Weekend Reads for the Middle of October

The midterms are right around the corner, and now is the time to put forth effort.

• Ensure you are registered to vote (Maryland, we are one of the states that has same-day registration at early voting and election day; bring your ID and a utility bill and we'll get you voting in a jiffy).
• Ensure your neighbors are registered, and especially for those who are older and/or have mobility issues, offer to give them a ride to the polls.
• Grab yourself a sample ballot and do some research not just on the candidates but any questions on this ballot. Scroll down on Ballotpedia, enter your address (or any address in your district) and it will provide you with what will be on your ballot.
• Instead of buying a sweater or a latte, consider donating to my Giving Circle which is being used to fund elections in battleground states. A donation means extended reach to those who may be on the fence, or may not even know about a candidate.
  • I recently made this reel for a county-level election in my area and was shocked how many people had never heard of the candidate before. Donations can fund ads, knocking on doors, meet and greets, and that last push needed to get that seat and change the tide for our country.

Weekend Reads

Forgive the Bad Texters. (The Atlantic – gift link)

Traveling Solo in Paris. (A Note on Style via Substack)

Did you see the Lingua Franca x MS NOW takeover this week? Love that it's a fundraiser!

How Everything Became Gambling. (New York Times – gift link)

Dear J.CREW, are you having a mid-life crisis? (Allison Webb via Substack)

These candles are the perfect gift for that certain someone.

Over 40 and on OnlyFans. (Gloria)

I put this in the shower for me but my husband has hijacked it. It's great for those who like one soap for head to toe, but also want one that isn't fragrant and leaves skin very soft and happy.

Coming Out at 50 Can Be Hard. Shelly Found a Coach. (New York Times – gift link)

I went to the ‘existential hope’ gala and left hungry. (Oakland Review of Books)

Imagine this over a black fitted turtleneck, a simple tank or cami, a white shirt, your favorite not-so-little black dress.

Sara Bareilles is not your grief guru. (Los Angeles Times)

The Rise of the IRL Influencer. (The Atlantic – gift link)

I know y'all love Ruggable; did you know they came out with easy care wool options?

Are 60-Second Microdramas the Future of Hollywood, or the End? (New York Times – gift link)

Want to update your not-so little black, gray, navy, pink, taupe, or brown dress for a dressy occasion? Check out this bag and these shoes; I love them both and the price is fab!

Choosing not to have children is MY maternal instinct. (The Female Lead via Substack)

Why Extra Cushioning in Your Shoes Might Actually Increase Stress on Your Feet. (Wall Street Journal – gift link)

Part Chanel, part Patagonia, and I love it.

The True Cost of Rape in America. (Cosmopolitan)

Can These Tools Help You Manage Menopause Symptoms? (New York Times – gift link)

Not sure why but I'm super into this top.

Extremely powerful people want you to believe that there is no joy in being alive. (White Pages via Substack)

Reading Is Not Dying. (The New Republic)

A seasonal alternative to the denim jacket.

On getting old(er). Meet yourself, honestly. (Everything is Liminal via Substack)

In a recent Reel I shared, many folks commented they loved my embroidered pouch. It's this one from Elizabeth Scarlett.

Style Inspo & Sale Alert

Style Inspo

I was perusing Ann Taylor's New Arrivals and it reminded me how I love Ann best for late fall into holiday season. The colors, the silhouettes, the attention to detail… it inspired me to make this mini capsule that can go from the office to special occasions easily mixing and matching (and also working with your existing black pants, jeans, and sweaters in black, navy, gray, and plum).

BTW, that gorgeous coat looks to be the 2026 version of the pink Chesterfield I have from Ann Taylor, seen here and here.

And Gap has been really rocking it lately with better materials, better style, and a return to its roots: closet classics with a touch of something cool. I pulled together some of my favorite pieces in the New Arrivals: great jeans, even better jackets, 100% cotton sweaters, and accessories at good prices that take your wardrobe to the next level:

My favorites? This crescent bag, this chore jacket with an adjustable waist for figure definition, and no surprise, this coat. Though the one I will be most likely to add to my closet this season is this blouse or this blouse, paired with my brown leather pants, corduroy pants, and dark wash jeans. And this is a cool alternative to a scarf (and would be great over a button-down, with the collar popped peeking out).

Sale Alert

The Ruti Friends & Family Sale is going on with 20% off storewide. If you were thinking about the On the Loose Pants after this article, now is a good time to get them. I recently got these cords in Pomegranate (seen above) and they're quite lovely. This jacket (seen above) matches the barrel jeans and is a fun denim jacket alternative that always gets compliments from strangers.

See/Hear/Read

See

This week we gobbled up Carrie, the latest retelling of Stephen King's novel. (Prime) Based on the original story but with a lot of modifications to make it modern, and make it able to come back for more seasons, my husband and I both really enjoyed it and didn't feel any need to compare it to the book or any of the previous adaptations.

The cast is full of people who look hella familiar. Yep, the principal is Shaggy, Chris' mom is Rollergirl, the guidance counselor is Peter and Larry and Harold Krenshaw.

A Mike Flanagan production, if you know his other works (Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Hill House, The Fall of the House of Usher to name a few), you will recognize actors from them (including Kate Siegel, his wife IRL).

The Carrie cast was stellar, the little details in the show that may be missed the first viewing added such an interesting layer (I've been reading all the Threads about it), and this isn't terribly scary or gory or shocking.

I also felt the teens acted like teens (though I'd hope teachers and cops would have a little more sense). Also, if you're not yet a fan of Haute and Freddy, this show is pushing you hard to become one.

Hear/Read

As for books, right now I am enjoying Under Story by Chloe Benjamin. This is one of those books that came off my Libby waitlist and I had no idea where I got the recommendation or what the book was about.

Hrm, it's a contemporary novel about a woman who went through a divorce or some other traumatic thing. Oh, it's a book about a woman who goes to Antarctica. Wait, it's a book about mycology. Hey, it's actually a book about quantum theory, or is it relationships, and wait, is it also about time travel? I am not even halfway through and I am invested.

I've been chatting about neutrinos and fungi and working at McMurdo Station with everyone I encounter IRL. Have you read Under Story? Don't ruin it for me, but this is feeling like the summer I read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow when I can't read it fast enough but I also dread when it ends.