5 Great Things / June 2024
The most inspiring womenswear is menswear. Sweat proof sunglasses. A flip flop alternative. Lotion as luxury. Plus Katie Holmes for A.P.C. on repeat in my brain.
It was hard to think about anything (fashion related!) this week other than the Spring 2025 mens shows that just wrapped in Milan and Paris. I was not there, but glued to my computer watching the shows stream in. It’s amazing how much inspiration there is to be found for women in the mens shows at the moment. Smaller designers hounding us with shapes and colors and styling we haven’t seen before. There are women’s looks sprinkled into the shows too, which helps. Many of the looks felt styled to walk right off the runways. They gave us ideas for dressing and tucking (or untucking) and shoe pairing and color mashing in ways that I want to do RIGHT NOW, not wait for Spring 2025!
But in stepping back, and thinking about why the June mens shows are arousing us, my thoughts jump all over the place. Is it that menswear is an “untapped” category for experimentation, so boundary pushing feels newer? Or that menswear is in such a fluid place that so much of it is easily imagined on women? Men are loving getting dressed. And that’s great for us!
Is there just more room for scrappiness? There are less players so more more space to be noticed. And in giving younger talent a platform, innovation and ambition are on full display. Some of it is beyond weird, but the mere fact that people are putting something out there against almost impossible odds of succeeding in this insane business is infectious. Especially as the power players aggressively price out those who care to play the game. It’s a refreshing reminder that the best ideas come not from unlimited resources but from fighting a system that is no longer working. Are you excited yet!?
Some of the risks these designers take seem to speak more to women who love to tinker with a masculine/feminine mix than anyone else, to be honest. I can’t picture my husband in the purple paperbag pants by Kiko Kostadinov below (LOL!) but I sure can’t wait to try them. Pair all these wacky ideas with the embrace of extreme bagginess in womenswear and you’ve got oodles of inspo.
No. 1: A micro mini review of the few “menswear shows” that stood out to me as being for us.
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The latest shoe from Wales Bonner’s ongoing Adidas collab above!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Now onto the good stuff…
No.2: Sweat Proof Sunnies
I spent the last two weeks in blissfully 70 degree Minneapolis and it has been such a treat! Less of a treat? Misplacing my Khaite sunnies almost immediately. Kind of a big deal when you have to drive everywhere, I’m realizing. At the same moment, I started seeing these sunnies everywhere here. I tried on friend of Five Things Abbey R’s and immediately ordered a pair. They didn’t move on my face! And they are priced to buy in a mad dash. Sadly her flamingo pink was sold out on Amazon (did I mention I needed them ASAP?) and at the pro shop so I settled on the grey pictured…which actually looks like blue on the website, so make sure to read the color labels. Turns out the muted color was really for the best anyway. I was extremely pleased to have had them the past week when the sun finally came out. And even when it was cloudy-bright. Consider a pair as your vacation extras. As the beach pair that can get sunscreen and sand all over them. Or the tennis pair (they’re polarized!!) to tackle the sweat dripping down your (my) forehead.
No.3: Lotion as a Luxury Experience
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You all know by now that I’m not the pampering type. I can barely brush my hair to take newsletter pictures! I have been known to be extremely cheap when it comes to anything other than clothing (and shoes.) Maybe a facial once a year. Manicure twice? Once I asked my mom’s facialist what she thinks of Vintner’s Daughter, a product I love for it’s one-and-done-ness. She said it was too clinical for her. When she is spending a lot on a beauty product she needs the luxury experience. I thought that was funny since she is truly a pro and knows her ingredients. But the idea for her was that there are SO many amazing products with amazing ingredients, that she wants to feel pampered when she opens the box. I don’t blame her, I just hadn’t ever given it too much thought. I have been thinking about this brief conversation we had for a year now. And it’s been top of mind recently as I apply my morning moisturizer. A few months ago, the Sisley children (not children anymore, but the heirs shall we say) launched a new brand and when the press release landed in my inbox I reached out and asked for a sample. We all love Sisley, duh! I was too curious. They obliged and since then I’ve been plowing my way through it. Meanwhile, Yana (mom’s facialist!) has been in my ear the entire time. As I have been looking at the jar and putting it on everyday for the past month, I keep thinking, I’M HAVING A LUXURY EXPERIENCE. I totally get it now. The product is great. But it’s also something I am enjoying looking at. Twisting off the wooden top (reusable, btw!). The literal silky feeling of slathering it on my cheeks. The smell! I feel slightly silly even trying to explain it, but it literally lifts my mood.
So really, No. 3 today is just my deep thoughts on how changing one thing can change everything! Probably less novel to many of you, as you probably know more about beauty than I do anyway and less a specific product rec than a thought assignment for washing your face. Though, if you are in the market for a one step summer moisturizer without the bells and whistles I’m in love with this one and totally sold. Guess free samples are a thing for a reason. It worked!
No.4: A Flip Flop Alternative
What is better than a classic espadrille!? I’m talking about that flat style with no frou frou detailing, no ankle wrap to rub or pull, no platform that screams sprained ankle in my face. It’s not as easy to find as you might think. The classic slip on flat with a squared off vamp are a dime a dozen in the mens market. (Todd Snyder and Drakes both make great versions.) But what happens when your feet are too small for men’s sizing!? I squealed when I stumbled upon just that shoe from classic espadrille brand Castañer on Net-a-Porter last week. I immediately ordered my size. You can’t even find this style on Castañer’s website! The only other brand I’ve found that offers this style consistently is Soludos, but my foot is slightly between sizes with them and so I’ve never been able to commit.
There are times when a flip flop would either be the more stylish or functional choice, but maybe not the best one for your feet or your vibe. Visualize your beach day with said espadrille instead of your trusty Havaianas. The chicness!! An espadrille can take an outfit from fashion to style territory. Meaning that they do not connote a trend in any way but look thoughtful with just about everything. They’re impossible to screw up!
And style aside, sometimes it’s better to keep those toes put away (i.e. on the subway in a heatwave so humid the floor is slimy). They’ll look so cute and anchovy-ish with those neon green windbreaker shorts we’ve been wearing for camp drop off every morning. And so nonchalant with a mini dress if you’ve managed to convince the babysitter to stay through date night. Now all I need is a tan (or a good self tanner if anyone has any recs that won’t rub off on my brand new beautiful white sheets that I ADORE, big rec if you are in the market! The white with black piping!? Gorgeous. But now we are really getting off topic.)
A fit note: Take your regular size. they might be slightly tight at first, but will stretch to mold to you. They’re canvas after all!
No.5: Katie Holmes, designer of dreams!?
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I truly cannot stop thinking about the Katie Holmes collab with A.P.C. It’s just SO good. I honestly haven’t bought anything from it yet because I keep going onto the site and then get overwhelmed by how many pieces I want and then have to shut the computer. It’s all such perfect, grown up versions of itself. Weirdly sexy in it’s confident unfussiness, even though one wouldn’t immediately call these pieces sexy. The t-shirt cuff hugs the arm in the most flattering way. The contrast stitching on the denim looks so refined. The ribbed knits are cut low enough to make me continue my hunt for a pretty bra that you wouldn’t mind seeing (Stay tuned!) And the peasant top! We will be talking about that in further detail in ‘summer tops’ in a couple weeks. It’s just so romantic and easy. Many of the pieces, new takes on the A.P.C. archive, are examples of clothing that inspire confidence by falling away. That play up the feminine body shape without having to show it all off. And in no way WEAR THE WEARER. Does this make sense? I think at the end of the day, I might end up with the striped peasant blouse and the mini skirt, they’re the most me. Or should I do the sandals? How to narrow it down!? I haven’t figured that out yet.
Have a wonderful weekend and week ahead.
Yours TRULY,
Becky
I’m keen to see what you find for pretty bras! Saw a woman last week in a whisper thin tee shirt with just a little peak of a lacy bra. I am guess maybe Hanro but couldn’t find anything in their line up this season. Lacy but not really come hither lacy
I love flat espadrilles!! I find them really wearable and often feel that they bring a little unexpected interest and chic ness to what could read as a basic outfit.