Fall For Me
Isabelle Adjani can't wear glasses, David Hockney totally can, pearls are meant to adorn backs, and Patti Harrison is an outfit scientist, plus other news and olds.
Thanks for waiting for this week’s post (I am, once again, moving around in search of a job, any job, god why did I get saddled with this worthless love of words instead of a passion for wiring or even witchcraft)—it’s full of what I believe to be incredible, fall-forward finds ranging from Isabelle Adjani’s inability to wear sunglasses to pearl necklaces made specifically for your back, plus plenty of commentary. Enjoy!
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Not only does this look feature a JRat top (you know how I feel about Janelle’s work), but every detail is completely copacetic, from the fraying neck of the lace turtleneck to the seemingly metal box-as-handbag to the fact that somehow what I believe to be *orange, fringed monk strap boots* are functioning properly in this look to the sparkles in the top’s sleeves jibing with the shimmering trousers. The relaxed silhouette of the pants and the unfinished edges on the top and turtleneck, paired with devil-may-care hair and gamely nerdy eyeglasses, make this look feel downright chill in defiance of its spangles and frills—this is an absolute masterclass in tempering what could have been an uncomfortably fussy look into something deeply cool with cozy-seeming cuts and restraint in accessorizing. Even the color palette of purple, black, and orange doesn’t feel too on-the-nose Halloweeny because it’s subdued by the textures of each piece. Absolute genius, bravo.
I need to know why Woody Harrelson’s perfectly-faded jeans have the name of the Hawaiian state fish scrawled, apparently in Sharpie, across one knee. There MUST be better things one could write there—say, a message to a crush or a recipe for Rice Krispies—but I do enjoy the insouciance of the gesture and think written-on garments (especially denim and sneakers) will see a lot of action in the coming years. The almost peasant-y linen-looking blouse marries beautifully with the trucker hat, an accessory that does genius things when paired with a romantic or feminine outfit—see Exhibit Meryl:
Glenn Close has her own amazing thing going on here—voluminous, almost barrel-legged jeans paired with a slightly-darker jacket over another peasant-y blouse and finished off with what looks to be a richly embroidered and spangled baseball cap plus what look almost like the Jutti slippers I waxed poedic upon last year. Woody still steals the show, though, with his huge intarsia-knit landscape sweater over the perfect orange tee—may I recommend a $15 Uniqlo U contender on eBay? Not quite dark enough, but on the right track warmth-wise. I hope Uniqlo brings back this colorway in its regular T-shirt lineup soon. The round, plastic-framed glasses and grubby embroidered pouch, plus the fact that the T-shirt peeks out of both ends of the sweater, keep the idyllic design from seeming too “cottagecore.” The fact that it’s Woody Harrelson probably helps somewhat, too, but this is a super easy, comfy go-to fit for days when dressing up seems superfluous this autumn.
Basically the same orange as Woody wore above appeared in this excellent Instagram carousel—I never would have known a dark-leaning crimson was its perfect match if it hadn’t, so, thank goodness! I wonder about the logistics of layering a cardigan over what appears to be a zip-up jacket, maybe starchy cotton or nylon—I’d probably only do this if the cardigan were thick enough not to show the creases and ridges of the jacket underneath like a beleaguered middle school history teacher trying futilely to resist the school A.C. with a paper-thin cardi from a Target subsidiary. I can’t see enough of the above fit to determine if this cardigan is susceptible to that look, but I am guessing it is, and that’s why only the bust is shown here—there are some Babaa options I think would pass muster, but if you wanted to check out a cheaper option, like this $62-on-sale Gap sweater, I’d just say wear a crispy top or jacket into the store so you can check if the cardigan’s weight can hold up to layering.
I feel like I rarely see outfits that mix black-and-white patterns with color (colored patterns, no less)—an underutilized technique! Keeping each pattern loose, i.e. wider stripes and bigger, more spaced-out polka dots, prevents things from looking stressfully busy. Damson Madder is 100% The Place to go for colorful, patterned knit accessories—I deeply love what they do with navy and crimson:
God, I love Patti Harrison. I almost didn’t even read her very Important message because her outfit was so cool—I could see myself copying it beat for beat, with undone hair, a red polo (this perfectly straight-cut one is $11 if you can fit into a boys’ XXL, this also-perfect mens’ sizing shirt is even less), marled gray shorts (are those its pockets peeking out of its hems? What’s going on there?) with plenty of close comps on Etsy, and weirdly-constructed black boots a la Kiko Kostadinov. This outfit is especially great because it makes a black coat look like a concerted choice when it’s added over the base instead of many looks that, when covered in a black coat, can seem stultified.