What I Loved Last Month: A Collection of Very Useful Things
A monthly favourites post in Substack form for all!
I used to share monthly favourites on my YouTube channel, but since that’s evolved into mostly vlogs (15 years’ worth in the archives - subscribe if you fancy!), I’ve missed rounding up my favourite finds. So, here’s a monthly edit - unlocked for everyone to read, save, and share.
The Styling Session Series. Having the chance to connect with my favourite Stylists (who also happen to write my favourite Substacks) and get their takes on my wardrobe, all under the guise of work, is obviously my highlight of the month. I couldn’t pick a favourite, and that was never the point. What could I learn from them and apply to my wardrobe going forward? SPOILER: A lot. Would it help to clarify where my own personal style is right now? ANOTHER SPOILER: Yes. There’s a full write-up in the works, but for now you can catch up with them all here:
‘Spring Outfit Ideas with Allison Bornstein & What a Styling Session Is ACTUALLY Like’ with Allison Bornstein.
‘The Styling Session That Added Serious *Range* To My Wardrobe’ with Angie Uh.
‘The Seven Styling Tweaks You’ll Want To Commit To Memory’ with Kelly Klein.
‘The Styling Session That Altered My Brain Chemistry’ with Reva Luft.
‘A Stylist’s Guide to Playing With Colour in a Neutral Wardrobe’ with Anna Baldwin.
My at-home mani. I managed to snag the Cellise Full Set* from eBay at the end of last year (they sadly don’t ship to the U.K), and whilst the set makes for a beautiful gift, there’s one true standout to me - the Quickcoat Sheer Everyday Nail Polish in Babydoll*. It’s all I’ve worn on my nails since I got it. I do one, pretty thin coat that just gives my nails a light pink tint. I don’t bother with the top coat (I notice it more when it chips), so I just remove it and do a fresh coat once a week. It’s seriously the chillest, 10-minute manicure.
And in the biggest Substack cliché of all - my Brick. This phone-blocking cube has been doing the rounds on here, and yes, I do truly understand the irony of needing another device to stop me from using my other device. It’s stupid! I am dumb! But it is annoyingly working (I’d wait for them to run a discount - I got mine shipped for under £50, and you don’t need two). You tap your phone to it, and it either blocks or enables apps you choose. In order to ‘un-Brick’ your phone, you have to tap it on the Brick again. The idea is that you put it in a place that you can’t be arsed to go to (honestly, for me, the other side of the room is enough!!). Instagram and TikTok are my main time drains, so I ‘Brick’ those and give myself free rein elsewhere. Overall, my screentime is down, my aimless scrolling on IG and TikTok is practically zero, and I’m all caught up with my Substack reading. Mission accomplished.
Colouring > Screen Time. Late last year, I bought myself some colouring books and pens, but over Christmas, my husband bought me this mammoth set of the greatest felt-tip pens I have ever had the joy of using*. They feel like BUTTER. Totally unnecessary, but I have been truly giddy since. And I’ve surprised myself by how much I’ve used them. I often grab them once I’ve reached pretend-play capacity, and getting these out feels like a good, screen-free way to do my own version of something I enjoy. It also means that, nine times out of ten, my kid’s face is about 10 cm from the paper, blocking my light, but he says very cute things like ‘Mummy, that’s so good!!! You focused so well!!!’, so I’ll take it.
A pair of actually practical boots. During my session with Reva, she was shocked that I owned a grand total of zero practical boots. Converse? Sure. A singular pair of leather lace-up boots that essentially become my second skin during the months of December through to February? Yes. But waterproof boots that could handle the wettest winter day? Hmmm, I struggle with that. She sent over some recommendations, and I went on a hunt. In the end, I thought I’d try these: the Tretorn Garpa Hybrid Boots* (I think this place delivers worldwide). They reminded me of the lug-sole style KHAITE Fallon Boots*. I’ve worn them NON-STOP, which is always a good sign. You can afford to size down, and because of the sheer chunk of them, I find them easiest to style with a darker-wash pair of denim. But for damp mornings dashing out, or for muddy trips to the park, I’m amazed I didn’t buy these sooner.
Allow me to introduce you to the best bread ever. It’s the ‘Crafted Sourdough’ from M&S, which they make in their fresh bakery section - grab the one with seeds on. We’re lucky if it lasts longer than 24 hours in our house because all three of us are obsessed with it. Go early enough, and it’s WARM!!! That is all.
The best gift for tricky-to-buy-for people. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: my Everyman Membership, which a friend got me for my birthday, is one of the best things I’ve received. You get six cinema tickets to use in a year, and on Mondays you can bring a friend for free. Every time I go, I message her to say thanks. In January I’ve been twice! I barely go twice in a year, usually!! The only issue? The ludicrously comfortable sofas and extensive food and drinks menu that they deliver to your seat (!!!) make visiting every other cinema a sub-par experience.
Having a working-from-home uniform. Many wonderful things came from my hour spent with Reva, but one of the biggest takeaways was to rebrand this By Malene Birger Jacket (available now in tan, cream and black*), almost as a cardigan. The kind of thing you can just throw over your outfit when you’re at your desk or need an extra layer. As a jacket, it was getting no love, but as a cardigan? I’ve been reaching for it multiple times a week. My go-to is to wear it with my ARKET Boiled Wool Trousers (these are SO similar*) and a turtleneck*. It’s essentially become my daytime WFH dressing gown.
The jacket that will change your life. Once again, I am here to deliver my annual message that there are few things style-wise in life that you NEED, but if you do live in a four-seasons climate, then the UNIQLO Compact Puffertech Jacket* might be a good idea. It’s tiny. Like you could screw it up and put it in a jacket pocket if you really needed to. But the fact that it sits undetected, underneath thinner jackets, providing a toasty layer in the winter months and means that I get to wear outfits like this in January, is easily its biggest selling point. See it in action here.
A very satisfying wardrobe tool. Mid-month, I conducted a pretty epic wardrobe tidy and clearout (full post on it here). I thinned out my clothing stash significantly and also focused on giving my shoe collection some TLC. My shoes are the most efficient part of my wardrobe in that I don’t own many, and I wear them all a lot. So they needed a clean, buff and condition in most cases. If you own suede shoes, the best piece of kit you can own is a soft-bristled suede brush (mine is like this*). I now keep it close to my shoes so I can give them a quick brush on a more frequent basis, because it truly makes all the difference. And who doesn’t want their suede shoes to look brand new again!?
Thanks for being part of The Wardrobe Edit. If you like what you read, I’d truly appreciate it if you liked, shared, or left a comment - it makes all the difference.
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Loved your “shop your own wardrobe month” and would happily read it more often like every third month 🙏🏼♥️
If you think Nursem is good, try O’Keefe’s Working Hands cream; I find it sinks in so much better. I particularly like the Night Treatment version and not just for night time; it seems to me lighter but more intense and to leave a cleaner finish than the basic version. It’s stocked by Boots and often on offer.