what I'm into rn

women be shopping

So I did write something embarrassingly tender about love and death, based on a conversation I had with a friend as we sat in the corner of a cocktail bar on a Wednesday night holding each others’ hands and crying. But I’m not sure it’s ready yet* to be shared. What I am ready to share though are some cool things I bought and how they make me feel. (*aka sufficiently fictionalized)

I am strictly a “I need a little treat every 1-3 hours to survive” type of girl. Sometimes this translates to a bon bon espresso shot from Maru, or a crispy paperback from a Skylight, or a parcel of Williamsburg handmade oil paint. In any case, it’s frivolous spending. And it makes life worth living, because why else would I work? Anyway here are some things.

Frederic Malle perfume finder

I was a sucker for personality quizzes and dress-up doll games as a teenager. This is that. You click a bunch of cute painted illustrations to create a cute, personalized collage. Then it tells you what fragrances might suit you. Find your perfume.

I’m most curious to smell l'eau d'hiver, which is an icy heliotrope. Someone reviewed it saying, “The scent reminds me of thawing land, melting snow revealing the still frozen, and then damp dirt, combined with the mellow softness of spring that is yet to come. A scent that gives hope of spring and sunshine in the midst of a winter that is still cold.” Another review: “tender and fragile, melancholic and ethereal. Like snow it quietly seems to wrap everything in its cold, hazy, subdued atmosphere. And it feels like all the fragile beauty of the world is covered together in it. It is an ode, not just a perfume.”

A lot of poets are wasting away in the fragrantica comment sections imo.

Vintage French 100% cotton set from the 1970s

My search is over ~ literally felt a wave of accomplishment and relief wash over me when these appeared on Poshmark. That’s where I do most of my vintage shopping… not to blow up my spot, but generally people don’t know how to correctly price things, which can be both good and bad (Anthropologie stuff = expensive, y2k things from an elder millennial’s closet clean out = very very reasonable).

This set is the perfect midway between lingerie and pajamas. Whereas nice lingerie tends to be too delicate to wear, and cheaper pajamas feel schlubby and boring, this set is something I can actually use day-to-day. It’s durable cotton but so cute that I simply can’t stow it away in my closet forever waiting for some special occasion. The cut looks simple but feels masterfully tailored. The brand is ROSY. I think my tip with lingerie is to search by material and to look for something unadorned (I’m not a fan of cut-outs, contours, patches of lace and mesh). Usually that means you’ll be looking for a long time, so be patient.

Clark’s loafers

Because I’m a quirked up white girl, I’m always walking places. Unfortunately sneakers don’t work with every outfit. But do you know what (mostly) does? A good loafer. These are replacing a pair from Sam Edelman (that had a darling horse bit detail, it was a good year for Gucci knock-offs) that I wore until the soles fell off and holes appeared at the toe. GH Bass is the gold standard for preps everywhere but I didn't want to have to suffer through blisters. So, comfortable Clarks. These have a weird and icky sheen because of the patent leather - it feels ironic and school-girly.

Chestnut honey

My beautiful friend with a beautiful soul put me onto this when she brought back a jar of chestnut honey from Italy. It is totally unique. Sweet and syrupy, but a little medicinal in the way that makes you think it might be good for you. We eat it drizzled over a scoop of Van Leeuwen earl grey ice cream, as well as mixed into a warm cup of Harney & Sons Paris tea with a splash of oat milk. If you like bitters this will suit you.

This cupcake baby Brandy Melville top

By walking into a Brandy Melville with the intent to buy I feel as if I’ve crossed over into the dark side. My second strike is buying a shirt whose tag reads John Galt. But please forgive me b/c this baby holding a cupcake… is simply too cute. Keep tabs on this space because I think this is the summer look for it girls.

Moschino jeans

Almost every time I throw up my hands and decide to forsake some article of clothing I end up finding some version of it that is perfect. In this instance, I was tired of black denim that was too rigid and would fade to gray with every scratch and mar, and I was tired of unstructured stretch black denim, and I was tired of black denim that was trying too hard, either to be too chic or to be too emo. And I think as soon as I said that, I found these. So, you know, the lesson here is you will get your way if you quit. And if you challenge the universe to prove you wrong.

These jeans are what I would wear if I was a cartoon character with 20 duplicates of the same outfit. They, like the French pajamas I also bought, make me feel like Goldilocks: not too thick, not too thin, not too skinny, not too wide, not too low-waisted, not too-high. Just right. For something similar, focus on the legs. They should be long and have a nice drape.

I have also, recently, made a lot of purchases I regret, not because they’re ugly or whatever - but because they were made carelessly. This includes a wool Prada dress (that I cannot wear in LA weather, ever), a beautiful Isabel Marant chiffon top (that does not match any of my pants) and a fun green crop top from Zara (that makes me feel fast-fashiony and not stylish). The lesson I keep re-learning is that I can’t prioritize utility over beauty and vice versa. These desires have to be balanced.

Anyways. Thanks for indulging me! What have you bought this month? Tell me about your faves in the comments.

-C