Welcome to The Girl’s Guide! I’m glad you’re here! Every other Friday, I interview an interesting woman, share something I’ve been thinking about lately, and break down the latest news at the intersection of pop culture and politics. Read the most recent issue here if you missed it!
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Interview with Meghan Cupp
Today’s interview is with Meghan Cupp, the mom behind Timeless Littles of VA! If you’re a fan of classic children’s clothing, check out Meghan’s Instagram where you can buy her curated finds.
What does your life look like right now?
Oh man — beautifully chaotic! I have three kids under 3 years old and a husband in law school. I work from home as a triage nurse in the evenings and am always scheming and dreaming about different entrepreneurial pursuits. We live by our calendar but also make space for true, life-giving leisure. We love going on family walks, reading quality literature ourselves and to our kids, and making outings to Jeni's ice cream — perhaps a little too frequently!
What inspired you to start Timeless Littles of VA?
The largest and most obvious inspiration were my kids! I was already thrifting clothes for them, and I had high standards of what I would be willing to purchase at a thrift store. I started to have the same standards for kid's clothes that I had for myself — is this item beyond trends, truly beautiful or charming, and made of high-quality materials? Aka... timeless? It can take a lot of time to thrift, especially once you have multiple children, so I created the Instagram page to help save other moms time and energy from constantly searching the thrift racks for a good deal.
What's the biggest thing you've learned as an entrepreneur that's surprised you?
Learning to be content with a slow start and not equating that to a failure. We live in an age of immediate gratification and that is not transferable to the entrepreneurial space. Being an entrepreneur is not about what you do, but more about how you think! So, whether Timeless Littles is a resounding success or a bust, I will have "worked out" that entrepreneur muscle that will carry me into future projects and inspirations.
What's one of your favorite reads of the last year?
Wow, that is a hard question to answer. I have read a number of beautiful and inspiring novels this past year. However, my favorite read was a practical one because it is still impacting my life on a daily basis. My favorite read was A Mother’s Rule of Life: How to Bring Order to Your Home and Peace to Your Soul by Holly Pierlot. The intentional ways I structure my life and view my days at home with littles were largely influenced by this book.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Oh, this was strongly stated advice and a bit of a hot take, but it left an impact on me once married. There is something worse than being in debt. It’s this: not having kids because you think you don't have enough money. There is only a limited amount of time in which you can have a child, but you can always make more money (and you probably will). I was told that thirty years from now, you won't be thinking about the bills you had to pay but will be filled with gratitude to be surrounded by the souls that you trusted God to give you.
Evie’s Corner
This week may have marked the official start of fall, but if you haven’t been thrifting for your fall wardrobe since at least August, then you have some catching up to do.
Fall thrift finds just hit different. There is nothing better than a cozy cable-knit sweater that costs you less than a medium pizza. But thrifting can also be overwhelming, especially when you’re looking for items that will be your autumnal staples. It can be helpful to make a thrift list or Pinterest board (I have both #overachiever) so that you can think through what you need and what you already have. My eternal thrift list includes quality leather boots, skirts that are secretly skorts (read more about that here), and little black dresses that can be dressed up or dressed down. Those are the kinds of items that are worth picking up no matter what season it is. So without further ado, here are some other items on my fall 2025 thrift list that I’m really, really hoping to find:
Leather slippers: Spoiler alert! I already found a pair of leather shoes at my local consignment shop for about $30 (yes, consignment shops may be better than thrift shops — I wrote about it here). In my mind’s eye, I envisioned thrifting a leather slipper like these from Sabahs, but I ended up finding some barely worn Sperry loafers that are sleek and simple like slippers. I definitely think they’ll end up elevating my outfits even more than slippers would have, and the style goes better with my personal aesthetic too.
Denim shirt: I have been hunting for the perfect cotton or cotton-blend denim shirt for years. I somehow ended up with a Lyocell monstrosity a few years ago, but luckily I got rid of it. An oversized denim chambray shirt is such a good layering option in the fall, and it looks cute tied up with a dress, too.
Duster cardigan: A duster cardigan makes any mundane moment 25% more dramatic. You can tell your husband that you have something important to say to him, look off into the distance, wrap yourself even more tightly in the stately, flowing cardigan, and then say that you are just going to the store to buy eggs. I see lots of nice-looking duster cardigans at the thrift store but they are always made of polyester and acrylic (MY NEMESES) so I pass. Here’s hoping I find something with a better fabric content soon!
Anything silk: Do I look like a crazy person at the thrift store flipping every garment inside out to check if its tag says silk? Yes, probably. But the reward is worth it. I recently picked up a silk dress (acetate lining, unfortch) with tags still on. The original price? $158. The price I paid? I don’t remember, but it was way less than that. Sadly, this dress will not be as useful for fall, because it’s a floral print with browns and pinks, but I may find a way to make it more autumnal despite its pastel bent!
Oversized outdoorsy jacket: I don’t know why I have this problem, but I have thrifted TOO MANY dressy wool coats and no good “casual” coats. I’m thinking something kind of like a barn coat or chore coat, but with some extra warmth. Fingers crossed I find something before the temperatures drop too low!
Cropped cream sweater: Why is it so hard to find a sweater that’s the perfect length? I don’t want one that’s tunic length, or one that ends right below my ribcage. I need one that hits right at my waist to wear over dresses or with high-waisted mom jeans. Is that too much to ask?
What’s on your fall thrift list? I’d love to hear! Let me know by replying to this email!
Bulletin Board
ISO SUBLEASE: “My name is Kristin Loewen and I am 28 years old. I am looking for a room with other conservative like-minded women. I am a Christian and very much geared towards community building. I am looking for a sublease while I am in DC for my job. I am planning to be in DC from Oct. 8 to Nov. 8 but am open to staying till December! I am aiming to be in Clarendon, Pentagon City, or central DC.” Use the button below to message me and get connected to Kristin!
BIBLE STUDY OPEN TO ALL: My friends Caleb and
are hosting a 4-week Bible study at their Capitol Hill home on Monday nights at 8 p.m. starting on 9/29. They will be going through the topic “Who Is Jesus?” in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. If you are interested in joining, reply to this email or message me below for details.The Haps
American Girl’s New Doll Is Samantha’s Great-Great-Granddaughter
Talk about nostalgia! Iconic toy brand American Girl just announced that their 2026 Girl of the Year doll, Raquel Reyes, is descended from OG American Girl Samantha. “While attending a family reunion in New England, [Raquel] visits Mount Bedford, where her great-great-grandmother, Samantha Parkington, lived as a girl and she discovers Samantha’s diary,” People reported exclusively (read more here). According to the Internet, Raquel was born in 2016 — feel old yet? Maybe her story will inspire Gen Alpha to get really into genealogy. Either way, you should read my previous Girl’s Guide posts about what the American Girl dolls would do if they were living in the 21st century. Read my posts here and here.
Here are more links to what I’m reading and writing:
Gen Beta Needs a Rebrand (The American Conservative): Sorry for the shameless self-promotion, but since everyone’s talking about Golden Age this, Golden Era that, check out my column about rebranding Generation Beta as the Golden Generation!
The Wonderful and the Strange (Common Good):
reflects on Twin Peaks, marriage, and Patrick Henry College. Don’t tell anyone, but I watched Season 1 of Twin Peaks in my PHC dorm room instead of studying for exams my freshman year.From Communism to the Land of the Free—Celebrating the Grit of Inspiring Women (Independent Women): My friend Samantha Aschieris tells the inspiring stories of women who escaped Cuba and more.
Protestants Against the Pill (Technically Human):
is in First Things Magazine.
Ask Evie
Have a question you want me to answer in the newsletter? Click this link to send your question anonymously, or use the button below!
highly recommend an adrianna papell sweater! Marshalls has a bunch of the length you describe (not thrifting I know, but affordable)! I got one just like this but without the bow earlier this year and it is the perfect length. https://www.marshalls.com/us/store/jump/product/Wool-Blend-Long-Sleeve-Crew-Neck-Cardigan-Sweater/4000414314?colorId=NS4155369&pos=1:1&Ntt=adrianna%20papell%20cardiagn&bsp=1
Thank you for sharing! 🥰🥹