August 10, 2026

Tomorrow is the first day of kindergarten. I am writing this the day before, which means I have spent the last month in a particular kind of low-grade anticipatory state that anyone who has navigated a child's major transition will recognize — equal parts logistical preparation and emotional weather you can't quite name until it's already passing.

In the absence of being able to fully control what's coming, I did what I always do: I made things, found things, went places, dressed up.

I made a point this month to document outfits on the days I was off-duty, which started as a small personal practice and has quietly evolved into a fashion-specific Substack I'm just beginning to dabble in — more on that as it takes shape. One of those days sent me to Crossroads, where I sold a stack of things I'd stopped reaching for and came home with a couple of new-to-me tops. The rose print dress was a Goodwill find from earlier in the year that had been waiting patiently for weather warm enough to justify it. It finally got its moment.