Something to #2
Here's everything I loved this week, from Perfect Days to Spring rituals and uniform dressing.
Hello, hello, and happy weekend! I need to start this newsletter by saying how happy I am about Something to; not because it’s brilliant, smart or anything of the sort, but because it’s keeping me accountable to actually jump on Substack and write.
This week has been one of highs and lows, bringing some reflections and thoughts to the table. The first was an exercise of not feeling guilty for taking time for myself during a tough family moment, and keeping up with my own routines as a way to recharge, process, and look after my mental health and body. It’s never easy, feeling like you should be somewhere else — but it’s also necessary to show up for yourself in order to be capable of showing up for others. The second thing was getting dressed. It seems absurd and totally futile, but putting together an outfit that you enjoy and feel good about can actually be quite “therapeutical”. The third and final one was a reminder of how important it is to let go of expectations of others, and learning to be ok with the fact that you can’t control how someone responds to what you say, do, or feel.
Anyway, here’s everything I enjoyed this week!
Something to do
A Spring ritual
Listen. I get that some people can get intense with this whole Spring equinox thing, but hear me out: sometimes, all you need is a little Spring ritual to leave Winter behind (not that there’s anything wrong with Winter, Winter is great, Winter means coats and we love! coats) and feel refreshed for the new season. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy, it just needs to make sense for you.
Here’s a few things I’ll be doing:
Deep cleaning my house with sage. Yes, I’m aware of how this makes me look.
Buying flowers.
Doing a dress-up day, as brilliantly suggested by Emilia from Shop Rat. Fun!
Baking more cakes.
Reformer pilates, stretching, and walking.
Leaving my phone outside of the bedroom and trying not to reach for it first thing in the morning.
Journaling as soon as I wake up and right before going to bed. Currently eyeing these two for that.
Something to watch
Perfect Days, by Wim Wenders with Kōji Yakusho, Min Tanaka, Arisa Nakano, and Tokio Emoto
After exchanging a few messages with a friend on Monday, we decided to watch a screening of Perfect Days, the 2023 Wim Wenders movie that follows the story of Hirayama, a Japanese man with a simple (yet very meaningful) life. With a gentle and purposefully repetitive pace, this movie made me reflect on a few things: that there is beauty to be noticed in the most mundane moments; that the ordinary can be as moving as the extraordinary; that being vulnerable is a gift that will lead us to meaningful encounters with strangers and familiar faces alike; and that I should eat lunch outside more often. The ending scene perfectly encapsulates what it means to be human and feel everything we need to feel — the beauty, the sadness, the gratitude, the solitude, the happiness, the grief —, as Hirayama drives into the sunrise for another perfect day to the sound of Feeling Good by Nina Simone.
Something to read
This essay from Mind Mine
I came across this piece from Isabel while browsing Substack yesterday. The essay is not only a delight to read, but also a great reminder about focusing on perspective and “inverting the onion”. If you’re someone who has a hard time appreciating where you are and what you have, and constantly striving for the next thing, you’ll probably enjoy reading Isabel’s take.
Here’s a quote that particularly spoke to me while reading it:
Much of maturity is this slow, burning realization that the Inner Ring is never quite as glamorous, sparkly, or magical as you think it will be—and noticing that what you already have is pretty damn good. You go somewhere beautiful and glamorous, but feel relieved to come back home to the people you love. You move somewhere to make new friends, but are eager to come back to those who know you deeply already. Maturing is this process of realizing that where you are, the people you’re around, the blessings you have, the city you live in—contain so much abundance that you could hardly behold it if you were to pause and feel it fully.
Something to shop
Cord belt
The humble accessory that we’ll probably be seeing everywhere this Spring. What I love about the cord belt is its simplicity and versatility, and the way it elevates any wardrobe staple, from a blazer or coat to a sweater or dress. You can even wrap it around twice and wear it with a pair of jeans, trousers or skirt for a little something something. If you’re looking to add this piece to your closet, this one from COS is a great place to start.
Something to recreate when you don’t know what to wear
A simple black + white outfit
I’m not going to lie: I absolutely love uniform dressing. There’s something reassuring about having one or two outfit formulas that you know will always work, especially when you’re in a style rut. For me, one of those formulas is a black + white outfit. This one from Clara Dyrhauge caught my eye this week for a few reasons: one, ballet flats; two, the contrast between a wide leg jean and the more feminine / sleek shoe choice; three, the texture of the bag, which is particularly perfect for Spring. I’ll absolutely be recreating this, and I already know exactly the pants I’ll be styling.