Tack Shop: 12 Random Things That Make Me Feel Like a Hot Girl
Though remember, kids: Hotness is a state of mind.
Welcome to Tack Shop, a shopping column where I (or friends of Clotheshorse) curate a mélange of interesting, fun, delightful things you can invest in.
Today, I am going to talk about feeling hot. Or rather, trying to feel hot.
I have never self-identified as a hot girl. Please find Exhibit A below:
The thing is, after you tell yourself a story about said self for many, many, many years, you not only start to believe it, but fully accept it as canon. I wasn’t a hot girl not because I didn’t practice the necessary state of mind, because I told myself I wasn’t.
Oddly, when I think about “being hot” as a concept, physicality is the last thing that comes to mind. Sheer sex and sexuality isn’t up there, either. This is because, to quote Oscar Wilde: Everything in the world is about sex except sex. Sex is about power. So “being hot,” to me, isn’t at all about looking a certain way. It’s about power.
The most potent hot girls I know are the ones who can walk into a crowded room and command any conversation. They’re referencing a long-form article they just read, they look moisturized, and their phones are no where to be found. They’re making eye contact, they just took their well-worn shoes to a cobbler instead of buying a whole new pair, and they don’t overstay their welcome — at this hypothetical gathering, yes, but also anywhere, ever.
If hotness is just an identity practice, why are you telling me to buy stuff? Well, I’m not, first of all. But second of all, there is no ethical consumption under capitalism, et cetera, et cetera, and we all need to consume some things to be a functioning member of society and of our communities. We need to wash our bodies with soap, but we can also want to invest in a perfume that pulls us together with a single spritz.
Anyway, here are 12 random things that recently have helped me do just that.
1. Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir, by Ina Garten ($21): I say this not just as an Ina Garten evangelist, but also as a burgeoning hotness anthropologist. This book is hot as hell! Thinking about Ina and Jeffrey as sexual beings together is as if I was thinking about my own parents, but my sentiment still stands: The way she writes about ambition, love, and simple, fresh food (particularly the chapter in which she recounts her and Jeffrey's backpacking trip through Europe) is a pointed reminder at just how sensual everyday living can be. Giving this a mere five stars on Goodreads felt unfair! Give me more stars, Goodreads CEO Veronica Moss!
2. Reformation Cynthia High Rise Straight Long Jeans ($168): Sadly, my number-one favorite jeans — the Reformation Fawcett Jeans — do not exist anymore. But these are a viable number-two option. There’s something about a dark-wash, straight-leg combo that makes me feel like I could kick a door down.
3. Crown Affair The Hair Oil ($40): I feel like a big part of being hot is just being hydrated. Am I wrong? I’ve been loyal to
’s Crown Affair since I started using their products three years ago and find this yummy, lightweight oil hasn’t just helped with hair growth, but helps give my ends a nice zhuzh before I start my day.4. J.Crew Garçon Classic Shirt in Cotton Poplin ($98): I’m a ride-or-die sucker for a crisp white button-down. My collection has grown, but my go-to has long been a perfect specimen from Jenna Lyons-era J.Crew. I like to wear it untucked with the sleeves buttoned — but not rolled up!!! — and one or two buttons undone. Hot.
5. Salt & Stone Body Wash in Saffron & Cedar ($36): Again, the hydration thing. I was gifted this body wash from the brand and went in skeptical about the fragrance profile. But when I tell you I may never in my life use another body wash again, I mean it. I’ll let the official product description speak for itself: Salt dances on the breeze where the ocean meets the mountains. Fresh rain on warm ground. Woody cedar. Surf wax. A wave of nostalgia hits as you move along the coast. Indeed, the vibe is very much surfing-at-golden-hour-somewhere-in-the-PNW.
6. Lake Alice Nightgown in White Seersucker ($104): Claire Edwards (aka @theclairenecessities on TikTok) has convinced me to start putting more effort into what I wear to bed, and there’s something so Jane Austen Heroine about a breezy white nightgown, even (especially?) in the dead of winter.
7. Moleskine Classic Notebook Soft Cover in Scarlet Red ($24.95): To my fellow Moleskine girls: I don’t know if you’re a soft-cover or hard-cover type or if you like lined or unlined pages. It’s none of my business and that’s something that’s between you and The Artist’s Way. But there is something about this particular blast of red. It kind of amps up the volume on your morning pages. Trust me!
8. Gap Icon Trench Coat ($134 from $168): This is kind of the same logic as #4. Everyone deserves a good trench coat to button (…to the top?) or unbutton or belt or leave unbelted to their heart’s content. Though mine isn’t from Gap, I’m intrigued by what the brilliant Zac Posen is doing over there these days and I had to plug his work.
9. Alohas East Black Leather Boots ($400): I have worn these into the ground, including when I was nine months along with both of my pregnancies (because I’m an insane person). In fact, I wore them to “The Price Is Right Live” the day before I went into labor with my second (a story for another time) .
10. Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerize Cream Eyeshadow in Pillow Talk ($35): Unfortunately, Pillow Talk is not overhyped. Charlotte Tilbury’s signature dusty-pink is universally flattering and just subtle enough to wear on an everyday basis.
11. The Vermont Country Store Women's Cotton Tank Top, Package of 3 ($34.95): I will write a standalone post about these tanks one of these days, but just know that if you see me out in public wearing a sweater, button-up, or maybe even my trench coat, I’m almost certainly wearing one of these underneath.
12. Ranger Station Jordan’s Perfume ($94): I cannot begin to describe how dynamic and lush this smells; if you like a slightly sandalwood-oriented fragrance, you’ll definitely like this. But let me make myself clear: This is no Santal 33. I get complimented by strangers every single time I wear it. And I’ve had that happen with no other perfume, ever, in my life.
xx,
Maura
A note to readers: Clotheshorse may occasionally include affiliate links if I’m recommending a product I love, but I’ll never promote anything I don’t use and/or enjoy myself!
Ahh this is such a fun feature! My husband perfumed that for me. Jordan's Perfume is my absolute go-to, SO fun seeing you share it! xx
If you like a nightie than may I suggest If Only If!