books
I've been starting my mornings with Sabbath (Wayne Muller), savoring small sections before diving into the day. One of my favorite takeaways so far is how Muller frames Sabbath as "a period of repose, when the mind settles gently in the heart." It's such a calming and insightful read.
I also just finished James (Percival Everett) —a powerful retelling of *Huckleberry Finn* from Jim’s (or should I say, James’s) perspective, which is deeply thought-provoking. If you're intrigued, the New York Review of Books podcast did a fantastic discussion on it.
Lastly, I’m almost done with Three Women (Lisa Taddeo). This nonfiction book reads like a novel—it’s been so engrossing that I've carried it with me everywhere this week, sneaking in pages during breaks. It’s an intimate, gripping dive into the lives of three women that pulls you in from start to finish. It reads like fiction, meaning, you get lost in the story rather than the facts. At least that’s how I’ve experienced it.
looks
We had a blissful week of gorgeous LA fall weather, with some gloomy and foggy mornings too. This means, the sweaters are back. I’ve pulled out a few from cold-weather storage, though let’s be honest, they never really disappeared.
I’m enjoying mixing summer pieces with cozy wool and cashmere layers. If I wear a pullover, I’ll pair it with a cotton tee underneath, ready to shed layers as the day heats up.
If I’m wearing a cardigan, I’ll button it up and wear it as a top. You might have noticed that I rarely wear all the buttons closed (unless layering over a tshirt). Leaving a few buttons at the top and bottom undone looks a little more casual and a little less formal.
This Zara cardigan from last season resumed her rightful place at the top of the clothes pile on my dresser. Welcome back.
The change in season this week reminded me to pull out my sweatshirts. They are the perfect in between piece — I can (and do) wear them out, but they also feel cozy enough for wearing at home. They’re great restorative pieces, and I reached for them a lot this past weekend.
Other than getting dressed this week, I worked, walked, read, and went out for sushi with friends. It was a quiet week, and I’m grateful for that.
On Friday, after a day of working in the morning, I met up for a late lunch with my aunt. We chatted and caught up on family drama and consulted on dresses for my sister’s upcoming wedding. I’m so lucky to have her close by. Afterward, I went to a few local shops to put together a little hosting gift to take to a dinner party that night.
Our friends treated us to an incredible feast. The star was a chicken dish with crispy skin and tender meat, paired with buttery Lebanese-style rice (rice with vermicelli), roasted squash drizzled with mint-pomegranate sauce (I may have gone overboard on that), and a fresh arugula salad. Every bite was divine, and yes—I’ve already requested the recipes to recreate it all.
On Saturday, we set out to our usual trails to attempt a longer hike. I’ve been working up to this, and really wanted to see if I was ready for something a little more challenging than my usual three-mile hike. So, we did seven miles and I wish I had more stamina (and more water) to go on for longer because I enjoyed every minute and every mile.
A big part of this is the after-hike bliss that comes from taking a long shower (and using every product you have in there), putting on fresh and soft clothes. and hitting the couch.
We started our Sunday with a long walk around the neighborhood, followed by homemade breakfast burritos.
In the afternoon, we went out for ice cream at this old-fashioned shop (cash only!!!), had our monthly budget meeting (not fun or exciting, but so important), and watched Grey’s Anatomy. Back in college, my best friend loved this show, but I never really paid attention! Happy to be watching it now.
As I talked about in last week’s books and looks, I’ve been on an anxiety struggle bus, and it’s been a tough ride for me. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who commented or sent private messages—they meant the world to me. The hardest part of dealing with anxiety is how isolating it can feel, and your kindness was a powerful reminder that I’m not alone. Your support helped more than you know, especially when my instinct is to withdraw. Thank you for being there.
&bonus
Now that the seasons have officially shifted, I’m ready to revisit my colder weather wardrobe and fill in any gaps. With two upcoming trips to New York, I’ll need to be prepared for a variety of temperatures and activities.
So, I’ve been building a wishlist. Below is a peek at what I have, you can find more here.
From top left
1. The Noorie coat in chocolate brown from Almada Label. I love that you can wrap it as a shawl collar, or with a popped collar for a preppier look. Wool and cashmere blend.
2. The Val shirt from Alex Mill for a perfect button down that’s not too oversized but not too fitted.
3. Also from Alex Mill, the Cecile cashmere turtleneck. The color on this one is gorgeous — perfect for tonal brown looks or worn with blue or white denim.
4. The Jodie dress from DÔEN’s Fall collection is the only dress that’s caught my eye in a while. I’m drawn to the square neck silhouette, the buttons that are in the same fabric as the dress (no contrast there), and the tweed fabric. I’d wear this just the way they styled it with black tights and slingbacks.
5. This suede bag from Italian brand, Marsèll, stopped me in my scrolling tracks one day. I believe this came to me via a sponsored ad on Pinterest, and it immediately went on my wishlist.
6. Another DÔEN pick, this fisherman sweater is so cozy. I love going for oversized silhouettes in lighter colors (like cream or white) for some contrast. It’s easy to drown in an oversized black sweater, but there’s something about a slouchy white one that is very cool to me.
7. This corduroy jacket from Alex Mill is so cute, and perfect for looks that have jackets as the tops. I’d wear this with dark wash denim, a boot, and buttoned up.
8. Can never have too many cardigans… right? Curious to try this one from DÔEN that I’ve seen all over my feed. I especially love the buttons on this.
9. Last but not least, riding boots are high up on my list for fall. These from COS caught my eye.
Hope you all have a lovely week!
Xx,
Natalia
*items marked * were generously gifted to me
Reminding me that I need to get my hands on an Alex Mill roll neck cardigan ASAP. So lovely!