This was such an interesting read - thank you! So much to think about. I loved seeing some of the more practical outfits - felt really grounding and realistic while still being fun and exciting
I'm not sure if you'd be up for this/interested in doing it, but I'd be SO interested to see how you store your clothes and accessories. I'd love to see your wardrobe/dresser/etc and how it's all organised. You have so many beautiful things! So many things that need stored in particular ways! Would love to see how things are stored and how that helps with outfit inspiration
I’m genuinely curious to learn what % of your closet is hand-selected by you vs. random gifts from brands vs. selected by you from a brand that wants to work with you? I’m not sure if you want to give any visibility into how the sausage gets made. Regardless of the % mix, all the pieces are incorporated so creatively. I especially love it so very much when you repeat items over time (today it’s the blue canal shoes for me) - despite your closet being seemingly endless, it’s very relatable to see that you seem to have favorites that resurface here. So much inspiration in this week’s send - thank you!
I have to think about the % break up — I’m inclined to say even split but don’t actually think that’s right. Or what I’m sure about is that the stuff I buy lasts the longest. There is something about spending your own money on something that weighs it more important. there is almost none is that is random gifts. I am not shy about not accepting things (although sometimes they do come and surprise me in a good way)
Love these! Really thinking about buying the Green Rain coat but a little hesitant as there's very little about the company online, their Facebook has only 1 follower etc. Are you familiar with the brand at all/does the coat seem pretty durable? And are you wearing the "sand" color? Thank you!!
Totally get it. You said 1 follower on Facebook and even I was like what? No. What I can tell you: It’s a very new brand from what I know, I’m happy with the product (def durable, the cotton is WAXED, though would not particularly love getting the velvet collars drenched. I’d recommend reaching out on Instagram (here is the account: https://www.instagram.com/greenrainnapoli?igsh=YWd4MGtrcmg4emZr) they are super communicative. and yes it’s the sand color !
First of all, yes, wonderful, to a new creative aliveness and to finding the moving meditation in small things, to making beauty out of mundane choices !
I delight in the way you put words together, as well as clothes. I believe fashion is a wave that emanates from our collective unconscious and have myself delighted in surfing it since I was a teen. It has amazed and delighted me over the course of my life to get incredibly strong feelings that "something is right" clothing-wise, something specific, a type of color, a cut of pants, a mood, something that feels so incredibly personal and specific and then to go out into the world and see other people, also feeling the same vibe. It's cool particularly to feel you're on the tip of something.
Sometimes of course it's slightly annoying because you spend ages looking for something before it becomes popular. I remember suddenly craving skinny jeans in the late 90s before they were available anywhere. Finding Cheap Mondays from Sweden and having them imported because suddenly it just felt right to me to have skinny legs. I was teased it was so ahead of time. And then for the next what decades, there was a stampede. And you can't get what you want next which for me was high rise jeans. You know the story. There was always a stampede coming after but still you felt you were part of something, there was a great reassurance in seeing a similar reflection of what 'one felt like dressing' in simpatico earthlings. It was cool that there really was a zeitgeist.
I love how sensitive fashion is to the zeitgeist. I love how the fact that it is unpretentious (theoretically) not high- art, that it's intuitive and basic and something everybody does, makes it "the first art" to a moment, ahead of visual art, ahead, way ahead for example of television. Fashion is the bellwether , the best weather vane, thanks to it's superficiality. It is in this way so valuable, as a revealer of the zeitgeist and the fact that there is a zeitgeist; a revealer of connectedness. I see this . And I see that you are a fabulous surfer. I love your style and appreciate your position, your effort and your work.
Maybe I speak in the spirit of Miki Dora when i say there is more to the story. Something is striking me here that is not ideal. And it seems worth bringing up if only to potentially represent the unspoken sentiment that so many of us, taught to not say anything if you can't say something nice, might be feeling. With respect and love this feedback is meant to show an honest reflection.
There is a depressing element in seeing these outfits as well. Maybe at a base level it is the sensation of looking at outfit after outfit of things that I want and cannot have. There was often a girl like this growing up, who got everything. At school or at camp or roommate. As a sensitive fashion lover, you might want something way first. You might feel the need for knee high boots or leather pants. But she would get the thing first because she had money. And sometimes she'd get everything. And looking at it, well, there are limits to the pleasure.
I recognize that you do a great service to the great unable-to-dress-themselves out there, girls I knew throughout the decades also who were beautiful and brilliant potentially but just didn't have the knack for getting dressed. I know them, have known them, and although there's a loss in that you can no longer tell if a stylish girl is actually stylish or just a good copier, overall as someone who suffers when things are unaesthetic I am grateful that the general populace can be made to look better. I do enjoy looking at nice shoes even if they aren't mine. I like when things look good.
But for someone who doesn't need help, the get is more subtle. I love your emails because I like to see the work of someone who is inspired. But for someone who whole up a year and a half ago, like oh my god, I need to wear docksiders like I did when I was a kid. I need Bluchers like the old days. Holy moly, that's what I want on my feet. It is then sort of a bummer when all the fashionista copycats come chasing after the same thing. Not only can you not tell who was actually on your wavelength - unable to differentiate the trend followers from the zeitgeist sensitive ones - but basic prices have become exorbitant now that there is a huge new market for cool clothing. I'm delighted that Bally made the most beautiful boat shoe (actually all Bally shoes are so divine no? I love what he's doing!! ) but bummed because it costs more than feels right to pay. I have bought $1,000 shoes. But not many of them.
So that's what confuses me and leads me to speak up. I'm so right with you in so many ways. In this one I was like, dang linens , yes. With black tights. One hundred percent. I was feeling this this week and have in my cart at Vermont Country Store the most gorgeous looking culottes (!!) from the lingerie slip section. I love this with black tights and black shoes. With low heels. There are so many tips that you are on that I feel too. And that's cool. That's a large part of what's cool.
I could and would write comments just about the feelings of fashion... but because the newsletter is so powerful both this one in particular and the form in general, because we are at some shift towards this form of mediascape, I want to get in there early and say,
And also yes, somehow there is a bummer eleent when you see everything you want owned by one person. My financial situation will change radically soon but for now the contrast between what I can afford and what you can afford is so out of wack as to make your offerings less relevant. OF the shoes I dream of, most I can't find anywhere. But the ones I do find, that I do love ,that I do want yes cost more than a thousand dollars. And you have them all. And are getting all the things I want next.
I bring this up just to say, yes, when there is a call to see your closet in part it's because it must not be a regular person closet. As influencers take over the role of a magazine and play all the models in all the fashion spreads, articulate all the ways fashion is blowing, you're surely living a life bigger than real. We can't possibly all hope to have tens of thousands of dollars worth of shoes every year , etc. Right? Isn't there therefore something off about the intimate girlfriend voice as if we are all in the same boat. Is that where there is a sense of disconnect?
Many people are more savvy than me with regard to the ethics of taking free clothes. And making commission from links , working as a salesperson for clothing in addition to providing the editorial content. The role of an influencer no doubt seems more nefarious to me than it is. But there is something that concerns me which is the way this double self consciousness, this double agenda, might influence how you are able to perceive what feels real and right.
Of course there is the mega monied set of NYC/LA among whom I have many friends. And for them, for you I guess , it doesn't seem weird to spend this much money or advocate spending this much money on clothing. But I do think for 'the rest of us' it feels jarring in a way that threatens to lead to disconnection. Because anyone who spends that much money on clothing for themselves is not giving it to those in need. And right now those in need need so much. I don't mean me although if I was your shoe size I might be singing a different tune;) and I don't mean from you only , I just mean that maybe it shouldn't be normal for a woman to spend this amount of money on clothes. Either the clothes should be better priced . Or people should buy less. And cheap can't be unethical. Not fast fashion. Slow fashion I guess.
I imagine this is a predicament for most fashion influencers and I don't mean to jab where it's raw. I know you do your man on the street commentary and intros to cool moms and other people, I really am a fan, a paid subscriber. But I do find myself unsubscribing to the more link oriented shopping substacks because something is starting to irk me about it.
I don't want to feel jealous I guess.
Also, by the way, do you feel that mega trend in the zeitgeists where it feels right to buy shoes super loose, like a size ten, 40.5? And then later, when you get blisters to send them in a care package to California? When you do, lemme know.
with all best wishes and a grain of salt for sure, X
Maybe not low heels with the black tights under cotten pettipants or culottes. Maybe in fact more of a high heel. You definitely need enough space in the arch under the foot (no wedge!) to not get any feeling that you are a cloven hooved animal, like a sheep or a goat, with those frilly haunches. You need the space under the heels to give a sense of elegance too, the I mean to be wearing old days underwear on the outside of my tights. A chic black shoe and a black top. Do you know who makes the most lovely silk shirts.... do you know Une Heures? https://uneheures.com
This was such an interesting read - thank you! So much to think about. I loved seeing some of the more practical outfits - felt really grounding and realistic while still being fun and exciting
I'm not sure if you'd be up for this/interested in doing it, but I'd be SO interested to see how you store your clothes and accessories. I'd love to see your wardrobe/dresser/etc and how it's all organised. You have so many beautiful things! So many things that need stored in particular ways! Would love to see how things are stored and how that helps with outfit inspiration
i love this glimpse into your process of dressing and writing about it.
I’m genuinely curious to learn what % of your closet is hand-selected by you vs. random gifts from brands vs. selected by you from a brand that wants to work with you? I’m not sure if you want to give any visibility into how the sausage gets made. Regardless of the % mix, all the pieces are incorporated so creatively. I especially love it so very much when you repeat items over time (today it’s the blue canal shoes for me) - despite your closet being seemingly endless, it’s very relatable to see that you seem to have favorites that resurface here. So much inspiration in this week’s send - thank you!
I have to think about the % break up — I’m inclined to say even split but don’t actually think that’s right. Or what I’m sure about is that the stuff I buy lasts the longest. There is something about spending your own money on something that weighs it more important. there is almost none is that is random gifts. I am not shy about not accepting things (although sometimes they do come and surprise me in a good way)
Such a great read! I love the men's Jeanerica jeans. So you advise sizing way up and securing them with a belt?
That is what I do!
The Laura pants!!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩
I want her to make them in camel stretch wool
Love these! Really thinking about buying the Green Rain coat but a little hesitant as there's very little about the company online, their Facebook has only 1 follower etc. Are you familiar with the brand at all/does the coat seem pretty durable? And are you wearing the "sand" color? Thank you!!
Totally get it. You said 1 follower on Facebook and even I was like what? No. What I can tell you: It’s a very new brand from what I know, I’m happy with the product (def durable, the cotton is WAXED, though would not particularly love getting the velvet collars drenched. I’d recommend reaching out on Instagram (here is the account: https://www.instagram.com/greenrainnapoli?igsh=YWd4MGtrcmg4emZr) they are super communicative. and yes it’s the sand color !
Will do thanks!
First of all, yes, wonderful, to a new creative aliveness and to finding the moving meditation in small things, to making beauty out of mundane choices !
I delight in the way you put words together, as well as clothes. I believe fashion is a wave that emanates from our collective unconscious and have myself delighted in surfing it since I was a teen. It has amazed and delighted me over the course of my life to get incredibly strong feelings that "something is right" clothing-wise, something specific, a type of color, a cut of pants, a mood, something that feels so incredibly personal and specific and then to go out into the world and see other people, also feeling the same vibe. It's cool particularly to feel you're on the tip of something.
Sometimes of course it's slightly annoying because you spend ages looking for something before it becomes popular. I remember suddenly craving skinny jeans in the late 90s before they were available anywhere. Finding Cheap Mondays from Sweden and having them imported because suddenly it just felt right to me to have skinny legs. I was teased it was so ahead of time. And then for the next what decades, there was a stampede. And you can't get what you want next which for me was high rise jeans. You know the story. There was always a stampede coming after but still you felt you were part of something, there was a great reassurance in seeing a similar reflection of what 'one felt like dressing' in simpatico earthlings. It was cool that there really was a zeitgeist.
I love how sensitive fashion is to the zeitgeist. I love how the fact that it is unpretentious (theoretically) not high- art, that it's intuitive and basic and something everybody does, makes it "the first art" to a moment, ahead of visual art, ahead, way ahead for example of television. Fashion is the bellwether , the best weather vane, thanks to it's superficiality. It is in this way so valuable, as a revealer of the zeitgeist and the fact that there is a zeitgeist; a revealer of connectedness. I see this . And I see that you are a fabulous surfer. I love your style and appreciate your position, your effort and your work.
Maybe I speak in the spirit of Miki Dora when i say there is more to the story. Something is striking me here that is not ideal. And it seems worth bringing up if only to potentially represent the unspoken sentiment that so many of us, taught to not say anything if you can't say something nice, might be feeling. With respect and love this feedback is meant to show an honest reflection.
There is a depressing element in seeing these outfits as well. Maybe at a base level it is the sensation of looking at outfit after outfit of things that I want and cannot have. There was often a girl like this growing up, who got everything. At school or at camp or roommate. As a sensitive fashion lover, you might want something way first. You might feel the need for knee high boots or leather pants. But she would get the thing first because she had money. And sometimes she'd get everything. And looking at it, well, there are limits to the pleasure.
I recognize that you do a great service to the great unable-to-dress-themselves out there, girls I knew throughout the decades also who were beautiful and brilliant potentially but just didn't have the knack for getting dressed. I know them, have known them, and although there's a loss in that you can no longer tell if a stylish girl is actually stylish or just a good copier, overall as someone who suffers when things are unaesthetic I am grateful that the general populace can be made to look better. I do enjoy looking at nice shoes even if they aren't mine. I like when things look good.
But for someone who doesn't need help, the get is more subtle. I love your emails because I like to see the work of someone who is inspired. But for someone who whole up a year and a half ago, like oh my god, I need to wear docksiders like I did when I was a kid. I need Bluchers like the old days. Holy moly, that's what I want on my feet. It is then sort of a bummer when all the fashionista copycats come chasing after the same thing. Not only can you not tell who was actually on your wavelength - unable to differentiate the trend followers from the zeitgeist sensitive ones - but basic prices have become exorbitant now that there is a huge new market for cool clothing. I'm delighted that Bally made the most beautiful boat shoe (actually all Bally shoes are so divine no? I love what he's doing!! ) but bummed because it costs more than feels right to pay. I have bought $1,000 shoes. But not many of them.
So that's what confuses me and leads me to speak up. I'm so right with you in so many ways. In this one I was like, dang linens , yes. With black tights. One hundred percent. I was feeling this this week and have in my cart at Vermont Country Store the most gorgeous looking culottes (!!) from the lingerie slip section. I love this with black tights and black shoes. With low heels. There are so many tips that you are on that I feel too. And that's cool. That's a large part of what's cool.
I could and would write comments just about the feelings of fashion... but because the newsletter is so powerful both this one in particular and the form in general, because we are at some shift towards this form of mediascape, I want to get in there early and say,
And also yes, somehow there is a bummer eleent when you see everything you want owned by one person. My financial situation will change radically soon but for now the contrast between what I can afford and what you can afford is so out of wack as to make your offerings less relevant. OF the shoes I dream of, most I can't find anywhere. But the ones I do find, that I do love ,that I do want yes cost more than a thousand dollars. And you have them all. And are getting all the things I want next.
I bring this up just to say, yes, when there is a call to see your closet in part it's because it must not be a regular person closet. As influencers take over the role of a magazine and play all the models in all the fashion spreads, articulate all the ways fashion is blowing, you're surely living a life bigger than real. We can't possibly all hope to have tens of thousands of dollars worth of shoes every year , etc. Right? Isn't there therefore something off about the intimate girlfriend voice as if we are all in the same boat. Is that where there is a sense of disconnect?
Many people are more savvy than me with regard to the ethics of taking free clothes. And making commission from links , working as a salesperson for clothing in addition to providing the editorial content. The role of an influencer no doubt seems more nefarious to me than it is. But there is something that concerns me which is the way this double self consciousness, this double agenda, might influence how you are able to perceive what feels real and right.
Of course there is the mega monied set of NYC/LA among whom I have many friends. And for them, for you I guess , it doesn't seem weird to spend this much money or advocate spending this much money on clothing. But I do think for 'the rest of us' it feels jarring in a way that threatens to lead to disconnection. Because anyone who spends that much money on clothing for themselves is not giving it to those in need. And right now those in need need so much. I don't mean me although if I was your shoe size I might be singing a different tune;) and I don't mean from you only , I just mean that maybe it shouldn't be normal for a woman to spend this amount of money on clothes. Either the clothes should be better priced . Or people should buy less. And cheap can't be unethical. Not fast fashion. Slow fashion I guess.
I imagine this is a predicament for most fashion influencers and I don't mean to jab where it's raw. I know you do your man on the street commentary and intros to cool moms and other people, I really am a fan, a paid subscriber. But I do find myself unsubscribing to the more link oriented shopping substacks because something is starting to irk me about it.
I don't want to feel jealous I guess.
Also, by the way, do you feel that mega trend in the zeitgeists where it feels right to buy shoes super loose, like a size ten, 40.5? And then later, when you get blisters to send them in a care package to California? When you do, lemme know.
with all best wishes and a grain of salt for sure, X
Maybe not low heels with the black tights under cotten pettipants or culottes. Maybe in fact more of a high heel. You definitely need enough space in the arch under the foot (no wedge!) to not get any feeling that you are a cloven hooved animal, like a sheep or a goat, with those frilly haunches. You need the space under the heels to give a sense of elegance too, the I mean to be wearing old days underwear on the outside of my tights. A chic black shoe and a black top. Do you know who makes the most lovely silk shirts.... do you know Une Heures? https://uneheures.com
What size Green Rain jacket please ? Thanks
Small !
Thank you
So into leather gloves lately🤩 are those Handsome Stockholm ?
Nope these ones are Soeur
What size Alex Mills jacket are you wearing? Seems like sizing up is the ticket.
What a packed post; lots to ponder; thank you!
Yes good question should have included. Medium! Men’s
That’w why it looks so good/different; thank you👏
Great outfits!! Which Eldon scarf are you wearing with the Alex Mill jacket? There are so many great color combos it’s hard to choose! Thx
I think it may have sold out after last letter. It’s the burnt orange and camel. My second fav was the red and navy
Thanks!