Continuing in our “what to pack” series (see Miami/Palm Beach here and Aspen/Vail here): what do we pack for a summer trip to Nantucket? I believe this guide is applicable to other New England destinations, but am anchoring in ACK. I consulted several friends who have spent substantial amount of time on Nantucket for their input, and can’t wait to share some style ideas.
The Fourth of July is just around the corner! This year, we’ll be taking our kids to a huge festivity with fireworks, a buffet dinner, and every patriotic themed sweet treat imaginable. This is the first year we’ve done this with the kids in tow, as we’ve always felt my son was a little too young to stay up until 9 to see the fireworks. But as a newly minted six year old — ! Today, I’m rounding up the cutest pieces for whatever you find your family partaking in this Fourth of July, be it a casual pool afternoon, a parade, or fireworks.
I did want to mention that I recently revisited a super-old post of mine (from 2018) about a Ralph Lauren “Mommy and Me” capsule they launched and of course all of those items had long sold out but I came across a crop of adorable new mommy-and-me styling opportunities using their latest collection and updated the post to reflect it! Lots of Americana in there, too, in case you’re looking for something a little less on-the-nose!
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By: Jen Shoop
Two diary posts ago, I shared my intention for this summer: softness. When I adapted those thoughts to this post on Instagram in the format below, it garnered a lot of love; I suppose a lot of us are looking for a soft landing this season.
I’ve been really focusing on that word — which has been a little challenging with all the work I’ve been putting into my book behind the scenes (I promise I’ll stop talking about that soon; manuscript is due today!) — but have been manifesting it in small ways, like:
+New breathable gingham linen bedding from Piglet in Bed for the season ahead. (Seen above: sheets, duvet.)
+An unscheduled afterschool date for ice cream with my daughter.
+Permitting myself to read whatever I feel like. This has meant I’ve started three books in the past week and am toggling between them based on mood and preference. I’ve never read like this before, and it feels indulgent, yielding.
+Setting no alarm. I use the Hatch Restore now for gentle wakeups — the machine gradually wakes you via slowly brightening light and “alarms” that are much softer than the standard iPhone bunch — you can have birdsong, “Parisian morning,” music. They know have a few cool “alarm shuffle” options so you never know exactly what you’re going to get when you’ve set the Restore to wake you up; I just set up the “nature sounds shuffle.” I know I’ve been rhapsodic about this piece of technology but it has transformed my sleeping routines and rituals. I love not having my phone tempting me at my bedside; I love the soft, slow rousing in the morning. If I wake in the middle of the night, I sit with my thoughts — or I read. Or I go through this pragmatic little list my mother used to rattle off when I’d wake her in the middle of the night: “Are you hot? Are you cold? Are you thirsty? Are you hungry?” (Side note: I wish I’d had the Hatch Rest for my kids when they were younger! The Hatch Go may be a new go-to gift for new moms.)
+Repeating the words: “Actually, I do have the time” to myself any time I’m feeling the pinch of logistics and deadlines and “needing to get to the next place NOW.” Who cares if the kids go to bed a few minutes later? So what if I decide to push the errand to tomorrow so I can catch up with a friend?
+Seasonal baking. I made a donut loaf from this Midwestern Baking book last weekend and am making blueberry streusel muffins this one (using Bravetart’s recipe). I love a breakfast of fresh fruit, a slice of something sweet, and a big cup of coffee. It’s made for a leisurely sit with a crossword, or a good book, or a round of Wingspan.
+Relying on natural light. I often write with no lamps / overhead lights in my studio — just whatever filters in through the window. Sometimes this makes for dim conditions but I like the soft and unmediated quality of it.
+Watching summer storms on our covered patio, and calling my children out to do the same. One of my favorite sensory experiences of the season.
+Being a little more forgiving with my rituals — it’s OK if I miss a day of running; it’s OK if I go to bed a little later.
+Skincare routines that give me exactly what I feel like — nothing punishing. My favorite summertime product is Clarins’ Cryo-Flash mask. It really feels like a cold plunge to the face and leaves skin so energized.
+Wearing a lot of this doublesoft material (I own these in a few colors and love their various sweatshirts and cardigans in the same material — especially this style) and “whipped” cotton Negative undergarments while deep in editing, especially in the evening. It’s drapey, it’s ultrasoft, it never restricts.
+Going very light on makeup. I like the tinted SPFs from various brands, but have been wearing Merit’s new formula daily since I received it. I’ll add a slick of concealer at the undereye and nose (love Sarah Creal’s FaceFlex — designed not to sink into fine lines; luminous and light but also really does cover what it needs to cover), a little cream blush (color: Venus) and/or bronzer, and a slick of mascara. I learned somewhere on BeautyTok to leave your nose completely untouched by makeup for a more natural look so I make sure to dab off any concealer from the tip of my nose. It gives the impression of being makeup free even if you’re wearing concealer/foundation elsewhere.
+Easy, romantic music floating in through the house. For this I created a soft summer playlist you can get on Apple here and on Spotify here.
P.S. There’s still (a little) time to get your man or father a gift for father’s day — all my recs here. Also/unrelated: Sezane’s summer drop yesterday was so good. How gorgeous are these shorts and this classic striped dress?
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.
By: Jen Shoop
Words grow thin on the ground today. They’ve all been sewn into my manuscript, or in the hundreds of drafts of the manuscript that live in the cloud and in the penumbra of thought that follows me everywhere, even into sleep. I have woken up dozens of times in the past many weeks with words tucked under my tongue like a prayer, just waiting to be sung on the page. And now those daybreak and high noon and midnight words exist in various phases of seed and bloom across my many versions. Versions of the book; versions of me, too.
What I mean is that I have been thick in the editing process, which is a destabilizing place to be. I have been thinking this week of a line from a Edna St. Vincent Millay poem: “I’m deep in the clay, where the digging is hard.” I’m mucking around with the roots of things. I’m weed-wacking. I’m looking over every leaf and tendril wearing different sizes and shapes of glasses. Candidly, I’m toggling between “this is great work, Jen” and “this is terrible, oh my God” — which I’ve heard is all very normal and natural before submitting a manuscript. I’m also doing hare-brained things like introducing new content to the mix at the eleventh hour. (Why am I this way?)
I must remind myself that this is life, you know? Nothing I’ve not done before. This is another murky middle. Unfinished business. Things incomplete; dangling modifiers. I’ve caught several sneaky, hardy typos in the last 24 hours despite reviewing every letter and mark at least one hundred times. I know these will be caught by the editing team, too, but I am being fastidious, over-precious. Like a first-time parent, maybe? Fussing over the hand mittens.
But anyway – we’re always editing, aren’t we? I’m in the midst of an underscored and capitalized version of it, but when are we not dealing with drafts? We’re always writing better versions of ourselves. We’re always thinking of clearer ways to self-express. Onward!
Sunday Shopping.
First, I had to share that a Magpie reader sent me the cutest thing this week! I mentioned these cool Framebridge frames that can frame absolutely anything (even objects!) and include a chic, custom engraved brass plate beneath, and a Magpie sent me this photo of the coasters she framed from her wedding reception in 2005! How FAB!? What a thoughtful anniversary gift.
+Minnow’s summer collection is also live and I’m in love with this pattern! Their swimwear is great for mom life — full coverage, but with cute/playful patterns. (What other swim brands do you like for mom life? Please share in the comments. I’m working on a post with all my favorites for this season of life but would love to learn more about yours. This one is a classic and staple for a reason — I always see a lot of women wearing it at the baby pool in the summer; it’s flattering and practical (no risk of spilling out of the top, no need to readjust!) and comes in great colors. What other ones do we love?)
+I have tried a ton of facial SPFs already this season and the two I keep coming back to are Beauty of Joseon (a Magpie reader rec — it’s from a Korean beauty company and it takes ages to arrive but is excellent) and Outset’s Hydrasheer. Both go on very sheer but stand up to the ultimate test: sweat from my morning runs.
+Speaking of sweaty runs: a update on my Brooks Glycerin Max shoes. I love them. A ton of cushion but still lightweight. I was initially a little overwhelmed by the heft of them — they are BOATS — and am used to a lower profile look, but they are great. I do find they need to be laced really tight (duh, probably all running shoes need to be) or it tampers with my gait. But I’ve never noticed that with a pair of running shoes before so not sure what that means. I am contemplating testing these APL Euphorias next — have heard great thing about this model and of course obsessed with the aesthetics. Other running note: these are sort of “marathon runner” coded, but I also wanted to share these cooling, wicking, anti-odor, and UPF packed running hats. I sent a link to one of my friends who is training to run up Mount Washington and needs a cool race day fit.
+These classic Longchamps caught my attention in vibrant blue and watermelon for summer treks and overnight trips. They are so nostalgic for me — they remind me of my college days and feel retro in a charming way to me. The backpacks, too! A fun and practical way to add color to your summer wardrobe. And all of them are 20% off!
+Speaking of deals: I bought myself this T3 curling iron while on flash sale this weekend (use code FLASH at checkout for $70 off). I had asked readers for their favorite curling irons and this one came up a ton.
+New Splendid obsession: these striped sweater pants. They really know how to create an elevated but casual pant for post-beach / hanging at home / that sliver of time between the work day and bed time. As you know, I also own and love these gauze pants and these eyelet pants. All of these pieces give me the best feeling of Nancy-Meyers-protagonist-pouring-herself-a-glass-of-rose-in-a-marble-kitchen-that-looks-out-onto-an-Amagansett-beach.
+Testing UBeauty’s super hydrator for body. I love their super hydrator for face — I always think about a Magpie reader who wrote in to say she applied this before her wedding makeup artist started to apply her makeup and was blown away by how well it moisturized and illuminated the skin. It almost acts like a primer, too — it leaves skin with the tiniest bit of stickiness (not in a bad way — I feel like it grips makeup well). Anyway, curious to see how the body hydrator stacks up! They are offering us 20% off sitewide, even for returning customers (something they rarely do) now through June 10 with code JENSHOOP. A great time to test a new lip plasma color for summer, too! Their lip plasmas come in such great shades and really plump and fill the lip!! Rose (pale petal pink) is my year-round favorite but I just pulled out Idol (sheer hot watermelon) for the season.
+Last but not least, I am currently reading too many books but I sort of stopped everything to dive into TJR’s latest release, which just launched this week! An epic romance! I plan to read by the pool this weekend. (All my top pool/beach read picks for the summer here.)
By: Jen Shoop
+A NOTE ON HOPE: I loved this series of reassurances from my Internet friend and fellow writer Jennifer Edwards, especially her insight about hope (a la Emily Dickinson, hope is “the thing with feathers”). It made me realize how even in the really hard, sticky bits — the saltings — you find a light, you are the light! I found that image deeply comforting.
+A CHIC SPOTTING: I saw a mom wearing this gingham dress at a gathering this week and she looked SO CHIC. The drape of the sleeves is even better in person. Absolutely gorgeous! I now have it in my cart…you might remember I already own and adore this from this collection! (Try YOUROCK or YOURULE as codes at checkout – they often get you 20% off.)
+ON SAYING IT ONCE: In Rachael Ringenberg’s latest Substack, she talks about the concept, in parenting and childhood education, of only saying it once. Of not repeating yourself. She explains: “…you should try to say things one time to children humans. The more you repeat yourself, the more they count on you repeating to yourself. And, the more you repeat, the less a child (or adult) is cultivating attention.” I was so profoundly shook by this sentiment; I sometimes feel like a broken record in my home. I had perhaps thought, unreflectingly, that repetition signals importance — that it underscores the things that matter to us, and works them into a common sound byte they’ll never forget? But I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like I’m just a voice shouting into the void, or maybe that my litanies are unwarranted. So, I’ve been trying to hold my tongue when it comes to things I know the children can do without my guardrail, or should be doing without my guardrail, and then intercepting them and saying: “Hm, what are doing right now?” as a gentler way to get my point across. But, truly, can we avoid repetition in a practical way? For example, we have a rule in our home: when you get home, you wash your hands. Would my children actually wash their hands every time they come in if we didn’t remind them? No. I know this because I avoided prompting them several times this week, and they went about their happy ways, grubby fingered. Maybe there are other answers, slighter ways to direct them. And maybe repetition is OK in certain places and less so in others. I would personally love to never hear my voice say: “Hill, can you please [for the love of God] focus on eating?” again in my life. My six year old son is highly distractible at the dinner table. He could sit there eating about 1/4 cup of food for two hours if we let him; he will invent hundreds of reasons to rise from the table. I’ve tried lots of things. I’ve tried less food. I’ve tried to let him get his wiggles out before dinner. Sometimes during. I’ve tried to focus him on conversation, table games. I’ve accepted that sometimes he’s just not hungry. But still, the boy needs something at dinner, and it takes an excruciating amount of time. Ringenberg’s note led me to decide that I am not going to expedite him anymore. I’m just going to shrug and let him sit there til he’s done. What do you think, Magpies, of the concept of not repeating yourself?
+SPECIAL EDITION BOOK CLUB NEWSLETTER: We’re closing in on our inaugural book club convo. On June 16th, I’ll be sharing a full review of this month’s book pick, plus a cocktail pairing and menu in case you’re doing an in person gathering, playlist, lots of mood boards (God did I have fun with that — “lighthouse core aesthetic”? delightful). I will also be sending this out via a special edition newsletter with a couple of other fun bonuses in there — if you’re already signed up for Magpie emails, you’re good; if not, you can sign up just for the book club newsletter (you’ll probably get just 1 email a month — maaaybe two with bonus thoughts) HERE.
+LIMONCELLO SPRITZ SZN: I am absolutely going to make Katie’s limoncello spritzes this summer. Landon suggested I consult his lemon book (truly, he has a book all about preparing lemons! and it is gorgeous; makes a great coffee table book or gift) to make the limoncello myself!
+ON IMPERFECT MORNING RITUALS (SPONSORED MENTION BY CURRENTBODY): At some point a few years ago, I remember watching Instagram reels titled things like “a day in my life” and “my morning wellness routine” and feeling awed and inspired by these women who rose before their children, exercised by six, prepared impressive breakfasts for their families, meditated and journaled, etc. I found myself asking, “How can I motivate myself to get up earlier to get more of this done?” I’ve never figured it out — or perhaps I should say, I’ve chosen not to prioritize it. (Inaction is a choice, too.) I still stay in bed until the very last moment possible. It wasn’t until recently that I realized I was asking the wrong question. It’s not “how can I replicate what those women are doing?” or “how can I squeeze more into the early morning hours?” but “how can I organize my morning to better serve my own needs?” (You may have noticed me grappling with these concepts earlier this year here and here.)
I’d been thinking of “morning rituals” as this all-or-nothing, protracted and impressive sequence of events that had to take place before 8 a.m. when in fact one of the best things for me, personally, is to maximize my sleep, focus on skincare, and enjoy a (sort of) slow start to the day. If I achieve those three things before 8, it’s a win. I like to set my alarm to go off 15 minutes before I actually need to be up and washing my face. That way I can drift back off to sleep for a little, read, check my emails. Some mornings, I like to put on my CurrentBody LED face mask and neck mask during that time and just lay there, letting my mind wake up. Then, on the days I’m not exercising, I like to have enough time to apply my full skincare regimen and to get myself dressed in something I am excited to wear. This takes time!
I write this to say that your rituals may look very different from someone else’s — and that’s OK. You don’t need to have a long, impressive sequence of wellness activities to start your day. Yours just need to fit your priorities.
Right now, I am focused on getting in my 10 minutes of red light therapy each morning, and am trying to carve it out as a non-negotiable. I wrote about my CurrentBody mask earlier this year (see full review here), outlining all of its benefits, but the TL;DR is that this mask uses three clinically proven wavelengths: red (633nm), near-infrared (830nm) and new deep near-infrared (1072nm) to promote collagen production and reduce fine lines. I own both the Series 1 and Series 2, and I always use the series 2 because the mask is more comfortable to wear (slightly different design), covers more of your skin, and has an additional wavelength. CurrentBody also sent me one of their neck/decolletage masks and I put that on while wearing the face mask as well and pray my kids don’t come in to see me – ha. I have noticed a serious difference around my eye area, in how quickly my skin bounces back from blemishes, and in overall skin evenness. I cannot recommend more. (Use code JEN10 for 10% off.)
It also looks like most of us bought our husbands these cardio shorts and these table knives (20% off with JEN20) for Father’s Day — woohoo! They will love them. All my Father’s Day picks here; only thing I’d add are these handsome frames to display a lovely object or memento. Also great for a birthday, or just a way to commemorate a fabulous trip — how cool it would be to frame matches from a great resort, or a menu from a fabulous dinner?!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.
By: Jen Shoop
Pistola Rainbow Sweater for a Standard Day.
This rainbow striped sweater tee was such a joy-sparker! It reminds me of Missoni but costs $108. I love the unexpected color combo — not sure if you can see, but it includes a pretty pale pink, red, yellow, blue, green, navy! Fabulous. I’m wearing here with the Quince cotton pintuck skirt, which is a great look for less for Doen’s Sebastiane. This skirt runs big — I took an xs (my usual size) and it’s pretty gappy in the waist. Size down if you can! Otherwise, it truly is perfection — great quality and a heavier weight cotton (more opaque) than Doen.
01. Embroidered midi dress in a fab earthy green — love the way the utilitarian color plays against the delicate eyelet pattern. The silhouette reminds me of Staud’s Wells dress!
02. These eyelet shorts are everything for summer! They remind me of the styles I’ve been eyeing at Marea and Doen.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.
By: Jen Shoop
What are you doing for the Fourth? We are going to attend a big country club celebration with fireworks, a big spread, cocktails, etc, and bringing the kids for the first time ever. I realized today that the event is not that far away, and we have travel and house guests between now and then, so I should get organized on what we’ll be wearing. A few Magpie reader favorites and top sellers from the past few weeks that would be perfect for the occasion: this cherry-red crochet dress ($59!), the Cosima nap dress in blue and white stripe (a full review, sizing notes, etc, here), and the Doen June blouse. And, a little call out while we’re talking Doen: Doen is launching its second summer collection today and I saw a preview and already want some of the fabulous plaid pieces!
For FOJ, I am in the market for a festive dress — stay tuned on what I pick, but lots of thoughts and options below…!
Red Fourth of July Outfits.
I’m pretty sure I’ll be wearing red gingham this year — so into this color, and its overlap with some of my other favorite microtrends (sardine summer, crochet, basket bags, farmer’s market motif, tomatoes!)
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By: Jen Shoop
Sardines are everywhere this summer — and I would say the motif meshes perfectly with several of the season’s other prominent microtrends, like jelly sandals, rope / paracord jewelry (did you get anything from the second Dorsey paracord launch?), and crochet. Below, some of my favorite sardine statement picks, plus how I’d incorporate them into my wardrobe.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.Image via Pinterest.
By: Jen Shoop
This feels like one of those moments in the parenting year where I think: It’s going to get worse before it gets better. By this I mean we have three half-days scattered over the next week, before the children are out for summer, and they are already wound up on end-of-year sugar and festivities, and processing all the change, and acting out of sorts. We’ve had tempers; we’ve had meltdowns. We’ve ridden the pendulum from “I don’t wanna go to school!” to “I’m going to miss my friends!” — this, after months of more or less uncomplaining school attendance, concentrated down to one week that inelegantly carabiners the routine of school to the openness of summer.
I am focused on my daughter in particular: she will be matriculating to a new school in the fall, and I can see already the dawning strain of this transition for her. She also wept — wept! — the last day of school last year, and that was without a school switch ahead.
So: buckle up, Mama. Today I am reminding myself that mothers undergo tremendous transformation ever single day. We shapeshift into the oak-tree of a firm “no,” the eiderdown of a soft landing, the morning rays that gently coax, the quiet night that holds the peace. I can meet this transition, and whatever it asks of me, too.
In the midst of this moment, a poem to give us spirit:
Delight in Disorder
by Robert Herrick
A sweet disorder in the dress
Kindles in clothes a wantonness;
A lawn about the shoulders thrown
Into a fine distraction;
An erring lace, which here and there
Enthrals the crimson stomacher;
A cuff neglectful, and thereby
Ribands to flow confusedly;
A winning wave, deserving note,
In the tempestuous petticoat;
A careless shoe-string, in whose tie
I see a wild civility:
Do more bewitch me, than when art
Is too precise in every part.
****
I love the far-flung “a lawn about the shoulders.” It’s a perfect mimesis. How could a lawn be misplaced on the shoulder? It feels careless, unexpected, wrong-footed, but also perfect in its drawing together of two disparate “bodies”: the ground, the shoulder. It brought to mind some of my undeveloped musings on writing: “I want to always make room for the unexpected. May I not be drawn to tame the weirdness out. Sometimes I weedwack my way through a dense spinney of words with the red pen only to realize that the coppice version is less appealing to the nest-building mind. Not everything is best pared back. The imagination thrives in shadowlands, or at least in spaces with many branches from which to fly.”
****
Leonard Cohen put this sentiment to paper well, too: “Ring the bells that still can ring / Forget your perfect offering / There is a crack, a crack in everything / That’s how the light gets in.” I wrote about this here, after a perfectly imperfect Thanksgiving.
+More fun, on-trend roping necklaces here and here. (15% off with JEN15)
+Big skincare addition the past few weeks: I apply niacinamide after my vitamin c. (Order: vitamin c >> niacinamide >> serum >> moisturizer >> spf). I truly love Glow Recipe’s best-selling formula. The drops blend in easily and boast a juicy, fresh watermelon scent that sparks joy for me. (They also have a tinted version if you want to combine skincare/beauty steps, and a bunch of value sets that incorporate these best-selling drops with their other products at a discount.) I’ve been using this since I ran out of these niacinamide-soaked pads, which I also loved. I find vitamin c followed by niacinamide gives me the greatest glow and elasticity and serves as a perfect base layer for the day.
+Two summer pants that are right up my alley — sort of utilitarian-style, a bit of slouch/barrel to them: these “gardener” jeans from Everlane, and La Ligne’s new Dorian pant. I live in pants like these while working at my desk!
+Loving these crochet-inspired half-zips from Varley — a perfect “step up” from a tee-shirt, but can be worn with loungewear shorts. Chic chic! For inspo, love the way this chic pea is styling their shorts/half-zip with daytime flats and a leather wristwatch. Break all the rules!
+OK, my Eby relief bra arrived and I love her. It came with a card enclosed that said something like 71% of women find their underwire bras uncomfortable, and yet…we wear them daily. Ack! The relief bra is such a fab alternative. Dreamy comfortable, no hard wires, and yet supportive and doesn’t make you look like you have a mono-boob. Strong rec; love. Have been wearing around the clock since I received. I really like this new lavender color.
+Instant desk upgrade. Why do I always misplace / find myself in search of scissors?!
+Two great additions/updates to my Father’s Day gift roundup: first, Materiel saw I raved about their steak knives and offered us 20% off with code JEN20 (trust, these are amazing); and I was really inspired when I saw Framebridge sharing thoughts on framing special objects for your dad. I immediately thought of framing my husband’s lucky rabbit’s foot (once his Dad’s), the license plate from my husband’s beloved Jeep, or some of my Dad’s prized (hand tied) dry flies. I also absolutely loved the photo below, captioned: “The Red Car Era.” OMG! I thought of phases of my husband’s life and how sweet it would be to caption special photos of them in a similar way. Almost like gallerist notes? Like, “Party Girl Days” (the black Jeep he had in college was named “party girl”). I love that you can add an engraved brass plate to accomplish this. Inspo below! You can get started here.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.
By: Jen Shoop
Some shades just feel like summer — and this year, it’s all about butter yellow. I’m seeing it everywhere: breezy linen sets, gauzy dresses, cashmere cardigans, ribbed tank tops, and even accents on accessories. It pairs perfectly with gold jewelry, sunkissed skin, and a chilled glass of wine sipped on a patio. Just last week, I was browsing for a new one piece for the summer and came across this butter-yellow terry wonder from Minnow. How adorable? I know a lot of you are big fans of the fit of these suits for mom life. Cute but full-coverage. If you like the terry suit trend but prefer a two-piece, you might consider this Vitamin A!
Butter Yellow Outfit Moodboard.
Some inspo for our wardrobes tyling below — love especially the vibe of yellow linen!
