A little too much and not quite enough
Scratching that “should I?” itch
If you had asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up from age 4 until about 21, I would have told you I wanted to do something in fashion. Designer. Stylist. Magazine editor. Any of the above would have fit the dream. Fast forward to age (almost) 37, and somehow I am an in-house attorney at a Wall Street level real estate investment company.
I’ll spare you the details and detours, but needless to say, at some point between reaching the legal drinking age and motherhood, I’ve lost a piece of myself. This newsletter is my attempt to find it.
Here is the gist: always outfits and shopping. sometimes beauty, food, wellness and fitness. a little of whatever else I feel like sharing. If I find a gem, I will share it.
And we’re off!
WHAT I WORE THIS WEEK:
I gave up shopping for Lent. Rather than yearning for that “add to cart” feeling, I’ve found I am more creative with my existing wardrobe. It feels good to flex those style muscles and save some money! As a result, most of the items I’m wearing are not new. I’ve linked the exact items below whenever possible (sometimes on second hand sites).
You will see that while I do not identify as a “bargain” shopper (I clearly love a designer accessory), I am a saavy shopper. That means I am shopping the discount and second hand sites, using discount codes, and am wholly unphased by an Amazon item here and there.
MONDAY:
shirt : pants : shoes - chanel
TUESDAY:
WEDNESDAY:
jacket : t-shirt : sweater : belt : skirt : loafers : sunglasses - bottega veneta
THURSDAY:
jacket : pants : shoes : earrings (mine are j.crew but these are super similar)
FRIDAY:
sunglasses : jacket : sweater - sold out in this color : jeans : tee : shoes
WHAT I’M SHOPPING FOR:
let’s taco bout it
My current undeniable craving is for an oversized east-west straw tote. I have obsessed over this one worn by Emiley Cox for the better part of a year:
Another contender below:
easy, breezy, beautiful - butter girl
I love having a color palette for each season - it helps guide my shopping choices so I can mix and match my wardrobe as I add to it. This spring/summer I’m leaning into butter yellow, light blue, light pink, white, navy and khaki. Will I buy all of this? Probably not. But these are some of the open tabs on my iPhone at this moment. I do have the denim jacket and the cardigan in 3 other colors. I will likely pick up the navy. It is a wardrobe workhorse!
yellow shoes : navy cardigan : denim jacket : straw bag : pink jeans : blue shirt : shell earrings : white shorts : tan jacket : white sandals : blue boxers : yellow sweater : sunglasses
FOOD:
I recently bought copies of Diane Morrisey’s cookbook for me and my mom. We have loved following her on Instagram for years, and her recipes are, as she would say, fire! I definitely think she and I would be pals IRL.
Another great follow is right here on Substack. One of my lawyer pals recommended I subscribe to
What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking, and I haven’t looked back! I especially love her good-all-week salads for work lunches.ETC., ETC.:
A Non-Tox Tanning Bed?
My other passion besides shopping is health / wellness / fitness. I have some unique health challenges (thank you, genetics) that have driven my interest in these subjects. I’m a “I heard on this podcast” person, through and through. One that I have followed for a while is The Skinny Confidential Him & Her. I recently listened to this episode with the founders of Lightstim. Tune in for details about the benefits of red light therapy!
After some research, I found a local (to me) shop that has a Lightstim bed that anyone can use (no membership required). I bought a week unlimited for $75 and have used it almost every day. Red light therapy is pretty well studied and actually has some clinical data to show its efficacy (unlike many wellness recommendations). This bed is FDA approved and is unlike anything else on the market. When I tell you that my sleep has been amazing, YOU GUYS. It is unreal. I have an Oura ring, and all of my stats are going bonkers (in the best way). The other major benefit I have noticed is a more even skin tone. If you have access to one, I highly recommend trying it. While it won’t give you a tan, it will give you that energetic boost that us early 2000s teens remember from the tanning bed.
Glow-Getter
My husband and I were recently invited to two black tie events. I grew up in the Midwest, but currently live in Phoenix, AZ, and let me tell you, the women here get DRESSED. I wanted to feel confident, so I got my hair and makeup professionally done for both events. The makeup artist used this sunscreen that has a subtle sheen on my arms and chest, and I shall never again be seen scantily clad without it.
IN SUM:
The title of this first post is how I often feel as a mom, wife, colleague, person, etc. A little too much and not quite enough. I’m hoping a creative outlet will help bridge that gap. Thank you for reading. If you liked it, share it with a friend. If you didn’t, bye!!!!
Also, I’m sure this is obvious since I have no followers or readers (yet!), but none of the links in here will make me any money — duh!
XOXO
Jaymee