Consider Yourself a Shopper #31: Fall Shopping through the eyes of Laura Mars
as well as my long teased skincare edit and more!
The Criterion Channel currently has an edit of movies all about photographers.
The inextricable link between cinema and photography has long made the latter a subject of intense fascination for filmmakers, who have found in the adjacent medium a means to explore heady themes of voyeurism and obsession, perception and identity, and the relationship between art and reality.
-Criterion Channel
Among the selection, there were a few films I recognized—Rear Window, Blow-Up, and One Hour Photo—along with several I hadn't heard of, like The Story of O and Smoke. However, the one that immediately captured my attention was Eyes of Laura Mars. I believe I first heard about it through Mel Ottenberg, as I vaguely recall him mentioning that his bedroom was inspired by Laura’s.
(Both bedrooms, by the way, make a strong case for carpeted floors.)
I also seem to remember the movie being referenced in the Faye Dunaway documentary, which I found to be excellent—until it veered into feeling like an ad for Big Pharma. However, I don't recall the documentary delving too deeply into the film, so I approached it with fresh eyes. As soon as I heard Barbra Streisand humming I was hooked. The story revolves around Faye Dunaway’s character, a photographer whose work is strikingly reminiscent of Helmut Newton’s style (Newton, in fact, provided the images that stand in for Laura’s portfolio). Her photographs are provocative, violent, and arresting. As the plot unfolds, it becomes apparent that her work also possesses an almost prophetic quality, as she discovers she has the telepathic ability to see through the eyes of a serial killer who is targeting people in her circle.
I won’t give too much away, as I believe this is a film worth experiencing firsthand, but I will say that it single-handedly inspired my fall shopping. As I’ve discussed before, and as I mentioned in an Instagram Q&A, fashion right now feels like the wild wild west—uncharted, unpredictable, and full of possibilities. This is why Chemena Kamali’s debut collection for Chloé sent shockwaves through the industry.
For the first time in a long while, a designer emerged who wasn’t just channeling nostalgia but was also pushing forward, creating a collection that felt like a breath of fresh air. In a fashion landscape where so much of what we see seems preoccupied with the question, “what should I wear to work?” Kamali dared to ask, “what should I wear to simply live my life?”
Kamali mentioned that Helmut Newton’s 1977 photographs of Karl Lagerfeld’s Chloé were on her mood board. This piqued my curiosity, so I went through the Chloé Catwalk book and found the collection, and I was completely floored by what I discovered. At the time, the Daily Telegraph reported, “Romantic fashion isn’t dead: it has just been sleeping for longer than I care to remember. It took Karl Lagerfeld of Chloé to wave the magic wand and wake up this Sleeping Beauty in a mouth-watering collection awash with embroidered crêpe de chine, swashbuckling fur-lined black capes, and dresses of tissue-fine wool voile, flower-printed like old wallpapers in French 18th-century houses.” When you look at the 1977 collection, a clear throughline emerges between it and what Kamali later showcased. It's also evident that Theoni V. Aldredge, the costume designer for Eyes of Laura Mars, likely drew inspiration from that collection as well.
As the movie ended the same way it began, with Barbra’s voice, I found myself eagerly searching for 'scarves,' 'ulster coats,' and the ever-charming 'boots.' While some of us are clinging to the final moments of summer, I found myself more than ready for fall as the credits rolled. That said, I must admit that my recent trip to the Hamptons for the Doen dinner put me in a bit of a summer haze. We dined al fresco, and the entire evening could only be described as romantic. I was fortunate to be seated next to PR maven Gabby Katz,
, and and it turned out to be one of the best nights of my summer! The rosé flowed freely, and everyone was glowing, sun-kissed, and blissful. Summer does have its charms! But ever since watching Eyes of Laura Mars, two things have been on my mind: ruffled shirts and cozy blanket scarves.
The hard reality is that the Chloé ruffle pieces are clocking in above $3,000. ( I've noticed that some items on their site, including a few of the ornate ruffle pieces, are already tagged as sold out.) While I've already mentioned the Doen Ingrid Top (which I bought in a large to avoid it being too cropped), there are plenty of ruffle options on the market, so the world truly is your ruffled oyster. I’m particularly fond of this one from Etsy, and I think the Etro version is a great alternative to the Chloé piece (I often think of Etro as the Italian sister to Chloé.). Comme des Garçons always delivers ruffles in a way that doesn’t feel too prim and proper—in fact, their take on ruffles has a slightly edgy, even dangerous feel (in the best way!). If you prefer something more subtle, the A’Court shirt might be more your style, with its ruffling down the front offering a fresh twist on the ruffled shirts that are often the punchline of every 70s-related joke.
I also tried on this Bode ruffle top that made me think of Gloria Vanderbilt.
The biggest styling inspiration I took from Laura was her oversized scarf that doubled as a coat. For a few seasons, I’ve toyed with the idea of ditching my coat in favor of my wool Pendleton blanket, but every time I was about to step out the door with the blanket draped around me, I’d end up turning back to grab a proper coat. After watching the movie, I found myself on a mission to find oversized scarves, determined to step out in what can only be described as 'blanket dressing.' While her scarf reminds me of a cozy blanket, I discovered that the best search term to replicate Laura's style is 'shawl scarf.'" That’s how I came across the options from Nanushka, Etsy, and Tibi. When I struggled to find shawls in the same tartan pattern, I started exploring the idea of using actual blankets instead, which could be a great alternative if none of the shawls on the market strike your fancy. I’m particularly drawn to the vibrant blue of the alpaca wool blanket, and lately, I’ve been really into blue (dabba dee dabba da). Toast has some beautiful home offerings, and I’m seriously considering getting one of their blankets for the winter.
You're looking for something more rectangular rather than square, similar to the styles seen in the Saint Laurent and Christopher John Rogers examples.
About a month ago, I gave paid subscribers a heads-up about this edit—well, it’s finally here, sort of. I’ve mentioned this before, but as I find myself appearing on camera more often, I’ve become increasingly aware of my skin. Some of my concerns are probably exaggerated, influenced by the constant stream of beauty standards we’re bombarded with daily.
Over the past month, I’ve been testing various products to figure out what really works and what doesn’t. My original plan was to create a comprehensive skincare newsletter, but as new products kept coming in, the publication date kept getting pushed back. Since I’ll continue to try out different things, I decided to weave the products I’m loving into these shopping posts. I’ve also started a shop where you can find all the products I’m currently enjoying. For today, I’m highlighting five of my favorites:
Versed Skin Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm: Ever since I interviewed Sydney Uthendal, I’ve been cleansing my skin in the morning with an oil cleanser. I’ve noticed a significant difference, and I think oil cleansers are really great at removing makeup.
Eadem Le Chouchou Lip Softening Balm (Butter Mochi):
I like using this not necessarily as my base or everyday product, but more as a gloss.
Soft Services Clearing Mist: You’ve heard me rave about the buffing bar, but lately, I’ve also been relying on this product to tackle those pesky bumps that have been appearing—no doubt thanks to the extra perspiration.
Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum: I recently had the opportunity to chat with April Gargiulo, the founder of Vintner’s Daughter, for a brief five minutes, and it was such an easy conversation that I felt an instant connection (I hope April did too, haha!). I’ve been intrigued by the brand for years, and it’s been a delight to incorporate their products into my routine. Vintner’s Daughter was built with a commitment to quality, and while other skincare brands are rapidly churning out products, it takes a full three weeks to craft just one bottle of their Active Botanical Serum!
Dr Diamond’s Metacine Instafacial Collection: First and foremost, I want
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