Weekend Reads for November 8th & 9th

Weekend Reads

What women really want: To not answer work emails at 10 p.m. (New York Times – gift link)

Olivier Rousteing exits Balmain after 16 years with the brand. (Elle)

Supreme Court reinstates the administration’s transgender passport policy. (The Hill)

We still call women hysterical – but now we do it through Botox. (Dazed)

Community colleges at the crossroads. (the Nation)

Why doesn't anyone trust the media? (Harper's Magazine)

Student loan debt is the scourge of my generation. (The Purse on Substack)

Why Big Wellness loves middle-aged women. (New York Times – gift linK)

This is what's happening in Sudan & this is how you can help. (Service95)

And for my local yokels… Maryland sues the administration over location of FBI headquarters. (AP)

Another for my local yokels… Furloughed workers recalled to clear buildings at Goddard [Space Flight Center]. (Greenbelt News Review)

Sale Alert & Style Inspo

Wow, a lot of great retailers are starting their Veterans Day and Black Friday sales early! A few of the best:

Athleta is offering an additional 10% off through November 11th with code 10FORYOU. I already got the Flurry Henley in the color Borealis, but with this promo code got the Rainier leggings and Softshell Gloves in the same color.

Aurate, a high quality ethical jewelry company, has 30% off sitewide with promo code BF30. Offering lab grown and naturally sourced gems with quality metals, this is a site worth checking out for nicer pieces to give or gift yourself. I love this heriloom-inspired emerald necklace; you can choose vermeil, 14K, or 18K for the metal and choice of color too.

Caddis, a favorite place for reading and prescription glasses, is offering buy one get one 50% off with promo code MOREPLEASE. I personally own Miklos, Triple G, and Shelby and always am complimented on them and find the prescriptions done perfectly and the customer service stellar.

Chico's has a few sales going on; my personal favorite is 30% off sweaters, jackets, and pants as some of my favorite sweaters and pants in my closet have been from Chico's. If you're looking for refined yet comfy pants, these slim trousers and these wide leg trousers are good choices. And how pretty is this velvet blazer and matching pants?

Lands' End has 50% off sitewide! I am partial to the down maxi coat, these cords, the cashmere crews, and I own and love this packable raincoat.

Ruggable has up to 25% off styles of rugs, runners, and doormats at this link and they will arrive in time for Thanksgiving. Ruggable also gave me promo code ALISON15 for 15% off!

Ruti has its Pre-Party Sale with 15% off site-wide. I think Ruti makes some of the best fitting and best quality jeans; I own and love these (hello petites). I'm drawn to these pants and think this skirt is so cool (summer with a tank or tee and sandals; now with chunky boots and a chunkier sweater).

The Nordstrom Early Black Friday sale is on and honestly a lot of items are the same items I saw in the Anniversary Sale. That being said, I dug through it and found some real gems. I added my picks on my Nordstrom Storefront but shared the best of the best below:

• For the teen and college aged girls on your holiday list, you can't go wrong with Marc Jacobs. This card holder is less than $40 and this shoulder bag is over 50% off and under $130. Longchamp makeup bags are also a popular option and this one is over half off. I know my teen would be thrilled with a pair of these. Beauty is also a safe bet and this lip oil set is under $15
• For the younger set, a cute range of glow in the dark PJs with some options under $10 and the sweetest sherpa hoodie with ears. Also a lot of Mini Boden is on sale.
• A lot of fragrance is on sale 15% off and it's great brands like Chanel, Dior, Tom Ford, Jo Malone, and Maison Francis Kurkdjian.
• Hello $99 100% cashmere pashmina in some of the prettiest colors!

See/Hear/Read

Season 1 of Nobody Wants This (Netflix), my husband and I binged it on a rainy weekend we headed to Ocean City, New Jersey for his birthday. He thought it was kinda silly, but still was engaged; I really enjoyed it. And I was excited for the return with Season 2.

I don't know if the show got worse, or if we just thought Season 1 was better than it actually was because we watched it after consuming edibles, and this year we're no longer consuming but it was bad. Joanne was a jerk, Noah was whiny with a scrubby neckbeard, the product placement was stupid and blatant, and the only shining point in the show (beyond Sasha and Esther's new ‘dos, which both rocked), was Justine Lupe who was stellar as Morgan.

The romance and the charm I remember from Season 1 was gone and now it was a drippy guy smitten for a not-nice asshole and I really had no desire to see them act coupley and didn't care if they made it or not. I had more invested in Morgan and Dr. Andy. Yeah, I'm going to pass on any future seasons of Nobody Wants This and have no desire (for multiple reasons) to ever again purchase anything Estee Lauder.

As for books, I got to about 80% and DNFed Glitz, Glam, and a Damn Good Time: How Mamie Fish, Queen of the Gilded Age, Partied Her Way to Power by Jennifer Wright. But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. It's just that it sort of got repetitive. There were only so many descriptions of parties I could take until I figured I got the jist and didn't need to go on.

The audiobook was read by Ashle Atkinson who plays Mamie Fish on The Gilded Age which added a fun element until it was just enough of hearing that affected accent. But honestly, if you enjoy The Gilded Age or history from that time, you're intrigued by socialities and how the wealthy lived at the turn of the century, Mamie Fish was an interesting character and this book did a good job of making history accurate yet entertaining.

For Your Entertainment

Chalk is a Belfast-based techno group that began making music together in 2022. And to be honest, beyond this 2024 article in Rolling Stone there is little I am able to find out about them. But the YouTube algorithm served me the video for Chalk's single, “Can't Feel It,” which came out two weeks ago and I was mesmerized by the hybrid of Depeche Mode mixed with 90s club music and the video mixing modern-day with the Middle Ages and totally could see myself dancing to this in my bedroom or rocking out to it while cleaning the house.