It’s been a quiet summer but more intense than I could have ever expected. I’ve been taking it slow — reading, sunbathing, doom-scrolling, sleeping. Trying to be more present. Opening myself up to new possibilities. I haven’t shopped much this summer, my life’s been so in flux. I’m always thinking ahead, and even in the midst of LA’s Indian summer heatwave, I’m organizing my knitwear and getting excited for autumn and the winter. I picked up some beautiful Jil Sander blouses this summer and have been extremely intentional about what I buy, what I source. The best thing I’ve bought this summer by far have been my black Margaux Deia sandals, I wear them maybe six days a week and they go with everything. The cost per wear has got to be in the negatives by now.

I’ll keep this short and sweet, but here’s some of what I’ve been wearing in recent days. I promise to come back soon with much more.

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Three days after I got home to Los Angeles, I lost my job, again. I was working at one of the most dystopian, evil corporations likely in this world’s history, so I don’t really care. I felt an immediate sense of relief to no longer be attached to any of that. It did not feel great to be a part of launching a new line of (rightfully so) very poorly-received AI glasses or to work somewhere that lays off 8,000 people on any random day and then having to watch people continue on business as usual, like soulless robots. Or to work somewhere that openly lets employees know they’re being tracked to train AI models that will eventually take their jobs. My contract was cut short with just three minutes of notice at the very end of the day, with zero explanation. And I don’t care.

What I do care about is the peace that followed. I knew, immediately, that I would not be returning to corporate for the foreseeable future. I simply do not want a life with an uneasy nervous system, one in which you must wake up five days a week to endless “urgent” notifications and inflexibility while also in the throes of very unsupported parenting. One where you’re expected to begin working as soon as you open your eyes from your bed — part of a corporate structure that has notably shut out black women and mothers by the hundreds of thousands over the last few years. I do not want to do seven or eight rounds of interviews for jobs that may not even be real anymore. I do not want to pretend to be excited about artificial intelligence while I ruin the world for my children. I do not want to do any of it.

I am thrilled to discover life beyond this and will have more clarity on what exactly that looks like in the coming months. Needless to say, I can’t wait to explore self-employment — a mix of styling and consulting.

The morning after losing my job, a woman slammed right into the passenger side of my car at fifty miles an hour while we were taking our daughter to camp, and I simply laughed. Life feels genuinely funny at the moment. Once we settled everything and I realized my car still worked, I drove immediately to Canyon Coffee, then spent the entire week at home watching the World Cup.

Life is still so sweet. Here’s some snippets below from in between all the chaos.

Here’s some of what I wore the last few weeks — to the surprise of probably no one, it’s a whole lot of nothing with very minimal effort.

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My favorite thing to do is watch the big ones at my favorite places when I can. I love the energy, the camaraderie and the unity — I love having a cold beer or cider in hand and getting super into the match while I make friends. Each match, I regretted not going to any in real life in either LA or Houston, and I also regretted not buying either the Home or Away US kits (I truly struggle with buying clothing just to wear for a singular occasion or for a few weeks and then it taking up space in my closet, so I passed on that and went with all the clothing I already had in my closet).

Here’s some of what I’d wear to a match, including what I actually wore to watch the games — and some of what I wore for the Fourth of July as well. What a fun time of year.

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The way I see it, if it ain’t broke I don’t fix it, and it’s always just been better for me to do things that way. At the same time, when I do try something new and it doesn’t really seem to do much for me, I make a note to just continue to stick to what’s always been best for me. I’m pretty open to trying new things, but I’m also open to admitting when something is one time thing, and not worth going back to.

I fortunately never have extremely sensitive skin, and haven’t ever used anything that causes any crazy reaction, so that’s never been an issue.

AM

I start every morning the same way. Isla’s Tone Balance Elixer to wake my skin up. It smells so luxurious and gives my face the perfect amount of dew. I love this product, I was originally gifted it years ago and keep going back.

Next, I use Rhode’s Glazing Milk — a huge staple for me. I might be addicted to this stuff, and if I only had one product I could use, this would be it. It gives my skin the perfect amount of dewiness in the morning and layers so nicely with any makeup.

Next, I use Dieux Skin’s Auracle Eye Serum on extra puffy days — often with their reusable eye masks. I do love it.

I really need to figure out SPF. I generally use whatever I have, because I apply it after the glazing milk but again in the middle of the day. I’m religious about it, but admittedly I find SPF is super hard to “crack.” I’ve used Paula’s Choice religiously, but have experimented with Eadem’s Sunsuede and Good Weather Skin as well in recent months.

Then, I use Merit’s Great Skin — I really can’t decide whether or not I’m into this product or not. It adds such a nice glow, but I also don’t think it makes or breaks my routine. But it’s nice to have, outside of the one time it squirted onto my Issey Miyake light grey Pleats Please dress and stained it with its oil while on a trip.

PM

After I get out of the shower, my first go-to is Topicals’ Brightening and Clearing Serum. This stuff has singlehandedly transformed my skin, and I’m so grateful for it. I ordered it for the first time weeks after moving back to the US in 2022 — the brand had launched while I lived overseas and I’d begun seeing it everywhere and was so eager to try it. The brand caters to deep skin issues, which I don’t have, so I didn’t really know if this would be for me at all. The way it brightens my skin and has kept it super radiant can’t be understated. I am obsessed with this and will buy a tube every 6 weeks as long as it’s available.

Next, I use Lazy Skinscience’s Double Duty — a new staple for me as of maybe two months ago. I love it so far. The packaging is so clever and convenient — both a jelly-like serum and a moisturizer in one jar. I lather both all over my face before bed and don’t see that changing any time soon. I can admit, I fell for the branding at first but the product itself is convenient and great.

I usually do a mist before sleeping and can’t go without Chanel’s Hydra Beauty Essence Mist.

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AN

Here’s some snippets of my week.

Here’s what I wore this week.

I try to not buy too much makeup, because truth be told, I don’t wear much of it. I don’t really experiment with it at all, and I’ve had the same look makeup-wise for the past ten or so years. When I begin to like a product a bit less than another, it gets sent to purgatory — my car’s glove compartment. In my car you’ll find a graveyard of products that have been demoted and now just serve the purpose of being reached for when I’m out all day and need a touch up on the go.

What started off with exclusively Glossier maybe ten or eleven years ago — Cloudpaint blush, Haloscope Highlighter, Boy Brow brow gel and Generation G lip stain consistently, has relatively stayed the same — although I’ve matured and expanded my tastes far beyond Glossier as the years have passed, like most.

Like I said in my recent piece on what I don’t spend money on, I have been blessed with good skin. I don’t have to really spend any money on trying to make it look any better, thankfully. At least not yet? It’s one thing I routinely get complimented for by strangers — by men who attempt to hit on me, by other women in bathroom lines during nights out. My parents just have always had clear and radiant skin, so I guess it’s just my genes. Often times, I get asked which foundation I use — and the truth is, I haven’t worn foundation since maybe 7th or 8th grade, when I’d buy Maybelline’s from my local Walgreens. I’ve just never needed it, and don’t like having a layer of product over my face that can leech onto my clothes and hands, and I just don’t like feeling too done up. I think less is more, and I apply that to every part of my life where I can.

Currently, on a daily basis, I just use: sheer lipstick or a lip stain, blush and brow gel — sometimes a highlighter and very rarely a mascara. I try not to have multiples of each sort of product to avoid excess and just stick to what works best.

I tend to lean towards Chanel Beauty, Westman Atelier, Saie (probably the most), Farah Homidi, Eadem, Rhode and Merit in terms of brands.

Here’s what I currently have in my rotation.

Lips

Merit’s Signature Lipstick, Brick Brown, $

Fara Homidi Soft Glass Lip Plumping Oil, $46

Chanel Lip and Cheek Balm, $50

Chanel Hydra Beauty Nutrition Lip Balm, $52

Eadem Le Chouchou Lip Softening Balm (I use Bissap Glaze and Fig Sauce), $24

Face

Saie Glowy Super Gel, $29 (I use ‘Starglow,’ but it leaves a slight white cast. I think In need to try this in Sunglow, a more bronze color to match my skintone)

Chanel Lip and Cheek Balm, $50. This is the one product that if I lost my makeup bag but still had this, I’d be able to truly make do. It does enough and can get me through most days on its own.

Saie Dew Blush, $26 (I have it in ‘Spicy’ and ‘Bright Berry’)

Saie Slip Tint Radiant All Over Concealer, $28 (I use shade 16, and really only use this once or twice a month if I have a spot, so it lasts forever)

Chanel Baume Essential Glow Stick, $46. I love this so much, it gives my skin a glassy look and is basically just highlighter without the glittery or sticky look.

Saie SuperSuede Baked Powder Blush, $28. I use this maybe a few days a week when I’m in the mood for a powder blush.

Rhode Pocket Blush, $25. I stopped using this, but it still comes in handy and floats between my bags and is great for trips and to keep in my car’s glove compartment. I use ‘Date Cake.’ I don’t love the cheap flimsy plastic packaging and the fact that the brand has horrible inventory issues. That matters!

Chanel Hydra Beauty Essence Mist, $92. I use it as a setting spray and it genuinely smells so luxurious it’s worth it.

Brows

HEMA Eyebrow Fibre Gel, €6. I use one product and it’s been a staple for the past 4 years. It’s from HEMA, a sort of Dutch equivalent to Muji (some say it’s an equivalent of Target, but it’s mainly private label like Muji and the stores are much smaller than Target in terms of size).

It works so well. I purchase them in bulk each summer when I visit Amsterdam, usually bringing home 5 or 6 with me to last the year. I’m sure I can just go back to using Glossier’s Boy Brow or do some digging and market research here in the US to find an equivalent, but this just works and I don’t really care to change it up!

Tools

I only use Saie’s brushes, but admittedly I find using tools to be inconvenient. If I could just use my fingers everyday, I would.

Saie Powder Blush Brush, $30

Saie The Double Brush, $32

Eyes

Westman Atelier Eye Want You Mascara, $45. I have the petit travel sized one because I wanted to try it out. I wear mascara maybe 5 times a month and can never really fully lean into it for the daily — I generally just don’t love how they make my eyes feel heavier. But I love having a bit of length on my otherwise short lashes for special occasions.

Saie Mascara 101, $26. This is the clear favorite for me for when I do wear mascara. It’s so clean looking and natural, and has a great price.

YSL Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara, 34

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Alyssa

I’m in the peak of a big project at work, I pulled multiple 12+ hour days “in the office” (at home) this week, so I really needed to unwind over the weekend.

On Friday I was so relieved to have the day off. I sort of centered my entire day around the USMNT’s match against Australia and ended up drinking in Echo Park at The Douglas for it. I love being reminded every four years of the magic of the World Cup. Every time it rolls around I’m in a new place and just a new phase of life which I find so beautiful and fun.

Saturday I drove west to head to Paloma Wool’s long overdue new LA flagship store and had such a fun day in West Hollywood with my daughter. Needless to say, I went a little overboard at Paloma Wool but also just in general this week, so I’ve put myself in a time out until I’m back from Texas. I can’t wait to style all the new additions to my wardrobe though.

Here’s what I wore this week.

Truth be told, I just don’t pay for convenience very often — I generally try to avoid it. I do, however, indulge in many daily luxuries. My daily walks to pick up a coffee from Maru that help me get my steps in probably being the most consistent.

Here’s a list I’ve assembled of things I don’t normally (or haven’t ever) spent money on.

Beauty treatments

It’s shocking to me also, but I’ve never so much as had a facial or my eyebrows done by a professional. I’m really behind on that as I near 34 years old, and would love if someone would gift a facial to me (I’m not against it) but I’ve never regularly paid for any treatments and I don’t have an esthetician. Which is insane considering I live in LA, the global epicenter of them. Microneedling, dermaplaning, face gym, chemical peels, PFP facials — I’ve never done any of it. I’m not totally against Botox and wouldn’t fully rule it out for 10 or 20 years in the future, but I truly have no real desire for that at the moment and considering my mom has few wrinkles in her very late 60s, I think I’ll be relatively fine without it. Instead, I stick to SPF 50 applications twice a day on my face and neck, a collagen-rich diet and low-tox products. I recognize the privileges here — I’ve never had acne, scarring, an uneven skin tone or any other real skin issues, so I know it’s a privilege to keep my routine very minimal and inexpensive. I do cup my back from time to time for relief after heavy workouts, and I love a massage. I wish I could go more often. When I was unemployed last year I made a habit out of going to Wi Spa several times a month for cold plunging and the saunas, too.

Vitamins and Supplements

I used to love all the well art-directed brands and subscriptions and was a Ritual subscriber for close to 10 years, but in 2024 I gave my diet a major overhaul — no ultraprocessed foods, 35g of fiber and 130g of protein a day and half of what I eat coming straight from my farmer’s market every week. I truly believe you get all the vitamins your body needs if you have a clean, whole foods diet and spending $75 or so a month on vitamins is a sneaky expense that really adds up. I reserve subscribing to vitamin companies for my daughter, who definitely doesn’t eat all the foods she’s given everyday. You simply don’t need fish oil or omega-3 tablets if you’re eating salmon or cod several times a week. You don’t need vitamin D tablets if you live in Los Angeles and spend several hours outside everyday. You won’t need iron, vitamins B12 or B9 tablets if you’re eating steak and leafy greens several times a week, either. You won’t need vitamin C tablets if you’re eating a serving or fruit multiple times a day. You won’t need extra support to produce collagen if you drink bone broth or eat eggs! You won’t need melatonin if you set your circadian rhythm with sunlight. Your body knows what to do with the foods you’re eating and with how you’re living. You also do NOT need electrolytes unless you’re an olympian, actively vomiting or ultra marathon training, I swear! and if you do... there is always coconut water for that.

Nails

Simply not for me, I prefer a bare nail. When I lived in Amsterdam in 2021 I had this phase where I got manicures every few weeks around the corner from my house in De Pijp — I think mainly to have some act of self-care in a really lonely and tender time of my postpartum journey and time there. This ended promptly when we moved to LA. In the early weeks of being here I did go once to a place locally in Silverlake, but I noticed it was 1) double the price — I think in Amsterdam my manicures were around 20 euros and didn’t require big tipping obviously, and in LA it was nearly 60 dollars, and the quality was MUCH worse. Chipping and peeling just 2 days later, whereas in Amsterdam my manicures would last around 3 weeks before beginning to unravel. Unbeknownst to me then, this was one of many initial epitome’s of life in Europe versus life in LA. I do use Celisse’s nail kit now at home every so often and I recommend.

Fast fashion

This is a tough one. I try my hardest to stay away from fast fashion — but I guess the definition of that is subjective in itself. I’ve never purchased anything from the Sheins of the world, but no shame if you do or if you need to. Being pregnant while in covid lockdown was the worst possible combination for lots of weight gain, so I know what it’s like to not fit anything luxury and anything in “slow” fashion despite how badly you want to. But now that that’s behind me, most of my closet is fast fashion free. I loved Mango and Arket in those early years of parenthood in Amsterdam and was very into Uniqlo in my early 20s, but unsure if most would consider those “fast.” I fall victim at times like anybody else, but I find that when I shop fast fashion it’s usually because I’ve succumbed to a trend that was marketed to me and it ends up in the back of my closet within a few months. It’s too easy to buy on the whim, so I avoid it at all costs.

Workouts and workout classes

I took so many classes when I lived in New York and did lots of brand activations at workout studios (if you lived in NYC in 2016 you remember the hold Outdoor Voices’ yoga class on Saturday mornings had on Centre Street!) There’s definitely a time and place — in Amsterdam I did Ro Cycle for 2.5 years straight, maybe 3x per week. Ro Cycle is basically the Dutch/German SoulCycle. In my defense, the classes are 12 euros a piece (and they’re 50 minutes), whereas in NYC my SoulCycle classes were $40. Another juxtaposition that I found just too costly to continue when we relocated back to the States. Not going to workout classes when you live in LA feels odd. You feel a bit like you’re not unlocking this major facet of society here. There are pilates gyms in every corner of this city, everyone is always in athleisure, and many women flock to these studios for community and to bond. I get that. Fortunately for me, I live right at the base of Griffith Park and took to hiking as my primary workout immediately. I hike 4 times a week, and have been steadily doing it for nearly four straight years now. It is the best full-body conditioning workout I think I can do at a steady pace, outside of maybe swimming. Your entire body is climbing the entire time, you’re engaging each of its muscles. I like to say the hike trails are nature’s treadmill. I did lease a peloton for $80 a month in 2024 but have since bought it outright, and still do that two times per week. I wish Peloton existed in the Netherlands otherwise I’d have done it there instead of classes! I also lift weights in my bedroom 3x a week, as unsexy as that is. Outside of Griffith Park and the Silverlake Reservoir, I’ve built my dream body in my bedroom right beside my bed. Simply put, I am just not going to spend hundreds of dollars a month on working out when there are hike trails literally in my backyard and the weather is more than pleasant year round.

Restaurants

Recently I did a podcast during which the host asked me which restaurants I frequent in the corner of LA I live in, since he’d known all the big names. Wilde’s, Etra, Bar Etoile, Stir Crazy, Little Fish, Barra Santos, Hermon’s, Donna, Cafe Triste to name a few. He meant well, but I don’t think people without kids really understand how unfriendly these settings are when you do have them. I call New York and LA “adult playgrounds,” New York more so than LA. As someone that spent nearly ten years in New York, I know firsthand how little fun you can have in either city with children, because a majority of the happenings and amenities shun children nearly entirely. I don’t think people realize this, wholeheartedly, even as someone who is actively resisting American suburbia to remain in an urban core. You either pay $100+ to have someone watch your kid so you can spend another $150+ on dinner child-free, or you somehow have an extremely sociable child that likes eating crudo and dining without crayons, a kid’s menu or an iPad. Rare!

Delivery services

One of the most common themes here is there’s a lot I used to do everyday in my twenties that I don’t do anymore at all. This is a major one for me. Grubhub was a part of my everyday in New York. I’ve never gone as low as to order beverages or coffee from bed (getting coffee IRL or making it at home slowly is a ritual for me that I’m not at all willing to disrupt), but I used to order every dinner. It’s a uniquely NY experience when you’re single — groceries are astronomically expensive and lack quality compared to most other places, walking them home is a pain, your kitchen is a built-in afterthought usually in a random small corner of your space, and it can be much cheaper to just pop somewhere for takeout or order food. My last memory of ordering all my meals was in the 2020 quarantine era — everyone was dousing their food order’s packaging in Lysol and deliveries were left on the sidewalk to minimize any contact. But I was in my third trimester of pregnancy, so waiting in social distancing lines to enter the grocery store wasn’t an option for me.

Last year I was in London, and I’d arrived to my cozy Hackney Airbnb late at night from a late budget flight from Barcelona. It was maybe 1am, and my host, living in the home and making it known to me that she’d be my roommate for the coming days, was shocked to see I’d ordered some random beef noodles from a Chinese restaurant nearby on Uber Eats. It was the first time I felt shame for using an app in a city where things were very much still open and buzzing at that hour, but I’d swore to her I never use them when I’m at home in Los Angeles. I love walking to my local grocery store in my neighborhood everyday here, it’s oddly something I do here but didn’t do in Brooklyn, due to the quality and proximity of the respective neighborhoods. DoorDash, which seemed to peak while I lived overseas, is an app I don’t even have an account on. I also just don’t love the idea of living as much in isolation as possible — something that I fear has become so normal in our world. I have neighbors that don’t even go outside for days on end while working class men scooter to our building and deliver coffee, lunch and dinner to them. I truly believe in engaging with my neighborhood, the streets and the world on a daily basis unless absolutely necessary. I’d probably only order food at home if I was sick or in the middle of something extremely life-altering.

I will say that I do love New York of course, and I’ve always been a Yankees fan, and man, a city so massive not having a championship parade since 2009 (sigh) is very sad.

I love sports — they’ve always informed how I dress so much. Probably more than anything else. That said, whatever the outcome may be with the NBA today I’m excited to shift into full gear for the World Cup over the next 5 weeks. The USA v. Paraguay match yesterday night was so exciting! It’s overall been such an exciting week and the heat is back in LA. So I said goodbye layers (for now) all week. I’ve kept it simple and light.

(I think writing during this game is definitely helping with my nerves)

Here’s what I wore this week.

LA public schools start summer this Wednesday which is basically the “pay for childcare so you can afford to have a job” olympic games — 9 straight weeks of figuring this out annually because this country sucks and hates working moms.

It really finally feels like summer. I know, LA doesn’t have “seasons” but it definitely does if you pay close enough attention. The dried brush and even dryer air in my hikes with UV11 reminds me it’s the summer months, as does my kid’s end of the school year.

Because of this, and because I’m going to Texas soon where one doesn’t have the luxury of not knowing whether it’s summer or not, I’ve been trying to perfect my summer wardrobe without buying into trends. Easy and light fabrics, a lot of easy dresses and getting reacquainted with not having more than one layer on at a time. That being said, I’m focussing on button downs, lace skirts, good tees and basics and statement tops.

Here’s what I wore this week. A highlight was finding a vintage Gap miniskirt to style, inspired by the below image in a Japanese photo book I own about Sofia Coppola’s style.

Excited to wear mine all summer!

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AN

She woke up Friday morning on her birthday to a full installation in our dining room with cupcakes, presents and requested KitKat bars, and her party was Saturday in the late afternoon. Kids are genuinely so excited about their birthdays and Christmas and one day she won’t care nearly as much about these moments, so I want to savor this as long as I can.

The party was Saturday afternoon — hot and sunny after an entire week of dark May Grey skies and low temperatures. This made Griffith Park especially and surprisingly crowded and competitive on Saturday, and the set up for the party ended up being total madness. Needless to say, it ended up fine, but it definitely wrecked my cortisol all weekend.

We rushed home at 5:30 after cleaning up in the park to watch the Spurs game. What an amazing game 7. When they won I was screaming. I can’t wait for the NBA Finals. Sports has been so good to me this year — a year in which so many other parts of my life crumbled. What a gift.

Here’s what I wore this week.

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I really needed this long weekend and have been resting as much as I can during it, but I’m proud of myself for venturing out of my Los Feliz bubble last night to go to Leimert Park for an event at Lore, a bookstore on Degnan Boulevard that’s cultivating community through critical design philosophy in a gorgeous space. I’m also going into the Arts District tomorrow for the Charlie Beads x DLR popup, which might be very dangerous for me and my wallet.

I think I’m also going to start posting edits of my wishlists moving forward as well and can’t wait to share what all I’ve had my eyes on. This week, for starters, I spent days looking at an album I made in my camera roll of Alex Mill tote bag screenshots to help me decide on which color combo I truly loved the best enough to buy. Crazy, I know.

Here’s what I wore this week.

I normally try to dodge May Grey by a trip back to Houston and a June Gloom trip to Europe, but I was just in Texas for so long and want to have a solid break before next month’s World Cup in Houston and a (hopeful) late July trip to Amsterdam, where I have lots of shopping to do!

This somber energy carried over in my dressing all week. I went for easier, lazier and comfier looks as I spent most days just working and at home.

Today I’m headed to the Fruity Booty LA pop-up in Echo Park — I’ve never shopped from that brand before but I get loads of their ads and want to check it out IRL. Then Canyon Coffee to have a full Echo Park morning. Then my usual long hike, errands, the playground probably.

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AN

I’m about to go on a long hike (4 miles) in Griffith, then do a walk over to Wilde’s for a coffee and treat and drop off my ballot for the 2026 primary election here in California. I’m due over at Turn Paris’ LA private shopping event at 3pm in Hollywood, and I can’t wait to see all that I find.

This past week was hectic. The week started off quite cold (for LA standards — it was in the high 50s/low 60s out) before heat came rolling back. Work was busier than usual, and I took a medication that brought on bloating and tummy aches, but I still managed to get dress, have fun, manage my workload and get all my workouts and walks in.

Can’t complain.

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AN

I did exactly what I said I wouldn’t do… I abandoned my substack. Truth be told, it felt wrong to just publish all the things I wanted to buy every single week. The internet has way too much of that in my humble opinion, and believe it or not, I actually don’t buy that much and get rid of so much on the regular. I read the newspaper front-to-back everyday and it’s consistently about how little money everyone has and how bad things are becoming economically, but everyday on every social platform all I see are hauls and ShopMy links. I [regrettably] finally made a TikTok account a few months ago, 6 or 7 years later than literally everybody else, and one thing that’s been clear to me is the platform is entirely build around consumption and excess. It’s actually jarring, especially as a parent that cares to leave a habitable planet behind for my children.

I tried to “get into” scrolling there — but the immediate, nonstop influx of just hauls, unboxings, pokemon-go like expeditions through cities and videos of people waiting hours in lines for cafe drinks and baked goods began to stress me out way too much. It’s literally all that’s on there.

I’ve been enjoying a quiet life so far in 2026. Regular cupping therapy, cutting my hair into a bob I’ll likely keep forever, detoxing my body, lifting heavier weights, taking long walks, hiking, sipping bone broth, re-entering the workforce (remotely, thankfully) after job loss and a horribly toxic job at the end of last year, resetting my nervous system in Texas any and every chance I get and accepting the fate that tells me I’ll probably fully relocate there soon.

Needless to say, yes, I’ve been shopping — but with loads of intention. And mostly within my own closet, which has allowed me to really fall back in love with all that’s inside of it. My goal here now is to share what I’ve worn each week, most of which has been in my closet for a while.

Here’s this week in outfits — I promise to be more consistent!

Links below (where I could find them!)

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AN

When I was in my last trimester during the initial covid quarantine of spring 2020, I knew I couldn’t control anything. But what I could do with all the angst and spare time was curate my future baby’s wardrobe and thoughtfully put together her style from top to bottom, so I did. I remember telling myself to stop watching the news and focus more on sourcing things for my baby when I’d scroll my phone to pass the time.

If you followed me back then you’d remember I kept it mostly unisex for the first 2-3 years of her life. I gravitated towards mainly primary colors and color blocking — royal blue, baby blue, yellow, red, green, magenta, loads of stripes, bright colored pacifiers as her foremost accessory. We chose to not pierce her ears, and she was born with standard short baby hair that stuck around until she was well past 2, so no one knew she was a girl for years. We couldn’t even make pigtails until she was 3.

It is true — kids love tacky things. It just naturally happens. You can have a closet full of overpriced imported Scandanavian clothing for your child and they still want the “daddy’s princess,” IP (Bluey or what have you), unicorn or sequins shirts with ruffled sleeves made in a sweatshop by another kid their age across the world no matter how hard you try to evade that. I’m unsure if it’s school where they get this influence but it is indeed somewhere in our society.

I grew up a product of the early 90s to two Jamaican immigrant parents that really valued how I looked. I went to church every week in gorgeous puffy girls dresses with cap sleeves and mary janes with stockings or high socks, and always had gold hoop earrings and name-plated bracelets on with bows made of ribbons in my hair. I know I didn’t necessarily want to replicate that with my daughter, but I do believe kids should learn to care about their appearance from a young age as a sign of respect for yourself and for others, and I do find that many parents (mostly even those that can afford otherwise) just dress their kids in hand me downs to cut back on time with as little thought as possible (which, if that works for you, great! But it does not for me).

I know not everyone can shop for children’s clothing at an elevated price point, but for me, I’ve chosen to value sustainability, quality (over quantity) and ethics when I shop — and I see it this way: if you dress your kid who is 5 in clothes labeled for a 7 or 8 year old, you get years of wear. Even more so if you’re planning to have another kid (even now, all of my daughter’s baby and toddler clothing is still being carefully stored). The brands I’ve gravitated towards 99% of the time for my daughter are as follows (I get this question a lot!): Mini Rodini, Bobo Choses, Zara Kids (I try to stay away from fast fashion but we do do an occasional haul here maybe once a year), The Campamento, Tiny Cottons, Arket, Mini Boden and more.

I truly love this age for my daughter’s clothing (now and when she was around 1.5 have been my favorite periods). It’s so fun! She’s out of her stumpy toddler body and she can dress a bit more girly and mature now. We can meet in the middle with her style and she really contributes now, which I love. She gives feedback on what she likes and doesn’t like. I want her to be excited about what she wears.

She grew over an inch the last 3 months, so most of what she wore last winter won’t work this year. Especially pants. I usually shop for my daughter in hauls, so I’ll post more of these as I go along.

Here’s some of what I’m shopping for her this autumn and winter —

Dinos Puffer, Mini Rodini

I’ll probably let my daughter choose which option she likes as there are many other prints and colors! But I love this one. Spending close to 200 dollars on a kid’s puffer jacket may seem excessive when you live in Southern California, but we’ve had colder-than-normal winter temps the past few years since we’ve lived here, and kids are up early in the day most of the week for school and can’t really bypass the 7am-11am frosty hours in that part of the year (half of her school day is outside also). She had this puffer from Arket when we lived in Amsterdam — I bought it when she was newly 1 and she wore it though last year when she was 4 and a half, so I get good use out of them. I’ll buy this one in a size 8, and she can just roll up the sleeves if it’s too long now.

Kiddo Ballerinas, Camper

I really need to move to Spain since 80% of what I buy my kid is produced there. I just generally love their approach to kidswear.

Striped Knit Polo Shirt, Zara Kids

Striped Knit Sweater, Zara Kids

Pile Vest, Arket Kids

She has a quilted version of this vest in blue. Arket was an easy 60% of my kid’s wardrobe when we lived in Amsterdam, and we still do a big haul every summer when we’re there. I’ll also have my mother in law include some pieces in care packages throughout the year — or have my husband bring some back if he travels there without us. It’s still such a shame Arket is EU-only.

Baggy Denim Pants, Zara Kids

Wool Alpaca Beanie, Arket Kids

I also love this one.

Camper Compas Boat Shoes

I really love these and would wear them myself. Nice and sturdy for school and lots of play.

Red and Navy BC Sweater, Bobo Choses

This is the last size that’ll fit my daughter from last season, available only on Ssense. Worth it if you don’t mind waiting a month for it to clear customs like everything else these days.

Clover Polo Sweatshirt Dress, Bobo Choses

I love this entire styling and think I’ll also do the tights.

Corduroy Shirt Dress, Bobo Choses

Cassie Velvet Mary Janes, Childrenchic

My daughter aligned on this rosy pink color. I wanted the navy or light blue ones but she gets the final say! I’m buying these for her this week.

Solid Woven Pant, Tiny Cottons

Leopard Fleece Jacket, Mini Rodini

We’ve had a million things in MR’s leopard print but this fleece jacket seems like it would be particularly useful this year if I don’t end up sourcing a vintage LL Bean fleece jacket for her on eBay like I have in the past.

Lace Trim Jersey Dress, Mini Boden

We’ve just bought this on sale and got it delivered this week. I think this will be my daughter’s formal dress for the next few months.

Ribbed Tights, Mini Boden

Ringer T-Shirt, Mini Boden

We got this a few weeks ago and got so many compliments on it. So simple but so cute.

5-Pack Girls Socks, Mini Boden

Love these for her new mary janes and boat shoes this fall.

Kids Chelsea Boots, Blundstone

I’ve wanted these for her for a few years now and think these look great on kids in the winter. Classic and cool.

It wasn’t really until I moved to LA that I developed a keen sense for sunglasses and really began taking pride in the ones I’d wear. Before this, I did 3 straight years in Prada Symboles from Vinted. I keep about 5 in my rotation at any given time — maybe 3 of these are always vintage and the other two aren’t — and those are the ones that are worn everyday.

That’s a strange thing here in Los Angeles — recently a mom friend from my daughter’s school that always wears sunglasses during school pickups wasn’t wearing any, and it was the first time in two years I saw her eye color (she had blue eyes and I legitimately wasn’t aware of this). We wear sunglasses literally 99% of the year, all day long. Good luck seeing literally anything outside without triggering a migraine headache without any. Or driving. Or seeing the screen of your phone outside.

In December my husband was kind enough to buy a pair of Port Tanger Saudade glasses for my birthday, and I’ve had them a little under a year. They’re my daily sturdy pairs as opposed to flimsier vintage Gucci and Miu Miu frames I have from Laan in Amsterdam. They arrived way too wide for my face (they’d fall off completely if I even tilted my head downwards at all so a lot of work went into getting them professionally adjusted) and despite gorgeous packaging and a beautiful leather case, lens scratches appeared nearly instantaneously without the ability to be repaired. I really love the shape and frame, but these glasses exist hardly anywhere now as the brand seems to have just totally deleted that collection — minus the occasional inventory on SSENSE if someone buys and returns the one that seem to have left.

I’m now on the hunt for a replacement and here’s my edit for sunglasses right now. I’ll probably for sure purchase the Jack sunglasses from Thistles below once they’re back in stock, but also compiled my other current favorites.

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Thistles ‘Jack’ - $275

Ray-Ban ‘Original Wayfarers’ - $244

Chimi ‘Lilah’ - $250

Prada ‘Symbole’ - $520

Our Legacy ‘Shelter’ - $280

Thistles ‘Al’ - $300

I had a long talk over coffee yesterday with my husband about Substack and how fundamentally confusing it is to me. I might start a new job soon, one where I think Substack will be part of my strategy for the brand (for those that don’t know I’m a social and digital marketing director), but I need to understand it first. There are so many layers to this site and the interface makes my head hurt.

Needless to say, I also struggle a bunch with social media bandwidth and am already on Instagram more than I’d like to admit. I don’t have time to eat healthy meals, workout, mother, earn money, read books, watch the tv shows and films I like, get sunlight everyday, be on Instagram, read the news, AND read a bunch of think pieces and essays.

I’ve never been much of a writer — always just someone drawn to visuals. My husband is a writer, so I see firsthand how thoughtful and complicated writing can be and can’t personally fully deliver that. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that we’ll see where this goes.

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Back in June when we left for Amsterdam for a month I knew we’d be in town long enough to start shopping on Vinted again. If I bought things in the first week even from sellers in other countries I’d have time despite frequent shipping mishaps and delays. Some items even arrived at the pickup points the evening before our redeye flight back to LA, so I cut it close on plenty.

Up until we moved back stateside in 2022, Vinted was my everything, and when I moved back to the states that year I knew I’d have to leave it behind and reacquaint myself with eBay and The Real Real. Without saying too much, living in Amsterdam was dark for me, and the one personal saving grace I delighted in was the shopping. More on this another time, but the shopping in Europe — vintage and otherwise — is just levels ahead of shopping in the US in my opinion.

I powered through jetlag in June to assemble my ‘favorites’ and get to work (I’ll share more of what I sourced another time). Here’s my weekly roundup of pieces that still remain unsold on my favorites tab now 6 plus weeks later.

This Sportmax wool blazer jacket wouldn’t have been worn by me anytime soon — and for obvious reasons I tried to evade buying the heavier pieces I’d ‘favorited,’ so this fell into that category for me.

I’ve wanted this MNZ Julian black bag for so long but always just have put it off. They got snatched up so fast in the current Ssense sale too, so I’d added this one on Vinted to my favorites but didn’t end up pulling the trigger. Maybe someday.

This YSL top felt so summery and easy and I regret not acting on it! I don’t really have a reason why I didn’t and am searching for an equivalent here in LA. I also just love the color and don’t wear it enough.

Huge regret! These are Aeyde boots and they were in my size which was perfect. The main reason was price and luggage space/weight. Didn’t really make sense at the moment but I am on the search for new riding boots for winter and hate the ones I currently have that just are collecting dust at the very back of my closet.

This Alberta Ferretti dress just felt elegant and simple to me and was in my exact size, a 42. I would have worn this a ton.

I love Margariet Nannings so much — her private label is so under the radar but is a big staple in Amsterdam, where I rightfully learned of it. I bought a second pair of her pants in this trip, made to order with great hassle (she literally just wrote my name and size on a random piece of paper on her desk and said she’d make them and call me when they were ready 3 weeks later after her vacation and in the last days of mine). This simple dress would have been worn over the pants and I’m sure would have been so comfortable.

Lastly, these Maryam Nassir Zadeh flats in my size were favorited, I just ended up buying a very well-priced pair of Repetto flats in my size instead. As my husband says, “why do you need a new pair of ballet flats every month?!” Maybe I also didn’t want to deal with that (haha).

It’s (sadly) been a summer of nonstop job interviewing for me, some taking up more time than my actual job ever did. Every time I decide to throw in the towel and just give myself a full year or so off, more prospects emerge and I’m back at square one — and it’s led me to neglect this space more than I anticipated.

With the passing of labor day comes autumn for most — unless you live in Los Angeles where summer notoriously peaks from early August until late October, so we’re in the thick of weeks of nothing short of 95 degree temperatures unless you live close to the beach.

I find this time of the year so difficult for getting dressed. I don’t really understand why, because I grew up in Houston (where it’s hotter than hell itself for half the year every single year and far worse than anything you’d ever experience in coastal California) but still managed to love getting dressed all throughout high school.

With this I find myself just sourcing clothing that I think will really add some value to my overall closet and if I can’t wear it now then oh well. Shopping “ahead” has always worked well for me, it’s why my 5 year old is wearing clothes I bought for her at 2 that were baggy then and fit just right now.

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Here are my weekly picks! All from eBay this time around (but this will vary as I go).

I love this shirt — particularly the fade. I have a Margiela shirt exactly like this that I don’t wear often enough to justify this, but I love that red line so much and the silly little hold it’s always had on me. This is just simple and easy to me.

Forever one of my favorite leather brands and this silouette is so classic.

I would totally buy this and think a mini skirt is always super valuable especially this time of year. I love the cut of this one but can admit I actually have no idea if this will actually fit (‘L?’ is confusing to me) and am just too chronically exhausted to look at measurements at the moment.

I really like this color — I saw a jacket just like this in a vintage shop in Amsterdam’s Elandsgracht this summer but didn’t act on it (regrets!). Admittedly, I’d probably buy this and wear it once every year or so, so maybe that’s why it’s just sitting in my watchlist.

I’ll probably for sure buy this this week (please don’t be a horrible person and do it while I’m posting it publicly here prior to purchasing it). Perfect teddy fleece for LA winter mornings and it’s just so… me. Silly little red line strikes again.

and again…

This I absolutely can’t buy, because I had size 35 feet maybe in 6th grade. So help yourself (more on shoes I want to buy but can’t later).

I am so obsessed with vintage Prada mary janes so much and as soon as I find a pair in a 42 I’m moving on them immediately.

I’m really into silk lately and have been in Chelsea Mak and Hai quite a bit this year because of it — and have even replicated some of these pieces with vintage finds. This is elegant and just so beautiful and this color works really well on me.

I for sure want to grab these, so I’ll end the week with this. All of my loafers are Prada so I’m looking for something a bit more ubiquitous and classic for the fall when I officially return to a flip flop and sandal-free life. My husband has loafers that are similar but he’s a 10, so no borrowing from him either.