Duck Fat vol. 73

You can tell I'm sick bcs it's single-digit footnotes this week. Quelle horreur!

If clicking ebay links is not where your mind is these days, maybe reading about the work of the organization Pregnancy Justice is more your speed? They believe that no one should lose their rights because of pregnancy, and regardless of the outcome of a pregnancy, everyone is entitled to dignity, equity and respect. Their work against the criminalization of pregnancy is so necessary in the aftermath of Dobbs! They just filed a federal lawsuit against staff at an Alabama jail on behalf of a woman who was forced to give birth on the floor of the jail while detained there. As detailed in this Guardian article, she was refused medical intervention by staff multiple times over the course of a 24-hour delivery, and later learned the complication which caused her early delivery could have progressed into sepsis.

---

We got CHER!¹ Yes, this week has fantastic ebay finds, DUH, but the real message you should walk away with today is that Cher is a legend and we shall never doubt her. Anyway, I got hella sick² this week so we’re skipping the cutesy intro bit and moving on to the juicy part now!

5 second-hand recs:

A. Victor Costa evening gown (L/$110 & S/$83.25); B. Marni flats, IT37, $109.25; C. Black satin jacket, M, $29.89; D. Escada pumps, US7, $32; E. Victor Costa evening gown, S, $236.25; F. Sheer silk top, US10, $65; G. Embroidered tank, US6, $49; H. Brown leather messenger bag, $52.50; I. Red leather messenger bag, $52.50; J. Red leather sandals, EU35, $65 (white/EU37/$18.74); K. Embroidered silk shell, US6, $62; L. Silk slip dress, S, $149.99; M. Silk ribbon tank (US10/$44.99 & US4/$80); N. Silk skirt, US2, $74.99; O. Slip dress, M, $48.

1. Silk top, US6, $62: Obsessed with this embroidered silk shell - which would, just incidentally,³ pair perfectly with this gorgeous satin jacket (M/$29.89), some swingy beaded-fringe velvet pants (XL/$39.99), and chic little sandals (red/EU35/$65⁴ & white/EU37/$18.74) for all your garden parties this spring.

2. Marni flats, IT37, $109.25: Just a fantastic pair of flats. Get your Harley Quinn on, babes! Same mood with a heel from Escada (US7/$32).

3. Silk ribbon top (US10/$44.99 & US4/$80): Do you want a 100% silk top destined to make you feel like Jenna Rink heading into the Poise offices? Of course you do, who wouldn’t? Totally different looks but the same vibe: black & white embroidered tank (US6/$49) & silk embroidered tank (US12/$19). If you get one thing from this post,⁵ make it be Tracy Reese as your next open-tab spiral. More examples: this is the perfect shade of blue to eat a popsicle in, I do not make the rules, I just observe (viscose embroidered tank - US10/$59.95 & 100% silk beaded lace-trim skirt - US2/$74.99); truly peak beading happening here (skirt: US6/$99 & US8/$159; strapless top: US2/$60, US8/$95, US10/$95); gorgeous slinky slip dresses for all (brown beaded/M/$48 & green silk/S/$149); perfect little Sheer Black Top™ in a long-sleeve (US10/$65) & sleeveless option (US8/$22); this cotton cardigan could read too Put A Bird On It, but pair it with some very slouchy jeans and flip-flops & you’re safe (S/$34 & P/$36), and if you’re still worried about looking like you wandered out of an Anthropologie catalogue, the photo-print & super-deep v-neck cut of this 100% cotton cardi feels more modern (L/$20 & M/$17.99); and two sick jackets to close us out - dreamy 100% cotton beaded burgundy velvet (US10/$50) & smart little embroidered 100% silk (S/$32).

4. Leather bag (red/$52.50 & brown/$52.50): Cunty little messenger bags for everyone!!! Red is missing the cross-body strap, but just get something in a fun powder blue and live, laugh, love your way hands-free down the street holding your phone and iced coffee, babes.

5. Strapless Victor Costa dress (L/$110 & S/$83.25; similar style in cobalt/XS/$124): And let’s include some gorgeous vintage Victor Costa dramatic dresses, just for me. Do I have a place to wear these? No! So what, they’re beautiful and I like to enjoy pretty things! Don’t miss the side-view on this gorgeous gown, I really love the peek of red. Other standouts that I have nowhere to wear: peak SHOW PONY vibes with this drop-waist velvet & satin one (M/$111.25); two more perfect Disco Diva™ options from the 70s (XS/$144 & S/$278); or go back to the 50s by way of the 80s with this 3-D floral fit & flare (US8/$185); a classic holiday dress for next New Year’s (US10/$175); this is $$$ but stupid gorgeous for your next low-key, super chill, black tie event (S/$236.25). Also love this silk jacket which you can find in a million colors & sizes but I prefer in white (S/$39.99; M/$30; L/$45; 1X/$40.50; 3X/$35; similar: floral embroidered silk-L/$29.99, ribbon-tied tweedy option in XS/$24 & 3X/$45.50). Nothing to do with Victor Costa, just a dramatic red silk gown (M/$124).

3 unshoppables:

6. Has there ever been an AD feature more tailor-made for my interests than this photo-heavy spread of Cher’s homes over the decades?? I want so many more pictures, please! My dream woman!!

7. And then when you’re done with that, soak up all the insane detail put into this gorgeous West Village apartment redone in full, thorough, overwhelming Victorian glory. Every time I zoom in on a picture, there’s something new to discover.

8. NOTHING could cure my sickness-induced broken-body blues better than hearing John Waters cackle about penis envy. SO blessed. I will 100% be greeting all my tru-blues with, “Hi, ugly!” from now on.⁶

1 substack rec:

9. I already restacked this but we’re coming up on the biggest weekend of shows/events, so obv including A Whimsical World’s incredible rundown on the art & design shows in NYC this month! And since I got sick and had to publish later than planned, here’s a double rec for ya: Dyke Drop’s hilarious ranking of the Real Housewives of Rhode Island in order of who to come out to. Immediately sent this to my Rhode Island friend who brought party pizza to a get-together last month.⁷

1 DuckFit™:

You can tell I didn’t take this one bcs it’s actually nice ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

10. This outfit has been on substack in a few variations so far but I don’t care, it’s the Best Outfit™!! I got the whole thing⁸ on our trip to Japan in January, and truly pictured everything as a unit immediately. Gets crazy-ass compliments every time despite essentially being a crusty sweatshirt & ill-fitting jeans - sometimes you just gotta follow your nose. Plus I was sick the rest of the week and wore basically Only Sweats ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Come back next post when I am hopefully less of a snot faucet!

1. Sung to the tune of She’s Got Balls obvi. Anyway, #7 is absolutely the first thing that went into the draft, before a single ebay link or outfit pic. Cher forever!

2. Like even for me, someone whose friends have mocked their (pathetic excuse for an) immune system since high school. I had to cancel plans to see Hokum with Da Gurls!! Rude bro. Also why this post, that was supposed to be published Wednesday morning…is here now. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Take it up with my (pathetic excuse for an) immune system pls.

3. Alright, fine, I just want to keep playing paper dolls in the collage!

4. Ignore TRR, check the sole size!

5. Other than that Cher’s a legend and we shall never doubt her.

6. Advanced request not to get upset when I inevitably open this newsletter with it cough cough

7. When we gave him shit about the, uhhhh, “commute” affecting the quality, he did use the “It doesn’t have cheese, because it’s meant to be on the beach all day” thing on us. Cannot confirm as I can’t eat it regardless, but people did eat it so… I guess? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

8. JK sunglasses are from a Neverworns closet sale & sneakers were a birthday request last summer (but I did wear both basically that whole trip bcs of my v. squinty eyes & old-lady feet). But the white undershirt is from my insane heattech spree (damp cold is real!!), socks were a fun department store purchase (wish I bought more pairs tbh, they stay up so well), and the pants & sweatshirt (which gets more compliments & requests for info than probably any other item I own…closeup about 4/5 the way down this post) were from my wicked-fast Kameido thrift dig!