Monday Musings: Barrels, Roses, and Books

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.

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.