Tessa Bailey Is Proud to Make Your Favorite Filth

Tessa Bailey is about to meet some of her most devoted New York City readers and has opted for a rib-cage-clutching dress for the occasion. A U-shaped neckline hugs the focal point of her ensemble, dotted with blue-and-white butterflies and olive trees that resemble chinoiserie. The styling choice isn’t intended to suggest anything coy or mysterious. “I thought this dress was a really good representation of my books because it looks like it could be for Sunday school,” she says, a mischievous look in her eye. “But it’s very tits out.” With Bailey, one of the most prolific writers in the romance genre, what you see is what you get: a no-nonsense California native uninterested in half-hearted flattery. We quickly settle into the well-paced tango of old friends, catching up in Park Slope on a cloudy day in June.

First: Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan are coming home! On a far less serious note, we’ve got two words for you: cotton-candy lobster. Meanwhile, Gouda is sinking, and it will have implications for cheese lovers. Is it 6 p.m. yet? Bill and Ted are … doing Beckett. Fred Segal closed its remaining stores, ending an L.A. fashion era. Also on the style front, here’s some niche high-fashion drama (one of our favorite kinds). It truly is the summer of Twisters. And Soccer Mommy’s back with new music.

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