Good morning ☀️
and happy halfway through the week! If you’re new to The Composite, I write about the latest in books, bodies, and culture. It’s mid September so there’s a lot of fashion buzz on the internet, naturally. You’ll find some of that here, and also a little bit of a lot of other good stuff. I hope you enjoy and take your time to Digest.
Throughout the week when I see something I would send to someone who liked the same things as me, I add it to a collection in my notes app, and that collection eventually becomes The Digest. Enjoy your curated morning paper, ideally with coffee in hand and a soothing morning playlist on in the background.
x Jo
You know how I feel about Victoria’s Secret (bad) and I will absolutely be reading this when it comes out next month
We went into watching The English Teacher skeptically, but it’s very, very funny. And it has a killer soundtrack. I want to see more from Brian Jordan Alvarez!
I don’t think Zac Posen can or should “reinvent GAP” unless he expands their (abysmal) size range. He can make a met gala dress for Da’Vine (& I’m so glad he did) but can’t make tshirts above an XXL? “Fashion for our future”… not everyone’s, I guess
Susan Alexandra as a brand really embodies that playfulness we seem to be collectively craving right now. Like a toy store for grown ups!
Speaking of - charms, charms, and more charms! They’re here to stay (for a bit, anyway)
Estée Lauder will partner with the Dresden University of Technology to conduct research on how to create perfumes with specific sensory ties to emotion and memory
Barn jacket, field jacket, chore coat - whatever you want to call it, this one is available up to a size 26 in a versatile toffee-colored canvas material
I just read this, which is the longest book I’ve read in one sitting as an adult. I was enraptured
Bubble partners with Juice Press to celebrate their new berry flavored lip balm launch. Cross-industry collabs between fashion / beauty and beverage aren’t leaving the scene any time soon
Case in point here from the Christian Cowan NYFW show + here from Lemme
In a very organic collaboration, Eva Chen created a kid’s collection for West Elm, the primary focus of which is “raising readers”
WGSN released a fall scent forecast - bananas, rustic notes, alcoholic spirit influences. They also said that 63% of Gen Zers buy new perfumes multiple times a year
831 Stories hosted their launch party Monday night here in the city - need to get myself on NYC internet literati lists!!
This was a truly wild ride of a read about Anna Delvey’s odd relationship with Kelly Cutrone and their upcoming Pornhub sponsored fashion shows, among other things
Kind of random but this is a sexy stand mixer
People increasingly want more protein in their diets and they love Good Culture cottage cheese. Will they love it in pumpkin spice?
A fun read on how grocery stores strategically create their in-store music playlists
“Vegetal” perfume round up for the green thumbs out there, containing notes like bell pepper, basil, cucumber, and more from the garden
Really enjoyed the styling on the Miu Miu look in this Shailene Woodley profile for Bustle, all the way down to the mani + rings - I believe it’s this one from Mejuri
A roundup of books that will bring you back to the 2000s - Other People’s Clothes is a personal favorite of mine
Tamara Malas has opened a new size-inclusive store in NYC for sizes 0-36
mentioned the Tinder x E.L.F. collab in her newsletter this week and got me thinking - I think they needed a widespread, in-person dating activation or publicity stunt to make it splashy and impactful. Something is missing in this oneMeanwhile, Tinder also collaborated with AREA to highlight reproductive rights at NYFW and donated $25,000 to Planned Parenthood
This is one of my most anticipated fall movies - blame my boyfriend for indoctrinating me into the world of horror
Danzy Senna is an author I’ve wanted to read for a while, and I’ll be purchasing Colored Television. Also - I had no idea she was married to Percival Everett!
Which celebrity beauty brands are worth your money? 25 beauty editors weigh in
Natasha Rothwell (Insecure, White Lotus) on the vulnerability behind her new show, How to Die Alone
This prosciutto pea tortellini is on my dinner recipe radar for next week
This post from The Anna Edit sold me on this jewelry trend, but Who What Wear forecasted it almost a year ago. Maguire has some fun versions but I’m on the hunt for something more subtle (ps: who remembers the other bubble necklace of the early 2010s?)
Incredible looks from Daisy Edgar Jones + Jacob Elordi at TIFF in two of this season’s hottest hues - I love these colors together and they feel very of the moment
~ A little of my own scrolling for you~
~Some listening suggestions for your week~
*There are affiliate links in this post. If you purchase an item through these links, I’ll earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support*