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Last time we did a Stuff We Like: Summer and Outside Time, Penny commented and changed my whole summer. Penny shared in a comment:
I really like meundies new swimwear. It’s size and gender inclusive, with neat prints.
I’m kinda addicted to their rompers and jumpsuits too!
Y’all. The Jumpsuits.
I now have TWO of them. I love them so much!
MeUndies jumpsuit, $78/non-member cost
Seriously. It is so comfortable, very flattering – my neighbor was extremely full of compliments when I wore it the first time! – and even when it’s muggy AF (hi DMV weather) it was not too hot. And the pockets are big enough for my phone to hang out in.
A tip: the waist tie has tiny braided thread belt loops, and one of mine broke through user error (oops) so I trimmed it off. So I currently have one with and one without the belt tie. I like it both ways.
I’m not sponsored or a meUndies affiliate, but I do have a link for 20% off if you want to order. There are often coupons, too. $78 is a little steep for me to try something but with Penny’s rec and the coupon I found online, I was SO happy.
Thank you, Penny!!!!
And speaking of summer clothing, ages ago I remember author Laura Bradbury saying that as she ages, she “dresses like a Jedi,” and she wrote a whole post about dressing in ways that are kind to her body. It is so humid all of a sudden I’m following that advice and I’m so happy.
I found a bunch of wide-leg, loose and relaxed linen and linen-blend pants at Old Navy including these:
Again, so comfortable and easy to dress up or not. When I was shopping they were on sale for $19! Holy cow!
I also ordered these overalls from Amazon, and while my expectations were very low, I LOVE them:
Again, pocket: big enough for my phone. Length: perfect (I have The Shortest Legs). With a tank top I’m very chill and comfy and feel very cute, too!
For someone who regularly struggles with, “Dress myself…how? Where? It’s hot. What to clothes?” I feel like I have myself all together for the next few months.
Seriously, Penny, thank you so so much.
Now that I’m chill and comfortable, let’s talk kitchen and mixed drinks! I have upgraded a few kitchen gadgets and I’m a little embarrassed at how happy they are making me.
First up: kitchen squeegee? KITCHEN SQUEEGEE.
Kohler Kitchen Sink Squeegee and brush, $9
I cannot describe how delighted I am by this gadget. I hate water puddles on the counter, and I hate how drippy the towels get when I clean up – and I don’t want to use paper towels.
Plus, I bake a lot of bread (my sourdough starter is now called Steve Glutenberg because it makes Adam fall over laughing every. single. time) and use flour on the counter to shape and rest the dough. This makes cleanup of the flour residue SO much easier, both the dry and the damp flour.
It’s a little ridiculous how much I love this thing. I think I have a crush on it.
Ok, that’s enough out of me on this one. I’m giving myself secondhand embarrassment…at myself.
Another useful thing we adore:
OXO Good Grips mini angled measuring cup, $7
It’s perfect for mixing drinks, but it’s also ridiculously helpful for recipes that have a little bit of a lot of things. We keep this measuring cup by the drink shaker, but we use it constantly when cooking, too.
We also got one of these things, and I didn’t think I’d like it, but I was wrong! Adam makes a lot of his own barbecue sauces, rubs, and thick sauces for pasta, and it’s extremely useful for ketchup, sour cream, and other gloopy ingredients:
OXO Good Grips 2 cup adjustable measuring cup, $15
For example, I’ve been making this recipe for Spicy Soba Noodles with Chicken in Peanut Sauce since 2002, and measuring out the peanut butter is so very easy with this adjustible cup. You move the base down to the amount you want, fill up the cavity, then use the base to press the ingredient out. And it comes apart for cleaning!
We use it for honey, peanut butter, sour cream, ketchup, jelly – anything sticky that has to be measured. It’s so great.
We also use this citrus juicer constantly:
Metal manual citrus juicer, $10
It does such a good job that my teenagers love to squeeze out lemon or lime juice for us. It’s extremely satisfying – the fruit is almost turned inside out. And you can line the juicer up over the mini measuring cup if you’re making, say, a French 75 cocktail.
What about you? Got comfy summer clothes recommendations? Or kitchen gadgets? Tell me what you’re loving!
Ooh, I love those little OXO measuring cups. We have three and I give them to people as part of a shower or housewarming gift all the time. They also make them in metal if you want something a little fancier in your liquor cabinet. (Recommend hand washing to keep the lettering crisp and visible.)
I also LOVE these kitchen magnets with conversions listed. I probably use them every day, especially in combination with my kitchen scale. Super helpful for scaling any sort of recipe or making it easier to measure.
https://www.crateandbarrel.com/2-piece-measuring-conversion-magnet-set/s126601
I’d love the recipe for the noodles in peanut sauce; can you fix the link, please?
Those tulip-hem overalls, a floppy hat, and enormous sunglasses are who I want to be if I ever leave the house again. The older I get, the more my sensory issues demand clothing that floats around me with minimal contact.
WHOOPS – sorry about that! I updated the link, and here it is as well: Spicy Soba Noodles with Chicken in Peanut Sauce.
@Lena/Ren: I love this description – yes. I definitely want clothing that floats around me, minimal contact.
I love this gadget for cooking/browning hamburger. One of the best things I bought from Pampered Chef (mix and Chop).
https://smile.amazon.com/Farberware-5211438-Professional-Resistant-Masher-Safe/dp/B07D15V7T3/ref=sr_1_4?crid=ES1VTOLOWZ3H&keywords=hamburger+masher&qid=1655916239&s=home-garden&sprefix=Hamburger+%2Cgarden%2C138&sr=1-4
We are big on timers in our house.
We like this one which has a flashing light in addition to high and low volume as well as mute. My husband likes to steep his tea and make no noise while I’m still sleeping. FCXJTU Digital Kitchen Timer,…
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07YYCB8VQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
We like this silent timer with different colored lights associated with different time intervals. (Red light is five minutes and we use it daily for sitting quietly before taking our blood pressure.) Dr. Brown’s Soft Glow Nightlight & Timer … https://www.amazon.com/Brown-suave-brillo-nocturna-temporizador/dp/B079W3976C/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=dr+brown%27s+timer+nightlight&qid=1591674333&sr=8-2
Those jumpers look wonderful. Pressure is on to choose a color. Thanks for mentioning these, SB Sarah.
I love the idea of “dressing kind”. I spend a lot of time these days in t-shirt dresses, simply because it’s hot and I hate and I want to have minimal skin contact lest I sweat (which I’m gonna anyway and I don’t want to feel like a walking swamp). My daughter has this down to a science, which I actually think is a function of the fact that she is autistic and wants her clothes to be as soft and kind to her sensory processing as humanly possible. She’s currently wearing a pair of athletic shorts and a soft cotton shirt with Stitch and Angel on it. This is basically her uniform. I like to think she’s taught me a bit about it. And oh, I want those overalls.
I love that the Meundies site not only has a wide range of sizes, but also some larger models. It’s great to carry bigger sizes, but even better to see what the clothing looks like on somebody who isn’t size 2 (although the size 2 models look amazing in those things too)
@SB Sarah OMG you made me so happy!! I’m SO GLAD you love the jumpsuits!!!! I got a black one with a print made up of martini glasses that have planets and moons in them instead of olives & its my favorite “let’s grab HH” outfit.
@DeborahT thats what keeps me going back – I like seeing bodies more like my own so I can really tell how an item will fit!
SERIOUSLY PENNY THEY ARE SO GREAT.
And I was looking at that print — I think I might have to go for it!
It’s an addiction, I tell you!!
But also, I have an interview today for a position I really want & was trying to decide what to wear, while drinking coffee & distracting myself by catching up at SBTB & now I feel that this is A Sign that I should wear a jumpsuit and dress it up with a nice lightweight blazer or sweater and professional flats. Authentic me outfit, but a bit more fancy…
@Penny: Ooooh yay – good luck on the interview!! I’m a big supporter of feeling like your authentic, confident self when interviewing or anything like that. I hope you nail this interview. I’m cheering you on!
Thank you!!!
I bought two jumpsuits from Torrid that look very similar to the MeUndies ones, but they only came in black. I wear them all the time! Definitely checking out the MeUndies options for different colors and patterns!
I had no idea that a kitchen squeegee brush thing even existed and now I am so excited! Maybe I can even get the kids to use it! And since we are lucky enough to have undermount sinks there is no icky lip to try to move the crap over. That’s a lot of joy for $9.
@LT I also have an undermount sink and the amount of joy I get cleaning off the counter with the brush and the squeegee is kind of incredible. I hope you like it as much as we do!
So, a question about the jumpsuits and rompers: Do you have to pull the jumpsuit down from the shoulder (essentially take the whole thing off) when using the toilet? I’ve always liked the look of one piece outfits like this but been put off by the awkwardness of this aspect of their engineering.
@Susan/DC: I had the very same question. With the meUndies jumpsuit, the neck/shoulder straps are very stretchy and you do have to divest your penthouse of clothing in order to use the toilet. Same with the overalls, though those just have buttons to undo.
Typically I take the top off, and hold the straps in my left hand to keep the fabric from falling into the commode. So far, it’s working.
@SB Sarah – I just wanted to circle back and say – I got the job I wanted! I’m going to do administrative stuff for a mental health practice while I am in a graduate program to become a mental health counselor. Thanks for giving me that little boost around apparel and presenting myself with authenticity!!! (It’s been a process because I was in a biology science space but shifted paths because I just see the deep need for mental health professionals for, ya know, reasons…) and just FYI checking SBTB daily, regardless of whether or not I comment, is part of my personal self-care!
YES YES YES YES *dancing in my chair* YES YES! Congratulations, Penny!! I’m so excited for you! Hooray for presenting your authentic awesome self! I’m so happy for you, and I’m honored that we’re part of your personal self-care. Thank you for being part of the community, and for helping so many of us find reaaaallly comfortable summer options!