Ali LaBelle's Apartment Feels Like the English Countryside in California
Plus, a genius travel strategy, cool monograms and all the stripes.
Hi! How’s your day going? Earlier this week,
wrote about the denim skirt I’ve worn and loved for years. And yesterday, the boys and I went to a Rosh Hashanah dinner at our friends’ house on the North Fork. (Shana tova to those who celebrate!)I’m also thrilled to say that, for this week’s issue, our editor Kaitlyn Teer interviewed creative director
, who writes . Her newsletter has been one of my must-reads since I first discovered it. I devour it every week, from start to finish. So many goodies, like fall things she’s excited about, Parent Trap style, and how to act like you live in a hotel.Here, Ali shares 9 surprises and delights, plus a tour of her California apartment…
Creative ritual: Once a month, I make a mood board the old-fashioned way. I choose a theme — like horse girls or drinks — and then print out photos I’ve taken or Instagram images I’ve saved. Lastly, I use white push-pins to physically arrange them.
Hair: I go through a quarter can of Oribe dry texturizing spray every month. I have a bob haircut and want the texture to feel crunchy, almost dirty. One time, my best friend got into my car, and she was like, god, that smell, that spray, you just wear so much of it!
Clothes: I’m very into stripes, both in fashion and home. I recently stumbled upon the brand Monty, which makes striped bags in different shapes and sizes. And I like wearing stripes-on-stripes (like dressing in monochrome, but with pattern instead of color). This J.Crew rugby shirt would be so cool paired with a trouser in a skinner stripe.
Beauty: A few years ago, a friend gave me Santa Maria Novella’s rose water face mist, and now I need it within arm’s reach at all times. Spritzing it feels like walking through a rose cloud. I’ve also worn Dior Lip Glow in shade 001 — a classic pink — every day for like 10 years.
Restaurant: Antico Nuovo serves the best food in L.A. The interior is beautiful and moody, and the dishes are made with simple Italian ingredients. They have a focaccia with ricotta and pistachio pesto. I drool just thinking about it.
