April Repeats
this month's favorites include a picnic blanket, the perfect spring scent, an album that sounds like sunshine, and more
Hello! I intended to finish up this letter from the park, but I saw Charli XCX in Brooklyn last night and the sun-soaked birds-chirping peaceful morning I had planned was no longer on the table.
Clairo was the Apple Girl, BB Trickz appeared out of thin air during the encore, and I think I released some decade-long repressed emotions screaming to I Love It. What remains of my voice is feeble and I feel wildly hungover despite not having had any alcohol. It was perfect.
Here’s what was on repeat this April: my ride-or-die picnic blanket, the sunscreen I order in bulk, a perfume that smells like making good decisions, and more.
Repicnic’d
Baggu x Sandy Liang Puffy Picnic Blanket
At this point I need a giant carabiner to attach it to my person at all times. In April I toted this thing around like it was my job, and that won’t change for the next many months.


It’s got everything you want in a perfect picnic blanket: roomy in size, durable stain and grass resistant nylon material, and it rolls up without any fuss (a tall order for picnic blankets, I’ve found).


My partner gifted me this blanket a couple years ago, though he didn’t originally intend to buy the Sandy Liang collab (at time of purchasing, it had been sold out online for months). But when he walked into the Baggu brick and mortar asking if they had any picnic blankets in stock, they replied “we’re so sorry, we only have one in stock — is the Sandy Liang blanket ok?” That kind of unbridled exclusive-item luck could only happen to a man.
Rewore
Vintage Lavender Trench
The first thing I pulled from my closet this month (technically I pulled it out on March 31, according to my camera roll) was this dusty purple London Fog trench courtesy my late grandmother’s closet. A classic cut in a funky color; what more could a girl want?
It’s a lavender field of rain protection, a pop of purple on a dreary spring morning, and an airy layer perfectly suited for the humidity of April drizzle. I’m not sure when the coat was purchased, but I’d venture to guess somewhere in the ‘80s due to the shoulder pads I had to seam-rip out. I found a near exact replica (with a gorgeous paisley lining) for $25 here.
Jelly Fisherman Sandals
If my feet could withstand wearing these every day, I might never take them off. (Thanks a lot, high arches.) The Plasticana jellies went everywhere with me this month: to the park, to sticky bars, to the best vintage mall in Chinatown.
They’re a perfectly neutral shade to go with any outfit, and the fisherman style feels relatively safe in a world of sandals that promise imminent toe damage on the streets on New York City. You can find them lots of places irl, but I’ve found them cheapest online here and here.
Respritzed
Remember when I said I missed the day on how to do your hair at Girl School? I also missed the day on perfume. My scent collection is small, and the window of perfume I can tolerate is relatively narrow. Which makes it all the more special that this bottle landed on my dresser.
A friend passed this along to me as she was clearing out her collection (thanks Kate!), and it became an instant hit in my rotation. PHLUR’s website describes the scent as “provocative” and “tender” — perfect for the season of stripped layers and delicate new growth.
Replayed
I spent a lot of time in the park this month reading, typing, snacking, etc. on the aforementioned perfect picnic blanket — more often than not with the bouncy guitars of Lorde’s Solar Power jiggling between my ears.
In celebration of warm weather and in anticipation of L4 (feels odd to call it Virgin before I’ve heard it), there’s no better time to revisit her sun-worshipping, melancholy-laden, coming-of-age third record. If you spot me in public with headphones on and and tears in my eyes, you can assume Secrets from a Girl (Who's Seen it All) is playing.
Rewatched and Reread
I finished yet another rewatch of Sex and the City (my partner had never seen it before, so it was necessary education), and immediately upon finishing I had to fish out this book from my collection.
Published in 2002, before the show even ended, it’s filled with juicy tidbits and behind-the-scenes photos — a perfect gift for your favorite Sex and the City-aphile. There’s an updated soft cover version that was released once the show ended, but the hot pink croc situation is half the fun. You can snag one on eBay or scour Thriftbooks for a better deal (like I did).
In last month’s repeats letter I pleaded for a “chips + guac + margarita combo enjoyed on an outdoor patio,” and I’m happy to report that mission was accomplished. (Frozen strawberry margarita, if you were wondering.)
In May I hope to submerge myself in bodies of water, both natural and man-made, and take full advantage of the spring-y in-between weather that demands a near constant bundling and stripping of light layers. I hate carrying a jacket or sweater, but I love a sunny and breezy day — you can’t have it both ways, girl! Enjoy it while it lasts!
You can find me elsewhere on IG, leave a comment to let me know what you’ve had on repeat, or reply to this email to keep the convo going. Happy May!
More to read (or reread):
Last month’s repeats, which included two hair products (insane for me).
A February of Mexican ceramics and the perfect berry lip.
And the first installment of this series, January’s best body lotion for clinically dry skin and my favorite Prada green socks.
Yeehawt Repeats day is my favourite day of the month
I think I was just influenced and must purchase those recycled and recyclable jellies! Between a 7 and 7.5, how do they run?