Happy Friday!
A line stopped me cold this week while reading the third installment of The Thursday Murder Club series:
“As the years go by, you will find that people need someone who is bright and kind more than they need someone who knows how to dance and has got the right haircut.”
And here’s the twist: it’s said by the villain!!! Even the antagonist understands this particular brand of wisdom.
It is so easy — especially online — to slide into comparison mode. To believe you must be sharper, thinner, more styled, more clever, more on-trend. To feel scarcity nibbling at your ankles. There is always someone with better lighting, a better haircut, and, oh, by the way, they’ve finished a DIY kitchen renovation in the time it took you to read this.
But the people in your real life? They do not need a tastemaker. They need a good friend.
They need someone bright. Someone kind. Someone steady.
The algorithm rewards spectacle. Real life rewards softness.
A reminder for you. It sure has been for me.
Wearing | Alex Hill Sport Set
Absolutely obsessed.
I took a medium in the bottoms and a large in the top for that perfect draped-but-not-drowning fit. The material is the holy grail: soft enough to feel cozy, structured enough to survive a long travel day without looking like you’ve surrendered.
Yes, it is pricey. But this is the kind of set you wear on repeat — airport, errands, quick lunch, couch. Cost per wear will justify you.
I am already plotting additional colors.
Eating | Casseroles Atlanta
A dangerously convenient discovery right by the Pure Barre studio where I teach and take.
We grabbed a handful of easy bake-and-go options for the week, and let me tell you — nothing makes you feel more “I have my life together” than pulling a fully assembled casserole from the fridge at 6:12 p.m.
Zero chopping. Zero moral fatigue. Absolute deliciousness.
Reading | Everything I Know About Love
I adore Dolly Alderton’s fiction, and I have been languishing on the Libby waitlist for approximately one century for this essay collection.
It finally arrived.
Her writing feels like voice notes from your most self-aware friend — funny, tender, recklessly human. I’m rationing it like a dessert.
Watching | Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model
Oh. My.
This documentary catapulted me directly back to the early aughts — and as bad as I remembered it being . . . it was worse.
What struck me most was Tyra Banks’ absolute masterclass in deflection and denial. A true case study. Equal parts fascinating and horrifying.
It’s a reminder that cultural moments we once accepted without blinking deserve a second look.
Listening | Michelle Obama on The Housewives
On this episode of IMO by Higher Ground, Mrs. Obama and her brother Craig answer listener questions — and at one point she impersonates Teresa Giudice flipping the table.
There is something deeply healing about Michelle Obama discussing Real Housewives lore. It felt like worlds colliding in the best possible way — I wonder what Teresa would have to say about “When they go low, we go high?”.
Trying | French Exhale by Good Spirits
As you know, I recently embarked on a (very unlikely) THC journey. And while I’ve found favorites there, I’ve also fallen in love with CBD-forward drinks that offer that same exhale feeling — minus the THC. French Exhale is chic sophistication and fizz in a can, and it is my new favorite way to unwind at night. Pour it into a coupe for an extra dash of decadence.
Champagne | Veronica Beard Valentina Sneaker
They slide on! They give you lift!! They are polished without trying too hard!!! I want them in every color and may not stop until I do.
Frites | Lauren Ralph Lauren Dani Perforated Suede Sneakers
A similar navy moment at nearly half the price.
If you want the vibe without the splurge, this is your girl. Clean, classic, wearable with everything from denim to travel sets.
STORIES
The Receipt Report Vol. I. By Lauren Tilashalski
A Tastemaker’s Unlikely Guide to THC. By Lauren Tilashalski
The Wedding Registry Must-Haves I Still Stand By (Five Years Later). By Lauren Tilashalski
Our Heirloom Wedding Album. By Lauren Tilashalski
How to Say Everything Except “I’m Sorry” By Tyra Banks. By Ilana Frost for Betches Media
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Arrested. By Elizabeth Holmes
The Power and Value of an Elevated Home Culture. By E. Morgan
I Washed My Face With La Croix For an Entire Week and OMG. By Very Good Light
YOUR APPOINTMENTS
Your February Appointments. By Lauren Tilashalski
Your Appointments for a Date With Yourself. By Lauren Tilashalski
CLOSET
Latest Finds | February 2026
Tuckernuck New Arrivals | February 2026
Classic Chie
I found Chie on TikTok earlier this week and immediately followed. We’ve quickly become online friends cut from the same cloth!
She is precious, and highlights tailored, deeply classic style. Bonus points because she shares my grandmother-coded hobbies: mahjong, needlepoint, slow fashion, polished silhouettes!
A must follow if you love Tuckernuck, East Coast living, and the little luxuries in life.
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. xx Lauren
Look forward to this every week. It’s a nice way to start the weekend!