The List: Sets on The Beach

Calvin Klein's 90's revival, a chic stay in Montauk, and that Jelly drama!

A year or so ago, I went to Rowan in Atlanta to get a second ear hole pierced. I have an intense needle phobia, but my desire for a cooler earscape (read: my vanity) overrode it. I don’t remember much about the experience except that it was over quickly. A few weeks later, my guy’s parents were in town, and I wanted to wear a special pair of Chanel earrings his Mom had given me two Christmases prior. A few hours of a clip-on couldn’t hurt, right? Wrong. The holes got infected, closed up, and healed without a trace. Shit.

Malene Birger top and shorts / St Agni square-toe mules and bag / Eauso Vert perfume / Julietta necklace

A few weeks ago, Studs opened a pop-up shop in Soho called “Fancy Studs,” where you could get pierced with lab-grown diamonds rather than the typical gold stud. The very cool/misses-nothing Lauren Sherman (you should be reading her newsletter at Puck, btw) sent me an invite (really smart brand alignment for Studs), and I couldn’t go. I was so moody and put out about it because I’d psyched myself up to make another attempt at a second hole.

Thankfully, the brand didn’t hold it against me, and I was able to go in for a piercing a few weeks later. The experience was damn-near flawless. She laid me down in case I passed out (which I have a tendency to do), made sure I’d eaten that day, talked me through the whole thing (but not too much), and made sure it was quick and painless. Now I have a nifty diamond STUD, which is a big deal for me, a.k.a. the needle baby.

St Agni sunglasses and sandals / Santal Cream hand cream / Brinker + Eliza necklace / Beare Park top and skirt

I guess everyone else had as nice an experience as I did because Studs has now rolled out Fancy Studs to all of its piercing studios. I can endorse it with great enthusiasm, and that means something, given that my phobia is intense.

Here’s what else is on my radar:

Veronica Leoni and Eva Serrano. Photo: Lexis Moreland/WWD

• There are loads of thrilling summer trunk shows on Moda Operandi right now, but St. Agni really has my attention with their well-priced minimalist accessories and RTW. Malene Birger has a litany of breezy summer sets on offer, and finally, both Brinker + Eliza and Julietta are selling sea shells for the seashore — literally. Just BEACHY!

• Calvin Klein’s been poised for a resurgence given the surge of interest in 90s minimalism, but it felt like they were throwing stuff at the wall without any real strategy for a while. (I guess that Kendall Jenner shoot was cute, but it felt like a half-baked grift on her fondness for The Row.) Now they’ve got a real player up to bat for the first time in years with the relaunch of Collection (and a return to runway) led by Veronica Leoni. Her resume reads like the greatest hits of beloved qu*et l*xury brands: Celine, Jil Sander, and yeah, duh, The Row. She’s also got her own line called Quira, which I’ve ogled a few times at Bergdorf’s, especially the outerwear. I’m thrilled about this appointment on so many levels, not the least of which is there’s finally another female designer at the helm of a major design house in a time that’s been leaning overwhelmingly male. Anyway, I am very. excited. for. these. clothes.

  

  High Sport top and shorts / St Agni bag / Tan Luxe Super Gloss / Bottega Veneta mules / Julietta necklace /

• I deeply needed a summer bag with a shoulder strap, and I think I found “the one” in Sezane’s maxi Justine bag. It has a short and long strap, a roomy interior, and a very generous size. Inside will surely be a stick of this Megababe deodorant, which I carry as a public service, a practice I wish more New Yorkers on the train would embrace.

• Another note on Sezane: their men’s section is an untapped treasure trove. Some of Kevin’s favorite clothes have come from there.

  

  David Pharoh cottages at Crow’s Nest Montauk.

• The cottages at Crow’s Nest are our favorite place to stay on Long Island. They’re just the right size for two, close to the water, and have a little kitchenette for nights we don’t want to fight the crowd at Talkhouse. Mansur Gavriel’s cheerful little vacation tote is going to look right at home in there, stashed full of farm stand corn and sunflowers. Summer forever.

  

  St Agni sunglasses / St Agni bag / Wales Bonner x Adidas sneakers / Brinker + Eliza necklace / Cala de la Cruz dress / Augustinus Bader x Sofia Coppoloa tinted lip balm

• My beloved Olivia from Chava Studio will be in NYC this June with armfuls of summer shirting, shorts, and made-to-measure treats. If you’re not familiar with her line, go catch up!

• If you have a Dorsey tennis necklace, the brand just launched a way to make it feel entirely new again: pendants.

  I know everyone wants The Row Jelly drama. Below the jump, there's more on that, plus some other candid takes.