How to Wear Shorts & Make Killer Meatballs
All of the ingredients for a stellar summer
I’ll never forget my law school orientation. An extreme culture shock coming straight out of sorority filled college life. Everything from the drab khaki and navy wardrobe to the monotone voices of my classmates as we went around the room and introduced ourselves set off alarm bells in my head. I am, by nature, peppy. High energy and high sincerity. I wouldn’t say I lean loud or annoying (perhaps to some), but I am, generally speaking, a happy and upbeat person. As we continued the solemn march around the room, I felt a sense of doom—I don’t fit in here. That first day feeling continued through a large chunk of my career. Attending job fairs and overhearing a snide remark that I shouldn’t have worn a pink blouse to the event if I wanted to work at that firm. Showing up at my summer internships wearing suits that I absolutely abhorred because if I wore the slightest bit of color, I would stand out, and not in a good way. I muted my personality and my wardrobe for my career, because the message I received, both spoken and unspoken, was that only serious people can be good lawyers.
Turns out, that’s not remotely true. It has taken me years (and leaving private practice) to reclaim my vim and vigor (and my wardrobe) after dampening my personality and daily garb for so long. Of course, there is an air of professionalism that we all must don in the workplace, and that I’m happy to observe, but this was much deeper. It was realizing that I could be my unabashedly animated self and be good at my job. That those things were not mutually exclusive.
I’m sure part of this realization comes with age and maturity. I hear a lot of people say that when they reach their 30s and 40s, they give far fewer f**** what others think. Or maybe it’s just that we aren’t afraid to show people how many f**** we do give? I’m not sure, but it feels good.
Now, I have exactly one suit (in case of emergencies only). It’s burgundy, and it’s fabulous. And if a company didn’t want to hire me because I’m not wearing gray or navy, I don’t want to work there anyways.
Moving on! This week, I’m sharing my weekly wardrobe, styling two pairs of shorts three ways, a killer meatball recipe, and a few random favorite finds.
WHAT I WORE LAST WEEK:
This week I stayed true to my summer color palette. On Thursday I had a totally different outfit planned with my favorite Doen slip skirt, but my husband thankfully notified me that it is pretty see through and NSFW. Stay tuned for a bit on my favorite slips, ha! I had about 5 minutes to get ready, so I fell back on an easy outfit formula that I’ve worn a million times and was included in my summer capsule. I often refer back to my own outfit ideas when I need something quick and easy. I don’t have all the exact items that I linked, but often I have something close enough!
TBH, I went from loving to hating to loving my outfit on Friday. I wish that the jacket was a little more cropped, so the hem hit right at the waistline of the shorts. All about those proportions! More on that below.
MONDAY: shirt : jeans - vintage Levi’s via With Love from Lenny : similar shoes : sunglasses - Bottega Veneta
TUESDAY: similar shirt : jeans : shoes : bag - Bottega Veneta via The Real Real : sunglasses - Loewe via The Real Real
WEDNESDAY: t-shirt : sweater : similar shorts : shoes - Chanel : bag
THURSDAY: jacket : similar shorts : t-shirt : similar shoes : sunglasses
FRIDAY: similar jacket : shorts : similar shoes
SATURDAY: dress : similar cardigan : shoes : sunglasses - Bottega Veneta
HOW I’M STYLING (SHORTS):
If you have been following along, you will have noticed that I wear shorts ALL THE TIME. This is in large part due to my locale (high of 104 degrees in Phoenix, AZ as I’m typing this). As someone with a complicated history with my thighs, I was not always a big fan of wearing shorts. The trick, I’ve found, is all about proportions. Do you think about proportions when you get dressed? If you don’t, you should. Let me break it down for you. You’ve got the following options:
Big on top, small on bottom
Big on top, big on bottom
Small on top, big on bottom
Small on top, small on bottom (I don’t recommend)
I usually stick to options 1 and 3, sometimes dabble in 2, almost NEVER 4 unless I’m in Vegas. Option 2 is hard for petites (I’m 5’3). I have an easier time with it when I have some skin showing (like when I’m wearing shorts!) or have a defined waist (see Tuesday’s outfit, above). Otherwise, unless you’re 5’9 and above, it’s hard not to look like you’re drowning in fabric.
I consider these options every single day when I’m getting dressed, and I recommend that you do the same. You’ll see the various formula reflected in my outfits above and in those that I styled below.
I picked these two pairs of shorts for a few reasons. I own the black pair and a very similar pair to the white ones. I have been outfit plotting for a while now. I am very into the flared shape of each of these. Another play on proportions — a wider leg opening on the short is going to make your leg look smaller, and the flare gives an even more flattering, narrowing effect, drawing the eye into your waist. While these are both shorty shorts, I’d put them in the “big” category above because of the flare. They are not tight fitting, so they don’t go in the small category.
Here are a few other options similar to the black shorts (although I’ve had great success getting notifications on out of stock items from The Frankie Shop): One : Two : Three : Four
And here are some for the white: One : Two : Three : Four
FOOD:
I am on a constant quest for the perfect meatball. I love to make them and serve them with a veggie or easy salad. We usually skip the noodles in favor of some warm crusty garlic bread. I made these last weekend, and I believe I’ve finally cracked the code with a secret ingredient that will surprise you.
My Perfect Meatballs:
1 cup fresh basil finely chopped (plus more for serving)
3 cloves garlic
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 large eggs whisked
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 32oz jar marinara (Rao’s is my fave!)
Fresh mozzarella
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, ground pork, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, eggs, parmesan cheese, garlic, basil and lemon zest. Using clean hands, mix the meat until well combined.
Heat a tablespoon of EVOO in a pan (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. Scoop out the meat Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Scoop the meat mixture into 2-3 inch round balls. Sear them in the pan, 2-3 minutes per side.
Place the seared meatballs in a 9×12 baking dish. Pour the jar of marinara evenly over the meatballs. Sprinkle the mozzarella on top. Transfer dish to oven and cook until the meatballs are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Consider turning on the broiler for a minute to get the cheese extra bubbly.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and basil.
Lemon zest? In meatballs??? Weird, I know. Trust me. It is delish!
ETC., ETC.:
Zit-be-Gone
As discussed above, a lot of things are going well for me in my 30s. One thing that is not, however, is acne. I get stress-induced acne more than I ever have, even in my teen years. How RUDE. These Hero Patches are an absolute lifesaver. Slap one of these babies on before you go to bed, and you will wake up with the size of your blemish reduced by half.
How to Un-fug Your Apple Watch
I wear my Apple watch every day. I love it for tracking workouts and steps, quick and easy communication, and (of course) checking the time. It is not, however, the most attractive accessory. I found this watchband on Amazon and receive compliments on it often. I love that it is two toned, so it goes with all of my jewelry. I’ve had mine for over six months, and it has held up incredibly well, especially given the price!
IN SUM:
Every week I say it but thank you so much for reading. I started this to satisfy my desire for a creative outlet, and when I see people reading and engaging, it motivates me to keep going. The goal is to fill the void, not speak into it! Each time I post to Instagram I feel like a total ding-a-ling, so thanks for your support there too. With that in mind, please like, comment, share, and follow me on Instagram at @hi_itsmejaymee!
XOXO
Jaymee
I spy some love from Lenny Levi’s 😘