Happy Sunday and happy Pride Month! Our beautiful queer community needs us more than ever to fight for their right to simply exist safely and joyfully. So while this month’s celebrations are without question amazing and incredibly fun, fighting against the countless deeply harmful laws needs to be front and center, not just this month but for as long as it takes. Safety and being yourself shouldn’t be a privilege, it needs to be a right.
This week’s house tour is this stunning bathroom at the 2023 Kips Bay Show House New York designed by Ahmad AbouZanat (who is also a 2023 House Beautiful Next Waver!). When we saw this design we instantly fell in love with that dramatic, earthy color-blocked tile. Also, notice how the tile orientation changes on the side walls! A small shift that makes for a very cool moment. The whole space is both simple yet rich and we can’t wait to see more of Ahmad designs. Check out more photos here!
From Emily: I found the dorkiest (remember dorky is cool now) house shoes that I wear for all my household tasks (which are all day every day these days). I’m a massive winter slipper/house shoe fan, but what about the summer when our feetsies get warmsies? I can NOT walk around the house without arch support and due to my job I do a lot of walking. So I was in Hood River at a great outdoorsy store and tried on these Tevas which were successfully marketed as walking on clouds, so I tried them on and literally couldn’t not get them. They are a perfect mix between sneaker (supportive), house shoe, and sandal (waterproof). I’m trying to not wear them outside so I don’t track dirt inside, but they are obviously great as summer hiking sandals, too. I never knew how Oregonians hiked in sandals but now I do. These are just so supportive and comfortable. And again, I think their chunkiness is on that fence between dorky and cool – a fence I’m living on these days. (UPDATE: If you’re looking for a different color, there are 7 more options available here.)
From Arlyn: I have the great fortune of now living within 10 minutes of Jess, which works out for me because she’s incredibly handy and I always have something for her to help me with around the new house. In exchange, I feed her and let her snuggle my daughter. It’s a very fair deal if I say so myself. Last weekend, I opted for my favorite lentil soup recipe, and while I know June isn’t exactly Souptember, a lentil soup is a go-to recipe for me year-round. This one got the crowd’s approval. Bonus points if you make your own stock from a half-eaten rotisserie chicken you found in the freezer the day prior. Bonus-bonus points if you serve it with your favorite roll.
Also from Arlyn: I’ve never been a runner, no matter how hard I’ve tried (which isn’t very hard) but I recently got into it to be more active and find a way to exercise with my one-year-old in tow, and the Hoka Clifton 8 running shoes have made a tremendous difference in how much impact I feel on my legs and body in general. After asking my community on Instagram to recommend some, these were far and away the top pick and I can see why. I picked a vibrant blue and orange but will likely also get them in black and white (or other colors) soon. They make asphalt feel like a springy treadmill, and hence, running is less painful, to me at least.
From Mallory: I love me a hardworking sandal that I can wear all day long in the summer, so I ordered these and I have VERY high hopes!! They’re Dr. Scholl’s but they’re actually…cute?? I had no idea that the foot doctor (if he even is a real doctor) made good-looking shoes but boy am I glad I learned. I’ve been wanting a good fisherman sandal for a while now, so when I found this pair for under $40, I immediately added them to my cart (I ordered the white pair but the black ones are cute too!) If you’re in the market, I thought I’d share these with you guys!!
From Caitlin: It’s time for my annual recommendation of my all-time favorite swimsuit: it’s this incredible shaping one that makes me feel super supported and confident (so much so that I literally keep the blue one in my car for swim emergencies. You know how secure you have to feel in a swimsuit to be ready and eager to change into one at a moment’s notice at any time? IT’S THAT GOOD). I also have this one in red for when I want to feel a little more Baywatch-y (and the support is AWESOME – I have an F cup and can confirm that it keeps the girls secure). They’ve launched a ton of new styles this year – some with full coverage and sleeves, and some that show a lot more skin – but I’m super excited about this square-necked version that looks really pretty and timeless! They carry sizes XS-4X with short, regular, and XL torso sizes, their website features models of all shapes and sizes (hooray!), and the suits are comfortable and easy to get into/out of by yourself (just to address one of my initial concerns). They sell out EVERY SUMMER – trust me, I am still sad that I missed out on the pink and green versions last year – so if this is interesting to you, be sure to grab one in early June BEFORE people start shopping for their 4th of July long weekend suits. If you’ve ever felt a little awkward or nervous in your swimsuit, I promise that these will help ease your mind a little!! Take it from your resident size 14 gal 🙂 (UPDATE: While Facetiming with Jess on Friday, she bought two and I bought ANOTHER ONE. Finally got my pink suit!)
Also from Caitlin: OK WAIT. I cannot be the only person who is currently being bombarded with IG ads for this magic color-correcting cream that totally evens out your skin tone without makeup, right? I don’t want to be the dummy that goes into this with too-high expectations, but all the videos I’ve seen have been pretty shocking and transformative – does anyone have first-hand experience? Even the before-and-afters on the site are pretty noticeable! The reviews make it seem like maybe the color-correcting drops are a better call for me as a pale gal (a little more sheer, I guess?) but I would love any advice before I consider spending that much on a little tub of goo! PLEASE ADVISE?
Also Also From Caitlin: It’s 6 PM on Friday and I have reopened this post to add one more link because I am OBSESSED with this Architectural Digest piece about the Barbie set. Come to see the famous design elements, stay for the realization that filming caused an international shortage of hot pink paint. (Additional required reading, ICYMI: this Margot Robbie profile in Vogue; this Ryan Gosling profile in GQ – both have a ton of interesting movie tidbits!)
From Ryann: It is high time I talk about this dog bed. It is easily the most design-forward bed I have seen and it actually looks even better in person. It seriously looks like a Sherpa rug. The best part?! The cover is not only removable and machine washable but it’s also water and stain resistant. When my dog tracked mud into the house and on the bed, I washed the cover a few days later and it was good as new. It also should be noted that my dog is high maintenance when it comes to comfort, and he will sleep on this bed all day long. I am SO impressed with this product and can’t recommend it enough.
From Jess: I went camping last weekend with about 50 people so I grabbed my personalized Yeti insulated Wine Tumbler my cousin had made me for her bachelorette weekend (see above). First off, incredible gift. Not to knock other personalized bachelorette-themed gifts but…I’ve never really used any of them after the fact. This however was great for her weekend AND was the perfect reusable cup for camping (especially with a group) since it’s hard to lose track of! You can personalize all kinds of Yeti cups if you’d prefer having a handle or something bigger. Not a bad gift idea for an outdoorsy dad:)
Also From Jess: While I am most definitely biased, my dad wrote a pretty wonderful Father’s Day gift guide in case you missed it and need some ideas (and maybe a good cry:))
That’s it from us today! Have a beautiful rest of your weekend and see y’all tomorrow. xx
Opening Image Credits: Design by Ahmad AbouZanat | Photo by Nick Sargent
Yay to comfortable sandals! I got the Hoka Ora Recovery Flip a month ago and love them— they have great arch support and overall are the most comfortable flip flops I’ve ever owned. Chunky and dorky but I love the colors!
https://www.zappos.com/p/hoka-ora-recovery-flip-trellis-mist-green/product/8899965/color/852768
Flip flops may be comfortable but over the long run are not great for your feet or the rest of your body. The foot is actually doing the opposite of what it was designed to do while wearing them. As your foot lifts your toes have to curl and grip to keep the flip flop on your foot. This is when your foot should actually stretch and stiffen and the toes reach out to prepare it for your heal strike. Those big fat soles also dampen the information your feet should be getting from the ground and sending up to your brain to actually stabilize you. They also send forces through the knee where most arthritis occurs. Our feet are complex engineered wonders and unfortunately we are abusing them with modern footwear. It’s not easy restoring them but it is worth working on if you want healthy feet and body
What an amazing bathroom! The warm earthy tile is so swoon worthy! All that aside, where can we find the Emily’s cute shortalls?
They are the Splatter Paint Cutoff Denim Overalls In Paint Wash by The Great.
Thanks so much!
Wait I’m going to need more information on how and why Jess went camping with FIFTY people?! Also Happy Pride!
Loved Les’s post. And love the dog bed suggestion–will have to try it out. Emily, the sandal link goes to an all-black version. Are you wearing the navy and white one in the photos? (You look super cute!)
ooooh baby, we sold out the navy! you can find 7 colors on teva’s website right here 🙂 https://rstyle.me/+Y-ElISz_z82ddiTNh-Zn9Q
Thank you so much, Caitlin!
Love Ryann’s design forward dog bed. Does anyone have a recommendation for nice-looking pet steps?
I also need arch support in my house slippers, and I’m very excited to check these dorky sandals.
I always thought Tevas were cool and not dorky! I have some that are very comfortable and cool…not dorky!
I bought one pair last month and am now up to three. Sign up for Teva’s emails, they had a big sale and I got two pairs for 50.00.
Caitlin, yes I’ve used the magic color correcting Cicapair solution. I’m sorry to say it IS all that. Sorry because it is pricey. But I can use it and go without foundation, which makes it a cost savings for me. I have the cream too as the Sephora sales clerk, who uses both, said it went better under makeup. I think that is true. But I wear the solution more often. Best advice is to try the travel size or get the sampler, which includes a serum which I found unremarkable. But it is good to try both cream and solution because the latter doesn’t layer as well.. meaning if you can get pilling if you later the wrong thing over, or too soon. But I wear Supergoop sunscreen over the solution and it works great. Also Jess, YES to the Yeti as a gift. The wine tumbler is super cute and not huge. My husband gave the mug shape away to his clients last Christmas and it was a hit. I love that Yeti makes it reasonable to customize small orders. So you can customize a small batch. Might be a great family reunion idea too. Finally, yes to… Read more »
I love Dr. Jart. Their Calming Gel is my ride-or-die. Cicapair is also great, and looks incredible on, however, buy the small size. The product can separate over time and then you have to stick your whole finger in and stir, which is not good for keeping out bacteria.
For keeping out bacteria: a beauty spatula! You can purchase a pack at Ulta/Sephora, on Amazon, etc. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a miniature silicone spatula to stir and scoop out product. Beats digging your fingers into jarred/tubbed products.
As far as healthy shoes go I would recommend looking into barefoot shoes. If you haven’t been wearing them or go barefoot much you will want to slowly transition. Those heavily padded shoes, healed shoes and tight toe boxes weaken the intrinsic muscles of the foot (common plantar fasciitis cause), lessen the ability for your feet to actually sense the ground (one of their most important functions) and create greater force in the knee that actually cause arthritis (also hip and back issues). Narrow toe boxes are a common cause of bunions and the inability for the toes to splay (again an important natural function) so the feet can actually stabilize you. Foot exercises and wearing toe separators for a while each day (again wear for a short period and extending as your feet adapt) are also good to start (especially while you are young). I like Xero shoes. For feet exercise and education check out Gait Happens and Dr. Emily Splachal
I actually learned about the Dr. Jart green face creme on THIS blog in a random conversation in the discussion section about skincare. Love this blog for so many reasons! I have rosacea and have been using Dr. Jart for a couple of years. I love it. Covers well but doesn’t feel or look heavy. It’s also very moisturizing for my dry skin. Its a great product bc I put it on every morning and then if I don’t get more make up on my face, I still feel presentable enough to go out and about. I have a fair complexion and it’s a good match for me. I haven’t tried the drops but perhaps I should.
Caitlin! Consider me influenced, just ordered that swimsuit 🙂 thanks for the rec!! The best facial product I’ve found to reduce redness is SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF serum; it works much better than those tinted products IMO. I always rolled my eyes at people who spend crazy $$ on facial products but whoa this stuff is so worth it—it’s made a huge difference in reducing redness, pore size, and oil production, and improving my skin texture. I use it in place of a moisturizer; if you have dry skin, you can use it under a moisturizer. You have to let the serum sink in/settle for about 10 minutes before applying any other product, otherwise it will pill up, but once it sinks in you’re good—I just apply sunscreen over it (supergoop unseen) then sheer foundation (bareminerals matte powder). The serum is expensive but a little goes a long way, a bottle lasts me ~6 months. Just make sure to order directly from the manufacturer or an authorized retailer like LovelySkin; don’t order from Amazon as you can end up with a counterfeit product.
Happy Pride everybody <3 and what a great sundday link-up as usual!!
I tried the Dr. Jart cica product in the tub awhile back and saw no benefit. I think you have to have low expectations for a product like that…the green tint is not enough to cancel out redness, more just a soothing moisturizer thing. For a less expensive option, I really enjoy the Procure Rosacare moisturizer. It’s got licorice root and is green tinted as well. Very lightweight and soothing. Get it at the drugstore next to the cortisone creams (no idea why they don’t put it with the skincare!).
Caitlin – I have used both of those Cicapair products and have found that Hero Rescue Balm +Red Correct (available at Target or online) is a considerably less expensive dupe. Give it a try!