Morning Brew - 🥂 Opening up

Hello, Sidekick readers. Camps, concerts, and crowded dance floors are making a comeback this summer. So, in the spirit of reopening, we’re launching a new Sidekick summer series, Opening Up. Keep reading for what to wear, as recommended by a style icon and OG Sidekick reader. 

— Rachel Cantor 

Graduating from college is like trying that new hole-in-the-wall sushi spot with zero Yelp reviews: exciting for the omega-3 obsessed, but also risky. In a recent episode of Fast Company’s Hit the Ground Running podcast, Rainesford Stauffer, journalist and author of An Ordinary Age: Finding Your Way in a World That Expects Exceptional, shared a few tips on navigating the working world as a post-pandemic grad. 

Here’s the truth: Your dream job doesn’t exist. Finding fulfillment comes from outside of work, Stauffer argues. "Whether it’s one hour a day, whether it’s every weekend, whatever you can, I think for young people to establish a sense of self outside of your job is really important.” 

As a new grad you’ll face loads of challenges, and Stauffer has some advice: 

• Create your own timeline. You don’t have to work for two years, then get your MBA. 
• You haven't failed if you haven't landed on a career path by age 25. Because we’re all still figuring it out (yep, even your parents).
• It’s okay if your job is just a job. Stauffer explains, “When we attach so much of who we are to the job title we had, it can get really messy when things don’t work out the way we thought that they would.” 

Bonus: Check out this post-grad advice from the Brew Crew, featuring yours truly.

• Morning Brew is donating $10,000 to World Central Kitchen to help fight food insecurity. Donate any amount and you’ll receive a copy of our exclusive digital cookbook, Brunch with the Brew. 
• Oops, I’m adding more books to your summer reading list (I know I said I would stop). Author Arianna Davis and cofounder of the LIT on H St. book club Lupita Aquino just launched The Lituation, a newsletter featuring books by BIPOC authors. 
• Intimidated by the novel-length menu at The Cheesecake Factory? A food critic shared her 10 standout dishes, including fried mac and cheese. My advice: First, cleanse your palate with dessert; then order din. 
• Now that Prime Day is over, it could be a good time to explore other shopping options. Consult this list of eco-friendly Amazon alternatives. 

Limit your screen time on Bumble, and take yourself out on a date tonight. While riding solo can be lonely, you don’t necessarily have to put a ring on it to reach peak happiness. A 2008 study found that the life satisfaction score of partnered vs. single people was not statistically significant. In this guide, David Robson, author of The Intelligence Trap: Why Smart People Make Dumb Mistakes, offers a few strategies for how to enjoy being single. 

First, defy singlism (aka stigmatizing being single). We’ve all been to dinner parties where your weird cousin Allen drills you about your dating life, and rolls his eyes when you say, “I’m actually not seeing anyone right now.” To combat it, go on solo adventures, such as confidently asking for a table for one, people watching at The Met, or munching on an extra large popcorn at the movies. 

Even more importantly, live in the moment. Robson says, “If you venture too far into these romantic dreams, you’ll miss out on all the potential pleasures that are right in front of you." 

If the shoe fits...

Wear it. And if the shoes are a pair of HOKA ONE ONE Clifton 8s, you don’t even need to keep reading this because your trotters are trotting in some unparalleled kicks. 

And if HOKAs aren’t between you and the ground right now, let us explain why that should change. 

HOKAs are a combination of soft and light. Their classic, lightweight design and energetic foam will power you through a marathon, a quick jog, a leisurely stroll, or the Macarena. 

Whatever it is you do (we hope it’s the Macarena), HOKA will be there empowering you every step of the way.

See what all the HOKA hoopla is about right here. 

I sat down with Rolanda Evelyn, product marketing and customer strategy manager at Rent the Runway, to chat about dressing up this summer, the one piece of clothing everyone should own, and her pandemic-inspired life mantra. 

What’s most exciting to you about dressing up again? 

Everything is a moment—brunch, going back to the office for the first time, or just hanging with friends on the weekend. We want to look good because we haven’t had the opportunity to do it in a year. I’m spending quite a bit of time picking out my clothes in the mornings. I love big, colorful statement earrings. Three collections to check out: Humans Before Handles, Oma The Label, and Sugarfix by BaubleBar.  

For people who feel overwhelmed at dressing up again, what’s your advice? 

Wear something that makes you feel confident. In other words, it has to fit you well. 

And as for what to wear in the summer heat? 

Reach for light-colored, breezy fabrics. Linens and cottons are my go-tos, but if I need something that can transition to night, a chambray top never hurt anyone. I also love a good spaghetti strap dress. 

What’s one piece of clothing everyone should own?

A classic white button-down shirt.

Any parting words? 

My new life mantra is “Time is finite,” which I think is something we’ve all learned in the last year and a half. We don’t have time to care about what other people think. We’re going to wear what we want to wear, and here we go. 

Bonus: Sidekick readers can use the code RTRFAM55E4DF7 to get 40% off Rent the Runway’s eight and 16-item memberships. 

• There’s no such thing as the perfect notebook, but Appointed’s A5 Journal is as close as you can get. It’s sleek and bound in a leather-like material that stands the test of time (trust me, mine has gotten quite the beating). 
• It took me a year and a half to get a desk cushion, but once you have one, the days of sitting in weird pretzel positions at your desk are long gone. This Cushion Lab Seat Cushion is an instant remedy for your bum. It sticks to your chair and doesn’t slide around. 
• The ultimate desk accessory: a water bottle—specifically, the Stanley Adventure Quencher. It holds 40 oz, fits in a car cup holder, keeps your water ice-cold, and includes a handle, which is a game changer. Get in on the waitlist because this tumbler is worth the hype.