Issue Nine, Generations of Style
So much of what we write about in this newsletter is inspired by the wisdom and style of our mothers. They are with us when we get dressed, when we cook a meal or dab a familiar perfume on our wrists. With that in mind, we decided to dedicate this issue to the secrets they continue to bestow on us, not because it was mother’s day last week, but because it is important to always be listening to our elders and the invaluable knowledge they have to share. Especially now, when things seem to be changing so fast and we are leaving so many good traditions behind. Here’s to keeping the old ways alive and well.
Alexa, Aaron & Courtney
In the lazy haze of the afternoon, you ride your bicycle past row upon row of fragrant fat privet, the ribbon on your hat fluttering in the breeze. Everyone should have a STRAW HAT that is not cool but classic and Peter Beaton’s Sconset style, hand-braided from thin leghorn straw on Nantucket Island since 1989, is just that. With its black grosgrain bow and brim flipped up Andie MacDowell-style, it is sweet but also different. Try it for a summer wedding with this dress or for a long Sunday ride in overalls.
You run your fingers across his shirts, hanging neatly in a line, and choose one for yourself. A WELL-WORN OXFORD is the best thing you can steal from a man’s closet, and there is no better version than a vintage one from Brooks Brothers. We’ve sourced a few perfectly broken-in men’s button-downs from the 1980s, embroidered with our initials ‘TP’ on the lower chest. The thick American-made Oxford cloth is just heavy enough to keep you warm, but also breathes enough to keep you cool. We love wearing ours large and cozy with an old pair of cut-offs or Bermuda shorts.
Just one spritz brings you back to another place in time. Inspired by the scent of freshly starched shirting, Estée Lauder’s WHITE LINEN, first introduced in 1978, is one of those addictive perfumes you can’t quite put your finger on. To us, it has all the bright crisp sophistication of Chanel’s No. 5, which is also a floral aldehyde blend, but with a soapy-clean American energy and softer, feminine base notes.
You slide them on with sandy toes, as easy and low-key-glamorous as a long and lovely beach lunch. Originally billed as “Exercise Sandals” by the American orthopedic brand, DR. SCHOLL’S ORIGINAL SANDALS have been chic and comfy since 1959, with a clog-style beechwood sole, curved toe grip and adjustable leather strap. (We love their recent collab with Issimo, too.) Wear them with a nice big caftan and a pendant necklace or Jean Shrimpton-style, with belted white jeans and a blouse.
They swing from your ears like a gift from the sea. Designer Ted Muehling has always marched to the beat of his own drum, staying true to his love of nature’s small and delicate details. We love—and wear—so many of his earrings, from the bug clusters to the baroque pearls, but these oversize yellow gold SNAIL DANGLIES are an understated and absolute classic.
They move with you, fluid and light, as you walk into the party, cocktail shakers and laughter mixing with the scent of fresh-cut grass. Dries Van Noten has been a designer you can rely on since he started his label in Antwerp in 1986. Since then, he has reassuringly produced certain core pieces year after year. These ELASTICATED PANTS are one of those, issued in a few new vibrant prints each season as far back as we can remember. Easy and lightweight in a non-wrinkling viscose, they mix well with our favorite silk cami or a form-fitting tee. But grab them while you can…Dries announced that he will be retiring as creative director of his label this summer.
It is soft to the touch, worn with love from so many nights stirring over a warm stove. A good wooden spoon is a non-negotiable for seasoned chefs and home cooks alike. Far superior to any other material, wood doesn’t conduct heat and scrapes flavor expertly without damaging your cookware. This SIMPLE BEECHWOOD SPOON can be found at E. Dehillerin, the almost 200 year-old kitchen store located in the Les Halles neighborhood of Paris. Julia Child was a regular and if you visit today, you might find some of the city’s most serious chefs perusing the shop’s delightfully narrow jam-packed aisles for supplies.
Through the open window in your bedroom, the sound of crickets comes to say the day is done. Make the quiet rituals you perform before sleep magical with A BEAUTIFUL TRAY atop your bureau or vanity where you can place your rings, a night cream or a rosewater face mist. D. Porthault’s laminated trays come in three sizes and are a wonderful way of bringing the French linen company’s prints into your boudoir without splurging on a full Porthault bed set.
It is Diane Keaton, Julia Roberts, and Kim Basinger all rolled into one. A relaxed LINEN SUIT in a natural biscuit shade is one of those never-ending-ly useful wardrobe items. Right now, we’re particularly loving a vest and trouser set, which can be worn together or broken up all summer long. We love it for dinner in the city with a swipe of our favorite new sheer cherry-red lipstick and chunky sandals.
They smile sleepily at the breakfast table, spotting their favorite face, half-covered by a stack of blueberry corn cakes. Whimsical china for children is an idea whose time has largely passed, eclipsed by unbreakable dishes made of recycled milk jugs and bamboo. But we love this playful botanical set of NONSENSE PLATES, made in the 1970s by the Palm Beach artist Franci Young for Scully & Scully in New York. We also love using them to serve hors d'oeuvres to adults (who need to smile sometimes, too).
As always, all of our illustrations are original and hand-drawn in ink by Courtney Broadwater
Visit us on Instagram @theperfectshoppe and at our shop www.thisistheperfect.com for more perfect things!
BTW: we may get a small commission from some of the things you buy here. No extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting our work and ideas.