fashion - The Seventh Sphinx

It’s strange, the style of sunglasses I was scouring the internet for three years ago—thick but not too-thick white frames, aviators or pleasantly sculpted, lenses not too small, not too big, no nose pieces (hair-friendly)— to virtually no avail (save the Vuarnets) suddenly, when searched anew on a summer prep whim, are readily available.

Clearly I am ahead of my time.

Here is the winning silhouette from the latest search, Coach Celia sunglasses. [There’s a runner-up that may be joining the party later on, incidentally (or maybe it’s no coincidence?) also from Coach (Irma).] This gently arched shape, a softer version of a classic 50s style, has become known as the Audrey silhouette, I think thanks to Celine’s Audrey and Baby Audrey frames from a few seasons ago (and thanks to Audrey herself). It’s an easy shape, simple and I suspect flattering on many faces.

They don’t seem so rare, do they? But I tell you, I couldn’t find a pair of sunglasses like this a few years ago for anything. Giant bug glasses, blinged out aviators, yes, but something simple like this, and something simple like this for ~$100: crickets.

So pleased.

Zara scarf and coat, MAC Velvet Teddy lipstick (favorite nude of the moment), Dior-dupe double ball earrings (eBay).

Oh, and I’ve been wearing eyeshadow! Sometimes! Was completely inspired by this genius guest tutorial with Matthew van Leeuwen on celebrity makeup artist Monika Blunder’s channel (be sure to watch both parts). So many good tips here, like focusing the crease shadow slightly above the actual crease, right on the orbital bone, such that the shadow isn’t simply lost in the crease (as it is on my hooded eye). Instantly converted to this approach after the first try.

I enjoy the process of shopping, whether physically or virtually adding items to the cart (and removing items from the cart, this also key), and find it especially satisfying when there is some harmony or narrative to the cart, as when, in the grocery store, purchasing ingredients that complement one another, seem conspicuously to belong with one another,* reveal precisely what you intend to make with them.

*Conversely, also deeply satisfying when they seem conspicuously not to belong with one another, when the cart contents are markedly odd and unexpected as a unit.

Not every vendor carries a sufficiently broad range of categories to make interesting juxtapositions, though, too, I’ve been pleased with certain combinations of just shoes or just paint brushes – it needn’t be a precisely logical harmony. It’s not that the items would necessarily be used together, though perhaps that might be the case, or it might be fun to imagine it as the case (say, a skirt and a pair of sunglasses), but more that they are aesthetically compelling together according to whatever quirky beauty-logic is currently reigning in my head at the time.

Here’s a recent J. Crew cart I found pleasing, somehow more appealing to purchase these items together than it would have been to get any given element singly.

Here we have: two neutral silk camisoles, Garance Doré stationary, notebooks, notecard, Troi Ollivierre lipstick in Parker.

See what I mean? Love this largely cream palette with gold accents and that single pop of berry pink. I like the range of textures, too, metallics and silk, paper and cream. What would also have been fitting in this cart is these great cream and gold New Balance 620’s (really like their various brand collaborations, for the record, some great color combinations). Really similar to a pair I was jonesing for last year but couldn’t find from a vendor that would ship to the U.S.

Only of course they are sold out of my size.

Hm. I’ll try to show some other examples later (do you like seeing what people buy? I’m often interested to know this kind of mundane data, and it’s not a bad way to learn about new products). Definitely doing some spring shopping at the moment.

Category: fashion

Coach Celia sunglasses

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