The Lauren Warrant is my editorial seal of approval — a series dedicated to the brands, makers, and pieces that have earned not just a place in my closet, but a permanent residence in my life. Think of it as my take on the UK Royal Warrant of Appointment: a recognition bestowed not because something is new, or trending, or sent to me in a very pretty box, but because it has proved itself, season after season, in the living of an actual life.

The fourth Lauren Warrant goes to the Veronica Beard Valentina Sneaker.

The Lauren Letter will always be free. But if this space has become something you look forward to—a small ritual in your week, a source of inspiration, a reminder to approach life with more intention—you now have the option to support it.

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Their Story

Veronica Beard was built on a very simple, very smart bet. Sisters-in-law Veronica Miele Beard (by way of Wall Street) and Veronica Swanson Beard (by way of the fashion industry) launched the label together in 2010 with one idea: give women a uniform that is anything but boring.

That idea started as a rack of Dickey Jackets and has since grown into a full lifestyle brand — ready-to-wear, denim, handbags, and shoes — all built around the same philosophy: cool, classic, a little unexpected, and engineered for a woman who does not have time to overthink what she's wearing.

The Valentina Sneaker undoubtably adopts this ethos. It's become one of the brand's signature, best-selling styles, and it's easy to see why: a padded collar, a cushioned midsole with just enough lift, a rubber outsole for grip, and contrast detailing at the toe cap and heel. The interlocking-V appears as a darling accent rather than a gauche logo. It's sporty and polished simultaneously, lightweight, and curates a look that is far more considered than lace-up footwear can usually achieve.

How I Found It

I first noticed this shoe on the feet of various women in my life who I think of as genuinely chic, which is the ultimate testament of style and function! I was even more so impressed by their demographics: Valentinas were sported by women spanning over three decades in age, and in a menagerie of settings to boot: charitable board meetings, street music festivals, and the office.

I resisted for a long time — $295 is a hefty number for a sneaker. But, I finally caved in February on the navy suede pair, and it was one of those rarefied purchases where expectations were more than surpassed. I ordered a second color before the first pair had even left the box!

Why I Love It So Much

They are, without exaggeration, some of the most comfortable shoes I own. That built-in lift does something for your whole posture — elevating, no pun intended, but also just genuinely flattering with everything from jeans to a dress.

The part that actually sold me, though, I didn't clock until they arrived: they slip on!!! No laces to fuss with, no five minutes lost bending down in a rush while you’re juggling your purse, a gym bag, and morning coffee. You step in and you're out the door.

They also come in so many fashionable colorways, plus shearling-lined versions that are perfection for fall and winter. The newest iteration? A slightly more athletic "sport" build for anyone who wants a touch more edge. I cannot wait to add these variants to my collection!

My Veronica Beard Valentina Sneaker Favorites

My curation of favorite Veronica Beard Valentina Sneakers!

P.S. Sizing wise, I usually am a size 7-7.5, but I find the 7.5s far more comfortable!

1. Valentina Sneaker in Ecru — The classic, original recipe. These were the pair I immediately ordered after receiving my (now discontinued) navy suede pair!

2. Valentina Sneaker in Chestnut Multi — The suede and houndstooth are so autumnal! On my wish-list!

3. Valentina Ziger Sneaker — How immensely FUN are these!? Animal print is a neutral, too, right?

4. Valentina Shearling Sneaker in Espresso — These are a must for my fall/winter closet! I love this rich chocolatey color so much.

5. Valentina Sport Sneaker in Ocean and Pinot Noir — I am extremely intrigued by this new design, featuring nylon panels!

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.

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The Lauren Warrant is my editorial seal of approval — a series dedicated to the brands, makers, and pieces that have earned not just a place in my closet, but a permanent residence in my life. Think of it as my take on the UK Royal Warrant of Appointment: a recognition bestowed not because something is new, or trending, or sent to me in a very pretty box, but because it has proved itself, season after season, in the living of an actual life.

The third Lauren Warrant goes to the Oak Essentials Restorative Mask.

The Lauren Letter will always be free. But if this space has become something you look forward to—a small ritual in your week, a source of inspiration, a reminder to approach life with more intention—you now have the option to support it.

Join The Patronage

Their Story

Oak Essentials was founded by Jenni Kayne in 2021, born from her own preoccupation with skin longevity rather than a passing category she wanted to enter. It is an extension of the Jenni Kayne world in the truest sense — not a licensing deal or a name slapped on someone else’s formulas, but a line shaped by the same instincts that have defined her lifestyle brand for two decades: quiet luxury, considered ritual, and fad adverse. The formulas are built to be deeply hydrating and naturally effective, designed with the long view of skin health in mind rather than a quick, photographable fix.

The brand holds itself to a clean standard that goes further than most — cruelty-free, non-GMO, formulated to go beyond the most stringent EU and UK regulatory bars, and built without cyclic silicones, colorants, sulfates, phthalates, parabens, PEGs, petrolatum, mineral oil, or nanoparticles. It is, in other words, a brand more interested in what it leaves out than what it can put on a label to sell you.

How I Found It

Candidly, this is the first Lauren Warrant born of influencer PR rather than years of organic, loyal use.

When it comes to the beauty market, I am a hard sell. Ninety-nine percent of the skincare and makeup gifting requests (which take up probably 40% of my inbox!) are gratefully, but politely, declined. I am a skincare maximalist in every sense — devoted for years to a serious, expensive routine. And, if it isn’t broken, I am constitutionally incapable of fixing it. So when the Oak Essentials team reached out with an offer to send product, this Lauren Warrant almost didn’t happen.

But there was one name attached that made me bite: Jenni Kayne. I have loved her world since 2021 — a brand built on the opposite instinct of most of the industry, resting easy in what it already does well rather than chasing the next flashy, unnecessary drop. When I learned she had turned that same restraint toward skincare, a treatment mask felt like the lowest-risk, highest-curiosity way in — something I could fold into an existing routine without disrupting it, as opposed to a full-system overhaul I wasn’t asking for.

Why I Love It So Much

When I washed the mask off for the first time, I audibly gasped.

The results were not something I noticed the next morning, or after a week of consistent use, or with the kind of squinting, hopeful scrutiny you bring to a new serum. They were immediate. My complexion was more even, more hydrated, and visibly glowing — within the fifteen minutes the jar asks of you.

I don’t, as a rule, believe in quick fixes in skincare. The closest thing the industry has to instant gratification is injectables, and even those take weeks to fully settle. So a mask that could produce a visible transformation inside one sitting was actual witchcraft (positive).

The texture is thick and cushiony, closer to something you’d have applied to you at a monthly facial than to what typically comes out of a jar at home. Its color and scent come honestly — the mask is built around organic honey sourced from biodiverse regions, a natural humectant prized for drawing moisture into the skin and supporting the barrier, layered with avocado oil for its vitamin E and fatty acid content and a whisper of ylang ylang for both its soothing properties and its soft, floral finish.

And then — admittedly, only after I’d already fallen for it — I looked at the price. I will admit that skincare is the one category where cost is rarely my first thought; it is where I spend the most per item across anything I buy, so I go in expecting to pay for what works rather than checking the tag first.

Which is exactly why this stopped me.

Jenni Kayne, a house whose cashmere run towards $500 without blinking, was selling a generous two-ounce jar of a mask that performed like magic for under $70.

I started scrolling. This wasn’t an anomaly — it was a through line. Nearly the entire Oak Essentials collection sits under $100. And Jenni Kayne is, pointedly, not a brand built on discounting. It has built its name on quality and construction, the very thing that justifies what you pay for her apparel. So a value like this couldn’t be read as corner-cutting — instead, it communicates a brand that knew exactly what it was making, priced it honestly, and chose to leave real margin on the table rather than pad a formula with filler. It also signaled that a genuine gap being filled — something built to sit between the ultra-luxury shelf and the mass-market one.

Slowly, I began a permanent, adoption of the rest of the line into my rotation. I remain, at heart, a committed ultra-luxury skincare user. But folding Oak Essentials into my routine on an alternating basis has become a luxurious — and affordable — way of getting my skin to a place where I can go bare-faced except for the most special of occasions.

I got to see the philosophy behind all of this up close recently, on a call I attended as an Oak Essentials Ambassador for the launch of their newest product, the Moisture Rich Emulsion. The passion from their CEO, Lauren Harris, for every piece in the collection was tangible. I came away understanding the brand’s commitment to clean formulation as something that goes beyond marketing language, meeting standards more stringent than even the toughest European regulations, and a genuine investment in making the at-home ritual feel like self-care rather than a checklist.

My Oak Essentials Favorites

My curation of other Oak Essentials favorites that I have now adopted!

1. Moisture Rich Emulsion — Oak Essentials’ newest product release, and my newest favorite daytime moisturizer! It’s such a unique milky-oil texture, and it keeps my skin hydrated while leaving a perfect finish if I did want to follow with makeup application.

2. Moisture Rich Balm — My second favorite Oak Essentials product! It’s by far their top seller, and it makes your skin feel and look like a glazed donut. Perfect for all day wear for those with ultra dry skin like me or who want an overnight injection of hydration.

3. Ritual Oil — Blue tansy is a hero ingredient for Jenni Kayne, and it is as beautiful to use as it is effective at reducing inflammation, calming redness, and hydrating.

4. Firming Plant Peptide Serum — I use day and night, and it is an all-in-one serum for firmness, fine lines, and wrinkles, while supporting lasting hydration, elasticity, and a healthy skin barrier.

5. Daily Vitamin C Serum — My morning serum I rely on for brightening and evening skin tone!

6. Nightly Retinol Serum — I use about 2-3 nights per week, and I love this is a gentle option for evening skin texture and softening lines.

7. Dew Body Butter — Absolutely decadent. Perfect after an everything shower!

8. Cloud Foaming Bath Oil — I admittedly haven’t tried yet myself, after but hearing Oak Essentials’ CEO wax poetic about this product — a luxurious bubble bath that leaves you feeling moisturized instead of pruny — I am dying to give it a go!

9. Balancing Mist — Another Oak Essentials product on my “want to try” list! I have heard this mist is the perfect base before using your ice roller or a quick afternoon refresh.

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.

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The Lauren Warrant is my editorial seal of approval — a series dedicated to the brands, makers, and pieces that have earned not just a place in my closet, but a permanent residence in my life. Think of it as my take on the UK Royal Warrant of Appointment: a recognition bestowed not because something is new, or trending, or sent to me in a very pretty box, but because it has proved itself, season after season, in the living of an actual life.

The second Lauren Warrant goes to LAKE Pajamas.

LAKE was born in Savannah, Georgia, in 2014 — which is exactly as charming as it sounds.

The story begins with two friends: Anne Read Lattimore and Cassandra Cannon, who met through their husbands during their college years and grew closer over shared aesthetics, motherhood firsts, and the realization that the women’s sleepwear market had a glaring gap in it.

They started with a simple silhouette, a classic stripe, and the softest fabric imaginable: 100% Peruvian Pima cotton. That was the whole idea. It turned out to be more than enough of one.

From a direct-to-consumer e-commerce beginning, LAKE has grown into something that regularly earns coverage from publications of record, revenue growth that has been year-over-year since founding, and devotees including Jennifer Garner and Jenna Bush Hager. Their Savannah headquarters, a beautifully appointed building on West Harris Street, now anchors a fulfillment center, a Broughton Street design studio, and retail storefronts in Atlanta, Charleston, Charlotte, Palm Beach, and Southampton.

How I Found It

In 2021, one of my best friends, Cate, gave me a set of LAKE pajamas as a honeymoon gift. Cate has impeccable taste, so her seal of approval had me instantly curious.

I put them on and immediately understood what all the fuss was about. The buttery softness of the Pima cotton. The clean, considered silhouette. The way they somehow managed to feel simultaneously like an indulgence and like the most natural thing in the world to be wearing. By the time we returned from the honeymoon, I had already begun the process of stocking my pajama drawer with exclusively LAKE (an endeavor I pursue to this day!).

I have since made pilgrimages to the Atlanta and Charleston storefronts with great enthusiasm and hopes to return time and time again!

Why I Love It So Much

Let me make the investment case first, because I know what you’re thinking.

Yes, LAKE pajamas are over $100 a set. But, sincerely, after years of wearing them I can attest that the math works out rather elegantly in your favor.

Consider: we spend approximately a third of our lives sleeping. But the calculation doesn’t stop there, because LAKE pajamas are not just for snoozing — they are for lazy Saturday pancake mornings. They are for the friend-group vacation lounge, the kind that photograph beautifully and feel even better at ten in the morning with a cup of coffee and nowhere pressing to be. They hold up to the dryer, which is not a small thing; I have LAKE sets that have been through seasons of wash cycles and still look and feel precisely as they did on arrival. You are making an investment in a significant portion of your waking and sleeping life.

Beyond the economics: the design. LAKE has an almost preternatural ability to embrace seasonal prints without tipping into kitsch — which is an extraordinarily difficult needle to thread. This is the mark of a creative team with actual taste, and Cassandra Cannon’s background as chief creative officer shows in every single release.

Their expansion into daywear and loungewear has been particularly exciting for me. The cozy knits, the throw-and-go skirt sets — LAKE has understood that their customer doesn’t just want something to sleep in; she wants an entire ecosystem of comfortable, beautiful things to move through her softer hours in.

Carter has become a devoted LAKE man, for which I take full credit. And perhaps my greatest joy of late has been dressing my sister-in-law and nephew in matching mommy-and-me looks — because LAKE does family dressing with the same care and attention they bring to everything else, including maternity-friendly styles.

And then there is the packaging! I cannot overstate the packaging, making LAKE pajamas one of the most gift-able items in existence. P.S — they also now offering embroidery for personalization on select styles!

A Personal Note

I feel compelled to share that during one of the most devastating periods of my life, I specifically chose a brand new set of LAKE pajamas to have waiting for me on the other side of surgery. In the aftermath of our pregnancy loss, when I needed something that felt like beauty and warmth and comfort all at once — that felt like being held — I chose LAKE. Because it was what I knew would make me feel, even in those hardest hours, like I deserved softness and beauty was still available to me.

A Little Luxury

A true little luxury doesn’t require a honeymoon to Bora Bora. It’s a fresh pair of pajamas every night. It’s the deliberate choice to make the ordinary hours of your ordinary life feel beautiful and considered and worthy of care. LAKE pajamas are one of the investments that truly makes a day feel romanticized — that makes you feel, when you slip into them, genuinely cherished. Not by anyone else, necessarily, but by yourself. Which is, in many ways, the more important thing.

My LAKE Favorites

1. Pima Long-Short Set in Hydrangea — My favorite set silhouette in my favorite, classic LAKE colorway.

2. Pima Long-Long Set in Parisian Green — My second favorite set silhouette in a scrumptious green. This is actually number one on my current wishlist!

3. Pima Long Sleeve Bundle in English Rose Stripe — For gifting, bundling is the way to go! I love having the option to switch between shorts and pants depending on weather and mood. Plus, how classically gorgeous in the English Rose?

4. DreamModal® Kimono Pajama Set in Fog — The newest set in my collection! It is so ultra feminine and comfortable.

5. Pima Short Robe in Hydrangea — The perfect lightweight robe for getting ready or lounging.

6. DreamModal® Kimono Pants Bundle in Gelato Pencil Stripe — The same kimono set, but with the versatility of a matching tank.

7. Relax Pants Set in Dusty Blue — We got this set for my Mom for Christmas and it is truly so beautiful and cozy in person; pictures don’t do it justice!

8. Switch Skirt Set in Diver Blue Bengal Stripe — My first piece of “daywear” from LAKE and I am utterly in love (see me photographed in it above!).

9. Men’s Pima Sleep Bundle in Anchor Blue — Carter’s favorite selection! Perfect for gifting.

10. Pima Maternity Long-Long Set in Parisian Green — My sister-in-law and Mom’s patients rave about LAKE maternity, and this green color is especially perfect for gender surprises or neutral wear!

11. Baby Sleeper in Parisian Green — An absolute favorite baby shower gift!

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

The Lauren Warrant is my editorial seal of approval — a series dedicated to the brands, makers, and pieces that have earned not just a place in my closet, but a permanent residence in my life. Think of it as my take on the UK Royal Warrant of Appointment: a recognition bestowed not because something is new, or trending, or sent to me in a very pretty box, but because it has proved itself, season after season, in the living of an actual life.

Each Warrant will, in time, lean product-specific. But some honors are so foundational that the product cannot be separated from the house. This is one of those. The inaugural Lauren Warrant goes, without a single hesitation, to Tuckernuck.

It began above a garage in Georgetown.

In June 2012, three women sat down with a shared conviction: that somewhere between the combat boots crowding every retailer and the fusty old standbys of their mothers’ closets, there was an entirely underserved woman. She wanted classics. She wanted color. She wanted to look like herself on a Tuesday in September and at a wedding in May and on the first day of a new job and at a buzzy brunch with her girlfriends. She wanted, in short, Tuckernuck — even if she didn’t yet have a word for it.

Sisters Jocelyn Gailliot and Maddy Grayson, who grew up in D.C. and attended National Cathedral School, launched the company alongside Grayson’s college friend September Votta. The name came from summers in Nantucket — a tiny island just off its coast, tucked away, unhurried, full of light. It was an apt metaphor for what they were building: something apart from the noise. By 2016, they had their first brick-and-mortar in Georgetown, and what started as a small e-commerce boutique has since grown into a nine-figure empire — with a gleaming new flagship on the corner of Wisconsin and N Street, a second outpost on the Upper East Side, and a team of nearly 150 people.

How I Found It

I discovered Tuckernuck in 2020, right after graduating law school, when I was ready to stop chasing trends and start building a wardrobe I actually wanted to live in.

The very first piece I bought from them is the dress I got engaged in. A strong start, if you ask me!

Since then, Tuckernuck has taken over the majority of real estate in my closet — and a bit beyond! I wore it as a bridesmaid in my brother’s wedding. On first days of new jobs. On vacations that became memories. 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.

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

Why I Love It So Much

Let me count the ways — though I warn you, this could take a while!

Tuckernuck is, at its core, a lifestyle brand in the truest sense of that much-abused phrase. They understand that you have a full, joyful, spontaneous life, and they want to dress every part of it. The world Tuckernuck imagines is effervescent, romanticized, well-traveled and genuinely, warmly fun — and that world, frankly, sounds a lot like mine.

Their clothes are 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, footwear to accessories, home to formal — the breadth is remarkable without ever feeling scattered. They even publish a seasonal “Find the Fun” list centered around travel, culture, curiosity, and connection, because they understand that what you wear is inseparable from how you live.

My Tuckernuck Staples

These are the silhouettes that have earned their permanent residency in my closet.

1. The Jackie Tweed Dress — The dress that started a thousand think-pieces and, more importantly, a thousand great outfits. Structured, polished, and somehow both timeless and of-the-moment. It fits true to size.

2. The Callahan Shirt Dress — My most-worn Tuckernuck piece, full stop. It goes everywhere, does everything, and makes getting dressed feel effortless. True-ish to size; if in between, size down.

3. The Royal Shirt Dress — A close runner-up to the Callahan for sheer versatility. The kind of dress that works harder than you do. True to size.

4. The Parker Classic Tee — The foundational tee everyone needs. Size down if between sizes.

5. The Adair Boyfriend Shirt — True to size for an intentionally oversized look; size down for something slightly less slouchy.

6. The Riley Cardigan — Size up for the perfect layering piece. Don’t forget to add your monogram!

7. The September Pant — A polished trouser that feels like athleisure. True to size.

8. The Brynn Skirt — This skirt is meant for twirling. True to size.

9. The Teagan Popover — A wardrobe workhorse with a touch of fizz that stays at the front of my closet during every season of the year and life. True to size.

10. The Esme Dress — Elegant, effortless, and endlessly flattering for all your formalwear occasions. Another true-to-size.

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.

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