going shopping for nora ephron

scouring TRR for swoony gifts for fashion and literary moms

(A note from NRB: When

The RealReal

reached out to work together on a story, I lost all semblance of cool. Most of my closet is vintage or consignment, and a TRR scroll is my favorite way to spend a bout of insomnia. Btw, if you’re still watching old episodes of Gossip Girl like I am, you’ll love their alter ego on Substack,

The RealGirl

. Thank you immensely for reading and liking and all the things! xx)

My mother is a Buddhist adjacent yogi who is too evolved to care about material things. Mother’s Day shopping for her typically means hours browsing, deliberating, and ultimately deciding that she’d prefer a thoughtful experience (this year we are going to the Berkeley Book Festival) over a silk Hermes scarf. It’s an excruciating decision that requires constant wavering, because perhaps she actually just wants the silk scarf and some time to herself, and I’m the narcissist who thinks an afternoon spent with me is more gratifying.

Luckily, for my husband, I’m much easier to please. I love getting gifts. Especially if it’s a rare, vintage piece that not everyone else has. Items that come with their own past. A pale pink silk Chanel. A classic pump he noticed me drooling over at Bergdorf’s, and somehow found again on TRR for less (usually with the help of a few friends).

Before I had my daughter, I languished over the idea that motherhood meant a loss of self. This was mostly because I was terrified that I wouldn’t be any good at it, and I was desperate to preserve the other parts of me, an insurance policy against complete failure.

I searched for blueprints of a full life, of women who loved their children deeply but also had wit, intelligence and ambition. A mother who could teach her offspring, simply through her graceful existence, that she was both a provider of warmth and security, and a possessor of wild desires of her own. Alongside my own mother, whose elegance and calm is innate (hence the Buddhist adjacencies), a litany of women emerged. All brilliant, unapologetic, purveyors of exacting taste.

So, below, a few glorious gifts for my maternal icons.

SOFIA COPPOLA

Your mother is a master of nuance, of atmospheric presence. You may have gone to Institut auf dem Rosenberg yet you still possess an inner warmth. A soft power at its finest.

From top left: Jacket, A Very Chic Work/ Event Dress, Silk Tie Tunic, Satin Mule (alt here), Evening Bag,,Silk & Crystal Embellished Pants (casual alt here), Silver Ballet Flat, Silver Spinelli Ring, Pearl Spinelli Ring (alt here), Barrie Cashmere Ruffle Shirt (also a gorg grey sweater jacket alt here), Slingback, Silver Bracelet, Silver Gladiator Sandal, McQueen Tweed & Leather Jacket, Phoebe Era Celine Dress, Chanel Pearl Handle Purse, Mesh Earrings, Loafers

NORA EPHRON

Your mother is a quintessential Greenwich Village intellectual, with a home library that rivals

Godmothers

. She looks fantastic in black rimmed glasses.

From top left: Jacket, Miu Miu Glasses, Essential Reading, Dutchess Tassel Pendant and Beaded Necklace, Mustard Dress (a very NE dress alt here), Cartier Baignoire, Vintage YSL Leather Blazer (a good YSL alt here),Suede Belt, Leather Boot, Ballet Flats, Green Leather Bucket Bag (also into this slouchy suede bag), Gabriela Hearst Burgundy Sweater, Evening Jacket, Denim Jacket, Trench, Loewe Bag (Alt here), Leather Slide (alt here), Satin Evening Bag, Tweed Slingback (a good classic alt here), Doctor Bag

VICTORIA BECKHAM

Oh, to be this unapologetically chic. Life might have been tough for you as a teenager, but you’re now arresting and elegant… You have perfect posture and you love a bitchy heel.

From top left: Patent Pumps, Vintage Dior Earrings, Dress (in brown here and grey here ), Striped Dress, Vintage Fendi Resin Earrings, The Row Satin Heel, Velvet Pumps (some alts here and here), Red Sandals, Mesh Necklace, Hermes Kelly 25, Suede Clutch, Silver Crystal Skirt, D’Orsey Pump, Grey Dress, The Row Leather Blazer (another size here), Scarf, Diamond Earrings , Nour Hammour Lambskin Trench, Drop Hoop Earrings

NANCY MEYERS

Your mother is the equivalent of a baby alpaca throw, a burrow of empathy and lavender rhubarb pie. Everything in her kitchen is from Heath Ceramics.

From top left: Silk Dress (alt here) Loewe Wool Sweater (a nice Toteme alt here), The Row Ballet Flats, Swirl Earrings, Dorsey Asscher Cut Earrings, Pearl Earrings (alt here), T-Strap Pump, Raw Edge Scarf, Lemaire Turtleneck (alt here), Cashmere Sweater (another great polo version here), Watch, Toteme Sock Boot, Earrings, Flip Flop, Ballet Flat (alt here), Mock Neck Dress (this is cute too), Mohair Blazer, Pearl and Onyx Necklace, Chanel Tweed Bag

BONUS ROUND!

Because TRR a treasure trove of vintage and consignment and there’s just too many good things… (hint: their Editor’s Picks curation is impeccable and saves a lot of scrolling time)

1. A very chic denim bomber. One in satin. A printed Dries blazer for kicks, and ohhh Loewe leather.

2. A cream silk dress and lace culottes for vacation days. A striped mini that is begging to be taken to Antibes. Green crochet! A flowy black Gabriela Hearst. These are a fun add on to a vacation outfit, and here for a pop of red.

3. She’s your mom. Get her a Margaux, already.

4. Marni mohair, and with tags. And a Khaite sheer midi number for the missing LBD in your closet, or this alt.

5. This bag has been my most-used purchase of the year, and of course, now it’s on TRR for less. You’re welcome. I have the medium (I think code REAL should get you another $800 off) but I’m a big fan of the large And okay, the small is cute too.