#9 An unexpected wardrobe hero that doesn’t break the bank

Sometimes, the best finds happen when you’re not even looking

Continuing my wardrobe audit series, I’ve been on the hunt for a medium-weight navy sweatshirt—something with just the right proportions. Not too long, not too cropped. I thought I’d found the answer in Eterne, but after ordering and trying it on, I knew it wasn’t quite right. The navy was a little too saturated, the body leaned too slouchy, and the visible logo wasn’t my favorite. This one was almost too soft for the more structured look I was after.

Then I stumbled across the unisex Still Here sweatshirt, which seemed like it might check all the boxes. But while dutifully browsing the navy option, I got completely sidetracked by Plum—an apt name for its gorgeous purple-burgundy hue. Still within the outer range of neutral in my book, yet infinitely more exciting in a lineup of grey, black, and camel, the majority of my wardrobe. It would be a color that would instantly add interest.

I tabled the idea, telling myself I’d try it on in person next time I was in NYC—already agonizing over whether I “needed” (using that term very loosely) both the Plum and the Navy, before even knowing how the fit and thickness would be.

An incidental visit to the Cherry Hill Mall (T needed to replace his iPhone at the Apple Store) left me aimlessly wandering Uniqlo while he dealt with his reset. And there it was again—that color, but in the form of a cotton sweater with a perfect dropped shoulder, cropped length, and a much friendlier price of $49.90. I had actually clocked this sweater months ago and loved the shape, but at the time, the color options were tan, bright orange, and white—none of which excited me enough to buy.

I shed my coat right then and there and pulled on the “Wine” shade in a medium, and immediately felt good in it. Did it cross off my mid-weight navy sweatshirt wishlist? Not at all (especially as this one isn’t even a sweatshirt, per se), but I think sticking purely to my wishlist isn’t the way I want to shop either. I walked out with it (plus a simple white tee for layering) and haven’t wanted to wear anything else since—paired, of course, with my vintage Levi’s from LA. Outfit repeater status in full throttle this week.

Believe it or not, these were taken on different days 😅.

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Other little pick-me-ups & links currently open in my tabs:

Augustinus Bader x Sofia Coppola Tinted Lip Balm – I adored AB’s original lip balm, so it’s almost a given I’ll love these. The only problem is choosing a shade. I want all of them. Currently leaning toward Shade 3.

Cucumber Salad with Roasted Peanuts & Chile – A friend dubbed this her cucumber bible, so I had to try it. And yes the verdict is that it deserves that title. The peanut dressing soaked into my beef stir-fry and rice, turning everything into an umami flavor bomb. I topped mine with Fly By Jing’s Sichuan Gold oil, and wow.

Dark wash jeans on my radar:
— Toteme Twisted Seam – Currently all about straight-leg fits, and these strike the perfect balance—not too polished for a dark wash.
— The Row via The RealReal – Not exactly a steal, but the measurements look promising for me (though we all know jeans shopping online is a gamble).
— Khaite Callum Jeans – At this point, at least a quarter of my denim collection is Khaite. Love the subtle bowed leg on these, and the button actually isn’t their usual black coin with a gold outline, which somehow makes them even better. Take my money, Khaite.

Hearts! – We recently spent a few glorious days in Todos Santos with friends, playing endless rounds of cards. It reignited my love for Hearts (hello, only-child in the ‘90s with a PC), so I’ve been playing online via the web game linked. These bots are way sharper than I’d like, and I’ve failed multiple times at shooting the moon.

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Things I’m looking forward to:

✨ We finally scored seats for the heavily waitlisted Royal Sushi Omakase, thanks to a cancellation from a regular.
✨ Longer days! No more 5 p.m. pitch-black evenings.
✨ And, hopefully, warmer weather to go with it?

Just a quick one from me today. I think I’ve been under the impression that all Substack posts need to be profound and long, but I’m hoping these short lighthearted ones are easier to digest and still fun to receive in your inbox :).