I did some shopping! Let’s get that out of the way. It’s not quite spring but it’s also definitely not winter and I’m so excited to add news pieces to my wardrobe that can see some immediate wear. I’m still finding my footing on who I want to be this spring, as funny as that sounds. I’ve always believed personal style to be constantly in flux, and that is the mere beauty of it all—to be able to pick and choose who you want to be for the day by way of specific sartorial choices that inspire you in that moment of getting dressed. My style over the past winter has remained largely minimalist and somewhat dressy as I found myself getting excited to dress out to go to dinners and gatherings (one of my few respites of the cold, drab weather). This spring, I would like to reintroduce color back into my life. Here’s everything I either purchased this past week or definitely will purchase very soon, and I’ll likely send out a more robust spring edit as a standalone issue.
I’ve been eyeing these Issey Miyake Pleats Please Technical Scarves for a long time, famous for being styled in an infinite number of ways. This one comes in a gorgeous red that will make any outfit stand out. It’s also 25% off with the code OFFER25.
Another Pleats Please number. I love the sleeves on this dress and this deep, neutral navy color. I’ve been eyeing this exact dress in a brighter blue but I can’t seem to find it in stock anywhere so I’m maniacally searching eBay, Etsy and The Real Real for that. If I can’t find it, I’ll bite the bullet on this navy version.
I have owned many different iterations of trench coats over the years but none like this off-white one by Studio Nicholson and I’m super into it. I’ve already worn it this weekend. The single breast and high neckline pared with its light dove-like color gives it a distinct menswear feel that can make any outfit look unfussy and cool.
Another red number, this time in the form of a figure-hugging dress that can be worn for a multitude of occasions. I also just love the price point of St. Agni — the Australians really get it.
Dries van Noten’s announcement of his retirement and departure from his namesake label left us fashion girls in shambles. I remember my first Dries piece I ever purchased. I had just graduated high school and my mom had a coupon to redeem at a department store and I singled out a pair of silver metallic brogues that I thought were so cool and different from anything I had ever owned. I thought: this is it, this is who I’m going to be in college. I would bring them with me to New York to start college at NYU and I had a vision of the woman I wanted to be: eclectic, spunky, interesting. To this day, Dries’ pieces make me want to be that girl and I just adore his spring/summer collection which has now flooded retailers. There are a lot of pieces I’m eyeing still but this chiffon silk skirt specifically, I love. The prints are nostalgic and whimsical and I know I’ll treasure these pieces for years to come.
I love these little blobby bags that debuted at Jacquemus’ show at the Fondation Maeght in the south of France a few months ago. All the girlies sitting front row were rocking them in various colors and I love how this silhouette fit so seamlessly with their outfits, each an interpretation of the bag in their own unique style. This calf hair, butter yellow one is just soooo cute and so spring.
I finished “Everything I know About Love” - a book that soooo many people recommended to me. I only recently decided to read it now because I joined a book club and this is this month’s book :) I think it’s pivotal for every woman in their mid to late twenties to read this memoir of a woman navigating her twenties, arguably the most transient decade of our lives? (Don’t at me if you disagree) I take immense comfort in hearing about other peoples’ experiences of self-growth in their love life, careers, body image, relationships and healing. There’s a lot to reflect on and a lot to just laugh about, too. Nothing too groundbreaking, but important nonetheless.
I dined at some restaurants that are worth noting since you guys love restaurant recommendations. They’re not new places and that’s okay. Let’s normalize trying restaurants that are not the hottest new thing. I did a little round up on my IG yesterday but want to highlight CHALONG - a southern Thai spot in Hell’s Kitchen that left me wondering if that was the best Thai meal I’ve had in the city. Chef Nate Limwong previously cut her teeth at SOOTHR and Fish Cheeks, two beloved Thai spots in the city, and focuses on dishes you likely won’t find elsewhere in the city. Don’t skip the fresh oysters salad, shrimp tacos, goat curry and fried whole fish.
I whipped out an item in my home that has not seen the light of day in maybe two full years: my Bearaby weighted blanket. It has taken on various forms of storage the past two years, from storage boxes to shelving to collecting dust in my closet. Anxiety has been a common theme lately for me, which has led me to seek out alternative modes of management. How? Basically, sleeping under weight activates Deep Touch Pressure (DTP), which helps your body naturally produce more serotonin (happy hormone) and melatonin (sleepy hormone) while curbing high cortisol (stress hormone) production. This blanket has done wonders in helping me feel calm and relaxed before bed and if you’d like to know the exact science behind why this is an effective tool, you can read about it here.
I discovered the best little chocolates from Gucci Osteria, Gucci’s restaurant in Beverly Hills in partnership with Massimo Bottura. I think anyone who could use a spring sweet treat would love a box of these floral cremini bites infused with rose, jasmine and violet. They’re a luxuriously simple indulgence and I am already thinking these would make the perfect gift this spring.
I’m planning my spring trips and I wanted to highlight a travel opportunity one of my best friends (who really doesn’t need an introduction if you’ve been following me on IG for a while) Caleb Thill is hosting in May with Thermal Travel. It’s an all-inclusive surf trip in Costa Rica at a luxury villa complete with surfing lessons and guiding, equipment, chef-prepared meals, on-ground transportation and activities. If you’re into surfing, love meeting new friends and up for an adventure, this is for you. Admittedly, I am an introvert who cannot do group trips with strangers, so I don’t think this is a trip for me, but I also know I’m a bit of an anti-social anomaly. Caleb is wonderful and I just know this is going to be an incredibly thought-out, detail-oriented trip that basically just requires you to show up!
I saw an old friend who I have not properly caught up since the start of the pandemic until now. Hi Nemo if you’re reading this <3! (He’s a fan of this newsletter and I almost cried when he told me) We went to Cellar 36, a new wine bar in Two Bridges opened by our friend Fernando, who has been serving us wine at The Ten Bells for many, many years. I’m so proud he now has a spot to call his own, to serve a budding new neighborhood and build out a community.
The point of this being noteworthy is that while friendships take meticulous effort and a lot of fostering, sometimes they can take a hiatus only to be waiting for the perfect time to be revisited. I had so much fun catching up with my old friend and relishing in the days New York felt like a different reality than the one we’re living in now. It’s true: we were five years younger, the pandemic had not yet happened and we were forming our core personalities in a city that still very much felt at ease… (New York is unhinged right now and very much not at ease) But I love how certain people of your past can bring you back to a different time, not really nostalgia but more just an exercise in transformative thought of an iteration of yourself you almost forgot about. It’s a beautiful reminder that it is our relationships that play a pivotal role in how we view ourselves and the world around us. I’m reminded that life can really be as simple as you once remember it to be, even for a fleeting moment. And that, in and of itself, is very healing.
xo L