Last week was WILD at Well Dressed and this week is gonna be the same, so I’m gonna get right to it. Here are the top 10 pieces living rent-free in my brain that are up for grabs in the coming days!

Chanel Black Lambskin Quilted Tote (vintage)

Available Monday July 20 at 12pm ct on IG Stories @ welldressedlux for $2,995 / on Whatnot @ welldressed at 12:30pm ct for $3,295

This vintage Chanel tote is my Roman Empire. Made circa 1994-1996 in Italy, this bag is peak Chanel: the butteriest quilted black lambskin, the shiniest gold-tone hardware, and the most functional design. The zip top closure has the chicest zip pull and the turnlock closure on the exterior pocket is absolutely perfect. This bag feels like a pillow under your arm and strikes the perfect balance between being instantly recognizable as Chanel without being a bag everyone has. IDK what else to say. Someone needs to take her home stat.

Gucci Necklace (vintage)

Available Thursday July 23 on IG Stories @ welldressedofficial for $895

This is such a cool girl piece. It’s hollow inside so it’s not too heavy, but it’s big enough to feel and look substantial. It’s such a fun shape and I loooove the red and green stripe detailing. The fact that it comes with original packaging makes it feel even more special.

Chanel Resin Pearl Necklace (vintage)

Available Saturday July 25 on IG Stories @ welldressedofficial for $995

If you don’t own a faux pearl necklace from Chanel what are you even doing with your life? It doesn’t get more classic than this. I love the toggle on these with the huge Chanel emblazoned on the post. They are very Jackie O and very Lower East Side girlie at the same time. You can wear these to work, or you can wear them with an old graphic t-shirt. They literally work with everything. These are a true cost-per-wear piece. Yes, they’re expensive, but when you divide that cost by the number of times you will inevitably wear them, they are very very cheap. YOLO

Agolde Jean Shorts in my favorite new length, size 28; retail $145

Available Saturday July 25 on IG Stories @ welldressedofficial for $55

These jean shorts are the antidote to the up-your-a** styles I’m so tired of. They have the perfect amount of distressing and the perfect rise to keep your legs looking long without having everything hanging out. Pair them with a crop top and kitten heels to feel hot as hell or a crisp button-down when you want to be more polished. They also go great with the vintage Chanel resin pearl necklace … just saying.

Frame Silk Blouse, size L; retail $495

Available Saturday July 25 on IG Stories @ welldressedofficial for $95

Full disclosure, this is both new with tags and has a few small marks on it — but they are so small and in such innocuous locations I really don’t think you’ll notice them. I will make sure to show them in the story :) It hangs beautifully and feels amazing on. It’s a true closet staple and it’s 80% off.

Louis Vuitton Monogram Musette Salsa (vintage)

Available Monday July 20 at 12pm ct on IG Stories @ welldressedlux for $1,695 / on Whatnot @ welldressed at 12:30pm ct for $1,895

Made in France in October of 2001, this vintage queen is in pristine condition. I love the north-south orientation of the bag and the fact that she holds a laptop literally blew my mind. If you need a does-it-all bag and you love vintage LV, you cannot do better than her.

Vince Cotton Top, size XS; retail $148

Available Sunday July 26 on IG Stories @ welldressedofficial for $45

The lightweight woven cotton of this top is a summer dream, and the cut is so much more elevated than a basic t-shirt. Pair it with wide-legged linen pants or tuck it into a pair of high-waisted jean shorts. An easy yes.

Runaway the Label Wine Polka Dot Dress, size S; retail $159

Available Saturday July 25 on IG Stories @ welldressedofficial for $40

If this dress fit me, you would not be seeing it at all. Perfect for a true size 4 or thereabouts (my 36C chest doesn’t quite fit), this is such a showstopper. The fabric is nice and thick to give you a smooth hourglass silhouette — and the sheer tiered section at the bottom is absolute perfection. This dress works summer into fall and will make you feel like a million bucks.

Saint Laurent Sunset Black Leather Crossbody NWOT; retail $2,900

Available Monday July 20 at 12pm ct on IG Stories @ welldressedlux for $2,250 / on Whatnot @ welldressed at 12:30pm ct for $2,495

I’m not typically a Saint Laurent Sunset kind of girl, but I absolutely love this all black version. The leather is so luxurious and feels amazing in your hands, and the leather strap feels very downtown compared to the typical chain strap on most of these bags (which, IMO, is more of an uptown vibe). She is in brand new condition and will become your ride-or-die — I guarantee it.

Hi girls! I’m trying something new here and if you like it I’ll keep trying :) Each Sunday night I’m going to share 10 pieces coming up for sale on @welldressedofficial the following week that I wish were coming to my closet instead. Consider it a very curted preview. When possible, I’ll note when each item will be available for purchase and on what platform. Okay here we go!

10. The Bar Red on Red Crewneck Sweatshirt, size XXL, sold out at the source

Avail: Monday, July 13, 12:30-3:30pm ct on Whatnot; will be auctioned starting at $1

I absolutely love the saturated red of this sweatshirt as well as the monochrome lettering. The Bar is really an if-you-know-you-know brand, and naturally this style is sold out everywhere.

9. Aerie Light Blue 3 Piece Lounge Set, size L [No pic; just trust me!]

Avail. Monday, July 13, 12:30pm ct on Whatnot; priced at $60

IMO, Negative Underwear’s Whipped collection is the most luxurious, dreamy loungewear on the planet. But the prices hurt my soul. Which is why I was so elated to discover this Aerie Lounge Set in a fabric that feels virtually identical to Negative’s Whipped, but comes at a fraction of the cost. The set is a large and works for 8-12.

8. Etica Denim Vest Pinstripe Top, Size S; est. retail $165

Avail. Monday, July 13, 12:30pm ct on Whatnot; priced at $65

This top is HOT. The pinstripe denim is so cute and it will look amazing styled with wide leg, high-waist pants of almost any persuasion (silk, linen, ramie, denim, cords). Will fit a 32 ribcage best, up to a DD.

7. Frye Western Boots, size 8.5; retail $498 [No pic; they’re cute though!]

Avail. Thursday, July 16, in IG story sales @ welldressedofficial; priced at $150

Everything about these burnished auburn boots is perfect. The leather, the color, the heel height, the fit. The craftsmanship is fantastic for the price point and they only get better with age. A true wardrobe staple.

6. (&5) Set Active Blue Striped Short, Size M; & Striped T-Shirt, Size XL, sold out at the source

Avail. Monday July 13 on Whatnot, both will be auction starting at $1

2026 truly is the summer of sets and this Set Active pair is second to none. It’s another sold out style that’s sure to become one of your go-to looks in the coming weeks. I adore the yellow and deep grey color combo and the fabric is fantastic. Shorts are M and top is XL, but they def work on the same body so… bid on both.

4. Prada Beige Canapa Two-Way Tote

Avail. Monday July 13 at 12pm x email & on Instagram @ welldressedlux; priced at $1195

This little baby was made from 2000-2016 by Prada, which means she’s at least 10 years old — and she looks just about brand new. In addition to being a cutie pie, she’s super functional, as she has both top handles and a removable shoulder strap (for when you need your hands to hold your Aperol spritz… and you have two of them :)

3. Saint Laurent Sac de Jour, retail $3,800

Avail. Monday, July 13, in IG story sales @ welldressedofficial; priced at $1750

I’ve officially become a Saint Laurent fan girl. I love their polished, sleek bags and nearly every pair of sunglasses I’ve seen from them over the last two years. This Sac de Jour is such a pretty style, but what I really love about it is the color. It’s the deepest, smokiest, sexiest grey. It works year-round, carries everything you need, and instantly makes you look like you have your whole life together.

Issey Miyake Pleats Please Black Pants, size M; retail $585

Avail. Friday, July 17, 12:30pm ct, on IG Live; priced at $150

These are an actual dream. The fabric is crisp and pleated, and looks amazing on. They can be dressed up for work or dressed down for weekends. This pair fits a 4-8, thanks to the elastic waist.

1. Fendi Silk Scarf, new with tags

Avail. Monday, July 13, in IG story sales @ welldressedofficial

This 22” Fendi logo scarf is new with tags and the perfect size for tying around your hair in a half-up-half-down style. It’s an easy button for looking instantly pulled together in hot weather without veering too far into the preppy zone. I live for the orange and gold color combo and wish my hair were long enough to pull this off.

And that concludes the inaugural installation of things I’m sad to sell! LMK if you enjoyed this or if you have suggestions in the comments :)

x Liz

It’s been a looong time since my last post. As some of you know, my husband recently passed away from cancer. Over the last six months, I still bought plenty of things and read plenty of things, but, when I wasn’t mercifully distracted by work, most of what I thought about was him and our children and what was to become of us. I was literally at a loss for words, and he was extremely private about his health, so I just stopped writing.

Then, when the dreaded event finally happened and I felt simultaneously heartbroken at losing my life partner and relieved that it hadn’t somehow been worse, I knew that I would never adequately express the magnitude of what my family was going through. I’m a perfectionist, and I’m terrified that my response to his death — from crying while color-coding clothes to letting my children eat ice cream for dinner to resuming a silly Substack — will be imperfect. I’m still working out how to weave the fact that my husband died into a conversation without derailing it completely. (So far, it’s not going well.) Not writing was an easy way to keep these mistakes to myself.

But I’ve missed it, and he always encouraged me to write, so I’m picking it back up with the asterisk that I’m not writing about him (at least not yet), even though I think about him to varying degrees kind of all the time. Consider the new title Things I Bought, Read & Thought About (Aside From My Late Husband). It’s going to be messy because right now everything is messy. OK here we go:

This Christian Dior Oblique Book Tote was my BIG purchase from the Well Dressed Anniversary Drop, via our luxury bag program (email me at liz@bewelldressed.com if you have luxury bags to sell!), and I am absolutely obsessed. It looks sooo cool and carries everything I need for work. It’s sold out everywhere so I can’t link it (sad!), but the bigger point is that you can get luxury bags like this at Well Dressed… and so you should.

I also bought this super sexy slip dress even though I have absolutely nowhere to wear it. It runs SMALL. I’m in a large, which fits great. It’s navy, not black, and 100% silk. It’s cut on the bias so it drapes great and feels like actual heaven on. Someday I will wear this outside of my closet, but for now I'm happy just knowing it’s there.

In a similar vein, after being stalked by IG ads for weeks, I caved and ordered the limited-edition D.S. & Durga Debaser Buffing Bar. It promises to give you insanely soft skin, which sounded both unnecessary and appealing to me. FWIW, Bonnie did tell me my legs felt very soft during our Well Dressed photoshoot, so… I think it works?? In any case, it smells great.

I would have looked like a crypt keeper last week if not for Concealed Tinted Eye Cream. I discovered it at a Let’s Meet event and it is now a holy grail beauty product for me. I’ve never been a fan of eye creams because none of them work as well as Botox, but this one promised a blend of light coverage plus skincare and I’m a sucker for any “makeup as skincare” pitches. It does everything it claims and a little goes a long way (which is nice considering the price). I wear it on no-makeup days to look a little less ratchet, and on makeup days as a base before layering on concealer.

But eye cream wasn’t the only new thing I tried! I’ve always liked the idea of NAD+ but I’d only seen it offered by IV and didn’t want to sit still for that long. So when a friend told me she took NAD+ by injection 5x/week and raved about how much it had improved her energy, her skin, and basically her life, I was sold.

I’ve been on it about two weeks and have missed at least two doses, but I can confirm the shots are easy (Bonnie gives me mine lol) and the girls at work told me that I’m “smiling more and less b*tchy” which seems like a pretty positive sign. I did also make it through the biggest Drop in Well Dressed history and immediately took a 36-hour trip to San Diego for a bar mitzvah without falling apart. I’ll give a full report when I finish this first month but it’s off to a solid start, so if you’re thinking about it maybe just try it already. Now for what I read (it wasn’t much):

My husband was in charge of the kids’ sports: scheduling, driving, and sometimes coaching. Long story short, I was woefully unprepared to be a soccer mom, which prompted my dad to send me Soccer for Dummies. Honestly, it was very helpful! Highly recommend for anyone trying to understand offsides or why that rule even exists.

And when I didn’t feel like learning anything at all, I read El Dorado Drive by Megan Abbott. Gifted to me by my bff (ty Megan), this story combines two of my favorite things: female characters with nothing to lose and pyramid schemes. It was clever and fun and the kind of book you can finish in a weekend or two.

As for things I thought about,

See introduction :)

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A cozy pullover for walking the puppy in a (futile) effort to keep her from peeing in the kitchen: I’ve been searching for a pre- and post-workout pullover and this is it. I ordered it in Athletic Heather Grey and Charcoal Green in size small and I will be keeping both. It’s soft and cozy without being heavy, has a nice wide neck that provides some warmth without feeling constricting, and has pockets which are a non-negotiable for me for an item like this. Yes, it’s expensive and yes Alo did build a whole gym that us mortals aren’t even allowed in, but this product is worth every penny.

Also I’m loving this smart and silly beach read, which I took with me to Sanibel Island for spring break. Recommended by Megan (TYSM!), it’s especially fun if you’re someone who usually reads the kinds of books it’s making fun of (which I am). I guess this counts as both what I bought and what I read :)

Another recent purchase prominently featured in my spring break rotation were these pleated raw silk Jenni Kayne shorts. I got them for a fraction of retail through the Well-Dressed Drop, but I can honestly attest that they are worth paying full price. They’re feminine without being girly. Long without being matronly. Elevated without being fancy. They can pair equally well with sneakers for stomping around a city or sandals for a beach retreat.

Last but not least, this dopp kit for travel. Big enough to hold everything I need, but small enough to not take over my whole suitcase. Plus, it has some nice features like a waterproof compartment and a specific place to stick your toothbrush. Will report back on how it holds up but I’m pleased with it so far!

And now for what I’ve thought about…

Customer acquisition and user experience, which is another way of saying how to find more customers and then keep them happy. Turns out thinking about both of those at once is a great way to get overwhelmed (LOL + FML).

This might go without saying, but when you’re trying to build something, everything feels important and, as a result, it can be hard to prioritize, which can make it hard to focus, which can make it hard to make any progress on, well, anything. In an attempt to regain a sense of control, I took some of my own advice and broke it up into smaller steps. Specifically, I made a single document for each topic and wrote out every single idea I had — and then I filed one of them away for “later.” Since forcing myself to abandon half of my to-do list, I’ve made lots of progress on the remaining half and I feel energized instead of drained. Funny how that works.

Oh, and if you don’t have an eye mask yet, get this one. It’s a winner.

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For those of you not addicted to Instagram, I spent the last several weeks holed up my garage, aka Well-Dressed HQ, prepping for the company’s first Drop since last December. It was a lot of operations education, time tracking, and hypothesizing as I got caught up on how it all worked in “the before times.” I made plenty of mistakes — but when we closed shop last night, we’d hit our numbers, discovered some winning strategies (both intentionally and by accident) and had the best time. When I say it was so much fun I really mean it.

Which brings me to what I’ve not just thought about but fully lived since my last post: “possibility chaos.” This is the opposite of brain fog. It’s when you’re so zoned in that every idea that pops into your mind spurs more ideas and those ideas spur more ideas and so on until you have a head so full of great ideas you can’t think at all. It’s probably my favorite state of being — but it’s not productive unless it’s managed right.

For me, that means dumping all of these ideas onto a single doc no matter how messy it looks so I know they are preserved for posterity and then asking what the original question was. Usually it was something straightforward. Today it was: “How can we sell more tickets to the October Drop than we sold to the August Drop?”

The key here for me is the time constraint. I have to focus on things we can do in the next six weeks. That knocks about 2/3 of the ideas off my list, which allows me to give more energy to those that remain. On that note, one of these ideas is to collect more email signups :) so if you aren’t on the Well-Dressed list yet, join here!

Balancing unhinged creativity with focused, achievable steps is something I’m constantly working on and it’s more important than ever since I’ve got two companies living rent-free in my brain these days.

OK onto shopping! Some recent finds:

A ridiculous gold sequined dress (pictured at top): Amanda Uprichard x REVOLVE Samba Dress (also, it’s on sale!) I’m wearing a size S.

This Frank & Eileen Malibu Travel Set feels sooo basic b****, but IDC because I’ve wanted it for ages and I know I’m going to wear it all the time as soon as it’s not 9,000 degrees outside. TYSM to Gab for convincing me to just buy it already. I got size M.

Beauty treats to feel great on little sleep:

I love this hand creme so much. The packaging looks nice on the nightstand and because it’s on the nightstand rather than in a drawer, I actually remember to use it.

Finally caved and bought the Crown Affair The Ritual Shampoo + Conditioner on Megan’s rec. It lives up to the hype. Plus, I love the scent and the minimalist packaging.

& Byredo’s Gypsy Water. It’s pretty unoriginal, but there’s a reason everyone wears it. I wanted something light enough for every day that still made me feel hot. This works.

Last, in an attempt to wear at least some makeup, I ordered Cle de Peau concealer. My shade is sold out everywhere normal so I ordered from a random website I’d never heard of that may have just stolen my cc info. Will keep you posted if it ever arrives!

As for reading, I just finished Colleen Hoover’s Ugly Love. Like the Frank & Eileen travel set, it’s very basic, but I finished it in like three days and was entertained. Now I’m on to Financial Intelligence which is way more interesting than the title implies (and also available on Audible for free).

Oh, and Stylematch had write-up in Forbes so ICYMI, here’s a link!

Happy Labor Day!

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Getting back in a regular rhythm in the middle of the summer is not for the faint of heart so here goes. Since my last post, we’ve officially started the manual labor portion of the Well-Dressed relaunch. As a result, I’ve learned how to assemble Z racks, use a garment gun, and become intimately familiar with Charli XCX’s Brat. I’ve also learned about “having a Brat summer” and I’m pretty sure that’s not what I’m having.

Which brings me to what I thought about:

Iterating. What actually is it? How often should we do it? I’ve worked at companies that didn’t iterate enough (my second job was selling radio ads) and companies that iterated way too often (leaving that one out of this). In order for iterating to be effective, you have to have a critical mass of data to review. Otherwise, you’re not iterating; you’re just guessing — and you’re probably guessing because you’re scared that what you’re currently doing isn’t working. But if you’re making changes before you have the data, you defeat the whole point. You also eviscerate your team’s motivation because nothing ever matures or feels meaningful.

So, what is a critical mass of data? Annoyingly, the answer is, it depends. In the case of Stylematch, when I had two clients with similar profiles provide similar feedback, I made changes immediately. In the case of Well-Dressed, we probably need to sell 1,000 pieces of clothing before we can make any conclusions about what’s working and what’s not. Pray for us :)

On the plus side, though, I’m already bubbling with ideas for ways these two companies can build off and help each other to make better experiences for all clients. The first cross-over will happen before the end of the month and I can’t wait to see how it goes (and then iterate!).

As for shopping, some recent finds:

For my birthday, I was gifted this Roxanne Assoulin necklace, which I’ve been wearing as a belt — TY Janaki! I love the weight of it over a slip dress.

My own stylist sent me this jacket, which I already know I’m going to wear every day this fall. It’s got a really fun shape that feels very modern and elevated for athleisure.

I also ordered this sheer dress from Naomi Nomi (tried on Megan’s opaque version when we were in Amsterdam and fell in love) — but it hasn’t arrived yet. FWIW I’m very much in my sheer dress era.

Also, after being served 10,000 more IG ads I broke down and bought these Dorsey earrings, which I’m honestly loving. And TY to Complexion for sending me their AM & PM serum kit as a little treat. I started using them a few days ago and I’m addicted.

Currently reading Daytrading Attention by Gary Vaynerchuk (highly recommend if you are trying to build a brand rn). Still haven’t managed to finish Fourth Wing, so… that probably concludes my review of that one lol.

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It’s been a minute. I blame travel, lawyers and summer vibes. Three weeks away is almost guaranteed to give you a fresh perspective and knock you out of autopilot, and these three weeks did that for me and then some. So I enter the belly of the summer with a renewed focus and some butterflies in my stomach.

Building something out of nothing is scary. It’s easy to get in your head about failing and about what people will think if you fail. But then you get away and see new things and meet new people and remember no one cares about what you’re doing or if you fail. And you’re free to just ****ing go for it. So here we go. Thoughts first this week!

Celebrating our country’s birthday with some M&A. More on this in future posts, but the headline is I’ve partnered with a startup in the resale space that I’ve admired for years. Its founder and I were set up on a “friend date” (those are highly underrated btw) and I loved both her, and her business, from the moment we met. FWIW, I believe some meetings happen by chance and some happen, well, not by chance. Not by chance is my favorite type and this was one of those, one of the ones where something sparks. When those happen, pay attention.

Because lawyers are lawyers (no offense to the lawyers out there) the agreement was completed several weeks behind schedule and signed on the 4th of July, which tbh I’m not mad at. I spent most of the holiday weekend honing an inventory intake system while bopping around my garage to The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. (Megan ty for the music rec.) My main task is to figure out how big this can get, and how fast it can get there. With that in mind,

Growth never happens as quickly as you want it to, but with synergies it can happen faster than it would on its own. Lots of M&A efforts promise to find synergies between the companies in question that then find exactly… none. But once in a while, two companies actually align, and suddenly finding synergies isn’t just possible, it’s inevitable. I’ve got high hopes that this resale startup and Stylematch will grow together, particularly because I’m obsessed with the teams for both and I’m optimistic they will soon be obsessed with each other. ICYMI, building things is too hard to bother doing with anyone you aren’t obsessed with.

Speaking of things I’m obsessed with, on my flight home I took a break from Fourth Wing to re-read Bonfire of the Vanities, which continues to be my favorite book of all time. IDK even know where to begin. It’s both realist and escapist, with brilliant writing that goes down easy. If you ever wanted to live in New York, wanted to get out of New York, or wanted anything you couldn’t have, this is for you.

And now for shopping:

I spent one glorious afternoon with Megan exploring X Bank, a concept store in the heart of Amsterdam. I left with a baroque pearl necklace which I basically haven’t taken off since.

The whole trip I wished I’d brought these, though. I am aware they are faux boxer shorts that cost over $200. I love them anyway. I have a medium.

And last but not least, these beauties from Emma Parsons. I’m very into the hardware detail. They run small; size up.

And that’s it!!

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Do I really like this or did the algorithm just show it to me so many times I think I like it — and does it matter? This question has been on my mind a lot lately as more and more clients completing our Style Quiz have indicated their overwhelm not only at pulling together outfits, but even at identifying clothes they like. They literally don’t know anymore. The problem with that is if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you’ll never find it and you’ll never feel the way you want to.

That’s why every Stylematch service starts with a 1-hour session focused on making new outfits from your existing wardrobe. You think you have nothing to wear, but maybe that’s just the algorithm doing its job (which is to get you to buy more things). Maybe there are some real gems in there. Maybe a fresh set of eyes and 1 hour will save you from spending hundreds of dollars on more things you won’t wear. Stranger things have happened.

Now onto some things I bought and genuinely like:

The perfect beach sweater. (I got grey, size M, so it’s more oversized than on the model.) We are heading to 30A next week and I wanted a chunky knit I could throw on over a bathing suit that I could also use at the office. Overall, I find La Ligne’s sweaters to have a nicer weight and better construction than the very similar Jenni Kayne alternatives.

The perfect summer cardigan, also from La Ligne. (I got cream, size M.) I wanted a crewneck cardigan that felt polished enough to wear to work and this is it. It’s 100% cotton with a magical amount of stretch, a luxurious weight, and subtly flared sleeves.

And some things on my wish list:

These suede leather Bermuda shorts, which remind me of a sample pair I got while working at Calvin Klein right out of Parsons. I loved those shorts. I wore them with wooden Steve Madden platforms, a tight white tank top, and a chunky white woven belt. It was a vibe. But I felt great and it showed. Long suede shorts will forever remind me of being happily single, semi employed, and blessedly unburdened by any responsibilities to anyone other than myself. That’s one of the things I love about clothes — their ability to conjure up feelings from decades ago and inject nostalgic magic into today.

This Shell Top: a more structured spin on the Alex Mill vest I’ve been living in. I find the buttons charming without being too sweet and I can easily envision it over a t-shirt.

Anne Hathaway’s lips, strategic Botox, and general maintenance situation. Going to work on it and report back.

As for what I read: I highly recommend this excellent FT story titled Why we buy clothes for a life we don’t lead. The main reasons called out are: 1) aspirational purchasing, or buying things that make us feel like the life we live is more like the life we wish we lived. 2) the aforementioned Instagram algorithm, which at best confuses us and at worst tricks us. The conclusion is a push to buy pieces that work for who you are, right now.

& a quick update: this colored lip balm has earned a permanent place in my bag. If you’re a no-makeup makeup girl who wants to look alive, this is for you!

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“You can have everything you want if you help enough other people get what they want.” — Zig Ziglar That’s good because I want a LOT of things. For example, a dog! The one above arrived last night, escorted by my mom (thank you, Mom!). Name TBD.

I also want more people to experience what it’s like to look in their closet and like what they see — not because they bought a bunch of new stuff, but because they know how to wear the stuff they already own. I wish I could bottle how Stylematch clients feel after their service and give a small dose of it to prospective clients. (It’s similar to how I feel in the photo with the puppy.) Because I can’t actually give them the feeling itself, I’ve been brainstorming ways to communicate at least a preview of that feeling, whether through client testimonials or BTS clips or old-school before-and-after photos. Follow along @stylematch to see what I come up with!

As for things I bought: This G. Label by goop Shannon Dropped-Waist Dress. I love the jersey top/ poplin skirt dress trend, but find a lot of them look pretty dowdy. This one seems like a happy medium between ease and elegance. It’s on deep sale and has been ordered. Fingers crossed!

A knitted vest! I’m obsessed with this one that arrived a few days ago. I’ve been wearing it with straight-leg jeans and ballet flats to the office and feeling like a million bucks. It’s so versatile and wearable. Highly recommend.

Over the last two weeks when I wasn’t thinking about the puppy or summer knitwear, I was thinking about momentum — how to build it, how to keep it, how to use it. I’ve found that Ziglar is right: It comes down to getting hyper-focused on giving people what they want. (With Stylematch, for example, people don’t want a stylist. They want a feeling — usually some version of confident. The stylist is just a means to an end.)

So you give one person the feeling they want and make their life just a little better. Then another. And another. It’s slow and it’s messy. You manually send emails and process payments and ask friends to find flaws in your product. But over time your product gets better and your systems get faster, and at some point when you’re not paying attention, the momentum takes over and feels like it came out of nowhere.

Until that moment though, I’d also like better sleep. I just ordered this and will report back on whether it does absolutely anything for me, Pavlovian or not.

Other things I want right now include this COS paneled shift dress and an extra few hours in the day.

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Hiii. This is a day late because of a chaotic 24-hour trip to NYC (which I highly recommend everyone work into their schedules as often as possible!). Anyway, here goes:

Matcha that might replace my espresso habit, maybe. The trip kicked off with a launch party for MAKE Matcha at the most charming home in the West Village. I am a two-espressos-a-day kind of girl, but I have to tell you, MAKE Matcha is so good I am considering replacing one of those espressos with this. And it not only tastes amazing, it also comes beautifully packaged. The Stone Tea Caddy is basically an art piece. Putting this at the top of my gift-giving list from now on (including for gifts to myself!).

Part of what made the party so great was how much fun the founders (Darla Murray - R / Chantal Shah - L) were having. It reminded me of how important it is to work with people you like as often as humanly possible. I’ve talked about this before, but launching and growing a company is so hard, it feels insane to me to make it any harder on yourself than you have to by working with someone whose company you don’t enjoy. When you can laugh together and trust each other, it’s really a 1 + 1 = 3 situation. If you don’t, you’re lucky if 1 + 1 = 2.

MAKE Matcha’s launch party also served as the inaugural outing of my new black slip dress. Here’s why I won't shut up about it: the silk is matte-but-slinky, the cut is incredibly flattering over your backside, the scoop neck is more versatile than the more standard v-neck I find most slip dresses have, and it’s long enough to give you a great column shape without dragging on the floor or feeling too formal. I wore it with my SLVRLAKE baby tee (I’m wearing a medium), a Cinq a Sept blazer (the sleeves are ruched so you get the style of pushing your sleeves up without the annoyance of constantly having to push them up! magic!), a discontinued REISS belt (similar here) and 8-year-old Rag & Bone boots that are perfect for messy weather.

Sidenote: I removed the photo background in the Stylematch app! It’s a new feature and if you haven’t played around in the app yet, you can download it here!

During the trip I also squeezed in drinks and brunch with various friends and a Magic Sleek hair treatment by Ty Holbrook (life changing!), but on my way back to Nashville I still found myself lamenting all of the things I didn’t get to do, which ranged from seeing other friends and colleagues to getting a full night of sleep because…

there aren’t enough hours in the day. And I know I’m not alone — there aren’t enough hours in the day for any of us. But I realized that’s a good thing. There aren’t enough hours because you have a **** ton of things you want to accomplish, people you want to see, ideas you want to turn into reality. And I think that’s a fun place to be. Tired and excited > well rested and bored. Who’s with me??

Acquired podcast: On the plane ride back I listened to the first two episodes of Aquired, which has been around 10 years but recently got a write up in the WSJ. It’s heavily tech-focused, but pretty interesting and a good alternative for when you want something more intellectual than true crime.

In other news, I will be wearing this oversized linen blazer all summer. It’s obscenely soft and has a beautiful drape. I took a small. Also, this Sofia Coppola tinted lip balm arrived and I love it.

And that’s it for now! Happy weekend!

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Anyone else tired of the pics from the Met Gala? Am I the only one?? Monday night I was all-in with the AI Katy Perry, the dress made of sand, Kim Kardashian’s inexplicable cardigan, and all the rest — but by Wednesday morning I was tired of hearing about how long it took everyone to get ready, how many people they needed to cart them across town, how they had to be carried up the stairs and cut out of their clothes when they wanted to change… into their after party Looks. Which then triggered a second wave of algorithmic posts to my feeds.

But then I had a realization about why I was feeling that way, which I posted even though I wasn’t wearing any makeup.

OK, now that that’s out of my system, here’s stuff I bought recently!

New Balance sneakers: The most basic of the basics and classic of the classics. They’re inexpensive, durable, and comfortable and can be worn with almost anything during the warmer months. I’m wearing mine with these, the greatest socks in the world (not inexpensive but worth it!).

A basic black tee: I’m officially a Leset girlie now. Thanks to Megan who flagged them for me! Not a lot to say here. It’s a black crewneck t-shirt. But the fabric is nice and thick and it has a boxy-but-not-sloppy cut that I love and that goes with almost anything. I’m transitioning from always tucking in my top to only tucking it in when I’m wearing a belt, and the Leset Margo works for both of those styling choices.

A tinted lip balm by Sofia Coppola: Tinted lip balm is my love language because I’m not big on makeup and it makes me feel like I tried. I got shade #1 and will report back when it arrives.

And finally, after months of searching, I found the perfect black slip dress. It’s so easy and versatile without rendering me shapeless. I’ve worn it with this off-white baby tee and ballet flats, on its own with sneakers, and with this work shirt + lots of jewelry. It’s going to be a go-to piece for months, I can already tell.

The cost of doing nothing: Zig Ziglar (what a name!!) is someone I return to again and again, and his talk about the universal and hardest-to-beat competitor of every company has been at the forefront of my thoughts. When asked (by potential investors, usually) “Who are your biggest competitors?” the instinct is to rattle off well-known brands and explain why you’re better. But that’s not right. Your biggest competitor is… inertia.

Does the consumer think going to a Broadway show would be fun? Sure. So you advertise to convince them that yours is the show for them. Great. They might decide to see your show — but they also might decide to see… nothing. They’ve gotten this far in life without going to Broadway. Why start now? (This was touched upon in this brilliant research report on the state/ future of Broadway.) So your job isn’t so much convincing them to see your show, it’s convincing them to see a show. This truth applies to basically anything you’re selling, but it especially applies to experiences/ things that require consumer participation — like hiring a personal stylist.

Would it be nice to love getting dressed? To stop wasting money on things you don’t wear? To get compliments from strangers? Yes! Are you ready to invest $249 and 1 hour of your life to make that happen? … My task over the next week is to calculate the “cost of doing nothing” and how best to communicate that to consumers. Pray for me.

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You know when you’re so consumed by a very specific, very clear project you neglect (most) everything else? I love that. It’s my favorite. And I just had three days of it redesigning the Stylematch checkout flow. (If you have notes, drop them in the comments or message me!)

But don’t worry — there were four days before that started for me to shop and read and think! And since Mother’s Day is nearly upon us, here are some recommendations for gifts for the moms out there. Feel free to buy gifts for yourself.

The perfect loafer that won’t look exactly like everyone else’s and will last forever. They were waitlisted for a bit, but they’re back! And you know that means they’re in my closet. I got the oxblood, which is a really rich, warm brown that can go with pretty much any other shade of brown or black. They feel like bedroom slippers from first wear and I’ve worn them every day since they arrived (pic above from this morning in the parking lot at my office… hard to photograph shoes while you’re wearing them.) Anyway, buy them before they’re waitlisted again.

A foolproof self-tanner that won’t streak. This is my go-to self tanner. I mix it with my go-to body lotion. I like this application (drops in lotion I already use) because it’s fast, easy, and results in a streak-free color. I use the Isle of Paradise drops every other day or so during the months where my legs are exposed. One bottle lasts me a season, making it more budget-friendly than the others I’ve tried. I use medium, fwiw.

A cardigan so she won’t f***ing freeze every time she enters an overly air-conditioned space. I’ve been on the hunt for a while and these are my three current favorites: classic cashmere, chunkier Khaite-inspired, and one made from Japanese yarn that I will buy if it ever goes on sale. (Thank you Megan for surfacing that one for me!)

On that note, my thoughts keep circling back to the importance of liking the people you work with — or at least the people you work with most intimately. For me, a big part of liking colleagues is trusting them. If we trust each other and we can laugh together, we can build something together. If we can’t, we can’t. So those are my two non-negotiables. Your criteria might be different, but I think it’s worth pinning down because it can help provide clarity about where you’re at and what’s next during times of murkiness. OK back to gifts!!

A great belt, like this super-affordable one from Madewell. Belts are kind of like lipstick in that they can update a look almost instantly and with little effort. I’ve found Madewell belts to be as well made and look just as good as belts from far more expensive brands. Every time I wear this one, I get compliments. Compliments are a great gift!!

A great book — and peace and quiet to read it. Some recent titles I’ve really enjoyed: Grit (excellent motivation for anyone building something) and Glossy (about Glossier and the rise, chaos and semi-collapse of #girlboss culture). I found Glossy to be particularly interesting because it dives into Glossier’s journey not going public back when some of its contemporaries did (RTR, SFIX). Now that a few years have passed, it’s been fascinating to see how these decisions have played out. Interested to see where Glossier lands.

1 hour with a great stylist. Yes, I am biased, but I also know that every Stylematch client is getting incredible service and results. A 1-hour styling session is truly the gift that keeps on giving because she’ll get new ways to wear old favorites and a curated list of shopping recommendations from her stylist — which you could buy for her if you are so inclined!! As we’ve grown, so has our bench of talent and we have the ideal stylist for every mom out there. promise. Use code WIBRATA for 30% off because I appreciate that you’ve read this far.

And then some stragglers: I’m loving this true crime podcast. I loved this HIBT with the Drunk Elephant founder (she’s a trip!) and I ordered this silk slip dress but it hasn’t arrived yet.

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I bought, read and thought about so many things over the last week!! So let’s just dive right in:

If you follow the Stylematch IG, you know I haven’t shut up about these Alaia flats. My feed is being flooded with knock-offs and the WSJ ran a story on them. (It’s paywalled but if you message me I’ll screenshot it for you!) I realize they are objectively weird and borderline ugly, and they are a shoe with a rubber sole that retails for $1,290 (price just went up on Alaia’s site). In any case, when I was in NYC last weekend I dropped into the Alaia Soho store to try them on — and promptly got them out of my system. It helped that my BFF was there to ask how I planned to wear them (with jeans??) and to complain that the sales associate did not offer us any Champagne even though there was an open bottle sitting right there. (They had opened it for another customer who actually bought something but still.)

I felt more appreciated at COS where a random woman stopped me to ask if I was carrying a Margaux. When I said yes, she asked if she could hold it “just to see how it feels.” You just don’t get that kind of acknowledgment for a handbag in Nashville.

Later that day, I grabbed drinks with Gab Saper and once my eyes adjusted to the pitch black lighting in the back of the Ace Hotel lobby (we optimized for location vs. ambiance), I noticed she was wearing the cutest track pants. They’re sporty but polished and I can envision wearing them with loafers and a button-down to work. They’re also on sale in a few colorways.

We chatted longer than I expected and I almost missed the last train to Jersey, but the whole interaction got me thinking about the importance of teams. The thing about teams is that if you have a great one, you can give them a flawed, imperfect, or half-baked idea and they will make it better. And if you have a not-great one, you can give them a pretty good idea and they’ll make it worse. Since most ideas — especially in the startup phase — fall into the former category, it’s even more critical to get smart people who give a **** in early to help you. And then, you know, to listen to them. That’s another part of the equation I think is often missed. In any case, I’m pretty optimistic about the team we’ve got going so far.

During my plane and train rides, I read I Have Some Questions for You. Much like the shorts below, this book is great for what it is: a suspense book that’s maybe 1/2 step above the “airport” genre. If you want a page-turner that won’t make you work too hard, I def recommend.

Other non-NYC-specific updates:

These Donni shorts had been waitlisted (you know how I love a waitlist!) for months and are now back in stock so I snapped up a pair. I have to say, for what they are (basic, casual, semi-sporty shorts), they are fabulous. They actually look better on a “real” body than on the model because they have a pretty generous cut that she’s kind of swimming in. They’re also a nice length that feels polished and adult vs. collegiate. I bought them in tomato, but I’m going to get a pair in heather-grey now too.

This Banana Republic trench is a keeper. Turns out I am an unlined-trench kind of girl after all. I’m also giving high marks to this oversized red canvas bag. It has really nice proportions, unexpected and highly functional external pockets, and is even prettier in person.

I don’t work in theatre anymore, but I found this research report — spearheaded by my aforementioned BFF — fascinating anyway. It’s a good reminder that things that might seem obvious to us may not be at all obvious to our target customers. Seems so easy, but also so easy to forget!!

And that’s it for this week!

Reminder 1: I earn commission for purchases or clicks made through some of the links in this post. (Gab earns commission on the track pants.)

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IDK about you, but I’m officially ready for summer, summer Fridays, and summer vacation. (Since I work for myself, I prob won’t get summer Fridays but we’ll see.) In anticipation of vacation, I bought this Japanese-made canvas tote to replace my Marc Jacobs canvas “Tote Bag” which I’ve grown extremely bored with. I think the color of this one is so fun and cheery and I have high hopes it will be a summer staple. Will report back.

The Dorsey necklace is a keeper. While no one’s going to mistake it for actual diamonds (it’s lab-grown white sapphires to keep the cost down), it provides adequate sparkle and fulfills its role as a stand-in for a legit tennis necklace. I’ve worn it a bunch of times already with this t-shirt and this t-shirt, and I think it really does provide that extra something to make it look like I made some effort. (Up for debate: looking “effortless” is overrated.) Dorsey’s return policy is totally reasonable, so if you’re on the fence and you don’t care that you can’t shower in it (it’s sterling not white gold so it will tarnish — again to keep cost down), I’d say go for it. (Image is a still from me trying to film short videos for social in my closet… sigh.)

As someone who sleeps in socks when it’s 80 degrees outside, words cannot express my joy that socks are back in fashion. I celebrated by ordering a few pairs of Comme Si socks (some to go with loafers, some to go with sneakers). They are ridiculously priced ($30 for a pair of socks is insane to me) but they are legitimately wonderful. They are the right thickness and length for their respective shoe partners and have greatly improved my day-to-day already, as my ankles are no longer freezing beneath my desk.

The White Cotton Blouse Index. This excellent article was sent to me by a friend, and I thought about it all week. The main point of the story was that in an effort to make everything available to everyone all the time, retailers now present consumers with a paralyzing number of options. For a search term as simple as “white cotton blouse,” major retailers delivered upwards of 1,100 results. 1,100 white blouses to pick from!!! What happens when you have 1,100 white blouses to pick from? You pick none.

This phenomenon, coined The Paradox of Choice by Dr. Barry Schwartz, is nothing new. But it is something that lots of companies seem to have forgotten. IMO, what this means is that the challenge today is not providing consumers with information, but providing consumers with curation. Good curation. Curation they trust. Curation they crave. In a lot of ways, this was the premise of Broadway Roulette (most people who want to see a Broadway show don’t want to spend time to figure out what to see) and is also the premise of Stylematch (most people who want to look great don’t want to spend time to figure out how to do that). This story was a great reminder that quite often less is more. Which seems so easy but is just so easy to forget.

Also… restocked some treats from The Very Best Cookie in the Whole Wide World. Everything Kirstyn makes is delicious, but the Brown Butter Toffee Bars are my new fave. My children had a fight over who got the last one last night and there were tears. Besides that, they are literal perfection.

Final notes:

The Phoebe Philo sunglasses were, indeed, too big for my face. I’m now hoping something from Le Specs (maybe these??) will work for me. TBD!

Every time it rains I’m mad I don’t own a trench coat, but every trench I’ve ever tried has felt too big and too heavy. BR served me this one (that’s only $200!!!) on social the other day and obviously I ordered it. It’s unlined so fingers crossed it’s lightweight enough for summer storms (getting ready for summer is top of mind lol).

And, unoriginally and unsurprisingly, listening to this.

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We’re back! I missed last week’s send because my daughter was in the hospital (she’s fine, thanks for asking) but don’t worry — I still bought things, read things, and thought about things! The first thing I thought about was that if you really want to freak out a parent, tell them their 4-year-old’s heart might explode and then wait at least 12 hours before saying JK it’s a UTI. And that brings us to:

Maybe the greatest kids’ toy ever. My criteria for a standout kids’ toy (using that term loosely) are that it doesn’t make a mess, doesn’t make any annoying noise, doesn’t involve a screen, and is something my kid actually wants to play with. Enter mosaic sticker books. They come in different levels of difficulty and can keep a kid engaged for hours on end. They can be done in a hospital bed, and would be perfect for a plane flight. Highly recommend!

A little treat from the Phoebe Philo collection. I’m really (really!) hoping these don’t end up being too wide for my face. (Most sunglasses are.) I love their cat-eye-but-make-it-sporty shape and the tortoiseshell coloring. I was on the waitlist so when they were back in stock I hit “pay now” without much thought. They should arrive today so I will report back next week!

This Dorsey necklace. Yes, another Instagram purchase (more here) — I am powerless against the algorithm. Dorsey has absolutely, unashamedly stalked me for the last 6+ months. They emailed me approximately 2x per day and delivered ads every single time I checked IG. They told me it was the most popular style. They told me Vogue loved it. They told me Justin Bieber wore it. Interestingly, the factor that tipped me over the edge to purchase was, once again, being on a waitlist.

Which got me thinking about the power of the waitlist as a marketing and sales tool. It’s a good one. To be honest, I’m not even sure there really was a waitlist for that Dorsey necklace. It “became available” a few hours after I signed up, and it’s still available now. It could be a coincidence — or it could be some next-level closing tactic. Implementing a waitlist can be a scary if you’re just launching because you want as many people as possible to buy your thing/ try your thing/ review your thing — but there are clearly times when the small nagging thought you plant in your potential customers’ minds (that they can’t have the thing they want, right now) is completely worth it.

Kicking around this concept a bit as I create a go-to-market plan for Stylematch. It has been interesting to see which initiatives have yielded the best results when it comes to growing the email list. I just launched a new one, btw, so if you’d like in on that, add your email here and you’ll be entered for the chance to win a free styling session :)

Atomic Habits by James Clear. People who know me know I won’t shut up about this book. I’ve read it 3x and can say it has had the most impact on my day-to-day life than any other book I’ve read. (Dramatic! I know!) But last week when I was OOO I realized why Atomic Habits helped me so much, and it’s because its message is that the direction you’re headed is more important than your current location. Changing your location takes time. Changing your direction can be done in an instant. That instant gratification really resonates with me. If you haven’t read this yet, you should!

& then there were these lil guys. This white t-shirt (boxy, boyish, pretty thick). And this white t-shirt (fitted, girlie, a bit more lightweight). For reference, I took a S in Leset Margo and a M in SLVRLAKE baby tee.

& these pants which I can already tell are going to be a summertime staple. They are honestly amazing — and the price is crazy. Super flattering. Lightweight. Perfect length for almost any shoe. Magic. Already ordered a pair for my mom.

& then here are some things I haven’t bit the bullet on yet, but have set up camp in my mind.

A suede jacket (it’s waitlisted in my size, so you know I’m gonna buy it!)

A (kind of sexy??) denim midi-skirt I wore the **** out of my Tory Burch one last year so…

Class dismissed!

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PPS: I am now set up with Collective Voice(!), and get commission for purchases or clicks made through links in this post. (That also allows me to see which recommendations are resonating and which aren’t.)

Today marks the one year anniversary of the launch of the Stylematch Instagram (not the functional business). On one hand, who cares. On the other hand, this means that one year ago, today, I made my private plans, public — or as public as something can be when no one from the public, except maybe your best friend, knows it exists. Sharing that first post still felt significant though, because signaled (to me!!) that I was serious and I was going to give this a go. 365 days later there’s a website, an iOS app (android coming soon), some press placements, a diverse team of talented stylists, a system in place for those stylists, and most importantly — happy (paying!!) clients. Still if you’re not following the IG, please do!

OK, how cute is this Apiece Apart skirt? I ordered it on a whim last week and have already worn it twice — once with a crisp blue-and-white button-down and once with a cozy cashmere sweater. Here’s what makes it a winner IMO: 1) The fabric is a nice, heavyweight twill that feels substantial but still spring-like. 2) The wrap at the waist is super flattering and adds enough visual interest that you don’t need to do a lot of work to look pulled-together. I’m thinking about getting this shirt to go with it.

Laneige Lip Glowy Balm: You already know about this one, but it really is worth the hype. It’s the most hydrating lip balm I’ve ever tried, and I’ve tried them all. Plus, it has just the right amount of tint. I buy it in bulk in case I ever need to suddenly go off the grid for an extended period of time.

News I wish I didn’t know: This a**hole’s back?? 5 years after being ousted by the WeWork board, Adam Neumann is signaling that he wants to buy the company back. This is a guy who trademarked “We” and then sold it to the company he founded for $5.9 million dollars. (That transaction was reversed after critics cited it as an example of WeWork’s “less than stellar” corporate governance LOLZ) While it’s unclear if he can actually get the money to buy it (he’s proposing $500 million), the fact that he even thinks he can reinforces a hard lesson I learned after selling Broadway Roulette: Being good at raising money and being good at running a company are not the same thing.**

But then there was this! 40-year-old Deanna Stellato-Dudek became the oldest woman to win a World Figure Skating Championship. Her story is wild. She quit the sport in her late teens and spent 15 years working as an aesthetician before a nagging feeling that she hadn’t fulfilled her potential brought her back to the ice at age 33 to try again. There’s hope for all of us.

Speaking of aestheticians, I saw mine yesterday (Srisha Pillay at Complexion 10/10 recommend) for my second round of PRF EZ Gel. It’s like PRP made famous by Kim Kardashian’s “vampire facial” but somehow, better. Don’t ask me how it’s better. It’s science. Anyway, they draw your blood, spin it around to isolate the good stuff and heat it to form a gel, and inject that back into your face. It promises to boost collagen production, decrease fine lines, and tighten skin among other things. Here’s what I looked like immediately after. The weird white patches are from the numbing agent.

Will report back in a few weeks on whether I feel tighter and glowier or just poorer.

Silver Hoops pictured are from Sophie Buhai. LOVE and wear all the time.

HIBT with Ariel Kaye of Parachute Home: Personally, I find Guy Raz borderline insufferable, but I still enjoy this show. What struck me most in this episode was their brief discussion about Parachute’s expansion into furniture — and rather swift retreat. Yes, it was a misstep, but hats off to them for recognizing it quickly and course correcting before too much damage was done.

Flamingo Estate update: The tomato candle did not disappoint. It smells like an actual tomato which seems like it should be weird for a candle, but weirdly, it works! If you want something that smells less like a tomato, the sage and rosemary candles are lovely too. Oh and the rose & bergamot body oil is a new hero product for me, but it has a very wide mouth and I can’t control the pour very well so I’ll probably run out in like, a week. PS: That’s literally what the bottle looks like every time I try I use it.

And that’s a wrap on this week! (I did not read anything oops.)

**more on this some other time.

PS: I am now set up with Collective Voice(!) and I get commission for purchases or clicks made through links in this post. (This is also great for me to see which recs are resonating.)

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Hi! If you’re here it means you’re someone who, at some point in the recent past, has asked me for a recommendation about fashion or beauty or work. This Substack is my lazy attempt to corral those recs and discussions into one place. There’s no real agenda or strategy just FYI. OK, here we go.

Bougie self-care products. After being stalked on Instagram for months, I finally cracked and ordered a few candles and body oil from Flamingo Estate. I still haven’t really figured out what “the Estate” is… seems to be a fancy house in the hills somewhere around Los Angeles. The website describes it as “a pleasure-obsessed home of sun-worship, folk mythologies, and psychedelic remedies grown only by farmers we know and trust.” K. Anyway, their marketing is beautiful and I have high hopes for my tomato-scented candle… will keep you posted.

These silk shorts. I use The Pomodoro Technique to help me crank through tasks I’m not particularly excited about quickly. (I’m a big believer in the “done is better than perfect” theory, especially when you’re trying to get something off the ground.) If you’re unfamiliar, The Pomodoro Technique combines 25 minutes of focused work followed by a mandatory 5-min break. It’s great except that during my 5-min break I often shop and since time is limited, my purchases can sometimes skew kinda random. Anyway, these weirdo shorts arrived and I LOVE THEM. They will be great with a pocket tee and blazer or a striped button down shirt during the upcoming warmer months.

Vitamins you eat. This is another IG purchase, obviously. I’m not sure GEM Vitamins actually qualify as vitamins since they are more like extremely small nutrition bars, but again, excellent marketing! They are definitely an acquired taste (kind of citrusy?) but I have grown to like them and eat one first thing each day to counteract everything else I eat later in the day. As far as IG purchases go, I’m declaring this one a winner.

News living rent-free in my brain: I limit my news intake for my mental health, but because I am a Royal Watcher and consider Kate Middleton to be one of the most fascinating people alive, I’ve been obsessed with #whereiskate. If you know, pls tell me!

More news living rent-free in my brain: The class-action lawsuit filed against Hermes over its (well known) practice of gate-keeping its Birkin bags. The lawsuit claims that Hermes requires clients to purchase a bunch of things they don't necessarily want to qualify them for the right to buy the Birkin violates anti-trust laws. I don’t know if this practice violates those laws or not, but I do know that its existence is what makes a Birkin, a Birkin. Take that away and it’s just another boxy bag with an annoying closure system. (Sorry if you like it!)

The 1-Page Marketing Plan by Alan Dibb: I’m actually on my second pass through this book. Like many marketing books, some of the information is pretty basic, but unlike many marketing books, it doesn’t just say the same thing 100 different ways. Each chapter has a distinct focus and I’ve found it helpful as I think about how to acquire customers for Stylematch.co now that I almost have operations worked out.

Geidi Primes (Nightmare Edition) by Grimes: I’m like 15 years late to the Grimes fan club, but I’m fine with that. She just released a new album which I’ve had on repeat at work all week.

Last but not least: I had a few inquiries about this J.Crew Laminated Linen skirt, pictured on Grace Ghanem above. It has been sold out but is currently available in sizes 2, 4, 6 & 8. Fits TTS.

That’s a wrap on everything in my brain right now!! Off to map out a welcome series for Stylematch.co — if you have any recs about best practices there, please ping me!

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