Braindump 003

An Alphabet Soup of Inspiration

My favorite summer tradition is the weekly hike I take my kids on. While we hike we play the Alphabet Game. The idea is that we pick a category (usually it’s Food or Animals) and we each have to name something in that category running down the letters of the alphabet.

In honor of this tradition, I’m doing an “Alphabet Game” braindump. This is part one (letters A-M), part two will likely come in a few weeks as I’ve filled my inspiration folder with new screenshots, etc.

While writing this post I came across a newsletter that I’m smitten with: Archivé. As great minds think alike I saw that the author

Cecilia Lacerda

has done very fun A to Z posts (like this one of the Olsen Twins)! I’ll be back next week with more styling thoughts and in the meantime, tell me what’s been catching your eye or inspiring you in the comments!

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A is for AMO DENIM

I’ve been on a bit of a kick with this brand lately and I really love the way their denim fits me (I have these jeans ($300) and these ($200); both ordered in my true size and run just a tad loose, which suits me great). The brand is a bit pricey (you’ve been warned) but they have a “preloved” section you can shop on the site with discounted items.

The other day, I got this email from them with their Summer Style Guide and I loved the visual of this as a vacation capsule; A+ inspiration.

I also loved the photograph of this striped button up ($270).

B is for Beige Belt

I am catching myself drawn to beige belts! I cringe typing *beige* because I immediately think of the “sad, beige babies” trend. We can call the belts *tan* instead. BUTTT a great beige/tan belt really does something special to an outfit (especially when working as contrast against black).

I love the look on

Reva Luft

(Left) and Jen's Substack (a criminally underrated SS on Right)!!

Reva’s Belt ($440) // tan one ($148) // tan two ($160) // Jen’s Belt ($450)

C is Carted

A friend asked me “do you use Carted?” And I said “DO I USE CARTED?!” Obviously I haven’t been talking about my favorite app enough recently. Carted is a digital wishlist where you can save items to different lists (like a Pinterest board);

Then Carted will track for price changing, let you set a spending budget and compare the price of your wishlisted item across different stores. I’ve been a partner of Carted for a bit now because I’m 100% their ideal customer. Also,

Shop Girl at Carted

is a VERY fun Substack read.

D is for Dakota Johnson

Have you seen The Materialists yet? I wrote (here) about how I was intrigued by the early aughts vibe of the RomCom and the potential the wardrobe had from the preview.

I’ve been fully caught in the Dakota Johnson algorithm and I’m rabidly consuming all the press she is doing around the movie including the episode of Hot Ones she was on (it was my first time watching the show). I was immediately blinded by her necklace stack and smitten with the green necklace (it’s giving bolo tie in a classy way). Le sigh I think I found the necklace and it’s $10,000 but this necklace by Aurate, they gifted it to me and I can say, it’s fabulous.

E is for Earrings

For my daughter’s 6th birthday (October 2024) she wanted to get her ears pierced. Well now that it’s officially been more than 6 months she was allowed to change her earrings and she picked a two pack ($28). When I asked her, which one she wanted to wear, she said “one of each, and you wear the other.” I could cry. I love matching her every day.

PS- the earrings at the place we got her pierced are VERY cute if you are in the market!

F is for Fit

While watching Friends & Neighbors and lusting over Sam Levitt’s wardrobe, I had a crazy realization when I saw this look of hers from the finale (pic taken from my TV, sorry for the quality).

I loved her pants! And then I realized- wait, I have those pants. They are the Citizens of Humanity Marcelle pants which I wrote an entire rave review on. Interestingly when I bought mine, after reading loads of reviews, I sized down 2 sizes and I noted how they are described as “low-slung” even though often modeled at the waist. Well leave it to the costume designer of the show to make me realize that if I had bought my normal size and worn them “low-slung” as intended, I would have had a different fit. I’m on a mission to pay better attention to how things are designed to be worn. When a model is noted as wearing a size small despite XS measurements, I realize I should probably size up to get a similar fit.

Also, when possible, try to hang-dry your clothes so their fit won’t be altered with the dryer heat. I was gifted ByMatter’s Another Day spray and I use it to stretch times between washing. It’s called a “dry wash” because the spray is a fabric freshener that helps eliminate odors without having to wash every wear.

G is for Good Hang

We’re all listening to Amy Poehler’s podcast, Good Hang, right? I swear there is no better pick-me-up then listening to her gab with her guests. I literally laugh out loud every time. And I can only make it about 5 minutes into the episodes before I want to watch them on her YouTube channel. I KNOW that’s not the point of podcasts, but it is way too much fun. If you haven’t had the pleasure; I suggest the Michelle Obama episode (giggled through the whole thing, please just watch this clip of it) or the Dakota Johnson one (she brings her puppy!).

she has a French manicure!

H is for Hunza G

The other week I wrote about the day I wore my swimsuit as a shirt but in my daydreams I’m wearing this Hunza G swimsuit ($295) as a top a la this marketing email from my favorite brand Another Nue (based in Copenhagen).

No doubt inspired by this perfect look I’ve had saved for a while.

I is for Ice Cream

Every summer Tillamock releases my very favorite ice cream flavor of all time; Campfire Peanut Butter Smores. Because it’s a limited flavor, I eat it as often as possible for as long as possible. It’s marshmallow flavored ice cream with a strip of fudge and itty bitty peanut butter cups. I’m drooling as I type….

J is for Joyburst

Recently at Costco, my kids and I enjoyed a sample of Joyburst water; anyone else had it? It is so sneaky good. It’s boxed electrolyte water with 3 flavors (Strawberry-Lemonade, Watermelon and Peach). My kids are as obsessed with them as I am and it has 0g of sugar so better than a juice box (enter shrugging emoji)?

As we drank them the other day I noticed a QR Code on the box for their “hit song.” Be warned: DO NOT PLAY THIS IN FRONT OF YOUR KIDS UNLESS YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO IT 856 MORE TIMES. But do play if you need a laugh at Vanilla Ice singing a promotional song.

K is for

Ken Sakata

Ken Sakata

is the Creative Director of Front Office; an Australian menswear brand. He is wicked smart and posts videos on all his socials (Instagram, TikTok and here on Substack) about the history of garments or the details on fabrication.

Here’s one of my favorite videos of him talking about the white t-shirt from The Bear that everyone is obsessed with.

frontoffice.co

A post shared by @frontoffice.co

L is for Love

This is a small cheat, but I have to include a note of appreciation for the Midimalist community. THANK YOU for reading and supporting me. THANK YOU for the continued encouragement in the chats or emails that you send. I really love each and every one of you here.

M is for Makenna Alyse

I cannot believe I’m about to un-gatekeep (?) open the gate (?) to my favorite creators; because it’s going to totally expose how much she influences me! But I have to shout out Makenna Alyse (Instagram, TikTok) and her outfits which have me in a choke hold. It’s no wonder I like her, I’m such a Courtney Grow STAN and she has a very similar vibe.

Links for all products mentioned can be found here