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I think many women dress for other women. Or at least I do — women are my second filter. My primary filter is, of course, what do I feel like wearing today? (I am a moody, fickle dresser in this way. I am right now wearing my Varley sweatsuit (sweatshirt, pants) with a Donni tee and Adidas sneaks, as it’s rainy and my children are home with me, and my son has been struck by a stomach virus, and I wanted to wear something that would enable me to “take charge in comfort.” But yesterday I wore a cropped blazer and brown jeans and felt like a different woman entirely.) Anyhow, after I figure out the fashion mood I’m in, I think about where I’ll be over the course of my day, and what clothing feels appropriate for those venues, and that’s where other women come into play.
Sometimes I dress specifically for Mr. Magpie, but he hasn’t given me much feedback over the years on what he likes versus does not — he pays me a lot of compliments, but has never said “I love when you wear this dress” or “I like those jeans,” except for this one mini skirt I used to wear in college, which he did love and let me know about. I in fact take this as the highest compliment; I think he likes almost everything I wear, and it leads me to double down on my fashion risk-taking.
Still, I thought it would be amusing and interesting to ask his straight-forward take on some of this season’s biggest trends. I saw someone else do this with her husband on Instagram and found the responses hilarious; as she put it, “he’s giving us everything and nothing.” The husband’s blunt responses reminded me of the fact that my Dad calls any shoe he didn’t like “a clog.” Could be a high heel, a sneaker, a Mary Jane — if he doesn’t like it, it’s “a clog.”
Anyhow, below, I isolated a handful of fall 2024 trends for Mr. Magpie to weigh in on. I love most of these looks myself and have admired them on other women — some of them are beyond my skill level; some I have tested myself. His opinions below…
Me: Bubble hems.
Mr. Magpie: That’s not good. No.
Me: The Row jelly flats.
Mr. Magpie: Fine. Don’t bother me. [Looks at a few other examples.] Well, those ones make her feet look like sea turtles wrapped in plastic.
Me: Barrel jeans.
Mr. Magpie: Those are fine. [Ed. note: this surprised me, and I asked my best friend’s husband what he thought. He replied: “Like it.”]
Me: Trapeze dresses.
Mr. Magpie: That’s a joke…? I do like how short it is.
Mr. Magpie: I think it’s fine.
Me: Loafers with socks.
Mr. Magpie: C’mon, man. No.
Dying over the loafers comment, because I’ve been admiring this look from afar and working up the courage to test myself! (See Jessie Loeffler Randall and Lilly Sisto rock the look!)
This conversation left me intrigued. I polled a few of Mr. Magpie’s best friends as well as the husbands of some of my best friends, asking what their favorite outfits on their wives are. I was surprised by the answers — each so idiosyncratic?! I had expected everyone to say: “Jeans and a t-shirt” for some reason? But alas!
“Either leather pants with her red Louis Vuitton coat, or she has a cashmere skirt that she wears with a black silk skirt that I like a lot.” [Ed. note: all of my friends will know whose husband this is.]
“Long colorful dresses. No preference on footwear or accessories, but I do like when she wears the bracelets I bought for each kid.”
“A sundress that’s one size too small (in my wife’s mind).”
“A colorful cocktail dress.”
“A soft, worn fitted t-shirt with classic, old-school mesh workout shorts.” [Ed. note: !!!!]
“Love seeing her in her Chanel suit. Classic elegance and power.”
“A sundress above the knee.”
What do your spouses like you to wear? How much do you factor their opinions into the way you dress?
Post-Scripts.
+Marriage is an act of optimism.
+On ode to Landon’s Jeep — “his foil and ferry.”
+On finding an easy kind of love.
Shopping Break.
+Love this chocolate brown satin headband. Chiccccc.
+Speaking of chocolate brown, eyeing this sweater skirt with this cardi.
+I have been wearing these Rothys clogs around the house constantly. They are SO comfortable and I like that you can run over to the neighbor’s / take garbage out / etc in them.
+Goop has bundled a bunch of their incredible beauty products for a savings, modeled after Gwyneth’s “no makeup look.” Love these sets! I wear the ColorBlur cheek/lip balm daily.
+Lake has launched its holiday jammies! Love this pair for children, and this ruby floral and this red striped kimono set for me.
+One of my favorite small businesses, Alice Walk, just released their outstanding 100% cotton weekender sweater in the perfect moss green. I am in love with it! I also have it in the darker green. She’s so comfortable and soft and I love the button neck. Cannot rec more.
+Missed this whipstitch trim jacket in my outerwear roundup a week or two ago — so good! Borrows from but does not imitate Toteme.
+This $200 tartan maxi is sooo good for holiday. I’d zhush up with glitzy accessories — velvet flats / heels / booties / etc.
+Just re-ordered Glowscreen. So good for mornings when I am going for a run / exercising after dropping off kids and don’t want a full face of makeup, but want a bit of coverage and SPF.
+Sweet little $50 lamp for a girl’s room. You could always swap out the shade for something splashy like this. (Upgrade pick: S&L lamp, or this look for less!)
+An actual perfect Thanksgiving dress for your little lady.
+Two items I’m eyeing for Mr. Magpie: this overshirt and this corduroy button-down.
+Splashy switchplate covers.
How fun— I just asked my husband! I know he loves me in black (which I very rarely wear outside of atheisure), but was curious his answer beyond that. He answered: I loved your dress last night (Tuckernuck floral “Tate”) and I love your Jackie O dresses (Tuckernuck, again!). I like a lot of the dresses you’ve been wearing lately! (Translation—heavy rotation of Tuckernuck & Hunter Bell ladylike and feminine dresses, with a bit of whimsy mixed in). I really love when you’re in yoga pants and an all black sporty look, or in the winter in yoga pants with your socks (cozy, fuzzy Costco crew socks, ha!) and a sweater or your gray sweatshirt with the big neck (Addison Bay cowl neck!). He then reminisced to some of my classic Lilly shifts and a J. Crew pink faded v neck tee from our early days of dating in 2011! That was fun and I do say, I love that my husband leans into my fashion whims (albeit sometimes with humor!), wants me to both feel confident & enjoy a “treat,” encouraging me to splurge when I really love something or have a big occasion, all buoyed, though, by the assurance that he loves me just as much in the most casual looks, too!
Ahh! I love all of this and how sweet to get a tiny look at yourself through his eyes 🙂
xx
LOL I tried out loafers and socks with a houndstooth skirt earlier this week and I basically had the same reaction as your husband to myself in the mirror. (I think it was a proportion thing? I’m short so I think the skirt was a touch too long and the whole thing made me look stumpy. Sigh #shortgirlproblems)
I have the same issue! I specifically have to be careful with skirt hems per your note. I feel like they either need to be properly mini (like a full hand above the knee) or at the ankle / maxi to really give the intended proportions and those can be tall orders, since most minis actually come down to my knee if they aren’t hemmed, and most maxis are too long. Sigh! Tailoring is the life for us.
xx
This is so funny. Sometimes I will hear from a friend that their husband really dislikes a particular item of clothing they own- to which I say “he doesn’t get a vote”- but I like the inverse of this much more! Positive fashion feedback ONLY from men, please. All criticisms can be kept to themselves.
I was so delighted by the things these men said about their wives!! XX
Once in the early years of dating, I showed my husband a floral shirt at a store and he said something like, “I don’t like florals, they look like curtains.” And for YEARS (we’re approaching 20 of them…) I didn’t buy or wear any floral patterns. Then last year for Christmas he bought me a Sezane floral button down and I asked him in dismay, “I thought you hated florals, no?” and looked back at me bewildered with no remembrance of that moment years ago. So I’m on a real floral kick!
In terms of what he does like…dresses and no makeup, and more J.Crew less Madewell (too bad for him).
Hahaha! I totally know what you mean – some random comments will just stick with you forever!
xx
This is hilarious! I’m dying over the sea turtle comment…now I can’t un-see it! My husband isn’t a big fan of puff sleeves or ruffles, but he doesn’t ever make disparaging comments about my clothes. I couldn’t guess what his favorite is – it could be anything from athleisure to a dress to jeans and a tshirt. Will ask him at date night tomorrow! At which I will probably be wearing an exaggerated sleeve.
Ha!! Love this! So curious to hear his answer! xx
I love this microcosm of crowd sourced male answers! My husband frequently compliments my style, esp when it’s more adventurous (so endearing) and he was shockingly into the full on horseshoe, not just barrel, citizens jeans that I ordered to try out earlier this month. the sizing didn’t end up working with the color I wanted, but now I’m debating ordering them again for good.
For the record, I largely dress for myself and mood, then factor in the weather/walking commute of the day, then other women, THEN men, but sometimes those rankings shift a bit depending on the work day/event…
Oo love his appreciation of the horseshoe jean!! I’m honestly very surprised by how many of the men I’ve chatted with about these newer denim styles were into them!
But does your dad like your Rothy’s clogs? Dying to know!
HA! I’ll ask but I’m 99% sure they’re a no.
xx