At a sleepover at our friends’ place a couple weeks back, my neck was out and despite lots of stretching, soaking in a tub, and multiple rounds of Advil, not much was helping. My friend, who also struggles with pretty constant neck pain, suggested I lie on her acupressure mat and pillow, a spiky set that resembles some sort of Medieval torture device. When I first laid down, it hurt, and I even got up several times, thinking I wasn’t going to be able to hang. But after a few minutes, I settled into it and the effects were immediate. My entire body relaxed and it sort of mimicked the feeling of getting acupuncture. It now has a permanent home on the side of our couch and I pull it out every night while watching TV.
Before my trip to Copenhagen this year, I read an article in Airbnb magazine about how playful pajama sets you can wear out (called “playsuits”) have become a fashion trend there. I searched in every clothing store I entered, but wasn’t able to find any. Months later, it’s safe to say they’ve finally made it stateside! I yelped with excitement when I saw our previous contributor to the blog, Barrett Prendergast, post a playsuit on her Instagram. After doing some research myself, I fell in love with the brand Sleeper. Their suits are expensive, but feel like the perfect solution to summer clothes, which I’ve always struggled with. I’m extremely selective when it comes to adding things to my closet since editing it down, but a linen lounge set from Sleeper (basically pajamas you can wear out) may make the cut…
One of my favorite parts of visiting a fashion-forward country is picking up on some of their latest trends—and Japan loves Tevas. I was honestly amazed by how many I saw in the six shorts days I was there, and by day two I had to snag a pair. I wound up trying on a ton (there was a Teva pop-up near my hotel!) and went with the Midform Universal Sandal in the black/tan colorway. I’ll be wearing them for the rest of the summer.
Ever since I got back from Paris in March, I’ve been slowly making my way through the bag (read: carry-on) of new beauty products I bought to try. This cream is a best-selling product in Europe, and I can see why. While the smell is not my favorite, the formula is the perfect texture (thick, but not heavy) and incredibly hydrating. It’s meant to “plump” wrinkles, but I also felt dewy and cherubic, a look I didn’t know I wanted.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a video game where the aim appears simple: one person is the bomb defuser, while the rest of the party is in charge of helping explain how to dismantle the bomb with the help of a handy guidebook. Sound easy? Well, I’ve had many a bomb explode in my face and I am here to tell you—no! But that’s what makes it such a “blast” at parties (sorry, I couldn’t resist). We recently bought the VR version for our PlayStation, which adds an extra thrill for whoever is unlucky enough to be in the virtual reality helmet. If you like your gaming experiences to make you sweat like you’ve completed an Orange Theory class at the top of the leaderboard, this game might be for you. Just make sure you cut the right wire…
I’ve been very into German language shows this month; don’t ask me why. I’m almost through Season 1 of Dark on Netflix (which is 100% up my alley with its time travel focused, spooky-not-scary plot), but it’s an Amazon Prime movie that makes my recommendations list this month. I first discovered the Adidas/Puma connection in a fashion/lifestyle marketing class in grad school, which is why the movie caught my eye while searching for something to watch earlier this month. It’s the origin story of two brands you know (and may love) today set in the 1940’s, filled with love, success, war, and scandal–cue the drama! Watch it in German with English subtitles for the best experience.
My style on vacation often goes a little something like this: I (over)pack enough to wear a different thing everyday for approximately 4 months no matter the length of the trip, then end up wearing 10% of what I packed and the same two or three outfits on repeat. My outfit of choice on my most recent vacation was these white linen pants with a black tank top and classic Ray Ban aviators. The tapered waist and slightly cropped fit make these chic enough to wear out to drinks after a day at the beach and I love the idea of pairing them with a crisp white button down for a nice dinner out.
Last year, I wrote in The List about the heart-wrenching one-woman play Girls & Boys, performed by Carey Mulligan on Audible. It was my first experiencing listening to a play and I found it almost as captivating as a live performance, which is why I was thrilled to come across L.A. Theater Works, a nonprofit that records famous plays to make them available to everyone. Most of the plays are available on Audible (for around $5 to $7 or with a subscription) which is how I prefer to download them, but you can view their entire catalog and information about live shows here. Here’s a starting list for anyone interested: Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Motherf–cker with the Hat, God of Carnage, and August Osage County.
I’d used a plain, flimsy case on my phone for years, unable to decide on anything that felt slightly more stylized. I didn’t want anything too over-the-top designed, but my stained basic version was admittedly a little blah. I’d been seeing chic, monogrammed versions all over my Instagram feed and they were all by The Daily Edited. They have tons of different options for personalized cases, with an almost overwhelming variety of fonts and colors to choose from, and I love my new taupe case with light pink and red block letters in EF (my married initials).
I had roughly 30 hours of roundtrip flying time over the course of the month, which conveniently led to plenty of time to catch-up on movies (I vowed to watch as many “classics” as possible at the beginning of the year, and I’ve been sticking to it!). I snuck in Runaway Bride, Almost Famous, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s (none of which I’d seen!) buttttt I also needed to satiate the need for a good airplane cry. Five Feet Apart did just that. It’s the story of a budding love between two teens with cystic fibrosis, and not only did I realize I knew nothing about CS, but I was also genuinely touched by the Fault In Our Stars-esque storyline. And Cole Sprouse isn’t so bad to look at.
It’s officially summertime, which means time to pull down the shades, pour a glass of chilled rose and enjoy some quality trash reality television. Like a truly cultured person, I prefer my reality shows to be from the U.K. so I can pretend the accents elevate the material. My new obsession is Love Island, which is available to watch on Hulu in the U.S. but already a phenomenon overseas. Like a perfect hybrid of Big Brother and Bachelor in Paradise, the aim of competing in Love Island is simple: these pure, innocent and not at all vain folks are searching for true love while they complete in absurd games, enter love triangles and hexagons and get into the kind of passionate arguments that only reality cameras can capture. If you’re looking for something to add to your summer reality repertoire, I can’t recommend it enough! Just be prepared to become obsessed.
When it comes to jumpsuits (and pants in general), I’m pretty much a novice. I never feel like I can find something that flatters my short legs, which is why I’m in a skirt essentially 24/7. When I saw this jumpsuit online, I envisioned my inner-Jess, wearing this all around Dublin on my next trip. Once it arrived, I was completely surprised—this is the first jumpsuit that feels equal parts skirt and pants. Plus, it will be perfect for walking miles in the colder temperature, complete with a leather moto jacket and mini crossbody bag.
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