Happy Friday!

Let the record show: I am thirty years old, a married woman, and a licensed member of the Georgia Bar — and I still called my dad to fly in and hold my hand at the dealership!

Cars have never been my obsession. Honestly? I will take a beautiful lamp or a really good shoe over horsepower every single time. But after thirteen years of loving my cloth-interiored, CD-ROM-playing Honda, the writing was on the wall. We started looking — and found our way to Jim Ellis Volkswagen Chamblee, where the experience was so genuinely lovely that I can’t recommend them enough!

The result: a 2026 Volkswagen Atlas, and me, absolutely vibrating with new-car energy and nerves on the drive home! I am wildly spoiled and I know it. I also know I will be accustomed to a life featuring these bells & whistles in about a week and a half.

Curbs, you have been warned!

Until our next correspondence,

xx Lauren

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

Wearing | Donni The Silk Taffeta Cargo Pant

Yes, they are criminally expensive. And yes, I bought them anyway, because they’re that freaking good. I will wear these on repeat all summer, and I am already eyeing the brown gingham for that tricky late-summer-into-fall transitional window. Some purchases are an investment in joy. This is one of them!

P.S. A lot of sizes are out of stock, but add your name to the waitlist — my size became available within 48 hours!

Eating | Whole Foods Family Meal

Did you know in Whole Foods’ prepared foods section, you can snag a family dinner featuring a protein, vegetable, and starch for under $30? Roughly four servings are included, and all you do is pop in the oven at around 375 for 25-35 minutes. So easy, so delicious, and cheaper than Uber Eats!

Reading | What Can Pope Leo Teach Us About Being Good Managers of People?

I’ll admit this one veers inside baseball for my day job — but Jeff Nowak is one of the preeminent voices on FMLA and ADA, and this piece surprised me. Whether you manage a team, work within one, or simply interact with humans on a regular basis (so: everyone), there are genuinely lovely takeaways here.

Watching | Chloe Rose Litras’s Bicester Village Vlog

For my English readers: you are so deeply lucky. Bicester Village — a designer outlet in Oxfordshire carrying Barbour, Aquazzura, Céline, Mulberry, Self-Portrait, Ralph Lauren, Max Mara, Zimmermann, Manolo Blahnik, and so many more, all at a discount — is the kind of thing that I did not know existed outside of a dream. Until I can get myself across the pond, I will be living vicariously through Chloe Rose’s shopping vlogs from there!

Listening | Danny Pellegrino — The Valley Recaps

If you have been watching the last few weeks of The Valley absolutely incensed at the way Danny treats his literal beauty pageant queen of a wife, you need Danny Pellegrino’s recaps in your life immediately. A rallying cry for sanity. A comfort. Danny P’s summary of Mia’s situation last week — “five under 5’5” ” — had me in tears.

Trying | Mister Car Wash Membership

Classic new car behavior. Sixteen dollars for the first month, thirty-two after that, for unlimited washes — and there is a location right on my way home from work! My goal is once a week, minimum. The Atlas will be pristine. I will become a car person yet!!!

Champagne | Ballard Designs Beauclaire Planter

No one does outdoor design like Ballard Designs — and I was genuinely, pleasantly surprised by the sticker price on this one.

Frites | Target × Studio McGee Outdoor Trellis Planter Box

Sixty dollars. An injection of francophile taste into any outdoor space without a single apology to your budget.

TIBL*

*Things I’ve Bought Lately

• Frank & Eileen Aspen Set

• Maude Club Alfie Sleeveless Swing Top

• Maeve Gingham Midi Skirt

• AYR The Tate White Oxford

• AYR The Half Day

• AYR The Practice Tee

• Le Ligne Colby Satin Pant

• Donni The Taffeta Drawstring Cargo Pant

• Quince 100% Organic Cotton Striped Crew Sweater

• Quince 100% European Linen High Waisted Shorts

• Quince 100% Organic Cotton Fisherman Boxy Cropped Cardigan

• Castañer Espadrille Wedges

Autumn Arissa Designs

For the home project that wants to feel lived-in and elevated all at once — Autumn is your person. She gets vendors in quickly, brings real vision to the work, and is, frankly, sunshine to collaborate with. If you are sitting on a project you keep putting off, this is your sign! We are working on a runner install this summer once she returns from maternity leave, and I am so excited!

Is Pepsi Okay?

“Is Pepsi okay?”

I don’t know –

Is “resort view” instead of “ocean front” okay?

Is buying that dream dress just for it to go on sale the next day okay?

Is a chocolate chip cookie that turns out to be oatmeal raisin okay?

Is Coney Island as your surprise song twice (yes, both in Atlanta and in London!) okay?

Is a bouncy blowout shimmying off your shoulders, just for it to start to rain okay?

Is letting your hope spring eternal, just to be geysered by the cumulative papercuts of life okay?

So now, you come to my table, on a precious day my heart is bursting with life, where sunshine is kissing my cheeks, and ask me

“Is Pepsi okay?”

“Actually, I’ll just take champagne.”

postscript

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

Happy Friday!

Hello from the desert, where my moisturizer absorbs instantaneously and I have learned more in three days at this work conference than I have in the last three months! I am nerding out to an embarrassing degree and I am not even a little sorry about it.

I also finished Yesteryear this week on my plane ride and I have thoughts. Come find me on The Lauren Letter May Book Club discussion note. We’ll talk.

And to everyone celebrating Mother’s Day this weekend: what a gift. To anyone for whom this particular Sunday asks something harder of you — please be gentle with yourself. Tuck away somewhere soft with a good book and something sweet, and know that gentleness is its own kind of celebration.

Until our next correspondence,

xx Lauren

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

Wearing | The Ultimate Work Conference Uniform

I have cracked the code, and it is, naturally, Tuckernuck. The Liv Cardigan paired with the coordinating Marie Dress is everything a work conference demands: the knit requires exactly zero upkeep, handles the aggressive air conditioning of a hotel ballroom with tremendous grace, and the cardigan shrugs off effortlessly the moment you find yourself at the outdoor happy hour. It reads professionally, but there's a fizz to it — a bit of personality peeking through! I started no fewer than three new conversations this week because someone complimented the outfit. The geometric pattern I wore has sold through, but they carry other beautiful iterations. I do so wish they'd make more of this particular variety!

Eating | Salted Melon Globe Trotter

We have sung the praises of Salted Melon before in this letter, but a new development demands an update: they have a gluten-free wrap situation, and it is not merely fine — it is genuinely excellent. I snagged the Globe Trotter on the way home from the office for dinner this week and it delivered in every possible way. The people over there simply know what they're doing!!!

Reading | The Book of Luke by Lovell Holder

Just cracked it open, and the timing is almost too perfect. Carter and I recently started watching Survivor for the very first time so the universe clearly wanted me to find this book. Lovell Holder's debut follows Luke Griffin, a former reality competition winner who returns to the show years later after his life quietly unravels around him. The premise weaves together dual timelines, dropping just enough breadcrumbs in the present to make the past feel electric. I am only a handful of pages in and already completely charmed by the premise — there is something wonderfully meta about reading a novel about the psychological machinery of reality TV while simultaneously being a brand new Survivor convert who is learning, with great enthusiasm, exactly how that machinery works.

Watching | The Elle Trailer

July 1 cannot arrive fast enough. I will confess to a titch of disappointment that the show is setting up shop in Seattle rather than Elle's rightful California habitat — but I am choosing to hold that lightly. What I cannot hold lightly is my enthusiasm for this particular injection of girl power into my television. Consider me fully booked for that premiere!

Listening | American Cars by Noah Kahan

Noah Kahan confirmed in an interview that this one is about his sister. Which means it is, officially, an eldest daughter anthem!

Trying | Frank & Eileen ReLoved

Did you know Frank & Eileen has a pre-owned arm of their business? I have now learned this firsthand, as I have acquired an Aspen Set in the discontinued gray melange colorway for $185 after taxes. One hundred and eighty five dollars. I will be returning to this corner of the internet with great regularity and I am highly recommending you do the same. The discontinued colorways alone are worth the visit!

Champagne | Frank & Eileen Monterey Rolled Funnel Neck

If you have spent any meaningful time in this letter, you know the clinical nature of my obsession with Frank & Eileen. This rollneck — the Monterey in white with an ice-blue stripe, rendered in 100% pure Italian cotton — has been on my radar, and it deserves to be on yours. It makes you want to be sitting somewhere coastal with a crisp glass of white wine and the collected ease of a woman who has simply figured things out.

Frites | Quince 100% Organic Cotton Striped Crew

The exact same look — same material composition, same stripe, same coastal dreaminess — for under fifty dollars. No rollneck, but otherwise a remarkable dupe that requires no apology. I actually bought her while writing this!!!

TIBL*

*Things I’ve Bought Lately

• Frank & Eileen Aspen Set

• Maude Club Alfie Sleeveless Swing Top

• Maeve Gingham Midi Skirt

• AYR The Tate White Oxford

• AYR The Half Day

• AYR The Practice Tee

• Le Ligne Colby Satin Pant

• Donni The Taffeta Drawstring Cargo Pant

• Quince 100% Organic Cotton Striped Crew Sweater

• Quince 100% European Linen High Waisted Shorts

• Quince 100% Organic Cotton Fisherman Boxy Cropped Cardigan

• Castañer Espadrille Wedges

Rich & Thirsty

True, cheeky, feminine, aesthetic content — an amuse-bouche for your feed.

Performance Review

yesterday on a call

in front of my whole team

my boss said my positive energy and joy

makes him leave every conversation feeling better about himself and the world

and i have worked very hard

to untether myself from the tent pole of others’ approval

to unmoor the sails of my self-worth from the profession i perform

but it made me really happy

and proud

and i even teared up a little bit after the call

and i think that’s okay too.

postscript

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

I finished Yesteryear and I have not stopped thinking about it since. I am fizzing. I am foaming at the mouth, actually. I have Thoughts with a capital T and nowhere near enough people in my immediate vicinity who have read it yet — which is where you come in.

This month’s The Lauren Letter Book Club is officially open for business, and I want to yap. I want to hear your theories, your reactions, the moment you gasped or laughed or put the book down and stared at the ceiling.

I’ve put together a set of discussion based questions (“DBQs”) in my original Substack announcement (see below!). I’ll be reading every single one and weaving them into the end-of-month post so it feels like we actually sat down together. And, of course, it’s never too late to become a reader!

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

Your Appointments for May

sunshine on your lifted face / soft serve with sprinkles / aperol spritz on the patio – if the glass doesn’t have a stem, send it back / read poetry on a blanket outside / linen pants with an oversized cotton sweater / barefoot with sancerre / gather for a late lunch and stay until closing / strawberries with sugar / craft a hearty sandwich with tomatoes and avocado / monogram your white oxford / dunk your head underwater – you’ll get used to it quicker that way / if at all possible, get to martha’s vineyard for memorial day / keep a deck of cards on hand / put clean sheets on the bed before you leave town / learn flower names / wash your car (so long pollen!) / maldon sea salt on everything / gaze softly at water: an ocean , a lake, the glass on your nightstand

postscript

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

Happy Friday!

Well, Atlanta has been absolutely drenching us this week, and I have to confess — I am not mad about it. There is something so deeply cozy about a rainy week. The excuse to stay in, the sound of it against the windows while you sleep, the permission to slow down just a little. They do say April showers bring May flowers, and I am choosing to believe that wholeheartedly!

This weekend I am heading to Auburn for my brother-in-law’s graduation — so proud of him! If anyone has shopping recommendations in Auburn, please send them my way immediately. I am always up for discovering a new local spot!

Stay cozy, stay curious, and for the love of all things good, it’s time to get into the sunshine!

Until our next correspondence,

xx Lauren

P.S. Hill House is launching its American Girl doll collection on Monday at 9am EST! This is sure to sell out quick, so set your alarms!

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

Wearing | Mersea Sunny Sailor Pajama Set + Molly Bed Coat

Can we please, please bring back the bed coat? I am putting my foot down and making it my personal mission. This set is so elevated and lovely — the kind of thing that makes you feel decadently pulled together even when you're entirely at home. These pieces are from MERSEA's collection in partnership with Selma Blair, whom I adore, and the collaboration shows. Every detail feels considered. Highly, highly recommend!

Eating | Cheesy Chicken Casserole

Look. I am lazy. The rain makes me want nothing more than comfort food and the least amount of effort. This casserole delivered on both counts. I asked AI to turn this recipe into a crockpot-friendly take — it took me not even ten minutes to get everything into the dish, and then I just let it do its work.

Reading | Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Our very first Lauren Letter Book Club pick, and I am obsessed. I genuinely cannot remember the last time I felt this completely infatuated with a book. It has been so buzzy, and I know we are going to have so much to talk about. Head to my Substack note (below!) and leave your thoughts, questions, and musings — I want to hear everything.

Watching | Real Housewives of Rhode Island

I will be honest — I had my doubts. I braced myself for a copy-and-paste of New Jersey and prepared to be unimpressed. I was so wrong. So wrong. RHORI is fantastic, and I truly believe we are living in a Bravo renaissance. What a time to be alive!

Listening | The Queen and Her Presidents by Susan Page

With all the beautiful coverage of the King and Queen’s visit to the U.S. this week, I have had this audiobook on deck. It chronicles Queen Elizabeth II’s relationships with all thirteen American presidents she met during her reign — and the standout fact that will stop you in your tracks: she is the only person in history that all thirteen of those presidents had all met.

Trying | Listing on The RealReal

I have a handful of luxury handbags languishing in my closet — loud logos, not really my style anymore, some of them untouched for years. I finally listed them on The RealReal and it has been such a low-lift, easy process. I am genuinely excited to clear the space and make room for investments that actually align with where my style is these days. Highly recommend if you’re sitting on pieces that deserve a second life!

Champagne | Business and Pleasure Co. The Waterhouse Sofa

A dear friend recently outfitted her gorgeous backyard pool area with pieces from Business and Pleasure Co., and I became an instant, devoted fan. This sofa in particular — the Waterhouse — is simply dreamy. Put it on your back patio and suddenly every afternoon feels like Palm Beach.

Frites | Ebern Designs 4-Person Premium Patio Wicker Sectional Seating Group

An incredibly elevated look for an unbelievable price point. The lattice detailing is spectacular — it looks like it could have walked straight off the floor of a luxury home showroom. Outdoor entertaining season is upon us, and this is how you do it without the heart-stopping price tag.

Emily Ley

Emily Ley is the founder and CEO of Simplified, a premium brand of planners and organizational tools. She also runs one of the top Substacks in the United States, writing about womanhood, work, ambition, home, and the beautiful mess in between — for women who refuse to shrink in a world that expects them to do it all.

She is the kind of woman who builds something meaningful, writes about it honestly, and brings her community along for every chapter. Follow her. You will not regret it!

You Need to Romanticize Your Life

you need to romanticize your life

because no one is going to do it for you.

so, buy the flowers.

yes, they’re going to die.

but let me let you in on a secret – so are you!

and why not make your precious time here

as lovely as you can?

the movie

postscript

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

Bottle blonde (natural, I insist, though I understand the skepticism). A wardrobe built on classic silhouettes, tailored fits, and clean lines. Never without a bright lip — turns out my Mom was right all along. I live in the American South, where sweet tea is strong and small talk is an art form. I have been told — more than once, with great affection — that I am a lot. Effervescent, I prefer. The kind of woman who will befriend your grandmother at a dinner party and leave with her azalea gardening tips and a standing lunch date. On paper, on Instagram, perhaps even at first glance across a table at a luncheon, I read as a particular type of woman (hint: she watches Fox News and has a proclivity for cherry red).

But, dear reader, I assure you: I am as blue as cerulean.

I voted for Hillary, Joe, and Kamala. I’ve never missed an election. My grandparents — on both sides — have been campaigning for liberal candidates since the sixties. I met Barack Obama in 2004 in Oquawka, Illinois, before he was a household name, and in 2013 I stood in the January cold on the National Mall with my father to watch him be inaugurated for the second time. I have strong feelings about a great many things, and almost none of them would surprise you coming from a card-carrying Democrat from Atlanta, Georgia. So you can imagine — truly, imagine — the pearl-grasping that occurred when think-pieces began to circulate suggesting that dressing head-to-toe in Tuckernuck marks you as a harbinger of American conservatism.

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

Here is what I need you to know about me and Tuckernuck.

I have been wearing it almost exclusively since 2020. I wore pieces from their house line when Carter proposed, and again in our engagement photos. I wore Tuckernuck as a bridesmaid in my brother’s wedding. On first days of new jobs. On vacations that became memories. The afternoon I met my nephew for the first time, I was in Tuckernuck.

I have converted friends and family with the fervor of a true believer. I dispense discount codes like it’s gospel. The annual sample sale is, without exaggeration, my favorite holiday of the year; my Christmas list has evolved into almost exclusively Tuckernuck gift cards, a development my family has accepted with great patience and occasional confusion.

Tuckernucking has become a fully fledged verb in my household. My dad lovingly calls my mom and me the Tuckernuckers when we get particularly deep into a shopping session. This is said with affection. Mostly.

When I first started sharing online as a tastemaker and received my first PR package from Tuckernuck, I knew that I had made it.

The politicization of Tuckernuck arrived over in the midst of the 2024 election season, when a flurry of articles crystallized what many in Washington had apparently decided: Tuckernuck was MAGA’s unofficial outfitter.

From the White House to Fox News, the brand had been worn by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Second Lady Usha Vance, and a who’s who of Republican staffers from Capitol Hill and the Trump administration. The Daily Beast reported that its crisp blouses and structured dresses had come to dominate podiums in Trump’s White House and were being bought in bulk by Fox News’ wardrobe department. According to The Washington Post, the Jackie dress was the uniform of the 2024 Republican National Convention.

HuffPost went further, asking whether you might be wearing a MAGA-coded outfit without knowing it. Celebrity stylist Edith Chan weighed in: “Tuckernuck doesn’t promote MAGA ideology directly, but its aesthetic aligns closely with values often associated with modern conservatism — tradition, respectability, family life and understated wealth. In today’s polarized climate, fashion like this becomes read politically, whether the brand intends it or not.” One style commentator offered perhaps the most memorable take: “I love Tuckernuck and actually wear a lot of it — while also recognizing it’s definitely Republican-coded.”

And then, as if this press cycle weren't enough, The White Lotus Season 3 entered the chat. Last season’s beloved breakout character, Victoria Ratliff — Parker Posey's Southern, delusional, lorazepam-loving, thoroughly affluent matriarch — was a full-blown cultural moment. And costume designer Alex Bovaird confirmed that Posey was particularly inspired by Tuckernuck's "beachy, preppy" aesthetic in building Victoria's wardrobe. Victoria, who famously does not know she is in Thailand. Victoria, who calls it "Taiwan." Victoria, who agrees to visit a monastery only to sabotage her daughter's spiritual awakening.

With friends like these.

The founders, for their part, have been admirably composed throughout all of this.

When Washingtonian asked co-founder Jocelyn Gailliot directly about Tuckernuck’s reputation among Republican staffers, she laughed it off: “Everyone wants to make everything political these days. First of all, we’re very popular amongst both parties, and we have a lot of clients on both aisles. For us, it’s always been the mission of ‘Let’s inspire a fun, full life.’ That’s something that everyone can be excited about.”

Co-founder September Votta added that the brand had always resisted being bucketed: “From the beginning, we’ve always said that people have wanted to bucket us — as a New England brand or an East Coast brand — but we always wanted to be attainable and approachable for the whole country and not just a small subset of it.”

Like a sartorial Dolly Parton, Tuckernuck floats, beloved, above the political fray.

The whole situation calls to mind one of the most famous lines in the history of commercialism, particularly in the modern day landscape where consumers not only desire product but political ethos from their provisioners: Michael Jordan’s long-attributed refusal to endorse a Democratic Senate candidate in his home state of North Carolina, explained by the quiet logic that “Republicans buy sneakers, too.”

But here is where it gets particularly delicious: privately, two of the three founders are registered Democrats who have donated repeatedly to Democratic candidates, according to Federal Election Commission records. Democrats, it turns out, not only buy Jackie dresses, too — they are the ones who designed it.

Fashion is inherently political — that much is undeniable. The clothes we choose communicate something about who we are, or who we wish to be seen as, or what world we want to live in. But the politicization around Tuckernuck has always felt reductive to me, because when I look at what this brand actually is — not who it has been dressed on, but what it stands for in its bones — I see something that strikes me as deeply, emphatically progressive in the most positive, non-partisan connotation of the word.

Consider: Tuckernuck is female-founded, by three women who built a nine-figure brand from a Georgetown garage. Rather than watch talented women leave the workforce because it was too hard to leave their children behind, they built a culture where children were welcome — not tolerated, but expected. They offer a minimum of four months of maternity leave, and provide up to $20,000 per child for daycare for employees who work in their building, with an on-site childcare center so that parents and children can commute together and reunite at five o’clock.

The brand is committed to size inclusivity and quality fabrics — the kind of construction that lasts, that gets handed down, that isn’t disposable. It’s a lifestyle brand in the truest sense: travel, culture, design, even a book club. It champions other brands worth your dollars, functioning as an arbiter of taste in a crowded market. When I see Tuckernuck carries something, I know it has earned its place.

The clothes themselves are for your spontaneous, busy, effervescent life — easily packable, always a statement even in a classic silhouette, as comfortable building a capsule wardrobe as making a single spectacular entrance. From day to office to footwear to accessories to home to formalwear, the world Tuckernuck imagines is full and joyful and, yes, a little fizzy.

I cannot wait to make my pilgrimage to the Upper East Side storefront and the Georgetown mecca — especially the new flagship, a corner lot with floor-to-ceiling windows on either side, in the heart of D.C. where they always wanted to be. I will continue to fill my closet with Callahan dresses and refresh the new release page every morning like the woman of faith that I am.

And one thing I can say with absolute certainty: I cannot wait to wear Tuckernuck the next time I head to the polls. Regardless of who you’re voting for, I genuinely think you should, too.

Postscript

Here are my favorite Tuckernuck staples that are sure to garner bipartisan support!

Happy Friday!

Earlier this week, I shared reflections on how I started sharing online because I wanted a place for taste, for design, for making this life a little softer, and I am coming back to that with a full heart this week. And I hope that’s exactly what you came for!

Also — I cannot believe next week is May. How? Someone explain! In the meantime, Carter is out of town Saturday and I have the house entirely to myself, which means I am fully open to show recommendations!!!

Until our next correspondence,

xx Lauren

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

Wearing | Lisi Lerch Catherine - Clover Stone Stud Earring - 18k Gold Plated-Darby Clark Collection

I have been dreaming of the perfect floral diamond stud for years —until I encountered a $28,000 pair at Croghan's and quietly filed it away out of pure shock. So imagine my absolute delight when I found the perfect version for $78. Do I love the idea of one day transforming this exact design with real diamonds? Yes. Does this pair feel like fine jewelry to me right now? Also yes!

Eating | Ice Cream & Sprinkles

I am 30 years old, I have complete free will, and I realized this week that I can simply have a scoop of ice cream with sprinkles at night if I want to. That is all. That is the whole update. It has been very good!

Reading | The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue

I shared that I started reading this book on Instagram stories and the positive response was enormous! Caroline O’Donoghue’s novel follows Rachel, a bookshop-working college student in Cork who forms an electric friendship with James just as the 2008 recession is making everything feel precarious. When Rachel falls for her married professor, all four of their lives tangle together in ways that are funny, aching, and very hard to put down. Adoring it so far!

Watching | Olivia Rodrigo’s "Drop Dead" Music Video

Cute, frilly, and makes me want to twirl around my room after a first date! I truly think this is the best new song of the year, and the best thing she has ever made. The music video imagery — dancing through Versailles in ruffles and bows — is everything. Her album cover is a direct homage to Fragonard’s 1767 Rococo painting The Swing, and if that is the era we are entering, I am so ready. I cannot wait for You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love!

Listening | Noah Kahan “The Great Divide”

I am eagerly anticipating its release as I write this! I watched the documentary on Netflix following Noah Kahan preparing to play Fenway and it was spectacular — he is just so authentic and endearing. If the singles so far are any indication, the full album is going to be something special!

Trying | Oak Essentials Skin Care

I am not leaving my La Mer, let the record show! But I have become a full Oak Essentials convert. Founded by the founder of Jenni Kayne, this line is by no means inexpensive — but the value is real, and it has been wonderful for extending the life of my La Mer products. A genuinely incredible find and the results are incredible!!!

I use in this order:

• The Restorative Mask (2x per week)

• The Firming Plant Peptide Serum

• The Daily Vitamin C Serum (morning only)

• The Nightly Retinol Serum (night only)

• The Ritual Oil

• The Moisture Rich Balm

Champagne | Agua Bendita Swimsuit

Agua Bendita is simply a dream brand — so feminine, so floral, so entirely whimsical. Their dresses are staples for me, but their swimwear is a complete home run. If you want the most romantic beach look possible, this is it!

Frites | Target Floral Print Suit — Under $50

For the same dreamy, romantic beach energy without the splurge: this Target suit for under $50 (plus a matching sarong!) truly cannot be beaten.

Danika Herrick

Danika Herrick is a Boston-based surface pattern designer whose work I can only describe as what happens when Palm Beach and New England get hitched and have a Chinoiserie baby — her words, and they are perfect! Her fabric and wallpaper feels simultaneously traditional and completely alive: block print florals, ticking stripes, bold chinoiserie, all of it layered and deeply livable. Her designs are woven throughout our home, and I cannot imagine it without them!

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10! While these gifts are a great starting point for the moms, moms-to-be, and mother figures in your life, the most common request I hear is booking her a pampering appointment (think massage, facial, nails) — not a gift card; just book it for her!!!

Mom

• Party Prep Print by Shannon Woodford

  • My signature collaboration with fine artist Shannon Woodford — an absolute breathtaking homage to the woman who brings everything together, whether it be a summer soireee or dinnertime every night.

  • Use code LAUREN10 for 10% off!

• Stubbs & Wootton Slippers Fleurs Flax Linen Slippers

• LAKE Pima Long Sleeve Bundle in English Rose Stripe

• Monogram Stationary Set

• Alex Mill The Perfect Weekday Tote

  • A cult classic; go with her classic monogram or a fun “MOM” moniker.

• Weezie Women’s Long Signature Robe

• Famille Rose Champagne Bucket

• La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream Duet

  • A tremendous value!

• Small Wonders: A Field Guide to Life’s Quiet Joys by Jennifer Shoop

• Golden Rabbit Nesting Bowls in Taupe Swirl

  • What a gorgeous way to elevate meal prepping!

• Heirloom Monogram Pillowcase

• Oh My Mahjong Solara Starter Kit

• Saint Laurent Uptown Pouch in Grain De Poudre Embossed Leather

  • One of my all time favorite luxury pieces; I use mine every single day and it is perfect to transfer necessities from bag to bag.

• Addison Ross Chinoiserie Frame

  • You can add in a photo for them to print and deliver in the frame!

• Diptyque Roses Candle

Mom-to-Be

• Hill House The Ellie Nap Dress

  • The perfect silhouette that will carry her from prenatal to postpartum.

• Mina Baie Emmy Vegan Full

  • My best friend has this chic diaper bag that also can be worn as a backpack (by your partner!!!!).

• The Bumpsuit

• LAKE Pima Maternity Long-Long Set in Parisian Green

• LAKE Pima Robe in Parisian Green

• Chappy Wrap Springtime Stripe Lightweight Blanket

  • So many options to match your nursery design!

• Stanley The Quencher H2.0 Flowstate™ Tumbler

  • Don’t let it leave your side! Hydration is an expectant Mom’s friend.

• Amazon Kindle

  • Compact, portable, and perfect for those final days at home and the early newborn days as well!

• Heirloom ‘From the Nursery’ Personalized Rocking Horse Stationery

• Oak Essentials The Routine

  • My latest skincare obsession; will make the mom-to-be in your life glow somehow even more and all products are pregnancy safe.

New Mom

• Poems of Parenting by Loryn Brantz

  • One of my absolute favorite gifts for new moms!

• Ginori 1735 Oriente Italiano Mug in Porpora

  • To make her necessary morning caffeine feel like a little luxury.

• Piyama Penelope Set

  • Comfortable enough for days at home, polished enough to wear out for an errand.

• MME.Mink The Gigi Basket

  • Push present alert!

• Dorsey Kate Rivière Necklace

  • Push present alert!

• Behrhaus Fulvic Acid Barrier Biome Mist

  • One of my favorite new products of the season; an instant boost of hydration and soothing.

• Lenora Vandy Cotton Short Sleeve Pajamas

  • Comes in pink and blue trim!

• Target Mother’s Day Striped Ruffle Pouch 2pc Set

• Paul Arnhold Glass Seafoam Green Transparent Spotted Carafe

  • To quench her thirst without having to even get up from bed.

• Sugar Paper Baby Book

• La Mer The Lip Balm

  • My holy grail lip balm!

• Oak Essentials Aromatherapy Bath Set

Grandma

• Lingua Franca Sweater

  • Can do the initials, a favorite saying, or her grandma name!

• Vana Chupp Studio Classic Silhouette Charm Bracelet

• Tricia Lowenfield Large Custom Platter in Family and Flowers

  • Tricia can fully customize colors, background, and family!

• Wedgewood Magnolia Blossom Frame

• Frank & Eileen Effie Long-Sleeve Funnel Neck Capelet

• Ginori 1735 Oriente Italiano Round Box with Cover

  • A place to store her jewels when playing with munchkins!

• Custom Silhouette Intaglio — option a and option b

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

I Think You Should Get a Bob

i think you should get a bob

and i think you should wear a sunhat to the pub

the big floppy kind that kathy hilton wears

and i think you should cry when you hear landslide playing in the grocery store

and not feel silly about it for a second!

because how beautiful is a woman who is alive and fizzing

and i insist that you buy red shoes

and i beg that you cut yourself a break

because i am implored to remind you this is your own little world

your clouds are in your coffee

your particular brand of magic is so desperately needed

so debrief with a clairvoyant and pray to your god and gossip with your best friend

all on the way to your hair appointment

postscript

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

My Signatures

champagne & fries / gingham / asking if i can pet your dog / crying a little even when i try hard not to / hermes scarves / oversharing / crème de la mer / town & country (print) / a slight distrust of organized religion / talenti strawberry sorbet / beating a dead horse / black coffee / calling chiropractors quacks / criticizing my mom for her traits that I have begun to see in myself / fresh pajamas every night / using just for men beard dye to tint my eyebrows / the today show / local libraries / limelight hydrangeas / sensitive, old souls / books set in england with multiple narrators especially if they’re over seventy and there has been a murder / marriott bonvoy / hating when a stranger starts a conversation with me on planes / loving starting conversations with a stranger on planes / tuckernucking

postscript

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

There is a particular kind of email I have trained myself to delete without opening or a post I scroll past when it trickles down on my feed. You know the one. The subject line promises something — Ten Things You Need This Season, My Favorite Links, A Few Products I Love — and by the time you’ve scrolled past the eighth affiliate link, you’ve forgotten why you ever subscribed. It is content in the truest, most clinical sense of the word: It is designed to make the sale. You are designed to consume accordingly.

I know this, because I have sent versions of it.

When I started the Lauren Letter, that was not my intention. But, it happened slowly, in the way that well-intentioned things can tend to drift.

I had been watching — really indexing — what was working for other people. The Instagram accounts with the numbers, the Substacks with the paid tiers, the creators who had figured out how to make this a livelihood. And I started copying the architecture of it without ever really examining whether it was mine. The recurring segments. The link roundups. The gentle funnel toward something purchasable. The aesthetics of productivity dressed up as personality.

I told myself it was strategic. That you have to grow an audience before you get to write however you want. That revenue doesn’t materialize from poetry and personal essays alone, and if I wanted this to be real — genuinely, sustainably real — I needed to play the game a little. Learn the form. Do what the people with 100k followers were doing and trust that the writing could live inside it somewhere.

The problem is that it couldn’t. Or at least, it wasn’t. I was copy-pasting an approach that was never built for what I actually am, and the seams were showing — mostly to me, but I suspect to you too.

So I’ve been reflecting critically. And what I found, if I’m honest, is that the parts of this I love — the parts I think you love, too — have nothing to do with roundups or listicles or the performance helpfulness. My soul sits with language. With curation. With storytelling.

So let me do what I should have done at the beginning. Let me properly introduce myself.

I believe the world is remarkably beautiful. I fight for that belief every single day — for the romance in it, for the joy, for the refusal to let the ordinary stay ordinary. That is not an aesthetic affectation. It is a conviction.

My mission with the Lauren Letter, if we’re being formal about it, is to romanticize life through storytelling, wit, and design.

I write for a specific kind of woman, and I think you know if you’re her. She is curious and cultured. She romanticizes her everyday — a corner café, a well-chosen candle, the pleasure of a long lunch that becomes dinner. She reads. She has taste without being precious about it. She wants champagne and fries. She’ll ask her friends if they should just do a bottle. She is a professional, a founder, a creative — someone who values taste over trends and wants to feel, above all, genuinely herself. Elevated, not sold to. More romantic about her life, not more optimized within it. She wants someone to see her inner life and name it beautifully.

That is what I am here to do. That has always been what I am here to do.

Here’s what stays, and what it means:

The Lauren Letter remains the anchor — my weekly correspondence that holds everything together. Witty, warm, a little editorial, occasionally irreverent.

Love Notes are my poetry, prose, and percolations. It is the most vulnerable thing I will do here, and equally the most thrilling. No utility. No directive. No reason to exist except that the language demanded it and I had the courage to let it out. This is the writing I was made for — lyrical, unhurried, intimate.

Book Club is beginning! One book a month, a proper review, and questions worth sitting with. I cannot wait for us to read together, treating the comments section as our literary salon.

And then there are the Stories — the longer essays, pop culture and lifestyle reflections, and travel guides. These arrive when they arrive. I will not manufacture them on a schedule, nor use them as a trojan horse for affiliate linking, and I think that’s precisely what makes them worth reading when they do!

And finally, The Lauren Warrant.

A royal warrant is granted when a supplier has met the standard of a household of taste and discernment. The Lauren Warrant is my version. It is reserved for pieces that carry the full weight of my taste and authority, and it will appear rarely, because rarity is the point. When something genuinely meets my standard — for beauty, for craft, for ethos — it receives it.

This is a smaller table, set more carefully. I think you’ll find you prefer it.

With so much love, as always,

Lauren xx

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

Happy Friday!

As I teased a couple of weeks ago, I took some time away with my mom for a stay at Miraval — and I am not sure I have the words to do it justice quite yet, though I tried! I published my full guide, and I cannot wait for you to read it. I also am publishing daily vlogs!

What I will say here is this: I left with a renewed passion and clarity. I was reminded — loudly and undeniably — of how imperative creative writing and storytelling are to my soul. I have some truly exciting ideas percolating (at least, they are exciting to me!), and I cannot wait to formally introduce them to you all in the coming weeks.

For now — thank you for being here, for reading, and for waiting. I hope your weekend ahead is full of fizz and brightness and the kind of slow, easy relaxation that you so earned.

Until our next correspondence,

xx Lauren

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

Wearing | LoveShackFancy

I will be candid with you: I had, perhaps unfairly, convinced myself that I had aged out of LoveShackFancy. Then their PR catalogue landed in my inbox, and I was genuinely beyond impressed. The selections felt elevated, romantic, and thoroughly 30-something friendly — the brand has grown up right alongside those of us who fell in love with it first!

Eating | Something & Nothing Yuzu Premium Soda

Light, crisp, and unexpected — this has become my new little ritual at the end of the day! If you are looking for something that feels a touch more considered than sparkling water but a touch less than a cocktail, this is your answer.

Reading | The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Truly not something I would have ever plucked from a shelf on my own — the description alone would have sent me right past it. But when that many trusted friends look you square in the eye and say you must, you must! And I am so glad I listened. It is cozy and loving and true in a way that is difficult to articulate but easy to feel.

Watching | The Valley

The Valley is back and I am glued. I haven’t noticed a tremendous amount of buzz surrounding this installment, which genuinely surprises me — every character, every storyline, I find it completely addictive.

Listening | Breakfast in a Nancy Meyers Kitchen

Perfect for springtime twiddling around the house. Possibly perfect for all occasions, really. If there is a more aspirational way to soundtrack a Saturday morning, I have not found it.

Trying | Luna Bronze Total Eclipse Tanning Mousse

I was sent this as PR and, while I have only used it the once so far, I am genuinely impressed! The application is even, the result is instant, and somehow it manages to look like you have just returned from a week somewhere tropical! Very much continuing to report back on this one.

Champagne | Arizona Essentials EVA Sandals

It is a butter yellow summer, and these are the darling slip-on to see you through every pool day and long, meandering afternoon. Effortless, sweet, and exactly right for the season.

Frites | Target Neida Sandals

The same look for less — and truly, a summer statement sandal is a wonderful place to save. Treat yourself to the color, spare the splurge.

Jennifer Shoop, Founder of Magpie

Jennifer Shoop’s writing is simply enchanting — charming and precise and full of warmth. Her new book, Small Wonders, has already found its place on my nightstand and, I suspect, in my heart for quite some time. Follow along for gentle musings and the most delightful cheeky poetry. She is a genuine treasure.

My mom and I have done an annual girls’ trip for six years running — typically the standard luxury hotel formula: beautiful property, adjacent spa, lovely time. But this year, we wanted something different.

Enter Miraval.

Miraval is a luxury, almost-all-inclusive wellness resort with three properties across the country — Arizona, Massachusetts, and Austin. It’s not your standard resort, and that is entirely the point. It’s the kind of place that meets you exactly where you are and sends you home more energized, more grounded, and more yourself than when you arrived. We chose the Austin location for a combination of price and ease: a direct two-ish hour flight for me from Atlanta, just under three hours for my Mom from Chicago.

We had the time of our lives, and I cannot wait to return.

A note on the service before we get into anything else: everyone — receptionists, bartenders, practitioners, coaches, and servers alike — was warm, convivial, and genuinely lovely. Notably, there is no additional gratuity expected at any point during your stay. It sounds like a small thing, but it creates something remarkable: the feeling that you can simply saunter away from the dinner table or float out of the spa without that familiar reach for your wallet. Even better, it signals that the people who work so hard to make your experience extraordinary are actually being compensated fairly for it.

This is not a trip for everyone. But if you are open to growth, to stillness, to giggling your way through experiences that challenge and restore you in equal measure — I could not recommend it more.

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

When to Go

We spent nearly four full days and three nights in early April, and I’d call it the perfect length of time. It was just long enough to truly unplug and sample the range of what Miraval offer!

One of the great gifts of Miraval Austin is how much of the experience unfolds outdoors — morning movement, afternoon pool time, al fresco dinners, winding walks between activities. So, yes, temperature matters. Early April gave us high 50s to low 60s in the mornings (ideal for a pre-breakfast walk or stretch class), high 70s in the afternoons (beautiful for pool-side reading or happy hour mahjong sessions), and cool evenings that made robed dinners outside feel like the obvious choice.

If your budget has less flexibility, off-season visits come with real savings — and the Black Friday sale is apparently legendary. Worth setting a reminder!

Getting There

Miraval Austin sits about 30 minutes from the Austin-Bergstrom airport — a super easy arrival once you land. My mom and I timed our flights to arrive around the same time; Miraval provides a complimentary hourly shuttle, though we ultimately Ubered so we could get on the road.

The moment you arrive, your reverie begins. You’re greeted in person with a cooled towel, your printed itinerary for the stay, a tote bag, and a reusable water bottle. Staff handles your luggage while you receive a property tour. From that point on, you never have to leave, and you will walk everywhere!

Where to Stay

Miraval assigns your room in proximity to the activities on your itinerary — a thoughtful detail that makes your days feel effortless rather than logistically fraught. Since we leaned heavily into spa bookings, we landed in Building 8, right across from the spa, the serenity pool, the primary restaurant, and the café. It was perfect!

We stayed in a Dreamcatcher Double Queen Room. Suites are also available — I could absolutely imagine a girls’ trip in a suite being a dream! Each room comes with its own tea and coffee, a water carafe, a Himalayan singing bowl, and a meditation pillow. Because it’s Miraval, so of course it does.

But the beds . . . Le sigh. The beds deserve their own paragraph! I have never experienced anything quite like them. There’s a reason people talk about the Miraval bedding experience (and it costs $5,000+ to bring the full set home with you) — you melt into them in a way that is almost disorienting. True Nirvana!

There are TVs with streaming options, but aside from a few episodes of The Office one evening (a fit of giggles, obviously), we never turned it on. The rooms are designed to encourage disconnection, and they succeed beautifully. My personal favorite touch: nightly turndown service, a luxury that seems increasingly rare but that I adore every time I encounter it.

Activities

The activities are the soul of Miraval. The scale and scope of what they offer is genuinely remarkable, and you should absolutely book your schedule well in advance — windows open 60 days out. My mom and I went through the full menu together, flagged our interests, and hopped on a Zoom to map out our itinerary the morning booking opened. I’d strongly recommend this approach, especially for spa appointments, which fill quickly.

While we were on-site, we did make adjustments — canceling one thing, adding another — all with the help of the on-property experience planners, who make shifting logistics effortless. That said, arriving with a foundation in place gives the trip a beautiful shape.

We aimed for roughly two activities per day plus one spa treatment, which left plenty of room for the slower pleasures: reading in a hammock, playing cards, finding a quiet corner to sit in stillness with a cup of tea. Miraval is full of gorgeous pockets to do absolutely nothing, and I’d argue protecting that time is just as important as booking the sessions.

We didn’t even scratch the surface of what’s available. Don’t feel limited by our itinerary. The full menu of activities can be found directly on the Miraval Austin website — but here is a direct reflection on what we chose:

Meditation & Self-Discovery

This is the category that distinguishes Miraval from every other luxury resort. Indulge here.

Unlocking Your Chakra Gateway — A journey through the seven chakras and the ways they manifest in daily life. As esoteric as it sounds on paper, the guide led us through genuinely practical and surprisingly tangible ways to identify and remove what she called “the rocks in your stream.” Equal parts spiritual and actionable!

Past Life Regression — In this session, we were tasked with exploring unconscious past-life energy influencing our current life through guided meditation and dialogue with our higher self, to better understand our soul’s journey in this lifetime. Held in a beautiful temple nestled in the Texas Hill Country, this experience was designed to address present-day fears, foster emotional release, and offer a sense of deep grounding.

I especially loved how the guide framed the practice as meaningful and purposeful regardless of your belief system. She explained the range of frameworks: those who believe in persisting energy in the universe, those who believe in reincarnation, and even those who simply hold to the biological fact that we carry DNA that was once in our mother’s eggs, and her mother’s eggs before that — and that DNA carries memory, and sometimes, trauma. Everyone in the room found their own way in.

After the meditation, we shared. One woman fell peacefully asleep. Another found herself watching people play backgammon — everyone with different strategies, everyone winning. My mother saw, with startling clarity, the home she lived in at age two, every wall painted yellow, from before she should have had any real memories. Another woman experienced vivid violet and green imagery, which our guide explained can indicate clairvoyant gifts. Oh!

As for me — I am fairly certain I was an orange fish in Polynesia, living in warm water surrounded by all my friends, right up until a beachfront celebration where my loved ones were fried over a spit. Our guide says this explains my seafood aversion. It tracks completely to me!

Private Clairvoyant Reading — The intention of this experience is to discover the soul’s intuitive message through chakra clearing, spirit guide wisdom, and psychic energy work, offering clarity to release wounds and guidance to serve the highest good.

This was probably the most extraordinary thing I did during the trip, and the one I walked into with the most deliberate openness. I’ll keep the specifics of the conversation private — much of it was deeply personal — but what I can say as someone who has never done anything remotely like this: it was less Long Island Medium and more the most crystallized, tailored, intensive meditation work I have ever experienced. I made breakthroughs in 50 minutes that I think would have taken me six months in therapy to reach.

My personal faith was woven throughout from the start, beginning with an opening prayer to the God I believe in, but there was also Sanskrit chanting and what I’m fairly certain was a (good) spell cast on me? Regardless, the session tethered large esoteric realizations to practical, tactical next steps. One breakthrough in particular: a deeper recognition of my love, dedication, and spiritual need for joy and creativity through writing and storytelling.

She also told me I have tremendous clarity and that my third-eye and crown chakras are exceptionally clear. Not to brag!!!

Movement

In addition to the classes mentioned below, Miraval Austin also features a full 24/7 gym, two gorgeous walking paths integrated into the natural landscape, and a challenge/ropes course — which we drove directly past without a second glance, and zero regrets. :)

Morning Stretch — My favorite movement class of the trip. A gentle stretch class at 8am, seated the entire time, dress code and atmosphere incredibly relaxed (some wore athletic attire; others in loungewear; we were encouraged to sip water and coffee throughout). Stretch bands, a soft wake-up, and the loveliest way to ease into the day.

Barre — More upbeat and technically precise than my usual Pure Barre experience, with classical ballet vocabulary and actual ballet music woven throughout. The teacher’s integration of choreography and terminology was so inspiring — I’ve already started thinking about how to bring some of those elements into classes I teach.

Indoor Fun Flow Aerial Yoga — The closest my mom and I came to losing it entirely (in the best way). A small class of three, which meant the instructor could guide us at exactly our own pace and comfort level. Not recommended if you’re prone to motion sickness — but the cocoon Shavasana at the end, fully encased in silk like a very pampered caterpillar in a chrysalis, was one of the more extraordinary sensory experiences of my life.

Spa & Relaxation

The Miraval spa is unlike anything I’ve encountered. Its breadth spans classic Western massage and skincare all the way through energy healing, Ayurveda, and Eastern modalities. It is genuinely its own world and HUGE.

Each person receives a $175 spa credit per night of stay (for reference, a standard 50-minute relaxation massage runs around $225). I’d encourage you to use some of that credit on something you wouldn’t find at a traditional luxury spa! All gratuity is included, always.

Even if you book no treatments at all, the spa complex itself is worth the trip: steam rooms, a sauna with floor-to-ceiling windows opening onto a private meditation garden, a whirlpool, and the most wonderful quiet room with oversized reading chairs overlooking Lake Travis. I could have spent entire afternoons in that chair alone. The adjacent Serenity Pool — an infinity pool with lounge seating overlooking the Hill Country, meditative music, and access directly from the spa — is equally wonderful.

The single best piece of advice I received before the trip (thank you, Rebecca): book at least one massage — ideally your first night — for directly after dinner. The spa stays open late. You will drift back to that extraordinary bed freshly lotioned and completely melted, and you will have the best sleep of your life. Guaranteed.

The treatments I experienced:

• Miraval Relaxation Massage (50 min) — Fully customizable, perfectly classic. My providers set meditation mantras at the start of each session — no small talk, no interruption, just pure focus on your relaxation. Ideal as a late-evening booking.

• Jade Meridian Massage (50 min) — Jade gua shas incorporated over the whole body for lymphatic drainage. More functional than indulgent — a good complement to the purely relaxing treatments.

• Miraval Grounding Massage (50 min) — Focused entirely on the extremities: hands, feet, neck, shoulders, and scalp. Infused with essential oils, finished with a grounding emulsion. The scalp component was so exquisite that I ended up booking this one twice. Would book it a third time without hesitation!

• Nature’s Bounty Facial (50 min) — Seed blends and raw local honey enzymes, a warm nutrient-dense masque, gua sha tool, and Qi-balancing pressure points. The honey is real! A few enthusiastic fly visitors at the pool afterward also confirmed it.

• Aqua Zen (50 min) — My absolute favorite. If you try one thing outside your comfort zone at the spa, let it be this. A practitioner cradles your body as you float in warm water through subtle stretches and guided movements. I spent the first few minutes trying to “help” — anticipating her cues, adjusting preemptively — until she guided me simply to let go. In releasing that impulse to predict and control, I slipped into one of the deepest meditations I’ve ever had. My inner mind was brilliant white rather than dark for the first time I can remember. The realization that came through it was one I will carry with me: that I have always stayed afloat, and that the path to peace is not resistance, but release.

Dining & Beverages

The first question I got from virtually everyone when I described this trip: “But can you drink?” The answer is an unambiguous YES! A full and excellent selection of wine, beer, spirits, and crafted cocktails — plus mocktails and an included specialty seasonal mocktail — is available throughout your stay. (Alcohol is priced separately from your package, for the record.)

The café and bar also offer an impressive selection of teas, coffees, smoothies, and wellness shots. Reusable water bottle fill stations are tucked throughout the property.

As for food: the dining is plentiful, whole, and genuinely delicious. Formal sit-down service is available three times daily — breakfast, lunch, and dinner — with full menus and strong options for dietary restrictions. The food manages to be healthy and wholesome without ever feeling like it’s punishing you. I rarely finish a full burger, but I finished theirs twice. My mom raved about the pancakes and the full breakfast spread. You will leave feeling inspired rather than sluggish, with a sudden urge to stock your pantry with unprocessed ingredients.

Grab-and-go options are available throughout the day and included in your package — think power oat balls, fresh fruit, premade salads and wraps, and the little avocado chocolate cookies that I am still thinking about. Snacks, drinks, and light bites are also available at the discovery pool, and in-room dining is an option too.

What to Pack

A lot of this will depend on your specific activity lineup, and Miraval is clear about any dress requirements for individual sessions. That said, here is what served me well:

Shop My Packing List | Miraval Austin

Each day I rotated through a workout set for morning movement, athleisure for classes and sessions, and a swimsuit for pool or spa time. Think Beyond Yoga, Varley, Frank & Eileen. Fresh LAKE pajamas every night — obviously.

Since we did late-night massages each evening followed by straight-to-bed, I wish I’d packed a few cami-and-shorts options to wear under the robe between dinner and the spa. File that away for your visit!

I did not put on a single drop of makeup or touch my hair the entire trip. It was glorious. This is exactly the time to pack all the self-care indulgences you never make time for at home: ice rollers, LED face devices, your most luxurious skincare and masks.

If you’re a reader, bring books — lots of them. Kindles or paper, your call. A deck of cards also was a fun touch, and we loved playing with my Morningside Mahjong travel set. aIt was the perfect size for happy hour sessions at the restaurant or poolside!

On devices: Miraval is intentionally digital-light, and the experience is immeasurably better for it. You won’t see phones out around the property — not because of any formally enforced rule, but because you stop wanting yours. I set mine up so only the camera was accessible, but my goal for the next visit is to bring a dedicated non-phone camera and leave my phone in its room entirely. If you have one, bring it. You’ll be glad you did.

Final Thoughts

Miraval requires and rewards openness. If you arrive skeptical and closed, you’ll find it overpriced and underwhelming — and honestly, there are more straightforward luxury resorts that will serve you better. But if you’re willing to tuck your doubts into your carry-on and actually show up, the return on investment is extraordinary. I left more energized and more at home in my body than when I arrived. That is not something I have ever said about a vacation before.

This is a trip for people moving through something — or simply ready to move forward. I especially think of it for groups of women postpartum, or anyone navigating the physical and emotional toll of caregiving, illness, or one of life’s bigger transitions. Come with a person you love and trust. Giggle through the itinerary every morning. Let yourself be surprised.

The real question now: Which other Miraval property do I visit next!?

Happy Friday!

It’s April!

This week’s inspiration comes from a piece of wellness advice that’s been repeated so often it almost loses its meaning: don’t check your phone first thing in the morning.

But when it was repackaged with a brand new bow for me this week, it landed differently—you wouldn’t let thousands of people walk into your bedroom at 5am, all talking over each other, demanding your attention. So why do we allow it through our devices?

It wasn’t until I decided to flirt with this practice that I realized what an ingrained reflex that instant reach and scroll bas become. So, on Thursday morning, I challenged myself to go just 10 minutes without checking notifications (I do use my phone as an alarm, so there’s no avoiding that part). Somehow, that 10 minutes turned into 40 . . . and then another 50 as I moved through my morning and into my barre class.

And the difference? Immediate! How you start your day truly does set the tone. I felt calmer, more focused, and—most noticeably—less reactive all day long.

I’m excited to keep building on this practice and (hopefully) make it a new normal. If you’re feeling similarly pulled in a hundred directions before your feet even hit the floor, consider this your encouragement: start small. Even 60 seconds counts.

Until our next correspondence,

xx Lauren

P.S. The Lauren Letter is on hiatus next week as I’m heading off on my annual trip with my mom—this year, a wellness-style retreat. I’ll be largely offline (a true test of everything I just wrote!), but I cannot wait to share everything when I’m back.

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

Wearing | Frank & Eileen

I added several beautiful staples for spring and summer and did a full breakdown for your reading pleasure.

My standout favorite? The Lemon Yellow Jackie Cardigan paired with the Kennedy Skirt—equal parts polished and effortless, and wildly flattering.

Eating | Margot’s Girl Dinner

Brasserie Margot at the Four Seasons Atlanta invited me along with one of my closest friends (it’s been far too long since we’ve caught up) to try their new “Margot’s Girl Dinner.”

Think: your best friend, a Caesar salad, four oysters, unlimited house fries, and two martinis—for $70.

You had me at unlimited fries!!!!

Reading | The 21 Best New Books to Read This April

I find myself between books as I write this, deciding what to bring for my vacation stack—but this list has me so excited for April’s releases.

If you’re also in a “what’s next?” reading mood, it’s well worth a browse.

Watching | Rooster

I am loving the new HBO Sunday drama-dy, starring Steve Carell and Ted Lasso’s Phil Dunster.

Charming, witty, and set against the backdrop of East Coast academia—it’s an easy, engaging, cinematic watch.

Listening | Olivia Dean Radio

A friend had this playlist on by the pool last weekend, and every song that followed felt like a new favorite.

Jazzy, bright, and gentle, just like spring arriving.

Trying | Molton Brown Shampoo

I’ve long loved Molton Brown for their body washes and lotions (they even hold a royal warrant), so when I saw they had a shampoo and conditioner, I was curious.

Only a couple of uses in, but my hair already feels bouncier, hydrated, and incredibly clean.

Champagne | Oh My Mahjong Aqua Jong Pool Mat

Personally tested this week and can wholeheartedly recommend.

A chic, playful addition to any pool day—just don’t forget to laminate your cards!

Frites | Oak Mt. Mahj Watermahj Pool Mat

An under-$200 option available in a variety of colors—perfect if you’re looking for something playful and giftable.

Limited batches—so if you love it, don’t wait!

STORIES

• How to Make Your Weekdays Feel Like Weekends. By Paige Kershaw

• Books I Read | March 2026. By Lauren Tilashalski (that’s moi!)

• Introducing: The Patronage. By Lauren Tilashalski (that’s moi!)

• How to Become a Voracious Reader. By Lauren Tilashalski (that’s moi!)

• 13 Lessons I Learned as a Lawyer That I Use Every Day. By Lauren Tilashalski (that’s moi!)

• The One Piece Every Woman Needs in Her Closet. By Lauren Tilashalski (that’s moi!)

YOUR APPOINTMENTS

• Your April Appointments. By Lauren Tilashalski (that’s moi!)

CLOSET

• Latest Finds | April 2026

• Tuckernuck New Arrivals | April 2026

• Latest Finds | March 2026

• Tuckernuck New Arrivals | March 2026

• A Frank & Eileen Spring Refresh

• My Favorite Tuckernuck Staples

• Receipt Report Vol. II

• Things I’ve Been Wearing | March 6, 2026

Samantha Varvel

Dreamy in every sense—Samantha’s photography, interiors, hosting, and overall lifestyle.

She’s officially influenced me to add her camera equipment to my (ever-growing) wish list, and her aesthetic—elegant, feminine, clean yet vibrant—feels like such a beautiful addition to my daily scroll.

March’s reading list felt like being dropped into the interiors of other people’s lives — marriages, friendships, families, ambitions — sometimes deliciously, sometimes uncomfortably, but always with a kind of closeness that made it hard to look away.

It began with Broken Country, a slow burn that nevertheless became insatiable. I found myself genuinely excited to return to it each night, and as a book club pick, it was one of those rare unanimous wins that we all tore through.

Homeschooled was undeniably fascinating and unflinchingly open, but where you hope for some catharsis or clarity in a survival story, I found myself instead filled with unresolved frustration. I found the memoir to feel at times more like anecdotes of growing up with a narcissistic mother and less than a true story of transformation or growth.

Then came a complete tonal shift with Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton, which I was clinically obsessed with. Irreverent, insightful, and imaginative, it struck that perfect balance of humor and vulnerability — I laughed, I cried, I paused to think. It felt like both a conversation and a mirror, the kind of book you underline and immediately want to gift.

Fictional delight for anglophiles showed up in Royal Spin — fizzy, fun, and smart, and exactly what you want if you love the world of The Royal We, the behind-the-scenes intrigue of From the Corner of the Oval, and the charm of Emily Henry. It’s the literary equivalent of champagne at Afternoon Tea— light, sparkling, but still thoughtfully done! Plus, it’s co-authored by a real member of the Royal Rota, Omid Scobie!

Other reads leaned more introspective. I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen opens with the author’s admission that the life she lives and the topics discussed within the book are incredibly privileged, but she is refreshingly honest about a life of keeping up with the Joneses in a way that feels disarming rather than performative. And Strangers: A Memoir offered a kind of scrumptious voyeurism — an intimate, layered reflection on marriage that at times felt like an Elin Hilderbrand character come to life: coastal, affluent, but grounded in emotional rawness.

And then there was A Death in Diamonds — the one I wanted to love most, and the fourth installment in the Her Majesty Investigates series (essentially fan-fic of Queen Elizabeth II solving mysteries!). A young Queen Elizabeth II solving a murder and political sabotage in 1957 should have been a guaranteed success for me. And while the palace details and royal atmosphere delivered, the reading experience didn’t. It felt like a slog — too many characters, an unclear central mystery, and shifting storylines that made it difficult to stay invested. Even as an ardent royal watcher, I found myself close to giving up multiple times, which pains me to admit.

Taken together, March was less about easy enjoyment and more about immersion — books that pulled me in, whether through delight, discomfort, or sheer inability to look away. Some I devoured, some I wrestled with, but all of them demanded a reaction.

Without further adieu, here are the rankings for the books I read in March 2026.

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

April always feels like a true turning point—the world softens, the light lingers a little longer, and everything begins again without asking for too much in return. Opening the windows. Blooms popping through. “Can we sit on the patio, please?”

Here’s a list of simple, seasonal reminders to carry you through the month, one charming moment at a time.

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

Your April Appointments

1). You simply must buy yourself tulips.

2). Take your morning coffee outside on a particularly soft day—no phone, just birdsong and air that still feels new.

3). Turn on a spring playlist and let it float through the home. Try something classical; it’s a salve for your cortisol levels.

4). Knock out birthday cards for every April baby on your calendar—early, intentional, and handwritten!

• I loved A.A. Ford’s take on this practice.

5). Bake something lemony!

6). Wear an all white ensemble. It’s so crisp; so Nancy Meyers.

7). Spend an afternoon dilly-dallying—bookstore, then gift shop, and a specialty food market as your grand finale. A special, fizzy drink must accompany.

• If in Atlanta, may I recommend Virginia Highland Books; Lucy’s; and Gather’d Market?

8). Try a new way to move your body. Something that feels playful, preferably.

9). Clean out your handbag! Begin again with only what you actually need. Utilize pouches to cut down on clutter.

10). Apply body oil, then lotion. While doing this, have your pajamas heating in the dryer.

11). Buy something blue. Or yellow. Or both.

12). Keep one morning sacred—no phone until 9am.

13). Reflect on the goals you set for Q1. Celebrate yourself for what you achieved. Pick one measurable thing you can adjust for Q2.

14). Take yourself out for coffee and people watch—an underrated hobby.

15). Eat what’s in season! Let nature set the menu.

16). Consider a pair of clogs—equal parts charm and practicality!

17). Get a facial to slough off (what a scrumptious phrase) winter skin remnants.

• If in Atlanta, may I recommend FACED Facial Studio?

18). Keep nails simple, clean, and neutrally polished.

19). Notice the blooms in your neighborhood—and look up what they are.

20). Turn on The Masters Naturescape while you putter or read. There’s truly nothing like Augusta in April.

21). Open the windows while you tidy your kitchen. Let the air move through as you clean. This feeling and smell is true divinity.

22). Drive with the windows down if you haven’t yet this year, even for the shortest errand.

23). Buy good French butter. It will change everything.

24). Bring a canvas tote to the farmers market. Fill it up!

25). Choose one weekend day with absolutely zero plans. See what life invites in when you give it space to do so.

26). Order your 2026 Mahjong Card!!!

27). Read a crumpled, well-loved paperback. Something that’s been carried before you and has stains from tea, lotion, and the outdoors.

28). It’s time for a new phone background—something that sparks a small moment of delight each time you reach for it.

29). Plan a “girl dinner” with a friend it’s been too long since you’ve seen—fries, a simple salad, champagne.

• If you’re in Atlanta, may I recommend Brasserie Margot’s Margot Girl Dinner?

30). Ask yourself, every single day: “What’s the best thing that could happen?”

A few seasons ago, Frank & Eileen sent me their Carmel Travel Set along with the Eileen Relaxed Button-Up Shirt in their Famous Denim. And the moment I put the pieces on, I was a goner.

The pieces felt considered and truly crafted in a way that is increasingly rare in a white-labeled world. I was immediately struck by the substance and design of the fabric—the weight, the drape, the feeling of luxury behind it. I immediately stood a little taller and felt instantly put together, all while wearing some of the most comfortable pieces that were joining my closet.

Despite its distinctly Irish name—borrowed from the founder’s grandparents—Frank & Eileen is California-born, with its identity anchored in Italian craftsmanship. The result is a compelling balance: relaxed, West Coast ease underpinned by European precision and heritage-quality textiles.

I will say what many of you are likely thinking: the price point gives pause. It certainly did for me. A shirt, a cardigan, a travel set—these are not typically investment purchases.

But what becomes immediately apparent when you open your parcel is that these are not fleeting additions. The fabrication is exceptional, the silhouettes are thoughtfully engineered, and the pieces integrate into your wardrobe with remarkable fluency. They are the garments you instinctively reach for, day after day, because they consistently deliver—on comfort, on fit, on polish.

What I find particularly compelling is Frank & Eileen’s commitment to refining core silhouettes rather than endlessly reinventing them. The same perfectly cut shirt or cardigan appears in a spectrum of hues—designed to be layered, interchanged, and worn in rotation without friction. It transforms getting dressed into something intuitive rather than deliberative.

So, if you are considering a spring wardrobe reset or basics resfresh, I would begin here.

These are not trend-driven purchases. They are the pieces that accompany you through the full spectrum of your days—your busiest mornings, your unhurried lunches, your travels, your time at home.

P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.

Share

Lauren’s Typical Sizing Guide

Tops: M

Pants/Dresses: 6

Denim: 28

Height: 5’3”

Body Type: Curvy

What I Added for Spring

The Mary Dress (M) — Famous Denim, Tattered Wash
An immediate staple. Effortless yet composed, with just enough structure to feel intentional. It is the sort of piece that requires very little styling yet always reads as complete. For now, I’ll wear it with sandals and a sweater draped over my shoulders; later, it will transition seamlessly into cooler months with boots.

Jackie Cardigan (L) + Kennedy Skirt (M) — British Royal Navy, Lemon Yellow, White
This pairing captures everything I want from spring dressing: ease, movement, and versatility. The Jackier Cardigan offers a tailored sensibility without rigidity, while the Kennedy Skirt lends a fluid, feminine counterpoint. Owning them in multiple colorways allows for effortless variation without overthinking.

Patrick Vintage Jersey (M) — White, British Royal Navy, Navy French Stripe
If you are new to the brand, this is where I would begin. These are elevated essentials in their most refined form—exceptionally soft, impeccably cut, and endlessly versatile. They underpin everything else.

Galway Denim (28, 26”) — 1986 Wash
Denim with integrity. Structured enough to maintain its shape, yet softened by a lived-in sensibility that makes it immediately wearable and activity friendly. It strikes that elusive balance between polish and ease.

Patty Vintage Jersey (M) — White, British Royal Navy, Navy French Stripe
Another foundational layer in a short-sleeve modality. Absolutely indispensable in their simplicity.

My Wish List

Once you begin building within the world of Frank & Eileen, your perspective shifts from acquisition to curation.

I find myself drawn to additional travel sets—unrivaled for long weekends—as well as more Eileen Relaxed Button-Ups in crisp whites and softened neutrals. I am increasingly falling for their Lemon Yellow and Dive Blue colorways (a dream of buttery brightness when paired together), but also at my core gravitate to a restrained palette: navy, white, stone. Oh, and my first pair of Galway Denim will not be my last. In sum, pieces that harmonize rather than compete, that layer with intention and ease.