The May Edit

Quiet month. Full heart. Lots of good things.

Hello beautiful readers,

I’ve hardly posted on social media this month, and honestly? It’s been one of the most quietly revelatory things I’ve done in a long time. I’m still on the apps. Mostly posting for my new role, which feels entirely different because the focus is outward, on building something beautiful for a brand I believe in. But the daily performance of myself has gone on pause, and I’ve barely missed it.

Fifteen years is a long time to show up online. And somewhere along the way, the ridiculously high expectation I placed on myself to be present, visible, charming, interesting (phew, just writing this down makes me feels silly!) became its own kind of weight on my shoulders. The algorithm wants reels and hooks and relentless consistency. It rewards the loud and the frequent. And it all just felt a but much. I just... stepped back for a moment. Let things go quiet.

And what remained, as it turns out, was a longing to write this newsletter. Which I love all the more for it. Writing to you here feels less like showing up and more like sitting down with a sweet milky cup of tea and having a catch up with a dear friend. It’s not lost on me, the irony of writing about slowness, simplicity and tender living, and yet having to show up on a platform that’s architecturally designed to make that impossible. I’m not leaving Instagram (well, not just yet). But some days, the thought is very appealing.

Anyway….May! A month of four birthdays to celebrate in our family. I’ve been slowly getting our house ready to sell (more on this soon!). And the World Surf League competition descending on our little town for the past few weeks ~ which was such a buzz, but I won’t pretend I’m not glad the sleepiness has returned. The mornings are properly cold now. I’ve been wrapping myself in wool, carrying my hot water bottle everywhere. The cover is getting absolutely tragic, I need a new one (perhaps this will be the go?) and making massive pots of soup and slow-cooked meals, the kind that fill the whole house with a delectable aroma. The simplest acts of self-preservation, really.

Here’s what has been catching my eye and keeping me company this month.

Wearing...

The most beautiful Lulu ring from Zoë and Morgan’s new Song of the Sea collection has barely left my finger. A gift that I will treasure forever. It’s a little larger than I’d usually go for. I’m not one for anything cumbersome. But I find myself looking down at my hands continuously and smiling.

On heavy rotation: the soft tailored trousers in cocoa from ANNIE. The drape, the fit, the fact that they have just the faintest stretch so they work equally well for pottering around the house as they do for actually going somewhere. They’ve slotted into my wardrobe as though they were always there. The mark of a truly good piece.

My Francie Loft cardigan, in what I can only describe as the perfect almost-black. I’ve always shied away from wearing black… found it a little stark against my colouring, but this shade has converted me entirely. Impossibly soft. Goes with everything. And while you’re on the Francie website, do take a moment to look at the series of four paintings by Wellington artist Briana Jamieson, painted in response to the Heirloom Jewels collection. They’re stunning.

Reading….

I devoured The Wedding People and it was such a glorious, heart-warming read. Highly recommend. I’m one chapter into Writers & Lovers, so I’ll let you know my thoughts in next months edit.

Watching...

As a child raised in the nineties, the Kylie Minogue documentary on Netflix was a fun watch. Her evolution, her resilience, the way she picked herself up after being written off and simply kept going. What a woman!

And a little winter window shopping…

This Samsoe Samsoe jacket. Suede, slightly flared sleeves, the perfect cropped length. I’m not sure I could ever actually justify spending that much ~ but a girl can dream, and this particular dream is rather lovely.

A sweet little basket bag from YSÉ Paris that appeared in my feed and has quietly refused to leave my mind. One can never have too many basket bags.

These heirloom tomato candles from Poppy and Sage. Imperfect in the most beautiful way, and yes, obsessed with the red of course. You know how I feel about red. Almost too beautiful to light.

And a new discovery that I had to share: Layla Poet, an Australian label that encompasses everything I love ~ lace, softness, whimsy, gentle romantic silhouettes. The Amelie dress has completely stolen my heart.

For when the warm weather returns: these little clog sandals from Seychelles in brown patent, filed away for summer and already eagerly anticipated.

And lastly, I recently tried on the ANNIE x Oosterom collaboration striped set: The Painter’s Shirt 2.0 and Petra Skirt in black, and felt immediately more grown-up and put-together. Deadstock silk cotton, designed and made right here in New Zealand, with that lovely combination of gentle structure and easy movement. A very special set indeed.

A small but important note...

Stock of Intuitive Dressing is running very low now. I’m down to the last few boxes, and I won’t be doing a reprint. If you’ve been thinking about ordering one for yourself or for a loved one, this is your gentle nudge. Shipping worldwide from my home to yours. → order your copy here.

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Lots of love, Eleanor x