Thoughts on Willa Bennett's Cosmo takeover, the flared jeans renaissance, and a sale at La Garçonne.
Welcome to The HALO Report — HALOSCOPE’s new weekly digest, an of-the-moment mix of news items, opinion pieces, and sale announcements designed to keep you posted on the nitty-gritty of the fashion world and all of its tangents without having to keep a constant eye on your feed.
This week, we learn the difference between bootcut and flared jeans, Willa Bennett takes over Cosmo, Liz Claiborne gets her flowers, Louis Vuitton does something sartorially jaw-dropping, a Dirty Dancing summer is foreshadowed, tons of gorp-y brands have compelling sales, and more.
The latest long-ish reads from the brightest minds in fashion.
Happily, Hannah Jackson’s Vogue piece “What Is the Difference Between Bootcut and Flare Jeans?” rights a wrong that plagued the frenzy over last week’s Super Bowl fashion statement: according to Celine, the brand behind the much-feted denim, Kendrick was wearing flares, not bootcut jeans. Thank goodness for hard-hitting journalism.
The incredible 8,000-plus word essay “Sugar and Death: The Phenomenon of Baccarat Rouge 540” by Miccaeli for their newsletter Fumes led me into an hours-long wormhole in which I read the entirety of their published canon — I recently began a job at a perfume shop that sells niche fragrances more old-school than the ones I typically write about, and Miccaeli has given me a unique entry point from which to learn about and better appreciate even the most nausea-inducing scents (I am not a Baccarat fan). Brilliant writing that will even compel those not at all acquainted with the world of fragrance.
You can tell that an inspired new talent has taken charge at Cosmopolitan — Willa Bennett, the historically smutty magazine’s new Editor-in-Chief, has brought a fresh, clear-eyed perspective to the table in her first issue at the helm (featuring a lovely profile of Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin), and articles like “Prediction: You’ll Be Accessorizing Your Headphones in 2025” by Hannah Oh are only the tip of the iceberg of creativity comprising the physical mag’s pages. Looking past the Hermès charms and Airpod Max-exclusive accessories, the DIY implications are exciting for those tired of bagmaxxing and looking to cutely clutter an even more prominent accessory.
Guest curator of the newsletter Thanks It’s From, Katie Casper, provides online second-hand tips and tricks (go for Givenchy, find a $2k handbag for $200 via Ferragamo) for under-the-radar scores in “Thanks It’s From eBay: 123.”
Most of us already know that “Liz Claiborne is a very good thing,” but especially if you’re not familiar with the thrift store staple label, this piece from Best Friends details exactly why we are all inevitably drawn to the festive, unfussy casuals and provides a bounty of links to pieces that have not yet been plucked from resale sites to start you on your Claiborne journey.
What to keep in mind — and look forward to — in the past and coming weeks.
The always-forward-thinking Teen Vogue’s new “Pledge to address fashion waste” sets an example that the rest of the fashion writing world would look pathetic not to follow: the publication’s editors and writers have promised to include vintage pieces in every photo shoot, avoid greenwashing rhetoric, include second-hand pieces in all of its shopping guides, and more action items that serve to affirm the publication’s place at the vanguard of all that is ethical in the realm of style. Bravo!
Vogue’s Christian Allaire buries the lede in “Inside the Stylish Weekend Celebrating Saturday Night Live’s 50th Anniversary” — scroll down until you see the dress that Emma Stone wore to the event because every other red carpet look pales in comparison to what the actress pulled off. The shocking twist: the concession stand of a dress is Louis Vuitton. Who would have thought the recently-waning house could pull off such a campy coup?
“Tory Burch Takes First Place in Social Engagement During New York Fashion Week,” writes Lisa Lockwood for Yahoo, and it’s no wonder — with Amanda Seyfried brushing elbows with Martha Stewart in the front row, this season cemented the label’s status as a titan of today’s fashion world. TikTok gobbled up Burch’s FW25 showing of brushed wool sweatpants, padded nylon jackets, speckled sets, and more pieces that felt equally sporty and sultry as they swished down the runway.
The two most exciting drops of the season might also be the two most under-the-radar: Tigra Tigra’s latest offering of raw silk dresses and heartbreakingly beautiful beaded blouse and skirt sets competes with Fey Fey Worldwide’s new season of bemusing, architectural windbreakers and peplum skirts printed with the items one would find on a packing list for custody of my fashion-loving heart.
In boring news, “Pete Davidson’s Tattoo-free Campaign Earns Reformation $1.2 Million in Media Exposure,” as per Renan Botelho for WWD. Such blatant pandering to a conservative aesthetic at this moment in history feels in bad taste, and the clothes advertised don’t give anything but the last gasps of a millennial version of normcore that hasn’t been relevant since nearly a decade ago.
Less about impulse buys — and more about tracking discounts on the pieces already on your wishlist.
Less about impulse buys, more about tracking discounts on the pieces already on your wishlist.
La Garconne’s sale section is awash with wintry wares like shawl-collared FFORME overcoats and Totême sweaters with built-in scarves — take an extra 20% off the already-discounted pieces with FEB20LG.
Use WELCOME10 for a 10% discount on Gil Rodriguez’ freshly-restocked selection of greatest hits, including ballerina-like wrap tops, multicolored baby tees, and an oversized vest-style tank I might have to snag for myself. There’s an 80s Dirty Dancing vibe to the pieces that, mark my words, will largely define this summer’s casual wear.
Plenty of off-beat, cult-y winter sportswear is available for 30% off at Minor Planet NY — the cryptic beanies for under $40 are the most compelling deal of the lot.
Madewell takes an extra 30% off its sale pieces with SALEONSALE. It’s as good a time as ever to pick up a trench coat for under $250, but I’d recommend trying it on in-store if you can, as I’ve found the brand’s sizing to be unreliable in the past.
We’re ending with a trilogy of gorp-y sales: Cotopaxi offers up to half off a ton of its reliably sturdy travel bags and puffer jackets, REI has plenty of discounted Patagonia, The North Face, and Merrell (Jungle Mocs forever!) to scavenge through, and a good selection of Hoka running shoes are on the chopping block, price-wise, as well. 🌀
Em Seely-Katz is the creator of the fashion blog Esque, the News Editor of HALOSCOPE, and a writer, stylist, and anime-watcher about town. You can usually find them writing copy for niche perfume houses or making awful collages at @that.esque on Instagram.