Style Spotlight: Looks, Trends & Fashion Inspiration

1. MUSIC

Olivia Dean has been everywhere this summer! I feel like I hear “Man I Need” on every other IG reel, so I was shocked to see the headline that she almost didn’t release it! She’d finished the song and loved it, but then talked herself out of it convinced it was too pop, too bubbly, too much. She had to actively push back against what she calls her “pop shame” and decide to just go. And good thing she did, because it’s now at a billion streams and counting! The rest of the profile on her is delightful, she seems so funny and down to earth. Between her and Raye, the British girls are taking over music this year!

2. FASHION

Big news in the fashion world this week — the 2027 Met Gala will no longer honor John Galliano! He announced he was pulling out of the planned exhibition following significant backlash over his 2011 antisemitic and anti-Asian tirades (one of which was caught on video and let to his firing from Dior and a hate crime conviction in France). The situation escalated when major museum donors threatened to pull their gifts and NYC city leaders started speaking out. A new theme for the 2027 Gala will be announced at a later date; some are arguing Dolly Parton should be honored, others are saying it should be canceled altogether!

3. TRAVEL

If you’re itching to travel somewhere this fall, this roundup from Vogue has some really good ideas! A few destinations that caught my eye: Malta, which stays warm enough to swim through October and is still relatively off the beaten path, and Saint-Émilion in southwest France during harvest season. Kyoto also made the list and I can confirm it’s a magical fall destination, the foliage is extraordinary! Upstate New York also gets a mention for those of us who want a closer-to-home escape. I already have a trip to the Hamptons with my family planned for September, but I’m filing this away as I start thinking about where else to go before the year is over!

4. FRIENDSHIP

When did calling a friend out of the blue become socially taboo? This is a fun piece on bringing back the spontaneous phone call, and replacing that endless loop of “hey girl it’s been forever” texts! The author’s argument: a quick unplanned call while your friend is folding laundry or watching Netflix does way more for friendship than months of texting back and forth. And I think she might be right! Between moving to a new city and watching friendships that used to feel so easy require much more coordination, the idea of just picking up the phone while I’m on a walk with Reeses feels radical and obvious at the same time! Who’s with me?!

5. NYC

The US Open starts this week in New York and this piece is making me sad to be missing it again this year! The past two years I’ve been in California during the tournament, but since I’ve already booked my trip for earlier next summer I’m plotting to finally make it work in 2027! The US Open has grown exponentially in popularity over the past few years, and this year’s event is looking like a food festival that just happens to have tennis! Salt Hank’s is there (with reportedly shorter lines than the West Village location, which might be worth the price of admission), caviar chicken nuggets are back, and there’s a new cocktail served in what looks like a tennis ball canister from Moët. Of course, the Honey Deuce remains an iconic order — over 700,000 were sold last year! Next year is my year!

6. MOVIES

Have you heard about the Warner Bros. situation with the movie Coyote vs. Acme? A few years ago the studio quietly shelved the fully finished (reportedly excellent) Looney Tunes movie and took a $30 million tax write-off instead, sparking massive public outrage! An indie distributor eventually rescued it, and now it’s finally hitting theaters! The meta quality of the whole thing is almost too perfect because the movie is about the little guy taking on a giant corporation… made by a crew who then had to take on their own giant corporation to get their art seen. Will Forte talks about attending a “funeral screening” with the cast and crew and the months of processing his grief and anger. I kind of love the story behind this one (even if a Looney Tunes comedy isn’t exactly up my alley)!

+ WHAT I’M EYEING

NOUR HAMMOUR SALE: TRENCH // LEATHER JACKET // FUR TRENCH // LEATHER BLAZER // FUNNEL NECK // SHEARLING CARDIGAN // TAN SUEDE COAT // RED BARN JACKET // WOOL OVERCOAT // CONTOURED WAIST BLAZER // LEATHER TRENCH // CROPPED BOMBER

KHAITE FALL 2026: ORGANZA DRESS // JEANS // TOP // BELT // CALFSKIN CLUTCH // BOLO TIE // GLOVES // FEATHER BAG // COLLAR NECKLACE // LEATHER CLUTCH // BLACK BOOTS // OLIVE BOOTS // BLACK DRESS // SLIP DRESS

+ END OF WEEK EXTRAS

• An under $100 necklace you can style a million ways come fall!
• These boots look designer for wayyy less, as do these.
• No one is doing tennis fashion like Naomi Osaka!
• The cutest, simple little shoulder bag.
• A great pair of shoes for the office!
• The best Indian restaurants in NYC.
• This fringe cashmere scarf is a need, not a want!
• Let the coat crushes begin…this one and this one are SO good, especially if you love animal print.
• OMG this green goddess chicken salad looks heavenly.
• I’ve gotten some questions about fall wedding guest dresses — this color is stunning, this silhouette is gorgeous, and what about this one for under $100 (!)
• A good transitional dress.
• The most anticipated films at the Venice Film Festival.
• This olive green tote under $200 is gorgeous.
• A handy September reset checklist!
• How chic is this snakeskin belt?

The post WEEKEND READING: 9.4.26 appeared first on Merritt Beck.

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