The Dressing Bell: The first things I reached for when the weather got nice
10 classic pieces from previous seasons that are still going strong
Greetings!
Two weeks ago in Boston, the weather got hot. Walking around town, you’d think everyone just woke up from hibernation like a bunch of bears because the sidewalks were flooded with people. I forgot how many people live in my neighborhood—and how many dogs!
When you live in a harsh climate, you simply do not miss out on the joy of the first few warm days. So, like any reasonable people would, my husband and I blocked our work calendars that Friday afternoon and booked a 4:45 reservation on the terrace of our favorite European-style café so we could spend several hours sitting and soaking up the sun.
Because the warm weather caught me completely off guard, my closet was still full of heavy woolens and opaque tights (something I remedied over the weekend). To have something appropriate to wear for running errands and apéritif on Friday, I had to reach under my bed for the canvas bags storing my warm-weather clothes.
The first things I wear when the seasons change are reliably my favorites—they’re the things I’m most excited to see again and can’t wait to put on. And because all of these are classics, they’re still in stock years after I bought them.
Below, I’m linking exactly what I wore on Thursday and Friday, and noting when I bought each item. I know it’s sooo blue and white, but that’s how I roll.
Daytime errands
My favorite long sleeve t-shirt (purchased 2021)
I love the cuffed sleeves, I love the slightly cropped length that looks great with a half-tuck in the front, I love the boxy cut. Definitely going to get a second one of these.
The twill pleated shorts I own in two colors (purchased 2022)
Mine are navy blue and white, but they appear to be available only in black and khaki right now. Guess I need two more!
The cotton chino ball cap that’s on my head every day besides shampoo day (purchased 2022)
Actually I have this in sage green but that appears to be sold out online. The colors tend to rotate so if you see one you like, I’d grab it now.
The greatest tennis-inspired white sneaker (purchased 2021)
I try to average 10,000-12,000 steps a day all week and that simply cannot be done in a Superga, no matter how much I love them. This is low-profile, but cushioned enough for walking miles and miles. Needless to say, it’s an incredible travel sneaker.
The wear-with-everything smooth black leather belt (purchased 2022)
A belt pulls together any basic shorts-and-a-tshirt or jeans-and-a-tshirt outfit and I love this simple one that has great weight and quality at a great price. I own it in black and tan suede, and I might buy it in brown leather too.
Early evening apéritif
The nautical, vintage-looking silk slip dress (purchased 2022)
I wore this for a night out in DC last summer and got no fewer than three compliments from random women. This takes up no space in a suitcase, steams to perfection in just a couple of minutes, and makes me feel like I just stepped off a yacht.
The A.P.C. Demi-Lune bag in noisette (purchased 2019)
I think blue and white are complemented best by hazelnut brown leather. This bag is a Parisian woman’s wardrobe staple.
The super-feminine pointy-toe ballet flats (purchased 2022)
Again, if your lifestyle involves lots of walking, a ballet flat with no support will give you a stress fracture. These are cushioned and let you look cute while you’re on your feet. I have them in the Saddle Nappa color way.
The heavyweight striped cotton marinière sweater (purchased 2021)
This sweater is such a wardrobe workhorse for me. It feels like a little blanket draped over bare shoulders, and looks equally good over a dress, shorts, swimsuit, or jeans when the temps drop and there’s a chilly breeze.
The ever-classic Céline tortoise sunglasses (purchased 2019)
These were a celebratory gift to myself when I got my first freelance client. And a fantastic investment, because I wear them multiple days a week, year-round.
As you’ve probably noticed, these aren’t the cheapest items. But I don’t buy fast fashion, and it wouldn’t be authentic for me to link fast fashion items here for you—or anything else I don’t stand behind. I believe in buying quality, classic pieces that will last if you take care of them, and I hope this post demonstrates that these aren’t flimsy things that you’ll have to throw away after two washes. You may have noticed that nothing above was bought in 2023 (actually, to date this year, I have bought one pair of sneakers) and these quality purchases from past seasons mean I don’t need to do a lot more shopping this spring.
The cost per wear on each of these pieces is also incredibly low—over the last four years, I’ve worn the Céline sunglasses hundreds of times. Evidence is on my Instagram.
With the exception of the slip dress, they’re also all super casual, which helps with cost per wear. I have a very casual life—I work from home, and my typical week involves going to the grocery store, the gym, the yoga studio, the coffee shop, long walks or jogs with friends, the dry cleaner, the salon, the post office, friends’ houses, and the occasional restaurant or cocktail bar. Sometimes I work from my friend’s office in the Seaport and I get really excited to dress business casual on those days.
But I don’t have a lot of glamorous places to go—so I spend some money on my casual staple pieces like jeans, shorts, sweaters, summer dresses, sunglasses, shoes, and day bags. Then I have a handful of more dressy-casual items for dinner dates and parties. And like one semi-formal dress that I wear to everyone’s wedding.
So, this has turned from just a straightforward shopping post to more about my philosophy of shopping and dressing, but there you have it.
What are the first things you grabbed this year on a warm day? Let me know in the comments.
Some recs
Making: Spring Chicken Miso Soup
This recipe gets five stars from me. I made it as written, except with olive oil because it’s less inflammatory than canola. I’ve been on kind of a wellness ~journey~ lately, involving really simple stuff like reducing sugar and increasing protein. So when I had a jar of white miso to use up but wanted more protein than traditional miso soup, I found this. It’s honestly one of the best soups I’ve ever had. (P.S. I know NYT Cooking is behind a pay wall and I’m going to work to link recipes from other sources in future weeks.)
Reading: The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
To be honest, I didn’t know who Rick Rubin was before this book started popping up all over my Instagram feed. But my husband, who pays attention to the music world, of course knew all about him and ordered this book for us. It’s divided into a ton of short chapters and the writing is pretty dense and conceptual, so I’m reading 1-2 chapters per day, slowly, and giving them time to sink in. I recommend for anyone with an active creative practice or looking to get one started. So, basically, anyone.
Watching: The Beechgrove Garden from the BBC
This is one of my more left field recommendations, but my husband and I subscribed to BritBox a few months ago and it has been such a joy to discover all the British tv that exists but was never broadcast this side of the Atlantic. The Beechgrove Garden is a gardening show that’s filmed just outside of Aberdeen, Scotland. It’s wholesome, relaxing, and full of useful information, and I’m obsessed. It’s also opened me up to the world of gardening tv, so this will likely not be my last rec in that category.
Listening: There’s a new season of Normal Gossip!
If you haven’t heard about this podcast, it’s such a delight. The host retells stories of juicy (harmless) gossip from the real world, with wit and good humor. It’s really well written and produced, and they’ve taken care to mask all identifying details. The idea isn’t to have fun at anyone’s expense, but to enjoy the kind of wild story that sometimes circulates within a friend group, neighborhood, family, sorority, or knitting club, and deserves a wider audience.
Doing: This is mundane, but walking!
Last spring and summer, I took a morning walk almost every day and it felt so good. Right after waking up, brushing my teeth, and drinking water, I put on my athleisure, sunscreen, and a hat, and headed out to grab a coffee to go and walk around the Boston Public Garden or the Charles River Esplanade. The weather is finally good enough to do that again! I’m not always walking in the morning, but I’m walking every day.
Let me know what you’re making/reading/watching/listening to/doing! Always looking for good recs—especially any gardening shows you love. 😉
xx Jane
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This time of year I am super excited to trade parkas for a motorcycle jacket. I love it and it is the perfect weight when the sun goes down.
Also, Birkenstocks forever.