This roundup of things we liked this week originally appeared in the September 28, 2023, edition of the Secret Strategist newsletter, a weekly email where we share the stuff our staff — plus a rotating cast of writers, design-world people, and various others with very good taste — would otherwise keep to themselves. If you want to get our picks straight to your inbox each week, sign up here.
A real smattering this week — an out-of-our-budget-but-nice-to-dream-about daybed, simple candles, and some pink sweaters.
This Week’s List
* Our editor Simone Kitchens spotted these great half-heighted Wayfarers on stylist Karolyn Pho’s Instagram. She reached out to Pho to ask about them and found out they are made by Benjamin Edgar, they are only $120, and they were modeled on the ones worn by Colin Firth in A Single Man. She ordered them and loves them. (And she thought it was very cool that they came shrink-wrapped!) A note: They are only orderable on a phone. Per Edgar on the decision not to make them available to order on a desktop computer: “The project leans more ‘art.’” So anyway, order them on your phone!
* We just spotted former Strategist writer Jordan Bowman in a nice pink overshirt. “A.P.C.,” he told us. “I got it on sale last year!” It’s still on sale here. For a more expensive pink item that would also look great on a man (or anyone), this sweater by new cool-sweater-brand Camiel Fortgens.
* These simple beeswax pillar candles from Newburgh candlemaker Alysia Mazzella are lovely.
* If you happen to be really rich, or just want to window shop, visit the site of London design duo And Objects. If money were no object, we’d probably purchase this stripey glass wall sconce, this cool chair, and this green daybed.
* Another website with some of the prettiest things we’ve ever seen — but mainly, look at these floaty CORD COVERS! See them here on a kettle.
* Our writer Lauren Ro interviewed none other than Sofia Coppola about her favorite items. Her preferred cobalt-blue bags are pretty great.
* And these T-strap moccasins (specifically in pineapple yellow) are really sweet for just-starting-to-walk babies.
Check These Out Too
We reached out to Emi Moore, of the good online antique shop Casa Shop, about her favorite things at the moment.
* “Hopp ballet shoes. I have these in buttermilk but want to get them in every color. Note they run small — size up.”
* “Shane Gabier Ceramics. I have the Profile bookends in pink on my living room bookshelves.”
* “May Lindstrom the Blue Cocoon. The only steady item in my ever-evolving skin-care routine.” [Simone is also, incidentally, obsessed with this stuff.]
* “Joha wool baby clothes. I bought a cardigan and thermal wool joggers (for my daughter) last year and plan to buy them again in a bigger size. They were on constant rotation during colder months.”
* Still Here New York Cool jeans are on my wish list.”
* “I’m planning to re-up on the cotton bikini from Only Hearts. Simple and soft — I love them.”
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
