Duck Fat vol. 33

Spring fakeout hits hard, but denim jackets hit harder!!

I got bit in the ass by last Saturday’s spring fakeout, so no surprise that jackets are in heavy rotation for this week’s recs.¹ Alright, lotta recs to get through so let’s keep it moving!

5 second hand recs:

A. Denim fireman’s jacket, L, $120; B. Donna Karan silk swing jacket, M, $80; C. Linen two-piece set, S, $74.50; D. Nicholas K asymmetrical dress, XS, $48; E. Garden appliqué denim jacket, L, $29.71; F. Denim bomber jacket, 2XL, $39.99; G. Green barn jacket, 3X, $69.99; H. Blue linen duster, S, $52.24.

1. Dockers Denim Fireman’s Jacket, L, $120: I am still thinking about the Fay fireman jacket from the last Alfargo’s I walked away from (like a madman!!), so this jacket is scratching that itch for me. Similar options: same style from Sonoma (L, $29.99) or a classic fireman’s jacket in green from Chaps (L, $74.99). Or if you’re like please, no more lobster claws, I just want a fun denim jacket bro: cute chambray snap jacket in a great blue & white (L, $22); chambray with velvet waist detail (XL, $40); love the double-breasted buttons on this one (XL, $49); DEEPLY cute denim jacket with gardening appliqués (L, $34.95) and a similar style with contrasting gingham cuffs (L, $28); fun hooded option (S, $15); and the clincher - a pitch-perfect denim & khaki bomber to cosplay as George Costanza (2XL, $39.99).²

2. Green barn jacket, 3XL, $69.99 (similar in S, $63.64) : So sorry, I know everyone is done with the chore/barn/field jacket debate and here I am dragging it back out in 2025, but this is a perfect barn jacket. Also here in tan (3XL, $68) and similar here (2X, $29.99). Back to denim with this perfect toggle option (L, $42.99); fun riveted chore jacket (M, $50.99); flannel-lined version (M, $64.46)³; or lighter chambray style (2X, $29.45). Ok, and then the platonic ideal denim chore coat (L, $39.99).⁴

3. Donna Karan silk swing jacket, M, $80: This is the showpiece of the week i.e. the one I want to hoard for myself. Was passively dreaming about some stupidly $$$ Hermes jacket on TRR when this popped up and it’s just so much BETTER.⁵ Or maybe you’re more practical than me and prefer this one in black (10, $25) or cream (’buttoned up to the top’ version L for $98 or Eileen Fisher open-style 1X for $49.77). Or if you were freezing like me yesterday, Donna’s got you covered with this gorgeous & dramatic wool cocoon coat (M, $88.75).

4. Nicholas K asymmetrical tent dress, XS, $48: Have a black dress from Cos in a v. similar cut that I will never donate because every summer there’s at least one absolutely brutal week where I do not want a single piece of clothing touching my body at ALL but have to look Presentable & Cool™ for some bullshit, and that airy AF dress nails it every time. This one’s 100% viscose which I know is controversial for the natural-fiber girlies, but I love it for hot & humid weather tbh.⁶

5. 100% linen 2-piece set, S, $74.50: Perfect butter yellow 2-piece set in 100% linen, spring is SPRUNG! I bookmarked a bunch of great pieces from Flax recently⁷ - they really hit the sweet spot of wearable linen pieces with details to keep things fun.⁸ Love the patch details on this maxi skirt; perfect paneling on this 2-piece set; unique button placket on this shirt; classic white button-down blouse; this one is the shirt-dress version of my editing pants;⁹ and finishing out with a gorgeous Yves Klein blue duster to bring us full circle on coats!

3 unshoppables:

6. 100% cried watching this New Yorker mini-doc about Catherine Kahn, the 90YO powerlifter. Love is real!!! On a related note, if you wanted to specifically craft an event in a test tube to appeal to me, this would get you pretty close.¹⁰

7. Loved this article from the Guardian about Re-commerce Atacama, a campaign from Desierto Vestido to raise awareness about the fast fashion being dumped in the Atacama Desert (which is visible from space?!). The dumped clothing is collected, cleaned, and prepped for ‘sale’ for the cost of shipping & handling.

8. So many fun events in NYC this weekend! Always going to link to Alfargo’s (happening this Fri & Sat) - absolute no-brainer, plus they’re funny. But there’s also the NYC Jewelry & Object Show happening all weekend, which is guaranteed to be full of insanely beautiful pieces to covet. And ofc the event I blocked out on the calendar as soon as I finished The Booksellers: the 65th annual NY Antiquarian Book Fair starts tonight and runs through Sunday! Truly too much good shit, how to choose??

1 substack rec:

9. 100% bobble-heading along to Kara’s essay on the neocon-hippie ideology horseshoe, and the shared lack of concern for who has to do the dishes (as long as it’s not them)!

1 outfit I loved this week:

Pls forgive the slippers, this was a rush job.

10. Went to the Altuzarra studio sale I posted in the chat fully expecting to leave empty-handed¹¹ and instead I….was wildly irresponsible and got multiple genuinely gorgeous items. Didn’t wear anything out in the world yet ofc, but this skirt is so sickening (photo does NOT do it justice) that I had to try it on as soon as I got home.¹² TBH no rAgrets!

1. You can absolutely tell what items I bookmarked when it was sunny & gorgeous, and what items I bookmarked after shivering my ass off walking around Saturday evening lol.

2. Well aware that there are many references for bomber jackets and lots of people wear them (iconically!!) but this is the only thing I see. Very welcome to my twisted mind dot jpeg of me.

3. Noticed this sold already in editing (which is a shame bcs I liked that cute rounded collar), but if you like this style try this instead.

4. WHEW, we’re done. So sorry to drag us all back to fall '24, but my selection process for this newsletter is 100% vibes-based & this was where my heart/open tabs led me this week ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ And for clarity/to sow division among readers: grew up in New England so am team Barn Jacket for life, but the only jacket I own that could fall into any of these categories is a great little blue “chore coat-inspired” jacket from Indi+Ash that they call a “study blazer” so who knows wtf that means.

5. Thank you, algorithm. Hate when technology knows me.

6. Wearing thrifted Eileen Fisher viscose pants as I edit actually lolol. Wore them to death last summer and plan to do the same this summer!

7. And then right after, someone in the Unflattering chat posted a cute outfit pic wearing something from them - resale FATE imo.

8. Plus the tags are a delight to read. If I was a tattoo artist in 1994 with a yoga-heavy clientele, this is where I would get my inspo: I relax, I let go, my life is in perfect flow.

9. Guess we’ll find out who reads the footnotes with that one lolol.

10. Been reading Casey since her Hairpin days & I used Liftoff to transition from running to weightlifting during covid (100% recommend if you’re at all interested!!) and never looked back. Tangentially related but did you know a Serbian DJ bought The Hairpin domain and is using it to farm out AI spam??

11. As happened with the Maria Cornejo one! False confidence biting me in the ass yet again.

12. My partner said it had “an Ursula vibe,” which is both accurate and deeply complimentary - chicest villain by far!!