Monthly High-Five//013

A countdown of 5 things on my mind for May

Hi Readers,

Welcome to the May High-Five!

I’m so excited for some of the topics I’m looking to cover this month. I am going to tackle a subscriber request next week with a Summer accessories edit to add some personality to your looks. I’m also hoping to share some of my best insider tips for looking at quality. If you liked my Sweaters 101 crash course, you’ll love this!

A brief April visual recap…

April flew by…it was very busy both professionally and personally and I think that was reflected in how I dressed this past month. I tend to fall back to basics and simplicity in my outfits and my routine to help ground me when I have a more hectic schedule. In other news, my camera roll was filled with signs of life in nature!

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Let’s Dive Into The May High-Five!

5 Things I’m Loving

Sharing some things I’ve been eyeing and styling for clients this month. It’s a bit more on the formal side as I’ve been helping to shop for seasonal refreshes for work, graduations, galas, and vacations but I’ll show how you can dress these down for the weekends too.

1// I don’t source a lot from Reformation but this gingham linen summer dress + long jacket combo is just too cute! I recommend for clients who like the occasional print that’s still subtle and versatile. 2// I shared this earring from my personal wishlist in my November High-Five and a client recently got them as she was looking for something that felt timeless but more modern to wear for some upcoming dressier events. I wear mine quite casually, which is the beauty of an accessory that can cover all your needs! 3// A Khaite-esque top that’s beautifully constructed at a great price point. I think everyone can benefit from having 2-3 novelty tops in their wardrobes that they rotate in and out every couple of years. 4// I love a simple shift for Summer and this silk number was recommended to a client for it’s gorgeous shape for a relaxed wedding guest option. This COS one is also quite nice in a heavier cotton knit quality. Also obsessed with this tulip shape. 5// For those who get a lot of use out of lady jackets, I love this more feminine take with the subtle covered buttons.

These earrings have come in handy when I want to elevate my casual looks, like this morning heading out to brunch in a cozy sweater. I threw on the earrings to instantly expedite my chic!

4 Ways To Style

Some ways I would style the above options for casual to more dressy moments. As always, I like to repeat some of the same pieces to show you how to restyle in different ways.

Reformation Irene Linen Jacket // Buck Mason Tank // Agolde 90s Jeans // ATP Atelier Sandals (alternate here) // Etsy Necklace // Reformation Linen Dress // Liffner Suede Bag // Mesh Flats // Belt // Agolde Low Slung Baggy Jean // Manolo Blahnik Maysale Heels // Rohè Dress // Toteme Clutch // Aquazzura Heels

Rue Sophie Pintuck Top // Agolde Parker Shorts // Lizzie Fortunato Necklace // COS Raffia Bag // Mesh Flats // J Crew Linen Pants // Soeur Tote // ATP Atelier Sandals // Anita Berisha Seashell Earring // Citizens of Humanity Ayla Jean // The Row Vika Sandal // Dorsey Stud Earring // Attersee Brea Pouch // Aquazzura Heel

Rohè Silk Dress // Eliou Bead Bracelet // Sardine Market Tote // Havaiana Flip Flops // Mango Mixed Bead Necklace // COS Raffia Bag // ATP Atelier Sandal // Posse Harlan Cardigan // Dorsey Earring // Metier Suede Clutch // Manolo Blahnik Heel // Le Sundial Opera Necklace // Sophie Buhai Teardrop Pouch // Doen Mixed Metal Gio Sandal

Posse Harlan Cardigan // Agolde Parker Short // COS Raffia Bag // ATP Atelier Sandal // Reformation Linen Dress // Loulou Saison Slides // Reformation Satin Pants // Sophie Buhai Teardrop Pouch // The Row Vika Sandal // Rohè Silk Dress // Dorsey Earring // Dries Van Noten Bag // Aquazzura Heel

3 AAPI Brands I Love

To celebrate AAPI month, I wanted to highlight three Asian-owned, female founded brands I love. I tend to fall in love with brands whose origin stories are unique and personal. Personal stories drive a strong passion to make a great product and I love that these founders live and breathe the products they’ve built.

Lo & Sons - Founded by 65 year old retired mom, Helen Lo. She was an avid traveler and had difficulty finding a bag that could keep up with her while also protecting her back issues. A bag that wasn’t heavy, frumpy, or “overly-techy” (something I try to avoid in my life too!!). She started the company with her two sons to make her dream bag a reality.

The Catalina Deluxe is the ultimate weekender bag at a great price point. It’s a subtle minimal design that I think just looks and feels cool and relaxed. It comes in a ton of colors and I like that there is a separate base to store your shoes and it comes with a sleeve so you can pop it over your luggage. I don’t personally own this bag but I’ve borrowed my sister’s many times before and she’s been using it for every trip for years and it’s never failed her!

TATCHA - Founder Vicky Tsai left the hustle of the corporate world determined “to choose happiness” which put her on a journey to heal herself from the inside out starting with a switch to mindful skincare practices and natural Japanese ingredients. Every Tatcha purchase also supports education equality worldwide. I think it’s a great Mother’s Day gift if you have a mom that never treats herself to nice skincare products — the packaging and ingredients are so luxurious and really help evoke a sense of self-care.

My tried-and-true favorites:

• Dewy Skin Cream - This cream was my go-to for Zoom-ready days when I didn’t want to wear makeup. The purple tint provides almost a blurring effect to your imperfections with the perfect enhancing glow.

• Rice Polish - My skin is prone to getting red and is quite sensitive around my cheeks so I need a gentle exfoliator. This grainy polish turns into soft creamy suds to lightly exfoliate when I need it. I only use 1-2x a week so the bottle lasts a long time.

• Japanese Blotting Papers - Classic blotting papers which I rely on during humid months to remove oil and shine but these have gold specks which leave a subtle glow on your skin.

CHAN LUU - Vietnamese-born designer Chan Luu started her brand as a passion project, making jewelry out of her garage and the business has been passed down to her niece who now serves as the CEO and creative director. I wore her jewelry a lot throughout college and in my early 20s and regularly share their jewelry but I have been more intrigued with the small RTW assortment they’ve been designing into more recently.

Taffeta Barrel Pant - If my favorite Matteau fisherman pant and Donni Taffeta pant had a baby, this would be it. Such a great statement piece that is still versatile and chill enough to wear with a rib tank or grey tee while running around on the weekends. I love all the colors but the Bronze is especially cool.

Nisha Cardigan - My client purchased this from one of her shopping guides and it’s the perfect blend of edgy but chill. The fabric is a cotton fleece so it’s like wearing a sweatshirt but has the interesting details so you can wear over a tee as a casual jacket or on it’s own as a going out top.

Ramona Poplin Pant - An everyday relaxed cotton pant for Summer. I love the scallop hem detail for just a bit of interest. White feels great for warm months but the Caviar feels more unexpected.

2 Biz Updates!

I’m so grateful to have clients who continue to support my 1 year old business and readers-turned-clients I now am fortunate to work with!

• My 6 week transformational Style Reset service is booked for Summer. I am hoping to take on one additional client in late July-Early August but otherwise, will be booking for Fall. Learn more here and schedule a free call if you’ve been looking for support in transforming your style. Check out a BTS from one of my Winter clients here!

• June Office Hours opening this week - sign up for the waitlist! Thank you for your patience as I welcome the next Office Hours, which I plan to host during the weeks of 6/2-6/13. For those who are new or aren’t familiar, these are 1 hour styling sessions where we tackle your most pressing style and wardrobe-related challenges. Learn more details about the process, see examples, testimonials, and FAQs in this past newsletter.

1 Quote I’m Currently Resonating With

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See you next Sunday for a Summer fun-filled accessories edit!

xx,

Angie