Rat Diet No. 37

When I got home from my Scandinavian vacation, I took care of all my “appointments.” I went to the dentist and the doctor. I got a haircut. I got blood drawn. Afterward, I ate a chicken club sandwich with fries at Fanelli’s, and there was no one there except the regular alcoholics drinking at noon. It was bliss.

This will be my last personal letter until September. I’m using the next week or so to regroup, as I’ve got some big newsletter changes I’m eager to share with you all! Stay tuned…

Below is everything I wore, read, and bookmarked in August.

• The hero was a lightweight striped sweater from extreme cashmere, which I wore on the plane and pretty much everywhere else.

• I also packed a red chunky knit High Sport V-neck sweater that I got on The RealReal. The brand’s tops don’t get as much hype, but I’m starting to like them more.

• Another hero: My Church’s fisherman sandals, which I’ve mentioned before for being super sturdy and blister-free. (On sale here in white/black/navy.) I also wore my Heru sandals the other day and was reminded that they’re a little softer.

• My P.Le Moult wasp pajamas, purchased in Vienna.

• I tried the nonchalant Prada dust bag/pouch thing (a well-known Miuccia-ism), but I have to say: it’s not chic unless you’re going to a restaurant or something and can throw it into a booth. Otherwise, it’s an inconvenience. I wore it with a long Cawley dress that has a pretty back.

  

• A linen mesh windbreaker (now on sale + in blue) from Small Talk Studio was the perfect light layer, and I brought my shorts by the brand too.

• I was excited to wear my new blue (blue!) painter pants from B Sides, but within 15 minutes of putting them on for the first time, I spilled flaming hot grease from a chicken sandwich (Dua Lipa’s favorite in Copenhagen lol) all over them… I remembered that Xavier Donnelly (the creative director for Ash Hotels and jetsetter extraordinaire) once told me for a T magazine story that he uses hotel soap to wash his clothes. So I scrubbed the hotel shampoo into the stains because it had oil on its ingredients list (oil lifts grease) and dabbed with a towel. I can’t believe it, but it worked!!! Took three attempts. I now want the brand’s celery set after trying on the hoodie at Oroboro.

• I need the Anne Sofie Madsen rat bag. (A Danish designer whose show I liked.)

• I’ve started checking ReSee daily. It’s nothing like TRR, but they do have some good stuff, like this purple velvet Comme dress.

• Speaking of TRR, I accidentally came across some good men’s stuff, including this Armani leather jacket and these green Prada sneakers.

• And someone must get this Victor Costa dress for Valentine’s Day.

• I also think someone should wear these Vaquera pearls to their wedding.

• A pretty devastating vacation read, but Rachel Aviv’s You Won’t Get Free of It, a compilation of her reported essays about mothers and daughters, had me upright at the beach.

• I also started The Ladies’ Paradise by Émile Zola because someone mentioned it in a newsletter, and became convinced over the weekend that I need to open a store… But I don’t actually want to sell anything… Thoughts?

• Also: A democratic socialist is running for office while working at Bergdorf Goodman as a sales associate for The Row. His name is Eon Huntley. He makes $25/hour and 5 percent commission on sales. The Row gives him a stipend—between $5,000 and $10,000 per season—to spend on the product he sells. (That’ll get him like, 5 things.)

• This “Talk of the Town” with the owner of Old News Newsstand made me laugh out loud. A man heading to B&H asked, “Do you have Zyns?” Reiss replied: “We have zines.”

• As a Girl Who Sweats, I agree with this take. I never went near the Donni taffeta. I also hate wrinkles.

• Has there ever been a more “me” headline? Donna Karan has a rat problem. Sounds like a big litigious mess.

Emma Orlow, who writes about food for Caper, inspired me to search the “chili eating contest” section of eBay. It led me to this. And eventually this.