s room (or a living room with a coastal vibe! or a preppy entryway!)
+Mark Cross vibes for under $200.
+Cute denim flats for a great price.
+The best gloves for doing dishes. (They are lined with a soft terry material and don’t have that nasty rubber smell. These have saved me hundreds of dollars in manicures, TBH. By protecting my hands, I can go longer between manicures.)
+My secret to Marie Kondo-level organization in my dresser.
+Mini cuisinart — has made it so easy to expose Hill to tons of new flavors. I just feed him whatever we’re eating, pureed. Then I pop all the parts in the dishwasher and do the same thing the next day.
+Everyone needs one of these small cutting boards. I use it 9/10, even when I probably should use the bigger one. So light and easy to clean vs. the full-size.
+Chicest side table EVER. Like a Van Cleef & Arpels clover pendant in your home 🙂
+THIS JOHANNA ORTIZ DRESS. If you bought, please share a pic of yourself in it on Insta so I can marvel.
#Turbothot: When Are You Most Yourself?
I was listening to an episode of the American Girl podcast last week where the hosts interview a woman who sews her own costumes and has replicated many of the Kirsten looks herself. At one point in the conversation, that woman recounts a time where her husband asked her: “How does it feel to be dressed up? Do you feel like a different person?” She replied: “Not at all — I feel like my truest self.”
In response, one of the podcast hosts remarks that she feels most herself when she is creating something.
I mused over both of these insights for some time and posed the same question of myself: When am I most myself?
I tried for some time to think about whether it was when doing something or wearing something or in a specific place or at a specific time but I kept returning to the fact that I am most wholly myself when I am with my husband. I never feel the impulse to self-censor or modulate the breadth of my far-flung interests or screen my idle musings. He will not bat an eye when I flit from soul-searching (over dinner at I Sodi, we talked about the concept of discernment, which proved to be the seed for a full-length blog post) to deliberating between rug styles to agonizing over motherhood within the space of a few minutes. He sat with me every night on the couch for days and days when I cried (absolutely sobbed!) about weaning micro and not feeling ready and being confused about how intense it all seemed. He did not understand what I was going through, but he held my hand and nodded his head and never made me feel crazy or — more importantly — as if I should just shut up about it, something I continued to tell myself. (“Stop agonizing over this! It’s enough!” As if I could control the violent surge of hormones and motherly affection and parental responsibility with a quiet inward tsk, tsk.) He lets me make occasionally impolitic observations. He often nudges me back to my good manners but never thinks the less of me for them. I never feel stupid with him, no matter how embarrassing it is that I have had to ask him things like “wait, how do magnets work?” and “is Luxembourg a country?”, but — equally — I never feel like the smartest person in the room when I am next to him, as he is sharp and strategic-minded and often sees things — especially bigger picture things — well out of my ken. He is my equal and my confidante and my cheerleader and my critic and when I sit in front of him, I feel like the fullest, truest version of myself.
What about you? When do you feel most yourself?
Post-Scripts: Elephant Jammies.
+H&M is KILLING it with their swimwear game for littles these days. Love this and already bought these in the seersucker for Hill.
+FRIENDS: these $200 chairs from Pier 1 are the spitting image of a much more expensive style from Serena & Lily. AMAZING buy. Also like these if you’re into the chippendale vibe — hard to find them anywhere else for less!
+I am not usually big into logo/label-wear but I am inexplicably drawn to this sweatshirt. I feel like it would give me a chic street edge?
+Just a reminder that this dress is under $100 and is the very likeness of this expensive Brock Collection frock!
+This $20 denim dress is so chic. Would probably swap out the belt (hate those silver belt rings) for something like this.
+I have been getting a LOT of use out of my Alexandre Birman booties (<<on sale!) this season. I call them my “disco balls” and I actually have not yet worn them without eliciting a compliment from a stranger — they are SO GOOD and I usually pair them with a more demure outfit to tone things down a little. I often wear them with a tweed top similar to this, black skinnies, big pearl earrings, and a padded headband. They are available in a different colorway here for only $222!!!!
+Speaking of Alexandre Birman — there are so many great styles on sale at BG right now. I love these and of course these. Not on sale, but I am eyeing these for this summer.
+Ordered this for mini’s upcoming birthday! She loves dressing up as a superhero with a blanket around her shoulders.
+Big sale going at Bergdorf’s and I often find great occasionwear for the little ones there — love this Pili Carrera and this one, too.
+Sweet rashguards for a little girl. They always sell out in the white!
+Still some amazing sale scores at MO: one of my favorite pairs of earrings for under $60 (white would be darling for a bride at a shower!), the frothiest LWD (over 70% off), chic pants for your next vacation, and a gorgeous Markarian blouse for under $150. Oh! And Ulla magic for 70% off!
Oh, I’m so tempted by those AGOLDEs in that light wash! I have two styles from them — the 90s jean in a medium blue wash (which are at the tailor getting hemmed, as they run realllllly long!), and the Nico in faded black, which is a slim style that is sliiiightly looser at the ankle than a traditional skinny. I love both, but the 90s jean feels especially current. On me, it’s super high waisted and fits kind of like a slightly looser Pinch Waist.
I’m mulling over your question about when I feel most like myself. I’d have to say with my siblings — with close sibling relationships, there’s a level of understanding of one’s base personality that is pretty much unmatched — and also when I’m making art, writing, or reading. 🙂
xx
Love the comment about spending time with your siblings!! So sweet 🙂
Loved this writeup, and I have to agree with you that I am most myself with my husband. That support and security is so comforting. Life is a jungle and with him by my side it’s all manageable. Interesting!
Ok, I have always loved your Alexandre Birman booties and that outfit you wear with them is perfection! I DIE thinking about it. I would definitely stop you and compliment you!
The tortoise Alexandre ‘s you show are also pretty spectacular too. So Parisian and stylish!
Keep stylin’
!! Thank you so much!! Yes – love those tortoise ABs! Love the price tag too…tempting!