I write today’s letter with full cognizance of the overwhelming amount of “influencer discourse” circulating right now. The word chic is ruined, and maybe even cool too. Which is funny, because I will keep writing this series ’til the end of time. So I feel compelled to reiterate that being devastatingly hot and cool has very little to do with what you wear, where you go, or what you buy. It is, still, a way of moving through the world with curiosity, discernment, and confidence. To be devastatingly hot and cool means:
Curating your life for the love of beauty, fashion, art, food, travel, and knowledge—not because they’re status symbols, but because they genuinely delight you
Becoming the person your friends go to when they want outfit help, product recommendations, a restaurant recommendation, a book, or simply to know what’s worth paying attention to
Living with a foot in various corners of the world (literally or figuratively), staying curious about people and places, and collecting observations instead of consuming places
Moving through life with quiet confidence. You don’t need to have everything figured out, but you trust yourself enough to know you’ll figure it out
Few things annoy me more than talk of summer ending. Every August, the waning of the best season of the year becomes a collective fixation. Like, the tomatoes are still perfect, what do you mean you’re shopping for fall? I will indulge this only a little, especially because this letter is coming out a bit late.
August is actually when when late-summer travels ramp up and there’s a second wave of excitement around getting dressed for the heat. (September is hot too, remember?) Everyone who spent July wearing the same three things suddenly remembers the clothes they bought in May, vacations call for something new, and the prospect of another 4-5 weeks of bare shoulders and bare feet feels like a recommitment to the season.
But I know fall is on retailers’ minds. Pre-fall and fall collections are populating stores, and I’m shooting campaigns with briefs asking that styling leans toward fall—all while New York is still very much in the throes of summer.
So, in the spirit of meeting the industry halfway, I’ll concede a few things: pieces that feel right for August now, but won’t look completely out of place when the first cool night finally arrives. I write this newsletter to you from the Berkshires, where the nights do turn cool enough that I’m very glad I packed my Dôen Petra Cardigan.
FASHION
The US Open always brings spectator fashion into the spotlight, with brands capitalizing on the tournament’s increasingly potent intersection of sport, fashion, and celebrity. I know a lot has been said about the influencer-ization of the US Open, but there’s something overly simplistic but true about it: the accessibility of sports as culture is undeniable. You can come for the clothes, the celebrities, the Honey Deuces, the people-watching, and you can also get into the sport itself along the way :)
Polo Ralph Lauren, the official outfitter of the Open, debuted their annual US Open collection last week. This year’s collection skews sportier than the brand’s Wimbledon collection, with a greater emphasis on casual staples like this US Open-blue fleece polo shirt, the perfect boat neck sweatshirt, and the striped cable knit cardigan that I missed out on last year. I also love this yellow cap, which flips the US Open’s color way into something a bit brighter. The official store at Arthur Ashe also has items that you can’t find online.
Madesome’s viral surf shorts come in a mini skirt in the perfect US Open blue.
White skirts galore, to be dressed up or down: I love this Khaite paneled one, the perfect poplin pull on skirt under $100, Aritzia’s A-line silhouette with a thicker waistband, or Matteau’s drawstring one that brings a hint of resort wear courtside.
Or opt for white shorts. GWYN makes a very sturdy denim Bermuda short, Chan Luu’s techno taffeta range is expanded with white shorts in the mix, or these easygoing longline lyocell-linen ones.
One-and-done dresses are the perfect spectator outfit. I love the idea of a t shirt dress at Arthur Ashe, looking cool and unaffected by the frenzy of the spectacle. I also love this relaxed drop waist dress and this striped Suzie Kondi moment.
Pre-fall collections are always exciting because they seem to arrive exactly when you’re ready to wear them. I look to New York’s quintessential womenswear labels to shape my early thoughts of fall.
Kallmeyer’s earthen-toned pieces for pre-fall feature a raw-edged, shiny, summer wool dress, a case to bring back the dramatic top, a cotton knit tunic to be worn over skirts, pants, and dresses, and gauzey coverups that can be worn in the city too.
Ruching is a big theme for many of Khaite’s pre-fall pieces. This dress in the most beautiful salmon pink color is calling my name for breezy, warm nights in August and early September. The tank version is very good too.
Proenza Schouler’s new arrivals are trickling in! Their brown leather east-west bag remains my most-worn purse of the summer that isn’t a raffia tote. This crinkly leather tote is also something I’d like to sling to the beach and also when my days feel busier.
Tory Burch’s 70s-inspired floral dress has me thinking a lot about nostalgic florals. I saw this skirt in J.Crew’s new campaign imagery and made parallels. Same goes for this Sir. skirt. With a simple tank or a sweater, these florals prove longevity!
I’m always shopping for more serious shoes at the end of summer. After three months of schlepping around in rubber flip-flops, I’m desperate to up my footwear game. (Although I just discovered Archies and I’m more convinced than ever that flip flops are the end-game shoe)
I missed out on Jude’s perfect Ease mule last time they were in stock, so these, in a lower heel are perfect to me.
Very into this Margaux slipper-mule situation. And this Polo Ralph Lauren slipper-loafer situation. Or how about Proenza’s lace ballet flats, heavily disocunted right now?
The Net-a-Porter shoe sale is a very good place to be right now.
Purple is everywhere right now, and I think that turquoise blue we saw all summer is transmuting into cooler, more muted shades of lavender, periwinkle, and pale blue as we head into fall.
Doen’s signature cardigan that now comes in new colors every season now comes in a dusky purple called ‘violet thistle’. And there are just a few more sizes of their lace-trimmed silk skirt in a striking lilac purple.
I missed out on all the Chloe SS26 babydoll dresses, so this new lace-trimmed dress is tempting and feels perfect for right now. Or this for a maxi version to be worn with layers.
I love velvet-trimmed anything for date night or deep V-cut anything for your next wedding RSVP.
Black raffia/woven bags straddle summer and pre-fall perfectly, though I’m not opposed to wearing one year-round. The Row made a waxed cotton one that looks like it’ll be perfectly slung over the shoulder, Jenni Kayne makes a bare bones silhouette that will work with virtually every outfit, and this Little Liffner one is a crowd favorite.
BEAUTY
Saie got the summer-is-still-on memo with the launch of their newest cult-favorite Glowy Super Gel in a shade called ‘BeachGlow’. I’m not really a primer girl, but I do love mixing my foundation or tinted moisturizer with this stuff to give my face a subtle, clean glow!
I’ve been obsessed with The Odyssey for many different contradicting reasons. One of them is how beautiful all the female actors were, despite inhabiting a world of war, hardship, and a general absence of modern beauty infrastructure lol (the anachronisms are among the movie’s biggest criticisms). BUT, in a delightful bit of anachronistic beauty intel, we did get confirmation that the film’s makeup team used a Merit blush on Zendaya: “we wanted her character to be flawless while maintaining a grounded quality…she has a very youthful, translucent look that we achieved with sheer makeup, such as Merit blush.” It is still my most-worn blush no matter the season.
I was on set recently for a brand that really nails the whole ‘effortless girl’ look and the makeup artist used Make Up For Ever’s multi-use crayons that come in the same shades as their beloved lip liners. I liked that I got to have a little say on the flush of color on my face :) She used my favorite lip liner shade Anywhere Caffeine on my cheeks.
m.ph has been churning out new products at an impressive speed, and the girls are eating it up. Their newest launch, a lip gloss, launches today (!) and I got an early peek at how good the formula is. I will never stop collecting and writing about hydrating lip products that make your lips look perfectly kissable.
Side note: on a recent trip to Sephora (I always get so much anxiety walking into one but it’s really insightful boots-on-the-ground journalism), m.ph’s display was the hit of the store (Soho location) and I think her signature look is really what we’re all stuck on right now: the Instagram face, softened—still sculpted and perfected, but made approachable, a little more undone, and ostensibly achievable.
I’m excited for the slow down that comes with August and with Labor Day approaching. After what feels like the busiest summer I’ve had in recent memory work-wise, I’m leaning into the second act of summer and I hope you can too.
Xxx
Laura I actually just bough the Dries Van Noten scarf bag in your image when I was in Paris. I'm so excited about it!
Love this!