Roman Holiday (1953): Princess Off Duty

Princess Ann (played by Audrey Hepburn) travels to Rome on a goodwill tour in Roman Holiday (1953). Her life is governed by tradition, responsibility, and an itinerary full of engagements related to her duty as a royal. Ann’s schedule doesn’t allow for activities that aren’t related to the official tour. But, for 24 hours, the princess makes time for the things she’s always wanted to do. She doesn’t ask for permission. With American journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) by her side, she experiences the Eternal City and a love that is equally enduring.

Works Sighted

1. chandelier 2. nap dress 3. slippers 4. tiara 5. dress 6. heels

7. gelato 8. shirt 9. skirt and belt 10. sandals 11. Italian lire

12. fairy lights 13. pajamas 14. epaulettes 15. camera

16. scarf 17. comb 18. postcards 19. tray 20. Vespa

21. Champagne 22. phone 23. guitar

The Classic Editrix on Etsy

I spent Labor Day weekend launching The Classic Editrix Etsy shop. It features minimalist T-shirts and totes inspired by France, Italy, England, the US, and academia. True to my style philosophy, I designed everything in a neutral color palette. I’ve worn the “en français s’il vous plaît” T to the pool, to class, and to work; it’s highly versatile and a vision, especially when styled with a knot and rolled-up sleeves.

Works Sighted

“en français s’il vous plaît” T-shirt // Sunbody Hats fedora // Summersalt sidestroke

Muji Basics

I made my first purchase from the Japanese brand Muji in 2014: a card holder, pen case, and mesh pouch. In 2016, I got all three items stolen at a holiday party. The event was at the bar of a restaurant near my job. My group of colleagues and I were separated from other restaurant-goers by a rope…easily crossable.

I sat the tote containing my belongings under the bar and didn’t pay much attention to it throughout the evening. The card holder and pen case were inside the mesh pouch along with my ID and credit cards and pass for public transportation.

Nothing suspicious was charged to my credit card. Maybe the thief valued free bus and subway rides above all else. I replaced my pen collection and mesh pouch but never bought a new card holder or pen case. Was the thief enjoying them?

On my last field trip to the Muji store in Chelsea, I made a mental list of all my needs. Then, in classic editrix style, I expressed them in a collage—card holder and pen case included.

Works Sighted

socks // fan // jute bag // sweatshirt

soup // atomizer // top // sketchbook // bag hanger

top // black pen // blue-black pen  // blue pen // card holder // pen case // open-flat notebook

The Standard Baggu

Baggu launched in 2007 with one product: a reusable nylon bag. The standard Baggu is spacious, holds up to 50lbs, and folds into a 5″ × 5″ matching pouch. I bought my first one in the middle of my long-gone color era. It was neon pink, and I loved it so much that I carried it daily as my primary bag.

The brand has since expanded with other styles, but the original is the most unique and practical. I bought one in blue-and-white sailor stripe last month from a boutique in Cape May to haul bottles of spring water across the sand. Post-shore, I carry the Baggu in its pouch at the bottom of my Boat and Tote for unplanned visits to the grocery store. (They’ve banned plastic bags in Philadelphia, and I refuse to pay for a paper ones.)

On a recent excursion to see Blackpink at MetLife Stadium, I carried the Baggu inside my compulsory PVC concert bag. Before and after the show, I reversed the arrangement with the PVC bag inside the nylon one, a few bottles of chilled water added for good measure.

Work Sighted

Standard Baggu (sailor stripe)

Sunbody Hats

I bought my first Sunbody Hat in 2016. I don’t know how I tolerated summer before then. Maybe I didn’t. We had fans (not air conditioning) growing up, and I used to stick my head in the freezer periodically. “Don’t do that,” my mother would say.  Even as a child, I didn’t like being hot.

Sunbody Hats are made in Mexico and Guatemala from neutral-colored palm leaves. The brand itself is based in Texas—they even have a showroom—and its culture vibes with cowboys, guitarists, and historical reenactors. Their classic styles transcend Texas culture. I’ve never been to the Lone Star State and am far from being Southern, but I own three Sunbody Hats—the swinger, the Sam Houston planter, and the teardrop fedora. I bought them all online from Village Hat Shop.

The swinger has a 5” downturned brim. When I wear it with sunglasses, an A-line dress, and espadrilles, I feel like an Old Hollywood star. I like to wear the hat tilted slightly forward, which obscures my face and adds a bit of mystery. The 4” crown is a bit shallow, which means the swinger is most likely to fly on a windy day. I sewed a black grosgrain ribbon on both sides and tie the ends together under my chin to prevent it from flying too far. The hat band is black and made of cloth.

The Sam Houston planter also has a black cloth band and 5” brim. But, unlike the swinger, the brim is turned upwards, which makes more of my face visible. I tend to wear this one with the brim parallel to the ground. It’s ideal in situations, like dolphin watching in Cape May, where I want shade and an unobstructed view. This style has a 5 3/4” crown, which measures 4 1/4″ when creased down.

The teardrop fedora is my most-worn style. I wear it on my daily commute. When it gets too crowded on public transport, I hold the hat by the brim instead of wearing it. It’s easier to maneuver a hat with a 3” brim in these situations than it is to manage a hat with a 5” brim. The fedora came with a brown leather band, which I removed. I bought a beautiful, black grosgrain band from Montecristo Panama Hats on Etsy but have yet to attach it. I’ve been wearing the black band from the Sam Houston planter on the fedora in the meantime. The teardrop fedora can be purchased on the Sunbody Hats website with either a black leather band, a brown leather band, or a black cloth band. I wear this style at various angles. Sometimes I tilt it forward. Sometimes I tilt it back. Sometimes I wear it parallel with the ground. It has a 4 1/2” crown.

Not only are Sunbody Hats practical as a natural form of sunscreen, but they are effective conversation starters. I receive an almost-overwhelming amount of compliments whenever I wear them. They’re beautiful and, up North where the brand doesn’t seem to have a presence, a rare sight. 

Works Sighted

Sunbody Hats teardrop fedora

Further Reading

The Charming Sun Hat (TCE)

LU Petit Écolier and MyPanier

I succeeded in returning to the U.S. with as many boxes of LU Petit Écolier, chocolate au lait as possible. I gave some to my friends and colleagues and, of course, ate plenty of them myself. Eventually, the supply I’d stacked on the dining room table disappeared. My hopefulness got the best of me, and I purchased a box from an American grocery store. It was black with a red stripe and had English text. The boxes I’d purchased in France were light blue and white with a splash of red and had French text. I was hopeful that the product intended for the American market would be the same as the one sold on the French one, but alas, it was not.

The biscuits I purchased at Monoprix were buttery, but not overly so, mildly sweet, and melted in my mouth. The chocolate melded seamlessly with the flour. The cookies from Heirloom Market were tougher, far from buttery smooth. The chocolate and flour didn’t meld.

I ran my findings by a friend with ties to France. “No; they’re not the same, but they’re still good,” he said. I disagreed with the second half of his response. The remainder of the cookies that were bought from Heirloom Market were donated to the communal office kitchen.

In my search for the superior Petit Écolier, I came across myPanier, curator of international foods. The company stocks and ships products from France, Italy, and other parts of Europe and the world across the U.S. I added my favorite biscuits, along with other French products that are difficult to acquire stateside, to my wishlist.

Works Sighted

LU Petit Écolier // LU Petit Beurre // buckwheat flour // unsalted butter

stain remover stick // maple soap holder // aluminum soap box // kitchen soap // kitchen knives // preserving jar // honey mustard

olive oil // jam // milk jam // butter rolls // melatonin spray // Marseille soap

honey // hollandaise sauce // blue cheese // asparagus tips