Audit 003: Zoella's messy bun & combating ennui
Millennials have had their fun, it's Gen Z's turn to be cringey and nostalgic now!
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I’ve felt a bit stagnant recently. I’m content, but the things that usually excite me have lost their shiny-new-object luster. Reading through my daily inbox of Substacks while sipping on an iced vanilla latte doesn’t hold the same appeal as it did when I first discovered this community and acquired my own Bialetti. I’ve felt a sense of meaninglessness in posting too. I’ve felt detached, slightly frustrated, and bored.
I usually hate daylight savings. I still do because really, it is depressing when it gets dark at 4 pm. But this year the fall back at least felt like a harbinger of some much needed change— A forceful shift out of my routine. This is especially true since as soon as the time changed, so did the weather. Much as I love October, we’d been stuck in an endless loop of daily 80 degree highs & 50 degree lows, which is really hard to dress for!
editing note: this has not aged particularly well post-election as the political change actually feels like a “fall back”.
Underneath my ennui, remained a mustard seed of hope that a novel setting might jump start my inspiration-engine. I coerced myself to walk to the slightly further away, outdoor coffee shop that I love but haven’t been frequenting due to their annual summer wasp infestation.
I have such a picturesque view of the now-red, gold, and green park through my window that I sometimes forget to step outside my glass box and actually participate in the beauty. In fact, my walk was even more idyllic than my view. It was muggy and slightly sticky— my favorite kind of weather. I took a childlike hop into the damp but still freshly crunchy fallen leaves. Noticed an absurdly giant leaf and wondered which wisened old tree it must have come from. Comfortably layered up in Uniqlo Heattech thermals™. Delicious intermittent wafts of my Bibliothèque sampler. New blog post ideas finally bubbling up inside. Sat beneath the heat-lamp warmth of my favorite fall coffee shop. No wasps in sight.
Can you tell I’m reading Intermezzo right now?
Today’s Agenda
fashion mood & musings
closet flow: items archived & added
wishlist state of the Union
reality check: what are people really wearing?
fashion mood & musings
2012 Zoella-core messy buns
this I’m going to let you in on a secret— sometimes, when I’m deep in languish, I search up Zoella on youtube, sort her videos oldest to newest, and put on a Primark haul from 2011 (or anything of the like— Tyler Oakley, Troye Sivan— you pick your fruity, British, indie twee poison).
I label this ‘secret’ because the sentiment around nostalgia seems to have soured. For a society that elevates productivity and doing something always, there’s no use reminiscing. Or, nostalgia is simply an advertising tactic used to pull on your heart (and wallet) strings. Or it’s characteristic of cringy Millennial Disney-adults who use skinny jeans as a security blanket. Nostalgia means being stuck in the past.
Now let me let you in on another secret: something once popular was usually popular for a reason. Trends recycle yada-yada. Okay, that one’s not really a secret.
In this case, Zoella’s iconic oversized messy bun was popular because it is really cute. It’s also a low-effort way to add casual chic-ness to your outfit. I’m nostalgic for Zoella and 2012 YouTube because damn they really did do something there!
Why now? Simply put, it’s time.
no, not that time— get back in your ice cube Mariah, we’ve got a whole month to go Gen Z is all grown up and I’d guess Gen Alpha is chomping at their skibbidi toilet bits to make fun of their elders while simultaneously reinventing their trends. Naturally, now that Gen Z are adults, they yearn for their childhoods. Plus, we’ve finally had enough time apart from skinny jeans, riding boots, and yes, giant buns. It’s the perfect fall storm for some face framing strands and a chunky top knot.
i bet you infinity rizz (someone plz stop me) that you’ve seen this pic floating around inspo boards recently Split hem kick flares
I saw a cool girl wearing these on my way to work early this year, so when I spotted a similar A&F pair at Crossroads for ~$25, I happily scooped them up. For a while, I regretted buying them. It was hot out and I had no desire to wear skin-tight black pants. Now that it’s cooled off though, I’m loving the unique silhouette they create. It reminds me of when you only button the top of a cardigan— but for your legs.
isn’t this itsy sliver of ankle just precious? I prefer to pair these with a flatter shoe, since pairing them with any sort of heel tends to get rid of the open-drapey aspect that I like.
Turtlenecks (if you couldn’t tell from the above photo)
I like mock necks too though, I don’t discriminate As an always cold girly, I love turtlenecks— the bigger the funnel the better. I want it to look like my little head is being swallowed whole. Turtlenecks look elegant while still being practical and warm, which is a rare combo. To balance out the high neck, I like wearing my hair up— particularly with a claw clip or the aforementioned Zoella bun. A more laid back updo also keeps the turtleneck from feeling too formal, giving a whirlwind ‘I just got back from studying at the library’ look.
Just make sure you don’t buy an itchy turtleneck, which feels a lot more like being strangled than a cozy warm hug.
or do it for the Rory Gilmore bit and layer a second turtleneck underneath your itchy 100% wool one like me!
Scents & Scents-ability
I’ve been trying out a different scent from my Byredo discovery set every day. The jury’s still out on my favorite because I have 2 weeks left to redeem my voucher for a full size bottle.
I will say that this new daily ritual has been fun and a great way to brighten otherwise sallow days as of late. More thoughts to come!
Closet Flow
Items Added: 3
Jessica McClintock for Gunne Sax dress (thrifted - $5)
pic doesn’t do it justice I saw this in the boys section?? on my way out of the thrift store and couldn’t believe the serendipity. Also available secondhand here, here, and here as a mini dress. It fits perfectly and is so so cool and chic. I love an elevated LBD (little black dress).
Babaton body con mini dress (thrifted - $35)
While I don’t need more dresses, I have wanted a trusty sleek going out dress. This simple callback to Hervé Léger in muted espresso brown is perfect for the job.
St. John knit jacket/sweater (thrifted - $35)
Ok I really debated this purchase because I felt like I might be succumbing to a microtrend— One of my favorite chic fashion insta influencer ladies frequently wears similar jackets, so I questioned whether the purchase actually made sense for me. Finally I decided to buy it, vowing that I would wear it ASAP to make sure I liked it. Similar here and lots of options here.
I in fact stayed true to my word y’all! Don’t I just look like the cutest military dictator there ever was?!
Items Archived: 7
I did a mild closet clean out/re-org this week because it was starting to feel suffocated and confused. Here’s what got cut:
brown cashmere v-neck
olive cashmere crewneck
Firstly, I realized I’d accumulated enough cozy fall sweaters that I LOVE, that I could get rid of any placeholders. Now, the only reason I have placeholders is because I’m a sucker for thrifting <$5 cashmere. If you’re buying new though, I don’t really believe in placeholders.
black Zara wide leg jeans
My black Levi 501s were in the laundry basket— side note: not doing the laundry is a helpful tool for pairing down your closet because it forces you to confront your less worn items— so I opted for my wide-leg Zara pair instead. I proceeded to feel ‘meh’ about my outfit the entire day. Zara nails the silhouettes, but the way the material hangs and wears throughout the day never holds up. I’d given up on buying Zara (secondhand ofc) a while back, but now I’ve fully thrown in the towel on trying to make my old Zara denim work.
pink maxi slip dress
I specifically wore this last weekend to do laundry and clean the house pre-shower because I knew I wouldn’t want to wear it elsewhere and didn’t care about getting it dirty. Enough said.
brat green jacket
plaid vest
I’ve finally accepted the fact that these pieces just aren’t me, despite being really cool and unique thrift finds.
black marching band-esque jacket
I thrifted this when I first started seeing the silhouette trend last winter but could never get myself excited about wearing it. Now that I’ve found my vintage St. Johns version, I’m ready to part with its weaker counterpart.
Wishlist State of the Union
I finally bought that damn Donna Karan deodorant, and I wish I could tell you it’s mid, but it’s not. It smells delicious.
New to the wishlist is an oversized tortoiseshell hair clip because 1. I love tortoiseshell, 2. I hate having my hair in my face, and 3. I love the idea of elevating my founding fathers ponytail. BUT I’m trying to find something secondhand before purchasing new.
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Also, Glossier Stretch Balm Concealer— I went to Glossier this weekend to find my shade (very light 3— who knew I wasn’t cool toned??) in case I order this from the Sephora sale. BUT if I really think about it, my Maybelline Age Rewind, which I’ve used for years, works perfectly well.
When I first started looking into perfume, I came across the surprisingly delicious Zara selection. Sure they’re probably not as complex or long-lasting as other houses, but damn do they dupe well. I own and love Sultry Pear (a JPG La Belle dupe). When I stopped by Zara and spritzed myself this weekend, I was reminded of how much I liked Bohemian Oud. Their BR540 dupe is also tempting since I cannot justify spending ~400 on a single bottle. BUT I need to go back and test them both again to be sure. I’m in no rush to add more fragrances to my collection right now.
Reality Check — what are people really wearing?
Long hair with loose curls
this vibe I went downtown with my boyfriend this weekend and so many girls are growing their hair out/had it curled in loose waves a la 2010’s. Is this due to the advancement in tech which makes styling long hair easier? Dyson Airwrap owners plz lmk!
Prada tortoiseshell glasses
At a halloween party this weekend I briefly talked to a girl who was decked out in Designer— Van Cleef necklace & bracelet, enewton stacks, Bottega drop earrings, Adidas Wales Bonners, smelt of the real BR540— you get the idea. But what stood out to me were her Prada glasses. I don’t typically associate starter pack designer-lovers with quirky glasses, which is maybe silly of me but I always assumed they’d be contact-wearers. I loved her bold choice in eyewear despite the more ‘safe’ accessories. I’m used to artsy folk in chunky glasses (my entire family), but she pulled off oversized specs in such a different, more glam way.
On my trip downtown I saw another cool girl in a similar pair. I would never have stumbled upon this snazzy trend in my online bubble!
xx Audrey
P.S. some final thoughts: I’ve gotten a lot better at appreciating beauty/trends and not actually buying things. However, I’m still a sucker for a good TJ Maxx purchase because of their generous return policy. I frequently buy things and then return them for a full refund a few weeks later when I realize I don’t need them. Is this behavior healthy or problematic? It doesn’t cost me anything except time, but if I enjoy that time, then is this shop—>return—>shop loop actually a positive?