Welcome, welcome to a very special edition of #MalCrushMonday.
It’s all crushes this time, baby.
Let’s goooooo.
Also! This edition got way longer than I anticipated, so if you’re reading it on your email and it gets cut off, you can click “View entire message” to see all of my very important and groundbreaking crushes.
What I’m crushing
I’m crushing having impeccable taste in fashion, food, music, and more. Pretty much everything except men.
What’s crushing me
I am crushed by the weight of having impeccable taste in fashion, food, music, and more. Pretty much everything except men.
It’s a lot of pressure being this cultured, sophisticated, and discerning.
What I’m crushing on
These items are in no particular order. Just things that have tickled my fancy recently.
Fashion
Ilana Kohn is one of my favorite slow fashion designers, and I’m especially loving the Maxine Pant in Fuzzy Flowers. Cozy, chic, the perfect wide leg.
I’m nothing if not a Baggu girly. But this isn’t any ordinary Baggu. It’s a collab with a shop called ban.dō. I love this bag for very obvious reasons.
Haricot Vert jewelry bills itself as wearable poetry. It’s whimsical and silly and playful. All the things I love in jewelry (and everything). Check out their Space Junk Charmie necklace.
Coach has honestly been crushing it for the past few years, keeping up with the times, and making accessories that Gen Z (and Gen Z cuspers like myself!) are excited about. I am especially delighted by their Cosmic Coach collection. Look how cute!!!!
A pop of red is very in for autumn and winter. I want a pair of cherry red tights, socks, and/or ballet flats. I used to have a pair of red Juicy Couture ballet flats but those are looooong gone.
Speaking of ballet flats, am I going to be a Rothy’s girl? They have so many cute flats and Mary Janes these days. I’m especially partial to The Square Mary Jane (wish they had these in red!!!!), The Point Mary Jane (again, where is my pop of red?), The Ballet Flat (it’s red, but I’m afraid the bow makes it just a little too cutesy for me), and The Flat (also in red, but would prefer it as a Mary Jane *sigh*.) And, of course, I still want the ever-popular Soft Silver Metallic Michaela Mary Jane Flat from Sam Edelman (sold out).
As much as I am a Baggu girly, I am also a Wray NYC girly. Absolutely loving the Nan Dress. I want to look like aluminum foil on New Year’s Eve!!!!!
Food
The Chinese Eggplant Buns and Khao Soi from Uncle, a restaurant here in Denver. I went with some old pals, Jacob and Cody, and we got a very poorly lit photo. The buns were flavorful and complex with the pickled plum mustard seed dressing being the surprising star of the show. The Khao Soi was warm and deep with the correct proportions of broth to noodles to the other ingredients. I love a warm, brothy noodle on a chilly autumn evening. My name is now Mallory Khao Soi.
Quick and honorable mentions go to: Twin Snakes from Haribo, Ben & Jerry’s Edible Cookie Dough, and Cool Haus’ Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich.
Music
This section includes the song, artist, and my favorite lyric(s). If you’d rather listen than read, you can check out the short playlist here.
Word to the Trees by whatever mike (I know I featured this a couple of weeks ago, but I simply cannot recommend enough!)
“Word to myself when
no one's applauding”
Infinince or Infinity? by Terence Etc.
“I love your dreams
As long as they include me
Tell me that I'm in your dreams
Please, tell me that you dream of me”“Let's say that
You were some dust
And you were swept away
By some real strong wind one night
Where have you landed?
If not in my fragile sky.”“I'm easier to dream about than I am to love.”
I Could Spend a Lifetime by deadmen, Begonia, and E.GG
“I want to show you
How I could love you
But I don't want to make it hard to
Love me the same”
Dancing Circles by Sampha
“I wanna feel your love like summer
I wanna feel your love like thunder”
From the Start by Laufey
“Don't you dare look at me that way
I don't need reminders of how you don't feel the same”
HEADSTART by Ritt Momney
“'Cause Love's got an evil twin sister named Power
Who sticks by her side everywhere that she goes
You give somebody one, then you give them the other
So pleasе understand if I'd rather keep both”“There's more fish in the sea
Most of which have not hurt me”
j’s lullaby (darlin’ i’d wait for you) by Delaney Bailey
“I'd give you the sun if you asked me
You could have all of the time
You could have the stars and the trees
When dividin' up the universeYou could have mine
You could have mine”
Unending Bliss by Rosie Tucker
“I can't help it
I throw stones like if I keep in motion I won't sink
If at the bottom of everything we are all alone
Then I want nothing but unending bliss for my enemies”
Colors by Ava Maybee
“What was the color of your eyes again?
Somebody here just brought you up
I'm three tequilas deep and I forget
But honestly, I'm not that drunk”
Everything is Just a Mess by The Brook & The Bluff
“Head won't stop spinning 'round
Make your decision now
Head won't stop spinning
Love me or let me out”
P.S. If you like new music, I recommend my pal Art’s newsletter, Two Song Thursdays. Every week, he (you guessed it!) sends two songs on Thursday that he’s been vibing with.
And more
I would make this section longer but I was informed that I am reaching the email length limit on Substack!
So I’ll just mention this Jello Tabletop Lighter from Edie Parker.
Pretty much everything except men
I spent too long thinking about a man who made me cry this week and then I broke out in full! body! hives!!!!!!
I can’t say for sure that these two incidents are related, but the timing is suspicious.
Plus, my anxiety is always working in ~new and mysterious ways~.
Anyway, seems like I’m literally allergic to having any type of romantic crush these days!
Also, quick shout out to my 2 (or more???) dedicated #MCM readers who have not officially subscribed for fear of receiving the Chris™ treatment (as documented here, here, and here) but still read the newsletter every week.
I know you’re reading this, boys!!!!! I love my fans!
Text me! Love you! Bye!
Mal
Ooo... really into these lyrics...
So sorry to hear about your being crushed by the weight of having impeccable taste in fashion, food, music, and more. That sounds awful -- hope you get better soon <3