Hairdryers, Hemlines & Handy Little Nose Rings

A semi-spontaneous trip to Santa Monica, hotel hairdryer crimes, chic pants for tall people, and other important updates from my brain.

If your head doesn’t feel chaotic like mine does right now, then what’s it like to be special?
Because that chaos? It’s showing up in this newsletter. We’ve got: a trip recap to Santa Monica, my thoughts on hotels that are out to get your hair, a review of pants that might be a The Row dupe, how to survive an overreactive nose and motion sickness, my SoCal outfits, one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time, what I bought from the Sephora sale, a few fragrances I sampled, a beauty buy I finally caved on thanks to IG ads… the whole buffet. Buckle in.

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Santa Monica & The Proper Hotel (But Mostly Proper)

You’d think that when your kid has spring break, the whole family takes a trip together. But instead, my husband and I graciously accepted grandparental childcare and went off to Santa Monica - purely to enjoy the interiors of the Proper Hotel. Did we buy the flights barely a week in advance? Maybe. Is that out of character for me? Yes. But having a child rewires your brain and suddenly… we’re people who make spontaneous decisions now.

We stayed at the Proper Hotel Santa Monica, and honestly, this place isn’t just a hotel. It’s a mood board come to life. Picture it: 500 shades of brown and neutrals, curved archways, plump boucle sofas, rattan (is it ru-tan or rat-tun?) textures, the kind of ambient lighting that makes you reconsider rewiring your home. I didn’t know I could fall in love with a palette so aggressively tonal, but here we are.

The public spaces, particularly the Palma lounge area, are stunning. Vaulted ceilings, oversized planters, sculptural furniture that toes the line between brutalism and comfort. And it feels different depending on the time of day. Morning coffee in the atrium hits different from happy hour martinis or late-night people-watching with dessert. You could easily spend an entire day just rotating through spots like a very relaxed, very well-lit nomad.

The rooms themselves are beautiful in that quiet-luxury way: minimalist but cozy, high-thread-count sheets (I think?), Aesop everything, and robes from Parachute¹ that I contemplated stealing (but didn’t because I respect house rules). The rooftop pool is compact but serene, with loungers and cocktails that are divine.

But let’s talk about the villain of the story: the hairdryer.
Dear Proper: Why do your toiletries cost more than your hairdryer? You almost had a perfect score. But then I met the ancient dryer that folded in on itself mid-use and smelled faintly of burning electronics and sadness. I am pretty sure these are actually from 1980s.

I’m not asking for a Dyson in every room (okay maybe I am), but something that doesn’t make my hair worse than if I air-dried it in a wind tunnel would be nice. If you visit (and you should at least have a meal at the Palma), just pack a hairdryer as a precaution.

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What I Wore: SoCal Edition

We were there for four days. I packed my trusty Away carry-on and old Rothy’s overnighter (mine’s from 2020, but this is very similar). Outfits were mostly linen + jackets/blazers = an easy formula. I felt pretty good about every look.

• Two sets of custom made linen vests + pants in navy and mocha (similar vest | similar pants)

• Two linen dresses from Posse (similar)

• Outerwear: Havre Studio blazer, Farm Rio denim jacket, and a Harvey Faircloth Jacket (very similar)

• Shoes: Co heels, Le Monde Beryl flats, Onitsuka Tiger (similar)

• Extras: striped Sézane top (similar), two Left on Friday playsuits, La Ligne pants, Old Celine bag (similar)

  

• Airport look to LA: Gap sweatshirt + La Ligne pants (more on those below)

• Return look to SF: Men’s cream oversized tee from OV (similar) + Left on Friday playsuits

  

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La Ligne Colby Pants: A Review

A few weeks ago, I asked for dupes of The Row Gala pants. They’re stunning (the drape, the flow), but the $1K+ price? Not stunning.

Sogole Kane

suggested the La Ligne Colby pants, and while I’d previously written them off thinking that style only came in silk, turns out some colors now come in a crepe-y fabric. I was intrigued and bought a pair in Black Crepe. They arrived just before our trip and I wore them on the flight in an effort to channel

Megan Alida Strachan

level chic.

Details:

• Made of 90% recycled polyester / 10% elastane

• Bias cut, no shine but also not cotton-flat

• Surprisingly breathable, didn’t get itchy or hot

• I machine-washed them on cold and line dried (I pretty much always ignore the dry-clean only instructions) and they came out perfect

Looking at The Row Gala Pants, those are 69% Triacetate (a synthetic fiber), 31% Polyester. So essentially both pants are made of synthetic material, have that same bias cut + thin elastic waistband that gives them the elevated drape and fall. The La Ligne ones are a third of the cost of The Row ones. In every way that matters, the La Ligne Colby are the winner.

BUT (isn’t there always a but)
They are so long! Inseam is 30.75 inches (pretty sure The Row ones are just as long). I’m 5'4", and I was dragging hems across the airport floor, even trying to tuck them into my shoes like a fool. I’m definitely going to need to get these hemmed, but I’ll be honest—I’m a little nervous. The bias cut and the way they fall so effortlessly are what make these pants so flattering. I’m worried that a seamstress might not hem them in the exact way needed to preserve that beautiful fall and slight pooling at the foot. It’s a fine line between a perfect hem and losing what makes these pants magical!

Final Verdict:
If you’re tall - run, don’t walk.
If you’re short - add a trip to the tailor to your budget.
If you’re me - still worth it!

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️s (

Kelly Williams

have I convinced you to give these a try?)

Image screenshot from brand website

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A Meal to Remember: Le Comptoir

Yes, we’re pivoting from pants to food. Stay with me.

I had one of the best meals I’ve had in years at Le Comptoir in LA. Full credit goes to my husband for booking it. It’s a set six course, mostly plant-based dinner, though some courses offer meat options and wine pairings. The menu changes regularly and usually features items that are in season.

You sit at a cosy bar-style counter with about nine others, watching the chefs plate and prepare everything with intense precision. Every dish was mind-blowingly mouth watering. Truly a one-of-a-kind, intimate food experience. If you’re looking for a special dinner date—bookmark this.

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Things I Bought (and Liked)

1. Motion Sickness + Smell Savior

If you’re sensitive to smells or get motion sick easily, check out these tiny silicone septum rings infused with essential oils. They’re subtle, portable, and saved me from both aggressive air fresheners and mystery Uber/Lyft odors. Truly a game changer.

2. Sephora Sale Haul

Sephora is currently running a sale with discounts ranging between 10%-20% depending on your account spending.

• The best moisturizer I’ll likely never stop harping about this one or making sure I always have backup.

  Charlotte Palermino
  , please never stop making this. My mom and I are both obsessed.

• New hair serum Just ordered so yet to arrive but promising ingredients on paper.
  I’m chasing hair growth that is not just pre-postpartum levels, but better than pre-pregnancy. Wish me luck.

• New Brow pencil - Beauty trends may change but I will not be bamboozled into having skinny eyebrows ever again. I used to swear by the Brow Flick, but I’m curious to try these. A sale seemed like the perfect excuse to give them a go.

• I didn’t grab this SPF during the sale because I already bought with two new bottles as backups when Sephora did extra points to dollars promotion last month. But if you’ve been on the fence about it, now could be the perfect time to try it out!

  Funny enough, I very serendipitously just got a PR package from the brand (not because I’m an influencer or anything, rather due to the fact I signed up early for their TYB program). I’ve been obsessed with this brand since 2020 when I used to scour the internet to find retailers that would ship it from Australia or begged friends to bring back a few tubes when they visited home. It’s genuinely incredible to see brands sending PR packages to not just influencers but also brand loyalists.

  I’m so thrilled to see their success in the US! If you want to hear more about their journey, check out this interview for their thoughtful approach to the launch.

3. The Nail Brand That Wore Me Down

You’ve seen the Manucurist ads. I’ve been seeing it for what feels like the last two years so I finally caved. So did

Azora Zoe Paknad

- always nice to be in good company. Last time I got my nails done (2021), it ended in a crime scene-level cuticle disaster. Even prior to that, I rarely got my nails done. I am not patient enough and even the slightest chip would have me ripping off my gel.

If you have been a long time reader, you already know I am on a hand ‘cream’ journey, so in a continued effort to look like I have my life together, I got the Cuticle Remover and Active Smooth polish.

• The remover tool confounded me. The package says to let the remover sit on your nail for two minutes before scrapping and pushing back your cuticles but when I tried that, the tool tugged way too much. I might need to watch a few YouTube tutorial to understand how to use the solution and the tool together.

• The Active polish though? A win. One coat = “my nails but better”. Somehow since my purchase, there are two new shades of this nude polish so you are likely to find one you like. I got with the original 00.

Once I figure out the remover, I can totally see myself doing a max 10-minute Sunday nail routine. That’s my more speed.

4. Agolde Denim Experiment

Sold a pair of jeans that just weren’t flattering anymore (I know such an ick word). Picked up a pair of these Agolde Jeans instead. Shopbop says 30" inseam, Agolde’s site doesn’t say anything. Images suggest they’re shorter than expected.
Let’s see if these work or if I’m getting burned again by inseam issues.

Use code STYLE for 15%-25% discount on Shopbop.

5. D.S. & Durga Fragrance Sampler

Bought the $40 sample 4-pack (you can redeem that toward a full-size bottle - genius move to make sure people asking for samples aren’t being wasteful and there is now a semi commitment to try and find a scent that works) from the store on Abbot Kinney. Top contenders: Brown Flowers and I Don’t Know What. I’ve never had a signature scent. Maybe this is how I find one.

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That’s it. If you made it this far, thank you for riding this chaotic wave with me.
More soon. Probably with too many opinions and a completely different tangent. You know how it goes.

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