*Image via Yatri. If you don’t follow her on Insta, you must! I need her shoes!
Q: Plain white tank or sleeveless top for tucking in, or bodysuit (haven’t ventured here yet!)
A: A friend of mine recently recommended Good American’s bodysuit — I haven’t ventured into body suits yet either, though! I usually reach for this Free People if I want something really fitted; if you can’t tell, I really like a scoopneck silhouette here. This J. Crew style is also up my alley. I’ve seen a lot of street style chic peas in Toteme’s white tanks (look for less with this), which is intriguingly chic but not exactly my usual style. For a similar vibe, Courtney Grow is often seen in this Re/Done ribbed tank or this Target one.
Q: My husband wants to get me a special bracelet for my 35th birthday, something tennis bracelet-esque but a bit more unique. Budget up to $5,000.
A: Wowza! Happy birthday to you! QNot a tennis bracelet, but I would ask for a Van Cleef + Arpels alhambra bracelet. I’ve wanted one forever — timeless and so chic. Alternately, send him to Tiffany — he can’t go wrong. I have the necklace version of these diamonds by the yard from there and it is one of my most-worn pieces of jewelry. Classic, elegant, beautifully made.
Q: I wanted to send a wedding fashion question – I have a wedding on Martha’s Vineyard this Fall and the invitation says it is “Island Formal” attire. Do you have any suggestions for dresses that would work? My husband is in the wedding party and wearing a tux – I am trying to find something that would work with a tux but likely with some color.
A: Splurge: anything by Andres Otalora, but especially this gown. I also can’t stop thinking about this Cecilie Bahnsen after seeing it on Liz Damrich and this bubblegum pink Emilia Wickstead. Other options that are less wallet-busting:
THIS SUNSHINE YELLOW PLEATED NUMBER (IMAGINE WITH AN UPDO AND BIG SPARKLY STUDS)
THIS STAUD (OOOOO LA LA, MARILYN VIBES)
LOVE THIS GORGEOUS DARK FLORAL
Q: My daughter is looking for a “coming home “ dress from the hospital after giving birth to her third baby girl. The date is early October from Stamford, Ct. She’s not a fan of ruffles and smocking.
A: What about Staud’s Vincent dress? They release it in several colors each season, but biscotti or marigold could be good for the season. It’s nursing friendly, can be basically worn year-round, and has a nice loose fit. Could be worn with shearling birks for more of a boho vibe or of course my beloved furlanes for a true magpie style moment. Or really any slip-on/mule/flat! The Great’s herd dress has a similar vibe (a bit more blouson in style), as does Doen’s Joan dress (a bit more ethereal/boho). Sruti Dalmia also has a bunch of really pretty patterned shirtdresses that could be just right for the occasion. For more of a Charlotte York moment, check out Daphne Wilde — I feel like Charlotte would have left the hospital in this dress, Chanel flats, and a big tortoise headband.
Q: Wedding guest dress for Labor Day weekend in Whitefish, Montana.
A: Have fun! I would lean into fall since it will likely be a tad chillier out that way? I would consider…
THIS MADEWELL (MORE CASUAL)
Q: New iPhone case.
A: Fun! I love all of the personalization options and colors at Not Another Bill. Bottega’s are splashy and loud (you can find select colors on sale here). I always love shadow lettering, and this case is affordable! This is more of a crossbody/phone sling, but how fun is this Anya Hindmarch?
Q: Colorful cocktail dress for mid-September wedding at the beach. Creatively dressed crowd.
A: I love this Damaris Bailey, this Love the Label, this Mara, this SEA (not colorful exactly but the details are so good!), this Amur, or this Celia B.
Q: Pouches!
A: You’re asking the right lady. I love a pouch. My favorite for toting around essentials like lipstick, tampons, bandaids, etc is this applique one I bought on Etsy. I transfer it from bag to bag! A few other great pouches, depending on use case / what you’re looking for —
CLEAR MINIMALIST SET (GREAT FOR TRAVEL – EVERYTHING EASY TO FIND)
MONOGRAMMED SEMI-CLEAR — GOOD IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR LITTLES’ ITEMS SEPARATE
CUYANA’S ARE CLASSIC AND MAKE A GREAT GIFT
ALSO LOVE WHITE ELEPHANT’S SIMILAR STYLE — NICE THAT YOU CAN BUY THE SIZES SEPARATELY
ANYA HINDMARCH ALWAYS HAS PUNNY/QUIRKY SLOGANS ON HERS
MARK AND GRAHAM HAS ADORABLE PREPPY STYLES
ADORE THIS ITTY BITTY COIN POUCH
Q: Baptism outfit for two-year-old son.
A: I’m fairly traditional, so I would put him in something like this or this with loafers like these or these. If that’s not your vibe, I would put him in a little suit, like this seersucker one with matching pants. For something less dressy, pants like these with a button down.
Q: Girls’ dinner out outfit.
A: SO fun! Have the best time. If you’re thinking jeans, I can’t unsee this bustier top after seeing it styled on this adorable Charleston influencer. For dresses — I like a bold pattern like this or this, a boho dress like this that really only girls understand, this floral, something bright pink, or an easy-to-wear dress like this. Basically, turn up the volume and fun!
Q: Outfit for a sister’s baby shower in October at a restaurant in Georgetown. (I’m hosting!)
A: So sweet of you. I like the idea of this Derek Lam (I think this works into fall — just layer beneath a sweater or wrap if chilly), this Tanya Taylor, this SEA, this Daydress, or this Alemais. I also think a slip skirt, statement trousers, or pleated skirt with a cashmere tee would be chic.
Q: Teak chairs for our backyard.
A: Mr. Magpie and I have been hunting for the same thing! I think we will go with these!
An absolutely obscure request but please bear with me. I am great at hostess gifts and have those covered for an upcoming trip. One of my dear friends has a 4 year old boy who is obsessed with dinosaurs. Any suggestions on something that will pack well (I don’t check bags) that would be a hit? Ideally keeping budget to ~$20.
Thanks for any insight!
Hi! Buy him one of these plus plus tubes in the shape of a dinosaur —
https://bit.ly/3TuSlJW
They are great!
xx
Another spot-on suggestion. Adding to cart immediately :). Thank you!
Yay!!
Next request for what you’re shopping for: birthday dress for my daughter to wear on her first birthday! (in October)
Got it! Will answer in an upcoming post!! xx
Hi, Jen! Aaaah like you I’ve also been drooling over Van Cleef + Arpels alhambra bracelet. I remember first seeing it on Kristen Bell’s character in the old movie “When In Rome” (love her overall styling in that film. But I digress.)
It’s still warm and sunny where I am but I cannot help but think ahead to fall candles! I am looking for something warm and spicy but not too… TOO on-the-nose, not TOO pumpkin-spicy or cloyingly sweet… Something with a bit more complexity, but ideally not as “wallet-busting” (I am stealing that term, haha) as Diptyque or Jo Malone. Does this type of candle even exist? I used to love Maison Louis Marie candles (about $36) but I noticed that the recent ones I’ve gotten get very sooty/are not as clean-burning. Would love your suggestions. Thank you!
Don’t mean to overstep by weighing in here, but us magpies share in this wonderful community Jen created. Diptique in my opinion is the best and well worth the investment. The pomander scent is my all time favorite and may fit the bill for what you are looking for. I also love the Beverly Hill scent. A colorful vessel besides to be displayed in a home office space. I’ve purchased higher priced brands like Byredo and have been disappointed. Hotel Lobby is well regarded and has such impressive and clever packaging, but the candles in my opinion all smell of the same vanilla note with little throw. I also love the Anthro boulangerie candles specifically the whipped cream and pear and the voluspa gardenia candles are so nice for Spring.
Anne! Not overstepping at all; thank you SO much for chiming in! I love Diptyque, too, and agree with your assessment — they are strongly and beautifully perfumed, and definitely worth the money. I have actually been loving Hotel Lobby – have you tried Paris Nuit? It smells so different – sexy, woodsy, elegant! But I do agree with your comment that the scent does not “throw” as well as other candles. Well-observed…
Mia, the other brand I would suggest is Tocca. You can find it at Blue Mercury with free ship if you join their “rewards program” (free to join). These are less expensive than Diptyque but I really love their scents and have used these candles for years. Florence and Cleopatra seem like year-round scents to me, but perhaps Florence is most similar to what you’re after —
https://bit.ly/3Kv2mmn
xx
One great brand/scent that I found this year that is all natural is Basic Bee Candle Co. on Etsy — they just came out with their fall line and I am absolutely enamored with all of them. So many different tones and notes — the complexity is unreal. I also love that it is completely non-toxic.
Oo thank you for this – going to check this brand out! xx
Chiming in to contribute another rec: Apotheke. They are handmade in Brooklyn and not TOO wallet busting. They do $10 mini tins and $16 votives if you want to test-drive some fragrances. I am very scent-sensitive, opting for unscented products for almost all of my bath and body goods, but these are the first scented candles I’ve ever actually wanted in my home!
Appreciate all these wonderful suggestions re: fall candles!
Anne, totally agree on Diptyque — they are truly special! I haven’t tried the Pomander (I’d been liking the Figue for fall/winter) but I’ll definitely put that on my list for when I want a more special candle!
Alexandra, thank you for the Etsy rec! I had actually started looking for candles there too but there were SO many sellers to choose from. I’m intrigued by your description of their candles! Nontoxic is definitely a plus.
Anna, love your suggestion too — I’m similar in that all my bath/body products are unscented as well (after a bout of allergies and eczema) and some home scents do tend to be headache-inducing.
Will definitely look into those Tocca scents Jen! Thank you!
Of course! xx