LE CATCH

I seem to have reached peak handbag abundance: three new options are currently perched on an ottoman in my closet, each convinced it deserves its inaugural outing today. And that’s before even considering the others still calling me from the open tabs in my browser P.S. The tote I posted earlier this week and bought is now sold out, so perhaps I am not the only one bingeing on bags around here. Might as well share the surplus! Here are some more summer contenders (for every whim) to consider, most of them well under $500: the Guanabana macrame, immediately, below, the woven leather Vipera, the Bobo Choses canvas bucket, the gold framed Marc Jacobs (en route in port, but comes in black too), the beaded Asos bucket bag, the cotton embroidered tote, the navy/red Mulberry clutch, the blue-on-blue Zara, the striped crochet Miu Miu, the button-trimmed natural fiber Mango, the large top handle Gucci tote (or the black buckled Borsetto, above), and the Ann Taylor pearl raffia clutch.

dorothee schumacher

Stripes and feathers? Why not!

1. Dorothee Schumacher striped t-shirt
2. Loewe skirt
3. Ralph Lauren sunglasses
4. Ian Charms bracelet
5. Hermes Nail Polish in Brun Helios
6. Ancient Greek Sandals jelly flip flops

It’s volleyball playoff season—for me, a big (and super emotional) indicator that one season is ending and another is about to begin. Everything starts to feel roller coaster-y in a way that only happens this time of year. And then there are the smaller signs. Different yet telling details, repeating enough times that I begin to trust them. A sweater tied around the waist. A completely unbuttoned top. An out-of-the-blue green shoe, (perhaps now a mainstay, especially after Chanel Resort 2027 show earlier this week, so I now have these). The bag clutched by one handle (below), not both. And shorts—suddenly everywhere, but not in the way they’ve been before. The surfer short, the bloomers, the military, the ubiquitous Bermuda, the vintage-looking-meets-sporty-leaning. And it’s about how they’re being worn: with a sweater, a sateen button-down, a small heel. Slightly elevated, slightly offhand. Plus: the anchoring tank top, the floral brooch to pin on everything from a t-shirt to a trench, the statement scarf that does the heavy lifting. These are the little adjustments. The things you almost miss—until suddenly you don’t. And now, like me, you can’t unsee them!

There are the things we try to fix ourselves—drink more water, get more sleep, finally book the personal trainer—and then there are the things we leave to our friends. The ones who show up with better perspective. The ones who say, here, try this, and suddenly the problem softens around the edges. Enter my friend, founder Gregg Renfrew, who—like any good friend—went ahead and solved something I have long struggled to fix myself. Her latest invention for Counter Beauty, the Skin Twin Concealer (in Tan 2, for me), feels less like makeup and more like another supportive friend in the mix. It just gets in there and does the hard work—blurring the sun spots that I spend more time than I’d like resenting and evening things out in a way that feels less like concealing and more like full-on covering up. Which is to say, it’s miraculously effective. A small victory, yes. But one that, somehow, feels a lot bigger.

All signs are pointing to a long beaded necklace summer. Not subtle. Not short. Slightly in the way? Even better. Love this one especially. Add a ($150) beaded bag while you’re at it—fits nothing, completes everything. Now you could pretend you’re going to style this responsibly. Or—you could lean in. A cool t-shirt, below. Maybe two chic t-shirts?? Layered for absolutely no reason except it feels right. Then a printastic Stella Jean skirt that refuses to match anything politely. More color (hello, turquoise mesh Madewell Mary Janes). Then more. Crochet enters the chat, obviously. Wait, this is actually a “just one more thing” summer. One more strand, one more texture, one more questionable but correct decision. Which brings me to the enabling portion of this message: Everyone is, in fact, shopping for summer—and if you’re going to do it, you might as well do it strategically. Remember when I told you about CAKE?? It’s a members-only shopping club with a $100 entry fee that pays for itself almost immediately with exclusive and very steep discounts on current pieces by brands like Staud, Sea, Ciao Lucia, Kirna Zabete, Sold Out NYC, Hill House Home, Adina Reyter (Mother’s Day 20% off sale ends tomorrow!), etc. Use my link to access! Anyway. The beads are getting longer. Your cart might as well follow.

banana republic

My beach bag is already packed with colorful summer plans.

• Le Bop dress
• Amazon nylon pouches (very Prada-esque for $9!)
• Good Weather Skin The One Daily Sun Cream (SPF30)
• Entrudo embroidered basket bag
• Clare V lips bag charm
• TKEES ankle strap sandals

Chanel went back to Biarritz this morning, and naturally there were Btasque stripes, but loud, and logos, oh so obvious. The Resort 2027 show also featured bags literally big enough to carry your actual life. Plus: skinny scarves, fringe, vibrant colors (green pumps, red lace, pink denim, the works), newspaper prints, tweed, poofy camellia-adjacent brooches, raffia, and that very Chanel trick of making “a lot” feel uncontrived and effortless. Like you just threw on a striped skirt, a sweater, six accessories, and a tote the size of a weekend trip—and didn’t think twice. Which brings us to stripes, currently the easiest way to cash in without buying a new personality. Stripe on stripe if you’re feeling bold, or one very aggressive stripe doing all the talking (already in my rotation!). Spot-on options from La Veste (I love so much!), this striped quarter-zip knit (similar to above, another option here), these cute checked bubble shorts to mix with stripes, Simon Miller’s fringe and stripes, this Proenza Schouler dress, this striped Kule tote bag, this ruffled Congolio Palm Beach mini skirt, and this zip-up and go Amazon find.

It was a spectator sport of a weekend, which I’m choosing to frame as productive. While everyone else seemed to be out doing (i.e., beach walks in my charm dress, above, for example!), I held things down on the home front: ate an aggressive amount of my friend’s homemade cinnamon bundt cake, steamed my son’s prom suit like it was a part-time job, and initiated my trusty ritual of supplement-loading to fight off whatever flu-meets-bad-cold situation is currently making the rounds. Also: moodboarding my sister’s Tribeca apartment, which is coming together in that very specific downtown way. We’re talking new custom pillows (the kind that imply you have your life together), and a cold brew machine because apparently that’s just baseline now? Every new apartment has one. I don’t make the rules. All of which is to say: a lot of observing, and somehow I came out of it with a running list of things I want this very minute—objects, yes, but also entire aesthetics. See below: Prada sandals (such a big yes!), the suede Gucci getaway tote, Polo Ralph Lauren oversized bomber jacket (it’s it!—more sizes here and here), a Miu Miu mini bag, La Veste striped troursers, and the chicest ankle-flared black pants from Vince.

There’s something to be said for a necklace stack that never clocks out. Mine, as you know by now, is always on—sleep, sweat, volleyball game sidelines—and somehow, always evolving. Proof in the pics from just this week alone! Different day, same story: compliments, non-stop. On Tuesday afternoon, I found myself in a huddle of women, all leaning in, asking, touching, plotting. “Where is that from?” “I need this.” “Mother’s Day?” It turned into a full-on moment. Turns out the moment is now to pounce. Because most of my Adina Reyter jewelry is 20% off. My edit of stack staples here!

Salone Milan is currently underway in a far-flung and fashionable time zone away—and yet it’s also staging its own exhibitions across 26 open browser tabs on my laptop. Everything I’m clicking on—fashion, interiors, even the occasional tablescape—is speaking the same love language. Textures, colors, prints—tutto, per favore! Today. Naturally, I’m influenced. And eyeing: this gorgeous vintage woven rattan furniture set from the ‘50s (crazy that it’s less expensive than a designer bag!), Hereu’s under-$500 knit tote, West Elm’s mushroom table lamp, Ruggable’s washable striped (Miu Miu-ish) tufted rug (so many good options right now, including this and this, all at 20% off), plus Zara’s (Prada-spirited) pouch, Kaymen’s white gold, diamond and enamel ring, Polo Ralph Lauren beaded kitten heels, a $54 Macy’s tote(!), enamel (Chanel-like) earrings, a checked Damson Madder jacket and Vrayo “Courage and Creativity” Body Cream.

Photos: The Sartorialist, Marta Oldrini, Despi Naka