Cart Curator #85 - The sheer perfection of barely there styles
Plus, I share the world's best bagel, found in Amsterdam, a Miu Miu paracord dupe, and the cooking account that has become my safe space.
Hey friends,
It’s officially three weeks until Christmas!
My birthday celebrations have finally come to an end and now I’m focused on packing in as many christmassy activities as possible and getting the CC annual holiday gift guide into your hot little hands.
As I mentioned last week I spent the weekend in Amsterdam eating, drinking and celebrating with friends. If you’re interested in seeing what I got up to in Amsterdam you can have a look below.
Enjoy,
Jess x
You Asked For It
Sheer tops aren’t new, but we seem to be having a resurgence in their popularity. The classic sheer mesh long sleeve is coming back and featuring in content from a number of brands and influencers. Higher-end brands have also jumped on this trend, with a number of style variations continuing to launch from brands including P Johnson Femme, Wardrobe NYC, and Tove Studio. You can see some of these versions below.
With this style, it isn’t uncommon to bare a lot of skin, and if you’re like me and love this trend but the fulling sheer, stomach-bare look isn’t for you, I’ve found a number of options that, in my opinion, put a different spin on this look, making it more wearable and versatile for your wardrobe.
If you want to dip your toe into this trend, keep reading to see my top (and more affordable) picks.
Venroy Sheer Silk Cowl Neck Halter Top
I'm starting off with this cowl-neck number from Venroy, which dropped this year. They have released similar variations as part of previous collections, and I have been very tempted to purchase this one myself. Although this is an entirely sheer piece, the cowl neck and extra fabric of this style provide some additional coverage as opposed to the skin-tight look most of us associate with this fabric.
With the halter-neck cut, I even love this for throwing over a bikini in the summer as a sort of cover-up or alternatively with a pair of tailored black trousers for a sleek and sexy look.
Motel Rocks Jiusa Organza Cami Top in Black Lace
For those Y2K lovers out there, this Motel Rocks cami is for you. I love this top and definitely had a pink variation at some point. I love the lace's coverage over the bust while keeping the look feminine and sexy. Again, the sheer look on the stomach is helped by the babydoll cut of the top, which provides extra coverage. This piece would be right at home with my favourite baggy jeans from Weekday.
Last but not least, I have again gone with something that has upped the coverage, like a layered long-sleeve top. The cut of this top is very similar to that of the Henne Lauretta Top, which was extremely popular at its launch. I love the look of these extra-long sheer sleeves combined with the off-the-shoulder cut, which highlights the shoulders and collarbones, giving subtle sexiness, which is obviously the theme of this sheer style. The stomach is more exposed with this style but balanced with heavier coverage across the bust and upper arms. If you wanted to increase this coverage, you could opt for a high-waisted pair of jeans or trousers or add a strapless top underneath.
Add to Cart
What’s sitting in carts, or what’s been checked out.
DISSH Jolie Slate Marle Asym Tunic Top and Drawstring Pant
I saw this set on a random TikTok and immediately hopped onto DISSH to find it. The asymmetric top and long pants are so sleek and give effortlessly cool vibes that wouldn’t be out of place at work (depending on the workplace), drinks or a long lunch. The Tunic Top, although in quite a masculine colour and asymmetric style, looks really elegant and somewhat feminine, drawing attention to the neck and collarbones. I love a matching set like this that can be worn separately or together as a set to eliminate the issue of what to wear when wardrobe decision fatigue strikes.
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Petite Chou The Panklet aka Paracord Anklet / Bag Charm
Everyone and their dog has been experiencing the Miu Miu Paracord mania, with anklets, bag charms, and bracelets becoming the items of the moment. If you’re like me and can’t justify spending the $$$ on this trend-led item, Petite Chou may be the answer to your problem with its range of super cute accessories, including its Paracord Anklet/Bag Charm.
This anklet is custom-made, so you can select your colour, add your initials, and choose to add a charm to the end. I'm already planning this purchase ahead of Summer next year.
Peppermayo Lula Faux Leather Bomber Jacket
I actually had the St. Agni Cocoon Leather Jacket in Chocolate as this week's Lottery Win, but then I found this bomber jacket from Peppermayo and couldn't resist including it. The colour of this faux leather bomber jacket isn't something I have seen around much, especially amongst lower-priced online brands, but I feel this version has really nailed the deep chocolate.
I love the sleek cut of the style, which gives a boxier silhouette and is harder to find amongst cheaper stores, given the seemingly more in-trend style is the fully elasticated bottom, which looks cheap in most styles I have seen.
Beauty Counter
Prod of the week.
I have seen this product everywhere online, and something about a lip liner that doesn't require too much precision beyond appeals to me. I picked this one up during the Selfridges Black Friday sales at 20% off, which was a stunning deal to try something new. Firstly the colour of this is so perfect and as I prefer it doesn't throw to salmon or brown but of course if that's what you like then there is a shade to suit that. With this pencil having a more oversized crayon-like head, it's so easy to swipe onto your lips without creating a wonky line that many novice lip liner applicators may face. After swiping on the formula, it is easy to blend, which I like for building up a bit on the lighter areas of my lips for colour longevity.
Another huge plus for me is that this doesn't require any sharpening with its twist-up applicator. Given the larger style and size of the head, it's not something you miss, so it's definitely a win-win.
One to Try
Recent openings and discoveries.
This is my favourite spot in Amsterdam, which feels all wrong, given that bagels could not be further from Dutch food. Earlier this year, when I was in Amsterdam, I took myself to Bagel Boy. I surprised myself by trying the Lox on a sesame bagel, which is something I would never usually do as I get weirded out by the salmon (you know when you take a bite and it starts tasting like cold fish). But this bagel combo is the best I have ever had, spurred on months of obsessing over lox bagels.
Returning to Amsterdam this weekend just gone, I knew I had to go back, and conveniently, they have opened another location in Jordaan, 5 minutes from where I was staying, and this location is so super cute (you can see a pic in it from my dump of the weekend above). Sitting outside with your bagel on a Saturday morning is also some of the best people-watching I’ve seen with dogs, bikes and people passing by constantly (a really good source of outfit inspo, I might add).
Lottery Win
A girl can dream.
Charlotte Chesnais Round Trip Bracelet
I have an ongoing obsession with Charlotte Chenais, having included a piece from them before. Still, last week, Lara Worthington (née Bingle) posted this bracelet in an Instagram dump (image 2 below). I literally gasped at this piece's beauty. This piece is so sculptural on the wrist, but having it be formed in silver makes it look so much more understated. I actually love how they have styled it with the matching ring in a post from their Instagram below.
I'm seriously considering saving very hard for this piece —well, that or the Tiffany x Elsa Peretti Small Bone Cuff. Thoughts?
Consumables
What we can’t stop binging.
This page on IG and TikTok has become my comfort account, and I can honestly sit for hours watching their recipe videos. I'm such a foodie in general and love cooking. Hence, a page with this much inspiration is right up my alley, but it's definitely the filming, quality, calming or even meditative nature of watching their content.
Cooking for myself and others gets me into a rut of continually referring back to the same cuisines and flavours, which in turn makes me want to buy food out after getting sick of having the same old thing. Mob is so great for inspiring you to cook with different flavours or even dish compositions. My newest hyper-fixation meal is inspired by their series on brothy soup-type dishes with chicken and rice. This sounds super simple, but it is definitely something that I hadn't thought of doing previously.
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IYKYK
Super specific recs and niche hyper-fixations.
Chocomel
I love a good chocolate milk on any given day, but Chocomel has become my new obsession. This chocolate milk is so rich and creamy, and I have never tasted anything like it. Given that it’s hot chocolate season, this is also stunning heated up and frothed. I’m putting up my Christmas tree tonight, and TBH, the thing I’m most looking forward to is having a hot chocolate complete with whipped cream and marshmallows.
If you’re new to Cart Curator, take a read of some of our recent editions.
Cart Curator #84 - Black Friday FOMO
Cart Curator #83 - Are high end brands selling you less for more?
Cart Curator #82 - How times have changed
Cart Curator #81 - Making work heels work for you
Cart Curator #80 - Umm where are the bombshell waves??
Send me Refy for Chrissy