Some Good Mail?

Hi friend,

One of the defining emotions of this moment is uncertainty. Everyone’s feeling it, even the money movers on Wall Street. 

And when uncertainty reigns, people reach for the familiar, the tried-and-true. For J.Crew, that means a return to its origins: roll-neck sweaters, barn jackets, chinos, and a print catalog. As the brand’s CEO said to the WSJ last fall, “What’s old is new again.”

J.Crew started as a catalog before it was a store you could set foot in, or a website you could click to shop. According to the 2023 book The Kingdom of Prep, its founder wasn’t sure if he wanted to sell computers or clothes; he just knew he wanted “a catalog that sold the dream, at a price that was in step with reality.” 

And now, after it was discontinued for eight years, it’s back. We just got ours (we never got the first, which went out in September and featured Demi Moore). If you got one too, we’re curious what you think of it.

You might ask: Why? Well, according to The Advertising Specialty Institute, “Print catalogs evoke nostalgia and create a stronger emotional connection with consumers, leading to increased spending.” And with tariff whiplash and fears of a recession, brands are looking for any advantage.

This all conjures a strange wistfulness for a simpler time, the kind that’s also evoked in the oddball new documentary Secret Mall Apartment – which is about a secret apartment constructed inside a dead space inside a mall in the early aughts by a bunch of idealistic youngsters. It was more of an art project about gentrification than an actual apartment, and the story is told through “priceless archival footage from a dingy digital camera used to document the whole multi-year process.”

We’ve got a bit more nostalgia for you this week, below. Read on for that, plus a few recommendations.

Bye,
Your friends at Gloria

Fashion continues to mine the past for inspiration. Take two new micro trends: the humble windbreaker, and massive ‘70s sunglasses. The former is part of a sporty outerwear trend that includes track jackets, shell jackets, anoraks, and bombers. Miu Miu has a $4,000 windbreaker (it’s silk, and very cool, but still), Prada has one that tops $2,000, Wales Bonner made a great one for Adidas, and Cecilie Bahnsen just came out with a cute $886 one in collaboration with The North Face.

We found a bunch of cute and more affordable ones — plus some great face-shielding sunglasses.

• This one is so good, right? Athleta Day Drift Jacket, $159. Size XXS to XL.

• Cute and retro-inspired. Victoria’s Secret Power Parachute Full-Zip Jacket, $89.95. Size XS to XXL.

• Love the white piping on this water-repellent version. Nike Windrunner UV Woven Full-Zip Jacket, $88.97. Size XS to 4XL.

• A great color combo. Zara Colorblock Short Jacket, $49.90. Size XS to XL. (This one is also cute.)

• Something about the crinkly fabric is appealing. Negative Underwear Parachute Zip-Up, $158. Size XS to XXL.

• This one offers sun and rain protection. Lands’ End Women's UPF 50 Windbreaker Jacket, $59.97. Size XS to 3XL.

• A standout in hot pink. FP Movement Great Escape Run Windbreaker, $98. Size XS to XL.

• Fashion, function, quality. Cotopaxi Teca Half-Zip Windbreaker, $80. Size XS to 3XL.

• This shape feels new and interesting. Aire Pluto Sunglasses, $39.

• Aviators fit for a Hunter S. Thompson escapade. Ray-Ban RB4162 Sunglasses, $107.50.

• A more refined shape from one of our favorite affordable brands. Goodr Amelia Earhart Ghosted Me, $35.

• These may have kicked off the trend. Caddis Hooper Reading Glasses, $140.

• We might need these. Decade Eyewear Jones 70s, $60.

• A playful, oversize frame. Crap Eyewear The Spaced Ranger, $99.

Shop the Story

TO READ In the ‘90s and aughts, Laurie Woolever served as an assistant to first Mario Batali, then Anthony Bourdain. Her experiences of those men and that time in the industry, including her own bad behavior, are the stuff of her fascinating new memoir, Care and Feeding (here on Bookshop, here on Amazon).

TO SNACK We can’t get enough of these seeded crackers. Yes, they’re healthy (they’re made with sunflower, flax, sesame, and pumpkin seeds), gluten-free, and vegan – but they also taste amazing and are a sophisticated treat when paired with cheese. 

TO LISTEN Not everyone will appreciate this, but: We are very into this library of digitized mixtapes from the ‘90s right now. We found it via this Mel Ottenberg interview.

TO STREAM Hulu’s Good American Family, out tomorrow, feels ripped from the tabloids. It stars Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass as adoptive parents who begin to suspect the child they brought into their home is not what she seems. This week also brings the film Duplicity (out Thursday on Prime Video) which starts off as the story of a white woman calling the police on a Black man, and then unfolds quickly into a more complicated narrative.

The new “menopause market.” • A cool story about a woman who has revived an ancient dyeing technique. • Beware the spermpocalypse. • If you changed your name when you got married, your ability to vote could be affected. • The comments on this article kind of proves its point, right?

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