Monday Musings: Barrels, Roses, and Books
I’ve been thinking about how much fashion we’re all expected to absorb now. Open your inbox or scroll for five minutes, and suddenly a pair of pants you never wanted is following you around the internet like a bad penny.
In my job as a blogger, I’m exposed to more of it than most. That’s part of the work, of course, but it also explains why my eye occasionally starts to go a little numb.
Barrel jeans are my current example.
The first few times I saw them, I knew they weren’t right for me. Too rounded for my proportions, too casual for the direction my style has been moving. Then I kept seeing them everywhere, and after a while, they didn’t look wrong anymore. They just looked familiar. And familiar can be persuasive.
There’s a real difference between genuine interest and visual fatigue, and it’s worth knowing which one is doing the talking. A small pause helps. Would I want this if I hadn’t seen it everywhere? Does it work with the shoes I actually wear, not the ones in the inspiration photo? Does the silhouette support the proportions I know work for me? Is this the style direction I’m choosing, or just the loudest thing in the room right now?
Which, for the record, is exactly where I should have landed on barrel jeans. Instead, I bought a pair, wore them once, and confirmed everything I’d already figured out. The fit was exactly what it was supposed to be. That was the problem. Turns out ignoring your own questions is a very efficient way to end up with pants you don’t wear. Luckily I bought an inexpensive pair to try. And no, I’m not sharing a photo 🙂
I did also pick up a lantern jean, which is a much better fit for where my style is right now. It’s in the same general shape family, but it’s more subtle, and that difference matters more than I expected.
A New… Art TV
We recently bought our first TV in over a decade. Yes, a decade. We went with the Samsung Frame TV, which displays artwork when it’s not in use, so instead of a large black hole on the wall, you get a rotating gallery. We’ve been cycling through Monet and Van Gogh, and I can’t quite decide what I love most. I tend to prefer watercolors and the classics over modern art, but the jury is still out. Now to choose a frame!
Since we don’t watch much TV anyway, it suits us perfectly. On the actual watching front, we’re slowly making our way through Suits and loving every minute. We’re going to need something next, so please send suggestions. There’s a very good chance we haven’t seen anything you’ve watched and loved in the last decade or so.
A Little Tour of Chantecaille
Last week, my daughter and I went cosmetic shopping, which is how I came home with a small collection of Chantecaille. We went in just to look, and then we started swatching. I’ve been wearing their tinted moisturizer and Lip Chic Lipstick or years. It’s cruelty-free, and each sale supports animal conservation partnerships around the world, which makes the spending feel slightly more virtuous.
EYE SHADOW TRIO IN PURPLE
The surprise favorite was the Flamingo Eye Shade Palette, which we both bought. I don’t usually wear shimmer because too many formulas migrate south by lunchtime, leaving a festive stripe of glitter under my eyes and making me look a little more disco than I’m aiming for. This one somehow works. The tones run cool, and the shimmer reads polished rather than sparkly chaos.
I also picked up the Sheer Glow Rose Face Tint, which I’ve been mixing into my Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer. I never thought I’d voluntarily add shine to my face, but it doesn’t look glittery or greasy, just fresh in a very convincing way. And I repurchased the Rose de Mai Face Mist because I go through it happily. It’s the most hydrating spray I use, and it’s especially good when my skin is dry and the scent is heavenly, so it sits on my bedside table and I happily spritz away.
We also sampled the fragrances, which was dangerous. As you know, I’ve been looking for a new Rose fragrance this spring, so I was drawn to Darby Rose. It’s a fresh, feminine floral with a little warmth underneath. They gave us tiny samples to try, and I liked it so much, I ended up ordering it.
My daughter went straight for Frangipane, the sweeter, softer one, which suits her completely, but it seems to be selling out most places. On the lipstick front, she practically lives in Anemone, and I added Plum Blossom, a soft, muted berry-plum with enough depth to add some life to the face without feeling dark or dramatic.
Vanessa’s Latest Book Recommendation
Vanessa is a voracious reader, and her latest recommendation is 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand, which she gave five stars. She said it was heartbreaking and completely page-turning, and since it was her first Elin Hilderbrand novel, she wasn’t quite prepared to get pulled in that fast. She finished it in a weekend and spent part of that weekend googling vacation properties in Nantucket, which tells you everything.
The novel was inspired by the film Same Time, Next Year and follows Mallory and Jake, who begin a yearly Labor Day weekend tradition after meeting in Nantucket in 1993. What starts as a romantic escape becomes a decades-long relationship that unfolds one weekend at a time, even as their real lives continue on separate tracks. It’s a story about timing, longing, and the kind of love that leaves a mark, whether or not it fits neatly into a conventional life.
Meanwhile, I’m racing through Still Life. It’s book #1 of Louise Penny’s Inspector Armand Gamache series. I finished How The Light Gets In (number 9), and realized I wanted to work through them from the beginning so I could appreciate the character development.
Are there any Elin Hilderbrand fans here? We’d love to know which of her books are your favorites.
Love your new TV! Ours is fading and we are looking at the Samsung Frame. Question – did you get the wireless hook up, or the one with the little cable and the box? Thanks for the info!
We got the one with the little cable. It barely shows
I have read The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand and loved it 👍🏻
My husband and I are currently watching The Count of Monte Cristo, a new series on PBS, and it is excellent!
I am with you on the barrel jeans, Jennifer. I know my lack of hips and butt just don’t work with them, no matter how often I see them on models or influencers.
Exactly my problem
A word of warning: Once you start Louise Penny’s Insp Gamache series you will be enraptured. There were very few of the books in the long series that I did not care for, but the magic of Three Pines draws you in and won’t let you escape. The characters become dear friends of yours. Enjoy them . Most people stumble onto one book and elect to start at the beginning. Enjoy!
Thanks for your book suggestions you’ve offered along the way. I just finished Clothes Minded having bought it after you posted. Did you like it? The fashion world is fascinating! Have you read The Last Dress From Paris by Jade Beer? It’s historical fiction (my favorite genre) so I was able to look up the couture dresses it referred to. The Gown by Jennifer Robson was so wonderful too!
My husband is a bit of a photographer. He can put his photos on The Frame.
I just love Elin Hildebrand and have probably read almost all of her books!
It’s funny too how I have looked up Nantucket and wanted to go – just that shows what a great writer she is 🙂
Hi Jennifer, I am not familiar with Chantecaille, but it all looks wonderful so I’m going to check out their products.
Definitely, The Hotel Nantucket. Happy reading!
I just picked that one up at the library!
Two Elin Hilderbrand favorites of mine are THE HOTEL NANTUCKET and THE BLUE BISTRO both possess an element of mystery are hard to put down. Happy Reading!
I LOVE and have read all the ARMAND GAMACHE books! Definitely start at the beginning and read in order-the character development is what makes these books so special.
Can you explain the difference between barrel and lantern styles of jeans? I’m still on the hunt for a slim wider leg jean. Maybe that’s an oxymoron…!
The lantern is less bowed than a barrel leg.
I haven’t read her books but someone suggested that I read the Joe Dillard series by Scott Pratt. Joe is a cynical lawyer working to solve crimes in East Tennessee. I was raised in East Tennessee so I found these to be so fun to read because he talks about towns or roads or places that I know!
Such a good point about how our perception adjusts to new styles. While I disliked the barrel shape at first, once my eye got used to them and I tried them, I really liked them! I have a dark wash denim pair and a khaki one. They’re not extreme, like what I’ve seen called horseshoe style, but they’re definitely curved and I feel current in them.
“I never thought I’d voluntarily add shine to my face”
Now there’s an example of a perception challenge for me. I started high school in 1980 and finished college and got married in 1989, so the 80s are my decade of reference, especially since I spent the next 20 years mostly at home with kids and wasn’t really able to shop and keep up with fashion. For the past ten years or so, trying to get back into style, it’s been interesting to learn that what I once took for granted as universal rules are actually outdated. Matchy-matchy was the first thing I realized was dating me; in my world in the 80s we would never have mixed colors, shades, and metals as modern style does, because that to us seemed 70s and drab.
We Jersey mall chicks were obsessed with looking what we saw as perfectly squeaky clean all times. We liked sparkly and frosty, but nothing shiny that could read as oily, greasy, or sweaty, which was taboo. We caked our faces with powder and concealer, and used tons of hairspray and later mousse and gel. One trend I do remember noticing in the 90s was “bed head,” and it horrified me- God forbid we didn’t look fresh from the shower and blowdryer. But last year I bought a gel blush stick from Flower, and I’ve had dewy pink cheeks ever since.
I love this Trish! Thanks for sharing
I love the Inspector Gamache series. I’m glad you are going back to start the series at the beginning. I prefer to listen to these books on the Libby app. The narrator’s accent is lovely and adds to the pleasure of the mysteries.
I also am a fan of Elin Hilderbrand books.
Hello!
I really enjoy your fashion+ blog and always learn something new from it.
In response to your comment regarding tv series, I have a wonderful recommendation for you;
Emily In Paris! There are 5 seasons right now and the sixth season is coming soon. I think you will love all the beautiful fashion and architecture in Paris. Plus the storyline and the main characters are so lovely.
JK
Thanks Jill! That sounds fun
For TV I highly recommend two series: Heartland and Virgin River
Elin Hilderbrand is one of my favorite authors. Among my favorites are The Perfect Couple and the other books in that Series: Castaways and Swan Song, ; The Paradise Series and Five-Star Weekend. I like to read a Series at a time.
Oh my goodness I’m so glad you’ve discovered Louise Penney! I love her books! Like your daughter I went looking for a 3 Pines village in Canada after reading her first book. It’s still on my bucket list to visit that part of Canada and Quebec. Enjoy!
I’ve read most of Elin Hilderbrand’s books and agree with the posted suggestions. I would like to add The Five-Star Weekend and she also has a new series, the first book named The Academy.
I love Inspector Gamache and the friends at Three Pines. My late brother introduced me to him. We would often joke about going to live in Three Pines.
Is sounds so lovely!
Hi, Jennifer. I’ve never tried Chantecaille but may have to give it a try. Just an FYI, on a totally unrelated topic, but I just ordered beautiful ribbed cashmere gloves from Garnet Hill, on sale for !9.99. Their products are very nice quality and this is a steal for accessories. Wanted to pass it on!
Wow that’s a great price. Thanks.