Getting Through Cringe
Plus last week's outfits, what to wear to the pool, and my Oura Ring review
I saw a post on insta the other day that said everything good is on the other side of cringe. It’s true. As I sit and type these each week, I hear this faceless goblin saying, “Can you believe SHE started a style blog? Why would anyone want to dress like her?” or “Does she really think she writes well?”
Is there someone out there saying those things? Maybe, maybe not. But I’ve realized that unless I ignore those voices (most of which are hopefully in my head), and the concern that what I’m doing may be perceived as “cringe,” I’d never hit the publish button. The whole point of this was a creative outlet for me. It was never for them. And while I do often wonder, “Am I any good at this?” whatever this is, as long as I’m enjoying it (which I am, with a small side of angst), I’m going to keep doing it.
Any who, on to the clothes. I’m sharing my outfits from last week, an honest review of the Oura ring, and WTF I’m wearing to the pool (or beach).
WHAT I WORE LAST WEEK:
There are many Substack-ers out there that will give you the ANALYSIS of getting dressed. They will break it down into thoughtful and insightful detail—formulas and patterns you can follow. Tricks like sandwich dressing, change one thing, cohesion dressing, all intended to help you pick out your outfits every day. I am so appreciative of the breakdown, as it makes you think about your outfit from a different POV, but I really don’t dress that way.
I usually start with one concept — a special item, a color combination, a play on proportions or textures, and go from there. Some days, I have a very specific outfit in mind. Other days, I rely on tried and true outfit formulas to put something together. I’m influenced by my schedule (meaning, where am I going and what am I doing?), the weather (is it still hot AF? Probably yes), and my mood (am I in my luteal phase or nah?). I’ll try to explain the thought process behind my outfit choices this week without rambling too much.
MONDAY: I’m on week 2 with a travel wardrobe, so I’ve officially reached the point of “what haven’t I worn yet?” I have been rocking the “shortalls,” as my new insta friend1 calls them, all summer, but I haven’t worn this white pair yet. I like the fit of these Free People Ziggy Overalls a bit more than the Levi’s pair I wore in the Midwest. I tried a few shirts on underneath but landed on this one. I’ve decided that showing my neck is for some reason important when wearing overalls. I added my favorite freshwater pearl necklace—going on two summers of this being my chosen outfit topper. If I were in Phoenix, I would have stopped there, but it is cold in Carmel (high of 65 most days), so I needed a long sleeve shirt over the top. I like how it looks tied around my waist. My trusty white Havaianas on my feet to continue the all-white look.
TUESDAY: Lately, I’ve been taking notes on the way Natalie Borton dresses. I will never achieve the level of chic she exudes, but this outfit was fully inspired by her vibe. Simple outfits thoughtfully compiled and expertly accessorized. There is no full-length mirror in the house we rented (how rude!), so please enjoy the fire engine photo with my kiddos. It was one of those mornings where I woke up cold and could not get warm, so long pants and sleeves were necessary. I had not worn my black linen button up yet, so I paired it with my new favorite pair of jeans, a black embellished belt, and my black leather flip flops that were one of my best H&M scores of all time. Keep your eyes peeled for the H&M Premium items — these shoes are 100% leather and were extremely reasonably priced. The good stuff sells out almost instantly, so you’ve got to be all over the new arrivals.
WEDNESDAY: This dress is by a brand called Laneway the Label. It is an Australian brand, and their clothes all gives a similar beachy cool granny vibe. I mentioned on Insta that everyone in my family separately told me they hated this dress when I put it on, including my three-year-old son. “Mom,” he said, “Why you wearing dat?” Well, my son, it’s cute and comfortable. Perfect for running around with the maniac kids like you (minus the potential to get dirty). It also comes in black and yellow. So, there you have it.
THURSDAY: Every Thursday we spent in Carmel-by-the-Sea, we went to the farmer’s market. I wanted to wear this graphic tee again because I hadn’t worn it here yet. I was deciding between my yellow or suede jacket, and my daughter voted for the yellow, so here we are. My favorite pair of vintage Levi’s, some leather flip flops and a long pendant, and we’ve got ourselves an outfit, folks.
DATE NIGHT: Another not yet worn item in my suitcase was this cut out tube top from Banana Republic. I paired it with the same linen pants I wore last week, but in cream. I love the slouchy-ness of these, plus the price is amazing. I will say, they are not lined, so buyer beware. They also run really big. I failed to snap a pic, but I topped it off my monochromatic look with this oversized leather jacket, my brown leather flip flops, and my embellished straw clutch.
WEEKEND: I am in my windbreaker era! I love the funnel collar look and the windbreakers serve it up in such an easy and comfortable way. This outfit, to me, is a perfect example of wearing something that resembles athleisure but is not just another pair of leggings. A few weeks ago, I wore a set by Daily Drills. One of the founders of that brand, maryralph has the coolest Cali-girl style. She wore a similar outfit with totally different pieces, but it inspired me to pair my windbreaker with these shorts, which I’d never done before. These items are both sold out (jacket is from Vuori and shorts are from h&m), but I’ve linked similar below.
WTF ARE WE WEARING TO THE POOL:
This topic came up in the group chat as it relates to our Vegas trip, and I thought I’d do a full review. Summer is still going strong (especially in Phoenix!), so this is still top of mind for me. A lot of people treat their cover-up as an afterthought. Considering I rarely take mine off these days, I prefer it to do a lot of the talking. A great tip is to look outside the beachwear. Some of my favorite coverups are not coverups at all but are button downs and dresses that I would wear off the beach too.
I have two rules when it comes to dressing for the beach or pool. One: My coverup has to be comfortable and easy to get on and off. Two: My shoes must not have any lace up or buckling required for the same reason. Otherwise, anything goes. A few ideas for your consideration are below.
ETC., ETC.:
Oura you in or out?
Anyone curious about the Oura ring? I have had mine for about a year, and I get a lot of questions when people notice it, so I thought I’d give an honest review for anyone curious. My husband had a few friends rave about it, so he decided to pick one up for both of us. I was not in the market for another wearable at the time. Overall, I enjoy the data I get from the ring, with a few caveats. My pros and cons are below:
PROS:
My number one favorite thing about the Oura ring is using it to track my cycle. It is incredibly accurate because it tracks your body temperature. I stopped using all other apps to track and now rely on Oura exclusively.
The sleep data is interesting. I find it fascinating to see how my sleep quality is affected by daily habits (e.g., whether I exercise or drink alcohol, if I ate before bed or had caffeine late in the day).
It often gives you a heads up when you are getting sick. It always knows I am sick before I do because of elevated biomarkers, like body temperature.
CONS:
I don’t need a ring to tell me that I had a bad night of sleep. I have mentioned before that I have struggled with sleep a lot in the past, so I’m more than familiar with the feeling. Sometimes it actually feels like it’s scolding me—for example, if I know I am drinking too much to get a good night’s sleep, I already feel that regret the next morning. I open my app thinking, “I know, I know!”
The data is somewhat repetitive over time. They should offer a 6-month subscription option so you can get the gist and get out.
It makes me want to look at my phone first thing in the morning, which I try to avoid doing. I’m always curious what my sleep score is.
It is kind of fugly. I have the older version, which is thicker than the version 4 that just came out. Yes, it’s a simple gold ring, but I don’t wear a ton of jewelry and am pretty discerning about the items I choose to wear daily. I certainly wouldn’t pick it out in a store.
Would I buy it again if mine broke tomorrow? Probably not. If you have one, do you agree?
IN SUM:
Next week is the finale of our month-long excursion. I feel incredibly lucky to have spent this time away, but I miss my bed, my dog, and my routine. As always, thank you for being here. I appreciate every like, comment, share, etc., so much. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram at @hi_itsmejaymee for more outfit inspo and shopping finds! If there is anything you’d like to see, please let me know!
XOXO
Jaymee
You are VERY good at this! Pls don't stop writing - give the people what they want 🤍
I’m so glad I found your substack! I love how you write and your style! Keep going!