When it Rains it Pours, And that’s just life
LOL yes this is me being dramatic but I haven’t posted a Substack since April 4 so it felt necessary - update included!
Style & things is a weekly newsletter about all the style and well, things, I’m loving at the moment without anyone asking! Let’s get to it :)
The 4 things i’ve been loving L8TLY!!!!!!:
Melons, A Perfect Summer Read, The Power of a New Bikini
Cue “I'm just a summer girl” because “I wear my flip flops, And when I let my hair down, That's when the is party starts!” But seriously … I have been a summer girl my whole life, when I lived in NYC people usually laughed at me and said I was not built for the cold city life and needed to be on a beach. I couldn’t agree more!
The fact that it’s finally summer time, I’m currently obsessing over:
Melons - I used to avoid fruit which LOL that was dumb. I have been on a fruit kick but specifically a melon kick! Watermelon is OF COURSE, but we’ve also tried Dino Melon (5/10) and Golden Honeydew (12/10). I don’t like regular honeydew but this golden one is SO good! I’m making juices and just raw-dogging it and its been fab. I’m in melon heaven RN and people need to eat more watermelon and Golden Honeydews this summer. Also not a melon, but Cherries are also on repeat in our household.
My Current Summer Read: A Perfect Vintage. I’m not going to lie, I've had “read more” as a new year's resolution for the last like 10 years … I’m just not a good reader and I’ve always been so ashamed of it but whatever - we are over it. So when I say I can’t put this book down, you know it’s good. The beginning was a little slow for me but once I got over that it’s been so so so good. I haven’t finished but it’s juicy!
I get all my book recs from my friend CandaceVKim (who is such a good follow for all things beauty!). But her book review highlights are a hidden gem though!Summer House!!!!! I know I’m 8 seasons late to the PARTY but OMG I’m hooked! I watched Season 7 and 8 over the last two weeks, basically on bed rest, and I’ve never been so invested in random people’s lives. I have now started from Season 1 because I need to know more about these people!!
I absolutely LOVE getting a new bikini! If I could, I would live in a bathing suit. During a recent trip to Laguna Beach, we discovered an adorable store called LaLa. (PS - I have to share a round-up of the trip because there were so many cute finds!) But I picked up the cutest swimsuit bottoms there. I've been searching for a boy-short style, and these are butter
y soft and come in the most adorable color. The brand is Laura Urbinati! I hadn’t heard of this brand but it’s made in Italy and the quality is amazing. I didn't love the matching top the store had to go with it, so I just ordered one from Amazon until I can a better one to math!
MY S&S (short and sweet!) 8 WEEK HIBERNATION:
Like I said when it rains it pours and man, it poured. I don’t want to get into the details, because I’m still figuring things out, but, some health issues and family matters demanded my attention and energy over the past two months.
BUT I’m excited to be feeling better because I’ve been itching to get back to writing! SO WE ARE BACK WITH STYLE & THINGS coming to you weekly!
IN MY CLOSET/CART L8LY
I’ve been eyeing these sandals from A.EMERY for way too long, they remind me of the row at much more affordable price! They come in multiple colors and would look good with just about anything!
I want an overall so bad. Also, overalls are supposed to be trendy and a statement so having the barrel bottom just makes so much sense to me. Want these for the summer badly!
This woven tote by Madewell is giving Dragon Diffusion (which I’ve wanted for so long) but at a $188 price tag. My white one is currently sold out BUT the brown is still so good and honestly would be great to carry into fall. I can’t stop using, it’s lightweight and the perfect size to throw your laptop in!
Got this yellow qt thang dress when it was brand new from FP - the yellow sold out quickly (probably thanks to Mary Ralph!) but the style is so good and comes in so many fun colors. I just bought in red for 4th of july and summer cause we know red is HOT for summer! Going to pair it with these cute red Zara heels for a monochromic look.
I wear my white and black Sambas all the time - I think this light color is so fun for summer and love the gum bottom! No brainer!!
This top and bottom set is so so so so cute! I love linen and I think this outfit is so effortless for the summer. I also think they would both look so cute on their own!
I’m building out my ShopMy so it’s easy to shop all my fav things!
RANDOM THOUGHTS & THINGS!!! denim shorts :)_
Top of mind for me lately has been summer (can you tell by my email) and with summer, comes denim shorts. This subject has come up multiple times for me in the last few weeks with friends texting me advice on which ones to get, The Cut shared this story the other week and Feed Me (Substack queen Emily!) brought it up mentioning Zara’s genius idea which I’ll get to.
I'm not saying I hate denim shorts, but they're not my favorite. I get why people often complain about them, but I see it as an opportunity to infuse my own style and find the perfect pair. After all, they are essential during the hot months. Here are some tips and rules I follow when purchasing denim shorts:
I will not spend more than $40 on a pair of denim shorts. Even when I have “invested” in a nice pair they fall apart and honestly don’t last me more than a couple of years. I’d rather spend my money on something else.
I always go up in size, by like 2 or 3 sizes! Denim shorts, especially in your late 20s or early 30s are not cute when your butt is out. I don’t care how skinny or muscular or how much you love your body. I just think it’s not cute, sorry that’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it!
Don’t be afraid of a little length! I find with a little baggy and a little length it helps - it’s like the “mom denim” jean short.
Shopping for denim shorts can be a challenge, but the satisfaction of finding a perfect pair is unbeatable! In the past, I’ve had some luck with ‘Mom Jeans’ from Forever21, though lately, I haven't found much from them. I’ll keep checking and let you know if I find a great pair at their price tag. This year, I've been obsessed with some options from Zara, especially these white ones (pictured above) that I can't stop wearing. Emily from Feed Me also pointed out that Zara has a dedicated 'Denim Shorts' shopping tab, which is incredibly helpful and highly recommended. Generally, I don't like to spend too much on shorts, so I often browse the sale section on Revolve. However, if you're in the mood to splurge, the ones from Citizens of Humanity are absolutely adorable!
OK Happy Summer Girling to you all! Don’t forget your sunscreen. C u next week!!
xx