Bangers Only, Vol. 3
Gorgeous grocers, the perfect jeans, and things that make me green with glee.
For anyone new here, Bangers Only is my monthly roundup of things, moments, products, and internet finds I’d text my friends about. Not necessarily life-changing. Just things that banged.
When I reflect on this past month, and that’s what this series encourages me to do, it’s not Mother’s Day or my daughter’s first swim class that immediately comes to mind.
It’s not the Good Bacteria breakfast at a plant design studio in LA, the Sunday brunch with Substack friends visiting from Jersey and Colorado, or Ali LaBelle’s mid-week screening of The Parent Trap in a green-on-green theater in Chinatown.
It’s not even the Friday evening my husband and I watched the sunset from a Newport Beach lifeguard tower with pizza boxes warming our thighs, the hot fudge sundaes we spooned after, or the call with Fanny Adams that afternoon that stretched well past our allotted time.
No. Like a parlor game, the first thing that came to mind when opening this draft was a word: Mayday. As in the internationally recognized distress signal that’s repeated during emergencies.
Mayday, my mother-in-law is no longer staying in the guest house. Mayday, my toddler is still waking up in the middle of the night. Mayday, I spent hours on another reel that only got 300 views. Mayday, there’s a looming chemical tank explosion 15 minutes away. M-a-y-d-a-y.
But anyway! I prefer to be more of a glass-half-full type of gal, so please hold while I take my Rx and pivot to the positives.
For instance, thank goodness for this corner of the internet. For writing and friendships and the sound of my daughters laughing in tandem. For pedicures, matcha lattes, and Hacks on HBO. For the inevitable highs along the roller coaster that is life right now. For that, there’s plenty.
No matter how much chaos a single month can bring, there’s always a slew of good things woven in to calm it all down. The Bangers, if you will. Let’s focus on those.
1. Window shopping Beklina is f-u-n.
Beklina feels like a brand that speaks to weird adults, which means I’m listening. My entry point was last November when I stumbled upon these platform mules and quickly added them to my holiday wishlist. And then, earlier this month, we reconnected because of this striped shirt1. Now, I keep catching myself visiting their website to see what else I might find. Here’s what I’m ogling:
The coolest belt bag for just the basics.
A tortoise shell mug for my daily and frequent coffee consumption.
These sneakers that don’t look like sneakers.
2. A gorgeous grocer told me about a new-to-me beauty brand.
When someone with incredible makeup is bagging your groceries, be a doll and compliment her. She might just pull out her bag of tricks and reveal her secrets. Her winged eyeliner was pure skill and e.l.f. cosmetics, but for everything else? “Have you ever heard of Into You?,” she asked. I hadn’t! Turns out it’s a 6-year-old C-beauty brand. Her top recommendation: this $16 multi stick.
3. I’ve been cheating on Super Serum with Sunveil.
Secret’s out. After many happy years with ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint with SPF 40, I’ve found a new love connection with TONAL Sunveil Skin Defense Foundation with SPF 50. It’s a creamy, hydrating formula that gives a soft-focus effect while minimizing the appearance of pores, which I obviously love. I’ll still dip into ILIA when I want ultra-light coverage, but TONAL’s the one I’ll be reordering. For anyone interested, I wear the Shell shade. Because I’m a ghost.
4. Raise your hand if you got the linen crop pants, too.
I own a decent amount of Donni, most of which I’ve scored secondhand over the years, but I was hesitant to spend nearly all my monthly fun money on another pair of pull-on pants.2 Until I walked into my favorite boutique in Long Beach and there they were: the linen crop pants. I tried them on in pistachio and ordered them in bell pepper about 90 minutes later. They’re just good (read: comfortable and easy to style). It’s really that simple. The Kyoto Carpenters might be my next pant splurge…
5. I have more swimsuits to tell you about.
Despite the fact that we just received a bajillion great recs from my friends in The California Girls’ Guide to Swimwear, or maybe because of it, I’ve been inundated with more and more great swimsuits online. This one piece from Oddli is so cute and reasonably priced. I’m also really into the idea of getting swim shorts. And as a long-time Staud Swim fan, I’ve also been obsessing about this green studded set ever since I saw it in Sogole Kane’s Summer Playlist Dressing.
6. I spotted a halter in the wild I loved so much, I bought it that day.
We were on a family coffee shop date when our kids started playing with another set of kids. We had Magna-Tiles, and they had…well, I can’t remember. While the kids traded toys, I connected with the moms, one of whom was wearing a fitted navy halter with red trim. I might’ve been staring until I finally just told her I loved her top.
“Target, if you can believe it!”
I couldn’t. I’d assumed it was another $100 top destined for my wishlist. Turns out you can remove one of those zeroes. It’s $10. I’m normally a stickler for 100% cotton, but I couldn’t unsee how cute this top was IRL. My husband ended up going to two different Targets to track it down for me…and I’m wearing it now.
7. If you’re in the market for canopies, you’re in luck.
Because I found some really cute ones while browsing for my daughter’s twin-size bed.
Exhibit A: Gosh, this gingham!
Exhibit B: Soleil when she saw this: “Can we get it NOW?”
Exhibit C: I kinda want this one for myself.
8. Serenity now!
I’ve tried THC-infused gummies and mushroom chocolate to help myself unwind before bed. Those were fiiiiine for taking the edge off, but these are the first gummies I’ve tried that legitimately work (for me) as a sleep assist. (BANGVOYAGE for 15% off.)
9. My one-year-old in a ponytail.
That’s it. That’s the banger.
10. No one asked, but yes, I officially have a favorite undereye cream.
And I know it’s my favorite because it’s the only one I’ve actually used every day. In fact, I just bought my second tube.
11. These lip glosses are poppin’.
12. I’ve been Framed.
On a shopping trip with my mom earlier this month for Mother’s Day, she very generously purchased the perfect jeans for me. (Thanks again, mom!) The dark wash, the just-enough amount of stretch… I think they’re designed for anyone to look really good in them. Prepare to receive compliments.
13. People who anticipate your needs without you asking are superior humans and deserve a life of abundance.
Case in point, my mother-in-law, who stayed in our guest house for an entire month and proved to be so much more helpful than I could have imagined:
14. Dear gawd, my girls look cute in Quincy Mae.
I recently became that mom who dresses her kids in matching clothes. Well, it’s happened twice. First with striped cherry swimsuits. And then Quincy Mae sent over coordinated outfits I couldn’t refuse. I know Maura Brannigan gets it (and approves). For any other moms of little girls, singular or plural, check these out:
The Darla Dress + Waffle Cinch Romper in Confetti Hearts
The Evie Tank + Shortie Set in Posy and Ocean Stripe
The Babydoll Dress in Blue Floral for my babydoll
15. My 3yo started swim class, and these are some suits I’m looking into for her.
We’re at swim school 2x a week, live 30 minutes from the beach, and gearing up for vacation at a lake house in July! Tell me one good reason why the whole fam shouldn’t get a new suit. For the girls, I love this circus-inspired suit, this suit I’d like in my size, this striped one piece with flower petals around the scooped neckline, and this short-sleeve option.
16. I love when you guys send me green finds online.
Like when Janelle Taylor shared this sleeveless maxi dress, Liz Best McKay texted this Ganni tee, and Fanny Adams DM’d me this tank and these shorts. And then the other day, Eleanor described her satin blazer as “Bang-Voyage coded” in the comments. This all just makes me green with GLEE. Please keep ‘em coming. 💚
17. The magic of stumbling upon the right essay at the right time.
Thanks to Kiya Taylor’s “How Mothers Work” series, I discovered Michelle Kerr 🐦⬛, a full-time mom of two who also writes and runs a consulting business. As soon as I read the title of her essay (The sticky grief of being a mother who knows you’re capable of more), I knew it was exactly what I needed to read this month. It’s easy to compare myself (tho not wise) to mom friends who are further along in building their post-kid careers, and I needed the reminder that these things take time.
18. We’re getting footsie with pistachio green this summer.
I’m not a trend forecaster, but I do think a creamy green pistachio looks really cute on my toes and would on yours, too. To be so real with you, I ate a cherry pistachio scone on Monday and pistachio ice cream last week, so…it’s possible this is just highly specific to me. But if you wanna be twins, this shade looks pretty similar to mine.
19. I have more breaking intel from my facialist.
But this time, it’s not related to skincare or anti-aging. Unless you count combatting overstimulation as a longevity tactic.
While I was chatting with my therapist facialist about the biggest challenge of parenthood right now (near constant noise and neediness), she asked me if I’d ever heard of Loop. Basically, they’re chic earplugs for moms who want to discreetly turn down the noise on their children and surroundings. Yes, please. Sign me the fuq up.
20. I’m so ready for summer reading.
The books have been bangin’ this month, and I’m very excited about what’s on my shelf for June. Here’s what I just read, here’s what I’m reading now, and I’ll either start reading this or this by the end of the week. What’s on your TBR?
Alright, that’s it for Volume 3 of Bangers Only! I’ll leave you with the music video my daughter’s been requesting every single day this month. See ya on Sunday! xx E
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I cannot remember if I found this shirt in someone’s Substack newsletter or from a google search for striped shirts! Please show yourself if you think it’s the former!
I blame Lindsay Sword and Kelly Williams for making me totally pull-on pants obsessed, and Ariane Anusbigian because let’s be honest, I just wanted to match with her.
Thanks for the shout out on the How Mothers Work series, Elin! 🫶🏼🪄
The Loops earplugs really are game changers! Love them for car trips :)