On My Mind: Zumba Makes Shockingly Good Pants

I popped into the vintage store Kalimera just to poke around and walked out with a pair of silk shorts from the brand Leena Studio. I liked the neutral cream color and the drapeyness of the silk, although it’s admittedly quite sheer, so I’ll have to either add a lining or wear them with tights. A quick search of the brand online reveals mostly flowery blouses, but I did find a similar pair of shorts in red on eBay.

Despite being neither a hiker or climber, I can’t stop thinking about these Atas Awan convertible pants. I especially like that they’re made of cotton twill instead of the more common nylon. Plus I’m a sucker for a two-in-one situation and a head-turning colorway, both of which apply here, so these pants really have my number.

I’m a prolific online secondhand shopper, but the process can definitely be hit or miss, and unfortunately a pair of Rag & Bone wool track pants I got on eBay were the latter. Even though I’m scrupulous about checking measurements, the fit of the pants ended up being longer and slimmer than I’d expected. I’m thinking about replacing them with these raspberry-hued cashmere track pants from the indie brand Find Me Now. I love the contrast side stripe and the wide-legged fit, and though we’re (thankfully) emerging from wool and cashmere weather, I think they’ll make the inevitable seasonal shift later in the year a little less dispiriting.

I’ve been doing my best to break in these Scarlett Chase loafers for the past few months now. They’re unbelievably gorgeous and well made, but the leather is Dr. Martens–level stiff. I know they’ll be worth it once they’re fully molded to my feet, but I think there’s a spot on my left instep that’s gone temporarily numb in the meantime. Any tips to speed up the process would be much appreciated!

While off-loading my clean-out at Other People’s Clothes, I picked up the second issue of Catnip magazine, which is just as wonderfully whimsical as the first. Inside: cat-themed tarot, a feature on Louis Wain, and happy endings to lost-cat posters.

I spent the weekend visiting a friend in Boston. To kill some time before catching a movie at the Brattle, we stopped by the Harvard Book Store, where I made a beeline for the used-books section and unearthed a charming catalogue of buttons. The artistry that goes into button-making is easy to overlook because of their size, but the enlarged photographs capture how stunningly intricate they really are.

My friend is a cross-stitch whiz and is currently running a side hustle selling her creations as earrings, pins, key chains, and bag charms. The designs are cutesy, nerdy — think Nintendo or Studio Ghibli characters — and these Stardew Valley chickens are definitely my favorite. She mostly sells at in-person markets around the Boston area, but she has an Etsy store as well.

Speaking of cross-stitch, I’m also loving these pixelated-pattern jersey shorts (there’s a unicorn on the back!) from Los Angeles–based studio Janky Inc. Everything from the brand is hand-printed and made to order by founder Marie Jankowski, so they’ll take a little longer to get to you, but it’s worth it to support independent makers and artists.