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i know we’ve all been obsessed with zendaya’s ethereal, sun-kissed odessey premiere look. i especially love the long, messy braid. i’m never cutting my hair again.

speaking of braids, after seeing these pics of anïs gallagher, who has the exact same hair texture and color as me, i’ve been wearing my hair in a loose, messy side braid constantly. it’s simple, but so cute, and it when i take it out i have perfect beach waves.

i’ve adored every scent i’ve tried by lore, so i’m dying to get my hands on their newest release lil softie, which is supposed to smell like fruity cereal milk and clean cotton.

i very rarely care about celebrity weddings, but of course gabriette’s had me in a chokehold. i’m compleltey in love with her matières fécales wedding gown. also, if my wedding photos don’t look like film stills from a gothic romance, i don’t want them…

…and if my wedding dress isn’t custom dilara findikoglu, i don’t want it. though i guess i could settle for wearing something from her new bridal capsule collection.

these boots are so sickening i actually feel physically unwell with desire for them.

i was recently introduced to german artist rebecca horn, who was known for her installations, movies and body modifications. i’ve just started exploring her work, but the piece that’s moved the most so far is “the feathered prison fan (1978)” in which a large fan-like piece made from ostrich feathers is attached to a ballerina’s body, and slowly opened and folded shut like giant wings, based on the dancer’s movements.

the norwegian influencer anniken jørgensen celebrated her 30th birthday with a rococo themed party and i love bob beauté founder gine margrethe’s make up. the white eyeliner with black mascara, the blurred lips, the rosy pink blush—obsessed.

i’ve also been obsessed with feather details lately. i love this acne top so much.

i need this diesel a/w 2023 dress. it looks like what a mermaid would wear to the club.

peggy gou is anlways an inspiration to me. i’m not sure if i’m more obsessed with this iconic quote :“why is everyone’s main goal in life to get married and have kids i’d rather be with my girls partying in ibizia” or her iconic bag collection, but i do know that i’d do almosyt anything to get my hands on this iridescent blue chanel flap bag.

this photo of darianka has been my makeup inso all summer. no blush, natural lips, mermaid waves and lots of sparkly aquamarine eyeshadow smeared across the lids.

it’s not just feathers that have taken over my moodboard, i’ve also been weirdly inspired by the color palates and iridescence of fish scales, especially with makeup.

i love this outfit nina sandbech wore during copenhagen fashion week. the feathers!!!

last, but not least—i’m forever inspired by this iconic adddison rae moment and i think you should be too. either become disgustingly obsessed with your own life, or change your life or outlook until you can be!!! it’s essential <3

thank you for reading! please tell me in the comments what you’ve inspired by lately!

xoxo, aurora

july is the hottest month—all sun-kissed beach days and sultry city nights. there’s been a heatwave in europe and i always thrive in scorching temperatures. sometimes i think i mistake my tolerance for a personal accomplishment, as if i’ve loved the sun so devoutly that it’s been left with no choice but to love me back. i’ve spent most of the month at my favorite place in the world—my family’s summer house in southern norway,—with detours to stockholm, copenhagen and the roskilde festival. oh, how i love the scandinavian summer. the islands, the white beaches, the pink skies and the midnight sun. i’ve been wearing tiny dresses and colors i’d never touch come october. colors with names so juicy and delicious i want to bite into them like summer fruit. i’ve been laying in the sun eating cherries while reading eve babitz’s letters, staining the pages with juice and practicing tying the stems into knots with my tongue. i think she’d like that. i’ve been staying out until sunset every night and sleeping with the windows wide open, so i can still hear the ocean in my dreams. a state of perfect bliss is so easy to come by in july. all it takes is a ripe stone fruit, a good book, an ocean view. as always, here’s a small collection of things i’ve devoured/adored this month:

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READING:

i want you to be happy by jem calder

i finished this at the start of the month and i still haven’t decided exactly how i feel about it, but the fact that i’m still thinking about it has to count for something. it’s set in london and follows chuck and joey—a copywriter in his mid 30s and a poet/barista in her early 20s—who meet in a bar and start seeing each other. at times reading this felt like being on a terrible first date with the kind of man lana del rey wrote “norman fucking rockwell” about, but since that felt like an intentional choice i guess i can forgive it. the 1880s had the marriage plot, we have the situationship novel

hello, limerence by momo yamaguchi

this novel is set in tokyo and follows mika, a 25 year old virgin who’s trying to have a hot girl summer when her deep desire to experience true love leads her into a love(less) triangle with a japanese-american boy with commitment issues and a local older man. i have mixed feeling about this book as well. the writing style felt so vibrant and unique and i loved mika’s voice—i could listen to her internal monologue (50% delusional daydreams, 40% fantasies about harming misogynistic men and 10% cunty outfit descriptions) all day. unfortunately, i didn’t love the way the plot played out. some plot points clashed with the tone of the book and took me out of the story.

the year of the monkey by patti smith

i think reading patti smith’s work might be as close as i’ll come to having a religious experience. there’s just something so spiritual about the way she writes which always draws me in and makes me lose myself in her words. i read most of this book while traveling, which felt very serendipitous since it’s a memoir all about smith’s solitary wanderings and her dreamlike chance encounters with strangers as she travels trough america, reflecting on big changes in her own life, and in america’s political landscape.

reservoir bitches by dahlia de la cerda

every story in this collection of interlinked short stories, set in mexico, follows a different woman—from the daughter of a cartel boss to the victim of transfemicide—as she navigates her place in a patriarchal society, often dominated by violent men. the stories are dark and gritty, but also glittering—the women’s voices bold and bright and defiant. reading this felt like a slap in the face—sharp, stinging and invigorating.

too l.a.: letters never sent by eve babitz, edited by lili anolik

this is my current read, so you’ll be hearing a lot more about it in next month’s favorites, but i wanted to share my delight at discovering this includes eve’s diary!!!

QUOTING:

“one of the things, however, that made me behave like that was that i can never go anyplace, walk down any street, do anything alone without some man trying to infringe on my consciousness.” —eve babitz, too l.a.: letters never sent

“my soul was a light blue dress the color of the sky; i left it on a rock by the sea, and naked i came to you, looking like a woman.” —edit södergran, “love”

“amethyst. turquoise. shell pink. irish green. i would like to be naked and cover myself with cold crystal jewlery. jewlery and perfume.” —anaïs nin.

WATCHING:

céline and julie go boating (1974)

this is the kind of film that can’t truly be explained, only experienced—part time loop, part ghost story, part magic spell. it follows two women, céline and julie, whose chance encounter in a parisian park becomes the catalyst for a whimsical adventures. i don’t think i’ve seen a film where two women are so playful since daisies (1966) and i loved it. don’t get me wrong, i love my sad girl cinema as much as any sofia coppola daughter raised on the virgin suicides and tumblr, but watching this made me realize how fun it is to watch women have fun (!!!) julie and céline are the antithesis to the sad girl trope—childish, silly and mischievous—things women so rarely get to be on screen that their small acts of rebellion feel revolutionary to watch. they play dress-up in each other’s clothes, try on each other’s identities, explore a haunted house, experience shared hallucinations via psychedelic candy, enter a cursed time-loop, break and enter in matching all black outfits (escaping the scene on rollerblades!!!), make a magic potion, investigate a murder and of course, go boating. it’s dreamy, strange and surreal. a cabinet of curiosities you can rifle through and find new treasures to captivate you every time: cluttered café tables, messy apartments, tarot cards, cabaret acts, cigarette packs and cats. it’s a film that does many weird and wonderful things at once, but at it’s core it’s a love letter to the female friendships that make our lives feel more magical.

love island uk

until this summer i hadn’t watched a single episode of love island, to the despair of my sister who’s watched every single one. every year she tries to reel me in, but i never bite. not until she started showing me edits of jasmine and lorenzo. suddenly i’d watched 12 straight hours of love island in a two day period and yearned for more. i’ll probably never watch it again and it did leave a bad taste in my mouth in the end (the way people pit women against each other like it’s 2006 and let men get away with murder is jarring) but i still had to include it in my favorites cause it was pretty much all my sister and i talked about this month and i had so much fun watching it with her.

PLAYING:

unreleased lana del rey

somehow i always end up returning to a sixteen year old version of myself in the summer—wearing fruit flavored lipgloss, reading glossy fashion magazines on the beach and listening to unrelased lana del rey playlists on youtube on repeat all day.

lorde

another surefire sign that i’ve reverted to my teenage self is that i start blasting lorde every time i get the aux. pure heroine is for long nighttime drives drenched in teenage nostalgia, melodrama is for getting ready with the girls and crying in the bathroom at house parties, and solar power is for beach days, self reflection and mid-summer ennui.

charli xcx

the only new album i’ve been listening to this summer is of course music, fashion, film by charli xcx. it’s unpolished, raw and messy in the way that feelings are messy. i feel inspired every time i listen to it. “camera” makes me want to create art like my life depends on it, “2007” makes me want to make up dances and take selfies in photo booth with my best friend, and “wink wink” makes me want to relive my effy stonem phase for the summer because no one ever believes i could be an angel girl anyway.

ain’t in la by adéla

i’ve been blasting this on night time drives in my hometown with the windows rolled down and the bass turned up, just like adela intended. the baddest bitches ain’t in la.

just be bodies by rose gray

i feel so spiritually aligned with everything rose gray is releasing right now. this song is so sexy, flirty and fun (!!!) the embodiment of everything i want to be this summer.

molly in the club by sophia stel

this song is so dreamy and hypnotic. listening to it always feels like 3 am.

WEARING:

colors

my color palette is usually quite neutral (if you count pale pink as a neutral, which i do) but this summer i’ve been drawn to brighter colors. tangerine, hot pink, mint green, peach and aquamarine. i just love the way they pop against my tan skin and sun bleached hair. some of my favorite pieces to wear this month have been this silk dress from frankies bikinis, this top from mode mischief and this top from susmies.

bikini

i’ve always been the type to buy cheap triangle bikinis, but i’m trying to stay away from fast fashion, so i invested in this one from montce. i‘m in love with the color and fit—and i’ve never felt hotter on the beach, so it was definitley worth the money.

lip treatment from ole henriksen

my favorite lip product right now is this hydrating peptide lip treatment from ole henriksen in the shade peach glaze. it’s so glossy and smells deliciously peachy,

sparkly aquamarine eyeshadow

i can’t find the eyeshadow darianka is wearing in this photo anywhere, so i’ve been searching for a dupe. the closest i’ve come is this highlighter from nyx in the shade butta mint. i’ve been smearing it on with my fingers for a messy mermaid look.

disfruta by lore

i finally found my perfect summer scent: disfruta by lore. it’s a smoky, boozy citrus scent with notes of passion fruit, neroli, mezcal, cedar wood, agave nectar and ice. it smells like a sweet, ice-cold drink on a hot night; like drops of condensation on skin.

shimmering body oil

after watching julia walk into the love island villa like she was walking down a runway, with skin shimmering like stardust—i became obsessed with finding a shimmering body oil to replicate the effect and i did! it’s a little expensive, but the dior solar sublimating oil is magical. it makes my skin shimmer in the most ethereal way. i mostly use it on my body, but it can also be used on the face and even hair. for a cheaper alternative i love the beach skin shimmering body oil from phlur. it has golden shimmer (while the dior has gold, silver, copper and bronze), is also transfer-free and smell so beachy with notes of coconut milk, salted tiare flower and vanilla.

LOVING:

my freckles

i just love looking in the mirror and seeing a delicate sprinkle of freckles across my nose and cheek. for some reason it makes me feel nostalgic for childhood summers.

music festivals

i’ve been going to music festivals every summer since i was like eleven and it simply wouldn’t be summer to me if i didn’t spend at least one week sleeping in an over-heated tent and dancing in a muddy field somewhere in europe. this summer my girls and i went to roskilde. i saw addison rae for the second summer in a row, which was iconic. some other highlights were ethel cain, young lean and bladee, esdeekid, jade, jennie, and zara larson. i love my pop girlies. i also got to see patti smith preform for the first time at a festival in my hometown, which was a magical experience for me.

stone fruits

if i could live off of cherries, lychees, peaches and mangoes all summer, i actually would. there’s nothing sweeter than biting into a juicy summer fruit in the heat.

print magazines

i know i talk about print magazines all the time, but they’re extra essential in the summer. there’s something about lying on the beach, flicking trough a glossy fashion magazine that takes me back to being sixteen on family holiday in the best way.

RECOMMENDED READING:

this is why i hate parisians and i hosted a parisian dinner party. here’s what I noticed. by elie

dear diary and a small exhibition of interiors by chloe

soho at 7:40 pm and chic & the city by the city edit

it’s a summer of body abundance by nadia

how to have a substack girl summer by sude hamal

french film summer wardrobe edit by jade elizabeth

the paradox of feeling too much but not enough at the same time by celia

personal style was never supposed to be this legible by sofia

dua lipa’s forbidden books by emily harper

meet you out front of macy’s by tiana

thoughts from paris by musings mode

to the girls who are told they’re “too much” by kea humilde

20 types of men I will no longer be dating by hol harland

please tell me what your favorites of the months have been! what have you been reading, watching, wearing and listening to? did you find any new obsessions?

xoxo, aurora

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faustine and her beautiful summer (1967)

a hazy, dream of a coming of age story about a parisian teenager who spends the summer in the country with her grandparents, and becomes intrigued by the large bohemian family in the neighbor house. i fell in love with the cinematography and costumes when i watched it earlier this year. the aesthetic is very feminine and pastoral—all wicker furniture, flower meadows and rose gardens. think: gingham dresses, straw hats, silk ribbons, floral print, babydoll dresses and peasant blouses.

bonjour tristesse (2025)

a story of a love, lust and betrayal on the french riviera, durga chew-bose’s adaptation of sagan’s classic novel is a masterclass in style, with cinematography worthy of a vogue editorial. i’d add it to the list simply for giving us one of the dreamiest dresses in cinematic history—a champagne colored silk dress with a pink tulle underskirt and an attached cape, but the rest of the costumes are perfect as well. think: elevated basics, oversized shirts, colorful athleisure, black sunglasses and classic swimwear.

la piscine (1969)

perhaps the most iconic summer film on this list, la piscine stars french cinema icons romy schneider and jane birkin in their prime, both looking beautiful and bored in impossibly chic swimwear and tiny skirt, while driving the men around them to bouts of jealous delirium. what could be more french then that? think: black and white swimwear, men’s shirts, mini skirts, sheer fabric, gingham, denim and big sunglasses.

vicky cristina barcelona (2008)

usually, i wouldn’t include a woody allen film, but i simply can’t talk about summer style without talking about penélope cruz as maria elena in vicky cristina barcelona. a film about two americans who visit spain and become romantically entangled with a charismatic painter and his even more charismatic ex-wife. think: natural fibers, loose silhouettes, silk slips, white cotton nightgowns, lace details and bright sunset colors.

jamón jamón (1992)

a steamy love triangle between a working-class girl, a rich man, and a bull fighter/underwear model that the rich man’s mother hires to seduce the girl, starring penelope cruz and javier bardem—the queen and king of hot summer love triangles, and hot summer dressing. think: polka dots and stripes, tomato red, sundresses with straps that slip off the shoulder, chipped red nail polish, espadrilles and hoop earrings.

céline and julie go boating (1974)

the moment julie berto, as céline, almost stumbled into the frame in a flurry of flowing fabrics—a feather boa draped around her neck, a patterned silk scarf trailing after her—her clothes seemingly disregarding gravity to float around her body, i knew this film was destined to become a new favorite of mine. it’s a surreal, whimsical adventure set in paris, and the clothes are as playful as the women wearing them. think: maximalism, clashing patterns, fun prints, lots of denim and colorful tank tops.

pauline à la plage (1983)

every summer is a rohmer summer in my world, and i rewatch his films religiously this time of year. my favorite is probably la collectionneuse, but this summer i’m taking my fashion inspo from pauline à la plage. it follows marion, who is about to divorce from her husband and vacationing with her fifteen year old niece, pauline. marion meets an old lover on the beach, and both girls have summer flings. think: cotton dresses, white jeans, delicate lace details, tunics with belts and coastal chic vibes.

bones and all (2022)

like rohmer, luca guadagnino is another director who seems to be obsessed with summer. bones and all is as far as you can get from a romanticized euro summer, though. it’s a love story drenched in blood. a modern southern gothic filled with pickup trucks, gas station and highways. the aesthetic is faded americana. think: white pointelle tops, loose floral dresses, faded denim, delicate layers and colorful shirts.

thank you for reading! please share your favorite summer films in the comments <3

xoxo, aurora

june is the sexiest month—the start of another sultry summer in the city. it’s a silk slip dress, slipping off your shoulder. it’s the pink flush in your cheeks, giving you that sun kissed glow. it’s a ripe strawberry, staining your lips red. it’s sticky, sweet and simmering with potential. summer’s only just begun, everything is still possible. i’ve been wearing oversized sunglasses and tiny kitten heels and walking everywhere. i’ve been listening to songs about falling in love and feeling something inside of me crack open like an oyster. i’ve been meeting my friends in the park after work, to lie on a picnic blanket and listen to olivia rodrigo. someone brings strawberries, someone brings wine, someone brings someone they think someone else should meet. at night, i make pasta and eat it on the balcony with a book or an early 2000’s teen drama playing on my laptop. tomorrow i’m leaving for roskilde—which of course means that my entire closet is currently scattered all over my floor and i’m convinced i don’t have anything to wear. while i was searching for my charger, i realized i don’t know when i’ll have time to write next, so i sat down in the middle of the mess to write this little love letter to all the books and shows and other things that brought me joy in june:

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READING:

they all fall in love at the end by haili blassingame

cat is in an open relationship with her college boyfriend, jay, but catches feelings for his best friend, tristan—and tristan’s girlfriend, in this gorgeous mess of a novel about love, politics and art. reading this made me want to fall in love, kiss the wrong people, make mistakes i can’t take back, get my heart broken and turn all that pain into art. it made me want to live —which is probably the highest praise i could ever give a book.

lonely crowds by stephanie wambugu

i’m always drawn to books about obsessive and volatile female friendships. this one follows ruth and maria, who grow up in new england, but escape their dreary childhoods and enter the glamorous art world of 1990’s new york. their dynamic is reminiscent of that of lila and elena from the neopolitan novels—intoxicating, but fiercely competitive, further complicated by their sexual attraction to each other.

on womanhood: bodies, literature, choice by sophie gilbert

these short, but insightful and very readable essays on womanhood as seen trough the lense of media and popular culture cover topics ranging from the marriage plot in jane austen’s work, to the media’s exploitation of pamela anderson. i personally preferred gilbert’s newest book, girl on girl: how pop culture turned a generation of women against themselves, but i think this would be a great introduction to feminist criticism.

no god but us by bobuq sayed

this star-crossed love story follows, delbar, an afghan-american drag queen, and mansur, a gay afghan refugee, who meet in istanbul, after they’ve both been forced to leave their birth countries. it’s a powerful exploration of the places where politics, queerness and immigration intersect, as well as a poignant ode to the communities that blossom on the margins of society, and the healing power of chosen families.

a spy in the house of love by anaïs nin

this novel follows sabina, a woman who describes herself as a spy in the house of love—with her double life and many secret love affairs. it’s a portrait of a woman who always craves more from life—more love, more passion, more depth—and refuses to settle for less, even when it’s painful. i’ve always been so inspired by the way anaïs nin writes, it’s so poetic and sensual, as if she writes with (and for) all of the senses.

the summer boy by philippe besson

set in the summer of 1985, on an island off the coast of france, this book follows six teenagers having a sultry summer of love and longing, until one of them disappears. reading this book felt like looking at a faded, sun-drenched polaroid from the summer before everything changed. on innocence lost and love almost, but not quite, found.

WATCHING:

the trio

if you take one recommendation from me—please, let it be this show (based on a book which i also wholeheartedly recommend.) set between stockholm in the past and new york in the present, it follows frances—a young woman who reaches out to hugo, an old friend of her parents’, to learn more about their complicated relationship, or their trio, as they call it. this show has everything: friendship, romance, sex, love, art, drugs, parties, yearning and heartbreak. it’s a messy love triangle where everyone’s incredibly hot and completely obsessed with each other. i don’t know what more one could want.

rivals

set in the 1980s, this show follows a family who moves from london to the cotswolds, after the father gets a big television job. once there, they all get deeply involved in a feud between two local men and all the juicy local drama. i usually despise all things 80s, but i absolutely love this show. it’s camp, it’s fun, it’s messy. it’s so, so, so sexy,

the oc

there’s just something about the summer that makes me crave an early 2000s teen drama, so i started rewatching the oc. i’m almost done with season one and i’m obsessed. i love the cast, the fashion, the soundtrack, and of course—the seth and summer of it all. bring back men who yearn and slow burn relationships please!!!

two years later

the idea behind this australian show is so simple, but so perfect—two strangers who used to flirt on the bus every day before lockdown, decide to date after being reunited two years later. this was such a sweet, tender love story—about two lonely, kind of messed up people finding the beauty in connection and learning to let someone in.

PLAYING:

club to your arms by rose gray

this is my song of the summer!!! a sultry, sexy anthem about coming home to a lover after a night out, with a huge chorus that’s pure dopamine. the kind of song that makes you want to get sweaty—on the dance floor, between the sheets, or both (!!!)

crawl by sydney ross mitchell

on the opposite end of the emotional spectrum, i’ve been loving this hauntingly beautiful song about yearning for an old lover to come back and save you from the safe life you’ve built for yourself in their absence. a love that can’t be eclipsed.

don’t delete the kisses by wolf alice

this song has been on constant repeat on all my drunk walks home. it sounds like a hot summer night and makes me want to fall in love and make a fool of myself.

caprisongs by fka twigs

i love running around the city in the summertime with this mixtape in my ears. it’s so flirty, sexy and fun, but also poetic and vulnerable. it’s music that’s made for movement—for dancing on sticky dancefloors for hours and walking home, carrying your heels.

you look pretty sad for a girl so in love by olivia rodrigo

this album has already become the soundtrack of my summer. it’s euphoric, it’s romantic, it’s dramatic—it captures every chapter of an all-consuming love story. from the intoxicating rush of the first kiss, to the bitter end when all the memories go dark. i can’t stop listening to ‘drop dead’ and ‘stupid song’ on repat. it’s a lover girl summer.

c, xoxo by camilla cabello

there are two kinds of people in the world—the ones who immediately understood this album and the ones who’ll pretend they did when it becomes a cult classic. i’ve been obsessed since day one and the second it gets hot outside, it’s c, xoxo on repeat. it gives party girl going straight from the beach to the club—all salty skin, messy hair, short skirt, high heels and lips so glossy the city lights are reflected in them all night.

WEARING:

babydoll dresses

i love a babydoll dress in the summertime. paired with ballet flats in a french 60’s it girl type of way, of course. most of mine are vintage finds, but i also have this super cute white cotton one from my mum made it and this linen one with the prettiest embroidered flowers from muse assembly hanging in my closet. i’m in love with both.

polka dots

i don’t even care that they’re trendy right now, i adore polka dots. this slip dress from caro editions was a wardrobe favorite this month. so was this skirt from gina tricot.

big sunglasses

there’s nothing like a pair of massive black sunglasses to make any outfit look cunty. my favorites are from chimi. i haven’t left the house without them since i got them.

flip flop kitten heels

i’ve never owned a pair of flip-flops in my life, but apparently if they’re made in jelly and have a sexy little kitten heel, like these ones from melissa—i’m actually obsessed.

bisou balm by violette_fr

all summer long i want to look like i just devoured a ripe, juicy strawberry or made out with someone, even if i didn’t. for that perfect blurry, just-kissed look i swear by the bisou balm from violette_fr. i love every shade, but in the summer i always wear bêtise.

les beiges healthy glow bronzing cream by chanel

this bronzer is the foundation for all my summer make-up looks. i love how natural it looks and how smoothly it blends into my skin. this + the healthy glow blush in the sorbet is my favorite combo right now. i wish i didn’t love chanel beauty so much.

LOVING:

lemon ice cream

not lemon sorbet (thought that’s delicious too.) just, lemon ice cream. it’s the best.

strawberries

norwegian strawberries are finally in season and i’ve treated myself to some almost every single day in june—with cream, with greek yogurt, or straight from the carton.

tangerine juice

one thing about me is that i love a beverage. i’ll happily go to a café and order three or four drinks. right now i’m obsessed with tangerine juice. it’s so sweet and refreshing.

afternoons in the park

one of my favorite things about summer in the city is meeting up with friends in the park after work. eating fruit, drinking wine, listening to music and talking for hours.

the world cup

i’m a football fan, but even if i wasn’t i’d still love the way the world cup has been bringing people together and out into the streets. i watched norway-iraq on a big outdoor screen with my football obsessed brother and we had an amazing time.

fashion neurosis with bella freud

i’m not really a podcast girlie but i loved listening to charli xcx and fka twigs on this one. it’s always so interesting listening to creative people talk about fashion and art.

RECOMMENDED READING:

my monthly capsule: a june lookbook by natalie

an aesthetic and dreamy curriculum for june, for girls who romanticize everything.

a small exhibition of summer by chloe

a beautifully curated collection of paintings that feel like golden childhood summers.

the og it girls by musings mode

i’m obsessed with this love letter to the olsen twins, the original fashion it girls.

olivia rodrigo, sad girls & babydoll dresses by emily harper

this is the most insightful thing i’ve read about olivia rodrigo and her babydoll dresses.

the it-girl cigarette by aerin

an in depth review of various it girl cigarettes. simply too iconic for words.

things that make me feel cool & hot & grown up by the city edit

another cool and hot and inspiring list from my favorite substack cool girl.

i spent an evening in rome dressed like something might happen by sofia

a gorgeously written and evocative piece about spending a night flirting with a city.

every single girl i’ve ever thought was cool pt. II by amelia ward

a personal pantheon of cool girls on the internet from a cool girl on the internet.

the slim aarons guide to summer by hol harland

a summer guide to being an attractive person doing attractive things in attractive places.

the kids can’t read, but it’s ok because dua lipa winked at patti smith by marie

a brilliant dissection of the state of literacy and the value of celebrity book clubs.

what 10 years in fashion taught me about style - part 3 by elie

i loved the third installment of elie’s series of practical fashion advice for cool fashion girlies. i also loved reading her unscientific studies on parisian life. (here and here.)

please tell me what your favorites of the months have been! what have you been reading, watching, wearing and listening to? did you find any new obsessions?

xoxo, aurora

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(L)IT GIRL SUMMER

slow days, fast company: the world, the flesh, and l.a by eve babitz

eve babitz is the ultimate california it girl, and her collection of essays about her wild and glamorous life as a party girl in 1960s-70s los angeles is the ultimate it girl book.

the white album by joan didion

didion’s icoinc essay collection is a record of the sixties and their aftermath—examining key events, trends and figures of the era. a true lit girl must-read.

didion and babitz by lili anolik

based on a letter eve babitz wrote to joan didion, lili anolik spins a tale of two writers so ensnaring and delicious, it’s hard to care how substantial her source material is. it’s less of a biography, more of a juicy gossip session—but isn’t it more fun that way?

henry and june by anïs nin

taken from her uncensored journals, henry and june tells the story of nin’s meeting with henry miller and his wife june, and the passionate affair between the two writers.

munkey diaries by jane birkin

munkey diaries is jane birkin’s diaries from her eary life—growing up in london in the swinging 60s and coming to france in the early 70s. an iconic it girl, in her own words.

the unabridged journals of sylvia plath by sylvia plath

every lit girl has seen quotes from sylvia plath’s journals circulating on tumblr or pinterest, but they’re so worth reading in their entirety and summer is the perfect time. carrying an inconveniently big book around all summer long is so cool.

FERAL GIRL SUMMER

brutes by dizz tate

described as the florida project meets the virgin suicides, this novel set in town built on theme parks, swampy lakes and secrets, follows a group of 13-year old girls after the older girl they’re collectively obsessed with disappears. this is girlhood as cyanide.

the lamb by lucy rose

a grotesque and gory gothic horror tale of cannibalism and a mother-daughter relationship so twisted it’s rotted to the core. a summer read fit for ehtel cain girls.

the girls by emma cline

set in california at the end of the 60s this book follows evie after she meets a group of older, charismatic girls at the park. enthralled by them, she slowly becomes drawn into the circle of an infamous cult. a study on the dangerous boredom of teenage girls.

amphibian by tyler wetherall

a strange, sticky coming of age story with touches of magical realism, which explores the transformative power of obsessive female friendship and the terrors of girlhood.

paradise rot by jenny hval

a poetic, almost hallucinatory daydream of a novel, about a norwegian student in england who moves into a strange apartment and starts a relationship with a strange woman. after a while, the boundaries between dreams and reality shift and blur.

the hounding by xenobe purvis

a novel as oppressive and claustrophobic as a heat wave, about five sisters—accused by their neighbors in a small village of secretly turning into dogs and attacking people.

WEIRD GIRL SUMMER

lapvona by ottessa moshfegh

arguably moshfegh’s weirdest book, this novel is set in a medieval village and follows marek, an odd, motherless shepherd boy, during a year of extreme drought and famine.

chlorine by jade song

a strange, unsettling coming of age story with elements of body horror, which follows a swimmer, who decides to make her dream of becoming a mermaid a shocking reality.

bunny by mona awad

the definitive weird girl book. bunny follows samantha, an outsider at her mfa program, after she gets invited to one of the infamous smut salons hosted by the bunnies—a group of saccharine, rich girls in her writing cohort.

the pisces by melissa border

after a bad breakup, lucy leaves phoenix for l.a. to house-sit for her sister and take care of her aging dog. between tinder hook-ups and meetings with sex and love addicts anonymous, she meets a mysterious stranger, who might be a merman, on the beach.

the guest by emma cline

on the run from her old life in the city, alex is staying with a rich, older man at his summerhouse. after he kicks her out, she decides to lie, scheme and scam to stay afloat in the hamptons, until she can crash his labor day party and win him back.

paradise logic by sophie kemp

a surreal satire written in a refreshingly original voice, about a young woman who’s on a quest to become the best girlfriend ever. this is darkly funny and delightfully absurd.

SAD GIRL SUMMER

the bell jar by sylvia plath

i believe the iconic opening line says it all: “it was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they executed the rosenbergs, and I didn’t know what I was doing in new york.”

the virgin suicides by jeffrey eugenides

the sad girl’s bible—the story of the elusive lisbon sisters, told from the perspective of a group of neighborhood boys still half in awe, half in love with them 30 years later.

my year of rest and relaxation by ottessa moshfegh

nothing says sad girl summer quite like reading a book about a girl who starts taking a cocktail of drugs in an attempt to sleep through a whole year, and awake transformed.

this is how you remember it by catherine prasifka

an achingly relatable coming of age story that explores the joys and horrors of growing up in the digital age, and being a girl on the internet from an early age.

tender by belinda mckeon

set in 90s dublin, tender follows catherine, a shelteredstudent, after she meets james, an charismatic artist who broadens her horizons. a (mostly) platonic normal people.

white oleander by janet fitch

white oleander follows astrid’s odyssey trough the l.a. foster-system, after her cold and beautiful, poet mother is imprisoned for killing her lover. it’s a coming of age story about family, identity and belonging—brimming with poetry and beautiful imagery.

LOVER GIRL SUMMER

open water by caleb azumah nelson

a dancer and a photographer meet in a london pub and fall in love. what follows is a beautifully written story of art, love and being alive in a black body, in a racist world.

writers & lovers by lily king

lily king’s second novel follows a young woman who’s working as a waitress, while writing her novel, as she fall in love with two very different men at the same time.

thirst for salt by madelaine lucas

feeling adrift the summer after finishing college, a young woman goes on holiday with her mother and find herself drawn to a local man almost twenty years older than her. this is a salt-stung story of lost love, set mostly in a isolated australian coastal town.

conversations with friends by sally rooney

rooney’s debut novel follows frances, a writer and college student living in dublin, as she and her best friend/ex girlfriend bobbi become romantically entangled with an older married couple in ways that permanently alter all of their relationships.

sunburn by chole michelle howarth

set in an irish village in the 90s, this sapphic coming of age story follows lucy through the hot, sticky summer she falls in love with her best friend and everything changes.

you made a fool of death with your beauty by akwaeke emezi

feyi is a young widow who has just started dating again, when the man she’s seeing invites her to visit the island he grew up on. once there, she falls head over heels for the last person she expects to—his father. this is a lush, sexy and messy summer read.

WHIMSICAL GIRL SUMMER

the sisterhood of the traveling pants by ann brashares

a nostalgic summer classic about four very different friends, having four very different summers, tied together by a magical pair of jeans that somehow fit them all perfectly.

emily of new moon by l.m montgomery

anne is more popular, but i always preferred the books about emily, an equally poetic and dreamy girl, who is sent to live with her mother’s relatives after losing her father.

i capture the castle by dodie smith

a charming novel in journal format told from the perspective of cassandra, a 17 year old girl living in a crumbling castle in england, with her broke, bohemian family.

weetzie bat by francesca lia block

this book is a pink and sparkly modern fairy tale set in the magical land of los angeles—full of beaches, roller blades, strawberry sundaes and kisses that taste like vanilla.

the lost art of keeping secrets by eva rice

set in 50s england, this book follows penelope wallace, a girl with an eccentric family, a crumbling ancestral home, a glamorous best friend and a deep desire to fall in love.

i’ll give you the sun by jandy nelson

if you could contain the feeling of a teenage summer in between the covers of a book, it would be this one. a beautifully written, heartbreaking coming of age story about a pair of twins who stop speaking to each other after a betrayal. of love, loss and art.

THOUGHT DAUGHTER SUMMER

the woman destroyed by simone de beauvoir

three stories, three women in crisis. a book brimming with feminine rage and despair.

to the lighthouse by virginia woolf

a hauntingly beautiful stream-of-consciousness novel about a family holidaying on the isle of skye, and their postponed trip to a lighthouse. meditations on time and loss.

an apprenticeship or the book of pleasures by clarice lispector

lispector’s most readable novel follows a lonely woman as she learns to surrender to love and to life. about inhabiting one’s body, and opening oneself to life’s mysteries.

the idiot by eilif batuman

the idiot follows selin through her freshman year at harvard—as she makes friends, decides to become a writer, falls in love and gets her heart broken for the first time.

outline by rachel cusk

a female writer goes to athens to teach a writing course, and becomes entangled in a chain of narratives, as the people she meets start sharing their life stories with her.

a field guide to getting lost by rebecca solnit

poetic and philosophical musings on wandering, being lost, the specific blue of the horizon and the importance of learning to live with the door to the unknown open.

EURO SUMMER

bonjour tristesse by françoise sagan

seventeen year old cécile, and her father raymond are a hedonistic duo, dedicated to a life of pleasure, until the summer he decides to marry and their lives change forever

my brilliant friend by elena ferrante

set in 1950s naples, the first book in the iconic quartet follows two girls, lila and elena from their fateful meeting as ten-year-olds through their school years and adolescence.

the bombshell by darrow farr

the beautiful, spoiled daughter of a famous politican is kidnapped and radicalized by militants fighting for corsican independence, and becomes the face of their movement.

tender is the night by f. scott fitzgerald

set on the french riviera in the 20s, tender is the night follows a young actress as she becomes involved with the american couple dick and nicole diver. a tragic romance.

room with a view by e.m. forster

lucy, a young english woman whose whole life has been mapped out for her, finds herself torn between expectations and following her heart, after visiting florence and meeting an unconventional cast of characters, including the passionate george.

a moveable feast by ernest hemingway

hemingway’s memoir is a vivid portrait of the lost generation—filled with stories of writing in paris cafés and his relationships with other writers like joyce and fitzgerald.

SCANDI SUMMER

the trio by johanna hedman

set in stockholm over the course of two summers, this novel follows a trio of young people from different backgrounds as they’re drawn together, and torn apart. a love letter to the intense, but fleeting relationships that alter us in permanent ways.

waist deep by linea maja ernst

a group of friends from university with complicated relationships, spend a week together in a cabin in rural denmark—talking, flirting and making things messy.

unquiet by linn ullmann

unquiet is an autobiographical novel, by the daughter of liv ullmann and ingmar bergman about complicated families. a meditation on growing up, and growing old.

the summer book by tove jansson

a charming little book from the creator of moomin, about a young girl spending a summer with her grandmother, exploring a small island in the gulf of finland.

grown ups by marie aubert

set in norway, this novel, follows ida—a single, childless woman in her 40s—visiting her family’s seaside cabin to celebrate her mother’s birthday. when her sister shares surprising news, tension rises and comes to a head as ida clashes with her family.

the colony by annika norlin

to get a break from her job and hectic life in the city, emelie leaves town to spend a few days alone in the country. once there she encounters a mysterious group of people living off the grid—all misfits in their own way, led by the magnetic, enigmatic sara.

HOT NEW RELEASES

too l.a.: letters never sent by eve babitz, lili anolik

i’m constantly re-reading eve babitz, my favorite (l(it) girl, so i’m beyond excited for this selection of her letters, both sent and unsent. it sounds absolutely delicious.

hello, limerence by momo yamaguchi

i just know this is going to be THE cool girl book of the summer. it follows mika, a 25 year old virgin, in hot pursuit of sex, romance and a real hot girl summer in tokyo.

i want you to be happy by jem calder

a modern love story, blurbed by sally rooney, and described as a vessel through which modern loneliness, addiction, love and ambition are heart-wrenchingly explored.

nymph by sofia montrone

described as call me by your name meets elena ferrante this debut coming-of-age novel follows a girl who spends her summers working at her family’s italian agriturismo trough the summer she falls in love with an american girl and everything changes.

lovers xxx by allie rowbottom

set in the gritty underbelly of the los angeles porn industry, a woman revisits her past 30 years later, in an attempt to discover what happened to her best friend back then.

girl’s girl by sonia feldman

described as “a sundrenched and dewy snapshot of modern girl culture set in the blaze of one suburban midwest summer” i think this sounds like the perfect summer read.

MY SUMMER READING LIST

a spy in the house of love by anaïs nin

the chandelier by clarice lispector

the image of her by simone de beauvoir

the year of the monkey by patti smith

they all fall in love at the end by haili blassingame

lonely crowds by stephanie wambugu

heap earth upon it by chloe michelle howart

amy and isabelle by elizabeth strout

people in love by claire daverley

big kiss, bye-bye by claire-louise bennett

too l.a: letters never sent by eve babitz, lili anolik

i want you to be happy by jem calder

hello, limerence by momo yamaguchi

nymph by sofia montrone

thank you for reading! please tell me what you plan on reading this summer?

xoxo, aurora

the summer my sister brought her best friend to the island—and i learned all i know about girlhood. the summer i had my first kiss—on midsummer’s eve, after twirling by the bonfire in a white dress and flower crown for hours. the summer i fell in love—with a skater boy with messy hair and scraped elbows, my older brother’s best friend. the summer the same boy broke my heart—kissing another girl behind the boathouse.

like a girl in a ya novel who comes back to school in the fall mysteriously altered, all my character development took place in the summers, and all my summers took place on the island. a small one, just off the coast of my hometown. barely large enough for two white wooden houses, a small red cabin, two beaches, a boathouse and a dock, but large enough to hold most of my childhood memories and all of my self mythologies.

on the island i wake early, with sunlight seeping through the white lace curtains, casting dainty shadows on the wall. i pick my bikini up from the floor, still damp from last night’s midnight swim, wrap myself in a fluffy robe and walk to the beach. every day begins with a dip in the ocean, while everyone else is still asleep. i make the coffee strong and drink my first cup outside, watching the boats go by. i always choose the same cup—pink, heavy, lop-sided. i never wear makeup on the island, only sunscreen and lipbalm. if we have guests i brush my hair and put on a slinky silk slip. the rest of the time i live in cut-off levis, bikini tops and sundresses that fall off my sunburned shoulders every time i laugh. we eat every meal outside, with yesterday’s paper shoved under one table leg and white porcelain plates on a red gingham tablecloth. for dinner there’s grilled fish my dad caught that day, pasta with mussels and white wine, fresh shrimps. breakfast takes an hour to prepare, even longer to eat. time slows down.

on rainy days i watch bergman films with my grandmother, a bowl of strawberries sitting between us on the striped coach. she tells me the story of meeting him at a party in stockholm and i act like it’s the first time. when it stops raining i drag a duvet outside with me and lie on the patio, reading books with the word summer in the title. i’ve read them all before, but that’s the point. on the island everything is ritual. the books on the shelf, the plates in the cupboard, the records on the player. i lose track of time. i don’t check my email for days. i sleep with the windows thrown wide open.

at night, my mother and i sit on the patio and talk, watching the sun slowly sink into the ocean—like a watercolor painting. we drink white wine and eat home-baked pastries with jam from her wicker basket. when it gets too cold we put on chunky knitted sweaters and shiver under a blanket until we finally give up and go to bed.

when we get restless my brother and i take his boat to one of the smaller towns along the coast, with their white tree houses and sidewalk cafés. we buy ice cream at the same kiosk every year and eat it while we walk along the water. i get lemon, mango and strawberry; he gets chocolate. we watch whatever movie’s showing at the local theater, usually an american blockbuster. i don’t complain about the plot for once. we browse the bookstore, buy croissants at the bakery, fruits and flowers for the table at the grocery store. maybe i pick up a fashion magazine and a cheap lipstick i’ll wear once, then forget about. we run into someone we don’t remember from middle school.

on midsummer’s eve there’s a party on a neighboring island and everyone dresses up. i bring flower crowns for all my little cousins and nieces, and curl the older girls’ hair. i wear something white and too short, drink too much wine and kiss a boy with long hair and squinty eyes. last year i picked seven kinds of wildflowers, put them under my pillow and dreamt about my ex. my sister said it was fine because it was the wrong night, but i still threw the flowers into the ocean, trusting the waves to take care of it. in return it offered me a smooth, matte piece of lilac sea-glass for my collection. i always say i’ll turn them into jewelry one day. maybe this summer i finally will.

there’s been other places, of course. other memories, other people. still, the island is the one place i always return to. it’s always there, always exactly the same. nothing ever changes there and nothing should. this august, like every august, i know i’ll cry on the train back to the city. i know i’ll feel like a stranger in my own life for days.

INS

-wearing 100% silk dresses

-eating a bowl of cherries by yourself

-dancing in the mud at a music festival

-sleeping with the windows open

-watching éric rohmer movies

-freckles

-seafood

-eating breakfast outside

-always having a book in your bag

-swimming in the ocean

-babydoll dresses

-packing picnics in a wicker basket

-losing all sense of time

-picking strawberries

-flirting shamelessly

-ballet flats

-kissing in public

-sunscreen(!!!)

-saying yes to adventures

-wearing no makeup

-wearing sparkly eyeshadow

-contradicting yourself

OUTS:

-commenting on other people’s bodies

-thinking about your own body too much

-fast fashion

-mosquitoes

-sunburns

-checking your email

-saying no, when you want to say yes

-nonchalance

-dating apps

-designer bags in raffia or straw

-coconut notes in perfume (on me)

-dimming your light for anyone (!!!)

thank you so much for reading! please tell me about your summer rituals in the comments <3

xoxo, aurora

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summer always bring out my inner boho girl and no one does glamorous and sexy boho chic quite like roberto cavalli. i’m eternally obsessed with the entire ss 2011 collection, but especially with the pants and fringe bags. it gives 70s groupie who realized she’s tired of being the muse and decided to become the rockstar instead.

a softer, more romantic boho look i’ve been obsessed with lately is bella hadid in custom chloé at an orabella launch. i love her blonde beach waves and sun-kissed glow.

i’m still dreaming about this pink organza bag from the ss26 chanel show. it’s so delicate and dreamy—like something a fairy princess would carry to a midsummer’s night’s feast in a flower meadow, filled with rose petals, love notes and fairy-dust.

i’m in love with these mermaid nails. my summer goal is to recreate this look.

every time petra collins and alexa demie collaborate magic happens and this gorgeous, dream-like shoot for i-d’s new zine is no exception. the way collins uses light always makes her work feel so ethereal, and alexa looks like a siren queen in these shots.

i have a collection of pretty seashells and ocean glass that i’ve been meaning to make some jewelry with, so i’ve been looking at ocean-themed belly chains for inspiration.

speaking of seashells, i’m very into the idea of using them for everything at the moment.

..including as a canvas for art…

…and as makeup inspo. this pink glossy look is so cool.

another pink, glossy thing i’m obsessed with right now is the row’s cecily bag in pink duchesse satin. it’s such a fun, colorful paty bag and it’s at the very top of my wishlist.

also on my wishlist is too l.a: letters never sent, a collection of eve babitz letters, edited by lili anolik. as a deeply devoted eve babitz fangirl who has re-read all her published work countless times, i’m beyond excited to get my hands on some new material.

this ss26 loveshackfancy dress reminds me of a coral reef. it gives mermaid in ibizia.

i don’t have a car, but i still want a stained glass sunroof. it’s so whimsical and pretty.

lastly, i’m on a mission to find the perfect pink, sparkly party bag for the summer. my entire pintrest feed is just variations of these bags at this point. so if anyone knows where the one on the right is from PLEASE LET ME KNOW (!!!) i need it desperately.

thank you for reading! please tell me in the comments what you’ve inspired by lately!

xoxo, aurora

to me sexiness isn’t a look you can buy, or an aesthetics you can copy from someone else. to me sexy is a state of mind, or perhaps rather a state of body—of embodiment. it’s the act of being fully present in your body and dizzily aware of all your senses. it’s seeking out pleasure in all its shapes and forms. it’s feeling gloriously and messily alive. so to start my summer of sexiness, here’s a list of things that make me feel sexy:

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indulging my appetite

all bodies can be sexy, but starving yourself isn’t. having a voracious appetite and taking pleasure in the food you eat is. anthony bourdain (one of the sexiest people ever) agreed—he once said that the sexiest thing you can do on a date is eat with fearless abandon, because it shows that you’re comfortable with yourself. ordering exactly what you want from the menu and savoring each bite means that you’re present in the moment, prioritizing your own enjoyment over how you’re being perceived. that’s why i think the most sensual scene in blue is the warmest color isn’t one of the many explicit sex scenes, but the scene where adèle devours a plate of spaghetti—licking the knife and sucking her fingers without a hint of self consciousness. there’s something very erotic about making a bit of a mess in your pursuit of pleasure. biting into a sweet, ripe peach and feeling its juice trickling down your chin. licking melting ice cream off your wrist. slurping down a briny oyster.

dancing

bodies are sexiest in motion, and my favorite way to move mine is by dancing. whether it’s in the ballet studio, a friend’s living room or in a dark, sweaty club at 2 am—dancing always makes me feel ecstatically alive. there’s nothing more intoxicating than letting yourself be seduced by the music and losing yourself in a beat so thick it reverberates through your bones—dancing until your mascara runs and your skin glistens with sweat. you absolutely don’t have to be a good dancer to find joy on the dancefloor. dancing badly is sexy, as long you as you throw away your inhibitions and move without restraint. if you’re worried about how you look, you’re doing it wrong.

wearing natural fabrics

i put on a 100% silk slip dress today and instantly became at least 25% hotter. not simply because i love the way i look in it, but because i love the way it feels on my body. the way is skims my silhouette like water; the almost liquid coolness of the fabric brushing against my thighs; the casual way a strap slips off my shoulder when i lean in to hear what someone is saying. i feel the same affection for a warm, earth-colored cashmere sweater in the fall, a thick wool coat in winter, a white cotton nightdress so airy i feel like it breaths with me in spring. the sexiest clothes will always be the ones that are made to last for a long time, to move trough life with you.

making out

i’ve always been a passionate defender of the good old fashioned make-out sesh, and i’ll stand by that forever. in fact, i think the only thing sexier than actually having sex is making out. ideally for hours. until your body feels like it’s made out of candle wax, all hot and soft and malleable to the touch; your lips red and swollen, like ripe strawberries. the perfect make-out session can be with someone you just met at a dive bar, or your partner of ten years, the only thing that matter is that the feeling of their lips on yours makes your bones melt—because otherwise, what’s the fucking point?

reading a thick russian classic

it doesn’t actually have to be long, or russian, or even a classic—it simply has to be a book that challenges me intellectually, and forces me to slow down and concentrate on what i’m reading. i find it deeply stimulating to engage with work that feels just beyond my reach. trying to grasp it’s meaning creates a from of tension that feels almost erotic to me. maybe it’s the delayed gratification—longing is always sexy.

being inspired

i think it was elizabeth gilbert who wrote about dressing up for your muse, and i love that idea. when i’m feeling uninspired i often put on a sexy little silk slip and dark red lipstick before sitting down to write, and surprisingly often, it does make a difference. even the muses appreciate a bit of seduction from time to time. which really shouldn’t surprise me at all, since the moment when inspiration finally strikes and a new idea takes shape feels almost indistinguishable from the heady rush of falling into lust.

having an animated conversation

conversation is an underrated art, but i’ve always been a deeply devoted patron. i love sitting around a table with a group of people passionately discussing what we’ve been reading, the latest political scandal, our chaotic love lives. as i’ve said before i think people are sexiest in motion, so i often feel very sexy mid-conversation, when i’m nearly knocking over a wineglass because i’m talking too enthusiastically with my hands, or throwing my head back to laugh at something my friend said. connection is sexy, and it starts with putting your phone away for a few hours and being curious about the people around you instead. the easiest way to seduce me is to ask me an interesting question. as anais nïn wrote: “there are two ways to reach me: by way of kisses or by way of the imagination. but there is a hierarchy: the kisses alone don’t work.”

travelling

i think we all become sexier, more daring versions of ourselves on vacation. maybe because we have no responsibilities, or maybe because we feel like our slightly reckless actions will have no permanent consequences on how we’re perceived. we say yes more often, with less hesitation, we chase adventure. without our daily routines to dull our senses we also become more present in the moment, more open, truly immersing ourselves in every new sensation. all the new the tastes and smells and textures. of course, some destinations are sexier than others. i’ve always found there’s something very sensual about arriving somewhere tropical at night, seeing a new place for the first time lit only by the glare of neon signs and glistening moonlight—the warm night air heady with the scent of foreign flowers, ocean salt and exhaust.

keeping secrets

i know i said i’m tired of restraint, but i love contradicting myself. like a dress that leaves a little something to the imagination, there’s something alluring in keeping certain things to yourself. a secret crush, a daydream, an inside joke for one. not everything has to be shared, and not everyone deserves access to your interior world. i love oversharing, but i always feel hot and mysterious when i don’t. privacy is sexy.

wearing perfume

i don’t need makeup to feel sexy, but i do need perfume. i think perfume is inherently sensual. the way it melts into your skin and mixes with your natural scent, the way it lingers on someone’s clothes long after you’ve hugged them goodbye. i always feel the sexiest when i’m wearing something a little starling and strange, something that makes people lean in a little closer because they just have to smell it again. like something sweet and sultry, with an unexpected sharpness hiding underneath.

flirting

flirting is a dying art and i, for one, think that’s devastating. i’d hate to live in a world where seduction is reduced to soulless swiping on a screen. i need something tactile, a frisson of desire. my favorite thing about flirting is that it’s so expansive. it opens a door out of the ordinary, into a room made entirely of possibilities. you don’t have to walk trough it, but you could if you wanted to. that’s what makes it so sexy. i think we should all be flirting more, and not always with romantic intentions. i flirt with my best friends, compliment old ladies on their hair, and banter with the bus driver all the time. having these playful little interactions with people adds so much texture to my days, and the tiny sparks of joy they bring me make me feel vibrant, radiant and sexy.

smoking a cigarette after sex

self-explanatory, no?

thank you for reading! please tell me in the comments what makes you feel sexy!

xoxo, aurora

may is the loveliest month—everything is bursting into bloom, and so am i. i finally feel like myself again after the longest winter and a shaky start to spring. i’ve been running around in my ballet flats and pink silk, with at least three books in my bag at all times. i’ve been reading on park benches, drinking wine in sidewalk cafés with my friends, and going for long walks with my headphones on. i’ve had one minor existential crisis and watched exactly six pastel colored sunsets from my balcony. i’ve also been crying a lot—in museums, on trains, in the pasta aisle of the grocery store at 4 pm on a tuesday. but that’s part of blossoming too, i think. i’m starting to feel hopeful again, and summer’s so close i taste it in the air on hot evenings—sweet and a little salty. anyway, here’s a few of the things that me smile or cry or both this month:

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READING:

ghost stories: a memoir by siri hustvedt

what i loved by siri hustvedt is one of my favorite novels, and in it one of the characters describes their marriage as “one long conversation”, which i’ve always considered the height of romance. ghost stories: a memoir is the story of siri hustvedt’s own marriage to the late novelist paul auster, and reading it very much did feel like being privy to one long conversation between the couple. told through journal entries, e-mails, notes and love letters, it’s an intimate and tender portrait of a 43 year long marriage, as well as a clear eyed, but emotional meditation on grief and love. an achingly beautiful read.

the trio by johanna hedman

set in stockholm over the course of two summers, this novel follows a trio of young people from different backgrounds as they’re drawn together, and torn apart. there’s thora, the daughter of a wealthy family; august, her best friend and ex-lover; and hugo, a student staying with thora’s family. the trio is a poetic and poignant ode to the intense, but fleeting relationships that alter us in permanent ways, and to the people whose part in shaping our identities long outlasts their physical presence in our lives.

yesteryear by caro claire burke

this book has the most delicious premise—natalie, a tradwife influencer, wakes up in the year 1855 and is forced to live the life she’s been romanticizing for her millions of followers. alternating chapters follows her as she navigates her new reality, and retraces the steps that brought here there. i wasn’t expecting this book to be so difficult to put down, but i was hooked by the plot, the wild twists and natalie’s voice. i love an unlikable female narrator who is seething with rage behind a perfect facade.

famesick by lena dunham

like every other girl in her 20s on the internet, i read lena dunham’s new memoir this month. it tells the story of dunham’s rise to fame, and fall from grace in three acts. in its pages she shares behind the scenes stories from the set of her hit show girls, and opens up about her romantic relationships, her struggles with her mental health, chronic illnesses and addiction, as well as her journey to sobriety and a healthier body. it’s intimate, vulnerable and searingly honest—required reading for all the girls girlies.

frida slattery as herself by ana kinsella

i don’t know what’s in the water in ireland, but i’ve yet to read a book by a female irish author i didn’t adore. this one feels normal people adjacent in both plot and form. it splits its pov between two characters: actress, frida slattery and director, john reddan, and follows them from the moment they first meet in a dublin pub in 2006, trough the next 15 years of their lives, which will take them from dublin to london, new york and la, as well as from collaborators, to friends, to lovers, to strangers and back again.

champagne supernovas by maureen callahanby

the 90s were a revolutionary decade in fashion—with heroin chic and alternative youth culture taking over the magazines and runways. champagne supernova is a biography of the fashion scene at the time, told trough the lives of three of its most iconic and rebellious figures: kate moss, marc jacobs, and alexander mcqueen. reading this felt like sneaking in backstage at new york fashion week and listening to the insiders gossip—thrilling and tiltaling, but a little lacking in substance and depth.

QOUTING:

“she was either weeping out of sheer boredom or looking through fashion magazines.” —anton chekhov

“i don’t think i am cut out for one man. nor could i be faithful to one man. not because of other men, but because i myself am made up of so many people.” —etty hillesum

“it is time to be drunk! so as not to be the martyred slaves of time, be drunk, be continually drunk! on wine, on poetry or on virtue as you wish.” —charles baudelaire

“reality doesn’t impress me. i only believe in intoxication, in ecstasy, and when ordinary life shackles me, i escape, one way or another.” —anaïs nin

WATCHING:

mile end kicks (2025)

this indie sleaze rom-com set in the 2010s follows grace, a 22-year-old music critic, as she moves to montreal to write a book about alanis morissette’s jagged little pill, and becomes romantically involved with two members from the same indie rock band. i rarely fall for modern rom-coms but this one’s achingly charming, funny and nostalgic—period accurate down to the peter pan collars, wedges and open mic poetry nights. it’s as much a love letter to young women finding their voices, as it is a love story.

the devils wears prada 2 (2026)

while i did miss the magic of the opening montage and the sparkly world of 2000s journalism, this is one of the few sequels i’ve truly enjoyed watching. it’s an expensive, glossy fashion fairy-tale and that’s exactly what i want from a film like this. it was so fun seeing the whole cast back together again, and simone ashley was a perfect addition. though of course, no one can compare to the original emily. she stole every single scene she was in (again). oh, how i hope print magazines never die (!!!)

love (kjærlighet) 2024

this film follows marianne, an unmarried doctor in her 40s, and tor, a gay nurse, as they navigate modern romance and dating. it’s very conversation driven, the camera often lingering on them as they sit and talk about their views on love and sex. i’ve struggled to connect with haugerud’s films in the past because i find them a little cold and distant, but this one radiates warmth. it’s the kind of film that makes me belive in humanity again. a tender, sensitive exploration of intimate relationships. a cinematic love letter to oslo nights, ferry rides, chance meetings and the kindness of strangers.

marie antoinette (2006)

marie antoinette has become a symbol of excessive wealth and spending, her infamous misquote—let them eat cake—a shorthand for the casual cruelty of the elite. in sofia coppola’s version she’s just a girl in a gilded cage, before being just a girl was a thing. her girlhood illustrated perfectly by a pair of lilac converse high-tops tossed carelessly on the floor. in a singl shot, coppola collapses time—lifting the infamous queen out of the dusty pages of history and dropping her unceremoniously onto any teenage girl’s bed, amid girly debris like lipstick and barrettes. she’s just like us—crying alone in her room, soothing herself with sweet treats, and girl-rotting in the bathtub. like a doll in a dollhouse, she’s completely out of touch with reality, ignorant to the suffering and poverty beyond the palace walls until the very end, when a mob gathers at the gates, calling for her head. only then does the sugar-coated delusions of the aristocracy dissolve, carried away on the turning tides of history. a lavish, candy-colored tragedy.

PLAYING:

rock music and ss26 by charli xcx

you can always tell that charli is so back when no one gets it. rock music is so indie sleaze 2010 tumblr girl with torn fishnets, docs and messy hair coded and i love ittt.

ss26 is like rock music’s chic, nihilistic older sister who smokes skinny cigarettes, reads vogue, and sits front row at fashion week—an existential crises on the runway.

promise (when you go) by after

after’s newest song is the perfect soundtrack for your summer crush—listening to it makes me feel like there’s butterflies and lotus flowers coming out of my headphones.

bitches talk shit by sophie stel

the house party you’re not cool enough to get invited to in song form.

jeep my kim petras

i’ve never been a kim petras girlie, but i love her new album. this song makes me feel nostalgic for all the summer nights i spent hanging out in cars with older guys, listening to frank ocean, smoking cigarettes, and just driving with no destination.

hot honey by baby nova

i’ve loved baby nova since i heard “too pretty for buffalo” and this lana del rey-esque song about a good girl corrupted by her doomed loved for a bad man is just gorgeous.

i also made a lick the pearl playlist to collect all the songs i’ve mentioned in one place.

WEARING:

ballet flats

if i could wear ballet flats every single day, i would. the ones getting the most wear at the moment are these pink ones from repetto and my black maison margiela tabis. i’m also dreaming of the pink satin tabis and a mesh pair. i haven’t found the perfect ones yet, but i really want something like these from the row, only in white or powder pink.

silk dresses

i’m so happy it’s finally warm enough to wear silk slip dresses again. they make me feel so chic and sexy, and i love how luxurious they feel on my skin. with a leather jacket and ballet flats, they’re my favorite spring outfit and i wear them constantly.

caia dewy drops

this has been my favorite foundation to use in the spring and summer since it came out. it feels fresh and light on my skin, and i’m in love with the dewy, blurry finish.

skims wrap bralette

i very rarely wear a bra, but i adore this sheer bralette from skims in 100% silk. it’s so pretty and so comfortable, i never want to take it off. i think i might need the top too.

TREATING:

pasta

i’ve been cooking more at home this month—mostly pasta—with the windows open, a glass of white wine and a record playing (usually amy or lana). my favorite dish to make in spring is pasta al limone. it’s so simple—just linguine or spagetthi cooked in lemon zest, garlic and olive oil, with butter, parmesan and basil—but so delicious.

sidewalk cafes

one of spring’s sweetest pleasures in sitting at a sidewalk cafe, sipping on a glass of wine or an aperol spritz, with friends or just a paperback or magazine for company.

pink peonies

peonies are my favorite flowers and it’s finally peony season (!!!) i have pretty pink bouquets in every room—filling my apartment with the sweet, dewy smell of summer.

perfume discovery sets

my signature scent, girl of the year, is a little too smoky for the hottest summer days, so i’ve been treating myself to a few discovery sets, trying to find a new scent for the summer. my favorite so far is sweat, tears, paradise from dicothèque. it’s a salty, white floral scent that’s supposed to evoke the essence of a beach rave—with notes of absinthe, lily and ocean salt. i picture a mermaid stepping out of the glistening ocean, dripping in pearls, to dance the night away on a sweaty dance floor, drenched in neon.

RECOMMENDING:

the devil wears...no. the devil goes online by musings mode

a passionate love letter to fashion journalism and print magazines.

is this the return of youth media? by emily harper

another love letter to print media, specifically teen girl magazines.

girls on the internet: a love letter to online girlhood by aischa daughtery

a nostalgic history of girlhood, online.

a study of sofia coppola films by adeleide

a beautiful study of sofia coppola’s work.

a small exhibition of girlhood by chloe

a curated collection of artworks that feel like girlhood.

the problem with elsewhere by the city edit

a beautifully written piece on the constant longing for elsewhere.

the ultimate style inspirations are female authors by holly scarlett

on female authors and their style, in writing and clothes.

we lost the art of having fun on a random wednesday night by halyna

a passionate defense of ruining your sleep schedule to have fun.

to all the cities i never lived in (and wish i had) by tiana

an ode to the cities you never lived in, but still yearn for sometimes.

my rules for a middle school summer by daelyn

i’m saving this list for inspiration for a slower, simpler summer.

please tell me what your favorites of the months have been! what have you been reading, watching, wearing and listening to? did you find any new obsessions?

xoxo, aurora

in december i moved into a new apartment with a ceiling rose and a tiny balcony, just like i’ve always dreamed about. it was my third move that year. after all the boxes had been carried inside, and all the cheap wine bottles had been emptied, and all of my friends had gone home—their tipsy laughter still echoing through the corridor—i sat on the floor and watched the worst person in the world. it’s what i do when i feel lost.

the thing is, in the weeks leading up to this move i’d been ruminating, rethinking all of my life choices. i’d been walking to the bus stop at 6 a.m. listening to “everything is romantic” ft. caroline polacheck on my wired headphones, trying to convince myself there was still something romantic about those dark winter mornings and the burning in my core after pilates. i’d been trying to romanticize my life, but it was hard. it was hard because early mornings in pink polyester on oslo west don’t hit like late nights in black silk in east london, and because i wasn’t sure i was where i was supposed to be, or where i was going. i felt stuck, like a jewelry box ballerina spinning in place.

but everything looks more beautiful on screen. falling in love. feeling lost. finding yourself, then losing yourself again. even loneliness is easy to romanticize when it’s painted in the rosy glow of a setting sun—its jagged edges soothed by soft lighting, and a bittersweet indie track playing in the background. the city you live in takes on an aura of romance on screen, like when you see your partner from across the room, as a stranger would—still mysterious and alluring. it’s life as you always dreamed it could be. all bruised watercolor skies and cinematic skylines. your sadness always poetic, never just but sad. it’s like the difference between being alone and feeling lonely.

that’s why i return to certain films when i feel caught somewhere between the two. the worst person in the world. frances ha. lost in translation. films about girls who don’t know what they want, or what they’re doing. girls like me, drifting aimlessly through their 20s. somehow, they always bridge the gap. they show me how to keep moving, even when i’m not sure of my direction. because there’s beauty to be found in the detours as well. sometimes watching the right movie at the right time feels a lot like being seen,

there’s something about feeling lost in my 20s i’m embarrassed to write about. it’s like relating to sally rooney characters, or calling yourself a writer, or wanting to move to new york—so obvious. there’s already so many books, movies and substack articles written about the experience that i can’t help but wonder if there’s anything new left to say. maybe there isn’t. maybe we’re all just living the same canon events in different fonts. describing the same feelings with the same stolen analogies about rotting fruits.

but the thing is, it doesn’t really matter. no matter how common a feeling is, or how many people have felt it before you—when you’re in it, you’ll always believe you’re the first person to ever feel that way. at least until you stumble upon a line in a book or a scene in a movie which makes you feel like you’re looking into a mirror, seeing a part of yourself that you didn’t even know how to name reflected back at you. that’s when you realize that nothing is original, but that it doesn’t have to be in order to matter.

so yes, i’ve read sylvia plath. yes, i’ve memorized the fig tree analogy. yes, i know that feeling lost in your 20s is the biggest cliché there is. and yet—i’m in my 20s and i feel lost. i feel overwhelmed by choice and paralyzed by indecision. i waste away my days, then spiral in my bedroom at 3 am because i don’t know what i’m doing with my life.

i convince myself that my doubts are a symptom of something more profound than being stuck in this liminal, in-between stage of my life. that they’re a sign there’s something deeply, fundamentally wrong with me. i feel like a fig with a decaying wasp at its core, slowly rotting from the inside out. i feel like the worst person in the world.

around me, everyone seems to be figuring things out, slowly working towards some kind of goal, while i’m still floundering. trying on identities like dresses and discarding them as easily when they don’t fit quite right. changing addresses as often as other people change jackets—as if i’ll find myself if i search in the right zip code, as if the version of me i’m searching for is a stranger whose sleeve will brush against mine on the street someday. i’m waiting for something, but i don’t know what it is.

meanwhile, i watch my friends weave the separate strands of their lives—education, interests, work, relationships—into a cohesive whole. when i try to do the same, all my strands get tangled up in impossible knots. i’m always starting over, with a little less thread each time. eventually, i’ll run out. i don’t know how to finish what i start. i never commit to anything. i quit ballet. i dropped out of medical school. i left the only man i’ve ever loved. i never let myself be happy where i’m at, i’m always longing for something more. i want to live a rich, expansive life. i want to be great or nothing. still, i keep doubling down on my indecision, letting even more time slip away. the thought of wasting my potential makes me feel sick, but i don’t know how to stop.

i want to be a dancer and a doctor and a designer. i want to move to paris and new york and marrakech. i want to start a magazine. i want to write a novel. i want to create my own perfume. i want to be fluent in six languages. i want to get married and stay with one person forever. i want to have a dozen epic love affairs. i want and i want and i want—and i don’t know how to choose one fig when i want to devour them all.

that night, almost six months ago, i finished watching the movie at 3 am, with entirely un-poetic black mascara tears streaming down my cheeks. it didn’t provide any answers, or tell me what to do with my life, it didn’t even make me feel less lost, but as the credits rolled—i felt alone, not lonely. i think that’s what art is for. it’s the only way we have of expressing the inexplicable, of making someone else feel exactly what we feel. i can’t imagine anything more beautiful to devote your life to. so maybe i was wrong, maybe the film did provide some answers after all. maybe in another six months i’ll still have the same address and art on my walls, or maybe i’ll cut bangs and move to a brand new city. maybe i’ll be making something beautiful, something that will make someone else feel less lonely. i don’t know, but i hope so. i really, really do.

xoxo, aurora

welcome back to another installment of inspo dumping, the series in which i put my digital hoarding tendencies and catastrophic screentime to good use for a change and share a selection of what i’ve been pinning, saving and screen-shotting lately:

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after another met gala deprived of the olsen twins, i felt nostalgic and decided to go through all of their past looks. though there are so many iconic ones, this one has always been my favorite. i love everything about it. the messy waves, the silk opera coat, the layered necklaces. it’s the perfect combination of cool, messy and chic.

speaking of silk coats, they’re my latest fashion obsession and i’m praying to the fickle vintage gods that i’ll find one even half as beautiful as these. i love the connor ives ones all the it girls (from kate moss to zoe kravitz) are wearing, but i’d do unspeakable things for this quilted pink daydream of a coat from a/w 2016 alexander mcqueen.

i like a bag charm, but i feel like the trend is a little oversaturated at the moment, so of course the natural evolution is to start personalizing other items in a similar way. this super cute sandy liang skirt is the perfect next step, with its little plastic pockets for displaying your favorite trinkets. using your tights as pockets is a slightly less practical way to add some whimsy to your outfit, but it looks so cool in photographs.

i can’t stop thinking about these skirts. the embroidered ballerina skirt from hermès looks like something molly gunn would wear on a date with the next jeff buckley, and the one of a kind upcycled dior silk skirt from highly liquid is an actual piece of art. since they’re sadly both unattainable, i’ll just have to keep daydreaming about them.

my color combination of the week is pastel pink and a pale, cool-toned green. there’s something delicate and calming about it. it feels very zen, like a lotus pond in spring.

i’m constantly nostalgic for vintage technology. i want a bedazzled flip phone and a pink ipod nano, but more than anything i want tech made in this specific material. please give me a sheer pink plastic macbook, and i pinky promise i won’t go analog.

no single artist (except maybe lana del rey) has impacted and inspired me more than petra collins. she captures girls in their natural habitat—hanging out in their poster-covered bedrooms, taking mirror selfies, fixing their make-up in the school bathroom—but bathed in such ethereal light that they look like otherworldly creatures. her new photography book star tells the story of a fictional pop star and her obsessive fans, and explores the darker side of fame and the dangers of parasocial relationships.

japanese collage-artist yoko hasegawa creates the most delicate, intricate pieces by layering different materials like lace, beads, stones, kimono fabric, perfume labels, gold leaf, and nail varnish. i find her flower series completely enchanting.

after is my favorite band at the moment, and i’m almost as enamored by their visual world as with their sound. they have this incredibly dreamy and nostalgic and 2000’s vibe, and i just love how cohesive their aesthetic is—from their cover art and music videos, to what they wear on stage and in photoshoots. it all feels very authentic.

another petra collins moment i’m obsessed with right now is the “drop dead” music video directed by her, where olivia rodrigo wears jane birkin’s iconic white dress, lounges in a bed filled with pastel colored pillows, and dances around versailles in a chloé babydoll top, ruffled silk bloomers and knee-high socks like a modern day marie antoinette. it’s whimsical, feminine and playful. kinderwhore meets rococo rebel.

thank you for reading! please tell me in the comments what you’ve inspired by lately!

xoxo, aurora

t.s eliot wrote that april is the cruelest month, and this year i finally understood. another writer i adore, josefine klougart, wrote about how in spring there’s a predominance of things you remember—like other springs, other people you used to love. maybe that’s why some spring days feels so heavy, in spite of all the light. they’re weighed down by past springs, past selves, past loves. there’s something about the light at certain times of days that almost makes me cry, a sweetness in the air that makes me long for something i can’t name. i walk down a side street and stumble upon a scene from a past life—stone steps covered in cherry blossom petals where i once sat quoting neruda to a lover, feeling so original. i lost myself for a little while this april, but here’s a few of the things that helped me slowly come back to myself.

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READING:

life of the party by tea hacic-vlahoic

set in milan, this novel follows an american expat in her 20s as she navigates the city’s hedonistic party scene, a budding career in fashion pr and a toxic relationship with an older, married man. in spite of the glamorous setting, the pages of this book feel caked in glitter and grime. the prose is unpolished, but magnetic. the literary equivalent of a party girl waking up the morning after with smeared make-up and bruised knees. she light a cig and pop an unidentifiable pill from the bottom of her beat-up balenciaga.

role play by clara drummond

this searingly sharp and stylish stream-of-consciousness novella satirizes brazil’s wealthy elite and the corrupt system built on favors, bribes and nepotism, that they strive to uphold at all costs. the protagonist, vivian, is an art-world nepo-baby whose internal monologue veers sharply between delusional and hyper self-aware. she’s privileged, depressed and nihilistic to the core. conscious of the injustices taking place around her, but too comfortably numb to care. (“i’d totally be a robspierre type if i could, but i’m really more of a marie antoinette.”) this is for the ottessa moshfegh girlies.

if i ruled the world by amy dubois barnett

set in the late 90s—the golden age of print media—this novel follows nikki rose, the only black editor at a prestigious fashion magazine after she’s offered the role of editor in chief at a sugar—a struggling hip hop music and lifestyle magazine. she only has six months to save the magazine, and her new role means she has to navigate a male-dominated industry fueled by wealth, debauchery and brutal power-struggles. this fed two of my biggest obsessions: nyc in the 90s and the magazine business.

what am i a deer? by polly barton

the protagonist of what am i a deer? moves from england to frankfurt to work as a translator for a game company. after a brief encounter on the train, she develops an all-consuming crush on a man who works for the same company. though very little actually happens between them, her daydreams of him become the backdrop to this chapter of her life. she falls in love with a version of him she’s created inside her head, and everything she experiences is colored by her feelings for him, including the city itself. a relatable deep dive into the anatomy of a crush, or a state of limerence.

open wide by jessica gross

this is advanced weird girl reading. open wide follows, olive, a radio host with a secret obsession for recording herself, and others, during social interactions. she’s desperate for connection, but chronically single so when she finally finds love with theo—a surgeon who volunteers at the same place as her—she falls hard. so hard she feels like she physically can’t get close enough him, at least not until the night she discovers a way to literally crawl inside of him. this was an absurd, but beautifully written, and very thought provoking meditation on love, intimacy, consent and co-dependency.

american spirits by anna dorn

lana del rey is a religious figure to me, so of course this was my most anticipated book of the year, and it didn’t disappoint. american spirits follows three women: blue velour, a lana del rey inspired pop star; sasha harlow, her producer and rumored girlfriend, and rose lutz,an obsessive superfan who runs a subreddit dedicated to speculations about blue and sasha’s relationship. when rose becomes blue’s assistent, and they all end up quarantining together in a remote luxury cabin it’s the start of what i can only describe as a toxic parasocial psychosexual sapphic lynchian fever dream. i’d rate it 5 stars for the campy song titles alone. (my favorite is “a vape cartridge named desire”)

WATCHING:

faustine and the beautiful summer (1972)

a beautiful, dreamy coming of age story about a parisian teenager spending the summer in the country with her grandparents, and becoming intrigued by the large bohemian family in the neighboring house—especially the divorced father. the cinematography is as soft and hazy as a pastoral daydream, sensual in a way that feels designed for the female gaze. like the strap of your sundress slipping off your shoulder. all roses, chiffon curtains, silk ribbons, floaty dresses and so much gingham.

the drama (2026)

this is the kind of movie people start talking about the second they leave the cinema, and that’s always been the mark of a good movie to me. it’s dark, funny and definitley polarizing, but i loved it. i think exploring our culture’s obsession with moral policing and cancel culture trough the microcosm of a relationship was such an interesting choice. zendaya and robert pattinson both gave incredible performances as a couple who reveal their deepest, darkest secrets to each other only days before their wedding.

forbidden fruits (2026)

hot girls in cunty outfits running a witchy cult in the basement of the mall, making potions in a rhinestone-covered cowboy boot, putting hexes on boys and doing confessionals in the dressing room mirror? girly cinema is so back. this was so fun, so camp, so gory. like mean girls meets the craft. i’m obsessed with the aesthetic and cast.

ready or not 2: here i come (2026)

women killing men and getting covered in blood is my favorite genre, so of course i loved this. samara weaving and kathryn newton make an iconic sister duo, and seeing sarah michelle gellar back in horror movies is so personal to me. (rip helen shivers)

something very bad is going to happen (2026)

this was so addictive and anxiety-inducing i watched it in one day. it has everything i crave in horror: an unsettling atmosphere, an iconic female lead, fucked up family dynamics and shocking twists. i’d gladly curse my bloodline to marry camila morrone.

summer house s10

i’m currently obsessed with analyzing every single ciara/west/amanda interaction in the new episodes like i’m nancy drew trying to solve a mystery, but this is starting to feel more like a horror movie. i need the reunion to be 10 hours of unedited footage.

PLAYING:

the outbound by after

this has been my theme song for spring, it’s so atmospheric, nostalgic and dreamy. listening to it makes me feel like i’m in the intro for a 2000s reality show set in california, driving to the mall in a blue convertible, my hair blowing in the wind.

drop dead by olivia rodrigo

this song’s literally a crush in song form. a sweet euphoric rush of breathless vocals, romantic confessions and soaring strings that make you want to run trough a museum holding hands with your crush and kiss in front of a painting of famous lovers. olivia frolicking through versailles in a babydoll and bloomers like a modern-day marie antoinette in the petra collins directed music video is so on my spring moodboard.

woman lake by snuggle

warm, hazy dream-pop with ethereal vocals, fuzzy guitars and enchanting melodies. listening to it feels like wearing a vintage silk kimono and smoking a cigarette.

feel your rain by eli

this sparkly y2k inspired pop banger from eli is one my favorite 2026 releases so far. it’s super catchy, sexy and fun. every time i put it on i instantly feel transported to a girly 2000’s bedroom with posters on the walls, beaded curtains, and a lava lamp.

tonight by girlsweetvoiced

girlsweetvoiced samples joni mitchell’s “river” on a love song that sounds as sweet and light as cherry blossoms, with vocals clearer than moonlight reflected on water.

unknown loverz by slayyyter

i don’t if it’s the lyrics referencing gas stations, cigarettes and dancing to records, slayyyter’s uncharacteristically pouty, breathy vocals, or the music video where she twirls around in a fur coat, waves sparklers in the air and plays with a bedazzled gun, but this is giving unreleased lana del rey and that’s my favorite genre of song.

WEARING:

leather jackets

if there’s one thing i don’t need it’s more leather jackets, and if there’s one thing i’m going to do do every single spring it’s buy a new leather jacket. this year i landed on this oversized bomber from meotine and i love her so much. though if my budget allowed for it, i probably would’ve invested in this biker jacket from arakii too.

cou cou intimates briefs

spring always makes me crave cute underwear, and i have a soft spot for anything embroidered—it just lends such a personal touch—so of course i love these cou cou intimates ones that speak to all of my personalities: lover, reader and philosopher

cou cou intimates rina long sleeve

speaking of cou cou intimates i’ve been living in my rina long-sleeve top all month. i have it in baby pink and i love it so much i’ve already ordered a black one too. it has the perfect fit, inspired by the iconic style of jane birkin and off-duty ballet dancer. i’ve been wearing it with everything: flared jeans, capris, midi skirts and track pants.

colored tights

i think this counts as an addiction at this point. i have far too many but my favorites are these soft pink ones from swedish stockings (which are also available mint green.)

ysl make me blush bold blurring blush in #42 babydoll pink

i usually don’t love blushes with highlighter in them, but i adore this delicious and delicate pink one from YSL. it’s as pretty and pearlescent as the inside of a shell.

TREATING:

vietnamese ice coffee

moving into an apartment right across the street from a vietnamese restaurant is one of the best moves i’ve made, and so is switching to vietnamese iced coffee. it’s smoky, sweet and strong—with almost twice as much as caffeine as regular ice coffee.

outdoor thrift markets

it’s finally thrift market season in my city, there’s few things i love more than spending a sunday morning out in the sun enjoying an iced coffee and getting some shopping done at the same time. my favorite finds this month include the gossip girl books, a stack of vintage vogues from the late 90s (!!!), a wicker basket, a pair of baggy levis jeans and a pink silk nightgown with a lace trim, which i won’t be sleeping in.

festival tickets

another spring staple for me is planning the festival summer with my friends. we all have very different taste so there’s always a healthy debate about which ones to prioritize. the line up i’m most excited about this year is definitley roskilde’s. i want to see addison rae, ethel cain, lykke li, jade, snuggle, nourished by time, frost children, smerz, oklou, cobrah, zara larsson, wolf alice, yung lean and bladee to name a few.

cherry blossoms

i’ve been walking instead of taking the bus to classes, just so i can enjoy the sight and scent of the cherry trees in full bloom. they’re my favorite sign of spring in the city,

l’occitane shea hand cream

i love it when i buy something for the chic packaging alone and actually end up loving the product. this is the perfect hand cream, it’s rich without being greasy, absorbs quickly, and leaves my hands feeling silky smooth for hours. it’s a classic for a reason.

RECOMMENDING:

petition to bring back the ‘90s by vivian o’neal

a fun and practical guide to making your life feel more 90s.

in defense of maximalism by the city edit

a beautiful love letter to maximalism and the art of being a lot.

the best fashion in films by noor cavens

a flawless list of iconic on-screen fashion.

sad girl glitter: euphoria, makeup, and the aesthetics of gen‑z disillusionment by alexandra

a fascinating article on the link between the glittery make-up of euphoria and gen-z nihilism.

the 2016 trend is a sign we’ve given up on the future by marie

an analysis of the 2016 trend and the problem with nostalgia

the rom-com job: the myth of the big-city writer and the fantasy I still return to by chloe jackson

on the myth of the magazine girl and what made journalism the ultimate rom-com dream job.

i quit social media for a week by vonin

an inspiring and relatable piece reflecting on a week with no social media.

the internet’s favorite personality trait: being different by halyna

a brilliant take on online pick-me culture and pseudo-intellectualism

please tell me what your favorites of the months have been! what have you been reading, watching, wearing and listening to? did you find any new obsessions?

xoxo, aurora

hi! in honor of addison performing at coachella this month i thought i’d combine two of my favorite things to talk about—hot girl books and pop girlies—and recommend some books based on your favorite track on my album of the year. it might not have won the grammy, but it went triple platinum in my bedroom, and that’s all that counts.

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new york + happy hour by marlowe granados

there are countless books set in new york city, but this is the only one that feels as exhilarating as dancing to addison rae all night in a dirty downtown club. happy hour follows two girls who move to new york for the summer with no money or plans. it reads like an exuberant love letter to being young, broke and in pursuit of pleasure in a city that never sleeps, to a freedom so vast it feels intoxicating and dizzying at once.

for: aspiring it girls

diet pepsi + anthropology of an american girl by hilary thayer hamann

breathy and breathless all at once “diet pepsi” is a love letter to first love and a girl’s sexual awakening—so is anthropology of an american girl. it’s a book i haven’t read since i was a teenager myself, so my memories of its plot are kind of hazy, but what lingers is an atmosphere of summer heat, the heady rush of first love and sticky backseats.

for: the girls who call their boyfriend daddy

money is everything + marie antoinette by antonia fraser

this song feels sweeter than cotton candy and wears it’s tongue-in-cheek materialism on its diamond-dripping sleeve. it’s tempting to pair it with a gentlemen prefer blondes because of the obvious norma jean reference, but if there’s someone who loved diamonds even more than lorelei lee, it’s marie antionette—the original hedonistic, shopaholic party girl. rip queen, you would’ve loved addison rae (and online shopping.)

for: the girls with shopping addictions

aquamarine – upon a starlit tide by kell woods

this has been my favorite song on the album since the first time i heard it. it feels siren-like and ethereal. like a mermaid dripping in pearls, dancing in a night club under the sea. with its lyrics about transformations and oceans, it’s perfectly paired with upon a starlit tide, a gorgeous fairytale which weaves strands of “the little mermaid” and “cinderella” into a magical tale of transformation and freedom.

for: girls who loved playing mermaids in the pool

high fashion + sugar, baby by celine saintclare

with lyrics like “i don’t need your drugs, i’d rather have high fashion” this song instantly made me think of sugar, baby. it follows a young woman who works as a housecleaner with her mom, as she gets pulled into the luxurious life of sugar-dating, via the glamorous daughter of her employer. also: how gorgeous is this cover???

for: the girls who have at least 10 designer bags on their wishlist

summer forever + you made a fool of death with your beauty by akwaeke emezi

this song and book are both drenched in the lush atmosphere of sticky summer heat and all-consuming love affairs. you made a fool of death with your beauty follows a young widow who has just started seeing someone new, as they take a trip to the island he grew up on, where she falls passionately and irrevocably in love—with his dad.

for: the girls who love to yearn

in the rain + sex & rage and/or l.a woman by eve babitz

the women in eve babit’z novels are young, fun and stunning. they’re hedonistic party girls who smile, not because they don’t suffer, because they think suffering is a drag. they’re underestimated in every room they walk into, but refuse to justify or explain their presence. instead, they just pop some quaaludes and turn their pain into art.

for: the literary party girls

fame is a gun – make me famous by maud ventura

this song could’ve been written for my favorite delusional, sociopathic french diva: cleo. make me famous follows her as she moves to new york from paris to fulfill what she believes to be her destiny—to become disgustingly famous. it charts her hyper-calculated rise to (and dramatic fall from) global pop-stardom. it’s a little bit evil and as addictive as your favorite pop song. if you like unlikable women, you’ll love cleo.

for: the girls who have practiced their grammy speech in front of the mirror

times like these + the guest by emma cline

in one of her most introspective songs, addison sings about life moving faster than her, and no longer feeling the ground beneath her feet, which perfectly describes the series of unhinged decisions made by the narrator of the guest. she lies, schemes and scams to keep herself afloat in the hamptons, until she can crash her rich ex-situationship’s party, at the house he kicked her out of, to try to win him back.

for: girls who still use their ex’s netflix account

headphones on + soft core by brittany newell

ruth, the protagonist of softcore is a san francisco sex-worker whose loneliness is killing her. she has no family and her ex boyfriend has gone missing. still, she gets dolled up in her sequins to dance at the strip club, because as addison rae would say sometimes you gotta accept the pain, and wait for something good to come your way.

for: the girls who got tinsel extensions after watching anora

please tell me what your favorite addison rae song is in the comments, or tell which pop girlie you think i should do this with next! i was thinking lana, obviously?

xoxo, aurora

march is the most mercurial month. the weather changes constantly, like the colors on a mood ring. but it’s mostly blue and grey—clear skies and bare asphalt. this morning i paused in the street for a moment simply to look up and feel the sun on my face, then i had to run to catch my bus. everything moves a little faster in march. the city’s waking up again. still bleary-eyed and messy-haired, but stretching slowly towards spring. the snow’s finally melted and the girls are running around in their high heels again, click-clacking on cobblestones. i had my first glass of wine in an outdoor café this month (and my second, and my third.) i’ve been wearing blue eyeshadow and flared jeans, feeling like a cool girl in a french 70s movie. i’ve been reading books by interesting women and listening to songs that feel like spring through wired headphones. march has been lovely to me and here are some of the things that made it so lovely:

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READING:

old flame by molly prentiss

a beautifully written, thought-provoking meditation on modern motherhood and female friendships. emily, a 20-something writer working a corporate job in new york, is struggling with the decisions that will shape the rest of her life. should she quit her job and write a book? should she stay with her uncommitted photographer boyfriend? should she become a mother? the answers aren’t as black and white as she’d like.

a breath of life by clarice lispector

far from a traditional novel, this is a deeply philosophical and fragmented text that takes the shape of a dialogue between a male author and his creation, a woman named angela. it explores themes i’ve always been drawn to, both in literature and life—like identity, free will and acts of creation. i think i underlined passages on every page.

fire: from a journal of love by anaïs nin

i’m slowly making my way to anais nin’s journals, savoring every sentence. the third volume spans the years 1934—1937. in its pages nin writes about her open marriage, and her passionate affairs with her lovers, otto rank, henry miller and gonzalo moré. she describes how she navigates the tangled web her romantic life has become, how she’s constantly deceiving one man to spend time with another, and vice versa. she also writes about her desire for a bigger life, for excitement, for new york, for art.

lost lambs by madeline cash

the it book of the season is a dysfunctional family saga à la wes anderson, which explores the importance of having a community and feeling a sense of belonging. it follows the five members of the flynn family as they unravel in their own unique ways. the parents have opened their marriage; the eldest daughter, abigail, is dating a man nicknamed war crime wes; the middle child, louise, is in a secret online relationship with a terrorist; and the youngest child, harper, is being sent to wilderness reform camp due to her obsession with uncovering the truth about a local billionaire.

if you’re seeing this, it’s meant for you by leigh stein

this is one of the most unique books i’ve read in a while. a modern take on the haunted house story with a lot of threads that somehow all connect in the end. it follows dayna, a former celebrity gossip reporter, who accepts an unusual job offer from an old acquaintance after a bad break-up. she’s to move into his home—a crumbling mansion with an infamous hollwyood past—turned hype house, and manage the influencers currently living there. what she doesn’t know is that a mysterious tarot card influencers recently left, or disappeared from the house.

fish tales by nettie jones

set between detroit and new york in the 1970s fish tales follows lewis, a hedonistic party girl with a fierce appetite for every flavor of pleasure—sex, drugs, alcohol, men. her parents in crime are her husband, woody, and her best friend, the gay hustler kitty. when she meets a man who’s immune to her charm—brooks, an intellectual who’s paralyzed front the neck down—it’s the start of a violent downward spiral for her.

WATCHING:

wuthering heights (2026)

i love being a controversial bitch, so i’m thrilled to confess that i really liked this. it’s a steamy, windswept fantasy filled with hot people in beautiful clothes making terrible life choices, which happens to be my favorite genres. it’s far from a faithful adaption of course, but i think emerald fennell succeeds in capturing the emotional essence of the story. i felt the same intense emotions while watching this as i did while reading the book for the first time. in spite of the questionable casting choices, i found this beautiful, romantic and utterly devastating. not every love story is happy, or healthy. some love stories are more like horror stories—they destroy everyone they touch.

rental family (2025)

a struggling american actor in tokyo gets a job offer from a firm that offer an unusual service—rental people. as he plays various roles in stranger’s lives—father, husband, friend—life inevitably imitates arts and he starts to feel for them for real. a beautiful and tender meditation on loneliness, friendship and the human desire for connection. it reminds us that the best way to build community is by simply showing up for people.

a real young girl (1976)

more horny, french coming of age cinema directed by women please (!!!) this was really gross and really interesting, entirely antithetical to the male gaze. it follows a young girl spending her summer break at her parent’s home in the french countryside. she spends her idle days engaging in perverted fantasies and stalking the older man she has a crush on. this will be my new summer style inspo, all the clothes are to die for.

the moment (2026)

my favorite thing about this mockumentary is the irreverent and self aware way it explores the places where capitalism and art intersect, and what it actually means for an artist to sell out. it’s camp, it’s brat, it’s meta. charli’s acting era is the moment.

pusher (1996)

kim bodnia and mads mikkelsen play frank and tonny, small time drug dealers with oversized tracksuits and fragile egos whose friendship implodes after a drug-deal goes wrong. this is the kind of film that makes you feel dirty, like there’s a layer of grime coating your skin. it’s feels less like a crime-thriller and more like a panic attack. a frenetic, paranoid descent into copenhagen’s neon-lit underworld, fueled by money, drugs, and toxic masculinity. capturing a world where every relationship is transactional and every bad decision only serves to narrow the character’s already limited options. the criminal lifestyle isn’t glamorized, but portrayed with gritty realism as vicious cycle of greed and violence it’s impossible to break out of.

pusher 2 (2004)

in the sequel to pusher the focus shifts from frank to tonny, as we catch up with him just as he’s released from prison. though it’s set in the same grimy copenhagen underworld, pusher 2 inhabits a different emotional landscape. tonny isn’t running from gangsters or debt collector, as much as from his own demons. the hell hounds snapping at his heals are shame, self-loathing and his father’s critical voice inside his head. mads mikkelsen gives an beautiful and nuanced performance, portraying this violent criminal with a tenderness that makes it almost impossible not to empathize with him, as he tries to connect with the people around him and longs for a better life.

vladimir (2026)

media about hot, middle-aged, female english professors with messy lives is a very specific niche i’ve loved since i watched the chair. so if you’re one of the four other people who were obsessed with that show, i have good news for your: vladimir is the perfect replacement. rachel weiz plays an english professor who becomes obsessed with a younger colleague, not long after her husband’s implicated in a me too scandal.

girlfriends s1 & 2

i’ve been craving a new show centered around a group of women living exciting lives in a big city, then i remembered girlfriends exist and i can watch it whenever i want. for those who are unfamiliar, it’s set in 2000s l.a. and follows a group of four very different women as they navigate romance, sex, friendship and careers. i’m currently on s2 and loving it. tracee ellis ross has always been that girl and always will be.

the pitt s2

i’m still watching the pitt and still swooning over doctor jack abbot (please come home daddy, the kids miss you). i will be needing a night shift season or spin-off series stat.

PLAYING:

wuthering heights by kate bush

deliciously dramatic art pop. listening to this song feels like having a nervous breakdown while running around a gothic castle in a white victorian nightgown.

in the modern world by fontaines d.c

existential angst and epic romance. essential listening for cinematic city walks.

stupid bitches by grace ives

i’m obsessed with grace ives’ new album. this song feels energetic and a little chaotic, but free. should be played at full volume while driving fast with the windows down.

thirst trap by audrey hobert

fun and whimsical bedroom pop for hot, weird girls. this is only song to listen to when you have a crush and it’s making you act crazy and you really need to get over it.

uneven by choker

desperate lyrics, raw vocals and a glitchy soundscape. the kind of break-up song that makes you want to text your ex a whole paragraph, so proceed with extreme caution.

no longer making time by slowdive

atmospheric and transendent shoegaze. i’m a big fan of playing this one on repeat while staring wistfully out of car/train/bus windows and just like, realizing things.

WEARING:

jeans

jeans + heels + a leather jacket = my spring uniform. i’ve been living in these 90’s inspired ones from frame since i got them. i’m in love with the light wash and flare.

wired headphones

i’ve tried at least three different types of airpods, but i always come back to my wired headphones. they’re harder to lose, look more chic and send a very clear do not disturb signal. also, sharing them with your crush feels a lot more flirty and intimate.

blue eyeshadow

this denim blue eyeshadow from dior combined with liquid eyeliner makes me feel like the mysterious girl in an old french film. think: anna karina in a woman is a woman.

shearling jacket

this month i’ve ditched my vintage fur coats for the shearling jacket from acne i’ve had since i was was sixteen. it’s a little worn-out, but that just means it’s well loved.

chloë sevigny little flower by regime des fleurs

florals for spring? groundbreaking, i know, but i simply can’t get enough of this rose and peony scent. wearing it makes me feel like i’ve sprayed myself with sweet morning dew straight from a rosebush. it’s fresh, feminine and very romantic.

TREATING:

print magazines

i’ve always loved reading print magazines, so whenever i flick through one i feel like i’m reconnecting with my teenage selv. my new sunday ritual is having breakfast and reading one cover to cover before looking at my phone. my favorites at the moment are vogue (us, france & scandinavia), elle, the paris review, the new yorker and polyster.

diptyque fleur de cerisier candle

i’m not too into scented candles, but i buy this limited edition one every spring. it has a lush and sweet floral scent that makes me feel like there’s a cherry tree in bloom outside of my apartment sprinkling delicate cherry blossoms trough an open window.

pistachio croissants

i’m addicted to starting the day with a fluffy, sweet treat and a big black coffee to go.

vietnamese food

i know my local vietnamese restaurant hates to see me coming. i can’t make it trough a single day without ordering their shrimp tempura, spring rolls or bánh bao.

RECOMMENDING:

#4 why no one reads you on substack — the ‘inspiration’ you chase is killing your originality by chicgirlmoment (part 1, part 2 & part 3)

an inspiring series filled with helpful insights and practical advice for thriving on substack.

animal print and lace are sleeping together again by riven

such a fun piece on fashion’s sexiest combination.

suddenly i see by em jones

a personal essay exploring the impact of the opening scene of the devil wears prada.

at the core of it all, we’re all just girls by the city edit

a beautifully written love letter to girlhood and growing older.

the girls who raised me: the importance of girlhood cinema by alexandra

a nostalgic and relatable essay about some of the 2000s most iconic movies.

hot girls disappear from social media every six months so they can reinvent themselves by mother0ftheworld

on hot girls’ on and off relationship with social media

the pursuit of organic selfhood has never been so important by rhiannon

interesting thoughts on the fine line between inspiration and imitation

me on why i write by vonin

a raw and deeply personal essay on the desire to write.

i didn’t mean for this to happen by elie

an envy-inducing tour of an iconic bag collection.

entry 02: your fashion zodiac by stellajane

style analysis + your runway show based on your zodiac sign.

please tell me what your favorites of the months have been! what have you been reading, watching, wearing and listening to? did you find any new obsessions?

xoxo, aurora

hi lovelies! i like to start each new season by creating a moodboard for it, filled with all the colors and aesthetics i’m gravitating towards, and every year, my spring moodboard is filled with stills from sofia coppola movies. spring is such an ephemeral, feminine season to me. it’s pastel colored and delicate, like a pink tulip. when i think of spring i think of kirsten dunst in marie antoinette, wearing a white muslin dress and reading in the grass. i think of scarlett johanson wandering through rainy tokyo streets with a sheer umbrella. of cailee spaeney in priscilla, wearing pretty pastels outfits to class. the lisbon sisters wearing matching floral dresses to prom. the girls in the beguiled working in the garden in their skirts and blouses. so i decided to make a guide to having a sofia coppola girl spring—from reading material and movie recommendations, to beauty and outfit inspiration, and a bouquet of spring scents.

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the idiot by eilif batuman

set in the 90’s, the idiot follows selin through her freshman year at harvard—as she makes friends, becomes a writer and falls in love for the first time. it explores themes of self-discovery, language and belonging, told in a distinctive and analytical voice.

cleopatra & frankenstein by coco mellors

cleo and frank meet on new year’s eve in new york, fall in love and get married in an intoxicating whirlwind. this novel explores how their relationship affects not only the two of them, but the lives of all the people in their orbit—for better or for worse.

happy hour by marlowe granados

two beautiful and hedonistic party girls move to new york to spend the summer in hot pursuit of pleasure. they have very limited funds, but an unlimited capacity for making their own fun wherever they go. this is a whirl of cocktails, cute clothes and charisma.

emma by jane austen

a delightful comedy of manners set in the regency era. the beautiful and spoilt, but charming heroine of emma busies herself by meddling in the lives of the inhabitants of her small english village—playing matchmaker for everyone but herself.

that mad ache by francoise sagan

lucile, a beautiful young woman living in paris with her older, wealthier lover, meets a young journalist at a dinner party and falls in love. after moving in with him, she’s torn between a life of comfort and luxury—and one lived in passion and poverty.

the pursuit of love by nancy mitford

inspired by her own eccentric family, mitford’s delightful novel follows the romantic (mis)adventures of the passionate, impulsive hopeless romantic linda—including her failed marriage to a wealthy banker, and a disastrous affair with a communist.

the dud avocado by elaine dundy

a charming novel about self-discovery, romantic illusions and expat life. the dud avocado follows sally, a lively american girl living in paris, as she explores the city, attends parties, goes on dates and tries to build a theatrical career for herself.

the house of mirth by edith wharton

a novel about the hypocrisy of high society. lily bart is a popular guest among new york’s elite. while searching for a wealthy husband among them, she’s forced to choose between following their rules or her own heart, with tragic consequences.

lost lamb by madeline cash

lost lamb is a dysfunctional family saga set in a small town, and follows the individual members of the flynn family as they all spiral out of control in ways that range from engaging in affair with inappropriate people and plotting acts of domestic terrorism.

white oleander by janet fitch

white oleander follows astrid’s odyssey trough the l.a. foster-system after her cold and beautiful, poet mother is imprisoned for killing her lover. it’s a coming of age story about family, identity and belonging—brimming with poetry and beautiful imagery.

the constant nymph by margaret kennedy

the children of the eccentric composer albert sanger grow up in a bohemian chalet high in the austrian alps. after his death, their cousin lewis becomes their legal guardian, and teenager tessa falls passionately and irrevocably in love with him.

daisy miller by henry james

a novella about societal conventions and judgments, and how they vary in different cultures. daisy miller, a young american woman traveling in europe for the first time, faces gossip and exclusion for unwittingly defying the rules of european high society.

(in addition to re-watching every single sofia coppola movie, of course.)

valley of the dolls (1967)

sharon tate is simply heavenly to watch in this film about three women chasing their dreams in 1960’s hollywood, and discovering the darker side of fame and fortune.

the young girls of rochefort (1967)

in this pastel colored dream of a film twin sisters delphine and solange dream of romance and adventure. when a weekend fair draws visitors to their town they find both—in a perfectly choreographed dance of chance encounters and near-misses.

uptown girls (2003)

a coming of age story about two lost girls. molly, the 23 year old orphaned daughter of a rockstar, and ray, the 8 year old only daughter of a music executive. when molly becomes ray’s nanny, she teaches her how to be a child, while ray helps her grow up.

daisies (1966)

in this intoxicating, feminist fever dream of a film, two young girls scam men and create anarchy everywhere they go—in mini skirts, flower crowns and kitten heels.

emma (2020)

emma, a spoiled heiress in 18th century england, meddles in other people’s love lives, until she falls in love herself. with it’s gorgeous pastel-colored costumes and sets as pretty as paintings, this could easily be mistaken for coppola film at first glance.

lady bird (2017)

a coming of age story following 17-year-old lady bird during her last year of high school. teenage rites of passage and a difficult mother-daughter relationship form the backdrop for her self-discovery as she tries to decide what her next chapter will be.

i knew her well (1965)

a young woman from the countryside moves to rome to become a movie-star. her days and nights are filled with glamorous parties and rich men, but the dark side of the industry wears her down. scenes of loneliness and despair in beautiful surroundings.

the red shoes (1948)

a tragedy worthy of the ballet stage. a ballerina falls in love with a composer and is forced to choose between their love and her passion, ballet, with fatal consequences.

the sweet east (2023)

a hazy dream-like film about a teenage girl who gets separated from her class on a school trip and embarks on a trippy odyssey through a surreal version of america.

cléo 5 to 7 (1962)

in agnès varda’s gorgeous black and white film, a beautiful singer waits for the test results from her biopsy. she spends the day wandering aimlessly through 60s paris, shopping for hats and indulging in a chance encounter with a charming soldier.

breakfast at tiffany’s (1961)

holly golightly is an eccentric new york party girl, who hides her sadness behind her black sunglasses. she’s determined to marry rich, but when a young writer moves into her building, they form a bond that’s built on something deeper than she’d planned.

darling (1965)

darling follows diana, a model and socialite in 1960s london, who drifts through different careers, cities and relationships in search of fame, love and meaning.

coppola’s films offer endless fashion inspiration—there’s something for every kind of girl. the neutral color palette and minimalistic pieces from scarlett johanson’s lost in translation wardrobe. the iconic floral dresses and school uniforms the lisbon sisters wear in the virgin suicides. the pretty pastels and 60’s silhouettes of priscilla. the blouses, skirts and ribbons worn by the girls in the beguiled. the big sunglasses and juicy couture tracksuits from the bling ring, and of course the lush pastel color palette, the luxurious fabrics and extravagant, but playful accessories of marie anotionette.

most of coppola’s characters wear very natural, no-makeup makeup, with dewy skin, neutral colors and lips that look just kissed. the exceptions are marie antionette with her powdered face, bright pink blush and red lips, the girls in the bling ring with their iconic y2k over-glossed lips, and of course priscilla with her dramatic 60’s cat-eye look.

chloë sevigny little flower by regime des fleurs

notes: rose, peony, pomelo, black tea, black currant, honeysuckle, palo santo, incense, lamprocapnos

a feminine, delicate rose and peony scent. as fresh and dewy as a rose picked straight off the bush on a misty may morning, then tucked into a girl’s messy blonde hair. the kind of soft, sweet moment the girls in the beguiled daydream about in secret.

guilty crush by the house of oud

notes: wild strawberry, black cherry, champagne, lipstick, rose, jasmine, musk, vanilla, cedar wood, benzoin

a sugary-sweet, pink cocktail of ripe berries and lush blooms. it smells like a girl’s night out. like the satin-lined inside of a girl’s messy handbag. like lipstick left on a cocktail glass. think: sparkling champagne towers and desert tables.

heiress by paris hilton

notes: champagne, passion fruit, peach, orange, mimosa, grenadine, tiare flower, ylangylang, star jasmine, honeysuckle, tonka beans, violet, white woods

fruity, sparkly and bubblegum-sweet, this smells like a y2k party girl who wears a pink juicy couture tracksuit by day, and sips champagne in a tiny, sparkly dress by night.

venice rococo by arquiste

notes: aldehydes, turkish rose, hawthorn, chamomile, powdery notes, black violet, cumin, orange, iris, civet, amber, jasmine

powdery, opulent and sweet, this is the scent of of marie antionette’s boudoir bottled. a rose-petal bath, a silk corset, jars filled with white powder and pink blush.

petal jus by binaurale

notes: peony, tuberose, nectarine, vinyl, condensed milk, musk, tonka

girlhood, distilled. think: the lisbon sisters sneaking off to the mall to try on prom dresses. they sample perfumes and lipstick, then head to the record store so lux can flip through the vinyls and flirt with the guy at counter. he calls her a stone fox.

faux rose by faux rose

top: powdery notes, rose, honeycomb, powdered sugar, musk, pan di spagna

deliciously decadent. picture marie antoinette in bed, eating honey-cakes covered in pink frosting and rose petals. wearing only her diamonds and pink silk sheets.

tears by regime des fleurs

notes: ambergris, orris, lilac, orange blossom, rose water, olibanum, pink pepper, cognac, mandarin orange

the sad girl’s signature scent. it’s spring. it’s raining. you’re crying into your pillow at night after pouring your heart out in your diary. the scent of wet lilacs seeps in through your open window, and mingles with the saltiness of your tears.

dreamers by moth and rabbit perfumes

notes: aldehydes, geraniums, viole, iris, rose, lilies of the valley, siam benozin, tonka beanl musk, sandalwood, myrrh, patchouli, vanilla, cedar, incense

inspired by the virgin suicides, this nostalgic and girly scent is supposed to smell like the lisbon sister’s bathroom, embodying the sacred and secret rituals of girlhood.

annabel’s birthday cake by marissa zappas

notes: latex, sugar, heliotrope, lemon, whipped cream, cupcake, sugar, rose petals, tuberose, honeycomb, cacao pod, tonka bean

the birthday girl wears a pink ribbon in her hair as she blows out her candles. the cake is covered with whipped cream and candied rose petals. she says: let them eat cake.

moulin rose by odette parfume co

top: powdery notes, violet, pomelo , bergamot, rose de mal, raspberry, cake, orris root, vanilla , white amber, tobacco

a glamorous and powdery rose gourmand with a vintage feel. the scent of priscilla sitting at her vanity with her makeup bag open, teasing her hair to the heavens.

tokyo nights by d’annam

notes: umeshu, tobacco, smoke, osmanthus, amber

the scent of a night out in a bustling neon-lit city. ephemeral and intoxicating, like a shot of liquor. a cigarette shared with a mysterious stranger. a moment that lingers.

venus in tuberose by universal flowering

notes: cream soda, ice cream, raspberry, tuberose, grass, lime, hibiscus

think: priscilla before elvis—sipping on soda with a scoop of ice-cream in a vinyl diner booth. sneaking a menthol cigarette before class. brushing grass off her skirt.

♡ plan a marie antoinette inspired picnic

grab a jane birkin inspired wicker-basket and fill it with your favorite sweet treats— champagne, strawberries, rose macarons and cake of course (!!!), then head to a picturesque location where you can admire the spring flowers while eating.

♡ admire art

sofia coppola’s movies are always gorgeous to look at, every frame a work of art. to get into the spirit visit museum or a gallery and spend some time soaking up the beauty.

♡ bring flowers inside

take inspiration from charlotte in lost in translation and sign up for a flower arranging class, or learn how to make origami flowers, or just pick some flowers. the point is simply to have something pretty to look at, and to do something with your hands.

♡ bring a book outside

spring is the perfect season for reading outside—on your balcony, on a park bench or in the garden, where you can pretend you’re marie antoinette reading in the grass.

♡ have a karaoke night

book a room at a karaoke bar and bring all your friends. get drunk and sing your heart out. bonus point if you wear matching pink wigs à la scarlett in lost in translation.

♡ take a walk

take a walk in your city, without a set destination. pretend you’re a tourist and try to get lost. bring a digital camera with you. photograph everything that feels like spring.

thank you so much for reading lovelies! please tell me in the comments what’s on your spring moodboard and if you’ll be having a sofia coppola girl spring with me <3

xoxo, aurora

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2007: i’m watching my mom get ready to go out dancing with her friends. she sits at her vanity, putting on mascara and her red chanel lipstick. there’s something different about her—her eyes sparkle with something secretive, some adult mystery i long to unravel. when she kisses me goodnight, her long hair smells like roses and incense.

2010: my sister and her friends are getting ready for a school disco in her room. my best friend and i watch them through the haze of perfume and hairspray, hearts bursting with jealousy. they look so exotic with their smoky eyes and lined lips. once they’re gone, we sneak into her room and inhale the intoxicating scent of powdery make-up and cheap perfume. we dig through dirty make-up bags with greedy fingers and smear blue eyeshadow over our eyelids. we try on sparkly dresses and platform heels, savoring these stolen fragments of the girlhood we’ve been promised. that glittering mirage revealed to us in magazines. in movie montages of girls trying on clothes and doing each other’s makeup to a soundtrack of bubblegum pop songs. we’ve memorized every line and practiced all the steps. we’re ready for the real thing.

2013: it’s saturday night and everything is happening. a girl in our grade’s celebrating her 12th birthday in her uncle’s nightclub. my best friend and i have been locked in her bathroom for hours, getting ready in front of the mirror. rihanna’s “birthday cake” plays from my iphone, precariously placed on the edge of the sink. our eyelids are glazed in glittery eyeshadow; our lips sticky with so much strawberry-flavored lipgloss you could see your reflection in them. we smell like the frosting on top of the cake, sugary and sticky sweet. we’ve been preparing for this moment for years—with barbie dolls as our avatars and in front of the bulbed mirrors of our pink plastic vanities.

my stomach swoops when i imagine the wonders the night will hold, playing it like a movie scene inside my head: the cute boys we’ll flirt with, the dj playing our favorite songs, the disco ball scattering us in sequined light as we dance with our arms stretched into the air. i have no idea that this—the two of us laughing and singing in the bathroom, breathless with excitement—is the best part. in a few hours she’ll be crying on my shoulder because the boy she likes kissed another girl, black mascara tears streaming down her pretty face, ruining her makeup. i’ll be nauseous after taking too many sips from the bottle the birthday girl’s older brother kept offering to me on the dance floor. i couldn’t taste the alcohol through all that deceptive sweetness.

2016: we’re older, but still not old enough to get into the clubs without fake ids. we’re six girls sprawled in one bedroom in various states of undress. i’m lying on the bed in a leather mini skirt and a pink lace bra, texting the boy all my friends think is too old for me except when he’s buying our alcohol. like tonight. my best friend, dia, is sitting cross-legged in front of the mirror leaning against the wall, straightening her dark, curly hair. camilla’s doing maja’s make-up, contouring her face until her cheekbones glisten like weapons. heidi and charlotte are arguing over who gets to borrow my thrift store loubotins. the floor is covered in debris— high heels, dresses, makeup bags spilling crushed eyeshadows and dirty brushes. we pass a bottle around, vodka mixed with juice. it tastes as sweet as the scent of our signature perfumes mixing in the air—all cotton candy, vanilla and strawberry. we play girly pop songs and dance like we’d never dance at the club. wilder. goofier. sexier. when we hear it’s britney bitch we toss our hair and pop our hips as we sing along, as if we’re lizzy mcguire or britney herself, dancing around her room in pink underwear in crossroads. it’s a canon girl event—but there are no anthems for this feeling. every song we dance to is about what happens next. on the dancefloor, in the club. no one writes songs about getting ready with your friends. even in the chick flicks we were raised on this part is always a montage, a prelude. i think we’re the chorus, the part you never get sick of singing along to.

2019: the girls arrive one by one, looking like off-duty models with their hair in messy buns and their clothes stuffed into their oversized bags. we have scars from that time we dropped the straightener on our bare thigh and make-up routines that feel more like sacred rituals. i kneel in front of the mirror that’s still leaning against the wall, gluing tiny rhinestones along my lash line with the precision of someone dismantling landmines. it’s giving maddy perez, heidi says. please, my best friend rolls her eyes, she’s so cassie-coded. i throw my lighter at her and she flips me off. she’s lying on her bed, scrolling through her messages, trying to decide which party we should go to. by now we all know it doesn’t really matter. this is the part that we’ll remember. the part when we look flawless in every photo and every song that comes on is someone’s favorite. the part when the night’s potential is still as untouched as our makeup. we‘ve all seen this film before. we all know the night never keeps its promises, but we still let ourselves get high on the sweet anticipation—talking about who’s going to be there and what’s going to happen. between these pink walls, where we used to play with barbies, everything seems possible. we still believe anything could happen.

xoxo, aurora

in today’s post i’m finally making use of the only hidden talents i possess: scrolling on pinterest and saving pics of things i want on my phone. my credentials are that i spend 3+ hours a day on pinterest and have so many screenshots on my phone that i have to delete some every time i dare to try to take a photo. so here’s a collection of what i’ve been pinning, saving and screen-shotting lately, i’m calling it inspo-dumping.

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pale pink hair

the sexual tension between me and dying my hair pink hasn’t been this intense since that time in middle school when i dyed it bubblegum pink to match my juicy couture tracksuit and permanently stained my mother’s white clawfoot-tub in the process. this time i’m dreaming of a paler, more washed-out cotton-candy color. think: a mermaid who regrets trading her tail for legs, whose ocean magic is slowly fading on land.

dusty pink + silver

this color combo has been on my mind a lot. in art, in fashion, in interior design.

dsquared2 skate moss, fw 2011+ giuseppe zanotti “slim” sandal, ss 2004

i’ve been obsessed with these extremely cunty dsqaured2 heels for years and of course, religiously following the figure skating at the olympics rekindled my passion for them.

another pair of heels i can’t stop daydreaming about are these gorgeous giuseppe zanotti sandals from 2004. as a pisces girl, i’m convinced they were made for me.

colored tights

colored tights have become my favorite way to add color to my outfits. i love them in light blue, mint green, baby pink. basically any color you’d find in a box of macarons.

margot robbie’s “wuthering heights” press tour looks

personally i prefer method dressing (cunty) over method acting (embarrassing), and of course margot robbie is the queen of it. her “wuthering heights” press tour looks still have me in a chokehold, i’m obsessed with the john galliano and dilara findikoglu fits.

fashion-related books

the books at the top of my wishlist right now. grace coddington, carolyn bessette kennedy and vivienne westwood. three iconic women who inspire me endlessly.

the water lilies at dior a/w 2026

because what girl doesn’t want to look like she just wandered out of a monet painting?

dreaming eli a/w 2026

another collection i’m in love with is the dreaming eli a/w 2016, “the court of the maddest, merriest things alive:” it’s giving debauched courtesan sipping champagne at versailles, it’s giving disgraced former socialite, it’s giving angela carter’s gothic fairytales meets anaïs nin’s erotic short stories. i’m obsessed with the opulence of it. the distressed lace, the shredded silk, the sheer fabrics, the corsets, the shoes (!!!).

jenny holzer

every time i come across a jenny holzer piece it hits me like a fist to the jaw. no matter how many times i see it, her work always feels as tender and fresh as a bruise to me.

90s couples

like everyone else i’ve been watching love story and pinning dozens of pictures of carolyn bessette kennedy and john f. kennedy jr. but i’ve also been drawing a lot of inspiration from photos of 90s couples in general. i love the distinctly 90s mix of grunge and minimalism. like a beat up biker jacket thrown over a sleek silk dress.

thank you for reading! please tell me in the comments what you’ve inspired by lately!

xoxo, aurora

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having a vogue subscription

one of my core memories is hanging out in the magazine aisle of the grocery store, trying to decide which one to beg my mom for. though she almost never said no, i longed to have a subscription of my own. now i do, and every month when a pristine new copy arrives for me in the mail, with my address printed in the corner, i feel so grown-up. flipping through print magazines is very chic to me. i hope they never die.

wearing heels casually

i once got sent home from school for wearing my silver prom heels to class with flared jeans and a baby tee (they simply did not see the vision.) so i know my younger self would love that i wear heels almost every day now. there’s just something about the sound of them clacking as i run my errands that makes me feel so carrie bradshaw. it’s the closest i’ll ever get to being one of the cool girls in the the devil wears prada intro.

smoking on the balcony

across from the cinema in my hometown there was a club with a large balcony, and i was fascinated by the girls in sparkly dresses who’d lean over it, smoking on the weekends. i finally live in my first apartment with a (tiny) balcony and i’m obsessed with leaning over it to people-watch, while having a cigarette. cigarettes don’t count when you smoke then on your own balcony. that’s been scientifically proven, i swear.

getting asked for recommendations

i used to love those pages in fashion magazines where the fashion girlies would share their recommendations. i’d always fantasize about what i would say if i was ever featured, so whenever someone in my life asks me to recommend them a book, or a film, or a restaurant, or a lipstick, i immediately feel incredibly cool. it’s the best compliment. (also, i’m just now realizing that this might be my substack origin story.)

having a signature scent

i had to steal this one, because it’s so true. i think having a signature anything is incredibly chic, but there’s something extra glamorous about a signature scent. maybe it’s the way it melts into your skin, or the way it lingers after you leave the room.

getting ready for a girl’s night out

growing up, there was nothing more alluring to me than the girl’s night out. getting ready for it—with all the products, potions and procedures it required—was a girlhood ritual i longed to take part in. i never feel more like the woman i dreamed of becoming than when i’m getting ready with my girls, while dancing to britney.

having a regular hairdresser

my grandmother used to cut my hair and while i’m very grateful for that now, i used to be so jealous of the girls who got to go to a salon. since moving i’ve been going to the same place and my hairdresser is so cool that she makes me feel cool by association.

reading the newspaper

actually 12 year old me probably wouldn’t find this cool at all, but whenever my friends and i get into a conversation about an article we’ve all happened to read in the newspaper i feel very intelligent and grown-up. bonus points if it’s the print edition.

planning dinner parties

dinner parties have always been the epitome of chic to me, and i feel my most grown-up when i’m planning one. deciding the menu, shopping for ingredients (having a cheese guy makes me feel spiritually french), curating the perfect playlist (“oogum boogum song”) is a must, setting the table, arranging the flowers and of course, cooking with a record spinning (anything 70s), and a big glass of red wine in my hand.

not having guilty pleasures

when i was 12, i was deeply devoted to the practice of curating my taste so that other people would deem me “cool”. if that girl could see my letterboxd account, she’d probably have a mental breakdown, but i think she’d also find it pretty cool that i’ll log a barbie movie, or a 2000s chick flick one day, and a french new wave film the next, without caring what anyone else thinks about my taste. i contain multitudes <3

traveling alone

doing anything alone, whether it’s going to the cinema or taking yourself out for dinner, instantly makes you cool in my eyes, as there’s nothing cooler than enjoying your own company. there’s something special about spontaneously hopping on a train, or plane, without needing to consult with anyone else first though. it requires a certain confidence and independence, which makes me feel very glamorous and adult.

using a filofax

my mom always had a filofax in her handbag and i thought it was peak adulthood. i finally bought my first one this year and i’ve been using it religiously. getting it out of my bag and flicking through it, instead of grabbing my phone while making plans makes me feel like i’m a busy career woman in an early 2000’s movie and i love it.

wearing matching lingerie

i do this very rarely, because unfortunately, i’m simply too type b for all that, but on the rare occasion that i do—i feel like the sexiest, most put-together version of myself. i love the idea of wearing something beautiful and sexy, knowing it’s just for me.

hanging out in a coffeeshop

all the 2000s shows i grew up on convinced me that a staple of adult life was having a regular coffee shop, like central perk or luke’s, where you hang out with your friends all day. reality hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations, but my friends and i do have a favorite table at our local coffee-shop and we do meet up there almost every day.

please tell me which parts of your life you think your 12-year-old self would be obsessed with! what are the things that make you feel cool and grown-up?

xoxo, aurora

february is the sweetest month. it arrives like a feather on the wind, lands softly like a white dove on the facade of a grey building. it feels gentler than january—with its loud demands for resolutions, rebrands and resets. i breathe deeper in february, i move slower. i’ve spent hours curled up on my newly acquired pink velvet couch reading love stories. i’ve been listening to lana del rey and romanticizing yearning. february is the month of love, after all. of handwritten notes and sweet creamy pastries, of pink flowers and perfumes that make you smell like dessert. it tastes like whipped cream and spun sugar, a sweetness that melts on the tongue. my february favorites are the things that have helped me romanticize my life and embrace my soft, lover girl side this month, from fantasy romances and classic 90s rom-coms to delicate lace details and sugary gourmands.

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READING:

the swan’s daughter by roshani chokshi

the swan’s daugther is a romantic fairytale filled with royals, castles, magic and forbidden love. it follows demelza, the daughter of a veritas swan—a mythical creature whose song compels the truth from its listener—and the wizard who entrapped her, as she leave home for the first time. while her sisters all have beautiful voices and splendid swan’s wings, demelza was born without both. her value lies in the research she helps her father with. when she discovers that her heart is the missing ingredient in his quest for immortality, she escapes to the one place in the kingdom where his magic is powerless: the royal palace. there, she becomes swept up in a tournament for the prince’s hand in marriage. this was an utterly enchanting read. i adore roshani cokshi’s prose. it’s as lush a peonies in bloom, and as sweet as candied rose petals.

bread of angels by patti smith

i’ve been saving patti smith’s latest memoir for the right moment, and that moment arrived on a sunday morning, when sunlight finally poured through my curtains again. i ended up lying in bed for hours, reading this cover to cover. this is smith’s most personal and intimate memoir yet. she writes about her childhood, her marriage and her children—all the parts of her history that were left out of just kids, because that was her and robert’s story. reading this felt like drinking black coffee and smoking cigarettes in a street cafe, while speaking to your most interesting, adventurous friend. i love the way patti smith sees the world. i’m so inspired and invigorated by her creativity, her imagination, and her artistry. she’s my muse, every month of the year.

the second death of locke by v.l bovalino

as someone who craves a medieval revival and always swoons over pictures of girls in armor, i’m delighted by the current lady-knight trend in fantasy books. this romantic high fantasy explores the undying bond between a lady-knight, and the mage she is bound to. but grey isn’t just a knight, she’s a well. which means her mage—her childhood friend, kier—draws on her power to preform his magic. after spending years on battlefields, fighting a never-ending war on every border—they glimpse their first chance at freedom in a child from an enemy kingdom. their quest to bring her home safely is complicated by the truth of who grey is—not just a well, but the heir to the island of locke, the root of all magic. if she dies, all magic dies with her. i loved this epic tale filled with battles and knights, drenched in devotion and yearning.

fashion: a philosophy by lars svendsen

my bestie recommended this to me, and it was such an interesting read—a deep dive into the fascinating world of high fashion. svendsen dissects the very concept of fashion and reveals how it affects almost every aspect of our lives—not just what hangs in our closet. in once chapter he writes about fashion’s fraught relationship with the art world (which made me think of the fraught relationship between anna wintour and grace coddington depicted in the september issue), in another he explores its complex relationship with individuality. it sparked a lot of thoughts for me, mainly about consumerism, and how we use clothes to signal belonging, personality and taste.

WATCHING:

notting hill

notting hill is the story of a british bookstore-owner and an american movie-star falling in love. as i’ve already made very clear in my essay about 90s rom-coms i think hugh grant with floppy hair and a rumpled shirt is the definition of a man made for the female gaze, and of course 90s julia roberts is the woman every girls wants to be when she grows up. this might be my favorite rom-com of all time, i just adore everything about it. the charming notting hill setting, the straight out of wattpad premise, the unfairly gorgeous leads, and of course the extremely quirky cast of side characters. this is pure british 90s rom-com magic and i fall for it every single time.

vanilla sky

watching this film felt like slipping into someone else’s dreamscape. its structure mirrors the exact architecture of dreams. the way they’re built from the remnants of your day—an image from a film you watched, a fragment of a conversation you overheard, a thought you barely registered having—stitched together by a thread of desire or regret. david lives a charmed life, with good looks, generational wealth, and an beautiful apartment overlooking central park. when he meets sofia—the gorgeous, mystery girl his best friend is dating—he falls in love at first sight. they spend one perfect night together, then his picture perfect life starts to spiral out of control. i love how hazy and dreamlike this movie feels, you’re never sure if what you’re seeing is real, or if just david’s distorted perception of reality. it’s also absolutely beautiful too look at, and the chemistry between tom cruise and penelope cruz is intoxicating!!!

the september issue

i came across a still of grace coddington at versailles—from that scene where she says she feels like she got left behind, because she’s still a romantic—and instantly knew i had to re-watch this masterpiece. this feels like such a unique time-capsule, a love letter to the dying art of print magazines. to me, the heart of the movie is the complicated working relationship between anna wintour and grace coddington, two incredibly talented and willful women, who clash constantly because they’re both in passionate pursuit of very different visions. i love that in spite of their differences, it’s very clear that they both have a deep admiration and respect for each other’s work. my letterbox review of this simply says grace coddington daugher or andré leon talley son. personally i identify as both. the most iconic line in the whole movie is talley proclaiming; “my eyes are starving for beauty. it’s a famine of beauty, honey.” same.

winter in sokcho

this isn’t a love story, but it’s a story about love. based on the novel by the same name, winter in sokcho predictably takes place in winter, in sokcho—a seaside tourist town in south-korea. the setting is what initially drew me to this movie. i love the cold, desolate feeling of a tourist town out of season. the empty tourist attractions, the hotels without guests, the snowy beaches. soo-ha is a local, who’s left her studies in seoul to work at a guesthouse, there she meets an older, french cartoonist with an affinity for desolate places. she shows him the city, and helps him find inspiration for his next book. as they two grow closer, soo-ha becomes infatuated. though it’s never clear if it’s with him, or what he represents to her—perhaps a father figure, as her own father was a french tourist who never returned, or a possibility of escaping herself.

barbie of swan lake

hot girls cry and watch barbie movies on their birthdays!!! my whole childhood was barbie movies and ballet. watching this on my pink portable dvd-player in the backseat on the way to ballet class is a core memory, so re-watching it always makes me nostalgic. this is peak cinema. i absolutely adore the color palette and the soundtrack, of course. my dream is finding a perfume that smells exactly like this.

emma

emma is my favorite jane austen novel, and since jane austen herself claimed she was creating a heroine no one but herself would like very much—i do feel slightly superior about it. everyone loves elizabeth bennett, but emma’s an acquired taste. she’s spoiled and vain and loves to meddle in other people business, but that’s exactly what i love about her. i’ve watched all the adaptation, but this one is my favorite by far. it’s one of the most gorgeous period pieces i’ve ever seen—the costumes are divine, and hartfield is a pastel dream. every single frame looks like a painting i’d happily hang on my wall. the cast is perfect too, especially anya taylor joy and mia goth as emma and harriet.

nana

another recommendation from my bestie! this is the first anime i’ve ever watched and i fell head over heels in love with it at first sight. it follows two girls, who meet by chance and end up sharing an apartment in tokyo. i’m obsessed with everything about this. the fashion, the y2k technology, the big city setting, the friendships, the romance, the music (!!!) i need nana’s vivienne westwood collection hanging in my closet right now. watching this in february was a surprisingly perfect choice, since it’s filled with longing, atmospheric wintery scenes and complicated romantic entanglements.

love story: john f. kennedy jr. & carolyn bessette

including this in my favorites feels slightly misleading, but i need a place to talk about it and i’m really enjoying it. i think they captured the 90s aesthetic perfectly, with soft filters and minimalistic fashion choices. the show looks beautiful, so do the actors. unfortunately, it doesn’t make me feel much. i just don’t see the chemistry and when i think of carolyn bessette and john f, kennedy jr. i think of magnetic attraction, i think of incandescent passion, i think of electric chemistry. i think of a love story that feels larger than life, a mythological romance. the show hasn’t giving me that, yet.

industry s4

i never would’ve thought a show about investment banking would have me in such a chokehold, but even though i never know what is going on or what the hell these people are talking about—i’m locked in every week. that scene between yasmin and harper in last sunday’s episode had me screaming. i know nothing good can last on this show, so i sense a betrayal coming. but i’m praying my girls come out on top.

the pitt s2

i wasn’t going to mention this show in my favorites because i haven’t been as invested in s2 to as i was in s1, but then dr. jack abbott showed up and took his shirt off and well, i’m invested now. i’m a simple girl, just give me a hot dilf and i’m locking in.

PLAYING:

say yes to heaven by lana del rey

lana’s most romantic and dreamy song. her vocals are ethereal on this, listening to it makes me feel like i’m bathing in rose petals. if valentine’s day was a song it’d be this.

everybody here wants you by jeff buckley

all i want is a man to sing that i have 29 pearls in my kiss and lilac skin. this songs drips with yearning and sex, which is the only kind of music men should be making.

runaway with me by carly rae jepsen

pure girly pop perfection with a sexy sax intro and an addictive chorus. heaven!!!

lucky again by lykke li

lykke li is back again and i’m so ready to have an existential crisis at the afterparty.

girl of your dreams by eli

a sparkly, fun pop-song that makes me feel like i’m starring in my own 2000’s rom-com as i walk around with my wired headphones on. the bridge gives addison rae.

dying for you by charli xcx

this song makes dying for love sound really fun.

WEARING:

balaclava

i spent every winter of my childhood beefing with my mom over my winter wardrobe. she wanted me to wear a hat and scarf to school in -10 °C weather, while i wanted to serve cunt in my middle school classroom. the only winter accessory i wore willingly, were my pink fluffy ear-muffs. you know what they say: once a baddie, always a baddie. however this winter i’ve bought myself a pink (of course) balaclava from holzweiler, and i love it. i think that’s a sign that my frontal lobe’s developing.

kayali yum marshmallow

this is one of the sweetest gourmands in my collection and it’s been my signature scent this month. at first it smell like sun-warmed strawberries with cream, then it dries down to a powdery marshmallow scent with hints of milky strawberry lipgloss.

lace

I’ve always been a lace girl in the summer, but this month i’ve been obsessed with finding ways to include it in my winter wardrobe as well. i’ve especially been loving wearing lace thigths and this lace scarf as a wrap over my jeans. it feels so 2000s.

bob beauté lipliner + posh balm

new month, new lip combo. this month i finally found the perfect cool-toned pink lipliner i’ve longed for—the bob beauté lipliner in the shade roomservice. i’ve been wearing it almost every day, on it’s own, or combined with my other new obsession—the posh colored lip balm in the shade fleur sheer rose, for a soft and satiny pink lip.

bedset + bedskirt from staycation

this beautiful bedset and bedskirt combo makes me feel like i’m living out my dream of falling asleep in a villa somewhere in northern italy—with the windows open, and the delicate lace curtains fluttering in the wind. it’s soft, feminine and romantic.

TREATING:

cream-buns

in scandinavia we celebrate fastelaven in february, which means that every bakery fills up with fluffy cream-filled buns. my favorite is the classic swedish “semla”, a cardamom bun with almond paste and whipped cream, but i also tried a croissant version filled with lemon curd and topped with burnt merengue, at one of my favorite bakeries (sct. peders bageri) when i was in copenhagen and it was divine.

ballet class

i quit ballet a few years ago, and i’ve missed it every day since. i’ve often thought about taking it up again, but it never felt like the right time. i think i was scared i’d realize i regret leaving it behind. this month i finally took the leap and signed up for a class. being back in the studio has brought me so much joy. i’ve always felt the most like me while dancing, and to dance purely for pleasure again feels both healing and freeing.

RECOMMENDING:

notes from the fire escape

my favorite girl finally launched her substack this month and i’m her biggest fan. if you want to get the coolest recommendations from someone with flawless taste, or devour the most gorgeously written essays about girlhood, you should do yourself a favor and follow her right now. i promise you’ll be as obsessed with her as i am.

please tell me what your favorites of the months have been! what have you been reading and watching and listening to? did you find any new obsessions?

xoxo, aurora

it’s a truth universally acknowledged that rom-coms were better in the 90s. of course they were, you’re probably thinking, they had warm lighting, chic apartments and hugh grant. and i agree, those are all lovely things for a rom-com to have. ideal things, even. however i don’t think hugh grant’s floppy hair and billowy shirts are the sole reason 90’s rom-coms still have us all in a chokehold. but i do believe the lighting, the apartments and yes, even hugh grant’s shirts all play a part in their lasting allure.

let me explain.

i could write a whole essay about everything modern rom-coms (except for rye lane. yes, that’s the only exception. and yes, i’ve seen the one with sydney sweeney) get wrong, but if i had to sum up what’s gone missing from the genre i would say: texture.

the lighting, the dialogue, the characters. it all feels flat to me, it all lacks depth.

it’s hard to care for characters you never get to know, beyond their dating history and the one fatal flaw holding them back from finding true love. it’s just as hard to invest in a love story where the leads have no palpable chemistry, where you struggle to understand why they’re so drawn to each other, beyond the fact that they’re both hot.

which brings us back to the 90s.

the love stories set in that era are full of texture. it’s in the slightly rumpled clothes the characters wear. it’s in their messy hair and occasionally imperfect skin. it’s in the apartments with clutter on the tables and stacks of books against the walls. their worlds feel tangible. their lives, actually lived-in. like a worn-out cashmere sweater.

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but, it’s not just about an aesthetic. 90s rom-com’s didn’t just look different.

they felt different.

the characters were as three-dimensional as the settings they inhabited. they had big friend groups and families, with their own distinct dynamics. they were bookstore-owners or journalists or lawyers. they had real flaws and idiosyncrasies. you could see yourself in them—in the way they laughed too loudly or stumbled over their words or faked engagements with attractive men in comas. they smoked too many cigarettes, got too drunk at the pub and did the walk of shame in last night’s smudged makeup. they were messy and cringy and possibly a little too chalant at times. but you still rooted for them to find love, because you cared about them. you cared because they were real and human and trying. because you felt like you knew them intimately.

romance in the 90s required presence. it required taking risks and inconveniencing yourself for love. it was all grand romantic gestures and public displays of affection.

i think we can all agree that showing up on your lover’s doorstep at 2 o’clock in the morning after a big fight and waking the whole street with your shouted apologies is inherently more cinematic than sending them a drunk text. that a meet-cute on a train, or on a london street corner, is far more romantic than going on a tinder date.

love stories set in the pre-iphone era simply feel more tactile, more embodied. if you wanted to see your crush—you had to get dressed up and go hang out in his favorite bar, hoping he’d turn up. it was more of a gamble than simply waiting for a text back, but at least if you didn’t end up finding him, you hadn’t wasted a whole night waiting by your phone. maybe you met someone even hotter at the bar, maybe you had an adventure. it seems to me that there was something lawless about dating in the 90s. something thrilling. you never knew where the night might take you—anything might happen. all you had to do was show up in your calvin klein slip dress and jimmy choos.

no piece of media has succeeded in capturing that feeling on screen quite like sex and the city. i got my first illicit taste of it while watching the first season, when carrie starts seeing mr. big. he’s always showing up out of nowhere. in crowded bars, in black cars, on random street corners. (like when they first meet, and she spills the contents of her bag—mostly makeup and condoms—all over the sidewalk and scrambles to pick it up as he watches her, smirking. a perect foreshadowing of their romantic dynamic) part of his allure—for carrie, and for the viewer—lies precisely in that unpredictability. when you don’t know where a person is likely to be, suddenly it’s as if they’re everywhere at once. you keep looking over your shoulder, constantly hoping they’ll walk in. their mystery mythologizes them. it makes them larger than life.

unavailability is sexy. it leaves room for the most erotic thing of all: the imagination.

that’s why modern rom-coms attempts to incorporate modern technology and social media always fall flat for me. maybe dating apps didn’t kill romance, but they certainly killed the mystery fo it. there’s no real thrill in swiping right, and even less so in watching someone do it on screen. it might be relatable, but it’s not very aspirational.

easy access also lowers the stakes. in the 90s desperately chasing your lover through traffic to stop them from getting on a plane actually made narrative sense. if they didn’t have a cellphone, you might not get a chance to speak to them for months. they might come back engaged, or they might not come back at all. in 2026 the frenetic chase scenes don’t land the same. it’s still a romantic gesture, but it doesn’t hold the same weight and it shows. if the person gets on the plane, you can just text them. if they leave you on read, their instagram will tell you exactly where they’re staying.

constant availability is antithetical to desire. it’s impossible to long for something that’s never beyond your reach. the girlies are yearning to yearn again!!! maybe that’s why we still watch 90s rom-coms on repeat—to feed our desire for the kind of love stories that gave us something to ache for. or maybe we just love 90s hugh grant.

my favorite rom-coms:

bringing up baby (1938)

the philadelphia story (1940)

sabrina (1954)

breakfast at tiffany’s (1961)

when harry met sally (1989)

while you were sleeping (1995)

you’ve got mail (1998)

10 thing i hate about you (1999)

notting hill (1999)

bridget jones’s diary (2001)

sweet home alabama (2002)

how to lose a guy in 10 days (2003)

13 going on 30 (2004)

the princess diaries 2: royal engagement (2004)

the holiday (2006)

rye lane (2023)

xoxo, aurora