Premium Subscriber-Only Round Up #16
Weekly recommendations just for you.
Welcome to the premium subscriber only round up! This newsletter includes a little bit of everything from fashion news to recommendations. As always, I want to hear from you too. So leave a comment or send me a message!
STORY TO KNOW:
I don’t think this will come as a surprise to anyone, but clothing prices are rising. According to CNBC, apparel prices are up 5.2% from last year, with the number increasing every month. The interesting part of this that the report points out is that sales from excess inventory are more significant than ever. This juxtaposition speaks to just how vast the fashion market is and why so many different brands can compete. While plenty of people are shopping for clothing at the lowest cost possible, some are still willing to pay retail value to have the newest trends and styles.
Read the whole story: CNBC.com.
RECOMMENDED READING:
A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch is my current patio read. I have been reading it in 20-minute chunks all week while I take a break from writing, and it’s the perfect easy-to-digest novel. It follows a privileged young writer following her boyfriends and ex-girlfriend around for book material. It, of course, turns into an obsession. There’s plenty of sex and fun dialogue, which, in my opinion, is what I want to read in the heat. Some parts of the plot are a little absurd, but I’m enjoying it for what it is.
Buy it: bookshop.org.
STYLE NOTE:
This year is the first summer in years that I have worn sandals. I know it sounds absolutely bananas, but I usually don’t like them and don’t see a need outside of special occasions. I don’t know where I got this (because I don’t feel this way when I see other people wearing them), but I always feel sloppy. But before I went on vacation, I bought a pair of simple slides to get me through the heat. And reader, I am here to admit my mistakes. Now I am on the hunt for the perfect thrifted pair because I am apparently a sandal person.
Maybe these Rick Owens platforms?
FOOD SPOTLIGHT:
I feel like nothing shines in the summer like a local cafe. No matter where I am, sitting outside drinking too expensive iced tea and picking at a pastry makes me feel cosmopolitan. In my neighborhood, there are dozens of these spots, but none elicit this feeling like La Cantine in Bushwick. I’m not sure if it’s the fact that the bread is local or if lavender in a latte makes me feel fancy, but I love making an excuse to take a break and go there during the day - even if it’s just a piece of bread and a coffee on a dirty sidewalk, it's like a little treat that feels luxe.
GOOD OUTFITS:
Just some great outfits I saw this week.
******************************************************************************
Thank you for reading!!
This Stuff is a newsletter by me! fashion journalist, Alyssa Hardy. Three times a week, I unpack the ways our clothes impact the world through news, essays, interviews and more. Subscribe for free here and follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
You can preorder my book "Worn Out: How Our Clothes Cover Up Fashion's Sins" here.
