In this series, MACCAPANI’s most inspiring women—writers, fashion icons, chefs, designers, and other extraordinary LADY MACCA—share their unique relationships with fashion and what inspires their choices when dressing for the world. |
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Hello Lady Maccas!
To mark the heart of summer, we sat down with Becky Malinsky, fashion editor, consultant, and the voice behind 5 Things You Should Buy, the cult-favorite newsletter guiding readers toward smart, stylish wardrobe decisions. Known for her sharp eye and effortless mix of polish and practicality, Becky brings a thoughtful approach to getting dressed in a city that never stops moving.
We spoke about her evolving personal style, the pieces she’s most emotionally attached to, and how Maccapani fits into her NYC uniform: oversized graphic tees, sheer layers, and perfectly cut underpinnings.
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What do you aim to achieve or express when you dress for the world?
I like to express ease and competence when getting dressed. I love to wear clothes. I never want to feel like the clothes are wearing me. But with that ease, I always like to telegraph a bit of mystery—a bit of “Where did she get that?”
What kind of “Lady Macca” do you feel you are right now? Has that energy shifted over time or with the seasons?
I’m an autumn kind of Lady Macca. It’s the height of summer right now, and I’m not actually a summer person. I do better when I can layer. When the city is bustling around me. Right now, the city is quiet. So my energy is really focused inward. I’m trying to pay attention to my body and my drive. What about this season makes getting dressed difficult for me? What makes me feel good? Feel confident? How can I use that and create style with it?
I guess I’m the opposite of so many people whose energy flows this time of year. Mine gets going when the leaves start to turn.
What’s inspiring your summer style right now—colors, moods, places? And what role do directional brands like Maccapani play in that creative process?
Fashion this summer is obsessed with surf culture—the muddy striped tees of my 1990s youth, board shorts, tropical prints, flip flops. I’ve been loving it all. Pairing striped T-shirts with florals. Boyshorts under sheer layers. Flip flops with everything. I’m head over heels for the Maccapani graphic tees, both oversized and baby. They’re so easy to style with… everything.
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I’m always looking for pieces that can work their way into my wardrobe without fuss, and Maccapani does exactly that. The clothes are interesting but the shapes are easy. They stand on their own and still complement the rest of my closet. It’s impossible not to look like you have a strong personal style in these pieces—and that’s always the goal.
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Is there a particular item of clothing you’re personally attached to? If so, can you share the story behind it?
So many! My Valentino wedding dress, which I wear all the time to parties (it’s midi length). My Entireworld sweatshirts—the fabric and cut are perfect, and you can’t get them anymore. My vintage tee with a loon on it (the state bird of Minnesota, where I grew up). And Look 39 from the Prada SS20 collection. I had always wanted it, but I was on maternity leave (and then Covid hit) when it came into stores, so it became the one that got away. I pieced the whole look together second-hand over four years.
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Which Maccapani item is your favorite?Hard to choose! I wear my big graphic Moto T the most. It reminds me of high school and has become a comfort item in my closet. I wear it in place of a sweatshirt to head to Pilates. I love it with jean shorts, all big and blousy. It’s great fodder for my usual preppy style.
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But I also love the micro-shorts and bra-top set. It’s cut perfectly and so flattering. It’s become an essential layer for all the sheer clothing out there. I love the bra top under a gauzy button-down, and the shorts under basically all my summer skirts and pants.
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Maccapani feels made for movement and transition—subway to meeting to dinner. What’s your formula for choosing pieces that carry you through the rhythm of a New York day?NYC is a place that’s always moving, so I need clothes that move with me. Unfussy pieces that can carry me up the subway steps, look great at a fitting (even when I’m on my hands and knees fixing a hem), and still work with a black blazer at dinner. I gravitate toward flexible fabrics or roomy cuts. I look for colors and patterns that are interesting but not too sweet, and pieces I can easily layer with simple jackets and shoes.One of the biggest challenges in NYC is getting dressed for dinner. You want to feel dressed, festive, and sexy—but not overdone. Maccapani is perfect for a NYC dinner date because it nails all of that. A little sparkle, a bit of body, super confident, never fussy.
Your newsletter is a sharp weekly mood board. When you curate your picks, are there details—like cut-outs, fabric texture, or silhouette—that you’re instinctively drawn to?I’m a skirt person through and through. It’s the ultimate styling piece for me, so most weeks feature some kind of skirt—like Maccapani’s petal skirt. I also find that most readers lean super casual these days, or are so focused on ease that they tend toward jeans or dresses. Skirts help show styling, pairings, and trends in a way that pushes people a bit. Gets them out of their comfort zone.
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