My Latest Snag: Starch.
I recently shared all of my favorite laundering products, and a longtime reader wrote to add a suggestion: Le Blanc’s Linenpress as a major upgrade in the starch department. (We both agreed that Laundress’s formula was underwhelming — and we both love most of the rest of their line.) I also bought a bottle of this rose-scented detergent to use just for our bedding — will continue to use tried-and-true Tide on our clothing. It’s the little things!
P.S. My favorite gear for home.
You’re Sooooo Popular: Marmot Rain Coat.
The most popular items on le blog this week:
+My favorite rain coat / outdoor coat / running coat ever (select colors on sale for 50% off — the pink is so good!). I love this coat so much, I wrote an entire post on it.
+Pretty tiered ruffle dress from J. Crew.
+My children love these magnets.
+These insulated rain boots have been haunting me. I already have rain boots and two pairs of proper snow boots…but do I need these for the in-between days?! (Sleet?)
+We all love this affordable and fun stationery from a female-founded Etsy business! You can see the colors I picked for mine here.
+These unfussy clear pencil boxes have come in handy for closet organization — great for batteries, miscellaneous office supplies (clips/staples/etc), floss/toothbrushes, etc.
+These washable silk pajamas are on my lust list.
+This affordable cushion-top ottoman is SO chic!
+Sweet piggy bank for a nursery. Cute gift for a newborn! My best friend gave my daughter a silver piggy bank when she was born and made an initial deposit in it!
+Love this collection of designer pillows.
+Swooning over these S&L-esque kitchen stools. Such a steal!
+This peanut sampler is such a good little gift!
+Every child needs a tool set. (More of our favorite toys a ce moment here.)
+The trays I won’t stop talking about. (Great for sensory play.)
Weekend Musings: Salutations + Closings.
How do you start and conclude your emails?
I have to admit that I cribbed the title and sentiment of this post from my former boss, who ended all of his emails with a spiriting “Onward!” before signing his dash-offset name. I borrowed the sign-off when I was running my own business, especially in notes to my team, but even in missives to clients and prospective investors. There was something so encouraging and determined about it — momentum! positivity! we will get through this! don’t dwell too long! onward!
I’ve since shifted back to my former “Yours, Jennifer,” which has always struck me as an appealingly old-fashioned way to conclude.
For the entirety of my lates teens and early 20s, though, I signed all of my personal emails with just my initials: JMN (maiden name) and then JMS (once married). I don’t know where I picked this up, but it was so pronounced that a cluster of friends I made while working at Georgetown University Law Center addressed me as “JMN” in real life. (A friend of mine once told me that he had shared my phone number with an inquiring beau, and he’d had to explain why my name was saved as JAYEMEN, the phoneticization of my initials.). I’ve since moved on to a simple “xxx” for loved ones (why miss the opportunity to kiss them?).
One thing I cannot abide in email correspondence? A lack of a salutation! Even in the briefest of exchanges, I find it so abrupt when someone launches into the meat of their message without a quick “Hi!” or “Hello -“
How do you start and sign off your correspondence, business and otherwise? Why? Do any turn you off? Have you ever tried a salutation on for size and regretted it?
P.S. The art of the hand-written letter is not lost!
P.P.S. Some thoughts on language here.
Post-Scripts: Email Hygiene.
+Speaking of digital correspondence: an email hygiene tip worth testing.
+Amazing Roller Rabbit sale, with their coveted jammies for littles as low as $19! I’m loving this mommy and me situation.
+This $20 hoodie comes in great colors.
+This bow-shouldered top gives me major Zimmermann vibes (for under $120 — love the ric rac trim).
+MEEP! Sephora just released exclusive colors of Westman Atelier’s incredible highlighting stick…do I need the gold?!
+And speaking of tennis: do you play? This skirt is under $30 and comes in great colors, and here are some adorable tennis finds for little ones.
+Cute weekend activity (or long car ride activity) for a slightly older toddler.
+MAJOR Zimmermann sale going on right now and I am so envious of whomever finds this dress in her size. Absolutely adorable! More of my top sale picks here.
+Pastel finds for home and kitchen.
+Fun colorful ledges for a child’s room.
+On remembering our former selves…
+What’s bringing you joy these days?
+This dress looks so comfortable and chic — though if we’re talking caftans for summer, I’m still holding out hope for investing in one of these splurgey styles from Pippa Holt or La Vie Style House.
+Currently drooling over these nightgowns.
+Similar to everyone’s favorite M.Z. Wallace, but with shorter straps and a more structured shape. J’adore!
I’m boring – “thank you!” or “thanks!” tend to be my my common sign off, in particular when my email is requesting something (data, documents, a decision). But I’m also notorious for using initials vs my name – HMU, or just H. H, in particular, with friends or people I’m closer with.
Your anecdote of people calling you by your initials made me laugh because I’ve had many people call me “HUM” as it’s what my monogram spells.
Ha! What great initials! I’ve heard it’s good luck if your initials spell something!
xx
I agree that an email without a salutation is abrupt — even off-putting. I always begin mine with a “hi”, “hello!” or “good morning/afternoon”, etc. Work emails I always close with “Blessings”, as my faith/positivity is the cornerstone of my preschool ministry. Personal emails I close with “see you soon! HM” or “HM :)”, to loved ones it’s always “xo H”.
As always, excellent conversation here! Onward! xo H
Love all of these sign-offs — especially “see you soon” in the context of this pandemic. So hopeful and/or accommodating of the fact that current friend sightings are limited to the socially distanced/virtual!
xx
Jen,
In the Army, we all sign off with “Very respectfully,” or “v/r” if we’re being informal, which is…strange? But I find myself endeared to it. I feel like I’ll be using it for the rest of my life.
We also have our own versions of “Onward!” depending on your unit. Mine right now is “Fly to Glory!” (I’m in an aviation unit) which is fun, ha.
v/r ()
Veronica
Oh I love these little tidbits! So interesting! xx
Often I reach for pen and paper to reply to someone and realize that I don’t have the person’s address. Most of my acquaintances are email correspondents and asking for the person’s address early, early in the morning when I’m taking care of the individual threads of my personal life is definitely not the right time. It feels like an annoying step to accomplish something lovely. Instead I’ve taken to using email stationery. It feels like a middle ground.
Oo, tell me more about the email stationery! How do you do this?
xx
Purchased those peanuts thanks to your earlier tip about them – we’ve been enjoying them with our newly christened Friday cocktail hour, such a treat! I scooped another set to divide between girlfriends as part of a little Galentine’s day package (rounded out with local chocolates and eye serum patches!).
Also, I default to “best,” in emails, which seems to be constantly eviscerated on forums that discuss professional things of the sort. Occasionally it’s a “thanks!” and my name, but “best,” seems both formal enough (if borderline stodgy) and comfortably standard – in that, I won’t risk an eye roll by someone reading my “CHEERS!” signature of false enthusiasm mid-Tuesday morning.
Hehe – I hear you. Sometimes the sign-offs can feel super performative and cheesy. As Carmen said, I guess it’s about knowing your audience!!
xx
PS – Yay! On the VA peanuts!
I’m a total philistine. My email audience has the attention span of bored gnats, so I’ve learned to distill my messages so thoroughly that they fit in the subject line. E.G.
3/2 policy review – pls reply: coming, not coming
It gets me more correct responses than a pretty wheedle, which would be my normal approach. I do use an email signature that makes people laugh:
typed by fat thumbs on a slippery little screen.
This is SO spot-on. You’re right that it’s all about audience…!
Slippery little screen! Haha 🙂