Baguette Gazette: Things I'm loving + spring shopping tips
5 questions to ask before buying new clothes this season 🗞️
Hi friends! Welcome to the latest “Baguette Gazette”. If you’re new here, this is a monthly catchup where I share recommendations, personal updates, and what’s going on behind the recipes at TNB HQ.
You already know I’m big on podcasts - I include one here almost every month! - and particularly enjoy ones hosted by comedians playing in the background while I’m shooting, recipe testing, or doing other kitchen stuff. Amy Poehler just launched “Good Hang” and it’s just lovely, easy listening. The Tina Fey episode was especially fun since the two are bff’s.
This recipe entered my radar when I was over a friend’s house for movie night, and her roommate happened to be cooking her dinner at the same time. The smell emanating from the kitchen - garlicky, buttery, savory - was nothing short of dizzying. She told us she was riffing on Kenji López-Alt’s Vietnamese-American Garlic Noodles.
I gave them a go for dinner last week and let me tell you, never have I slurped a bowl of spaghetti with such speed and voracity. And I don’t even like spaghetti usually! I skipped the cheese but otherwise followed his technique. (This recipe isn’t vegan, but if you don’t mind fish sauce and oyster sauce, I highly recommend it implore you to make it.)
My allegiance to Larabars has been unbroken for like, a decade, but I must report I am finally Larabar’d out. Yes, they are the “cleanest” energy bar out there, but I needed a change. The Simply Nutty dark chocolate sea salt bars from Trader Joe’s are basically a KIND bar dupe, and almost veer into dessert territory, but man are they tasty.
Happy April, friends! Wow, anyone else feel like March completely flew by? Spring is finally spring-ing and I can’t help but think about my warm weather wardrobe.
If you’re new to this community, heads up, I don’t usually write extensively about clothes. But the truth is, I love clothes, and style is something I’ve always enjoyed exploring. Fun fact: when I was younger, I was thinking about attending culinary or fashion merchandising school, even though I ended up at a liberal arts college after all.
Anyway, I did notice that whenever I include clothing recs in this newsletter, they get a surprisingly high rate of click-throughs, so it seems like a lot of you like clothes, too…? (And if not, feel free to skip the rest of this newsletter, lol.)
Whenever the seasons change, there is a stronger-than-usual pull to buy new stuff, especially if you’re easily influenced by the barrage of ever-evolving trends on social media. (And honestly, who isn’t?)
I’m a firm believer that great style is not simply buying the new season’s trends, and wearing the pants + sweater + loafers that the brand has already decided look good together. Style is being able to assemble an outfit you feel great in using what you already have.
Not only does constant shopping often lead to hoarding (and most of us wear, what, 15% of what we actually own?), but the fast fashion industry is also horrendous for the planet.
As we head into the spring/summer shopping season, I wanted to share the 5 questions I ask myself before bringing a new piece into my closet:
Will it last at least 3 years/seasons?
The goal here is to focus on high-quality fabrics (i.e. can the piece withstand dozen of washes or will it degrade after 2-3?) and timeless design.
I avoid buying “trendy” things because I know I probably won’t wear them after the trend passes and they'll just end up in a landfill. And if I am drawn to something trendy, I’ll first look for it on a resale site like Poshmark, or at a second-hand store.
(The name of the game here is responsible consumption, which includes having a plan for the item’s lifecycle.)
Does it go with other items I already own?
If I’m gonna need a whole new wardrobe to make a new pair of jeans work, then I just don’t buy them. I try to make sure a new thing can be worn with at least 3 pieces I already own before adding it in.
What is the cost-per-wear?
If I’m considering a $39 pair of shorts that are very on-trend and that I’ll probably wear just this summer (let’s say 3 times total), the cost per wear is $13. But if there’s another option for $80 that is higher quality and has a more timeless design, and I’ll probably be able to wear it for 3 seasons (lets say 6 times per season), the cost per wear is $4.40.
Sometimes paying more upfront is a better choice for the long term.
Do I already own other items like this?
Whenever I see a Breton striped shirt, I’m like a moth to a flame. I own so many striped shirts/sweaters/dresses that I’ve lost count. I have to remind myself each time to put these down and walk away.
Is this on my wishlist?
I realize this may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I like to keep a list on my phone of things my closet is missing and try to focus on those while I shop. (As opposed to buying whatever new and shiny thing the store wants me to buy.)
I hope this is helpful! Let me know your thoughts.
P.S. In case you missed any of last month’s recipes…
Oooh!! I need to try those noodles. I love these questions on buying new clothes! Q: how do you determine what is a high-quality fabric? I feel like even if I don't go with a fast-fashion brand, I often end up with clothes that still don't last more than a season. I've been trying to look more at materials when purchasing, but I'm struggling. Would love to know your thoughts!