style journal + june favourite things

getting better, aging and *not* shopping for my vacation self

June was an unexpected month for me. A severe iron deficiency, followed by a long awaited iron IV with some side effects, meant my energy was up and down. But life with three kids means rest is elusive and scarce, so I soldiered on and write today’s substack from the airport.

We are on our way to our way to California for two weeks. I’m excited and tentative because a part of our trip is a road trip from SF to LA and we aren’t a road trip family. But I’m optimistic because the thought of driving down the Pacific coast seems like the adventure my crew needs. Wish us luck!

style journal:

You’ll be proud (maybe), but I did not do any holiday specific shopping for California. It took some will and being under the weather (lol) to not buy outfits for my vacation self. We’re also spending a good amount of time at a friend’s summer house, meaning loungy, beachy clothes, versus euro summer outfit energy. The Pacific coast also feels more laidback and easy, and so it was more a process of figuring out how to dress for varying weather and travel situations than shopping for them - cool nights, windy days off the coast, sitting in a car for four hours, beach to town to dinner, and so on.

I spent a little bit of time looking at the pictures of people who live in those areas or have visited, to see what they wore as reference points. I came to the conclusion that what would work for me was the following: breezy skirts and dresses, comfy sandals and sneakers, summery pants for casual days, a few warmer layers (sweat shirt + summer sweater), beach coverups, a few tees, silky pants and a couple cute tops for evenings. I’ll report back on how I fared.

June favourite things:

reading:

Commonwealth by Anne Patchett. I randomly picked this up at a little library on my evening walk. I’ve read Bel Canto and loved it, so wasn’t surprised that this drew me in instantly. I’m realizing I love stories about families and their delicate interrelationships, particularly stories about siblings. Please share any such recommendations!

I bought Bird Milk & Mosquito Bones at Type Books on Queen Street. A memoir about a women displaced from her home in Kashmir. I can’t wait to start it.

Another book I want to read is the The Anxious Generation. Social media and teen mental health are two topics I think about a lot and this discusses both.

Our June bookclub pick was The Women by Kristen Hannah. The novel is about an American women who serves as a nurse in the Vietnam War. It’s the first fiction book I’ve ever listened to, and it’s been nice to pop it on when I’m driving or cooking dinner. I don’t gravitate towards historical fiction (perhaps having studied so much history in University?), but I’ve been enjoying learning about the experience of nurses in Vietnam through the life of Frankie. Some of the characters felt a bit cliché, but I’m glad I listened to it.

listening

I love making playlists for trips or events. I made one last year for our Puglia trip and still listen to it when I want that laidback, summery feeling. I wanted to make one for California, but couldn’t get organized. In the looooonggg to-do list of end of year and travel and summer prep, making the playlist wasn’t top priority. But still, would’ve been nice to be listening to it while driving.

watching:

I started season three of Bridgerton, but I’m only one episode in. Looking forward to getting into it when I get home.

thinking about:

Every morning I find new grey hairs (or so it seems), and it feels scary to see a part of myself transform. As much as I want to embrace getting older, the undeniable shame that’s been imbedded in us by culture and the beauty industry is deep in my psyche. I remind myself not to feel bad that it bothers me, given my entire life I’ve only been fed images of anti-gaining campaigns, unattainable standards of beauty, and cultural beliefs that equate beauty with self worth. I’m mindful about these narratives in front of my daughter and how I speak about my appearance (rarely and always kindly), but separate from that I’m sorting out how I want to meet aging process…

In this effort, I’ve been making a point to filter what kind of people I look and follow online. I respect each women’s choice to do what she wants to her face, but I also want to expose myself to women who embrace and discuss the aging process. I’m not sure how I will navigate the changes in my face and body, but I do know who we surround ourselves with and the conversations we have about the aging process have an impact on how we view ourselves.

buying:

I purchased the Santa Croce Dragon Diffusion bag in the colour tan and size medium. It feels summery and timeless and practical. A follower raised the concern of colour transfer onto lighter clothing, but from my understanding this is only if the bag gets wet. Something to consider for sure if you’re interested in it. I’ll share how I find mine, but I love the shape, the way it sits, and how relaxed it looks. I got mine from a women’s clothing boutique in North Toronto called Snapdragon.

I recently picked up a great pair of pool/beach sandals from the brand Freedom Moses that can easily be worn outside of those settings and have more support than a classic flip flop. They come in a slew of colour ways and are very comfortable.

wearing:

My two fave looks this month:

Old Aritzia slip skirt with a tee and a white poplin skirt with a minimal off-white top.

While I didn’t do much pre-shopping, I am hoping to do a little shopping while in the US. There are so many iconic California brands I’d love to try - Jenny Kayne and Doên to mention a couple. Fingers crosses these kids don’t thwart my plans!

making:

Pantry items from scratch has been my jam.

Grass fed butter ghee:

Almond and brazil nut milk:

Signing off for now. As always, don’t forget to leave a heart or a comment because it always means a lot to me to hear from you!

PS: Apologies for any typos. I didn’t have the same amount of time to edit, but I wanted to send it out on time!

X,

Sana