Literary Cowgirl; an eihg starter pack for fallwinter
and whatever else climate change decides to throw our way..... xoxo
The Elusive (International) Hot Girl POV: Global, chic, and impossible to pin down —everyone’s favorite question to ask her is wait, are you in town? As such, the EHG/EIHG exists as an iykyk muse whose influence largely flies under culture’s radar (her preference, not yours). Read more here.
Literary Cowgirl (LC) is our final anthropological (non gift guide) starter pack of the year. But really, it’s a case study in inviting the spaciousness of narrative into form. I first observed this EIHG archetype emerging about a year ago, and it’s only become more pronounced to me as the year has gone on. I’ve taken the time to study and analyze what this means, how it’s represented by both EIHGs in my life and those I encounter on the streets of NYC/London/Palm Beach, and.. most importantly.. how you can consume it too. I hope this is as fun to read as it was to build. Love you most <3.
The Literary Cowgirl embodies stillness, as practice and as modeled reality. She’s measured and not frenetic, which unearths a unique kind of texture, nuance, cheekiness, and play — it lives within her, adorns her, and surrounds her. As such, she dresses like she reads —deeply, and with taste. She’s known for borrowing from the 80s and 90s but within the context of what’s current. She wears heaps of Kallmeyer, Co, and Attersee and looooves a mix of vintage Elsa Peretti meets Sophie Buhai. As for Hermes, duh… but it’s vintage… and her grandmother’s ;).
Sure, in the most Jackson/Aspen/Tahoe way possible, she can ski and probably had a stint as an equestrian — but that’s not actually the ethos of who she is. If you’re thinking cowboy hats and an obscene amount of fringe, think again. She loves being camp but she also loves being austere. For more context.. maybe psychologically, it’s clear to everyone around her that she had a deeeep Carson McCullers phase in the 9th grade.
She’s naturally the person everyone wants to sit next to at the dinner party (famously fluent in subtext), finds herself being nostalgic for things she’s never experienced, and remains staunchly loyal to whatever can’t be easily explained.
Her deafening romanticism isn’t a result of projection outward, rather a practice of loving that which turns inward. Which also means that people fall in love with her quickly, madly, and profusely… her response? That’s their business, not mine.
biting my fist and screaming, one sec…..
When her daydreams collide about being a 60s it girl and a 90s book publisher who gets extra cold martinis at 4pm uptown (think—the Lowell), she lands here.
It’s cold. This is her scarf. Or this, but it’s obviously then going to require more of an ordeal……
Not seasonally appropriate but she has these. And she WILL be wearing them to lounge around her (aristocratic) family friend’s villa after a grueling morning planning tennis on grass.. here… ;)
(sporting THE obligatory baseball hat is optional but… she also doesn’t claim to be above it.)
This kallmeyer tassel is getting affixed on as many accessories as possible.
ALERT — arch4 makes… INCREDIBLE cashmere???? I was influenced by an LC in my life to buy this sweater (w/ a detachable scarf) and woah woah woah. buttery, silky, warm, CHIC. wow. (this st agni one is similar and I think more “known” — still gorgeous and squarely in the aura tho)
These are a sexy ass pair of winter sunglasses. Best paired with a bone dry whole milk cap.
There’s a very big (vintage) belt buckle hidden underneath this wool coat. Obviously paired with a straight leg black jean and these boots. Classics are classic for a reason.
FML.
And this is who she is when she’s hosting a dinner party. There’s also going to be brown suede involved, somewhere.
I think everyone is on the same page that her source energy is being a bare nail Jane birkin 1A right???? However, should city life have found and.. changed.. her…… she prefers a clear coat during the holidays (the overt lack of effort makes her feel alive). She finds the taxing effort of getting a manicure wasted on a plain sheer/neutral hue (like.. she doesn’t fear the growth of her cuticles, in fact, she finds them chic). IF there’s a color and IF it was done by a manicurist then it’s an oxblood, navy blue, or bright red. More likely, she’s painting her nails at home, which she believes is an understudied act of romance, anyway. Thus, celisse and its jammy jelly neutrals is decidedly FOR HER.
This is also a good time to say that she is a whole milk MUSE. There was one moment when she fell for almond, but she came home way quicker than anyone else.. and we respect her for it.
SKINCARE — She slathers this stuff on her face (comes before sunscreen/in conjunction with moisturizer) each morning before her skin even THINKS about touching the sun. This is her equivalent of holy water the moment temps hit 42 at 1pm.
MORE BEAUTY (+home) — for makeup, she’s strongly in the Victoria Beckham Beauty camp (complexion, eyes, lips, everything), and who can blame her?? Her fragrance is delicate and fresh and light and NICHE — bends more towards aquatic but melds itself with earth (e.g., this, this, this, this, and this). It goes without saying, but there’s obviously a lot of frequenting here. And her home smells the same way it always has (this candle + this candle + this scent ball).
Being literary means you’re also romance pilled and this top makes me want to read Edith Wharton by a fire on a big fat property (with a babbling brook!) in the Cotswolds.
A stunning calf hair loafer that…. she doesn’t want you to talk about.
There aren’t enough DUHs in the dictionary to articulate how DUH this choice is. It’s literary. It’s cowgirl. It’s likely to piss off the men at the office who were gleeful when this op-ed was released…. it’s hER.
these are the party pants of a girl who grew up reading BOOKS
You think she doesn’t think a lot about Daisy Buchanan????? BYE. It’s party season— trust me, this is happening.
Also…. to YOU this was performative but to HER it was a necessity…..she’s wearing it crossbody whilst shopping around on a tuesday in these perfect 90s mom jeans with a tucked in white button down and a turtleneck or an old (iykyk) pierre-louis mascia silk scarf tied around the neck w/ these socks and these loafers :D.
She borrowed these from her little brother and she’s decidedly nEVER giving them back. They work in all 4 seasons, which is rare???!!!
If you’re feeling camp.
Don’t shoot the messenger, but this is the puffer of choice rn.
ALERTING YOU ONCE AGAIN THAT THIS IS A PERFECT BAG AND UNLIKE ME, THE LC IS NOT DILLY DALLYING ABOUT IT. TBH, it’s like when the avengers meet up — calf hair is already THERE, the teckel is already THERE.. together?? scary.
If she’s in a wide leg jean, then she’s wearing these… and they’re perfect.
^ Obviously a denim shirt is involved. Most of hers are vintage, but she’s also recently partial to this one… the blue is just right.
a lil this and a lil this (swag pilled, romance pilled) For events from Thursday-Saturday, she’s wearing an oversized blazer (this or this) + this navy-charcoal semi-sheer (silk) going out top that’s tucked into a black trouser. Here, jewelry is in the form of clunky rings (like this and this and this) + a vintage cowboy belt that she picked up at a Santa Fe estate sale whilst on a trip dedicated to “climbing the sacred rocks” last summer.
AGAIN, this is the party szn dress of a girl who grew up READING BOOKS
Consider this coat bc it’s winter.. everywhere… but especially if you’re planning on booking it to Jackson
An LC core competency is owning a sexy kitten heel that goes with everything. And if you’re REALLY about that life then you’re wearing with a pair of tartan/baby blue stockings (or… anything from here, rlly).
Bode is the axis of literary and the axis of cowgirl that the LC who lives in Tribeca/WV/UES/BKHeights really thrives in…. thus, this embroidered wool coat is.. perfect.
Little do you know, she doesn’t suffer from western affectation disorder (city girl yeehaw west not poles of power west). Therefore, she does nOT prance around the WV in a pair of loud (glittery/embellished/etc) cowboy boots (not (intentional) shade….). Shockingly, she’s more aligned with the boho minimalists than you think. This (sold out) boot and this boot are going the distance.
A creepy number of her cashmere sweaters are from here, but you know this.
Separately, now that it’s winter, she’s transitioning to jooshi mode (try to catch on sale).
These are the shoes she’d wear to dinner (when she’d casually mention that her family has a 400 acre hobby ranch in montana (mansion, casitas, the works)).
I’m sorry but LC/EIHG fave NH made… the PERFECT chocolate brown SUEDE fringe jacket. Dizzying.
These are her work flats….. duh.
Jewelry is an extension of her mythology. Here’s a sample — this bracelet that’s inspired by O’Keeffe (duh); she says YES to suzanne donegan but DOUBLE yes to the fact that this necklace is a 19th century Etruscan revival style ribbon book chain :D; and for good luck, she layers chains and/or silk+leather cords with these tiny, colorful fish pendants. She goes to Carolina Bucci for whimsy— this is her ace, but she’s also been loyal to this set of bracelets for over a decade. Lastly, isn’t there something subtly bewitching about these earrings when they’re on??
Only dare to go here if you have swag.
I saw an LC wearing this slouchy liffner bag on a Tuesday afternoon. Lapima sunnies w/ yellow lenses affixed to her head like a headband. it was just so major….
The perfect non-black blazer. It gives first wife demanding an insufferable amount of alimony (she earned it); it also gives 80s Martha printing cash as a trader on wall street…. either way, it’s all very RICH.
These similar but not the same fringe coats mean a LOT to her (and me). This one is more heritage, like her mom would steal + this one is soooo dreamy and makes me feel ALIVE whenever I see it iRL. Beyond.
I certainly do not think that, as a culture, we’re discussing this leather jacket enough.
Canadian tuxedos? Sure, but THIS (corduroy) version is better. Start w/ these chocolate brown corduroy pleated trousers & pair with the matching overshirt. Plan on going minimal on jewelry OR all out.. no in between. (Co also makes a pencil skirt variant that when paired with the overshirt makes me wanna breathe into a brown paper bag).
This tee is still going strong but it’s now being layered with a long sleeve underneath. Both colors feel like required reading but if i’m choosing one i’m going with the brown…. wear with a BIIIG tassel or a massive vintage medallion (on a leather or silk cord) in a saint laurent SS25 runway way.
I hate to break it to you but her undercover workout wear is almost always literary sport….
I believe we discussed these above but I just need to underscore that they are perfect fall/winter jeans.
Does it get much better than a brushed cashmere argyle cardigan??? tell me….
A well-priced necklace that JUST MAKES SENSE. Wear on simple (cold) days when all you can muster is a perfect white tee, jeans, a wool sock + loafer, and a thick, oversized wool coat like this or this.
Oh Attersee, you had me at mother of pearl buttons….
Alright, kids. this is where i leave you— our annual holiday blitz is imminent, hope you’re ready ;). And double hope you enjoyed today’s starter pack, as always, it’s an honor to bring these observations to you.
Also as always, i’m most curious about what you’re shopping for (for you or for others), how you’re feeling about fall, winter, and the holidays, and what’s bringing you joy!!!!! Sending beams of clarity, stillness, and the luxury of spaciousness your way… it’s what our LC would want, after all ;).
TALK SOON; I LOVE YOU MOST;
TM x
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As always, every link has been clicked. The phrase squarely in the aura is poetic.
"Literary Cowgirl" is exactly the phrase I've been looking for. Sadly I appear more "pigeon woman in Home Alone 2" when I give it a go, no matter how many times I pour over Ralph Lauren 90s catalogues for styling help.