I'm Back, And There's So Much To Discuss!

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Hi everyone! And welcome back! So much has transpired since our last chat, and I’m really looking forward to catching up. First things first, some very good news: My amazing husband was nominated for an Emmy! Jonathan, along with his incredible colleagues, was nominated for the second time in his career, this time for his work on Nobody Wants This, which we all know also happens to be my favorite show. I think his music supervision was, in fact, outstanding, and I’m so incredibly proud of him, and everyone who works on this phenomenal show. What an absolute delight, and how joyous it is to see someone who works so tremendously hard actually get some well-deserved accolades? Very damn good!

Also, selfishly, I’m excited we get to get dressed up and go to the event together. The last time we went, I was six months pregnant with Clark, and my friends Joey Maalouf and Scott Cunha make me feel like an incredible fertility goddess with the most stunning makeup and nineteen pounds of hair. Longtime readers know that I don’t do pregnancy online—prefer to hard launch babies after they arrive—and that was a hard event to keep under wraps, so I’m excited to get another chance to support my husband without that photographic constraint. Which, yeah, I know it’s not the point of the party at all, but still! What am I going to wear? (Does it matter since it’s not my night? No way, but I’m still excited.) No clue, but stay tuned for a discussion here!

Also, I’m writing this story after a 12-hour journey home from New Hampshire, where we spent a week on various lakes, ate egregiously oversized ice creams from Liliuokalanis, played some version of baseball in our giant backyard, picked wild blackberries, went boulder caving in the deep woods, and generally enjoyed the heck out of our time with Jonathan’s mom and sister. I’ve only been to the Lakes Region of New Hampshire a handful of times, but friends, it’s truly a special place with some of the most kind and charming folks you can imagine. We rented a restored 1840s farmhouse on three acres this time, and it was truly special and great for kids, as are so many properties in this area. If you want details, let me know.

Before we hop into the Nordstrom Sale (!!!), a quick note about a few things that really helped me out this trip.

1. J.Crew Tiered Shirt Dress in Cotton Voile ($178)

I know you’re going to hear a lot about this dress, in fact, you’ve already seen it all over your feed, primarily in white. But here me out: I think the chicer choice is black. And if you’re feeling a little rebellious, join me in how I have been wearing it—sans slip. That’s right; it’s heavy enough that you’re not really showing off your bits and bobs, and I think there’s something really cool about the juxtaposition of the preppy shirtdress silhouette and the slight sheerness. It’s a little fuck you, in a nice way. I have been wearing mine with flat sandals—these slides from Toteme are ideal and weirdly hard to find such a simple silhouette—and my go-to evil cat-eye sunglasses from Jimmy Choo, which are so rad and attitudinal. (And FWIW I have the dress in a 6 and it’s TTS, but short!)

2. Banana Republic Soho Linen Shorts ($69.99 on sale) and Barrel-Leg Linen Pull-On Pants ($84.99 on sale)

Look, I know I’ve been banging on about these two piece of clothing since spring break, but they’re selling out and on sale, and if you haven’t explored, please do. I cannot say enough good stuff about the shorts; they fit like a relaxed trouser but have the generous leg that makes them look like a skirt. If you’ve ever been betrayed by a too-tight short leg, this is the redemption you deserve. As for the pants, I own two pairs, wore them to New Hampshire and back, washed them and wore them twice on the trip, what more can you ask for? TTS, both. And look how cute my shorts look with my very handy dandy oversized The Great The Big Bandana ($95) which I wear as a scarf on the plane, a wrap in the evening, and just hide behind in general.

3. Doen Brielle Dress ($328)

If you are looking for what is unquestionably the softest dress known to mankind, your quest ends here. This dress is divine: not sheer at all, incredibly soft, and whilst I hate the word, it’s extremely flattering. I wore it in New Hampshire and will keep it in heavy rotation all through the rest of summer and well into fall. It’s that good. Mine is a medium, which is TTS for me in Doen.

4. Therapy

As I’ve mentioned here, I’ve been having some significant issues with flying over the past year, and my emotions have really been getting the best of me, so much so that my anxiety doesn’t end with me getting off the plane. No; I’m worrying about my flight for the week before it happens, then mulling it over in an unhealthy and uncomfortable way the entire time I’m at my destination, and then on the verge of a panic attack on my way back. It’s early days in my treatment process, but I was referred to a phobia specialist (interesting to me, the fear of flying is a phobia and is often served best by someone who focuses on it), and we’ve only had three sessions, but I think I’m getting the hang of it. While I was deeply, deeply uncomfortable in the week leading up to my trip, I had a great session right before I left, was okay on the plane, and best of all, did not have overwhelming anticipatory anxiety for the week I was in New Hampshire, and that felt like a crazy gift. I am still at the beginning of my journey, but I am feeling markedly better already.

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

So here’s the thing about the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale that makes is so powerful and different from every other sale: Everything is new season, and will go back to the regular price after the Anni Sale is over. So this is basically your shot to decide who you are going to be for fall, today, and then make those key purchases for a limited time at a lower rate. Will these items go on sale many months from now? Sure, maybe? But will they have your size then? Will they have the color you want? You can take your chances, or you can buy things now at a great rate and just have your wardrobe locked in. It’s like gambling for practical people who don’t want to lose (ahem, me!). Oh, also inventory is limited, so you have to be decisive, okay?

So what would I concentrate on shopping? Boots, basics, and the best outerwear I can find and afford.

Starting with shoes: Stuart Weitzman Marais Leather Knee High Boots ($529 on sale; $795 after) will look chic for twenty years to come. Paige makes excellent suede pieces and I recommend the brand’s Lillian Pointed Toe Knee High Boots ($364 on sale; $548 after) in chocolate brown suede for all your fall needs. Frye’s Campus Knee High Riding Boots ($319 on sale; $478 after) are great too, as are Tory Burch’s Chelsea Boots ($279 on sale: $475 after). I also recommend checking out Favorite Daughter’s shoes, many of which are a part of the Anniversary Sale, and are quite chic (boots, flats, you name it).

Moving on to basics: ‘Tis the season to refresh your denim at better-than-normal prices. For me that means looking at black denim, specifically Levi’s Ribcage High Waisted Straight Leg Jeans ($72 on sale; normally $110) and Paige’s super comfy Stevie High Waist Straight Leg Jeans ($172 on sale; normally $259), which are going to take you from work to the weekend, from daytime errands to (early bird) dinner dates and everything in between. Also, if your double breasted wool blend coat got mistakenly lost this winter and you need a new one, might I point you to Vince’s Double Breasted Coat ($667 on sale; normally $998) which comes in black or charcoal and is ideal.

Okay friends, that’s it for now. If you want to follow me on @hillarykerr, I’d love it. And if you have anything to say or ask (preferably nothing terribly mean), please drop me a note either via DM or in the comments below.

As always, thank you for taking the time to read this post. I’m truly so glad you’re here. If you like what you’re reading, please consider sharing this newsletter. (And if you have the time to like it, that would mean a lot to me!) All products mentioned are independently chosen, and some may be affiliate links. Your support is appreciated.