Weekend Reads for No Kings Day

I follow several of my Facebook “friends” who voted for the current president. These are folks I used to work with, go to school with, even live with. Over the months, I have seen a few of them reduce the amount of pro-administration content they were sharing. One even admitted this week that they joined a group for those who no longer support MAGA.

If you're finding things aren't going the way you expected when you were in the voting booth, you're not alone. It's not healthy to have the government dish more drama in one week than a season of RHOP. It's not a healthy relationship if you have to keep making excuses for their actions. Find your fellow neighbors who are not cool with everything going on right now at your local No Kings gathering.

Things are not good, and as a country we need to make drastic change to work with the country we have become in this period of time. But it doesn't have to be this way. It's immoral and history has proven time and again it is not successful. Visit Mobilize.us to find the No Kings rally closest to you.

I love this country, I will be wearing my Lands' End American flag sweater with pride for this beautiful land of the free and home of the brave.

Weekend Reads

Speaking of Lands' End, I'm thinking of getting this linen shirt for Karl.

It wasn’t just about the fringe and the bling: Sly Stone's fabulous style. (New York Times – gift link)

I joined every class action lawsuit I could find, and so can you. (Wired)

Rimless glasses used to give ‘Grandpa’ vibes. Are they now cool? (Wall Street Journal – gift link)

These new peptides could give you better orgasms. (Allure)

The plastic surgery trend booming among Washington men. (Politico)

Am I hot or not? People are asking ChatGPT for the harsh truth. (The Washington Post – gift link but need an account)

My friend Dina Fierro, just started a podcast called Origins of Influence. An OG style blogger herself who moved to the brand side and has worked directly for brands like NARS, Christian Louboutin, and Sheiseido, she is the perfect person to delve into the history of this wacky job and interview those who have been in it a long while and know it best.

An online creator went from a “nobody” to a conspiratorial sensation on X. What he gets in return is less clear. (New York Times – gift link)

A dive into the weird world of StyleForum reveals the secrets of “conservative business dress.” (Politico)

Vance, DHS appear to back deportation of popular ‘Menswear Guy.' (The Hill)

I just got these flat sandals in leopard print as a dressy alternative to Birkenstocks. They're roomy enough for my wide feet, look dressy, and will be great for travel as they take up hardly any space or weight and look chic with pants, skirts, and shorts.

Creature of the late afternoon. (n+1)

The “big beautiful bill” treats single parents differently. (Axios)

Anorexia in middle age and beyond. (New York Times – gift link)

We need to talk about perimenopause and eating disorders. (Self)

As TikTok bans #SkinnyTok, here's how to protect yourself from ‘thinspo’ content online. (Glamour)

Have I mentioned my love for MERIT's The Uniform tinted moisturizer? I currently have 6 different tinted moisturizers on my dressing table, gifted from popular brands but this is the one I continue to use over and over. I am shade 22, there are 15 shades to choose from. It plays nice with SPF sunscreen as well as additional makeup (I use this concealer from IT Cosmetics on top after letting it dry for a few minutes).

The 4chan-coded ideology behind Elon Musk’s war on Normies. (Mother Jones)

Handcuffing a U.S. Senator is a warning. (The Atlantic – gift link)

I'm kinda obsessed with this belt. Cinch flowy dresses, pair with all the poplin skirts this season, and replace self-belts on shirtdresses. It's so fun!

Style Inspo and Sale Alert

Let's talk strapless bras. This summer, you will find that many of the looks will need one. One shoulder, off the shoulder, spaghetti strap, strapless, halter… a strapless bra will extend your style this season.

• My personal favorite as a 36 F/G is the Wacoal Red Carpet, and I know it's a favorite for many of you as well
• NOOD's Game Changer bra tape really works; I have them and it works for busts up to G+. I highly recommend also buying the tape remover for an easier and more comfortable experience.
• This Soma strapless bra is great when you need good definition and lift and have a larger bust.
• This Soma strapless is a bestseller for busts up to C for good reason: comfort, shape, and natural lift all day or night
• Smaller but want lift and shape? You need to check out this strapless bra from Pepper.
• This bra from Spanx is one of the highest-rated bras out there from B-DD

Didn't get to take advantage of the Soma $29 bra sale? Well, this weekend, Soma bras are $35 each if you buy two or more. There are some really pretty colors and prints this season at Soma; and it's fun to be able to get pretty matched sets in a range of sizes. I dig Blue My Mind, Palm Perfect, and Blue Heaven.

Ally NYC shoes are so good. They're designed with a podiatrist, high quality materials, great size and width range, and make beautiful timeless work and occasion shoes. And right now Ally is having its Semi-Annual Sale with 15% off all in-stock shoes and 20% off archive styles at this link. Returns for store credit, unless final sale is noted so for a shopping guide check out my Ally Shoes review for the pumps, and my Ally Shoes Forever Flats review.

Top row, from left to right: one (00-40) | two (00-24) | three (XS-XXL) | four (0-20/22 & petite) | five (XS-3X & petite/tall)
Bottom row, from left to right: one (XS-XXL) | two (00-20) | three (XS-XXL) | four (00-12) | five (14-32)

I own the orangey and white dress in the top right corner; it fits well, looks expensive, doesn't wrinkle easily, and my Wacoal Red Carpet bra fits under perfectly!

See/Hear/Read

I have an album on my phone of screenshots of books to read. Instagram Stories or feed photos, paragraphs in a Substack, mentions in an interview. And when I'm in need of a new book, I head to Libby and put in the names and keep trying until one is available. And the latest Libby Roulette book II finished is Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors. My screenshot does not show who exactly recommended this book; I wish I knew so I could thank them.

Avery, Bonnie, Nicky, and Lucky are sisters; their last name is Blue. One is a successful attorney, one is a famous model, one is a championship boxer, all considered quite successful at first glance. But one of the sisters dies unexpectedly, and the book follows the three other sisters as they navigate their sister's death, their pasts, their present, and their relationships with one another.

When I started Blue Sisters, I was meh. The writing felt very heavy-handed. And while there were still too many similes and metaphors, the story grabbed me. It reminded me of shows like This is Us, Sisters, and Parenthood, where you get invested in a family. The more I read, the more I wished this would be made into a movie or limited series.

I didn't read a thing about this book until after I read it. And I wonder if I liked it so much because I listened to it. I had to look up how to spell Nicky, as in my head it was Nikki.

The narrator, Kit Griffiths, had such an unusual halted delivery and an accent… I had to look Griffiths up to figure out why it sounded like that. Griffiths is British and the sisters grew up in NYC, so I think it is their attempt at a New York accent? Griffiths did do well with the range of British accents; the American ones were so weird but it grew on me.

I am on the waiting list for Mellor's first novel, Cleopatra and Frankenstein; it too is read by Griffiths. I just admit after so many hours, I miss Griffith's voice. That being said, two books may be just enough.

I don't believe in putting your head in the sand, but there's something to be said for a TV show so entertaining it temporarily takes your mind off the effedness of the world right now. And currently, that show for me is Duster (HBO Max).

Josh Holloway (who forever will be Sawyer to me) plays Jim Ellis, a driver for a mob boss based in Phoenix, Arizona. He drives a 1972 Plymouth Duster, hence the name of the show. Jim Ellis is 1972 Southwest Sawyer. They both give folks nicknames, are both too charming for their own good, both get in trouble but have hearts of gold.

Rachel Hilson plays rookie FBI agent Nina Hayes (fun fact, both Hilson and her character are from Baltimore) who takes over a case investigating Southwest Sawyer's boss.

A wacky combination of hijinx, touching moments, gruesome moments (especially in a bowling alley), comedy, and badass car chases ensue while also shining a light on 1970s racism and sexism in both Arizona and the FBI. It feels nostalgic, the soundtrack is fire, it's campy but also charming. And the fashion is so incredibly awesome, almost as awesome as Southwest Sawyer's dimpked grin as he drives off leaving a cloud of dust from his Plymouth Duster.

For Your Entertainment

Happy Pride Month, y'all! Just in time for this beautiful month, Australian singer and drummer who goes by G Flip dropped their video for the single, ‘Big Ol' Hammer.' With a cameo by comedian Fortune Feimster, this video is inspired by Grease Lightning with choreographed dancing and plenty of eye candy.

“This is probably the queerest song I’ve ever written. This song is about the feeling of putting on a tool belt with a big ol’ hammer – it’s camp, tongue-in-cheek, fun, and not to be taken too seriously. When I wrote it, I immediately knew I wanted to release it during Pride.” – G Flip