Things You Might Like, No. 7

Another week gone! And time marches on and on. This week’s newsletter is a long one; you won’t be able to read the whole thing in email, so do click through to read it all. Thanks to those friends who have offered suggestions and asked me to look into things; I hope I’ve helped! Onto the links!

Things to wear

A friend of mine asked if I would provide some ideas for “going out” outfits, so here we are! I’m splitting this into three general outfit categories: jeans and “a nice top” (the favourite of millennials everywhere); shorter hemlines (i.e., mini skirts or dresses); and longer hemlines (i.e., midi / maxi skirts or dresses), and while I had planned to include them all in the one newsletter, it’s already so long after only doing the first category that I have to split them up. So, parts two and three are coming!

• The stalwart of event dressing in the 2000s, the concept of jeans and a nice top is, I think, an always-valid option for dressing up for dinner, drinks, dancing (the best kind of nights). It’s not the concept or formula itself that has dated (even Vogue agrees), but making sure that the individual pieces themselves are feeling a little more current than what we were relying on ten or fifteen years ago. (A general disclaimer that ultimately you should wear what makes you happy and comfortable and confident, no matter what anyone tells you! The following suggestions—and actually, this applies to everything that I include here each week—are if you’re interested in updating certain pieces in your wardrobe.) So, jeans: hold onto your skinny jeans if you want to, because they’ll definitely come back into being the “it” style sooner or later (and here are a few ways to keep them feeling fresh in 2023), but for a more modern look I’m really loving both the straight leg and mom styles that have a high waist (but not ridiculously so), hit just above your ankle, and have a bit of room to them. I also think that they look great on most people, no matter your size or shape. You can splurge and go expensive if you like investing in denim: I like these, these, and these from Reformation (US sizes 23—31); these, these, these, and these (US sizes 23—34 ), and these (US sizes 23—33), from Agolde; these, these, and these from Citizens of Humanity (US sizes 23—34). For less expensive picks, I like these, these, and these (AU sizes 4—20), and these (AU sizes 16—26) from Target; these, these, these, and these (AU sizes 24—34), these (AU sizes 24—32), and these, these, these, and these (AU sizes 18 petite / full length—24 petite / full length) from Just Jeans.

  Your “nice top”: the sky is really the limit here, but the nice top should (for me, anyway) have something interesting going on, and / or should show a little bit of skin. That’s not to say it has to be super low cut, but rather might show something of your décolletage, be one-shouldered, or might have more of a revealing back or something. Some options! This, this, and this (AU sizes XS—L), and this (AU sizes XXS—4X) from Mango; this from Forever New (AU sizes XXS—L); this (AU sizes 6—16) and this (AU sizes 4—16) from Seed; this and this from Country Road (AU sizes 4—16); this (which I’ve shared before but I love, love, love) from J.Crew (US sizes XXS—3X); this, this, this, and this (US sizes XS—XL), this, this, and this (US sizes 0—12), and this, this, and this (US sizes 14—24) from Reformation; this and this (US sizes XS—XL), and this, this, and this (US sizes XXS—XXL) from Dôen; this from Belle & Bloom (AU sizes 6—12); this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and this (US sizes XXS—3X), and this, (US sizes XS—3X) from Anthropologie; this and this (AU sizes XS—XXL), and this, this, and this (AU sizes 6—16) from Dissh; this, this, this, and this (US sizes XS—1X) from Modern Citizen; this, this, this, and this (AU sizes 4—20), and this (AU sizes 4—18) from Sézane;

  The other great thing about the “jeans and a nice top” formula is that it’s super versatile. Wear with stilettos, block or kitten heels, or flats (perhaps a pair of on-trend Mary Janes), pop a blazer on top if you need a bit of warmth, or even a coat in these winter months, and you’re good to go. Endlessly stylish and with a million combinations to create or explore.

Things to put in your home

• If you love colour and are looking to update your bedding, check out the collaboration between Melbourne company Kip & Co and iconic Australian artist Ken Done. The collection includes quilt covers, coverlets, pillowcases, blankets, as well as picnic mats, lunch bags, and napkins, in a range of quintessential Ken Done prints. Read about the collaboration as well on Broadsheet.

• More colour, more ceramics! I love this fun collaboration between Robert Gordon Pottery and Brisbane artist Claire Ritchie, which you can read about here as well.

• Parents with very little ones might find these caddies useful: a way to pop some nappies, wipes, creams, extra clothes, cloths, dummies etc close at hand but in a way that keeps everything together and helps reduce clutter. Cheaper, sans-leather free versions are also available at Kmart and there are a million options on Etsy too (this one is currently on sale for $7.50). Pop one in each room so you’re always prepared.

• I was also asked to offer some thoughts about how to manage clutter and things in a small space. It’s taken me a while because it’s something I wanted to do properly, as I think a lot of information available offers solutions that require spending a lot of money and/or making structural changes… and those options are great if you can do them (absolutely go ahead with window seats and banquettes with inbuilt storage or couches that have inbuilt storage if you can), but if you can’t, well, what are you going to do? So I thought I’d talk about how to implement storage into your place to keep clutter at bay as much as possible in ways that make things look nice — that is, not just using big plastic boxes / containers — and hopefully keeping costs as low as possible.

  So for me there are three main categories: stuff you can put away behind a cupboard door / in a drawer etc, stuff that is technically “out” but can be strategically hidden to remain out of sight, and stuff that is actually out and visible. Determining what fits into these respective categories is obviously dependent on what you own and where you live, but there are ways to be relatively creative about doing this. For instance, might lowline plastic tubs or fabric boxes help you utilise not only the space under beds, but even the space under your couch? Do you have furniture that can be placed in different places in your house to help with storage? For instance, dressers / drawers don’t have to be confined to the bedroom, but can look really beautiful in living rooms, bathrooms (another great example here), or kitchens (and if they’re timber, provide some always welcome warmth) while helping you shut things away. (I have an old dresser in my living room that holds my sheets, some toiletries, so many candles…)

  To store things behind closed doors, you can head over to places like Howard’s Storage World and Organised HQ (and less pricey places like Kmart and Target) and pick up plastic bins and trays and containers etc… but old shoeboxes and the like work just as well. I like to corral things in this way as much as I can in my cupboards etc because even if there’s a lot of stuff crammed in, everything has a place and you’re able to access everything relatively quickly.

  For the stuff that needs to be left out (whether that’s for ease of access, lack of space, or whatever), I try and use baskets and bins and things that look nice so that the stuff itself is hidden, and so you’re still looking at nice things in your space. I’m a big fan of woven baskets like this, and have them on a shelving thing in my bathroom/laundry to keep all my washing things and hair and makeup stuff away. That’s the other thing — where to store these baskets and things? Utilise the space under coffee tables (again, lowline baskets are your friend!), under consoles and tables, and even behind your sofa if you can, all of which help make your choices look intentional and like a design feature rather than something you’re doing out of necessity.

Things to watch

• The Matildas are through to the quarter finals of the Women’s World Cup! Watching the matches on tv has been very lovely; seeing tens of thousands of people cheer for women’s sport is amazing. The next match is tomorrow afternoon against France; if you haven’t already been watching the tournament, Australia’s matches are airing / streaming on 7 (or the 7plus app). (Other matches are on 7mate.) I love as well that so many community viewing sites have been popping up all over the place; here is info on the Fifa Fan Festival in different cities, but if you want to watch in a local park I’d recommend checking out your local council website. (For instance, here is info from Penrith City Council, and from the Inner West Council too.)

Things to read

• This week I happened across this 2020 essay by Meehan Christ, published in the London Review of Books, that asked if it’s okay to have a child. Even if you already have children, I’m sure I’m not the only one who has pondered the ethics of bringing children onto a planet that is burning, into a world where the profits of fossil fuel companies are prioritised over the maintenance / protection of / fight for safe living conditions. Christ’s paper is eloquent, rigorous, and unflinching in probing why individuals face the brunt (and feel the burden) of these ethical questions while companies like BP and Shell eagerly stoke the fires of climate change. It is a remarkable piece of writing. Please read it.

  I believe in the possibility of human flourishing on this planet while also acknowledging the profound barriers already in place, and the profound risks – which are not shared equally – posed by ecological catastrophe. Some may find this naive, but the alternatives can only guarantee a barbarous future. I have to believe there are ways that children today might learn to live lives with some joy in the midst of whatever is to come. This is not to say that you should have a biological child. I rather think the point is that no one should tell anyone else whether or not they should procreate. One does not have to give birth to believe in the possibility of a human future.

• Read this interview between Kerry O’Brien and Noel Pearson on the “Yes” campaign for the Voice to Parliament, as well as how the Voice would function:

  The core message is that this is about recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of Australia and that the provisions that the prime minister has steered through the parliament … is about guaranteeing a body. The provision says there shall be a body to be called the Voice. The second aspect is that the purpose of this body is to make representations to the parliament and the executive government about matters affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. And thirdly, it’s the responsibility of the parliament, which will have the power to make laws about all the details, the details being composition of the body, the functions of the body, the powers and procedures of the body.

Things to listen to

• Earlier this year Opposition leader Peter Dutton mobilised the words of Martin Luther King, Jr in his opposition to the Voice to Parliament: “The great progress of the 20th century’s civil rights movement”, he said, “was the push to eradicate difference—to judge each other on the content of our character, not the colour of our skin.” How is it possible that a man who infamously sat out the 2008 Apology to the Stolen Generations (for which he has since apologised), who warned Melbourne of “African gangs”, could use the words of a civil rights activist to campaign against the Voice? I really enjoyed the 7am podcast’s episode this week that explored this question; lawyer and activist Nyadol Nyuon explained how in mobilising King, Dutton is seeking to decontextualise his words and language, dismissing the history of both civil rights activism in America and the legacy of settler colonialism in Australia. Well worth a listen.

Things to do

• Restaurant Hubert, a French restaurant in the CBD, does a cool “Magnum and Movies” event throughout the year, giving you the chance to eat yummy French food, drink lots of wine, eat popcorn and watch films in a beautiful basement theatre. It’s partway through the winter program, and on 21 August they’re doing Fargo! Tickets are $165 (steep, but include everything) and always sell out; if you don’t manage to get tickets for Fargo, the program runs throughout September with other great films showing.

• A friend of mine alerted me to a play coming to the Sydney Opera House soon: The Visitors, showing from September to December.

  On a sweltering day in January 1788, seven clan leaders gather on a sandstone escarpment overlooking the harbour. The attendees, six of them Elders and one a new initiate, catch-up, laugh together, share a meal, and compare notes. But beyond the friendly banter, protocols, and hospitality, a momentous decision is waiting to be made.

  A mysterious fleet of giant nawi is amassing in the harbour and as they creep closer, these seven representatives must choose unanimously: whether to send these strangers on their way or welcome them?

Things to care about

• [Content warning: domestic violence] For the past few weeks, I’ve wanted to link here articles or coverage on the ongoing crisis of domestic violence in this nation. The reason I haven’t is because, infuriatingly, coverage is scarce. Peter Damjanovic has been arrested this week for the brutal murder of his on-again, off-again partner Tiffany Woodley in Perth; Matthew Cox has been charged with two counts of murder after police found the bodies of his wife, Tayla, and eleven-week old daughter in Rockhampton; a man in Tennant Creek has been sentenced to almost ten years in prison for his “disturbing and extremely violent” attacks on his partner and their newborn baby; Mahmut Cigercioglu has been found guilty of stabbing his wife Lutfiye Kavci in Shepparton and driving away with their four-month old son; the remains of Melbourne woman Maryam Hamka are believed to have been found in the Mornington Peninsula … these are stories (assaults, convictions) from this week alone. And sure, I’ve been able to link to these individual occurrences, but my goodness, where is the coverage reporting these as part of a larger pattern? What will it take to keep women safe? Destroy the Joint on Facebook continues to count the number of dead women each year in Australia; the latest count is at thirty-four.

Other things

• I’ve not made it a secret that one of my goals is to rent a house in Tuscany for a month and just be in Italy—relax, eat, drink, write. Ideally friends and family would come along if they wanted, and we could just all be together (and everyone is welcome, let’s split those costs). This article from House and Garden UK of Tuscan country homes is doing nothing to quell these desires. Sigh.

• Also from House and Garden UK, a list of the world’s most beautiful train stations.

• And a list of the world’s most beautiful libraries, from Architectural Digest. (I gotta say, though, the La Trobe Reading Room in the State Library of Victoria is one of the most beautiful library spaces I’ve been in.)

Until next week,

Chelsea