I’ll keep the intro rather brief! As you all may recall, it was my birthday on Wednesday. I’ll refrain from going too much into my birthday and my party; I’m saving that for my mid-week letter :). However, in the days leading up to the big day and the subsequent days after, my card has been somewhat working overtime. For the past few months, I feel I have been relatively good with my spending, but as soon as the month of June rolled around, I was off to the races.
So without a further ado… here are the things in my home, in my cart, or simply on my mind ( for the part most of these items are in my possession, haha!)
Eighth Day Rejuvenating Moisturizing Primer SPF 30
I received this in a gift bag from a Violet Grey event, and I’m absolutely obsessed. Long-time readers know that my relationship with makeup and makeup-adjacent products is somewhat fickle. However, now that I’m attending more events, I feel that it is somewhat necessary for me to put some make-up on my face. The Eighth Day primer provides light coverage and does an excellent job at blurring my pores. Initially, I started using the product naively, I was fully unaware of its full capabilities I just thought it was sunscreen, but I quickly noticed a difference when I saw photos of myself.
The other products featured in the gift bag were also impressive. I've tried the Eighth Day Regenerative serum and really like it, and although I’ve only used the Resurfacing tonic once, I plan to go back to it after I finish my current toner from Caudalie Vinoclean Mositurzing Toner that I am really enjoying because it makes my skin feel moisturized and plump before I even apply all of my lotions and potions.
If you haven’t listened to my interview with esthetician Sydney Utehdahl, stop reading this immediately and check it out. Not only was she my first guest for my new interview series (which I guess is technically a podcast?), but she also shared a wealth of information about skincare. Since our chat about a month ago, I’ve been tweaking my skincare routine, with the biggest change being how I cleanse my face.
In the interview, I asked her the same question that came up in my skincare group chat: “Where can you save, and where should you splurge when building your routine?” Sydney explained that you can actually save on most products. She pointed out that spending an exorbitant amount on cleanser isn’t necessary because, for the ingredients to be effective, you’d need to let it sit on your skin like other products. However, that goes against the purpose of a cleanser, which is to wash it off. She also mentioned that she uses an oil cleanser in the morning to avoid washing off all the serums and retinol she applied the night before.
While I've discussed oil cleansers in the past, I had never relied solely on one. Now, I start my mornings with Mad Hippie's oil cleanser and double cleanse with it and my trusty IS Clinical Complex cleanser in the evenings, which has yielded satisfying results.
Perhaps it’s the onslaught of the heat dome or the spiders falling from the sky, but I’ve been thinking, “Why not wear swim trunks as everyday shorts?” I’d be lying if I said this idea wasn’t influenced by a certain brand, but ever since my recent rewatch of Sex and the City, this outfit has been living in my head rent-free! After receiving these Thorsun x Charvet trunks, I’ve seriously considered making this look a reality. (Which I have sort of been channeling a “swim-trunk-as-everyday-shorts look with the help of these nylon shorts from Alex Mill.)
Charvet holds a special place in my heart. During my trip to Paris in September, I had already decided to allocate a portion of my spending money solely to shop at this storied shirting company. So, seeing Charvet prints on swim trunks is pretty amazing, right? This collaboration is an ongoing partnership between the two, and with so many colors and prints to choose from, it was quite a challenge to decide which pair to get!
Wythe New York Hometeam Plaid Linen Blend Workshirt
A few months back, I slipped into this tencel shirt, and it's been lingering in my thoughts ever since. Then, I stumbled upon a photo of Alex Katz sporting a blue plaid shirt, and suddenly, I felt the urge to own one immediately! I mentioned this specific shirt in a recent post for
Earl Earl, where I described its impeccable, broken-in texture that feels like a second skin, and the fact that it is a blend helps alleviate so much wrinkling.The drawstring pants seen around the world! I had noticed these pants before Becky Malinsky’s post, but I must admit that her endorsement lit a fire under me to buy them immediately rather than waiting for a sale and risking them selling out. Despite searching high and low for a discount, I finally had to close my eyes and press purchase. While I think the price is, dare I say, questionable, I can already tell that I'm going to get my money's worth. I got them about two weeks ago and have already worn them three times. I even nudged the dry cleaners to expedite the cleaning because I desperately want to bring them upstate with me (fingers crossed it happens!).
While enjoying these pants, I am realizing that I have a certain affinity for white pants. As a result, I’ve been considering buying these Organic John Patrick linen pants or these Banana Republic hemp-cotton pants as backups for when The Row ones are out of commission.
To justify the splurge on The Row pants, I bought this heavily discounted Dries Van Noten kaftan in tandem. (I ended up having to return The Row pants to Net-A-Porter and ended up buying them in the New York store, but that’s a story for another day!) I am reevaluating my Dries collection, and with his final bow quickly approaching, I am desperate to accumulate as many pieces of his as I can!
I recently stumbled upon a stunning red silk hooded jacket by Zoran that I simply couldn't resist (it kind of looks like if The Row Dune jacket and this Another Tomorrow oversized hooded jacket had a baby). For those of us who love The Row but do not always love their prices, Zoran offers a more budget-friendly option. You can often find his pieces for under $300 on sites like TheRealReal or eBay. Take for example the silk satin jacket linked above—it's ideal for those evenings when you'd rather not fuss with dressing up, but the occasion calls for it. Then there's the sequin tunic, which might not look appealing on the mannequin, but with the right styling—a belt or some fabulous voluminous pants—it has great potential. Lastly, there's this pant set that exudes the charm of a 90s rom-com or the allure of an erotic thriller—take your pick!
Random Etsy Searches
One day, simply out of boredom, I decided to experiment by typing random word combinations into Etsy to see what would pop up. Some of the combinations I tried were “80s Ikea Memphis Stool,” “60s does 20s style cocktail dress,” “Yohji Yamamoto Does Bill Blass,,” and finally, “Shaker Revival Rocking Chair.”
A’Court Florence Cotton Blouse
There's an undeniable charm to a pintuck blouse, probably due to the fact that it has a sense of romance and elegance sewn into it. I received a gift card to L’ensemble, which prompted me to explore their array of brands with a, including notable names like Kallmeyer, Loretta Caponi, and Proenza Schouler, I stumbled upon A’Court. Their ethos, is centered around “redefining the traditional fashion model.” Although I appreciate a touch of frill, I'm wary of it veering into costume territory. However, this blouse strikes a perfect balance with its delicate pintucks, intricately embroidered collar, and subtle sleeve ruffles. These details, are far from being overpowering, and exude a graceful subtlety that truly resonates with me.
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Happy Birthday and thanks for the tip of searching for Zoran on Ebay!
Another great cleansing oil is the MUJI one, so economical and works well. I high key love MUJI for no frills skincare tbh