3 Good Things With Angie Uh

The stylist on how to shop your own closet, packing for travel like a pro, and the button-down she swears by.

This is the Friday post at Downtime, a weekly roundup of good finds and delightful distractions.

Hi, happy Friday!

Today’s newsletter features stylist and writer Angie Uh, who kindly agreed to share her brain on the ever-tricky subject of personal style—a topic that’s been both exciting and all-consuming for me lately.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how my style is shifting in this particular season of life: post-baby, post-pandemic, mid-identity recalibration. Clothes fit differently. My taste is evolving. Comfort is queen. And yet—trends still tempt me. (Did I google “paracord necklace outfits” on a Tuesday afternoon? Maybe. Also, jelly flats: y/n?)

Getting dressed is an act of self-care, but I want to do it with more intention. And I’m so grateful for wise people like Angie, who are doing the heavy lifting and sharing their best ideas to help us all feel a little more like ourselves.

Today’s issue is jam-packed, so let’s get to it. If this email cuts off, you can click the title to view it in your browser.

Enjoy!
Alisha

What’s behind the paywall today: extra recs from me, the travel essentials Angie and I swear by, and even more of her creative styling tips you won’t want to miss.

I’m having a spring sale this week! 🌷 If you’ve been loving Downtime, now is a perfect time to upgrade to a paid subscription to unlock the full Friday recs post every week, bonus content, and other perks. Get 20% off your subscription below. By going paid, you’ll be directly supporting the writing, editing, sourcing, synthesizing, graphics-creating, interviewing, and oh so much more that happens behind the scenes. THANK YOU for your support!

Angie’s 3 Good Things

Personal stylist Angie Uh writes

The Found Journal

, a newsletter that feels like having a stylish friend in your corner—one who inspires you to shop your closet, get creative with your styling, and gently encourages you to reconsider buying your ninth grey crewneck. Also, her outfit-building graphics are *wildly* useful if your brain works better with visuals (hi, same). Below are Angie’s three things she recommends...

1. A perfect closet staple. The Deep End button-down shirt from AYR is the one item I always get asked about every time I wear or feature it. I’ve had mine for over five years—I wear it multiple times a week, pack it for every trip, and wash and dry it without a care, and it still looks and feels like new. It’s the perfect weight and less wrinkle-prone than other button-downs. I own it in Oxford Blue and White, and it’s one of those pieces I’ll forever recommend. [Note from Alisha: This is a favorite of mine, too! Remember to check secondhand sites; I saw a bunch available on Poshmark.]

   

2. Garment care tools. This is a bit of a boring rec, but I think taking care of our clothes is equally as important as the quality of clothes we buy. Whether an item is $100 or $1000, the longevity of an item comes from how it’s cared for. As we are coming out of winter, I’d recommend no-rinse sweater shampoo (this is also good) for your wool and cashmere sweaters. It’s way safer and more effective than dry cleaning and you only need to wash natural fiber sweaters 1-2x per season.
   
   Every sweater will naturally pill but if you let them build up, they will break down the integrity of the fiber over time so a depiller is a must to remove all the pills before storing your favorite sweaters away for the season.

   

3. Beautiful and useful ceramics. I get so much joy out of everyday cooking, and I love this small, female-founded brand I discovered while living in LA. Their handmade ceramics are beautiful, practical, and make amazing gifts. I’ve given their centerpiece dishes for housewarmings and birthdays. Like who wouldn’t want this in their kitchen?! I love their centerpiece dishes (I own and have gifted this and this)—they are just so thoughtfully made and can beautifully transform even the simplest of meals.

   

Keep scrolling below for my extended chat with Angie about her packing and travel tips, her advice on getting dressed with intention, and why your outfits might all feel the same…

What’s been open in my (Alisha’s) tabs this week…

• More Markle: Have you read the Meghan, Duchess of Sussex NYT profile? (*gift link) “I need to work, and I love to work.” Same. I am enjoyed reading this feature, which essentially offered Meghan an opportunity to respond to all of her internet trolls. I’m not surprised that her product line, As Ever, sold out on its first day. I was surprised at the pricing—she could have charged so much more than $14, IMO! I want that jam.

• Good bed sheets: I’m asked all the time about where our bed linens are from (flattered!!), and the answer is always Brooklinen. I especially love our organic cotton quilt, which looks very well-made and more expensive than it is. And the percale sheets keep us cool at night. Here’s a list of everything that’s on our bed.

• A recipe: I love the idea of a springy sheet pan gnocchi! (*paywalled, but here’s a similar one from NYT Cooking)

• Garden dreams: Pretty sure that owning this outdoor swing seat is my ultimate dream, but I think it’s only available in the UK.

• A thought-provoking read: On how professional organizers are actually therapists of capitalism. (via

  Rebecca | Your House Machine
  )

Today’s newsletter is sponsored in part by Brooklinen. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Downtime.

A Downtime Chat With Angie Uh

The stylist and writer of

The Found Journal

shares a bevy of thoughtful tips on how to shop smarter, pack for travel, and figure out why your outfits might always feel the same.

Hi, Angie. First off, what big or little thing are you doing to take better care of yourself this year?

I’m a big believer in creating intentional moments of pause to re-ground myself and help regulate my nervous system. There’s a lot of overwhelming news right now! We move so fast through life and so much of our daily interactions are purely online now that I find myself being on my phone mindlessly scrolling or working late just because I can. I like to say it’s taking in the moments to enjoy “the little sparkles in daily life”. I read that quote in a book way back when and it’s always resonated with me.

Sitting on the grass with a glass of wine or a coffee and just enjoying the fresh air and warm sun, putting on a record and reading a stack of magazines as my only planned Sunday activity, taking a ceramics class, calling a friend, going for a drive without a destination. And walks! Most things can be solved with a walk outdoors. Those are the little moments that make me appreciate life the most.

What’s your general philosophy on shopping with intention? And how do you put it into practice when you’re feeling particularly shoppy?

I think shopping with intention is really about taking a pause. It’s so easy to get caught in a social media scroll and “add to cart” without blinking an eye. Shopping and style are so tied to instant gratification now that we often adopt things without asking if we truly like them for ourselves—or if we just liked the way they looked on the person selling them to us. (Speaking from experience! I spent a lot of my early 20s being an impulsive consumer.)

Here are three tips that help me shop more intentionally, including an app more people need to know about…