The HALO Report 4.23.25: Unimpeachable Classics
- Em Seely-Katz
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Thoughts on Pope Francis' eternal style, recession spending, and a sale at Sleeper.
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, Pope Francis leaves behind a legacy of divine drip, a “net-zero buy” might be the savior of recession style, the GOAT Jonathan Anderson has his work cut out for him at Dior, a (more affordable!) collab is reheating Wales Bonner’s nachos, lots of lingerie is up for grabs at a discount (including some inspired by Greek mythology), and more.
The latest long-ish reads from the brightest minds in fashion.
I am a sucker for theological drip, so I was glad to see Raquel Lanari’s Wearable Art covering “RIP Pope Francis, the public servant who drove Vatican tailors crazy with his 'papal athleisure.'" This short but potent piece on the evolution of papal style is a great way to fall down a rabbit hole.
In The Molehill, Viv Chen reminds us that “the best time to shop for an occasion dress is when you don't need one,” a timely notion given the advent of wedding season. For my friends’ nuptials last week, I lucked into a 45% off Greta Garmel dress, but Chen’s proactive philosophy is an inspiration for the future.
Though unfortunately behind a paywall, Passage Keeper’s “The Essential Guide To Laundering Vintage” by Kari Koty is a resource worth copying and pasting for future reference. Preventative care saves money and grief over pilly sweaters and warped lace.
In “Recession Spending and Pilates Pessimism,” You’ve Got Lipstick on Your Chin’s Arabelle Sicardi introduces the idea of a “net-zero buy,” an alternative to “no-buys” that I find much more sensible and appealing: only purchase nonessential items with the money you make from selling others. This seems like a sustainable practice for recession spending that doesn’t totally suck the joy out of maintaining one’s closet.
“HOW TO WEAR: Blazers” by Kelly Williams for Midimalist is another one of those articles, like last week’s guide to pairing bottoms with socks, that transcends “personal style” and feels genuinely helpful instead of irrelevantly subjective.
What to keep in mind — and look forward to — in the past and coming weeks.
Jonathan Anderson is officially in at Dior, and the jury’s out on how his quirked-up stylings will manifest within the perimeters of a fairly staid, stale brand. The general consensus is happily hopeful!
The latest offerings from SC103 continue to trickle out, landing in boutiques like Maimoun and Stand Up Comedy with tissue-thin but regally ruffled blouses and frocks, athletic pants with weird details like knee pockets, more colorways of the label’s beloved Links tote, and more.
The famed Martine Rose x Clarks collab is back in stock, with plenty of pairs of its edgy faux-croc creepers and heels up for grabs in colors like caramel and oxblood.
If the Challengers trio had been more into weed, they’d have eaten up the latest from adidas Originals x Brain Dead: tracksuits with sophisticated colorways that recall the best of Wales Bonner pair well with the striped sneakers on offer.
Dropping today, the Éliou summer collection promises to be as sun-drenched and cheeky as the warm-weather label’s offerings have been in years past, with plenty of shell-based jewelry for relatively reasonable prices (think under $200) given some of the statement pieces that Substack froths at the mouth for though they run upwards of $1k.
Less about impulse buys — and more about tracking discounts on the pieces already on your wishlist.
Nik Bentel’s skeumorphic accessories—picnic blankets resembling stretched-out tees, wallets that look like computer icons, credit cards fashioned into knives—are up to 40% off right now. Plenty is on offer for under $100, making this a repository of unforgettable gifts.
Use ARCHIVE15 for an extra 15% off the Emi Mess archive sale, running until Friday and offering huge discounts on luxurious trench coats, blazers, t-shirts, and other unimpeachable classics.
Get up to 80% off a selection of Thistle and Spire’s lingerie, including unique designs inspired by Greek mythology, astrology, and high fantasy.
Speaking of lingerie, FOAP20 gets you an extra 20% off some of the classic purveyor Agent Provocateur’s sultriest spring styles.
If you’re looking for something just as sexy but more full-coverage, check out the Sleeper seasonal sale for PJs and loungewear adorned with embroidery, feathers, and other dramatic details. 🌀
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.