Letter of Rec #071: The no frills zone

I’ve had this pair of green satin sling backs for years that I couldn’t wear even though I love them because the back strap would come down after like, two glides. I took them to a cobbler last week to remove the straps and it’s kind of like I got a new pair of shoes.

They’re loud when I walk but still pretty comfortable, so overall, a more satisfying pick-me-up than an actually new thing. I’ve been cutting pant-hems and sleeve-lengths and dresses for weeks, it’s kind of liberating in the way a big, spontaneous haircut is. Like somehow feels like progress. Have anything you’re dying to change in the slightest? Just do it! Worst case scenario, you’re left with two different leg lengths which, honestly, not the worst thing.

Connection

Something that’s been on my mind lately: do you find that you’re less inclined to connect via phone/social media vs. IRL these days?

I’ve been thinking a lot about the time I spent living on the bridge between Man Repeller and the “establishment” of this newsletter. Not even deliberately, it just keeps coming up in this almost nostalgic but familiar, about-to-live-out-a-new-version-of-you-aren’t-I kind of way. Makes sense because the next massive transition does seem to be waiting at the foot of this mountain I’ve been gliding down for the last year and change, but I’m kind of digressing.

One of the most visceral memories I have from life on the bridge is the felt-sense of satisfaction I reaped from connecting with people in real time. It sounds obvious and even platitudinous, but do you ever consider how much you do or don’t rely on your digital footprint to adequately convey you? When you put a lot of effort into creating an image of yourself digitally, it necessarily detracts from the effort you expend elsewhere. Maybe that effort is in real time. Maybe its at home with family. I may not have recognized that in prior life cycles, I relied on the laurels of my avatar to do the work of exposing the parts of myself I most wanted to be seen, but during life on the bridge, I both could not and very much did not want to do that — so I didn’t. And no matter the outcome post-effort expension, I always felt so good.

I realize now that the reason why is because I placed my effort, was working myself into real-life encounters instead of depending on the digital footprint — and the byproduct of that behavior was often newfound, authentic connection. Like the genuine fusing of different perspectives, coming around to each other.

The way it happens online can definitely be satisfying, and is essential in moments of forced isolation, but it’s never the same, like it doesn’t run as deep, as when you lock in with so much focus and presence in-person.

The vulnerability of trying — of putting yourself out there in the name of communion, is, I am starting to think, the point of everything. A different kind of pathway to confidence.

The no frills zone

As far as clothes, it’s been a pretty lazy, hazy no frills zone here. But there’s something satisfying about it.

When you’re in no-frills-mode, your style and taste sensibilities feel more focused because the high intensity energy (usually experienced as excitement) of trying something new isn’t present.

Neutral or boring as it may feel in the moment (so many beige tank tops and white shorts these days), that sense of calm usually makes it easy to see with clear eyes and the result is often the phenomenon of what I call Zero Regrets Dressing. (That thing where you look back at an outfit no matter how much later and still think it looked great.)

For the most emotional dressers among us, when we’re in zero-regrets mode, there’s also more room to play around in other ways:

Like for example, souping up your tote. Took this through a mirrored reflected while walking in Bryant Park last week. This is an Altuzarra tote with a necklace from Pardo (starfish) hooked on one side and two keychains from Songmont with an additional gold floral brooch I added to the leather hang straps. Beads are especially good for this (to wrap around the strap) bc its really adding an element of color that is the low stakes way to have a bit of fun when you’re in the no frills zone. I will not stop you from mixing in some glitz

Back to the no frill clothes — these days, it’s been mostly flowy silk pants (Silk Laundry, Enza Costa, and, more enthusiastically, I just accepted these wild pants from Maccapani as a gift too) with button down shirts (LMND, By Malene Birger, Solid and Striped) or pointelle tank tops (Skall Studios, Leset, CouCou) and French-style sandals (Gabriela Hearst’s ‘Steward’, Soeur’s ‘Florence’, K. Jacques’ Doen flip flop) —

Wore this to a dinner party at Cafe Sabarsky at the Neue Gallery last week. The top is The Row, the pants are Silk Laundry, the shoes are Soeur (so you can walk home). Here are a few wood bags, I think you’ll get good use out of one of them this summer

— or mini dresses (Ciao Lucia for the cotton win of the week, Area and Pucci (like this colorway too) when I’m feeling like a lunatic) styled under very lightweight coats (see: summer coats edit).

Partow trench (borrowed for an event but an absolute wardrobe game-changer for whatever the reason — I think its the side slits and shape of the sleeves — or maybe nylon is just THE THING), styled with an Area denim dress (now on sale) and sandals from The Row (last summer), try the ones Becky M. recommended from Tory Burch a few weeks ago, or these from Toteme

Same coat - some great nylon trench options here, styled with Loulou Studios grey muscle tee, Asos shorts, The Row tennis shoes

Sezane trench (softer than the one above, but also a good shape — a little too warm to wear much longer), Michael Michael Kors (which I shortened to ride up my ass; it’s a size 4), Soeur sandals (I recommend these, these or these), The Row comb (you can find one from Judith Lieber on TRR (or get this jade one!), or try one of these — so good, from the Ukrainian brand Shtor). Wish I could help you find the Puck merch, you’ll have to hit up Line Sheet’s Lauren Sherman about it

Here’s a pregnant robot who looks a lot like me wearing a sheer beaded gown from the Italian brand, Amen

I’m gunning hard for the summer trench coat as staple. It’s not that different from wearing a lightweight button down if you think about it. And is good if you want to both feel naked and covered which is the constant negotiation I’m making these days. It also has a camouflage identity to the extent that you can wear it with a gown (like the rendering above) or like this:

Partow trench, Flore Flore ‘Hillie’ tank, Alo bike shorts, Polo sneakers, The Row satin pouch (you’ll find a good alt in any Prada tessuto pouch)

Which is the best way to leave your home in the morning.

While we’re here, those red sneakers are turning out to be a wardrobe hero of spring. Originally, I got them to wear for the Ralph Lauren Father’s Day campaign I published last week but they’re scratching that Dries/Wales Bonner (not no?) itch and I feel a bit like a jazz dancer in them too.

Another tendency that’s coming for us if The Row’s fall 24 shoe range is to be believed!

Two other tendencies (not quite trends, but not ideas that exist entirely in my head either) I *am* gravitating towards that feel more reflective of the culture and less a function of pregnancy are: the color pool blue —

Prada knit (a Real Real find that feels very Miu Miu), Saks Potts skirt (I think I prefer the blue one), Soeur x Cafe Leandra white pants, Tom Ford sandals (also on sale at MyT now)

Old Celine button down shirt but something like this can work, and you can cut the collar, Pucci leggings, Maryam Nassir Zadeh sandals (here in blue) or maybe these Khaite sandals as an alt

Steven Alan shirt (but its about this one from LMND for maximum pool effect), Gimaguas shorts, Jamie Haller sandals

Caro Editions tank, Ciao Lucia shorts, Doen x K. Jacques sandals

Sorry I just blacked out of the no frill zone for a second.

Re: pool blue, it’s v flex — good on a shoe, pair of pants, on a shirt, you name it. A little tackier than turquoise, like feels more Miami vice, but in such a good way.

The Tom Ford shoe one more time

Then the other one is snakeskin/”python print” — on shoes, belts, bags (here’s a sleeper silhouette from Khaite that can become second skin with a pun intended and everything).

Adina Reyter necklace worn as ankle bracelet

Some other simple expressions that feel good: white pants, white t-shirt, black accent (sunglasses, chord from necklace, could be a belt). That’s it!

Here’s what happens to the mesh Row slippers after 5 seasons of wear (and two rainstorms) — with a Skall tank top (Leset for a shorter version), Soeur x Cafe Leandra pants, Rue de Verneuil tote and The Row’s comb. One of us needs this swan

Had to add pic. It’s too good not to

White and beige, but on more elastic silhouettes:

Polo sleep shirt tied up, Suzie Kondi pants (pregnancy pants hero of the summer, I can already tell), The Row sandals (these are so sim.), Christopher Esber bag (here in blk)

Loulou Studios top, Enza Costa pants (they’re being cropped as we speak), Tod’s loafers, the Esber bag frilled up

The science for wrapping jewelry around your bag straps: one arm should carry the mature stuff (so use your lowstakes leather/gold or silver metal/pearl stuff), and one should be more playful (beads, colored yarn like on these from Aurelie Bidermann). Emma Milne Watson makes proper keychains that are great, timeless pearly too. Then I like the idea of employing shell stuff and contrast colors, like the yellow that can be found here.

Skall Studios tank, Beaufille belt, Jeanerica shorts, Gabriela Hearst boots I found on TRR a few weeks ago for $200 unworn (!). The key is the wood sole

These are better expressions of what I mean about the no frills. Not super exciting to put on, but desirable to return to over and over, which is what zero regrets dressing is all about. One condition, of course, of pregnancy is that you often want to burn all the clothes you wore to get through it, but maybe this’ll challenge that tendency.

Other recommendations

A few second-hand things in my carts, I’d be just as happy to see go to you:

1. This Prada tunic

2. This sheer Prada skirt

3. For whatever the reason, this sleeveless button down

And four new-to-me brands that have caught my attention:

• Unisecon. a new shop that opening on Ludlow street downtown, with the vast majority of the clothes from the brand itself. There is a workshop right under the store (like on the basement level) where most of the clothes are made and the summer silhouette/fabrics are a good representation of what you can wear through the dog days of summer without melting into yourself.

• Rae the Label. not to be confused with “The Label Rae.” Heroes of this collection: the backless vest and t-shirt, these shorts with the matching tie top.

• Lu Flux. think you have to hit them up on social media to get a sense of what the clothes are like. It’s the embroidered smock dresses and tops that got me

• Amir Taghi. Something about the Persian designers will always tug at the most intimate of my heart strings and I suspect the reason why is because of my own heritage and the way I understand, in such an embodied sense, that beauty is sacred and holy and spiritual for the people and especially the women of Iran. It is so baked into our DNA, such an act of resistance and tool of survival that its impossible to miss the gravitas it projects. Looks like Pre-fall isn’t up on the site yet but for now, this top and skirt are most interesting to me.

I think I’m good on sandals for the summer (Jamie Haller walking sandals, double buckle), but if you’re not, these from Soeur are the ones most interesting to me lately. Wide on the sole, so will be flattering on the foot/leg, but still capturing the spirit of dainty/barely there shoe-dressing.

And for whatever the reason, I can’t stop thinking about wearing an apron recreationally — not like a dress or even really a skirt. More like a tool belt, but softer. Or a peplum. A backless mini skirt to layer over whatever else you’re wearing? Feel like this one is well suited to the fall, and would look so fucking cool tied over a, you guessed it, silk suit. The linked leather one has been on my mind a while (although Talea Studio has a few darling embroidered vintage ones too) and last week, I saw Blanca Miro post something similar so I’m gonna call this more of a prediction too.

Aprons for everyone! Do you see the vision?

Last thing is this towel, from a collab between Stamperia Pascucci and Mansur Gavriel. Super lightweight so I think you can swing it as a sarong or wrap it around your head or wear it around your neck a la You Know Who. There are matching ballet flats to go with it too.

Actually, no, last thing is this mic drop — a swim cap from the collab between Soeur and Lido (great bathing suits) that launched last week. Sooooo here for the pistachio green one.

This is from me for the week. Thanks for tuning in…

Leandra