Kim France

New York

Host and Blogger, Girls of A Certain Age and Everything is Fine at Freelance

Founder and Writer at Girls of a Certain Age

Founding EIC of Lucky magazine and Sassy OG. Co-host of the Everything is Fine podcast. Creator, Girls of a Certain Age.

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Articles

The Friday wrap-up

1 week ago | kimfrance.substack.com | Kim France

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Another fresh hell

1 week ago | kimfrance.substack.com | Kim France

I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 39 years old, when I went in for my baseline mammogram. At that point in time, the recommendation was to start getting mammograms at 40, and who knows what told me to go a few months before that. It was a pretty out-of-character move not to delay something so unpleasant, but then again I didn’t know how truly unpleasant mammograms were just yet. What the doctor found was a tiny bit of cancer, really just a speck, but definitely cancer nevertheless.
Feeling Blue

1 week ago | kimfrance.substack.com | Kim France

In my ongoing effort to wear more color, I have been searching for pieces in this extremely versatile shade. Blue is not a neutral, but it goes quite well with a surprising number of other colors, which I like. I’m a big fan of this cute cotton cardi from Alex Mill. And how insanely adorable are these denim clogs? They’re from a collab between Madewell and Dansko. Just a really fun sweatshirt for bopping around in. This oversized silk bandana has a real block print vibe.
Kitten heels are the answer

1 week ago | kimfrance.substack.com | Kim France

Kitten heels used to strike me as impossibly prissy and not at all my thing. But that was before I stopped being able to wear higher heels without crushing pain. Now I think they’re just great—both walkable and chic. I especially like this pair, with studded details, from Reformation. Those of you who listened to this week’s episode of the podcast might recall that we discussed a particular—and quite amazing—Rachel Comey pump that we both would love to own. Reader, it is this.
Things I bought, things I want

1 week ago | kimfrance.substack.com | Kim France

A pretty perfect, lightweight cotton balloon sleeve blouse that rings in at just under $25. I am such a fan of the punchy pink and red combination on this fun and summery dress. The brand Varley sent me this knit top and I am such a fan: it has the ease of a classic polo shirt, but is leagues chicer. I also really dig this cool knit vest, also from Varley. This body wash has notes of sandalwood and cedar, and very much smells like wood.
I love a graphic floral

2 weeks ago | kimfrance.substack.com | Kim France

And by a graphic floral, I mean a floral print with a very tight color palette—ideally two, but absolutely no more than three shades. I just find them more sophisticated, and less potentially prissy. And they really pop. The print on this pretty tiered shirt dress has an almost folkloric vibe. A loud-but-delightfully-so linen dress from Farm Rio. This silk button-down is crazy-splurgy but also absolutely gorgeous. A peasant-style cotton top that’s just slightly cropped.
Dresses with grown-up hemlines

2 weeks ago | kimfrance.substack.com | Kim France

Just a pretty—and deeply wearable—silk number with a pleasingly graphic print. I dig the leopard print here, but this shirt dress also comes in a good striped terracotta iteration if that’s not so much your bag. A pretty floral from Madewell that looks a bit like an Indian block print. This polo dress, made of cotton jersey, is a total no-brainer if you’ve got any travel happening in the coming months. It’s in my shopping cart even as I type. BTW, it is also available in a very spiff striped version.
Things I bought, things I want

2 weeks ago | kimfrance.substack.com | Kim France

We’ve got a bit of a high-low mix today, but let’s start with the high: this washed silk shirt from my new favorite brand for shirts, TWP, is gossamer-light, and drapes like a dream. It’s slightly sheer, so I got a silk cami in this slightly unexpected color to wear underneath. I dig the elegant sleeve length on this tee dress, and the good neckline—many T-shirt dresses cover up the collarbone, which I’ve never understood, as it’s such a universally flattering spot of the body.
The Friday wrap-up

3 weeks ago | kimfrance.substack.com | Kim France

• None I’m always up for some good New York City street photos, and these—shot in the 70s by photographer Mark Cohen—are just fantastic. • None Can nonspeaking autistic people read minds? A podcast set out to uncover the truth. • None Desperate For Botox: this was funny. • None The unlikely return of the video store.
Summer, 1985

3 weeks ago | kimfrance.substack.com | Kim France

The day after finals ended and summer break began, I made the unpretty ten-hour drive from Oberlin to New York City with a friend—I can’t remember who, but there must have been at least one person in the car with me that day, because I never made that drive alone. Whoever it was, I do recall that we took turns at the wheel and, as was my custom, stopped at the Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania McDonald’s—the vague halfway point of the trip—for lunch.