Weekend Reads for October 18

Weekend Reads

Ten expert tips for talking to kids about ICE terrorizing their friends and family. (L.A. Taco)

The activists fighting for dignity for incarcerated pregnant women. (The Nation)

To explore violence against women, she drugs herself onstage. (New York Times Style Magazine – gift link)

D'Angelo's genius was pure, and rare. (The New Yorker)

Helen Mirren on aging: “F*ck it, I’m alive.” (Allure)

Oh gosh, how beautiful is this skirt?

They tried to self-deport, then got stranded in this administration's America. (ProPublica)

The great friendship flattening. (The Atlantic – gift link)

I think I need this belt in my life; and I appreciate it comes up to XXL.

Meet the 25-year-old who collects 50-year-old perfume. (Whatever Nevermind on Substack)

This couple is united in art and life. But can he save his wife’s legacy? (New York Times – gift link)

Proof that Diane Keaton was an unparalleled style original. (W)

There's something about this coat that I love.

‘Rock stars would be like, Yeah, bring the kid in’: Cameron Crowe on his wild years as a teenage music journalist. (The Guardian)

Does installing a grab bar mean you'll never get laid again? (Joyce Wadler on Substack)

The menopause meds train. (The Laundry Pile on Substack)

Gen X women don’t have the bandwidth to figure out why they feel so terrible. (Salon)

51(ish) things you can actually do if you're feeling helpless. (Amanda Litman on Substack)

Sale Alert & Style Inspo

Cold and inclement weather is going to be here before you know it, are your feet ready? I'm so glad to have a pair of black boots I can slip on to deal with slush, snow, and cold that don't scream “I am winter boots!” I can wear them for commuting, weekends going to the mall or meeting friends, and the lack of fancy details but focus on functionality keeps them favorites for years and years. Some winners I've found this season that also offer comfort and support:

orthofeet (3 widths) | fitflop | naturalizer (2 widths) | bos. & co. | fitflop | columbia | la canadienne | sorel

M.M.LaFleur is having its Fall Refresh Event with 25% off sitewide (very few exclusions). Use promo code NEWLEAF25. I think this is such a great dress for day weddings, work, dates, travel, etc. I just got this jacket and think it's so chic as a fall topper or blazer alternative.

Rothy's has its clogs on sale up to 25% off through the 20th of October. I won't say these shoes are cute, but they are functional and comfortable and great for working from home and running errands.

Ruti never has sales, but has 20% off sitewide this weekend. I recently shared how I think Ruti makes great petite barrel jeans but Ruti also has amazing high-quality and cool girl style pants, tees, and other separates and this sale makes the price easier to swallow.

Soma has a few sales going on, the best one IMO is buy three pairs of undies and get three free. ‘Tis the season to update your undies, and the Vanishing collection keeps you VPL free while being comfortable and also wedgie-free. As a petite woman with a tummy, I love the Vanishing Modern Brief which isn't too high but doesn't roll down or leave a line at the waist.

See/Hear/Read

I received feedback that I seem to hate everything I watch. Well this week, I watched one thing I hated but two things I enjoyed! And I am enjoying the book I am a little halfway through!

Okay first, the hate. We watched The Materialists, which stars Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans. Should be good with such a cast but my husband says this movie ruined Captain America for him. The Materialists felt like it was seriously trying to prove a point and maybe some awards and a chance to be discussed in a college film class and IMO failed on all accounts.

The best part of the film was Johnson's hair, which was gorgeous. Oh, and the blue of the dress (Proenza Schouler, BTW) she wore to the wedding. Johnson's character Lucy was like a 2025 version of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl mixed with Gone Girl's Cool Girl and honestly this is a big reason why I felt the film flopped. That and having a script that made Evans and Pascal both appear to be shittastic actors. Hard pass.

Let's now get into good stuff. I watched the three-part documentary about Victoria Beckham on Netflix and while I didn't learn anything new about her, I still enjoyed it. I have always liked Beckham, and it showed her depth, her humor, and her talent while also showing her vulnerability (clearly not a business person). I can't afford her fashion (love the slogan tees) but I do have one of her eyeliners and I must say it's pretty stellar.

We're also watching The Lowdown, a series on Hulu starring Ethan Hawke. Hawke is Lee Raybon, a self-proclaimed “truthstorian” who is digging into what's going on with a prominent Tulsa family and getting into plenty of trouble along the way.

The Lowdown is a character show. Every single character is well defined and developed and quirky and intriguing including the city of Tulsa, which this show makes into a true character. Along with Ethan Hawke, The Lowdown stars Keith David, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Kyle MacLachlan, Peter Dinklage, and more familiar faces that have roles that let them show their acting chops while having fun.

BTW, the character of Vicky in The Lowdown is not played by Jennie Garth, it's Abbie Cobb, who has been mistaken for Garth her entire life (and even played Garth in a Lifetime movie). And Ryan Kiera Armstrong who plays Lee's daughter Francis, has been tapped to be the new slayer in the Buffy reboot being produced by Hulu.

For YourEntertainment

Last year, Pharrell Williams dropped a new album, Virginia: Black Yacht Rock Vol. 1 — City of Limitless Access, but it was only available to stream or download on the website blackyachtrock.com. And I never heard of it until yesterday.

I may live in Maryland, but I live in the part called The DMV, which stands for the District (D.C.), Maryland, and Virginia. D.C. has a very specific size and border, and parts of Maryland and Virginia are essentially its suburbs and this metro area makes Marylanders know Virginia well and vice versa.

When I worked in retail, I often managed, merchandised, built/opened, and trained staff in stores across Virginia. Family in Richmond and Alexandria, good friends in Sterling, Ashburn, and Arlington, many getaways to Charlottesville, Richmond, Williamsburg, and Lake Anna. D.C. born and Maryland raised, Virginia still has part of my heart and this album intrigued me.

Pharrell is from Virginia Beach, and with his creative brand “VIRGINIA,” which acts as a community platform for music, fashion, and design, he is doing more and more to promote and support his hometown. While his Something in the Water festival created in 2019 hasn't been consistently successful, Williams also financed the Atlantic Surf Park, he incorporated Virginia into his Louis Vuitton collection with a Paris, Virginia billboard and “LVers” branding taking a cue from the “Virginia is for Lovers” campaign.

And this week, Pharrell released a video for “Going Back to VA,” a single from that 2024 yacht rock album. While his songs are still not available on streaming platforms like Spotify, you can enjoy it on YouTube. And those who have been to or are from Virginia will recognize the 20-mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.