Books and Looks, Jan 2025

A new publishing house, some chic partywear, and TV show I can't stop watching

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It seems like a lifetime ago we all entered this month with naïve optimism and high hopes for the year ahead. Annually, we fall for early January’s allure, and, annually, we realized we’ve been duped once we’re a few weeks into the coldest month of the year, in many cases without even the promise of an evening glass of wine to soothe the frazzled spirits.

January starts like this, champagne-fueled New Year’s Eve parties so fresh in the rearview that the promise of a month without alcohol, packed with early morning gym sessions remains appealing…

Via People

…and by the time we get to the 20s, it’s a little more like this:

via NYMag

I’m well-placed to say this, as someone whose birthday is on January 27th But, as someone with this cursed birth month who also happens to LOVE my birthday (unfortunately haven’t yet aged out of that yet, I know my friends are waiting), I have experience in doing everything I can to make the month, if not magical, at least serviceable.

This year: books you’ve never heard but must read (and some you can skip), TV shows that boosted my serotonin while lowering my IQ, other ones that flew over my head, clothes I will inevitably spend too much money on someday, and a few other treats thrown in, too. Let’s go girls!!!!

ON THE BOOKS FRONT

I. Busted a reading rut with…

A romance novel from two former fashion girls who are now the industry’s hottest new publishers.

…and I have thoughts.