October is finally here. Court Noir just landed in the Standards Collection, and we could not think of a better colorway for fall. But we’ll get there.
Welcome back to the Hour of Leisure. Each edition is a snapshot of what’s keeping us grounded, inspired, and having fun, and an invitation for you to do the same.
The playlist
This month’s playlist is After Dark. A little sleek, a little glossy, and made for the plans that start with one game and end somewhere much later.
Put it on while you get dressed in black, in the car on the way over, or when the first round turns into a plan for another.
The goal is good energy, no skips.
The drink
A Blackberry French 75. It is a little moodier than the usual version and exactly right for this point in the season: still bright, but ready for a jacket.
Our recipe:
•1 oz gin
•1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
•1/2 oz blackberry syrup
•Chilled prosecco
•A few blackberries, for garnish
Shake the gin, lemon, and blackberry syrup with ice. Strain into a coupe, top with prosecco, and add the berries. Make one for yourself, then make another when your friend says she will “just have a sip.”
The book
It just came out, and it takes us to 1982 New York, where a recent college graduate lands a job at an illustrious, secretive, wildly dysfunctional poetry journal. There is publishing-world drama, serious creative ambition, and exactly the kind of people who make a good outfit feel like an important part of the job.
We love a book with smart people making a mess of things. Read it with something warm nearby and no plan for the next chapter to be your last.
The challenge
Book one after-work court this month.
Not an early morning game. Not a weekend plan you can cancel because the weather looks questionable. One ordinary Tuesday or Thursday, right after the workday. Invite someone, put it on the calendar, and make dinner after part of the plan.
The point is not to add another thing to your week. It is to remember how much better the week feels when it includes something that is not waiting until Friday.
Where we’re playing
Two courts on our radar this month.
Padel Haus, Williamsburg. Four indoor courts and three rooftop courts in Brooklyn, plus the kind of lounge situation that makes the post-match debrief very easy. Go up top while the weather is still cooperating. Save the indoor courts for the first night it does not.
The Fort, Fort Lauderdale. If you are looking for a reason to take a very sport-focused weekend, this is it. Forty-three courts, a dedicated pickleball stadium, and enough going on to turn one match into a full afternoon. The plan is simple: book the court first and make the rest up as you go.
What we’re wearing
Court Noir, obviously.
The black colorway of the Standards Collection just landed, and it may be our answer to every October court question. The Court Dress is the easy all-in-one option. The Heritage Pleated Skirt and Everyday Scoop Tank are for anyone who wants a little more room to make it their own. The Rally Headband is the final touch that says you did, in fact, think about the outfit.
All four are made for the court, but black has a way of making every plan after feel a little more possible.
What we’re looking forward to
October 31. The Rolex Paris Masters begins with qualifying before the main draw starts November 2. Indoor tennis, late-season energy, and the very good excuse to plan a Sunday around the couch.
Also: the first real jacket-over-a-court-outfit night. The one where you are still playing outside, but you are happy you brought something to throw on after. Court season does not end when the temperature changes. It just gets a little more interesting.
And, of course, the holidays. The travel plans, the long weekends, the packing lists. What better outfit to travel in than the Standards Court Dress? Well, maybe we have something good for you to travel in. Stay tuned.
Until Edition 05
The hour is yours. We’re just here to make it look good.
An hour a day of leisure or play.
