For a style refresh, start small
Plus: Welcome to Picnic!
Hi there!
My name is Jen Steinwurtzel, and I am the shop owner of Jake and Jones, a cozy store in downtown Santa Barbara, California. I opened the shop in 2017 during a rather upending time. I was going through a divorce — feeling uninspired about life and my role in it. I had two young boys, Jake and Jones, and while I loved being a mom, I needed something for myself, something outside my role as “mama.” My kids became the inspiration — I remembered my mom working and the satisfaction it gave her, and I wanted my kids to see the same in me. It can be easy to feel alone and isolated, and having spaces to go where we can talk, connect, and feel part of something can really help. And so, Jake and Jones the shop was born!
For years, I have wanted to give people a scope into the industry we work in, offering stories and columns to dive deeper into what we do and what we find interesting. Enter Picnic: a weekly platform where we deliver fresh content related to all things style.
This chapter of Jake and Jones is about conversation: talking about what we like and exploring topics that we can all relate to. We are collaborating with Zoë Schiffer, who will be our Editor and main content writer, along with our Assistant Editor, Cami Garcia, and other writers like myself. This is the next evolution, and the excitement is palpable. So, chime in on things you want us to write about, curiosities you have about the industry, and questions about what to wear. We are here for it.
Without further ado, take it away Zoë!
Hi all!
I’m so excited you’re here and so honored to be launching this project with Jake and Jones. I’ve been interested in fashion my whole life, but it wasn’t until the last few years that I began to really explore style. It’s an important distinction. While fashion is about shopping, style is a form of artistic expression. It’s about knowing what excites you and curating a vibe (in your wardrobe, in your home, in your relationships) that reflects your unique inner life. Walking into Jake and Jones, it’s immediately apparent that the space lives and breathes this ethos. It’s a store with a strong POV — one that invites you to play, to think expansively about what style can be.
For so long, I’ve resisted writing about this industry, because it felt unserious compared to the hard-hitting forms of investigative journalism I was trained in. Like many people, I believed the “real me” lived inside, that what was on the outside was superficial, surface level, skin deep. But these are all just metaphors — if you cut open your body, there’s just more body. Now, squarely in my 30s, I’m interested in interrogating the duality of this relationship — how we can shift something internal and change how we present to the world, and conversely, how we can change something about how we look and feel, and thereby shift our internal monologue.
I’m writing to you 8.5 months pregnant. Launching a style newsletter when my wardrobe has been whittled down to a short cotton nightgown and my husband’s frayed button ups is both hilarious and humbling. In an effort to not make this a newsletter about what to wear while pregnant (though if that interests you, please let me know), I’m going to start us off by talking about a concept that’s been on my mind all throughout my third trimester: accessories as outfit — or, small items that punch above their weight. First off…
A hefty pair of sunglasses
The idea started percolating a month ago when I copped these black Chimi sunglasses at Jake and Jones. I wasn’t in the market for glasses — in fact, I’d basically decided after buying the Akila Lolas that I’d found my perfect fit and would no longer need new shades. Then these contemporary cat eyes caught my attention, and I was hooked. The shape feels timeless, but with a square edge that gives them a distinctly modern twist. These sunglasses have stage presence. They’ve been carrying my outfits — taking simple pieces, like a white cotton nightgown or a blue maxi dress, and giving them a bit of edge. Jake and Jones is now carrying a tortoiseshell version, and if you don’t buy them, I might have to.
A strand of pearls
I've been coveting pearls since reading Ruby Redstone’s newsletter on summer style in 2023. “There’s…something wonderfully intimate about the way pearls are warmed by the skin and work in symbiosis with your body,” Redstone writes. Could you die?!
I’m a pretty low maintenance jewelry gal — I tend to get a few things I like and wear them until they fall off. That said, this summer, I started to try and curate a necklace stack — one that could be worn more or less daily, that would take a simple outfit and give it a bit of personal heft.
For my birthday (and after some very explicit encouragement) my husband got me this collage necklace from Wwake. The different-sized beads make it feel more irreverent than a traditional pearl necklace, which I love, and it stacks beautifully with gold chains. It’s no surprise that this strand looks lovely with a formal fit — the revelation has been how quickly it elevates a casual getup. I’ve been wearing it to the beach, with a simple black bikini, and with my work uniform of a plain white button up and bike shorts. Here and here are some slightly less expensive alts that work well.
A pop of red
Last year, I got bright red vintage Prada ballet flats off Depop that were so wrecked I immediately understood why they cost less than $90. The soles made the cobbler gasp. Once they were restored, however, they became a continual source of joy due to their shockingly bright hue. As a person who’s only ever invested in black and tan bags, I was inspired to bring a similar pop of color to my purse game. Enter the Comme Des Garçons red leather tote bag. Hanging, it almost looks like a New Yorker tote — but the leather gives it a real structure, and the color makes it feel downright cheeky. Paired with my monochromatic summer wardrobe of white and beige, it adds a much-needed bit of flair. Now I’m coveting the Amiacalva oversized orange tote and the cherry red Baggu backpack as potential diaper bag contenders.
A silky bow
One of my favorite parts of visiting a new city is getting to pop into small independent stores and find fresh styles and designers. I snagged this oversized silk bow at Dano, while staying with my sister in Portland earlier this summer. It immediately brought some unexpected girliness to my otherwise unisex outfits. My husband took one look at it and told me it was giving high school theater, but ten years into this blessed union, I’ve developed an inverse relationship to his fashion feedback.
These new Sarah Miller scrunchies from Jake and Jones have a similar look: delightfully cottagecore, exquisitely summery. I want them all.
An elevated claw clip
I immediately noticed these claw clips while puttering around Jake and Jones last week. The colors — deep red, forest green, butter yellow — were so magnetic I did not need to read the sign to know that, certo! These were in fact Made in Italy. I love taking an everyday item that previously held no aesthetic appeal (my prior hair clip came from CVS) and making it a more joyful — and intentional — choice. I want every variation of this clip, and I also covet the comb (might it inspire me to brush my hair?!), but I’ll pace myself.
Right now, for me, it’s all about these little details. The pop of color, the formal touch, the personal twist. Sometimes, it can feel like a style revamp requires a complete closet overhaul. More often, I think it’s about working with what we have, and weaving in small, delightful enhancements.
Bite-Size Advice
“How do you style a menswear-y button down to look chic, not frumpy?” - a Santa Barbara chef
Zoë: Ah, I love this question! I could write an entire column on styling button downs. While pregnant, I’ve been wearing my husband’s shirts, sleeves rolled and unbuttoned, with a bikini top or sports bra underneath. I’m pairing them with tight workout shorts to offset the flowy fabric up top, but if I wasn’t pregnant, I’d choose the Baserange Root shorts.
Another look I plan to try when I’m not pregnant: a white button down unbuttoned to the navel (ish), with the MNZ brallete underneath, and high-waisted jeans.
Let’s chat
Have a style question you want us to answer next week? A thought sparked by this week’s column? Feedback about what you want to read next? Email zoe@jakeandjones.com.
Next Thursday: Jen discusses end of summer style and why she chopped off her hair. Plus, we answer your style conundrums.
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Amazing recs, Zoë! Excited to explore more with Picnic :)