ADD TO CART: MY SUMMER MOODBOARD + ESSENTIALS
It’s going to be a sexy, fun summer
Hey bbs!
You’ll have to excuse me for the delay here with the latest ADD TO CART issue. I was a bit bogged down with life, but I am happy to report that Notes From Auntie’s Desk has continued to flourish despite my slight absence! We’ve jumped up to #23 on Substack’s Rising Fashion and Beauty Substacks–an honor of which I am very proud :) thank you bbs for the support! Be sure to subscribe to the paid membership if you haven't already, so you can tap into the full YFA experience…
The other evening I met my friend Marquise for dinner at my official third place, SAA, and when he arrived he immediately inspected my outfit. I knew he would: he’s a stylist and he lives in LA. He appreciates appearance, effort, and edge, and I low-key got dressed for him. I was trying a new look for the summer, and I wanted to see if it was landing; there’s nothing worse than “style blindness”-a neologism I’ve just created to describe our own inability to see if an outfit is hitting or not. For the dinner, I decided to style out my Ice Studios “boxer skirt” that is one part bloomers, one part asymmetrical skirt. It’s unadulteratedly sexy and intellectual in design, so I have to be super intentional about what I pair with it. I decided a low key tank from Zara and a new pair of Miista boots that I recently picked up after a shopping trip at their New York store last week. It’s decidedly a bit edgier than my normal day-to-day, but I think I could pull it off…
Shaking his head with pleasure, Marquise declared, “I feel you’re aging backwards! You’ve been really giving lately…” Ah, success! The look has no name, per se, but it’s more of a feeling I’m trying to capture. A feeling of turning the volume up a bit in my closet; of injecting a little more boldness, play, and provocation into how I show up. I’m leaning into pieces that challenge proportions, celebrate movement, and say something without trying too hard. Think: structured weirdness, feminine silhouettes with a twist, boots in June just because. I’m dressing for curiosity, for joy, for that moment someone does a double-take and can’t quite figure out why. And, if we’re also being honest, I’m single this summer and Auntie needs to put her best foot forward…
Distilling something so ephemeral down to an umbrella term or aesthetic is just not something I like to do tho (i.e. when I eyerolled the hell out of the “Mob Wife” trend). Instead, I came up with a moodboard (because I’m an organizing freak of a Virgo moon and rising) and a shopping list of essentials to keep me focused. It’s an amalgamation of all the open tabs in my head, the screenshots in my phone, and Pinterest pins that I’ve stored.
Hopefully it’ll inspire you and how you want to show up, style-wise, this summer and help you take risks!
GINGHAM SKIRTS
A ho-down staple, gingham skirts in the past few years have gotten a cool-girl makeover. I love how this girl styled hers with a sexy lace blouse and chose a skirt style with the detailing that trimmed the hips. It really accentuates your figure for a feminine finish. Here are my faves from: Gap; ASOS; Guizio; Amanda Uprichard; Ganni; Posse;
WEIRD PANTS
They aren’t sexy or form-hugging but they are seriously the sexiest pants because they are so weird. I’m gravitating towards ruffles, odd cuts, and volume! Here are my faves from: The Garment; Gimaguas; Ronny Kobo; Leset; L’Academie.
SEXY CARRIE BRADSHAW-INPSIRED DRESSES
What summer is complete without a Carrie Bradshaw reference? None. I love very sexy, fun vintage-inspired dresses cut on the bias for easy party/date options. Here are my faves: Mango; Reformation; Siedres; Guizio.
JORTS
I have waxed prophetic here about no longer wearing short shorts, save for these Ferragamo ones! The cat calling isn’t worth it for me. But I DO love jorts. Very much a Y2K revival, I’m here for the oversized cut and low slung style that’s perfect for baby tees and sexy tops. I wore my Zara pair recently with a vintage CJR corset. Sexy high-low. Here are my faves from: ASOS; AFRM; COS; AGOLDE; Alaïa; AGOLDE.
LACE AND CROCHET TOPS
My girl Jenee Naylor inspired me recently to wear my Diotima crochet top as a separate with cool jeans and I love the idea. I bought it as a set in the fall and it lingered in my closet, but now I can’t wait to wear it more as the temps warm up. I also love the poet lace tops that the girlies have been sporting. It’s giving Renaissance-fair-in-Bushwick appeal. Here are my faves from: Bode; DÔEN; Norma Kamali ; Reformation; Diotima; Suzi Kondi; Diotima.
CIRCLE SKIRTS
You know what’s underrated? A circle skirt in the summer. It’s got that swish-swish energy that makes you feel flirty without even trying. Toss it on with a tank and a slick bun and suddenly you’re giving “casual goddess grabbing a croissant.” It moves with you, catches the breeze just right, and makes you stop and stare at your reflection in every glass surface. Truly the main character of warm weather dressing. Here are my faves from: Free People; COS; Guizio; Reformation.
ART TEACHER SMOCKS
There’s nothing like moving through the hot city in a shapeless art teacher smock, with the wind blowing up your cooch to mark a tru seasonal shift. I absolutely love these dresses that are not only effortless but serve as your own personal ventilation system. Just add a fan and a simple sandal to romanticize your life/ensemble, and you’re good to go. Here are my faves from: Siedres; ASOS; Tove; Princess Polly; ASOS.
MARY JANE FLATS
The way Mary Jane flats have a chokehold on me rn…I once thought they were a bit too demure and precious for my taste, but I have found that they are actually a great way to edge things up in a very unexpected way. I wore my Alaia pair with cargo pants and a baby tee last week for errands, for example, and while I could have gone with a cool sneaker, I thought it lent an otherwise casual fit an elegant twist. Here are my faves from: Aeyde; Reformation; Loeffler Randall; Margiela; Stuart Weitzman; Repetto.
KITTEN HEELS
And while we’re here, can we talk about the underrated brilliance of the kitten heel? I’ve fully embraced them as my summer go-to. They add just the right lift to a look—elevated, but still grounded. There’s something so quietly confident about a shoe that doesn’t have to scream to be sexy. And really who has time (or ankle stability) for towering platforms in 90-degree heat? Give me a low heel and a high impact every time. Here are my faves: Mango; Raye; Magda Butrym; Simon Miller; Ibor.
BRA TOPS
It was actually a New York summer in my early 20s that taught me to ditch bras entirely and free the nipple: I remember coming in from a long day in the exhausting heat and ripping a soggy padded bra off my chest, and flinging it across my apartment. I was so done with the tease, especially when my AA chest didn’t even need this contraption. Instead, I have embraced unlined bra tops as a summer failsafe. Here are my faves: Mango; Mango; Miu Miu; Anna Kosturova; Bode; Alfie.
LACE LEGGINGS
People watching is where I get so much of my inspiration and the other day I saw a woman walking along in the perfect summer ensemble: a huge button down tucked ever so slightly inside a pair of lace leggings. It was such an oddly sexy combination that I couldn’t stop staring and immediately stored the image away. I’ve since purchased this really sexy pair from Miista, but here are a few more of my faves: Beaufille; Majorelle; ASOS; Marina Senchina.
Well, that’s it for the summer moodboard — for now. You can shop everything I’ve pulled over on my ShopMy page. I hope it’s sparked some inspiration for your own summer looks, and knowing me, there’ll probably be more. My mood changes like the weather, so stay tuned… Also, if you’re looking for something in particular, let me know in the comments and I can start to get looking for you!
Until next time, auntie sends her love xx
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Love the art teacher smock and circle skirt. I’ve been eying these types of pieces for a playful feminine art bae look this summer!