Retail Diary: Sunday Scoop -Jewelry trends, Loewe Puzzle bag, working in retail & Substacks to scroll

I build jewelry assortments like my buying days, a bit of Loewe handbag history, experience what it is like to work in Retail and a round-up of fashion reads.

Apr 28, 2024

🛍️ Quick note: I write a lot (too much good stuff to share!) so if you’re reading via email only, you may need to click through to the web version or read on the Substack app. I promise it will be worth it. 🛍️

More on Signet Rings! In Thursday’s Deep Dive I wrote about Millennial & Gen Z jewelry trends and the focus on more classic styles like Signet rings, tennis bracelets, and tennis necklaces.
1. Love seeing the WSJ also write “Why Do 20-somethings Love Signet Rings Now?” (gift link to read behind paywall) and here are the key takeways:
  1. Celebs are helping to bring focus to these rings - Zendaya, Harry Styles and Jacob Elordi have all worn Signet rings recently driving the Google searches up 350% (I did a screenshot - see below of the last 12 months and I found it exciting to see the map driving the trends since it is spread out.)
  2. You can personalize with initials, dates, symbols or emojis and in this way they are less about signifying aristocratic or money and more about your personality.
  3. WSJ included this interesting bit of history on the Signet ring, they originated in ancient Egypt, where Pharaohs engraved them with hieroglyphics and used them to seal documents in hot wax. Over time, they became symbols of status and were adopted by Roman warriors to signify their conquests, eventually becoming standard among landowners and religious leaders by the 15th century.
  4. Signet rings: Butterfly, classic (similar to mine), a beautiful chai ring
    Leandra Medine Cohen
    designed, checkered, a cool lighting bolt via TRR and so many cool ones on TRR since they look more lived in.
Trending - classic earrings & how to build an ear stack. Along with Signet Rings, the article from WWD also mentioned tennis bracelets & necklaces and classic earrings. Thursday I recapped the other styles and today I’m diving into earrings.
1. I have 3 holes in each ear and love to wear tiny earrings and I keep it slightly asymmetrical. This is my regular stack that I switch up with: tiny diamond hoops, the earrings my dad gave my mom when I was born (he upgraded her for a birthday and I got these! they look similar to this pair) and the top I go asymmetrical with this (my anniversary is in June, which is a pearl birthstone, so I love the meaning), this (my kids birthstones, so again, special to me) or this tiny diamond cluster. I also love going a big edgier in the bottom hole with these and for dressed up evenings I have a pair similar to this.
2. Additional classic earrings I love: graduated diamond hoops, to know me is to know I love a stud, I have a pair of pearl earrings jackets (does anyone have earring jackets? fun for mixing up a pair of earrings) but mine have this vibe. Next on my list. Can’t go wrong with pearl studs. For anyone who likes a little more heft, I just discovered the brand Rodi from a kind reader and these are fantastic. I’d also love these in the bottom hole with these in the next two holes.
Loewe Puzzle Bag
1. History: WWD wrote about the history of the Loewe Puzzle Bag. I was super intrigued as this is a style I love. Jonathan Anderson joined Loewe as Creative Director in 2013. He designed and launched the Puzzle Bag in 2015 and it was the first new bag for Loewe since the 1980s (really? wow!)
2. The puzzle style is so versatile - ladylike worn as a top-handle bag, functional and on-the-go ready in a crossbody, bold with fun colors and the newest iterations as the puzzle tote and the trending shape of the east-west Loewe Puzzle reminds me of the Alaia Le Teckel (I found a stud one available! Love the stud, how many times have I said that in this send??) The Puzzle Bag is also a great collectors item - if you like the bag you can buy in many color combos or sizes. It is identifiable for the brand and the shape is unique but not too out of left field.
3. Old vs new construction TikTok explanation. Loewe TikTok ASMR making a Puzzle Bag.
4. Shop:
  1. Resale: new style Raffia puzzle tote, yes - there is a sequin version, brown with crochet, tiny puzzle tote, Loewe Howl’s Moving castle collab, love this to wear with denim, orchid in a more ladylike shape, wallet, gingham (it’s trending), bag charm, nano with chain, slim card wallet in gorgeous color combo, black and grey tote
  2. New finds: the Loewe + Paula’s Ibiza XL puzzle tote, canvas tote, messenger, mini in black and brown two-tone, leather shoulder bag
Working in Retail
1. Friday I sent my Retail 101 on how a Buyer makes decisions about what brands to carry and how to build an assortment.
2. I have already updated to add this great podcast interview with Elizabeth von der Goltz on pricing with Lauren Sherman on Fashion People.
3. I like the Nordy Pod for a peek behind the curtain of retail. I loved hearing that the Nordstroms in my area won an internal store award, but they did share some hard truths about Bay Area retail. Pete Nordstrom specifically said San Francisco was a “bleak wasteland” for retail at the moment. I would agree that Union Square could use some refreshing, there are some lovely spots as I’ve shared recently with Fillmore Street, Marin and Walnut Creek. In the episode linked above they share an internal store meeting and store visit on the podcast.
Bare nails are trending and I love an easy to replicate look (although, this does take a good bit of maintenance.) Here are my recommendations.
1. My favorite daily hand lotion. I keep on my nightstand and use two pumps every night. Y’all, this makes a big difference. Also makes an elegant and easy Mother’s Day or Hostess Gift.
2. A great buffing nail file (this is the exact one I use) and a fancy cuticle oil or a lemon-y essential cream.
3. My favorite polishes for a bare nail look are this for a shiny glow, this usually lasts me 10 days to two weeks and this I’ve been using forever!
Substacks to Scroll
1. Welcome to Substack:
  Clare Vivier
  I love the format of her new Substack.
  Lindsey Carter
  (the founder of Set Active) just launched a Substack and she is sharing try-ons of the line.
  Annie Kreighbaum
  a writer (I’m sure you know her work from Into The Gloss) but also the co-host of the amazing Eyewitness Beauty podcast and co-founder at Soft Services has launched her Substack
  All Of My Opinions Are Your Own
  and you can read the first post here.
2. Jess Graves
  had one of my favorite round-ups this week which led me to write a Note with my response because I felt like it was a conversation we should be having over a drink - sharing favorite fashion finds.
3. For the Love of Fashion:
  Susan Orlean
  and a love letter to shoes and
  Elle Sundberg
  reminding us that fashion is for anyone and everyone (which is basically a love letter to all fashion. Make sure to read the comments too.)
  Harling Ross Anton
  on the difference between buyers and collectors. And from the WSJ, Harling Ross Anton was quoted in this WSJ article “Better Clothes for Less Money? A Skeptics Guide to Fuss-Free Vintage Shopping” (gift link to read behind paywall) and
  Liana Satenstein
  nails the love of fashion and the tracking of a trend with a ‘90s “viral” hit in the form of a Prada career pump “The ‘90s Shoe That Changed Everything” (I love the flashback of a Bill Cunningham piece - his work is something I miss so much.)

Last bits - news to wrap up the week 🧵

Alex Cooper got married and Vogue exclusively covered it. East-West trending via Marie Claire (and my picks here), what happened at Foxtrot, in case you are wondering - the deal with the I Told Ya tee shirt from the Challengers movie and you can get your own from Loewe here (or there are plenty online that are less expensive but I didn’t Told Ya.) Loving the new barely there sandals from Freda Salvador. If you are in the Bay Area next weekend come visit the Girls Crushing It Pop-Up Shop - school age entrepreneurs create their own pop-up shops. It is incredible and so inspiring to see the next generation of founders.

Finally, I have a hard time with straw totes because I prefer black bags - until I spied this one. Now this feels like a “me” summer tote bag.

What have you been reading this week? Add to the comments so we can all check it out.

Retail Diary: Sunday Scoop -Jewelry trends, Loewe Puzzle bag, working in retail & Substacks to scroll

I build jewelry assortments like my buying days, a bit of Loewe handbag history, experience what it is like to work in Retail and a round-up of fashion reads.

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