Your Spring Uniform, Decoded (dressing like you’re in a certain 90s LOVE STORY)
plus, March manifestations and how I landed a partnership with Mastercard...priceless.
What a day. I feel like I lived nine lives as I’m sitting down on this gorgeous first day of March to check in with you. This is the month that we’re going to get all rested, caught up, and human, right?? RIGHT.
This afternoon, I closed my bags ahead of tomorrow’s departure to Tokyo in record time. Typically, I’m known to be up late packing prior to leaving for a trip, but not this time—all thanks to styling guidance from my dear friend Caylee Ashwell, the writer behind the column extra dressed (to which you should 10000% be subscribed if you’re not already). Caylee’s an absolute fashion genius, and it was beyond helpful in merging my packing method with her keen eye for mixing in unexpected pieces and accessories.
The packing method that changed my life (written while packing a carry-on for 12 days in Australia)
But before we get into the fashion fix of today’s letter, first things first! There are a fair number of new subscribers here. Welcome, friends!!!!!
I’m Kayla—and I’m so pleased you found your way here. As an expansion of what I do over on Instagram, here on The Sunday Series, I’m curating my vetted recommendations, interviews with people I admire, and a smattering of pop culture musings. Plus, paid subscribers are privy to lots of extra bits, incuding travel guides and more personal shares. For instance, in this Sunday’s letter, I’m delving into what I’m manifesting in March, plus a bit more on partnership I have been working on with Mastercard for many, many months that went live today.
Your CBK-inspired spring uniform edit
The Vault (Paid Subscriber Exclusive): what I’m manifesting in March
The Vault (Paid Subscriber Exclusive): more about how I landed a partnership with Mastercard
And as ever, this issue is too long for email (brevity has never been my strongest suit), so it’s best you read on Substack, where I’d be forever grateful if you engaged with this by ‘hearting’ it or sharing with a friend! xxKD
If your brain looks anything like mine at the moment, it’s all things CBK and John. The cultural phenomenon that is Love Story has taken over.
I had read Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy by Elizabeth Beller (the book on which the series is based) last year before the show was announced with mixed feelings. While I enjoyed learning more about Carolyn’s background and her life before John, there were many, many creative liberties taken. And ultimately, it’s a sad story. Not just their young and all-too-tragic deaths, but when they were alive, the scrutiny under which Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. were placed was inhumane.
And yet, it was this very real public obsession that inadvertently documented one of the most enduring style icons of the 1990s. Posthumously, CBK has become something of a Pinterest archetype. Her street style—understated, disciplined, impossibly composed—has been turned into countless mood boards and minimalist manifestos.
But what makes it resonate right now isn’t just nostalgia. It’s restraint, expressed through so many of her go-to looks: The silk slip under a severe wool coat. The sharp shoulder of a blazer worn with nothing but a tank. The almost stubborn refusal to accessorize, with the exception of her classic sunnies. Carolyn’s power wasn’t in novelty—it was in simplicity.
As Emese Gormley shared in her latest Covet List, “…timeless elegance always wins, I don’t know what is. You could pluck every single look from CBK’s wardrobe and drop it in 2026 and it would not only work, but look just as amazing. While her style was distinct, it was also the fact that she knew the value of investing in pieces rather than trends. That is something I have only learned in my 40s, she was light years ahead in her early 30s.”
And we can’t talk about the CBK canon without mentioning how deeply influenced her wardrobe was by Japanese design. She gravitated toward designers like Yohji Yamamoto, whose work centers on drape, shadow, and architecture over embellishment. Notably, his designs were meant to make women feel like they had armour on…it’s no wonder Carolyn wore so many of his designs to galas on John’s arm. Her clothes were keeping her safe—sending a message about who she was (elegant). And perhaps, who she wasn’t (showy).
Which makes it feel almost poetic that I’m thinking about all of this while packing for Japan. Because Japanese street style—at its most compelling—isn’t performative. It’s constructed. There’s a discipline to it. A respect for silhouette. A fluency in layering without bulk. The kind of dressing that looks effortless only because it’s been edited with restraint in mind.
And when you start thinking about clothing that way, you buy differently.
You stop chasing trend pieces priced for a single season. You stop adding for the sake of adding. Instead, you invest in garments that hold their shape—literally and metaphorically. A blazer that doesn’t collapse when thrown in a suitcase and taken halfway aroudn the world. A pair of trousers that falls correctly over a flat. A coat that skims instead of swallows.
There’s a particular beauty in buying less and buying better. Personally, I’m aiming to build a wardrobe that feels cohesive rather than reactive. So instead of a spring haul, I’m continuing to build out my capsule wardrobe by adding in just a handful of pieces. Not in the beige/basics sense, but in a way that honors CBK-style restraint. So, here are some pieces on my radar if you’re craving a similar, thoughtful approach.
💸 Aaaaaand as a disclaimer, today’s post—as my shopping sections always do!—includes affiliate links. These little babes help me continually reinvest in making The Sunday Series better. I make a small commission when readers click and shop through my links at no additional cost to you—so if you found something through a link I sourced, please do consider purchasing through that link so I’m credited! Speaking of, I’ve been using the ShopMy platform for over a year now, and I love it. Want to start making commission on the links YOU share? Sign up with my referral link for a 10% bonus on your fist six months of linking.
An impeccable navy blazer. This one from Veronica Beard has caught my eye. Alternatively, this fitted silhouette with a waist slip from Aligne is très chic. And, I don’t know if I’m cool enough to pull it off, but this oversized pinstripe blazer from The Frankie Shop is edgy in all the right ways.
Tailored suiting. Specifically, I’m salivating over a set from Destree with this cropped jacket and these satin flared pants. Me wantttttttt.
More tailored trousers. To match my favorite ever button-down (With Nothing Underneath’s Tencel Satin), I simply NEED these Rampling Trousers, also in 100% Tencil Lyocell Satin. Then, while splurgy, I’m completely gagged over these pleated Anther Tomorrow trousers in camel.
A crisp white button-down. As previously mentioned, I adore the British brand With Nothing Underneath. Having amassed a solid collection of their button-downs (while styling me today, Caylee remarked on this because they are the most repeated brand in my closet), you can’t go wrong, but this one is great if you want something crisp. For something more approachable in price, the JW Anderson line for Uniqlo has some more relaxed-fitting, cropped shirts.
Ribbed tanks for layering. If I’m being honest, the chicest ribbed tank I own came from a trip to Schostal in Rome, where, in hindsight, I should have stocked up. I found them online, but don’t hate me when you see the price…promise I paid a fraction in Italy. Very different, but I think I’m going to give these Buck Mason ones a try.
Plain white tees. Was just having a chat about white tees with my friend Xan who has the most incredible closet. I’m severely lacking in this category but she’s a pro and stocks up on Victoria Beckham’s version. For something more approachable, Cos’ Clean Cut Tees are beloved. Otherwise, a more loose fit, there’s the two-pack of Rag & Bone Slub Tees.
Tailoring denim. Admittedly, I really, really struggle with denim. My proportions are not very jeans-friendly, which truthfully turns me off from shopping for them altogether. Moving forward, I’m committing to getting past the fact that almost no jeans are going to fit me off the shelf! In fact, next week in Tokyo, I have a custom jeans appointment where they are meant to measure me and create a pair completely from scratch. I’m hyped.
A smart flat that can survive 20,000+ step days. Let’s be honest, I covet a closet of Chanel flats, but that’s not on the cards at the moment. In the meantime, I’ve just stocked up on two pairs of velvet ones in Milan from a local shop; this dupe is close and well-priced. Alternatively, I’d love to add more Fabelus flats to my closet. I got a pair in Paris a year and a half ago that I’ve worn a ton and are still in great shape!
Structured bags with architectural lines. I’ve been going a bit hard on the bags lately, so this is going to need to wait…but when the time is right, I’d love to add The Hudson from DeMellier in black lizard to my mix for work. For evening lewks, I still can’t get past swooning over a Savette Pochette bag which feels distinctly CBK-approved for its lack of branding.
Personally, it’s BIG manifestation energy for me having the past two months start on a Sunday. March feels especially momentus for a few reasons…one of which has to do which something a pyschic told me back in January about what would be happening for me this spring.
