to all the summers we're having

styling your tricky pieces + a different summer lens

Happy Friday! I hope you aren’t working today. If you are, maybe you’re hungover and trying to avoid it all, and that’s why you’re reading this letter instead of tending to your emails. I’m waving hello from the trains and automobiles I’m on this week going up and down the East Coast for a dynamic start to my summer of weddings, dog teeth cleanings, doctor’s appointments (glamorous!!!), surprise hospital visits, boat rides, grill outs, and visits home to my parents with my spontaneously (although I’m sure no one would ever plan for this anyway) broken toes! I asked the chat about everyone’s most sticky style places right now and figured we could tackle the first portion of your summer style questions together.

If you’re feeling stuck, my first tip is to shift your lens for inspiration, instead of seeking more inspiration generally. Feeling overwhelmed translating inspo photos into outfits? Perhaps physically play in your actual closet with little agenda. Can’t figure out if you like an outfit you put on or not? Maybe take a photo of yourself in it, or digitally collage it to distance the combination from yourself.

Digital styling and digital collaging is limiting in the sense that you can’t visually articulate proportion or styling tricks like rolling a sleeve without re-photographing the item positioned in that way, and the lack of hair, makeup, tattoos, or things like everyday jewelry do dull one’s essence. However, I also think it helps to separate the visual of the person and environment from the outfit. Sometimes I look at a collage I made of something I was obsessed with on someone else, and realize I don’t even like the pieces that much, or I have something close enough in my closet to play with instead. Or, after digitally collaging a few of my favorite outfits, I realize how many things I have that I love, and when I may be overthinking or overdoing things.

I’m mostly collaging outfits in this letter, partially because I was sedentary and subsequently on hospital grade sedatives when I was supposed to be standing on both feet, sober, out and about in such outfits for you. Anyway, this is about the ideas more than the pieces. It’s always a grounding joy to style people each week and find that basically no one has so called “wardrobe staples” in their closets, so try not to get hung up on that shirt or those pants, or whatever.

I linked where possible in this letter, but I’m polishing up a true summer vintage + items of interest letter coming next week, so toss any last minute requests in the comments.

Without further ado, your problems and my solutions…

THE BLACK SHEEP

Our first submission is a Sonia Rykiel studded purse. This person likes warm, light, bright colors and would describe their style as eccentric, unfussy, and romantic. The purse is beloved (!) but feels too edgy, so they’re only clocking in at a once-a-year wear.