Consider Yourself Cultured

In recent years, spring has started to feel like something of a bygone era, in the same way that people talk about partying in NYC before the advent of cellphones, or those sour Altoids that were discontinued (I was in Zitomer’s the other day and thought they had them, got very excited… they unfortunately did not) Before we’ve really had the chance to defrost, we’re suddenly thrust into a kind of microwave, left to fend for ourselves, arms flailing and most likely improperly dressed.

The spring dressing agenda, I would say, isn’t fully formed just yet, but it’s developing. It still feels a bit early to lock in the look, because in many ways the season is a dress rehearsal for the big show we’ve all been waiting for… summer. However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet.

This Sunday edition of Consider Yourself Cultured is brought to you byBelmont Park Village. We’ve made it to December, which means we’re in full event season. If you took one look at my calendar for next week you might actually start to sweat. And even though I’ve already started sharing a few ways to get dressed for the weeks ahead (plaids… maybe even your pajamas), I wanted to put together something that brings us back to basics. My original idea was very much in the spirit of Donna Karan.

In many ways, Michael Rider stands out among the wave of creative director debuts this year. Before stepping into the role at Celine, he had mostly worked behind the scenes. Rider’s debut felt, in part, like an homage not only to the designers who came before him at Celine but also to his own career.

I’m writing to you from Paris, where the weather has been absolutely perfect (There may be some rain tomorrow, which would be nice since I can finally put one of my two umbrellas to use—more on that below.), and I’ve already come across some fascinating things—but I’m saving all my Paris musings for Friday’s newsletter. Today, consider th…

At the end of December, I wrote a piece reflecting on what comes after the barn jacket. In the same letter, I touched on one of Pinterest’s predicted trends for 2025 that felt the most actionable and realistic to me: the fisherman aesthetic.

Before diving into this week’s newsletter, here are a few quick housekeeping notes: I may have been a bit myself too ambitious time around, so to keep things manageable, I've divided this gift guide into two parts. Today’s edition focuses on fashion and jewelry, while Monday’s will cover beauty, home, and travel. Additionally, I’m putting together a dedicated gift guide featuring secondhand finds. While I’ll sprinkle a few vintage treasures here, the bulk will appear in next week’s edition.

This sentiment may border on naivety, but I’m feeling undeniably optimistic, and it’s likely influencing my perception of the collections—even the bad ones. While there’s no denying that the future can appear bleak at times, and even in fashion, things can start to feel repetitive—rehashed ideas, half-formed concepts, or no real innovation at all—it’s easy to fall into the alluring trap of pessimism.

The Outfits Day 5 Consider Yourself Cultured is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. On this particular day, I had an event that called for cocktail attire. However, my schedule was packed with shows and appointments, leaving little time to change. As a result, I felt slightly overdressed for a good portion of the day, haha. To tone down the formality, I opted for this classic Kotn tank I've had for ages.