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it's critical. · Apr 12, 2026

(not your average) spring aesthetics: volume 2

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Emilee Russell · it's critical.

Spring is officially here—in case you haven’t set foot outside and been promptly slapped in the face with pollen. Hopefully, yellow is your color!

Let’s cut to the chase.

I started this “series” of newsletters where I create brand new, completely made-up aesthetics that don’t actually exist. This is one of those newsletters. Basically, I’m inspired by SO many different things—inanimate objects, color combos, consumer products, food, pop culture, architecture, etc. The list goes on…

Why not make my own mood boards and unofficial guidelines for embodying a highly-specific #vibe? Sometimes I want to dress like a box of Barilla pasta. Other times, I want to dress like sexy Adam Sandler. The limit does not exist.

That being said, please enjoy the following (mostly chaotic) aesthetics. Hopefully, you find something that suits your fancy.

Starting off with a more “palatable” option (before we get into the unhinged), the Key Lime Pie Princess is deliciously fun and delightfully spring-y. She’s garden party meets vintage European cafe. Effortless, but constructed—never too casual.

  • Chartreuse, acid green, pale yellow, and warm camel color palette

  • White fluffy floral appliqués as a brooch, bag charm, or ear accessory

  • Flowy midi skirts or wide-leg trousers

  • Oversized, layered knitwear or sweaters wrapped around the shoulders or waist

  • Pointed kitten heels or mules

  • A structured vintage-feeling tan leather bag or woven raffia bucket bag (pie crust)

  • Glossy, satin, or sheen fabrics that mimic a creamy finish (icing)

  • Soft pearl or cream beaded jewelry

  • Tory Burch

  • STAUD

  • Jacquemus

  • Miu Miu (for bags)

Sporty meets “2000s does 60s” meets Lidl. The Supermarket Siren is unbothered. Her only mission is to check off all the items on her list. Get in and get out…but look fabulous doing it. Produce is a lifestyle. Color blocking is an art. Primary shades are her neutrals.

  • True primary colors only—cobalt blue, fire engine red, chrome yellow, no mixing or softening

  • Color blocking in hard, graphic panels

  • Glossy, lacquered, or vinyl textures that feel almost plastic-y

  • Turtlenecks as a base layer

  • Opaque tights matching the top or bottom for a full-body color block

  • Structured trench coats or oversized blazers

  • Chunky oversized resin or enamel jewelry (60s vibe)

  • Market/tote bags elevated into the outfit as an accessory

  • A beret, bucket hat, or big sunglasses as the finishing pop

  • Loewe (2026)

  • Jean Charles De Castelbajac

  • Moschino (for accessories)

If you’re not familiar with Janice THE muppet, allow me to introduce you to the icon herself. A valley girl with an affinity for classic rock. Boho vibes, but she knows how to shred. She’s like if Phoebe Buffay was actually musically gifted. Her style is Anna Sui meets Missoni meets “2000s does 70s.” She marches to the beat of her own tambourine, but she’s always a #hotgirl at her core.

  • Dusty, muted bohemian palette—terracotta, sage, blush, gold, mauve, denim blue

  • Missoni-style chevron and zigzag knits as a core texture!!

  • Floral appliqué earrings or brooches

  • Lace trim peeking out from hems, necklines, camisoles

  • Fringe on vests, hems, scarves, bags, or basically anything

  • Low-rise denim as the grounding “base” beneath floaty tops

  • Embroidered or printed boho vests worn over nothing or a thin tank

  • Long pendant necklaces, layered chains, chunky stone chokers

  • A newsboy cap or beret, ideally embroidered or in denim OR adorned with a flower

  • Woven or braided belts

  • Missoni (duh)

  • Chloé

  • Anna Sui

The Grey Goose is an old money fashion girl. A modern-day heiress with the aura of 1920s Coco Chanel. She’s smoking outside at a party with the aura of Tish Weinstock or Camille Charrière—a style intellectual.

  • Dove grey, oyster white, and silver with pops of pastel orchid

  • Bias-cut, drop waist, or draped satin slip dresses and halter gowns with zero structure

  • Feather details as a literal design element—become the goose!

  • Silver sequin or scale-like embellishments

  • Sheer layered chiffon or organza skirts

  • Thin silver bangle watches and delicate ring stacks—basically, jewelry that looks inherited, not bought

  • Pointy heels (extra points for lace-up)

  • Fur or feather stoles worn like they belong to a bird, not a coat

  • Cigarette in hand

  • Altuzarra

  • Acne Studios

  • Alexander McQueen

The Guggenheim girlfriend doesn’t just want you to take pictures of her in front of famous works of art. She wants to become the structural marvel that houses the art itself. And that’s so much more major.

  • Ivory, cream, off-white, and warm white tones (no prints unless it’s on the accessories)

  • Draped, ruched, or twisted fabric as the primary silhouette—the clothes look sculpted by the gods (or designed by Frank Lloyd Wright)

  • Off-the-shoulder or single-shoulder asymmetric necklines

  • Mixing metals!!—chunky, sculptural, or slightly surrealist jewelry

  • Accessories inspired by a piece of famous artwork or complete with a full art print

  • Draped wide-leg white trousers or white midi skirt

  • Alaïa

  • Totême

  • Schiaparelli

For this aesthetic, I was inspired by fashion visionary Kayla Marci’s very accurate trend spotting from the recent Fall/Winter 2026 collections:

And the fact that the “Ikea Monkey” (that’s actually an orangutan) lives (literally) rent free in my home, in the guest bedroom, it only felt right to honor him with his very own mood board. The line of stuffed animals at Ikea are actually called Djungelskog—I’m sure you’ve seen the giant bear version!

Also, this one is for all my peeps in the Southern Hemisphere that are in the middle of autumn right now. This aesthetic lives at the exact intersection of vintage Eastern European winter dressing and aviator cool—ushanka hats, shearling bomber jackets, cognac leather duffles, and goggles that suggest you just landed a very small plane in a very cold country.

Why Am I So Moved by a Lonely Baby Monkey Named Punch? | Vogue
the djungelskog is definitely smizing rn

  • Cognac, rust, caramel, warm brown, and cream

  • Shearling everything—coats, collars, cuffs, hats, you name it

  • Oversized fur or faux fur coats in exactly the right shade of orangutan brown

  • Chunky cable knit turtlenecks

  • Aviator goggles or oversized tinted sunglasses

  • Cream or camel leather driving gloves, slightly too elegant for the situation

  • A structured leather duffle or barrel bag

  • A furry bucket hat or ushanka

  • Rust or cognac leather wide-leg trousers or a midi skirt

  • Ferragamo

  • Tod’s

  • Ralph Lauren

  • Bottega Veneta

The Dusty Blue Steel woman may have been a Jenna Rink-type in the early 2000s, but with a little edge and slightly less main character energy (in a cool way). Clean lines, silky skirts, and simple silhouettes are her bread and butter.

  • Dusty blue, powder blue, slate grey, blush pink, and clean white with black accessories

  • Your whole palette feels like it was washed one too many times (complimentary)

  • A fitted baby tee, boat neck tank, long-sleeve scoop neck as the top, always slightly second-skin

  • Satin or sheer midi skirt as the hero piece

  • A kitten heel mule OR a flat thong flip flop

  • The structured shoulder bag that sits directly under the armpit

  • Oval or cat-eye tinted sunglasses in blue or black

  • Delicate silver jewelry like a thin chain necklace or a small pendant

  • Bare skin as accessory in and of itself—a sliver of midriff or a bare shoulder for some extra pizzaz

  • Prada

  • Helmut Lang

  • Calvin Klein

Thanks for reading this nonsensical brain exercise. I hope you feel inspired to dress like a muppet…or your favorite art museum…or a stuffed orangutan. So many great (completely normal) options to pick from!

Let me know in the comments which one speaks to you the most and of course, if you end up styling an outfit based on any one of these, shoot me an email or DM.

For business inquiries email me at: emileerussell1998@gmail.com

·

March 15, 2025

Hello everyone —if you’re reading this, it means I’ve finally double-checked my spelling of aesthetics in the title enough times to feel comfortable publishing.

body is tea

·

October 1, 2025

“Sick of tea? That’s like being sick of breathing.” —Uncle Iroh, Avatar the Last Airbender

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