Happy surprise substack! I love routine, structure, all things control-related, but when the idea to pen a quick little Q+A came to mind earlier this week, I thought, “Why not?” I’m in-between jobs at the moment (more on that next newsletter) and trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to not spend my precious days off working.
This newsletter, dear readers, is anything but work. I love thinking about clothes and hearing about clothes from guests, and any excuse to scour the internet for great clothes. Without further fanfare, here are the reader questions. And if you have any for the next surprise dispatch, feel free to comment below.
Give me three fall footwear examples to carry me through to December.
Not a question, but luckily, I love the person asking and you should subscribe to her substack here. Now, let’s get into footwear; a category I take very practically.
A comfortable loafer—I have to recommend The Lug Loafer from Rothy’s. Even as a major fan of the loafer, I’ll be the first to admit that they’re classically very uncomfortable. If you don’t want a painful break-in period, these are super clean IRL and can even be paired with socks. Bonus: the blue stripe is more subtle than in other designs.
Solid boots—If we were going strictly fashion, I’d say invest in these from Stuart Weitzman, but let’s be real. You need boots for rain and snow. So I’d go for Blundstones or Hunters or Tretorns. And since all of these are super high quality, take a browse on second hand markets for styles you’re into.
Statement sneakers—Ruby, the aforementioned bestie, does this really well. A white sneaker is great, foundational, even. But taking a risk on a colorful sneaker can really upgrade an outfit. Plus, it’s a total conversation starter. I love these satin red Nikes I found on eBay for $30. Get lost on the Adidas site and go for something bold.
Favorite layering piece?
With a collective sigh of relief, we move into my favorite seasons for dressing—fall and winter. Love a layer. Can’t get enough, really. And the best, best turtleneck for cooking up layered outfits has to be the Wolford Colorado Bodysuit. Yes! Expensive! But I’ve never paid more than $100 on eBay or Poshmark. It’s the perfect amount of stretchy.
What other substacks do you read?
So many. Too many? For fashion, I adore Habiter, Shop Rat, Pigpen, Megan’s Substack, The Love List, The Cereal Aisle, and more I can’t quite think of right now.
Favorite look from your wedding?
I guess it has to be my dress? It felt so fun to create something from something. I think working off of a preexisting vintage dress made the process less intimidating. And the tailor team at Bode is the best, too. I was super comfortable, felt like myself, and not embarrassed to walk from the hotel from the church—not that wearability is a key metric for most brides, but whatever.
Where do you find outfit inspiration?
It used to be Pinterest and sometimes still is. People on the street are huge for me. I love taking a pic of someone’s outfit from behind. A true perk of living in New York! I’m lucky to have stylish friends in the industry, so every time we get dinner, I’m taking mental notes.
Tips on becoming a writer?
Geez. Anything I’m going to say will sound trite so read this from Sarah Manguso first. And then read way more books than you think you can. Read on the subway and instead of scrolling. Read an uncomfortable amount. Then write thousands of pages. Writing is like any other skill! You need those hours and pages under your belt before you can get to the really good stuff. Find the time you write best. Protect it with your life. “Writers need boundaries.” That’s what Claire Dederer says in Monsters. Be protective and secretive and even if you’re not religious, try pretending you are. Sometimes I start my writing in the morning with, “God, write this book for me.” It usually helps. And don’t save anything for later. There’s plenty more where that came from.
Closet staple under $30?
A truly great baseball hat that fits your head properly. Listen! It’s hard to find. Once you do, wear it out so it looks even better. This plain one from COS could be a good place to start.
Thank you for reading Long Live. It means so much to me. You can shop my favs here, follow along on Instagram + Tiktok, shop my Notion template, and as always, respond to this dispatch for my direct line x
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