Consider Yourself a Shopper #54: The impulse to stand still

Plus, new arrivals from Tory that are perfect for summer, more notes from the men’s shows, finds from Hudson, and more!

Upstate pick-ups

Gardenheir

I’d been wanting to visit Gardenheir for years. Even when I lived just ten minutes down the road, I somehow never made it over. I didn’t really go in with anything specific in mind, I don’t have a garden (sadly) and not many plants, so I wasn’t exactly in the market for gardening things. I ended up picking up this waterproof tarp bag to use as a hamper in my closet room, these Italian glass tumblers with dogs on them, and some tapered red candles.

Jamestown

I mainly stopped in because I wanted one of those beaded necklaces from Patch NYC, so I walked out with that plus a beaded velociraptor necklace that Tchesmeni and I both grabbed. I could have easily left with a patchwork jacket from a brand I regretfully didn’t write down, it was this wonderful plaid in hues of pink and grey, ultra preppy. One brand I did remember to snap a pic of was Creissen Artistwear, which makes clothes and tools for artists, all manufactured in the US with materials mostly sourced here too.

Freaks’

Tchesmeni and I stumbled upon this furniture shop while wandering Warren St. The feel is gothic, moody, a bit smoky. I’m a bit mad for chairs, and really anything you can lounge on (I do love to lounge). The prices, in my opinion, weren’t as outrageous as you might expect when shopping in Hudson. Not to say it was cheap (I paid around $400 for this chair), but I didn’t think that was so bad for a piece with beautiful woodwork crafted in the 18th century. According to the salesclerk, the nails in the chair date back even further than the chair itself. (If you’re curious, here are a few other chairs I’m currently stalking: this one, this one, and especially this one.)

Honorable mention

We popped into one shop that was closing, so everything was heavily discounted. I ended up leaving with two cast iron candle holders. When Nick came home and saw everything I’d bought, he looked around and said — and I quote — “Are we living in a cathedral now?”

The other things in my home or simply on my mind….

Clockwise from left: Presley Oldham x At Present “Spark” earrings, High Sport “Riviera Floral” pants, , Romeo Gigli silk blouse, VTG Polo Ralph Lauren cargos, Migonne Gavigan beaded and embroidered scarf, Ferragamo fringed thong sandal, Tory Burch beaded heeled sandal.

• I’ll talk more about the trip and the collection in another letter, but Presley Oldham designed some exclusive pieces for At Present that are as red hot as the month of July. The birthstone of the month is ruby, long associated with passion, protection, and wealth. In many ways, the fiery nature of the stone feels like a physical manifestation of the sun. Rubies weren’t necessarily at our disposal, so I thought it would be interesting to play with coral as a stand-in and add pearls, which are a staple in Presley’s work. Pearls are also June’s birthstone, so the pieces — earrings, bracelet or anklet, and necklace — become a small representation of the transition from one month to the next.

• On the subject of red, please enjoy these sandals from Tory Burch. They scratch the itch for a sandal while doubling as an ankle accessory. For more newness, there’s a cheetah print shoulder bag that feels like a hot, wet Italian summer if I’ve ever seen one, and these Chaco-style sandals are a solid alternative to the shoe of the summer: the flip-flop. Speaking of Chacos, not no! On a different note, here’s what feels like an evolution of the thong sandal.

• I’m really into those slightly burnout ‘90s Hawaiian florals right now. For a print that’s so ubiquitous in summer, this version feels fresh and pairs well with swimwear for that daywear-to-beach moment we’re all living in. I was quite late to the party on these from High Sport. I saw the purple version, immediately messaged them, and was told they’d already sold out. More colorways are on the way this fall, but for now you can grab this vintage pink. I think it works nicely with this top, it has a certain Prada quality to it, and the pairing reminds me a bit of the men’s collection.

• Speaking of the men’s shows, Jonathan Anderson’s debut at Dior felt buzzy. It was a strong showing, playful like his work at Loewe but with a polish that made the pieces feel truly rich. While Loewe has had collections with that same sheen (I’m thinking especially of FW24), there’s always been a level of kitsch. This Dior collection felt more opulent. Some pieces run upwards of $20,000 for an embellished frock coat, and they look it. The piece that probably grabbed the most attention was the cargo shorts with layers of wefted fabric, nodding to the Delft dress. Like the dress, the shorts will be rare, but you could always find a vintage pair of cargos (like here, here, and here). They may not have the extra layers of fabric, but they still get the idea across.

  • A few other men’s collections stood out since we last spoke: Dries Van Noten — Julian’s second men’s show — was notably better than his first. There’s a strong case to be made for the sarong and a cummerbund ( these pants are still available and on sale, I’d probably size down).

    

    One of my favorite looks from the Dries show, such an easy look to recreate.

  • Hermès showed a beautiful color palette and introduced a great T-strap sandal to add to your arsenal of toe-baring shoes. Also worth mentioning: Wales Bonner and Kartik Research.

    

    The undeniable shoe of next spring/summer.

    

    Hermes.. also those pants are leather… can you believe it!

    

    Wales Bonner

    

    Kartik Research

• On a different note, I saw

  Neelam Ahooja
  in this accessory from The Row and immediately went hunting for a version at a fraction of the price. (Random side note: I’ve been rewatching Jerseylicious, which feels like a deep cut for reality TV fans, and Olivia, the ingenue, is often wearing a single lacey, crystallized fingerless glove ,very 2000s does the ‘80s. This scarf situation from The Row reminded me of that. Maybe we should be wearing more gloves? ) In the meantime, I found this piece that’s in my cart now. I think it would look great with an oversized tee and cargos. Also sharing a few more options here and here.

  

  Neelam Ahooja’s Substack note.

• Two more things before I go.

  • My home currently smells like a combination of these incenses and this candle. I burn candles and incense all day while I’m working, and if I’ve been out, the first thing I do when I get home is light them up. When it comes to my space, scent is the thing I think about most — it signals so much and can instantly evoke memories and feelings. What I try to create is something warm and comforting, like a hug, but also a bit sensual, like a stolen kiss. I just ordered shelves for my books (they’re nothing fancy, just these from Ikea, though I might paint them), which means the apartment is inching closer to being ready for people other than Nick, the maintenance guy, and me.

  • I bought this book per

    Kaitlin Phillips
    husband’s rec from this letter and have been devouring it! I’ve nearly finished it, which is record time for me lately. I just wrapped up Graydon Carter’s book too. It started off slow but picked up once he got to New York. I enjoyed it, but by the end I was feeling a bit fatigued with all the talk about “glory days” of media. Isn’t anyone else tired of talking about it? Shouldn’t we be focusing on the future instead of endlessly rehashing a glittering past that probably won’t exist again?This other book, which is a unauthorized biography of a gay porn star and the adult industry at large, feels more compelling not just because it’s grittier but because it captures the human condition better than any stack of expense reports ever could. At the end of the day, most people just want to feel important, wanted, like they have a purpose. It’s funny the lengths we’ll go to for that.

Standing still

This summer, for lack of a better word, has been interesting. I remember telling my