Welcome back to The Edit, a series where I round up the best things I’ve come across recently.
I’m restructuring the format slightly, it was originally called The Monthly Edit, but some months are simply more discovery-filled than others, so instead of forcing a monthly edition, I’ll be sharing these every two to three months. Think of them as a seasonal collection of things that genuinely caught my attention, always with a strong focus on quality fashion, but with a side of clean beauty and lifestyle discoveries!
That might mean a new restaurant or café in New York serving simple, good ingredients, a clean beauty product I’ve enjoyed using or a book I couldn’t put down. I’m a regular at the independent bookstore McNally Jackson, so there will almost certainly be a few of those in each feature.
This edition is sponsored by House of Ador, a London-based slow fashion brand creating beautiful silk pieces designed to take you from day to night. I recently met the founder through Instagram and really enjoyed learning more about the story behind her brand, which brings me to my first find.
01 — House of Ador Silk Pieces at Flying Solo
House of Ador (pronounced like adore) has officially crossed the Atlantic and its silk pieces are now available in New York through Flying Solo, the SoHo multi-brand store known for showcasing independent designers.
I stopped by to try on a few pieces and especially loved the navy blue Elisabeth Silk Dress. The bow can be worn in the front, but I actually liked it more tied in the back. It immediately made me think of an evening at the opera. My husband and I see The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center every Christmas and it has become one of my favorite traditions, so naturally I was already envisioning wearing it for that occasion with a cream wool coat.
The red Queen of Hearts Silk Dress is equally beautiful and one of the brand’s bestsellers, but I was also drawn to the white Silk Shirt. It’s the kind of piece that could easily work during the day, then transition into dinner with black wool trousers and kitten heels.
02 - Métier Handbags
I’m on the hunt for a beautiful tote for traveling and everyday life in New York that fits my laptop and essentials, still looks chic and is made with a high percentage of natural materials, ideally LWG-certified leather or a plant-based option without plastic. Not an easy task, as I’m learning! Taking inspiration from my recent feature, Timeless Handbag Brands on My Radar, I visited a few of the brands in person, starting with Métier.
The London-based brand sits at a higher price point, which is honestly the only reason I haven’t bought one already. All of their bags are made in Italy and the designs feel so timeless and elevated. Caio, the very chic British store associate who instantly made me miss Europe, explained that the bags are designed around the everyday life of the woman (or man, as they also have a men’s collection). So while the bags look sleek from the outside, they’re full of thoughtful compartments inside.
The perfect example was the Private Eye Nutbucket, which has plenty of organization and even lets you clip a smaller bag, like the Stowaway Crossbody, inside. How perfect is that for traveling? You can use it as an extra compartment during the day, then take the clutch out for dinner.
03 — Cuyana Handbags
Cuyana is another brand I featured in the handbag roundup linked above. They’re a San Francisco-based brand, with many of their leather goods made in Italy, Argentina, Turkey and other specialist workshops.
Their store is in Nolita and I actually discovered the brand more closely through a friend who stayed at my apartment for a few days and brought her Overzized Double Loop Bag with her. She told me it had been her trusted travel companion for years, which naturally made me curious to see it in person.
At the store, I compared it with the Double Loop Satchel, which I do personally prefer. I love the winged shape and it’s a bit more spacious, making it a better option for what I’m looking for. Both versions also have convenient side pockets, which would be perfect for keeping your passport or phone within easy reach while traveling.
04 — Yaneth at We Wear Australian
Another SoHo store I stopped by (recommended by another friend actually) was We Wear Australian. As the name suggests, they exclusively showcase Australian designers, including Bared Footwear, which I recently featured in my roundup 6 Timeless Shoe Brands I Keep Coming Back To Every Summer.
A new-to-me brand I discovered there was Yaneth, which creates beautiful everyday pieces in natural fabrics like merino wool and silk. The founder is a stylist and the pieces are locally made. I tried their Sienna Silk Camisole as well as the Margot Merino Wool Top and both felt exceptionally well made.
I still need to figure out exactly what I’d wear under the sheer silk camisole, but I’m thinking a simple white silk triangle bra could look beautiful. I might have to go back and try it again with one!
05 — City Guide ‘Quietest Places in New York City’
This city guide was a recent find during one of my many McNally Jackson strolls. It’s one of my favorite independent bookstores in New York and I can easily lose an hour browsing their shelves. It’s still a dream of mine to write a book one day, stay tuned!
The city guide Quietest Places in New York City by Nicole Kelner immediately spoke to me. As the name suggests, it rounds up some of the calmest, most peaceful places in New York, from libraries and bookstores to parks, gardens, museums, coffee shops, restaurants and even a few spas and wellness spots. I’ve already marked quite a few places to check out this fall!
06 — Lunaleila Underwear
This is another brand I recently discovered through Instagram. The founder reached out to me and kindly sent me their Supportive Bralette with the matching Balance Thong to try, both made from bamboo lyocell.
I recently did a deep dive comparing the cellulose-based semi-synthetic fabrics viscose, modal and lyocell and ranked them for you. You can read all the details in What Is Viscose? The Fabric Made From Trees That Isn’t Quite Natural, or watch my Instagram reel where I compare the three.
Spoiler alert: lyocell comes out on top when it comes to both sustainability and quality. And these pieces from Lunaleila are truly buttery soft and incredibly comfortable. I think it’s especially important to pay attention to the fabrics we wear closest to our skin, so I’m always excited to discover better options in this category. I’m actually working on a roundup of underwear brands right now and testing a few different ones before putting together this highly requested feature, so more on that soon!
07 — Birley Bakery on the Upper East Side
I recently discovered Birley Bakery on the Upper East Side and immediately loved this little French spot. It’s also just a short walk from the newly reopened Frick Museum, which makes it the perfect place to stop for lunch after a visit.
I had their Salade Niçoise, which was incredibly fresh and delicious. For a less healthy but equally tempting option, their apple tarte is so good! The pastries here genuinely remind me of the ones I used to have in Paris when I lived there, which is probably the highest compliment I can give a French bakery in New York.
08 — Typology Summer Beauty Favorites
Two beauty products I’ve truly been wearing all summer are from Typology, the Paris-based skincare and beauty brand known for its minimal, ingredient-conscious formulas. Their products are vegan and made in France, with a focus on short ingredient lists and a high percentage of naturally derived ingredients.
My favorites have been their Tinted Serum in Type 1 Fair and their Lip Oil in Powder Pink. The serum is 99% naturally derived and silicone-free, while the lip oil is 98% naturally derived and made without silicones or mineral oils. Both feel incredibly light, which I love. I actually mix the serum with their 9-Ingredient Moisturizer to make it even sheerer. I really don’t like feeling plastered in makeup, so this has been the perfect summer base for me.
The lip oil has pretty much gone everywhere with me this summer and I also love the packaging. Both products were gifted by the brand, but I’ll definitely be reordering them once I use them up.
09 — Book ‘The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History’
I’m currently reading The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History by Kassia St Clair (in German as you can see on the picture below) and it came in quite handy for the viscose newsletter recently. Plus it was one of the books I recommended in Books That Changed the Way I Shop.
The book looks at the role fabric has played throughout our history and how textiles have shaped culture, trade, technology and everyday life in ways we rarely think about. It has already become such a useful reference for understanding the bigger history behind the fabrics we wear.
If you enjoyed my feature What Is Viscose? The Fabric Made From Trees That Isn’t Quite Natural, this is one of the books that helped inform it, and definitely one to add to your reading list if you’re curious about fabrics.
10 — Summer Sample Sale Finds: Anemos & Faithfull the Brand
I stopped by a sample sale recently featuring two brands that were already on my radar, Anemos and Faithfull the Brand, and ended up finding a few pieces I genuinely love.
From Faithfull, I bought the Taylor Midi Dress in dark brown made from 100% linen. It’s such a simple, timeless summer piece and the kind of dress I can imagine pulling out year after year.
I also found a navy bikini top and swimsuit from Anemos, a brand I previously featured in my roundup The Chic Guide to Sustainable Swimwear. The matching bikini bottom at the sample sale was made from a different fabric (which is sometimes the thing with sample sales) so I ordered one online instead. It should arrive any day now!
That’s it for my Late Summer Edit! I really enjoyed putting this one together and I think this slightly slower, more seasonal format gives me much more room to share the things I genuinely come across and love, rather than finding something just for the sake of a monthly deadline.
As always, I’d love to hear what you’ve discovered lately too. A mindful brand, book, beauty product, restaurant, anything you think I should know about. Leave it in the comments so I can check them out for the Early Fall Edit!
Thank you so much for reading and see you next week,
Sarah x
get more slow fashion knowledge, brand recommendations and outfit inspiration on Instagram. Always feel free to DM me, I’d love to hear from you!
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you might also like:
The Transitional Shoe Edit: 7 Niche Brands to Know
At the beginning of August, I shared 6 Timeless Shoe Brands I Keep Coming Back To Every Summer. For Part 2, I wanted to shift the focus slightly. We’re reaching that point in the season where I still see plenty of open shoes on the streets of New York, from sandals and flip-flops to ballet flats, but I’m also personally starting to think about the loafers and closed-toe styles that will carry me into early fall.
What Is Viscose? The Fabric Made From Trees That Isn’t Quite Natural
I’ve been getting so many questions about viscose lately that I decided lesson 02 of The Quality Fashion Handbook needed to be about exactly that!
The Monthly Edit: Slow Fashion Finds from June
Let’s start something new here! I’m always visiting slow fashion pop-ups, vintage stores, concept shops and little boutiques around New York City as well as abroad. Over the past few months, I realized I have so many photos and notes saved from pieces I came across in person, so I thought this could become a lovely monthly series.
Such beautiful pieces 🤎 if you love chic natural fibers and are in Europe we are launching soon!
I adore that silk lace camisole! I'm also intrigued by the city guide to the quietest places in NYC.