Consider Yourself a Shopper #53: Some initial feelings from the menswear shows

Plus, the mineral sunscreen you don’t need, the summer skirt you absolutely do, and yes, merch!

I’ve always felt that when it comes to the men’s shows, there isn’t the same seismic shift feeling we often assign to womenswear. And if you think about it, it makes sense. Societally, we’re told to view men’s choices as pragmatic, whereas women are seen as led by emotion. Of course, I’d argue that all of this is, in a sense, malarkey, but that’s another conversation.

Even though I don’t subscribe to that binary way of thinking, it doesn’t change the fact that, in many cases, the way collections unfold still mirrors those lines. The men’s shows often feel stacked with functional clothing, practical at heart, with the real whimsy coming through in fabrications. Womenswear, on the other hand, is treated like a beacon of feelings, hopes, and desires.

Menswear, of course, went through its own shift post-Covid, with collections that aligned with a certain tradition of the Peacock Revolution. Since then, those rather queer collections, full of skirts, sequins, and other exuberance, have in many cases been tamed. What followed were clothes that felt angsty. And now, what’s beginning to trickle out this season feels like it’s made for someone with quite the louche life.

What’s even more interesting is how right these clothes feel for the moment we’re living in. A lot of us are walking around in what feels like a pressure cooker, and the heat, both literal and emotional, makes the idea of disassociating, sitting by a pool, cocktail in hand, while the world keeps spinning, feel especially appealing. Anthony Vaccarello told Vogue Runway, in response to why he looked to Fire Island in the 80s as inspiration, he said, “Because they lived an intense and fun time, not knowing what was going to happen. I related that to what is happening today in general. Maybe we should be thinking more. To be sure not to miss your life.”

How I spent my birthday

Who’s to say how well the clothes will resonate when they hit the sales floor in March. But the beauty, and perhaps the curse, is that collections can point us in the direction of who we want to be that very moment. You don’t have to wait until March to make sure you don’t “miss your life.”

****Editor’s note: Before we dive into the collections I’m loving right now, as you all know by now, I don’t believe in trends per se (though there’s no denying that flip flops are, for lack of a better word, a trend). I tend to see the collections more as a pulse check on the mood. And right now, the moods showing up feel very early 80s, Last Nights of Disco, La Piscina, and Country Club prep. You might think that’s just prep, but if you’ve seen Wild Things, you know there’s a distinct aquatic energy to those coastal country clubs that feels especially fitting.****

Wet Hot Italian Summer

Prada

This was one of the best showings from the duo I think.

Everyone seemed to go crazy for the opening look, which was great and definitely set the tone with the bloomers, camp shirt, and turtleneck, but this look and the ones that followed were my favorites. I’m in the middle of a big white clothing moment. There’s something so sensual about it. The shirt being slightly sheer, with that peek of the tank underneath, offset by the murky green flip-flop. Love! The whole collection made me think of La Piscine, that same slow, simmering elegance, like something just beneath the surface might spill over.

One of the best looks from the collection, and I want it now!

Maybe the next step in the evolution of the flip-flop is this kind of t-strap sandal. You still get a bit of that toe-ring feel with something like this.

Armani

There were so many fantastic looks in the collection, but I especially liked the ones that had that dual showing. There’s a certain androgyny to Armani’s clothing that always feels modern.

Something that has been percolating, and was explored further in this piece from The Cut, is the influence of the East—most specifically India. I do think the conversation around cultural appropriation has quieted in recent years, but it’s interesting to see European houses pulling from other cultures in their work. It also feels tied to this larger trend of a return to spirituality, and in many cases, mysticism, that seems to be rising to the surface.

Auralee

I’m always a sucker for a “the coat is the look” moment, because I find it interesting to think about what’s underneath and what the wearer is trying to communicate. This look in particular has a certain juvenile feel that’s oddly calming.

This is so fascinating, with the t-shirt functioning almost like a shrug and the suit jacket tied around the waist.

There were quite a few looks that stood out because of how cinched they were, which really emphasized the billowiness.

The Row

Admittedly, this wasn’t The Row’s strongest showing. Of course, the clothes probably read differently in real life, but from the lookbook alone, something felt missing. Footwear, which is usually such a strong category for the brand, was noticeably lacking. What did feel influential, though, was the jewelry. It reinforced something I find myself saying all the time: more ornate jewelry for day. Think brooches, cocktail earrings, and the like.

Setchu

This collection felt like a living, breathing take on “elevated essentials.” The pieces all felt familiar, but there was a playfulness to them that made them feel fresh.

Ralph Lauren

This was one of my favorite looks from the collection. The slightly oversized shirt with perfectly rolled sleeves, the high-waisted trousers, and the white sweater tied just so. It felt truly cinematic, which captured the spirit of the entire collection. As always, Ralph seems to have his finger on the pulse of what we need most, and right now that feels like an Old Hollywood silver screen escape.

Here are the things in my home, in my cart, or simply on my mind….

Beauty

• I’m going to start with a category that I don’t always discuss, and to go a step further, I’m going to start with a note of rejection. For the most part, everything I’m covering in this beauty section right now ties back to my laser hair removal (I’m going in for my second round next week and I’m getting it down at Sofie Pavitt).

  • One thing I’ve learned is that excess sun exposure can essentially render the laser ineffective which means hats and sunscreen will be my best friends this summer. My longtime, tried-and-true sunscreen was the one from EltaMD. I still love it; I just ran out and never got around to replacing it. My current sunscreen is one from La Roche-Posay that I picked up in Paris. I was told to buy it there because the formulation is different from the one sold in the States. Maybe that’s true, or maybe I’m just gullible. C’est la vie.

  • Recently, I decided to try out a new sunscreen, and I have to say it was not my best decision. The one in question is from Augustinus Bader. (To be honest, I’ve also tried the moisturizer that everyone raves about. As someone with oily, combination skin, I found it too light and ended up needing to go back in with something else to actually feel hydrated.) I wore the sunscreen to an event, and as soon as I caught my reflection in a mirror, I gasped. I looked like the ghost of Christmas past. It left a terrible white cast that made me look pale and sullen, and my skin stayed that way for the rest of the day. I know people say mineral sunscreens often leave a white cast, but I don’t remember any others being quite so stark. Needless to say, not a fan.

• One more thing tied to my laser hair removal. While this exact product wasn’t recommended by my technician, she did suggest using a toner that’s hydrating rather than exfoliating. The idea being that anything too abrasive, combined with laser treatment, could trigger a reaction. The toner I ordered just arrived, so I can’t speak to how it performs yet, but I’m excited to try it. It has rose in it, and I already use the brand’s lavender sachets in my closet, so I have high hopes.

Apparel/ Jewelry

• The Nordstrom sale is definitely worth checking out if you’re in the mood to shop. I picked up these Khaite pants for 60% off. There’s still a healthy size range available, and I’d recommend sizing down. (I also got these that weren’t a part of the sale, but that didn’t stop me from buying them—they feel perfect as a beach cover-up. I put together a full edit of my sale picks here, with a few new additions like this perfect confection of geometry and color in the form of a capri skort, a great belt, and, while I’m not necessarily the target audience for Zimmermann, this tank is surprisingly interesting.

  

  How are we feeling about the lighting and setup here? Wearing the Khaite pants in question and heels, and my “United Nations” top from Bode.

• As I mentioned above, I initially thought that Prada look featured a skirt instead of shorts. If I were recreating it, I’d probably go with a skirt like this from Alex Mill.

• I also have no business looking at more gold or bronze shoes, but these gold foil loafers from Tod’s have jumped to the top of my list. I think they’d be perfect for my morning coffee runs, which lately have consisted of me in these Nike swim shorts, my sweatshirt, and oversized shield sunglasses.

• Liana Satenstein
  came over to my apartment the other day because I’m doing a closet sale at some point. Sorry if I shared that too soon, Liana, haha. When she came by, I was wearing these Ruadh cut-off shorts (which are my more dressed-up coffee/errand run bottoms), a Barbra Streisand concert tee, and my sweatshirt. She commented on how much she loved the look and said it felt like a shift away from my swan era. Which got me thinking—I guess I haven’t really been feeling very swan lately. Just the other day, my 100-degree outfit to go vote was a button-down (I only buttoned one button for airflow) and cargo shorts. It’s one of those outfits I’ll lightly repeat. Maybe I’ll swap out the top, but this formula of big bottoms and not-so-polished tops is what I’ve been gravitating toward.

• On the jewelry front, what I’ve been loving most is putting pendants on silk cords. It’s just so hot right now that even jewelry can start to feel like too much, so less really is more.

Home

• I bought this bathmat. I’m not a fan of plushy bathmats because they get soggy quickly and need constant washing. This one is made from Sasawashi paper, which is supposed to be more absorbent and also gently exfoliating.

• While I was killing time as the pickers went through my bags at Beacon’s Closet, I wandered around the Village and stumbled into the Nickey Kehoe store. I picked up some new incense and a ceramic wine stopper with the head of Cleopatra.

• Also, I know I’m late to the party, but I really loved the Stüssy x Tekla collaboration. I’m still kicking myself for missing out on the Hawaiian flower pillowcases. I wish they had made the sheets in the same print. While I was browsing their site, I came across these board shorts, which I’m now considering picking up.

• And

  laura reilly
  was spot on in a recent newsletter about portable lamps. I’ve been eyeing the same Louis Poulsen one she mentioned in her letter, and I think it might be time to finally pull the trigger.

Now onto the merch….

I’m so excited about this. I always knew that part of my rebrand would include merch because I wanted something tangible to mark this moment and this new chapter. Paid subscribers will get first dibs, and I’ll open it up to the general public on Thursday. Quantities are limited, and a restock isn’t guaranteed, so get it while you can.

For reference, I’m wearing a medium here. The linen shirt is this one, my cargos are no longer available, this is a good alt.