Saturday Snack: Surfy Things for End of Summer

Like the Earl thing? Pre-order my book, What to Wear Every Day, which is essentially a guide to excellent personal and practical style at 40+. AND! Go to EarlURL.com to shop an extended assortment of my picks. AND! Come see me at my store, Earl IRL. I’ve been busy this year.

Oooh boy, we’re coming up towards the last little bit of summer and I am feeling it. I took a Summer Friday today to have a bunch of kids over for a pool party, and as much as I love working and doing all the things I do, that was a very, very good idea. However, on another store note, if you’ve wanted to shop the store but haven’t been able to get there, OR, you’re a big fan of super-luxurious under-the-radar-ish shoes, I put together this little thing of my Fall Herbert Levine buy. Each pair has the price and the sizes available - if there’s an astrisk that means there’s two. If you’d like to pre-order a pair, email me! [email protected]. I’m going to start doing this with some of our more high-interest items, until, of course, we can put them all on EarlURL!

This week I wrote about sexy/party dressing if you’re not 22 but still want to look and feel festive. I liked the outfits a lot! I also had a very excellent blowout c/o Mara Roszak and Rōz, so that definitely helped me get in the mood.

I also did a VERY FUN and very very giggly Substack live with my friends Albert and Bettina from Rocha the Store in Austin. It was a great chat about store life and having a tiny eensy beensie shop on your own terms, but I got a phone call halfway through and the audio cut out on my recording of myself! UGH! I mean, you can still listen to Albert and Bettina bicker with one another and talk. Albert and I met working at another store in Austin and has become one of my closest friends and has helped me so much with my store. If you go to Austin, you must go see them at Rocha.

This week, I’m going over to my good friend Danielle Sherman’s (who does Sherman Field fine jewelry) to talk about her work, and for her to do some jewelry styling tutorials on me. Tune in on Wednesday!

And now, here’s the snack.

THESE GORGEOUS SHORTS

Oh man, this is all I want to wear. A pair of woven, rainbow mensy shorts. This gives me the peak summer feeling I want to marinate in all of August. Marrakishi Life, $400

A TRULY GOOD BODY MOISTURIZER

I pooh-pooh a lot of body moisturizers because I’m lazy, I don’t like the way they smell, and I don’t like feeling like I’m wearing any. And I’ve found a handful I really love (especially everything from Hanni, but mainly their body wash and splash salve), and now I have one more. I got this one as a gift with the promise that it will absorb/dry almost instantly (which it does) and has no added fragrance (it does not). It’s called “Summer Skin” which I’m guessing is because when you put moisturizer on then sweat you feel like a greased pig, and this does not do that. I can sort of slap it on all over myself after a shower or before bed and it doesn’t stick to my clothes or sheets at all. Abi Ame, $29

THESE GREAT WICKER BASKETS

I usually don’t love wicker just for summer—feels too literal—but then I saw these baskets and thought how beautiful they’d be to hold all of our SPF’s and goggles and a bunch of towels and now I’m sold. In LA we need those things more or less year-round, but I much prefer this to the sandy bag we have from a beach shop in Santa Barbara that we’re currently using to house all of that stuff. Joss & Main (top to bottom), $47 ; $90 ; $49

THESE SUEDE CLOGS

To wear with your rainbow shorts (and these) for the rest of summer, and then jeans and bunchy socks in the fall. I love this brown, and the toe shape looks good with full-length wide-leg pants (most closed toe shoes do not). A.Emery, $290

A GORGEOUS COTTON CASHMERE SWEATER ON SALE

Elder Statesman sweaters are treasures. I have one and I just pet and admire and adore it. I am very surprised that this one, an excellent navy classic crewneck sweater is so dramatically on sale, and, with matching cotton cashmere pants also on sale. Heaven for the beginning of fall. Elder Statesman sweater, $294 ; sweatpants, $354

FANTASTIC EASY PANTS

These are just….so beautiful. I love the colors, love the print and the fabric - all of it reminds me of 90’s style but not in a TikTok kind of way, more in a Romeo Gigli or…vintage Dries…kind of way. I just got a pair - they run a little long, but are incredibly comfortable and look great with a structured kind of dressy top or a big blue striped button down. Dries van Noten, $675

THE TOP MY WONDERFUL DAD LOVES

Earlier this week I posted a video I made with my dad of me trying things on in my store. There was one top he especially liked - this one. I have the black in the shop, but this light beige with stripes is also really good. I love the fit and the material is gorgeous, it’s such an unusual thing, and I totally love it. Kallmeyer, $580

A VERY HAPPY YELLOW LEATHER TOTE BAG

Remember the Mansur Gavriel craze when the brand first debuted? I still think their tote bags are one of the best I’ve ever tried. They hold their shape, are minimally designed, super light, and look better and better with wear. I just saw this one, which is a fabulous bright yellow/green, and has the brand’s signature quality and simple construction. Mansur Gavriel, $645

UNUSUAL BUT EXCELLENT HEELS

Try as I might to quit shoes from The Row, I do just love them. These especially, a nice new twist on the Liisa pump - a super cunty wedge. I feel confident that these go with every outfit I can think of, except maybe the things I wear to play tennis. The Row, $1,190

A SILLY STRAWBERRY BAG

I love it so much, even more for fall and winter with a peacoat. A good friend of mine taught me the most genius trick for carrying a bag this tiny - get an Apple Watch with a service plan, and when you go out put the watch face in your clutch or silly tiny bag and that way you don’t have to worry about your phone not fitting. Genius. Alémais, $350

SUMMER IS THE ONLY TIME I WEAR BLACK

There’s a newsletter in here, but I basically don’t wear black any time of year but summer. I love black cotton in summer, LOVE. I think you can also get away with some of the more peasanty bosom-heaving things when they’re in black. I love this dress, but in any other color it’s too sweet for me. In black it feels straightforward and cool. Doen, $280

A TRICK FOR LOOKING AWAKE

I was looking at my son’s eyes the other day (he’s 8) and noticing how bright his eyes look. The whites are pretty white, but also I noticed his waterlines are kind of pearly looking. I’ve always heard of these white liners for your inner eye, but never really bought into it. I want to try this one—it looks beigey enough to not be too stark on the eye. Victoria Beckham, $33

THE ONLY JEWELRY TO TAKE ON VACATION

I hate traveling with jewelry. it’s a pain in the ass to keep track of it and then I never really end up wearing any of it, except for my everyday essential things. I also like to pick up little doodads and string bracelets and things wherever I’m going, so that’s what I end up wearing. I do, however, always like to have a long pendant with me. I think it breaks up my outfits nicely and gives them something interesting without having to go overboard. This one is so great, a little curly moon on a black cord. The easiest thing in the world. Agmes, $390

THAT’S IT AND THAT’S A LOT!!!!!

Your friend,

Laurel