017: EMILIA PETRARCA
lives in New York merch and vacation tops.
Summer vibes are reaching their peak and I am trying (with varied levels of success) not to spend too much time staring at a screen. I just enjoyed a week in Maine, mostly limiting my eyes to a Kindle (devouring this book) and ignoring my emails. But now, I’m back in NYC and ready to screen it up for a weekly dose of Habiter.
I tend not to shop too much in the summer, trained by back-to-school days to save my purchases for fall, but I’m not free of temptation. This skirt, which I was led to via Harling’s substack, Gumshoe, will likely look just as good worn with sandals on a summer holiday, as it will paired with thick knits in the fall. At $74 the price feels right. And you know, I have a thing for skirts.
The only other thing I think I want to buy right now is an Oura ring - but is it just too, you know, tech? Laurel, seemingly reading my mind, talked about styling smart watches in her newsletter last week, which was full of good ideas. I can’t decide if I’m ready to take the plunge myself. Love the stats, not too sure about the look. Let me know your thoughts!
Anyways, now for the main event… I’m thrilled that Emilia Petrarca is with us this week to talk about her summer wardrobe.
Emilia is a writer. If you like fashion, you’ve probably read some of her work. She’s been published in The New York Times, T Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and Vogue, among many others. As the former senior fashion writer at The Cut, Emilia made a name for herself with her witty, observant, and perfectly of-the-moment profiles, features, and trend reporting. I really love her writing and her charming personal style.
I spoke to Emilia about what she’s living in right now.
I had pretty grand visions for my summer in the city. It was going to be SEXY and HOT, and maybe a little bit STUPID. Yeah!!! In reality, though, I've spent most of my time hunched over my computer, working about two-feet away from my air conditioner, and when I do go outside, I want to be wearing as little clothing as possible. So I'd say what I'm wearing right now is *mostly* practical, with some Fun Night Out pieces thrown in there as well to keep things interesting.
EMILIA’S MOST WORN:
My Nuts for Nuts Hat. There are some days when I just don't have enough strength to battle humidity-induced frizz. Of all my New York merch, my Nuts for Nuts hat feels particularly apt this summer, which is shaping up to be maybe one of the most deranged in recent memory.
Emilia in her cap ($16). 
Polo Ralph Lauren ($50), NY Mets ($37), Assembly New York ($58) My I <3 NY Shorts. Similar here. Speaking of, I bought these at a Times Square gift shop for a friend who left New York last year — and had to buy a pair for myself as well. I like that they're super short but still casual. I wear them with red espadrilles when I'm feeling particularly flirty. (In the photo above, however, I'm wearing them with Solomons on a hike.)
Sporty & Rich ($105), Los Angeles Apparel ($22), NYC Factory ($17) AGOLDE Ira Shorts. When I'm working from home, which is always, I'm either wearing my pajamas or AGOLDE denim cutoffs. I like that they're loose on me, and the length makes them feel sort-of chic with a black tee or tank. I'm not embarrassed to wear them to the post office.
Ed note: These are very close to sold out but I’ve found a few pairs here in black (on sale for $108), here in blue ($148), and here in blue ($167 or $240), plus some similar styles below.
SLVRLAKE ( $249$125), Nili Lotan ($350 - marked down to $210 in a few sizes), Levi’s ($70), AGolde (linked above), AGolde ($150)Hereu Fisherman Sandals. I wasn't sure it was possible to find a pair of nice-looking sandals that didn't give me horrible blisters. But I walked all over Italy and Portugal in these this spring, and my feet were happy. The leather is super soft, and they feel really solid and well-made. In this photo I'm also wearing a shirt by Chava Studio. Their button-downs are so light and soft, and expertly-tailored. Plus black linen shorts by Posse. (Don't order online directly from Australia, like I did. Big mistake.)
Tory Burch Cover Up. This cover up just says VACATION to me. (Or maybe more like HAMPTONS.) I was grounded this summer after traveling in May, so I enjoy feeling like I'm somewhere else when I put it on. (And like a rich mom.)
Rich mom vibes from J.Crew ( $90$72), Tory Burch ($298), Tombolo (not technically a cover up but it would be cute as one) ($118), Eres ($485), Gil Rodriguez (ditto) ($115)Vacances D'Irina Top. This top literally says VACANCES. I love this brand. Vacation style has become so rote; their silhouettes actually feel different. And, you know, I think I look cute as a lil sailor boy. Take me out on the Hudson!
Vacances d’Irina top (€200) Flore Flore Tank Top. It felt pretty wild buying an $85 tank top, but all my other ones are Hanes, so I decided one nice one was okay. And I really do wear it all the time. Unlike my Hanes tank tops, I feel like it’s going to last. (Of course, I then also had to get it in white…)
Emilia’s Flore Flore pick and a few similar styles from Nu Swim, Reformation, and Everlane Garret Leight x Clare V. sunglasses. I got these sunglasses in yellow years ago and was devastated when I accidentally left them at a dispensary in Aspen… I’ve been trying to find the perfect cat eye ever since, but sometimes, you just can’t do better than the original. So I found these on eBay in red and I’m so relieved to have them back.
Thank you for reading this week, as always! If you enjoyed this one, you know what to do.
P.S. I have recently started including some affiliate links in these posts which means if you buy something, I may make a (very) small commission.