You’re probably wondering where I’ve been. Or maybe you haven’t because that’s a little self-centered of me to assume that. Either way: Hi! I’m alive. I didn’t abandon this newsletter completely — I was a little very burnt out. Last fall and winter were both the best months I’ve had in ages while simultaneously being the most time consuming. Courtesy of a slew of commitments, something had to give and unfortunately it was writing my weekly/twice weekly installments. Which is such a shame because there were so many fun things I missed like ski season, all of the great fall/winter sales, and even gift guide. Well…maybe not gift guide because I still have PTSD from doing them when I was a full time editor.
Burnout is a funny thing when you’re a freelancer. I don’t think you can really afford to turn down opportunities so you just keep saying yes to everything until one day you realized you haven’t taken a day off in months. My fatal flaw is that I didn’t even notice how much I was juggling until I was like oh crap I forgot I had a newsletter. And before you know it, one month became uh…eight and in the span of eight months so much has happened. Substack is a wildly different place with so many more newsletters popping up from amazing editor friends. So, if you’ve stuck around in my absence, thank you!
Okay, but where the hell have I been? Well, mainly my butt has been on a plane a lot. From Australia to Tokyo to London, Milan, Paris to more domestic destinations like Miami and Aspen, I’ve clocked a lot of mileage. There were a ton of new shops to explore, brands to learn about, and old favorites that still had everything I could want or need — all the foundations of future ideas for the newsletter. But in the meantime, a few musings, in no particular order:
Gaijin in Paris is Overrated
Apologies to the lovely person who told me to go to Gaijin last year but absolutely do not recommend. To be fair, the name caused me to raise an eyebrow because why do I want to buy Japanese vintage from a shop that’s literally named foreigner? But also, in theory, it was everything I could want in a shop and maybe they had something special worth the vist. Curiosity won over and I finally had time to stop by in April, when I was in Paris for work. Whew, hello extreme sticker shock. Maybe it was because I was just in Tokyo, where a weak yen made everything affordable and the selection was plentiful. This was the exact opposite, as CdG and Issey pieces were going for upwards of $1,000 USD. They weren’t even the special pieces, just moderately interesting enough to warrant me picking them up. But once I checked out the price tag I immediately put it down in horror. Save your time and money and either go to the newly re-opened Comme des Garçons on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré or the soon-to-open Dover Street Market Paris in the Marais. Or better yet, shop all of the European brands — I helped my friend Amanda get an incredible Schiaparelli bag for 35% off what it cost here in the States.
R.I.P. Matches
Since I wasn’t writing this newsletter, I took a break from browsing e-commerce sites for a few months. Then I was styling Leigh for her book tour (The Familiar is a very fun read if you like historical fantasy set in Spain!) and I was combing through Matches to see if anything could work. The visual merchandising was a disaster and a little googling revealed why — a former ASOS exec took over and it truly looked the part. Digging through the pages no longer felt like a treasure hunt. So it came to no surprise to me that they’re currently in administration aka bankruptcy, although it’s depressing. It used to be one of my favorite places with an amazing array of chic designers. Their in-house label, Raey, was an easy way to find well designed basics and at one point they even had candles that smelled incredible.
That said, their sale is kinda incredible right now so let me share a few things I bought plus pieces I wish I bought. They’re all from Simone Rocha because it was strangely very nicely marked down. Also, Matches suspended their affiliate program since they’re bankrupt, so I’m sharing purely for the sake of sharing. One caveat before you order: all sales are final because, well, they’re broke.
To say that this Simone Rocha collection lives in my head rent-free is not overusing a very Internet-y term. I mean it. I remember seeing the runway show back in September 2023 and falling in love with all of the beautiful rose embellished pieces. And then this past February I was back in London for fashion week, making a quick stop at Dover Street Market to check out the new collections. Technically it was for work but it turned into a mini scouting/shopping trip, especially after I picked up a statement CdG blouse (more on that later). Anyway, these trousers jumped out at me when I was at the Simone section. Made from nylon and featuring a giant rosette at the hip, they were equal parts sporty and feminine. Plus, the cinched ankle meant that my short legs would be able to wear them without tailoring. The price tag was not so great — close to $1k so I filed it away for sale season and wouldn’t you know, here they are at nearly 70% off at the Matches sale! Add to cart immediately. Right now it looks like sizing is extremely limited but Farfetch also has them, albeit for $200 more.
Also in my cart, to go with the pants, was this cropped black tank. At $90 it felt like a good deal, especially since I tend to live in black tanks all summer. It looks like only the small is left so if that’s your size, it’s your lucky day.
These shorts were in my cart until I realized that I couldn’t justify both the trousers and these shorts. The red ribbon detail was another moment from the spring runway that I loved but I also love wearing little shorts in the summer — it’s too hot for much else. Paired with the matching top and it’s a easy, dressy but not too dressed up outfit.
Do I need another shapeless black dress with things dangling off it? No. Do you need a shapeless black dress with things dangling off it? If you read this newsletter, I gather the answer is yes.
Sorry, I Still Like Bows
So about that CdG top I bought in London on impulse at Dover Street Market…well here it is in all its glory during fashion week. I know people are sick of coquette culture and putting a bow on everything but I’d argue it depends on the bow. In this case, it’s two big ass ones on either shoulder that make it more kooky that cutesy. The one downside to this shirt is that I was generally a nuisance to the unfortunately folks who were stuck next to me at shows, trying to squeeze into the row. Also, much like everything else in my closet, it takes up far too much room. In case you’re interested it’s still available here in a size medium. I’m wearing a small, it tends to run large. For those who want a similar style, but for less, there’s a comparable CdG option on Farfetch with a full size run!
APFR is My New Incense Obsession
I’ve been sitting on approximately 500 pics of the retail damage I did in Tokyo back in January but I’d be remiss not to mention my favorite discovery of the trip. We spent a day in Shimokitazawa, which is filled with vintage stores. Most of them are very Americana-focused so they were a skip for me — I don’t need a Green Bay Packers hoodie or someone’s discarded fraternity sweatshirt. I did, however, score at the Ragtag there and left with a pair of sequin CdG shorts and buckled Noir Kei Ninomiya trousers that were the perfect length for me.
While we were walking our requisite 20k steps a day, we did need a break, for the sake of our lower backs. I wandered into Ogawa Coffee Laboratory in dire need of a seat and some caffeine. The latte art there is next level as I watched a woman literally hand dot bits of milk to create an elaborate floral scene on a cup of coffee. I also really loved how they let you learn what taste profile you want out of your drink. We landed on a strong blend that combined beans from Ethiopia, Columbia, Brazil, and Guatemala for the pour over and an Indonesian blend for the latte. It was so delicious we bought a bag to bring home and now I need to find a way to get more.
Post-caffeine, we stumbled onto APFR next door after seeing a steady stream of well dressed people wandering in and out of the shop. It turned out that it was a modern Japanese scent company, complete with a huge selection of incense — heaven. Founded in 2011 by Keita Sugasawa, they have locations in Tokyo and Kyoto although you can also find it at a few U.S. retailers like Garmentory and Hatchet Outdoor Supply Co. in Brooklyn. I don’t think you can fully appreciate how nice the scents are though, unless you go to one of their dedicated shops. Within one minute of stepping foot I found myself jostling for space around the central table, sniffing cloches left and right, making notes of what I love.
While I have my fair share of Nippon Kodo, I do think that it tends to skew a little too Buddhist temple at times. APFR is not that — they use notes like rose, fig, cedarwood, and more, like you’d see in Western fragrances. I could have bought 10 different scents but landed on five: Black Oud (woody and amber with vetiver), Dense (a soft amber that featured cardamom, fir balsam, and pine needles), Entwined (palo santo, peony, and sandalwood), Tanner (notes of jasmine, leather, frankincense, and amber), and Maghreb Bukhoor (Damask rose, sandalwood, and agarwood). If you can’t tell, I like really smoky fragrances that smell complex — nothing is more unappealing to me than sugary, food-like, powdery scents. Shudder.
The incense is priced at $28 here but with the exchange rate they were closer to $15. Considering they burn for over an hour per stick, with 15 in a box, I don’t think it’s a bad deal. If I were there now, I’d want to sniff their seasonal ones like Osmanthus, one of my favorite types of teas. One thing to note: they’re bigger than your average incense stick so I’m currently searching for a chic holder that doesn’t cost $150. That may not be possible but if I do, I’ll include in an upcoming newsletter.
Whew, I intended this newsletter to be a short little update and here I am, 2000 words later. I guess I really did miss doing this! See you next week when I talk about high school reunion dressing and why I’m actually really looking forward to mine.
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