Sticky Note: January 2025
Lots of good stuff above the paywall.
Earlier this week I shared the news of my second pregnancy on Instagram, so I’m mentioning it here now for those of you who may not follow me there. I’ve been eager to have it out in the open — it’s felt strange and a bit stilted to write this newsletter in the meantime. As you know, a big focus of Gumshoe is the evolving relationship we have with our wardrobes… and there’s nothing like seven straight weeks of vomiting to render that dynamic totally (albeit temporarily) irrelevant 🫠.
Even though I’m feeling better and and my interest in getting dressed has flickered back to life, the combination of a rapidly changing body and frigid temperatures has meant that I’ve spent a good portion of January living in the “home clothes” outfits I recorded in last week’s send. My work and social calendar is picking up more next month, which has been good motivation for devoting some time over the last week or so to assessing which of my real pants still fit and re-learning how to style this stage of pregnancy with what I currently own. A small capsule of corresponding second-trimester-friendly winter outfits has emerged in tandem — and I’ve been photographing them to publish in my forthcoming Winter 2025 Outfit Lookbook.
Since I’m saving my own recent hyper-fixation outfits for that, I’m featuring some fresh faces in this month’s Sticky Note: I asked eight people about the outfits they have been wearing on repeat over the course of January — and I’m publishing what they shared today, along with my other usual Sticky Note prompts. Their contributions are above the paywall for all subscribers to enjoy. Below the paywall, you’ll find:
The two winter accessories I’ve been wearing almost daily, plus one I’ve been eyeing.
The somewhat ironic item lingering in my shopping cart right now.
A niche snack obsession that I recently shipped to myself from the Pacific Northwest.
My new favorite Etsy shop for unique vintage art under $150.
Onward!
The outfits 8 cool people have been hyper-fixating on this month…
“I've been repeating this outfit during a very frigid spell of damp cold in the Bay Area... it's just my most comfortable top + bottom knit ‘set’ right now, in a color combo that feels visually refreshing in a spearmint way. And maybe this is a hot take, but I don't think a set needs to ‘match’ to be a good set!!!!”
— (Substack: The Molehill)
“This is an outfit I can wear to gallivant around town and run errands while still feeling put together and stylish. The colors are also divine and ebullient and these days I’m sourcing joy from as many places as possible, so that's also what makes it hyper-fixation-worthy for me!”
— (Substack: Frontal Lobe)
“I’ve worn this outfit a few times over the last month on very different occasions. The main draw is comfort without compromising personal style. The pants are essentially sweatpants (they have a drawstring) but in a very nice wool suiting fabric, and the cardigan I’m wearing under my jacket is a super thin cashmere. The whole thing kind of feels like elevated pajamas, TBH.”
— Sabrina Díaz-Glazer (@sabitage on Instagram / founder of @grassrootsjuicery)
“It's been below freezing here in New York basically every day this month, so I've mostly been wearing long underwear, wool trousers, and heavy sweaters. When I'm bored of that, however, I've been switching to this Cecilie Bahnsen skirt from The RealReal with a long sleeve t-shirt on top! The skirt is voluminous enough that you can surreptitiously put thick tights or leggings beneath it (a friend of mine admitted that she just keeps sweatpants on under hers), and it feels much brighter and more feminine than my other winter fare. The T-shirt keeps it from reading to princess-y for daytime wear. This one is a Saint James mariner, a little reminder of sunnier days, but the outfit also works well with a pointelle tee or a plain grey sweater — it is still winter after all.”
— (Substack: Old Fashioned)
"Most days involve me working from home or a co-working space and then heading to an event, so I always want to feel comfortable while looking slightly put-together in case I need to dash somewhere. As a tall lady, shopping can often be a challenge, so I’m always looking for brands and pieces that make this goal easier to achieve. The jacket I’m wearing is from Paynter — a brand I love so much I could write a book about it. I was in L.A. during one of their drops and set multiple alarms to wake up at 3 AM so I could get my hands on this jacket. They send emails with updates about how your jacket is being made, from the buttons they’re using to the dyes and the history of the design. I’ve collected multiple pieces from the brand, and their transparency has made me appreciate my purchases so much more.”
— (Substack: Your Friend in Food)
“I love when an outfit just clicks. I’ll repeat it over and over again until it finally feels like it’s time to move on. I’ve been in Paris the last few weeks and this one has been my go-to. It’s classic, comfortable, and feels a bit French with the ballet flats, oversized crew neck sweater, and corduroy pants. Plus, it has a bit of personal style mixed in with my mom’s silver chain belt she got in Egypt when she was in her 20s layered over an old Celine silk scarf as a double belt of sorts.”
— (Substack: The Unsaid)
“I live in a drizzly, English, seaside city and have a bonkers 3 year-old and breastfeeding 8 month-old, so this repeat-worthy outfit is practical more than anything. Gardening clogs are rain proof and a little more interesting than beat-up trainers; likewise, my vintage liner is an alternative to a bulky puffer jacket and works well layered under other jackets (like my Barbour x Ganni wax jacket) as weather requires. Vintage Levi’s 501s are my staple jean, which I invariably pair with a Breton top and knit that’s somewhat polished (here I’ve got on a preloved MM6 Margiela sailor jumper, but I also love &Daughter and Shrimps cardigans, amongst others).”
— Daisy Murray (@daisy___murray on Instagram)
“My current hyper-fixation outfit: a cotton sweater because it’s warm enough for winter but washes easily (mandatory with a new baby), wool leggings under jeans (these ones will change your life), and an ascot-y knit scarf that stays out of the way for a neck-to-toe layer of cozy.”
— Trinity Mouzon Wofford (@trinitymouzon on Instagram / founder of @golde)
Huge thank you to this month’s guest contributors and their thoughtful, repeat-worthy ensembles. Keep scrolling for our standard Sticky Note programming!
The article of clothing I wore the most this month…
