four-course meal | #06

Welcome back to four-course meal!1 Fortunately for you, I’ve been feeling rather spendy lately. With birthdays and girls’ trips and blessings sent straight from the thrift gods, it has been an abundant few weeks. But like all fruitful seasons, it must come to an end. For our meal today, I’ll be sharing my favorite purchases, inspiration, and trends that have been fueling me through this boundless winter.

Hors D’oeuvre

I’ll start us off with this slouchy Margot Robbie travel look that has taken permanent residence in my mind from the moment I saw it. I love celebrity airport outfits almost as much as I hate airports — and this one takes the cake. What I love most about this is how ill-suited it is for air travel. I mean, who wears shorts to the airport?!

But that’s why I love celebrities. The shameless, faux nonchalance whilst traversing through the airport with us regulars, not a realistic personal item in hand or suitcase in sight. Sublime.

Nothing screams TSA Pre-check more than a toe-bearing mesh flat. Maybe Margot was on a short private flight afterall, but I like to picture her changing out her sweats in the airport bathroom surrounded by a full glam team and a herd of men to carry her bags. But seriously, Airport Barbie is serving as major inspo for my Spring dressing. It is my style to a T — comfortable, simple, neutral, and carefree. She makes me really miss my long blonde hair, which would never look this flawless after a “flight.”

Margot’s full outfit is Beare Park, a delicious Australian luxury ready-to-wear brand that I hadn’t heard of before, but am very glad to be acquainted with now. Both pieces are currently sold out but are said to return in April.

Appetizer

On a thrifting day last week, I brought Bonnie to the ultimate Boston cool-girl vintage store (this hurts me not to gatekeep), 40 South St. in Jamaica Plain. It is tiny and chaotic and packed with hidden gems. It only took about 45 seconds for me to land on the dress of my dreams, a black chiffon vintage Karl Lagerfeld with spaghetti straps and a pleated drop waist. For 20% off. It was one of those pieces that could eclipse even the strongest “I don’t feel like trying anything on today” mood. You know the one.

Once the weather warms up, you are going to be absolutely SICK of me in this dress. I’ll be wearing it to every wedding and summer night out this year and probably the rest of my life. It. Is. Just. That. Good. On more than one occasion, I’ve put it on just to walk around the house. I’ll be in the city in a few weeks, so I think this LBD will be making its outdoor debut on a GNO with Grace. Just as God intended.

This photo doesn’t do it justice, but just know that it’s flawless. I kind of feel honored that I get to wear it. And imagine my sense of pride if someone ever asks where my dress is from and I get to say it’s vintage Karl Lagerfeld. If only they knew I got it for the price of your average Zara dress.

Main Course

Jack and I are going to Banff next week! I’m tagging along to his work conference, and this trip is singlehandedly keeping me afloat through work and snow and the mundanities of adulthood. As always, I’m already looking forward to the outfits, focusing on a real après ski vibe that this chic ski town warrants. From vintage fur coats that I’m still morally confused about, to big sunglasses, ski outfits, and chunky knits — once I befriend a fellow plus-one at this conference who knows their way around an iPhone camera, it’s game over for everyone else on Instagram. I’m picturing some major winter wonderland vibes while Jack is stuck inside conference-ing. Maybe I should buy a tripod just in case.

I’ve been going through the archives (Pinterest) seeking inspiration for our wintery week away. If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that celebrities just do winter differently. I’m talking Hailey Bieber on a coffee run in Aspen, Dua Lipa wearing her $48k Gucci coat on date night (you would need to inject liters of Botox into my armpits before I could wear a coat like that indoors), or Alexa Chung anytime she steps foot in New York. They are warm and they are iconic.

After weeks of hating everything in my closet (on par with the last month of literally every season), I’ve been met with a bounty of winter style inspiration. I’m going to challenge myself to make the most out of the last few weeks (hopefully) of winter weather, and go out with a bang on our trip to Banff.

Dessert

Our final course is all about one of my favorite new trends… drumroll please (😉)…marching band chic (stay with me). I adored the Fall/Winter collection Khaite presented at NYFW this year and I can’t believe I waited this long to write about it. There was a lot to love, but what I was completely charmed by were the marching band-esque jackets and motifs that were sprinkled throughout the collection. It’s so fierce and edgy, while staying playful and light. The color palette and fabrication are also just very me, as I’m partial to neutrals and a sucker for anything sheer. I love the different variations of the same motif we see across harsher materials like leather and wool, countered with dainty applications in sheer fabrics and embroidery. It’s so good!!! I can’t wait to see which Khaite-groupie/A-lister (the two terms go hand in hand) snags one of these pieces first. I’d die for a Zoë Kravitz appearance in the black organza, and the leather marching band jacket has JLaw written alllll over it.

One extra side dish before we conclude — al dente turns 1 tomorrow! For those of you who have been here since the beginning, thanks for sticking around. And for all you newbies, welcome to the party! I love writing this newsletter, like a lot.

In lieu of gifts, perhaps give this post a like or share it with your friends. Or anything from the Khaite Collection will do just fine. I’m really not that picky.

kisses

- Ally