Creative expansion & sneakers
Plus more on consistency, human connection, and cauldron sisters
Hello beautiful people! First, I know you don’t care, but the Virgo in me would like to highlight: this newsletter is a few days late. At once I loath deadlines but also find solitude in routine.
Within these containers - deadlines, routine- I am truly free. Without them, I hold tight to the illusion of freedom but actually spend hours buffering, aka spinning my wheels on what to do and when. Plus, I love small victories like the momentum of consistency. Can you relate?
Candidly, the last few days were a tour of the full spectrum of emotion: grief, fear, adventure, joy, frustration, love, compassion, empathy, thrilling connections, curiosity and even a touch of terror.
Was I on vacation? No. Did I have a major life event? No. This is real life, occurring everyday in millions of moments, and for the first time in years I was able to feel it all. Something in me is awake again and I’ve spent the last week noticing it.
I thought about sharing the ingredients that went into these emotions, but I don’t need to. It’s simple, what’s changed is my participation with the world:
Yes, I will go to that event.
Yes, I will grab coffee with you even if it’s for 30 min and parking is hard.
Yes, I will wake up early and go on that adventure with you.
Yes, I will send the vulnerable text to show you I care deeply, even if I don’t how to say that perfectly.
I am a true extravert, fueled by relationships and people. Once again, I am dancing with my favorite partner: human connection.
For the last few weeks, Renewal has surfaced as an intention for 2023. I certainly feel a renewed sense of hope and wonder, reignited not just by social life, but by reconnecting with creative community.
Which brings me to another intention for the year: creative expansion.
You may be sensing a theme that reveals more about my north star or authentic code. Staying curious, tapping into creative community, manifesting collaborations/ partnerships, and curating as a way of storytelling are all things that light me up.
Creative expansion is about firing on all cylinders of joy. Stay tuned for how that breaks me wide-open into a glitterbomb of creative inspiration in the weeks/ months to come.
On Our Radar
I’m revamping my personal style this year, craving pieces that better reflect how I want to show up in the world. As a curator and former merchant, I’m particular about what I like and (very) bias to things I love. Shockingly absent from my list of loved things are sneakers. I’ve never cracked the code on how to integrate them with my personal style. I love how other people style them, but it’s never felt quite right with my vibe.
For years, sneakers were a tool for one purpose: running. That’s it.I’m notorious for walking several miles in heels, loafers, booties, mules- literally anything but sneakers. Thankfully, an explosion of sneaker options hit the scene over the last 5-7 years, sized appropriately and seemingly stylish. My current pair - a rare, all-leather sand colored pair by Opening Ceremony - have officially hit their limit.
As a novice, I hit up my friends for recs. If you’re looking for trendy cult-favorites, regardless of price/ quality/ availability/ etc, go to hypebae. Otherwise, here’s what I found after falling down the rabbit hole.
Top Brand List:
Nike - Air Max
APL - TechLoom Pro & McLaren as a wild card
Also on my list were Adidas Cloudfoam & New Balance 574s.
PS I’m saving slip-on and classic canvas sneakers like Vans, Seavees, Converse, etc for another day, stay tuned :)
The Details & Styles:
VEJA
This is my top pick for color, range of styles, and materials with a solid lineup of options that span from pure lifestyle to more utility/ function. Veja has been on the scene for years, known for (real efforts in) sustainability and as my friend Meg says, “cool French girl style.” They nail it. Plus, super fan of their commitment to innovative materials & upcycling without compromising on style.
Top Styles:
Venturi- Alveomesh in Dune Butter Sable, Nautico Pierre Black ($195-205)
V-12 - Alveomesh in Natural White or Dune ($175)
V-12 - Leather in White Steel, perf with lightwash denim ($185)
Dekkan w/ Vibram soles (!) in Kaki Black ($185)
Amelie Pichard in Beige - big fan of this energy ($260)
Runner Up:
Recife - on-trend with the velcro straps ($185)
NIKE
Nike needs no introduction. You’ll find a shoe for anything you could ever want to do. Air Max is an easy place to start, and even limited to just this collection, there were still a ton of great options. As expected, these styles are all designed with movement in mind.
Top Styles:
Nike Air Max Plus PRM ($185)
Nike Air Max Dawn ($98-115)
Nike Air Max 90 Futura ($160)
Nike Air Max Excee ($90)
Nike Air Max 270 ($160)
APL McLaren in Rose APL (Athletic Propulsion Labs)
Love APL. I first learned about the brand back in my Huckberry days. Their patented woven, one-piece upper quickly gained fame and the technical design behind their shoes is indeed very legit. Translation: you can absolutely workout and run with these shoes, but they also look really good.
Top Styles:
Techloom Pro and it’s too hard to pick a color! Some favorites: Ivory or Black, plus standouts like Creme Beachwood, Great Green, Metallic Champagne ($160)
Discovery
Like always, we love ending our notes with inspiration, so here are some of the people, places, messages, and musings that are inspiring us lately ✨
Yes to this plate, aka piece of art by my fav LRNCE
Keep coming back to these prompts: 12 things to ask yourself in nature
What do crystals and wallpaper have in common? I’m considering this
How to make friends at any age
Dreaming about spending time at this creative studio
All about Cauldron sisters, this conversation was so so great
Hype Woman
Myisha Battle published a new book on sex and dating. As a a certified clinical sexologist’s, Myisha wrote a “radically inclusive, sex-positive guide to help you skip past the games and get what you really want out of dating and relationships—no matter what that may be.” If you’re in San Francisco, stop by one of the book tour events at Ruby, Gravel & Gold, and more.
Thanks for being here! If you have friends who would love this, please send it on- we’re excited to expand this community. xoxo - Your Confidants, Fenny & Katie