5 Great Things x2

A strange new denim shape, a non-jean jacket, a throw-on summer dress plus a special note on community action.

We’re starting today’s newsletter with a note on gun violence. 100% of paid subscriptions (new or upgraded) generated this week from today through next Saturday will be donated to Moms Demand Action and I will personally match the dollar amount collected. So before we start, a list of five easy ways to take ACTION against gun violence, today. It’s not a lot, but it’s what I can offer you and your loved ones from this platform, in addition to my promise to take action myself.

This is me of late: I worry about sending my kid to school everyday. I won’t go to a movie or a concert. At the grocery store this week I made sure my son was standing between me and the register so he wasn’t visible as I kept an eye on the door…just in case. I don’t want to live like this. Why would anyone? That was a rhetorical question. Sandy Hook Promise’s actionable list (below) tells us to not engage in online debate, it adds fuel to the fire. So just leaving that there.

With that said, yes, I want you to donate. But I also want you to donate your TIME. As Shannon Watts says: We need to run for office! Join a local (or start a local) coalition! Make the calls! Start a group text! Here are 5 organizations that make it easy for you to get involved.

1. 5 Calls is an app that literally gives you the script for calling your congresspeople. Download it, plug in your zip and dial. Maybe aim to do so once a week?

2. Sandy Hook Promise gives a list right here of things you can do. Pick one today. And one tomorrow. At the very least, read it.

3. Giffords - Know a gun owner or veteran or medical professional? Giffords offers platforms for specific groups to build community, awareness and intervention. Also, for all you lawyers out there, here’s an easy place to volunteer your firm for pro bono work.

4. Moms Demand Action - You probably all know about this one but this is a great place to both donate and help set your groundwork for volunteering.

5. Everytown offers matching campaigns. Sign up for their newsletter and when a matching campaign comes around, get your company involved. Better yet, start the ball rolling with your company now so when the time comes you’re set to give.

There is no good segue to fashion here. So just going to move on to today’s topic:

5 Great Things / April 2023

Cropped utility jeans

Maybe it’s because I’ve been in 501s and a sweater for so many months or maybe it’s my April and May calendar filling up, but I’ve started to get spring fever in my ecomm scrolling. Today’s list started with these jeans below…lets go from there.

Khaite cropped utility jeans. Cropped for me at 5’5”. Perfect ankle length if you’re shorter I’d imagine. From the looks of the ecomm model, I think I want to size up. Can you imagine with a ballerina and simple slim sweater or plain white tee? Yes! Me too!

Been debating these in the group text for about a month. WHYYY? Are CAPRI PANTS back? I can’t stop putting them in my wishlist, then taking them out, then putting them back again. I think it’s the warm weather promise of a simple t-shirt and ballet flat making an outfit complete that draws me to them. It allows me to have more fun with the bottom (I think this is also why I love skirts). This particular pair offers slightly more ankle than a standard crop, making them kind of weird but very enticing. I could still wear these with a sweater and just tease out spring with my calf peeking out.

At the other end of the denim spectrum, jeans are are getting longer. The ankle cut is giving way to a skim-the-shoe-straight-leg. These feel extreme enough that they won’t be confused with the former as I try to figure out how to make this transition.

A non-jean jacket

Speaking of denim, we are entering jean jacket season. But I LOATHE jean jackets. Controversial I know, and its ok if you love them! But to me, they are so stiff and not soft on my skin and hard to layer and then oversized versions make me feel like my hands are inaccessible. I could go on. But another item I’ve been eyeing is this not-a-jean-jacket-but-more-substantial-than-a-jean-shirt from Giuliva Heritage. This is the second time GH has made the list…remember this dream fair-isle-esque sweater from xmas week (which is still available, do I need!?)? Something about this shape makes me want to layer up. I want to throw it over my merino tees or a plain white button down (double collars!!!) or a graphic tee from high school. I think it will look great with all my silky and big cotton skirts (a spring skirt newsletter coming soon!) and also make my sweatpants (yes, I still haven’t given them up) look more intentional. I love the medium blue. The work shirt lapel plus the jean-shirt-style-hem and cuffs all feel more jacket than shirt, while the weight of the fabric won’t irritate me the whole time I’m wearing it. I think she might be the jean jacket alternative I’ve been looking for.

Giuliva Heritage work-shirt-jean-jacket hybrid.

I think I like summer dresses again?

Last summer I shunned the dress. I was so over seeing the flouncy, ruffly, lacy, smocky, flowery maxis that I couldn’t even bare to don a casual weekend dress and stuck to shorts and skirts. My tide might be changing though. I just ordered this guy. (Its on sale!) I haven’t even received it yet, but I think it’s going to be my playground + pool + stroll + beach + running out for a coffee dress that reads as casual as shorts and a tee but is slightly more fun. Can’t wait to throw her on with my Birkenstocks and go. Probably a fun proportion with the jean jacket a above too, don’t you think?

Getting back out there gear

At a work dinner recently, friend of 5 Things Nora M. asked what would motivate us to take up running. My answer without even thinking was…a full District Vision get up. She hadn’t heard of the brand but immediately looked it up and set her sights on the fleece. The new acquaintance to my right, a serious runner, laughed but then backed me up and confirmed DV makes great goods. I see running in our future, Nora! Here’s the fleece and shorts I’m seriously thinking about.

This men’s fleece (there is also a women’s version but I like the men’s print slightly better.) Women’s track shorts. I’ll honestly probably just wear the shorts with a white tshirt and that jean-jacket-shirt above for daycamp drop off and feel extremely hip.

A spring in your stripe :)

Spring weight stripe sweaters - that are not a French Breton shirt but equally easy to wear! The left, a steal from Spanish brand Gimaguas, though this one looks like you might want to size up. The right, a black/brown/pink (isn’t that just a great combo!?) number from Caron Callahan. It will pair great with white pants (below) and denim and be a nice counter-balance to floral skirts in a few short weeks.

Left: Gimaguas sparkly stripe with the cutest little collar. Right: Caron Callahan perfect lightweight black/tan/pink combo.

That’s all for today. I’m snowbound in Minnesota but when I finally get a flight tomorrow (fingers crossed!) and make it back to NYC I’ll be calling my senator. I hope you’ll join me.

Yours TRULY,

Becky