Retail Therapy 081: How To Party In The Hamptons with Gwyneth Paltrow
Plus an Austin restaurant matrix, generational sock wars, and a whole lot more.
Listen to Retail Therapy on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube (see above), and anywhere else podcasts are found.
Hello listeners and readers! We are a ~skosh~ behind on listener digests, so I’m sending out the companion for 081 today even though 082 is the most recent pod that dropped this past Sunday. A lot of good links in here that I didn’t want y’all to miss. Stay tuned as we should be following up with 082’s guide later this week.
Randy made the New York Times.
As the sundress discourse reached a fever pitch this summer, our very own producer, Randy Trembacki, dropped a two-minute TikTok video where he attempted to explain, once and for all, exactly what guys meant when they referred to a “sundress.” The vid quickly went viral, racking up over 9 million views and 750k likes, and thus establishing Randy as an expert voice on the subject. It was only a matter of time before NYTStyle was dialing our man up:
“You’ve left me no choice but to mansplain women’s fashion,” Randy Trembacki told viewers on TikTok in May. Gesturing around the empty space where he would insert an image of a mini dress from Shein, Mr. Trembecki, a 30-year-old podcast producer based in Texas, named some features of a sundress: fitted top, flowy bottom.
On the phone last month, he elaborated: “It’s conservative but revealing. You know music videos circa early 2010s, where it’s the farmer’s daughter type thing?”
You can read the entire column and get the rest of Randy’s intel here.
Restaurant Matrices
We were inspired by the four-quadrant chart that the NYC branch of food publication, The Infatuation, posted to Instagram.
In an age where people are making six figs slanging black market rezzies, a graph like this can be a tool for potential diners to help them separate the wheat from the chaff, to understand which spots might be worth the hassle. It’s also a convenient vehicle to get off a hot take or two. I made my own for Austin:
After sharing with some friends to get some feedback, it’s possible that I was a bit too generous with some of my top right quadrant picks, but this particular matrix does include my own personal biases so I’m rolling with it. The short version is this: I would confidently send anybody to the restaurants above the X axis. For a surefire meal, vibe, or combo of the two, it’s everything at Pecan Square Cafe and above.
*Please note, there are plenty of amazing restaurants missing from this graph.*
Generational Sock War
According to the internet, Millennials are the only ones out there still wearing ankle socks. If you wish to blend in with the youths and not be called an aging hack, crew socks are the only way to go. The New York Times reports, and GQ later went on to cover the topic as well. My personal take is that any sock that reveals a sliver of itself is bad, but there is always a time and a place for a true no-show.
How to Party
Will and I had a great time discussing our various party dos and don’ts, tips and tricks, awkward situations, and more, all stemming from a really fun and insightful column from… yes, of course, it was the New York Times.
Poop at GOOP
What started as a salacious blind item on the likes of popbitch and DeuxMoi finally made its way into major publications with Elle going so far as to name names as to who may have victimized poor Gwyneth’s Hamptons home. Could Ozempic really been the culprit for such a disastrous mess? Any which way, it’s gotta sting to learn that your close friend (and one of Hollywood’s most luxurious stars, no less) was gossiping about you with Oprah and Larry David.
Articles of Interest
Cast of The Bear ripping heaters — Link
The celebs were out at Glasto, including pod faves Paul Mescal, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Dua Lipa, and Charli XCX — Link
Of course, we closed things out with our wishlists and imminent cops.
For 2024, we’ve hit the reset button on our wishlists and made them a bit more digestible for the year ahead. To access the complete version of our 2022 and 2023 wishlists, look no further than our final Listener Digest of 2022 and our final Listener Digest of 2023.
Will’s Wishlist (2024)
RRL Officer Khakis ($241.50 on sale) — Link
Abercrombie Workwear Pants ($68) — Link
Nike ACG Russet Moc ($100) — Link
Soho Home Nadine Rug ($1,016) — Link
Acqua di Parma Colonia C.L.U.B. Eau de Cologne ($150) — Link
Drake’s Swim Shorts ($145 on sale) — Link
Dark Brown Belgians ($675) — Link
LL Bean Field Coat (price unknown) — Link
A&F All Day Shorts ($60) — Link
Vintage Duck Camo Pants ($225) — Link
Boy Smells x Kacey Musgraves Deeper Well Candle ($56) — Link
Kavu Organic Strapcap ($40) — Link
Predator Mundial 2024 ($120) — Link
Every Other Thursday Hat ($44) — Link
Kermit Oak Foldable Chair ($300) — Link
Block Crochet Knit S/S Shirt Navy ($450) — Link
Nike Air Zoom Infinity Tour NRG ($190) — Link
Vintage Patagonia Stand-Up Shorts on eBay ($25-$60)
Drake’s Soleil Graphic Tee ($145) — Link
We Are Rewind Cassette Player ($159) — Link
Drake’s Olive Seersucker Games Suit ($1,790) — Link
Will’s Note: Please send me any reasonably priced alternatives you have for this as I’d love to buy a new suit in this style before August! Thanks!
Barrett’s Wishlist (2024)
Margaret Howell Fireman Trousers ($495 Retail / $371.25 Sale) — Link
Vass Shoes Black Leather Cap Toe Oxfords (€417) — Link
Uniqlo Down Parkas ($40-$150) — Link
Montblanc Meisterstück Stainless Steel & Black Onyx Cufflinks ($280) — Link
Second/Layer Pico Blazer & Trousers ($340 on sale) — Link
Lululemon Soft Jersey Short 5” ($68) — Link
Abercrombie & Fitch “Handcrafted” 3-Button Polo ($90 on sale for $72) — Link
Bode x Nike Sneakers ($150) — Link
JJJJound Sambas ($250) — Link
Post O’Alls x Bagsinprogress Beach Bag — Link
Toga x PORTER Nylon Backpack ($1,135) — Link
Sacai x Carhartt WIP Cotton-Canvas Shorts ($470) — Link
Guest in Residence “Breezy” Sweater ($395) — Link
Noah Slouchy Sock ($22) — Link
Garrett Leight “Webster” Sunglasses ($249) — Link
Buzz Rickson Type CWU-9/P 1960’S Jacket Liner ($355) — Link
Prada Woven Shopping Tote ($2,050) — Link
(Madewell ($80.50) — Link)
Buck Mason Seeded Natural Herringbone Short ($128) — Link
Timex Q 1978 Watch ($179) — Link
New: Gap’s Linen Collection — Link (Imminent Cops linked below)
Listen to Retail Therapy on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube (see above), and anywhere else podcasts are found.