{"id":10041,"date":"2026-11-05T18:53:47","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T18:53:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=10041"},"modified":"2026-11-05T18:53:47","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T18:53:47","slug":"a-week-of-outfits-tarajia-morrell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=10041","title":{"rendered":"A Week of Outfits: Tarajia Morrell"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\"Tarajia<\/p>\n

James Beard award-winning food writer Tarajia Morrell<\/a> lives in Manhattan with her five-year-old daughter, Viva. \u201cWhen I get dressed, Viva will point to a very colorful, feminine piece, saying, \u2018Wear that<\/em>,’\u201d says Tarajia. \u201cShe would have me in high heels every day if she could.\u201d Here, Tarajia shares five outfits she wears in a week\u2026<\/p>\n

\"tarajia<\/a><\/p>\n

Coat: vintage. Blouse: S\u00e9zane<\/a>. Purse: \u201cfrom an ex-boyfriend,\u201d similar<\/a>. Jeans: \u201cmy mother\u2019s.\u201d Ballet flats: French Sole<\/a>. Lipstick: Merit<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI found this silk jacket at a flea market 20 years ago. It\u2019s one of those pieces that magically looks great with everything. I\u2019ve worn it with jeans, and I\u2019ve worn it with gowns to weddings. And this blouse<\/a> is floppy but still has a bit of formality \u2014 it makes me feel like a Shakespearean painter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Tarajia<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cMy glasses<\/a> are from Jimmy Fairly, a reasonably priced French line. I have a weird personal preference that my glasses need<\/em> to cover my eyebrows when they\u2019re sitting on my nose. Now large glasses have become my signature.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Tarajia<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve also had this vintage dress for 20 years. It\u2019s made of Italian silk, and it\u2019s comfy enough for running errands. You can\u2019t tell in the photos, but at this point it\u2019s almost in tatters. I wear my clothes to death, which is a habit I picked up from my mother. When I look at photos of her from the \u201970s<\/a>, I always ask \u2018Where is that outfit?\u2019 and she always responds with \u2018Tarajia, I wore things until they fell apart.’\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Tarajia<\/a><\/p>\n

Clutch and heels: vintage.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMy mother has a totally classic American look. She\u2019s always reaching for cotton turtlenecks and layering them under sweater vests. It\u2019s a bit like Annie Hall<\/a>, but she always looks put together. She was the kind of mom that put on lipstick to walk me to the school bus. I have a bit of that in me, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Tarajia<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThese are actually square-dancing shoes! I found them at a vintage store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Even though they have a heel, they\u2019re the most comfortable shoes I\u2019ve ever worn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Tarajia<\/p>\n

Turtleneck: vintage, similar<\/a>. Skirt: vintage, similar<\/a>. Tote: vintage. Boots: vintage, similar<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI always wanted to be a mom. At 37, I tried to buy myself time and peace of mind by attempting to freeze my eggs. It didn\u2019t work, and the doctor was not encouraging of my prospects to someday conceive through IVF. The grief at letting go of that dream felt debilitating.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Tarajia<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThen, at 40, I discovered I\u2019d gotten pregnant the old-fashioned way \u2014 I share more about it in my memoir<\/a> \u2014 and I was rendered speechless! It felt too implausible to remain real, but I was overcome with joy to even know the feeling of being pregnant for an instant. It turned out to be more than an instant, and now my daughter is five. Being a single parent<\/a> is hard, but I\u2019m still overcome with joy every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Tarajia<\/p>\n

Striped shirt: Old Navy, similar.<\/a> Knit sweater: vintage, similar<\/a>. Trousers: vintage. Shoes: Converse<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cFriendship has played an enormous role as I\u2019ve parented on my own. My friends show up for me in every way imaginable, including bringing groceries to cook at my place while I put the baby to bed. Without my friends letting me lean on them, I don\u2019t know how I\u2019d do it. Women have made my life as a mom not just possible but incredibly happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Tarajia<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThese are real sailor pants! I found them on eBay, and they\u2019re 100% wool. The only problem is that they have 13 buttons, so they\u2019re not quick to put on! For vintage shopping, I\u2019ve learned that the key to know your measurements. That way, while shopping online, you\u2019ll immediately know whether something will fit or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Tarajia<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI work full-time as a food writer<\/a> and the communications director for hotels, but I\u2019d always wanted to write a book. All my book writing had to be done in the margins, like after my daughter went to bed. My memoir<\/a> talks about food and growing up in New York, but I also open up about my parenting journey and the inherited identities we both embrace and try to avoid. Viva will really know who her mom is after she reads it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Tarajia<\/a><\/p>\n

Blazer: vintage Ralph Lauren, similar<\/a>. Jeans: \u201cfrom my mother.\u201d Sneakers: Keds<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTwo of my favorite New York restaurants right now are Saint Denis<\/a> \u2014 it\u2019s so warm and stylish \u2014 and Thai Diner<\/a> for the creative food and great vibes.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"Tarajia<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve lived in New York all of my life and one of my favorite things about this city is how many people \u2014 especially older women \u2014 get dressed up just to grocery shopping. A dramatic coat; headscarves and sunglasses; always lipstick. Will I someday be like these women? I think I already am.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thank you, Tarajia<\/a>. You can order her book here<\/a>, if you\u2019d like.<\/strong><\/p>\n

P.S. More people share their week of outfits<\/a>, including a non-binary artist who loves J.Crew heels<\/a>, and a marketing director who dresses colorfully even though she\u2019s grieving her dad<\/a>. Plus, 10 single moms by choice share their experiences<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(Photos by Yumi Matsuo<\/a> for Cup of Jo.)<\/p>\n

Note: If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission or have a sponsored relationship with the brand, at no cost to you. We recommend only products we genuinely like. Thank you so much.<\/em><\/p>\n

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