And we’re back! My last letter came from the start of my vacation, where I was hoping to kind of unplug or at least not have my phone in my hand the entire time.
And I was more or less able to do that - more or less able to just chill and feel more like myself than I do when I’m in the depths of momming at home. I wrote more about it here.
The main takeaway that’s not mom-centric, is just how nice it is to put your phone down for a little while, just leave it alone and forget about it. It feels so good to just be a person in the world, not trying to get content. The down side, however, is that I don’t have any content. I don’t have many pictures from the trip, and very few outfit photos. The ones I do have I’ve pretty much all shared already, but they were kind of perfect, so that’s fine.
I packed just one carry on, which isn’t revolutionary for a 7 day trip, except that I was with a big group of friends, I didn’t really know what we’d be doing, and looks were expected. I have all this fun stuff I love and don’t have too many chances to wear, so I grabbed the sartorial bull by the sequins and let it rip.
Party Night!
We had one big night out on the trip, and I wanted to dress the part. We were celebrating one of my best friend’s birthdays, so the vibe was festive. I bought this red sequin Dries skirt ages ago, and I love how classic the shape is, but that it has a nice slit and, obviously, is very sparkly. The top comes as part of a set I also got from Dries’ men’s collection. I’ve never worn the pants and shirt together, but I love the shirt with the skirt because the colors don’t exactly match. The whole thing is kind of slouchy and casual, but obviously very fancy with the sparkles. I wore it with flat sandals to make it feel even more toned down.
1. Such a pretty shirt - I love that this one closely resembles a simple white button down, but is obviously, very sparkly. This is the kind of twist on a classic that I love. Stine Goya, $270
2. This one is a little sheer, which is also nice! The color is closer to mine, and bought oversized, would be casual feeling. More to Come, $88
3. This is the exact version of my shirt, it’s men’s, only in black. It’s slim cut, so fits more or less like a women’s shirt. It is heaven. Dries van Noten, $815
4. And then this one is the women’s version, also by Dries, and massively massively on sale. Go, go, go! Dries van Noten, $398
5. This Lapointe skirt is very close to mine, the slit is higher, which I love, and the hem is a little longer. It’s so beautiful - I love this bright, poppy, orange-red, AND, it’s 50% off. There’s also a coordinating red sequin crop top! Lapointe, $495
6. I love this one from ALC. The color is super subtle, but it’s nice and sparkly and has a pretty fluted shape. This would also be so pretty with a navy tank and minimal sandals. ALC, $158
7. A slightly less subtle option! If mermaid-core is your thing, here you go - a very pretty, very mermaidy skirt. Vince, $198
8. Prefer a one and done? How about a red long sleeve sequin mini dress! The sleeves make it a little slouchier and cooler, and with those nude minimalist sandals it will feel very low key. Kate Spade, $454 (but 40% off with the code SOEXTRA)
9. Another perfect pair of minimal sandals! I have these and I’ve practically worn a hole in the sole I love them so much. Emme Parsons, $425
10. And now a very elegant sleek pair of red sandals! Only one pair left in size 35 but man they are so good. Dries van Noten, $227
11. And one more! Very simple! Totally perfect! Ancient Greek Sandals, $275
12. I just got this little Nili Lotan clutch, and it’s the perfect thing for so many occasions. I love a little multi-purpose clutch like this, that can be super fancy or super casual. This is a very good one. Nili Lotan, $775
13. Dream of all dreams, this one, in person, looks like a goldfish. It looks alive. It’s so gorgeous, and a bazillion dollars, but man if you can spend that kind of cash on a little bag this is the little bag to get. Bottega Veneta, $3,800
14. Who could resist this one, shaped like an oyster shell? It’s so silly, I love it so much. Simkhai, $495
St Tropez Costume
We spent a day in St Tropez, and boy did I take that opportunity to wear my silly little outfit.
1. Listen, there is nothing wrong with dressing for a time and a place, and summer in St Tropez is for sure the time and place for a white dress. If you’re not into a mini, I love this one in stretch knit. It’s very clean and tidy and lovely. Cos, $135
2. This one has a really sweet square neckline, and wide straps, which would work well with bra straps. It also comes up to size 24. JCrew, $158
3. Another perfect little white dress - I love the shift shape of it. I’m grabbing this one in black for myself, but in white it’s super perfect, especially for vacation. This one is available in sizes up to 16. Theory, $365
4. This is my dress - it’s so beautiful, so perfect, I wear it like this on its own, but also with my High Sport kick flares and Row leggings. Attersee, $695
5. I love these white sandals so much. They’re very grounding, since they cover so much of your foot, which is a nice counterpoint to a super short mini dress. Everlane, $150
6. A very splurgey pair of sandals, but also very perfect sandals. Take care of these and you’ll wear them for the rest of your life. The Row, $820
7. These are the ones I’m wearing - I love the bigg-ish logo on the side for silly days like this, but also the profile is so classic and low key you can wear them anywhere with anything. Celine, $510
8. Similarly, I love the classic cat eye on these, but extra love the blue lens. It’s a little sneaky touch that makes them a tiny bit more interesting. Mango, $25
9. And then finally, somehow the tortoise with the blue makes these even more subtle than the black with the blue. These are super classic, and so beautiful. Dior, $450
10. A very sweet little straw crossbody, again, super perfect for this kind of trip! Sezane, $310
11. This is a version of the bag I’m using. I take mine everywhere and it’s getting very pleasantly beat up. I used it as my carry-on for the trip, but then also as my day bag. It’s so chic and timeless, and so perfectly made. It’s an investment piece, but is will worth it. Metier, $1,926
12. I brought very little jewelry with me on the trip, but I wore my Dorsey James necklace every single day. It looks SO good with a black bikini, or out during the day, or for a night out, literally anything. This necklace is an absolute must-have for me. Dorsey, $625 for 16”
13. I also just got this bracelet from Dorsey. It reminds me of a vintage gold piece, but is a total steal. It’s a great travel piece - it goes with everything and won’t give you a heart attack if you wear it in the ocean or anything. Dorsey, $260
Travel Day
This is what I wore to go from Nice to Corsica, and coincidentally, it’s a stripped back version of what I flew in from LA to Paris. I like to have one set of airplaney clothes when I travel, especially if there will be multiple travel days. So anyway, you basically already saw this here, but I wore it again without a sweatshirt and I felt very cute. I felt cuter than the picture is - this is what I get when I ask my husband to take my photo instead of just doing it myself.
1. My all time favorite! High Sport kick flare in Navy. Infinitely wearable, insanely comfortable, beautifully made. High Sport, $860
2. And now! Another great pair. These have a zip and all that, they’re more like real pants than leggings, but they’re also delightful. Theory, $235
3. The simplest, most pure version of a navy tank. I like the thicker straps and the deep scoop neck, and that it’s not cropped length so I don’t have to worry about my belly button hanging out. Aerie, $10
4. Another excellent one, this one with a racerback! Everlane, $40
5. I have this one, and I LOVE it. It’s kind of a mix between muscle tank and racerback, and it’s very fitted and supportive. It holds your boobs in nicely! Donni, $98
6. My favorite flip flops! I love the Brasil logo - they make everything feel relaxed, but still relatively polished. They’re perfect to pack because you can obviously wear them at the beach or pool, and then also for all the silly dresses you bring, these will make them feel less formal. Havianas, $22
7. A slightly fancier version - white leather flip flops from Toteme. The dream. I love the little knot detail and the square toe. They’re mega special, and mega simple. Toteme, $326
8. This has a wider brim than my hat - which is great for sun protection. This is also a bit more polished than mine, AND it comes in five colors. Including navy. Jenni Kayne, $125
9. Closer to mine! I like that this one has a fringey hem - usually not something I’d be into, but here I enjoy it. Hat Attack, $87
And that concludes my me me me time for today. This weekend, paid Earl Earl is back with a roundup of sale finds. So goodie goodie!
Love, your friend,
Laurel