Weekend 3.11

I remember my friend Jules, after watching Pax and I navigate a particularly rough walk to school (several years ago now), famously declared that, “mothers are the repositories of all disappointment,” and then we laughed and laughed and laughed.

And I’ve thought about her statement…daily? Well. At least weekly since then. The insight, you guys. She nailed it.

But we’re entering some new phase with Raines, now that he’s 15. And while I certainly remain the repository for his disappointment, I’m not always the cause of it. That vaunted position is now held by…his father.

Sorry, Mike.

There is not a single thing Mike can do these days that Raines doesn’t find annoying. The shirts he wears, the way he sits at the table, the jokes he tells, what he eats, how he works out – literally everything Mike does either annoys or disgusts our teenage son.

Mike, of course, finds all of this hilarious.

I, for one, am just enjoying this small reprieve from my usual role as Mom, The Worst.

Winds shift quickly. Let me have this moment while I can.

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I’m very much into minimalist sandals. Somebody tell me about these Tkees. I can’t stop thinking about them.

Which also means, yes: Flip-flops are back. I’m ordering my Reef gingers immediately (historically, they were the only flip-flops that didn’t irritate the skin between my toes), but I’m also deeply curious about Fitflops’ new, thinner flip-flop. It looks like a classic flop, but has that comfort-shoe stamp of approval.

And then therefore: I will be wearing said flip-flops with Free People’s breezy, low-rise cargo pants and my Hanro tank top because it is basically Y2K again.

The most beautiful blouse I’ve seen. In ages. It’s by Doen, a women-owned, slow fashion brand, and it’s the extra squaring of the neckline for me (check it out on the model). A truly special piece, and available in sizes XXS-XXL.

Gotta wear shades. And the shape and color (‘oat brown’) of this pair of sunglasses are calling my name.

Current outfit inspo: This Reformation look is exactly what I want to wear right now. It’s basically just jeans, sweater and ankle boots, but the proportions make the whole thing feel fresh. Longer jeans are key (I’d try this pair), and I love the idea of swapping my winter coat for a long black raincoat. I’m shorter, so I could prob get away with this Rains raincoat, or this cute Lole one (both are long *enough* to match the Ref vibe), but if you’re tall, you might need this longer trench raincoat. In any case, this outfit idea is perfect for late winter / early spring.

Denim shirt, 2.0. I love the resurgence of denim-on-denim, but especially with this new shorter, boxier denim top. Of course, Bottega Veneta has a pricier version, and Target has an affordable one.

Bring the heat. Raines is addicted to hot sauce, and these refillable hot sauce keychains have made him SO happy. We pack one in school lunches, and there’s one in his ski bag, too.

It’s always good. Nordstrom just restocked this Good American denim jumpsuit (XS-5XL). I have it in a dark green, and it’s the kind of piece that has solved so many, ‘no idea what to wear’ moments. Those sort-of casual art events? The jumpsuit. School functions where you kiiind of want to dress up? The jumpsuit. NBA game? I’d totally wear that jumpsuit. (And then it obviously works for all the usual stuff, too.) And fully stocked at Good American, too.

If I worked in an office…I’d definitely pick up this top. It strikes me as very, deeply cool, yet is office-enough to be used in place of a suit (especially when paired with the matching pants). That said, it can also be worn with black trousers, or trouser jeans for a dressed-down look, yet would be cool enough for a night out, too. Wow. (For a slightly similar vibe at a lower cost, this Norma Kamali or this Ann Taylor.)

One more. Paige’s Bella Trouser jeans are exactly the sort of office-appropriate denim that are cool enough for the weekend, too. The only downside? Retailers can’t seem to keep these styles in stock. If you like ’em, don’t wait.

Attention, parents of toddlers: I was talking to a mom of a train-obsessed toddler and she had *not* heard of these Sure Track clips that keep wooden train set tracks from coming apart. I swear everyone should know about them – they definitely saved my sanity.

Boden does some solid stripes. Case in point? Boden’s navy striped henley is all I want to wear with wide-leg jeans (like these), and their boxy, v-neck crop tee (also striped) will be perfect with some denim shorts (I like these).

Happy surprise. I just went to order more Glow Screen (love, love, love this SPF – I wear it daily) and discovered that it now comes in a range of four shades to better fit all skintones (you don’t need an exact match – it’s more sunscreen than foundation but that glow is…wow).

HERO PIECE, ON SALE. Holy moly, Halfdays almost never goes on sale, yet my black lightweight puffer jacket somehow…is. It’s probably my most-worn piece this year, and one of the few pieces I’ll likely be wearing well into Spring. It’s packable, warm enough without being overwhelming, and looks just as chic with dresses as it does with jeans (and/or workout gear). The cut is totally genius, and it fits over the bulkiest of sweaters, too. I don’t know why the model photo doesn’t even come close to doing it justice, but you can see it on me in this recent post, and there should be a reel around here somewhere. Hang on…found it.

Am I being punked? Not only are these UGG clogs in the women’s section (not kids!!), but the Nordstrom looks that go with them are…bizarre? I mean, to each their own, but one is literally called, “For Date Night” and I just…can’t.

Cuuuute…and helpful. Several of the TME editors flew into Philly to create some video content as a group, and the first video from that session, a try-on of Abercrombie’s Curve Love Jeans is up on our YouTube channel. It’s adorable (fun to see them together) and really freaking helpful, too.

Need a new book? I just finished the first two books in the The Atlas Six series and they’re GOOD. Think: Harry Potter, but for adults, with a slightly more realistic take of ‘magic people among us’. I couldn’t put it down – it’s seriously fun.

Oof. More mocktails, pls. I’m trying to drink less these days, since alcohol seems to make my hot flashes & sleep worse. A friend turned me onto these Tepache drinks, and the Watermelon Jalapeno is allllmost good enough to fool me into thinking it’s a real drink. Anyone else have a mocktail they love? Sparkling water often isn’t enough, but anything too sweet is out, too.

100 Tampons. @nottheworstmom covered the 100 Tampons song (from @marciasky) on her IG, and…some men didn’t like it. After my boys caught me laughing so hard, we did have a little discussion about periods and tampons, even though, obviously, the *REAL* issue was (is?) the lack of women in NASA.

Enjoy your weekend!

xo,

S