Weekly Link Roundup

▪ Tory Burch‘s private sale has started and select styles are now up to 70% off. A larger version of the Parker Shoulder Bag I featured previously (seen above) is now on sale in three colors. More picks: Fleming Convertible Shoulder Bag, Parker Small Tote, Block-T Triple-Compartment Tote, Perry Tote, Block-T Drawstring Tote, and McGraw Tote.


▪ “How Defective Guns Became the Only Product That Can’t Be Recalled” (Bloomberg): “… no government entity has the power to police defective firearms or ammunition in America—or even force gunmakers to warn consumers … Only one product is beyond the government’s reach when it comes to defects and safety: firearms. Not even the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives can get defective guns off the market. If a gunmaker chooses to ignore a safety concern, there’s no one to stop it.“


▪ “Fosun Triumphs in Bidding War for Lanvin, Troubled Fashion House” (The New York Times): “The conglomerate, Fosun International, said it had acquired a majority stake in the Paris-based Lanvin, which has been racked by the departures of designers, tumbling sales and entrenched internal discord. Fosun beat out Mayhoola for Investments, a fund backed by the Qatari royal family that owns brands like Balmain and Valentino.“


▪ “Burberry Hires Riccardo Tisci” (Vogue): “Riccardo Tisci, who left his role as creative director at Givenchy in February of last year for what many presumed was the top job at Versace, has been installed at Burberry as chief creative officer, effective March 12. The British label made the announcement this morning, ending speculation that began the moment Christopher Bailey’s departure was announced in late October 2017.“


▪ “Yes, Bacon Really Is Killing Us” (The Guardian): “The WHO advised that consuming 50g of processed meat a day – equivalent to just a couple of rashers of bacon or one hotdog – would raise the risk of getting bowel cancer by 18% over a lifetime … consumption of processed meat causes an additional 34,000 worldwide cancer deaths a year is much more chilling … the health risk of bacon is largely to do with two food additives: potassium nitrate … and sodium nitrite … technology now exists to make the pink meats we love in a less damaging form, which raises the question of why the old kind is still so freely sold.“


▪ “What Are Active-Shooter Drills Doing to Kids?” (The Atlantic): “Active-shooter drills came into existence after the Columbine massacre in 1999 … Despite some similarities to natural-disaster and Cold War drills, active-shooter drills also mean exposing kids to the idea that at any point, someone they know may try to kill them … preparedness drills always change the baseline level of risk that people perceive. This heightening can manifest as stress and anxiety, not to mention changing the way kids understand how people treat one another—to even consider violence an option, not in some abstract way.“

▪ “The Dirty Secret of ‘Secret Family Recipes’” (Atlas Obscura): “As with any fake news, family legends about supposedly secret recipes seem to germinate because they feel true … true originality is rare. Multiple cookbook authors have stories of asking people to send in family recipes and receiving dozens of nearly identical versions.“


▪ “Solving For The Last Mile Is Retail’s Next Big Disruption” (Retail Dive): “Any solutions to last-mile delivery problems need to solve issues of speed, security and most importantly, surety … Drones, robotics and other automated tech are also being tested … Instead of ship-from-store, crowdsourcing might offer a solution that is both cost-effective and locally driven … Then there’s the possibility that the real disruption will be not in how we ship, but in whether we ship at all.“


▪ Shopbop is running a buy more, save more event; use code GOBIG18 and take 15% off orders over $200, 20% off orders over $500, or 25% off orders over $800. My picks: Aquazzura All Tied Up 105mm Sandals, Rebecca Taylor Malorie One Shoulder Top, Needle & Thread Rainbow Rose Ruffle Dress, Marissa Webb Ariella Skirt, Madewell The Transport Tote, and Kate Spade New York Emerson Place Agnes Cross Body Bag.

▪ “When You’re a ‘Digital Nomad,’ the World Is Your Office” (The New York Times): “… Roam, and since its founding in 2015, it has constructed an international housing network for so-called digital nomads, a growing demographic of people who travel the world while working remotely over the internet … More than a mere chain of upscale hostels, Roam signals the crystallization of a moment long in the making … Roam aims to make dislocation easy and glamorous, transforming digital nomadism into a mainstream, off-the-rack proposition. To date, Roam has hosted more than 2,200 members, a wandering group of entrepreneurs, programmers, freelancers, retirees and tourists who call themselves “Roamies” the way stationary types might namedrop their hometowns.“


▪ “Why Is California Rebuilding in Fire Country? Because You’re Paying for It” (Bloomberg): “… after the state’s worst fire season on record, policymakers appear set to make the same decisions that put homeowners at risk in the first place. Driven by the demands of displaced residents, a housing shortage, and a thriving economy, local officials are issuing permits to rebuild without updating building codes. They’re even exempting residents from zoning rules so they can build bigger homes. State officials have proposed shielding people in fire-prone areas from increased insurance premiums—potentially at the expense of homeowners elsewhere in California—in an effort to encourage them to remain in areas certain to burn again … Critics warn that those decisions, however well-intentioned, create perverse incentives that favor the short-term interests of homeowners at the edge of the wilderness—leaving them vulnerable to the next fire while pushing the full cost of risky building decisions onto state and federal taxpayers, firefighters, and insurance companies.“


▪ “How Women Are Rethinking the Tattoo Parlor” (The New York Times): “As of 2012, according to a Harris Poll, there are more inked women than men in the United States. And yet the business remains an overwhelmingly male-dominated one: Just one in six tattooers is female … because some tattoos may require disrobing, a woman can feel especially vulnerable with male artists … Once an anomaly, female-run shops have become more common in recent years.“


▪ “Why Are There Few Women in Tech? Watch a Recruiting Session” (Wired): “Tech companies have employed a host of tactics to help lift the scant number of women … yet the numbers remain dire … Some of the problems start in these preliminary recruiting sessions, which routinely discourage women from applying at all … researchers documented an unwelcoming environment for these women, including sexist jokes and imagery, geeky references, a competitive environment, and an absence of women engineers—all of which intimidated or alienated female recruits.“


▪ “What Is the Perfect Color Worth?” (The New York Times): “The Pantone Color Institute is less the elite unit its name implies than a loose network of specialists drawn from Pressman’s contacts … At a certain point, Pantone’s prognostications began to take on the weight of self-fulfilling prophecies … for all the time and effort the company expends in identifying color trends, it’s the judgments themselves, regardless of the research behind them, that matter most.“


▪ “Chinese Tourists Are Taking Over the Earth, One Selfie at a Time” (Bloomberg): “For the past seven years, the travel-and-tourism sector has outperformed the overall economy every year, contributing as much as $7.6 trillion in 2016 … A rising tide of travelers from China is spreading out across the region, out-shopping, outspending and out-eating every other nation … China already accounts for more than a fifth of the money spent by outbound tourists, twice as much as the next-biggest spender, the U.S. … With visitors wielding tablets and smartphones, hotels and airlines are realizing they don’t need to fill planes and rooms with technology and content – they just need to give the customer control. The phone becomes the room key, the menu, the bill.“


▪ “By Day, a Sunny Smile for Disney Visitors. By Night, an Uneasy Sleep in a Car.” (The New York Times): “Orange County is known for its affluence, and for its tourist industry. But the thousands of workers who keep its resorts, restaurants and hotels running are sometimes struggling to stay afloat … About 85 percent of the 17,000 Disneyland employees who are part of a union make less than $15 an hour, according to union rolls … The cost of living is a particular challenge in Orange County, where a single adult would need to make about $33,000 a year to meet a basic monthly budget … California now has the highest rate of poverty in the country, 20.6 percent, when accounting for taxes, housing and medical costs, according to the Census Bureau.”


▪ Recently purchased: Ann Taylor Ruffle Tweed Long Jacket, Saint Laurent Shopping Leather Tote, Guerlain KissKiss LoveLove Lipstick, Adidas by Stella McCartney Performance Essentials Jacket, and Free People Lost in You Midi Dress.


Have a great week, everyone!

Weekly Link Roundup

Bow-Shoulder Dress (additional colorway here)

▪ J. Crew brought back one of my favorite work dresses, the Bow-Shoulder Dress, to its factory store. The dress in black is 60% off and still available in all sizes; it’s also available in “fresh lilac,” but sizes are more limited in that color.


▪ The Secret Life of Secrets: “Secrecy … is less an activity than a state of being. We don’t keep secrets; we have them. And what’s harmful about a secret isn’t the content so much as the mind’s need to keep revisiting it and turning it over—not the murder itself but the incessant beating of the telltale heart.”


▪ One criticism often directed at the Democratic Party is that it’s too focused on “identity politics,” but really it’s the GOP who has perfected galvanizing groups using identity politics. Though what turns out voters isn’t frustration, but anger (and a few other things). Joan Williams makes an argument in “The Dumb Politics of Elite Condescension” that, “to win in 2018 and especially 2020, Democrats need more identity politics — not less. They must address the widespread working-class revolt against global elites.”


▪ I am as annoyed with the Trump family as any politically left-leaning person, and I’ve avoided shopping Ivanka Trump’s brand, but this Bloomberg headline and report read like a not-so-subtle dig at her: “Rich People Don’t Want Ivanka Trump’s Fashion.” The Trumps are excellent at painting themselves into a corner all on their own, so there’s no need for respectable journalists to devise petty gibes to discredit them. The story could easily have been written with a neutral tone.


▪ (All links here are very NSFW) Laura Dodsworth, who last made headlines for photographing 100 women and their breasts, is back with a new book (“Manhood“) which tells the stories of 100 penises. (All links here are very NSFW)  


▪ Here are some discounted Salvatore Ferragamo styles that I found online (sizes are incomplete): Bow Bag, Carla Bow Kitten Heel Pumps, Mini Mara Satchel, Large Sofia Tote, Varina Lace Flats (sizes 4.5 + 9), Anna Vara Leather Shoulder Bag, buckle bow ballerinas (sizes 8.5 + 9.5), Dark Purple Bow-Embellished Leather Pumps, Suzanna Shoulder Bag, Varina Patent Raspberry Ballerina, and Emy Bow Flats (size 6).


▪ A very unpopular opinion on why wage growth is “stagnant”: “The Question Isn’t Why Wage Growth Is So Low. It’s Why It’s So High.”


▪ I love this headline: “My Smart Beta ETF Premised on Cats Rang Up an 849,751% Return.”


▪ I’ve shared before that, were it not for a lack of free time and extra resources, I would be a “prepper.” And I would fit right in because “preppers love clothes.”


▪ This American Life reran one of my favorite episodes (about being fat) from last year this week. I was especially touched by Elna Baker’s confessional (Act II) about how weight loss showed her the inequity of the world: “I was happy when I was overweight. I had no idea I should be sad. I was free before. I had trained myself not to care what people thought, and I’d done a good job of it. I learned how to do the worm, and I would do it in dance circles. Only I wasn’t actually physically capable of it. I just thought it was funny, and it made everyone laugh.  I would never do that now. What if I look stupid? I wore the most ridiculously bold things– vintage neon green and pink Hawaiian print dresses. I didn’t constantly take the temperature of the room. It just was. That’s the person I sold out to become this person.”


▪ I started to read Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman last year after I googled Lindy West, one of the subjects of the TAL episode from above. I’m unsure why I abandoned it a quarter of the way through, but listening to a replay of the episode has motivated me to finish it. 

▪ Random 70(+)% off finds: Catherine Malandrino Floral Lace Pencil Skirt, Demylee Rita Turtleneck Sweater, Bailey 44 Tie Front Sweatshirt Skirt, Chico’s Utility Pocket Skirt, Betsey Johnson Don’t Be Tarty Straw Lemon Crossbody, Romeo & Juliet Couture Cap-Sleeve Ruffled Lace Dress, Keepsake Two Fold Mini Dress, Free People Alana Sweater, and Intermix Brit Slit Sleeve Sweater.


▪ I am currently obsessed with Smush and Henry’s Instagram account, after I belatedly discovered this video of the two of them in action (video link). I especially enjoy that Henry is the one with the smushed face. (Smush and Henry are cats.)


▪ My favorite planet in our Solar System is Jupiter, because it’s the prettiest (really how I determine if something should be my favorite). NASA recently released a photo of Jupiter taken with JunoCam, and suddenly the only thing missing in my life is an extra large print of it for my wall/ceiling. When I find (and buy) one, I will be sure to share a link.


▪ Under pressure from hospitality startups (and with shrinking profit margins), major hospitality companies are making moves to reclassify aggregators from friend to foe.


▪ For those (like me) who are plotting summer road trips: “A Seafood Lover’s Road Trip in Coastal Maine.”


▪ One of my favorite books (ever! I highlighted like every other paragraph) is Andrew Solomon’s Far From the Tree, which examined families shaped by differences (physical and cognitive). One question left unanswered by the book is: while hardships can unite families, if given the choice to reset (or neutralize the difference), how many of us would make that call? I was reminded of the book’s themes when I read this New York Times opinion piece, “Trying to Embrace the Cure,” written by a mother who struggles to disentangle her embrace of her condition (dwarfism caused by XLH) from the knowledge that, in developing a cure, the outside world has rejected her as “inferior,” and deemed her condition a “disease.”


▪ Recently purchased: H&M Short-leg Jumpsuit, Flora Nikrooz Erin Charm Pajamas, Tory Burch Whitney Leather Strap Watch, Ann Taylor Paradise Strapless Maxi Dress, and Victoria’s Secret Daisy Lace Romper.

Weekly Link Roundup

▪ Select Aerie bralettes are 2 for $15 with code BRALETTESALE.
This is one of the best sales on bralettes that I’ve come across, and
definitely worth a browse if you are in the market for bralettes.
Shipping is free on orders over $50. You can read my review of some
Aerie bralettes here.

▪ Amid Brick-and-Mortar Travails, a Tipping Point for Amazon in Apparel (The New York Times)


▪ China’s Internet Giants Go Global (The Economist)


▪ Etsy Targeted by Black-and-White for Review Including a Sale (Bloomberg)

▪ The J. Crew Sheath Dress in Fringy Lace in Bright Citron that I featured here is now on sale, with an extra 30% off if you use code SHOPNOW. My picks: Sailor-stripe Funnelneck T-shirt, Buckle Dress, One-shoulder Ruffle Top in Eyelet, Gathered-sleeve Dress, Garment-dyed Safari Shirt-jacket, Fringy Tweed Sheath Dress, and d’Orsay Pumps in Berry Print. Shipping is free on all orders for a limited time. 

▪ Why You Should Have (at Least) Two Careers (HBR)


▪ (Video Link) I hope to one day be as good at something as this guy is good at Pop-A-Shot.


▪ Why You Can Never Find a Dinner Reservation for 7 P.M. Online (Bloomberg)


▪ Neiman Marcus  is running a (unique for NM) F&F sale: 25% off most regular-price purchases (though most premier designers are excluded) with code NMFRIEND. My picks: Tory Burch Robinson Pebbled Leather Wallet on Crossbody Strap, Chanel: Fashion/ Fine Jewellery/ Perfume (Set of 3 Books), Rebecca Minkoff MAB Leather Camera Bag, MarieBelle Choc Ganaches in Pink Box, and Tory Burch Laila Driver Ballerina Flat.


▪ Why the Phrase ‘Late Capitalism’ Is Suddenly Everywhere (The Atlantic)


▪ Google Spins Up Its First Servers In Cuba (NPR)


▪ Meet the Woman Who Took Bill O’Reilly Down (Marie Claire)


▪  Google Is Super Secretive About Its Anti-aging Research. No One Knows Why. (Vox)


▪ Shop Shopbop‘s “surprise sale” and take up to 40% off select styles. My picks: Norma Kamali Bill Mio One Piece Swimsuit, Lioness Cuban Nights Dress, Cynthia Rowley Hudson Mini Top Handle Satchel, Schutz Dream Sandals, and ONE by Pink Stitch Resort Maxi Dress.


▪ The Race to Build the World’s First Sex Robot (The Guardian)


▪ The Convicted Con Artist Of The Winter White House (Buzzfeed)


▪ A “Driver-friendly” Uber Competitor is Nickel-and-Diming Its Drivers After Its $200 Million Acquisition (Quartz)


▪ Recently purchased: Ann Taylor Pleated Faux Leather Skirt, Banana Republic Stripe Bow-Neck Dress, Missguided Ladder Inset Lace Romper, and Adidas EQT Support Adv Sneaker.     


Have a great week, all!

Weekly Link Roundup

▪ I went window-shopping at Zara the other day… to figure out if I’ve been especially unlucky when online shopping, or if its spring collection is more dud-filled than usual. It turns out its spring collection is overall pretty cute, but to be nitpicky, everything worth buying bear pretty hefty price tags. But I am really excited about its experimentation with self-checkout and interactive dressing rooms. My fingers are crossed that these changes will roll out broadly soon.


▪
In the week or so since I read “How to Kick Open a Door,” I’ve been living a
different existence. I now approach every door wondering how I might kick it open. I have taken to knocking on it first before reaching for the handle, and will consider a door’s material before I look whether to push or pull. In short, to successfully kick open a door: wear pants, don’t attempt the maneuver on steel doors/door frames, make sure your foot is completely flat when it strikes the door, don’t use any other body part other than your foot, and aim “just above the deadbolt or knob.” 



▪ “Tip” in The New York Times Magazine is one of my favorite columns, and (apart from the how-to on kicking open a door from above) one other piece that I wanted to share is “How to Run for Local Office.” If any of you ever decide to run for office, I will gladly include your campaign website in a weekly link roundup.


▪ In a two-part transaction that will hopefully (but not really) simplify their relationship, LVMH will spend ~$13 billion (~€12 billion) to retain full control of Christian Dior SE (the deal will be financed in part by the sale of Hermes stock). Bernard Arnault and Co., who currently own 74.1% of Dior, will buy the remaining shares, then sell Christian Dior Couture for €6.5 billion to LVMH (of which Arnault owns 47%). Dior also currently holds some 40% of LVMH shares. This relationship really could use further consolidation.


▪ Being talented is hard. (I wouldn’t know from personal experience, but thanks to HBR I can at least read about it.)


▪ H&M is (or rather, has been) diversifying its portfolio of brands, emulating the strategy that has worked so well for Inditex (aka parent company of Zara). I am all for capturing new markets, but I really think it should take seriously a review of its flagship brand, as its offerings have been bland. I’ve not walked out of a store having made a purchase in more than a year (though my online purchases have been slightly more successful).


▪  (Video Link) THE YouTube tutorial of the moment: “Ashley’s Totally Basic FOIA Tutorial.”


▪ Walmart is finally taking steps to counter Amazon, and has gone on a buying spree: it purchased Jet.com last August for $3 billion in cash, ShoeBuy for $70 million in January, Moosejaw for $51 million in February, and ModCloth for between $50-$75 million last month. Its latest target is Bonobos, for whom it has offered some $300 million for access to its fashion-conscious male customers.


▪ I find this deal number staggering and somewhat unbelievable (the
purchase price has not been disclosed and PetSmart is a privately held
company), but PetSmart has apparently bought Chewy.com for $3.35 billion. 


▪ If you frequent street food vendors, you might enjoy “A Day in the Life of a Food Vendor.” It is unclear exactly how representative Kabir Ahmed is of others in the industry, but I nevertheless found it an interesting read.


▪ I recently binge watched all six episodes of Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On on Netflix. It’s a sort of follow-up to the 2015 documentary Hot Girls Wanted, but the topics covered are tangential to “mainstream porn.” If you like the Modern Love column, you might like this.


▪ Another day, another massive store closure story. This time, it’s Bebe who has announced that it would close all 170+ remaining stores and become an e-tailer.


▪ This is a story about food waste diversion, so I suppose the title (“The Hot New Trend in Food is Literal Garbage“) is appropriate, but it still feels clickbaity.

▪ Recently ordered: Free People Pretty & Free Off the Shoulder Romper, H&M Jersey Dress, J. Crew Shift Dress in Morning Floral, Watters Abigale Tulle Halter Gown, Ann Taylor Pearlized Velvet Choker, and J. Crew Tie-waist Short in Liberty® Thorpe Floral.



Have a great week, all!

Weekly Link Roundup

1. One of my favorite tops (if not my favorite top), the Forever 21 Dotted Surplice Top, has been restocked in two colors and all sizes online. It is also on sale and buy one get one free with code BOGOFREE. See it on me here. I must own like four copies of this top at this point (because laundry day?)


2. Ruth Bader Ginburg’s Advice for Living via the New York Times


2.5. Fighting Words: Why Ruth Bader Ginsburg Is Speaking Out—and What It Means For the Battles Ahead via New Republic


3. What if We All Just Didn’t Vote? via Vice


4. The Mystery of Why Left-Handers Are So Much Rarer via the BBC


5. Take up to 60% off thousands of items at H&M for Columbus Day. I ordered the Fine-knit Poncho and Green Lace Skirt. My other picks: Lace Pencil Skirt, Lace Bustier, Circle Skirt, Slim-fit Pants, Long Knit Cardigan, and Sleeveless Lace Blouse.

6. Imagining A Cashless World via the New Yorker


7. The Tiny State Whose Laws Affect Workers Everywhere via the Atlantic


8. The Puzzle of Trump’s Massive Losses via Politico


9. How Vera Rubin Discovered Dark Matter via Astronomy Magazine


10. Why Are Politicians So Obsessed With Manufacturing via the New York Times Magazine


11. New styles have been added to the sale section of Forward by Elyse Walker. My picks: Balenciaga Painted Edge Mini City AJ, Balenciaga Small City Plate Portfolio Bag (in black here), Globe-Trotter x Missoni 21″ Trolley Case, Alexis Heidi Romper, A.L.C. Bolen Dress, Alexia Delila Dress, Mara Hoffman Off-the-Shoulder Dress, and DvF Lavana Dress.


12. Twilight of the Tanning Salons via Bloomberg


13. Review: Sony PlayStation VR via Wired


14. How All 50 State Capitals Got Their Names via Mental Floss

15. MailChimp and the Un-Silicon Valley Way to Make It as a Start-Up via the New York Times


16. Recently purchased: Kate Spade Jacinda Crossbody Bag, Old Navy Mini-Saddle Bag, Ann Taylor Floral Necklace, Thread & Supply Double Breasted Peacoat, Sephora x Disney Minnie Compact Mirror, and J. Crew Downtown Field Jacket (now an extra 50% off).

And don’t forget to check out the Columbus Day sale roundup post, which has information about some really great sales. 


Have an awesome weekend, all!

Weekly Link Roundup

J. Crew Double-pleated Midi Skirt

1. All sale styles at J. Crew are an extra 40% (or 50% for J. Crew cardholders with code CARDSONLY) off today with code FRIDAY, including the Double-pleated Midi Skirt pictured above. Please note that the code renders most sales final. My other sale picks: Tippi Sweater, All-day Tote, Elsie Jeweled Pumps, Regent Blazer, and Leather Oxford with Fringe.


2. If You Want to Be a Slob, Be a Slob via Bloomberg


3. The Politics of Pockets via Racked


4. Buying a Mattress Online Was Easy. Now, About the Return. via the New York Times


5. The Opposite of a Muse via the New Yorker


6. Kate Spade is running another 75% off Surprise Sale. Prices on some styles are quite attractive. Here are my picks: Emerson Place Emi Crossbody, Blaze a Trail Fox Crossbody, Cedar Street Cami Crossbody, Grey Street Mindy Crossbody, Cedar Street iPhone Wristlet, and Poplin Ruffle Top.


7. Welcome to the Dark Net, a Wilderness Where Invisible World Wars Are Fought and Hackers Roam Free via Vanity Fair


8. Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop Go Into the Fashion Business via the New York Times


9. Alphabet and Chipotle Are Bringing Burrito Delivery Drones to Campus via Bloomberg


10. We Finally Know What Made the Huge Heart on Pluto via Gizmodo


11. We Talked To One of the Creepy Clowns Currently Terrorizing the South via GQ

12. ModCloth’s fall lineup is quite impressive. On my wishlist: Peplum Perfection Top, Better Latte Than Never Sweater, Bonfire Season Sweater, Duly Noticed Dress, Simply Snuggly Cardigan, Helena Hospitality Poncho, Tulle We Meet Again Skirt, and It Doesn’t Get any Sweater than This Dress.



13. Pickup Artists Preyed on Drunk Women, Brought Them Home, and Raped Them via the Daily Beast


14. That Cute Whale You Clicked On? It’s Doomed via the New York Times


15. Why Is American Internet So Slow? via Pacific Standard
 
16. Recently ordered: Gap Mockneck Sleeveless Sweater Dress, Banana Republic Heritage Lace Cami, LOFT Shawl Open Cardigan, BLANKNYC Morning Suede Moto Jacket, Faux Sheepskin Rug, Ann Taylor Night Garden Skirt, and Wayf Lace Shift Dress.

Weekly Link Roundup

 Garden Print Pencil Skirt | Hibiscus Pencil Skirt

1. Ann Taylor‘s many attractive sales have weakened my resolve. The upside is that I’ve liked everything enough to keep. I especially love all the floral prints, like the Garden and Hibiscus prints pictured above.


1.5. Sale styles are an extra 60% off at the moment; use code GIFT10 for $30 off purchases of $60+.


2. The Myth of the Catty Woman via the New York Times


3. Forever 21 is Having Problems Paying the Bills via the New York Post


4.  H&M Earnings Decline on Weakest Sales Growth in Three Years via Bloomberg


5. Urban Outfitters Shares Plunge Amid Weak Same-store Sales Trend via CNBC


6. Few Signs of Relief For Troubled U.S. Apparel Retailers via Business Insider


7. Shopbop just discounted hundreds of styles, including a few items on my wishlist: Alexis Luciana Lace Dress, TULAROSA Berkley Dress and For Love & Lemons San Marcos Mini Dress. More picks: Self Portrait Felicia Embroidered Dress, Michael Kors Selma Medium Messenger Bag, Joie Larose Silk Dress, and 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Mini Satchel.


8. What an AR-15 Can Do to the Human Body via Wired


9. Why LaCroix Sparkling Water Is Suddenly Everywhere via Vox


10. The Marriage That Led to the Russian Track Team’s Olympic Ban via the New York Times


11. Saks’ Designer Sale, is now up to 75% off. Some popular styles come in and out of stock in select sizes, so it may be sensible to bookmark pages (the waitlist option is extremely delayed so unreliable). Shop apparel, shoes, handbags, and accessories.


12. How Much Does It Cost to Raise a Child? via the Wall Street Journal


13. This Shiba From Japan Is The Cutest And The Internet Can’t Get Enough Of Her via Buzzfeed


14. A Lottery Lawyer Explains What You Should Do if You Hit the Jackpot via Vice


15. Pulp Friction via New Republic


16. Take an extra 30% off sale styles at Ralph Lauren with code JULY4.


17. Anthropologie‘s Summer Tag Sale has started; use code EVENBETTER for an extra 30% off discounted styles. I ordered and can’t wait to receive Billy Ella Parry Wedges, Cloth & Stone Utility Shirtdress, and Meadow Rue Verna Cardigan.


18. I updated the Bloomingdale’s mystery sale post with more 40% off codes, for those of you who missed the ones shared initially. Since Bloomingdale’s emails out new codes daily, I will try to update the post when I receive more 40% off codes.


19. LOFT is running a 50% off everything sale; use code JULY4TH at checkout. Some picks: Tie Off-the-Shoulder Dress, Flare Mixed Media Tee, and Striped Off-the-Shoulder Dress.


20. For those of you who missed the most recent shopping update, I wrote about how to take advantage of a weaker pound to shop at e-tailers across the pond.


Have a great weekend, all!

Weekly Link Roundup

J. Crew Long-Sleeve Tweed Dress with Fringe // Navy // 00P

1. J. Crew’s Long-Sleeve Tweed Dress with Fringe has a fairly compelling premise: it’s the dress that will allow you to sleep in a little longer because of how effortless it is. The medium-weight tweed fabric transcends seasons; the long-sleeve design obviates the need for a jacket; and the fitted silhouette accentuates and flatters even the least dramatic of curves. I had blogged about the multicolored tweed version here, but wanted to show the dress in the “right” size. As I mentioned in the review, the style fits about a size smaller in the torso than comparable J. Crew sheath dresses. 


1.5. The tweed dress pictured above, along with other sale styles, are an extra 40% off with code TUESDAY. My picks: A-Line Dress in Morning Floral, Tie-front Boy Shirt in Gingham, Boatneck T-shirt in Stripe, Colette D’orsay Pumps in Polka-Dot Denim, and Flutter-sleeve Dress in Eyelet.


2. Why Young Americans Are Giving Up on Capitalism via Foreign Policy (“According to an April 2016 Harvard University poll, support for capitalism is at a historic low. 51 percent of Americans in this (18-29) age cohort reject it, while 42 percent support it. 33 percent say they support socialism.”)


3. The War on Stupid People via the Atlantic

4. Who Are the Trolls? via New Republic (a book review; book in question includes a definition of “lulz” and casual mentions of “normies.”)


5. Americans Spend More on Restaurants Than Groceries, Because of Huge Social Changes via New York Magazine


6. The All-American iPhone via MIT Technology Review


7. Gilt account holders should check their inbox for an extra 30% off coupon (code is THIRTY, but is account specific). Will plug the Kate Spade Emerson Place Vivenna Small Quilted Leather Shoulder Bag again because I really like mine.


8.  The Web’s Creator Looks to Reinvent It via the New York Times


9. Chemophobia Is Irrational, Harmful, And Hard To Break via Aeon


10. How Yahoo derailed Tumblr via Mashable (I LOL’d at this: “Some younger employees didn’t know what Yahoo was.”)


11. Madewell sale styles are an extra 30% off with code EXTRA30. Some picks: Madewell x Biltmore® Panama Hat, Boardwalk Lace-up Sandal, Silk One-shoulder Dress, and Polka-dot Anklet Socks.


12. Gender-Segregated Public Bathrooms Have A Long, Ugly History via Buzzfeed


13. Everybody Is Constipated, Nobody Is Constipated via FiveThirtyEight


14. What Does A Graphics Card Actually Do? via Digg


15. The $30 Serum Reddit Is Obsessed With via Racked


16. Badge of Dishonor: Top Oakland Police Department Officials Looked Away as East Bay Cops Sexually Exploited and Trafficked a Teenager via East Bay Express


17. Kate Spade is running an extra 30% off sale on discounted styles until 07/05/16; use code SUNSHINE at checkout. My favorite multi-purpose crossbody, the Primrose Hill Little Kaelin, is still available in three colors; see on me here. Other picks: Emerson Place Emi, Mini Rose Pleated Shirtdress, Open Back Bow Dress, Embellished Structured Dress, Sunny Daisy Fiorella Dress, and Queen Bee Bracelet.


Have a great week, all!

Weekly Link Roundup

1. As a fried chicken lover, I couldn’t be more pleased to read that Shake Shack reported an exceptional first quarter due in large part to the Chick’n Shack rollout. I hope this news inspires other chains to step up their fried chicken game.


1.5. For those who like to make their own fried chicken, this Buzzfeed post links to a dozen chicken tenders recipes that all looking promising.


2. I’m currently on a quest for fun and durable silk(-y) camis. On my try list: J. Crew Scalloped Carrie Cami, ONE by CAMI NYC Lace Racer Camisole, Equipment Cara Washed-Silk Camisole, and Painted Threads Gauze Camisole.


3. The High Cost, for the Poor, of Using a Bank via the New Yorker

4. Sometimes you have to turn away money. A business in Kentucky is no longer accepting “boob or sock money.”

5.  ‘I’ll Never Retire’: Americans Break Record for Working Past 65 via Bloomberg


6. I recently made Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies, and they were as good as advertised. I didn’t have cornstarch on hand so omitted it from the first batch I baked, and they turned out just fine.


7. Shop Ann Taylor‘s 40% off sale (use code MYSTERY40 at checkout for 40% off your purchase). I picked up the Peplum Back Button Down and Linen Blend Moto Jacket. Here are a few more picks: Striped Side Button Skirt, Lace Hem Sweater Dress, Garden Print Pencil Skirt, Embroidered Swing Skirt, Silk Shirred V-Neck Blouse, and Lace Shift Dress.


8. [Aristotle], On Trolling via the Journal of the American Philosophical Association


9. At the Costume Institute, Couture Meets Technology via the New York Times


10. This Asian Bank Lets You Borrow Cash and Pay in Trash: “customers are able to open accounts, make deposits — of trash, converted to its rupiah value — and periodically withdraw funds” via Bloomberg


11. Recent purchases from Forever 21: Eyelash Lace Romper, Tie-Front Pom-Trim Romper, Tropical Floral Print Dress, Medallion Layered Necklace, Lace Sheath Dress, and Off-the-Shoulder Mini Dress.


Have a great week, all!

Weekly Link Roundup

1. I ordered Kate Spade’s Hawthorne Lane Ryan Tote (additional colors and sizes here, here, and here) last spring to try but never shared the review (reason now unknown; probably just general laziness). I see that the bag has been made available in new colorways so thought I’d share this old picture so you can see the bag (10″ tall and 17″ wide with a 9″ handle drop) on someone my height (5’2). The bag is overall inoffensive and I really wanted a green/white striped bag at the time, but the lack of a top zipper was a deal breaker.


2. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Donald Trump via Youtube


3. Something to Consider Before You Laugh at Millennials Complaining About Minimum Wage via Flavorwire


4. I finally jumped on the Self Portrait dresses bandwagon and ordered the Felicia and Azalea (other colorways here, here, and here). They are so pretty and while I am hardly a practical person, my lack of closet space is forcing me to ask these uncomfortable questions: Are they pretty enough? Or at least prettier than something I own that I would be willing to give away or sell?


5. Two words: baby orangutans. Also, they are not pets. (Note: these are video links.)


6. Fitbit is king in the world of wearables. (Apple’s iWatch came in a distant third place, after second-place Xiaomi, a Chinese electronics company.)


7. Shopbop’s spring sale is still going strong. Some of my closet favorites are on sale: Madewell Transport Tote (reviewed here), Hunter Original Boots, Black Halo Jackie O Belted Dress (reviewed here), Tory Burch Robinson Cross Body Bag, Theory Gabe Blazer, Rebecca Minkoff Quilted Mini Affair Bag (reviewed here), Converse All Star ’70s High Top Sneakers, Herve Leger Signature Essentials V Neck Dress, and Stuart Weitzman Gladiator Sandals.


8. Clickbait-y title? Why Dressing for Success Leads to Success via the Wall Street Journal


9. The changing face of globalization via the Washington Post


10. I couldn’t resist shopping the Olivia Palermo + Chelsea28 collection last month. The oversized bow in the back of the Stripe Wool & Cashmere Pullover is so darling; for those interested in this style, please note that the fit is bodyhugging (I went up one size). 


Enjoy the rest of your week!

Weekly Link Roundup

1. KFC added Nashville Hot Chicken, a regional specialty known for its two key ingredients—lard and cayenne pepper, to its menu last month. It’s enough of a novelty for me that I’ve gone like every day every other day since its introduction. While it’s far from being the “best spicy chicken [I‘ve] ever had,” it‘s definitely worth a try if you are a fast food junkie like me. Prince’s Chicken Shack, however, is now at the top of my fried chicken wishlist.


2. My closet has been looking more bloated than usual lately so I decided to request a clean-out kit from thredUp (it pays outright for some fast fashion brands, like H&M). I look forward to doing a proper closet purge (the truth is I really need to make room for spring purchases).


3. The Nordic Parka that I own and reviewed here is on sale (plus an extra 30% off with code SHOPNOW). Sizes are still fairly complete in both colors. (Men’s and kids’ Nordic Parkas are also on sale!)


4. I am too impatient to have ever completed an MBTI questionnaire (Buzzfeed quizzes are more my speed). When I’ve been required to take the quiz in the past, I start to answer ironically about fifteen questions in. This Financial Times article hints at personality tests going out of fashion (or at least encountering more resistance), which is music to my ears.


5. My haul from the Macy’s footwear clearance event was a success. These Lauren Ralph Lauren Shira Booties (also sold here) were a keeper, so were these Helly Hansen Vega Waterproof Leather Boots. The only disappointment from the order was the Sperry Shearwater Duck Boot, which started to fall apart right out of the box.
 

6. The Forever 21 Longline Duster Coat that I bought last winter has been restocked in all sizes. It’s quite overpriced at retail and also not warm enough for February, but I have grown rather fond of it.


7. We are living in a time of negative interest rates. This New York Times article explains why people probably won‘t just stash cash under their mattresses (for now). 

8. Nordstrom’s winter clearance sale is in full swing. Some colorways of the Bobeau One-Button Fleece Wrap Cardigan that I wore here are 65% off


9. I
am a lazy and selfish baker so my friends know to share with me only
recipes that require few ingredients and little prep but yield an
enormous amount of end product. I was recently given this two-ingredient chocolate truffle recipe
and can confirm that anyone is capable of making delicious chocolate truffles.


10. A few people asked if I could share a boot that is similar to the Sorel Winter Fancy Lace Boots that I wore in this post; this Esprit style is a dead ringer for the Sorel Winter Fancy Boot, for those looking for a budget version.

Hi, I am Elle!

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