What I Wore Most in July
This upcycled Japanese tote bag is practically glued to me
July was sticky, sandy, and saucy.
As we arrive in August, which we seem to do every year, I wonder again if it will perennially feel like back-to-school time. Even years post-grad there’s always a cloud looming over this time period conjuring up aimless anxieties about summer reading lists and class schedules. When do we finally shake that?
I now spend most of August (and September) reminding myself that it’s still summer and that I haven’t run out of time to swim and play and photosynthesize. According to the calendar, we’re not even halfway through — what a relief!
This is everything I had on repeat in July, which might be the most summer of the summer months. Talking the lightweight tote bag I donned daily, cheap denim shorts, a new card game I’m carrying around with me everywhere, and more.
All proceeds from paid subscriptions in August (both recurring monthly payments + upgrades made this month) will be donated to mutual aid in Gaza. I’ll be donating directly to Stephanie H. Shih who has been distributing resources in Gaza for the last year and a half. You can learn more about Stephanie’s work here.
I’ve been wearing this Puebo parachute tote like it’s my job. Looking through my camera roll you’d think I glued it to my side.
The soupy July air has me reaching for lightweight fabric bags over heavier leather, and I was thrilled to rediscover this one while digging through my reusable tote pile (or Toteducken, more like it). The olive/canvas colorway is a summery neutral alternative to stark white and black.
The seatbelt-y strap is long enough to slip easily over my head and shoulder but short enough that the bag opening sits above my hip. It carries a lot but feels nice and secure, and I don’t have to worry about it swinging into anyone on the train (subway backpack-wearers you will be dealt with in hell).
I’m still wearing these jelly fisherman sandals religiously, and despite my lengthy letters about non-denim shorts… I’ve come back around to an old pair in times of wardrobe uncertainty.
They’re Faded Glory, a Walmart-acquired brand of mostly denim, from the 2010s. At some point in high school I traded denim shorts with a friend to wear out that night and we just never traded back. I don’t even remember what my original shorts looked like, but these have remained a summer staple in my closet for more than 10 years. I wonder if she still wears mine.
I would pay a completely unreasonable amount of money for a long-lasting perfume of this scent. I’d heard good things about Fur oil’s smoothing and softening effects, but no one mentioned that it might be the best-smelling product on earth?
It’s earthy, citrusy, and fresh — a warm sexy combo suited just as well for a hot tattooed bartender as for the motherlike figurehead leading a creationist cult. She’s got range.
I’ve been slicking it on my skin post-shower and then obsessively trying to catch whiffs of it for the next hour. If you’ve tried the body butter, please let me know how the scent holds up (because I will be ordering immediately if even one of you says the body butter smells just as good).
A little capitalism cosplay as a treat? I’ve been avoiding Monopoly since I was a single-digit age (it doesn’t end well for anyone involved) but some friends introduced me to Monopoly Deal this month and I am so hooked.
It feels much more low-stakes than the board game version — you can play a whole round in 15 or so minutes — and thus, it’s less likely to result in a screaming match and a flipped table.
I rewatched Mike’s Mic’s seminal Pretty Little Liars recaps this month, a runtime nearly as long as the original Star Wars trilogy. As a girl who watched PLL in middle school when it was airing, these videos are sooooo personal to me.
You might recall how completely insane this show was, and I can assure you it’s so much worse than you remember lol.
Looking back on June’s repeats letter, it appears I forgot to share something I was hopeful for in July. An ominous sign that I forgot to hope!?
I mentioned I was eating microwave s’mores a lot in June, and oh boy that was nothing compared to the way I ate them in July. I hope for s’more of that in August, plus more trips to the movie theater, more dips in chilly water, and more sticky walks in the park.
Get in touch with me at mackinley@yeehawt.com if you’d like to work together, or find me doing other things on IG. Happy August! Love you byeeeee.
June repeats! Still dreaming about that IKEA chocolate cake.
What I’m wearing when I don’t have on my Walmart denim cutoffs.
My latest eBay coup and 100% natural fiber summer staples.
I got sooooooo mad at my husband the last time we played Monopoly (2020, lol). He did some sort of crazy landlord/hotel move that destroyed me. I’m pretty sure I just quit mid game 🤣🤣🤣
Puebco! Great homewares too!