I decided the other day that what I desperately needed was some sort of checked, tweed or herringbone blazer. These things do suddenly come at me out of nowhere and I was obsessed with tracking down the perfect iteration of this. There are many on Net a Porter that cost £2,000, which I did not try, but I did give an Isabel Marant Etoile one a go and was reminded afresh what ill-fitting, badly-made detestable crap most “designer” clothing is.
Instead I went to Me + Em and bought this jacket and have worn it every day since. If you are, like me, sloppy and big-titted and therefore tailoring suits you best, working from home with not even a Zoom call to dress up for is a little tragic. But this is relaxed enough to be worn about the place with a navy sweater and jeans to feel both relaxed and smart at the same time. Hot damn, those ladies at Me + Em know how to stitch a jacket.
I went to see my friend Abi for a group freak-out about the 11+ and I wore this jacket because I knew she’d love it and she gasped and said I love your jacket and I said, “I know, right,” and made her buy it. Also goes perfectly over any one of the 400 “smart” hoodies you bought over lockdown.
I generally despise Zadig and Volatire for its ageing-raver-mum who does coke at the weekend vibes but I saw this Beckett Jacket in the window and stopped short. If I hadn’t found something very similar two years ago in a charity shop, which I wear approximately 4 times a week, I would have been all over this. The sizing is ridiculously generous. I am a size 10 and take an XS. The pricing, at £395, is also off the mark by about £300 - my advice, if you like the look of this, is bookmark it and stalk it until it goes on sale.
My friend Annie texted me to ask about beachwear. She has a stressful, emotionally gritty job and is at the sharp end of the Ukraine crisis. When she has five minutes off, she treats herself to a window-shop for her summer beach vacay. “You don’t need a beach dress, sister,” I said, “you need Valium.”
She said, I also need a beach dress. So, because I like to do my bit for the war, I directed her towards this H&M shirt. Don’t be fooled by the picture, which has dressed this up as a nightshirt. I mean it is a nightshirt but is vair chic on the beach with the cuffs rolled up and open at the neck. This model also must be very tall as I am 5’6” and the XS size comes below my knees. Every single other bitch at half term was in those bonkers twirly dresses from Aspiga, which cost £200+. I mean, go for it if you want to be dressed like everyone else and Amen to Aspiga for their sustainable ethos, but if don’t want to look like a clone this summer… hard pass that.
Last thing! The “about” description of this newsletter says it will cover, among other things, “great eyeliners”. I have failed so far to do this because - confession! - that “about” section was written in a rabbit-in-headlights-panic, which I always get when put on the spot. Give me a blank page and I will write until the laptop battery dies, ask me to write a headline and I will blink at you, silently, like I speak no known language.
But I now do actually have for you a great eyeliner. It’s this one.
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have bought the shirt. WHY DONT COMPANIES KNOW WE WANT SLEEVES ON BEACHY THINGS FFS.
I’m in love with the nightshirt. I could make it work in any clothing situation. Except in bed.
You SO still have it, Esther 😘