I couldn’t possibly keep talking about my new pared-down style. Could I?!

As much as I adore turning a look on the right occasion, I have truly enjoyed taking a style step back this year. During a recent Saturday night girls’ dinner, I rocked oversized Levi’s with my black Aligne cardi and some working girl pumps. My friends were truly aghast! Although not so shocked as to avoid petty commentary about the over/under of my new subdued style sticking. I’ll show them!

In honor of the days in-between the holiday soirees and end of year celebrations, I want to explore options for off-duty dressing. And I’m not talking the latest athleisure for Holiday 2025. We are celebrating the 5th anniversary of being out of quarantine, so what do you say we actually enjoy it?

A. Grocery Store + Other Errands as Assigned: Great denim alert! I just organized my most-worn sweater collection, and can’t wait to pair my go-to J.Crew rollneck or vintage GAP/BR stripes with some good jeans and a loafer. The puddle on these Lioness jeans is so good, and is the perfect wash paired with this 2025 Crazy Stripe! Let’s hear it for the Boys’– loafer selection. The Ferragamos and Allen Edmonds are both < $400 at Shopbop with code HOLIDAY. In ladies, I am obsessed with the giant buckle on these Ferra loafers. If you’re reading this, you already know how worthy of an investment that is! Great time for in-between hair appointment slick-backs with a good tortoise clip and one of my all-time favorite gels.

B. Pilates + Neighborhood Coffee Shop: There is nothing more exhilarating than a challenging workout ahead of a blow-out holiday celebration. I love a 9 or 10 am Pilates class paired with a coffee treat. My current Memphis go-to is the iced vanilla latte from City & State. I am head over heels for Athleta’s butter-soft stirrup leggings and this more toned-down take on the famous Staud colorblock quarter-zip. So you know, Staud is doing 25% on $250 and up. I made the grave mistake this past weekend in Nashville of trying on perfect-fit Chanel ballet flats in quilted black leather, and now they’re all I can think about! The Pilates outfit options are endless because while the workout is real, you’re not sweating buckets afterwards so a post-jaunt is all but required. I have been rocking a mini version of the 2023-famous Naghedi woven bag for everything from work meetings to dinner dates, but this little leopard Liffner is catching my eye. Remember my favorite no-make-up, make-up routine here.

C. EOY Doctors’ Appointments: Whenever I think of a doc appointment, I consider how quickly I can get in and out of my clothes. Sexy, I know! A dress and leather jacket always make the cut. Yes, it does sound absurd, but please hear me out– in an effort to be totally efficient, I apply the KISS method (Keep It Stupid Simple) by wearing two pieces max. I love both leather options under $500 here and here, and would pair either with this great mesh-knit maxi dress or a no-fail Polo RL t-shirt dress. Snag those loafers from above for an easy slip on/off with some cozy cashmere socks. (PSA- the Quince cash socks are terrible! Avoid at all cost!)

D. Fun Lunch With Friends: How fun to catch up with friends for an on-the-fly lunch in the midst of all the hubbub of fancy cocktail parties and over-the-top family gatherings? Go full cool girl in barrel jeans or leather trousers + a slim tank and a fabulous third piece. We all know I am very much a Nadaam Stan, so hop to their too good BF sale! I get non-stop wear from my leopard print booties, so find my favorite version here or venture into snakeskin here. Natalie Borton is a fantastic follow for this exact style of perfect denim paired with simple, but statement-making accessories. She has also recently added a compelling assortment of vintage outerwear to her Cali-based designs.

Speaking of off-duty, a few things I am looking forward to watching, reading, listening to and doing during the first few weeks of the holiday season.

• A re-watch of The Firm because #favestoryoflife. I just listened to this podcast episode with Thee Literary Zaddy of Our Time, Mr. Grisham. I dare you not to fall madly in love!
• Two books on audio— Charmaine Wilkerson’s Good Dirt and Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake. Great for my upcoming final drive to Nashville. Praise be!
• Cannot wait to devour the second season of Landman. My goodness, I love the Ali Larter/Billy Bob combo!
• Doing my own nails at home! I have wayyy too much going on to get involved in manicures right now. I will be slapping on OPI’s Como Se Llama? at every turn!
• Writing weekly on this here website! It’s been nice to clammer on about nothing in particular. I believe writing is a holistic practice, so I am making an attempt to do it whenever I can.
• Avoiding email— I put an OOO on my personal Gmail account. Legiterally, leave me out of it. Thx!
• Seeking out IRL opportunities to volunteer. I donate to a handful of what I deem as very worthy organizations (World Central Kitchen, Planned Parenthood, the Memphis Library Foundation, etc.) but I want to get my hands on the action!
• I am blasting Christmas music– duh!– but I am also eagerly awaiting the latest from Fred again… I am already obsessed with “Talk of The Town.” Subcategory, other songs I’m loving lately: “Everything is romantic ft. caroline polacheck” x Charli xcx, “Stephanie” x Buckingham Nicks, “No Broke Boys” (original) x Tinashe, “My Old Ways” x Tame Impala, “405” x Justin Bieber, and “Hero” x Michael Kiwanuka.
• Following an intentional boycott of all things involving leadership at a certain local arts org, I am returning to my beloved Nutcracker ballet next month. I adore this piece equally for its pure holiday nostalgia and my decades-long love of dance. I cannot wait to throw on some fur to go cry some big ol’ holiday tears!
• So. Much. House. Shit. This Merry Mahjong party is igniting something feral in me, so I am leaving no stone unturned or dollar unspent to get ready! Best believe there will be a whole post-party breakdown.

Okkkkk, let me know all about your Q4 off-duty must-haves and must-do’s! Xx