I recently introduced myself in a course thread for other Substack writers as a person who writes about “Enjoying nice things while being human in public,” and I think it’s going to stick as a general mission statement for this publication. Whether thrifted or brand new, I think it’s perfectly acceptable—necessary, even, sometimes—to thoughtfully invest in quality pieces that make us feel good.
And so, in this spirit, welcome to the first edition of…
S H O P 〰 a series about the nice (thrifted and brand new) things I buy + love.
The series will come out periodically. (Sometimes I buy lots of things, other times I buy less things and will write accordingly.) I am nowhere near organized enough to use affiliate links, but if I ever somehow turn over a new leaf, I’ll make sure to label them as such.
Each of the posts in this series will include the following:
Pictures and links to both brand new and preloved options.
My reasons for buying and loving each thing.
Search terms in case my linked items aren’t just what you’re looking for. I wholeheartedly believe that my talent for curation is made up of one part good taste and one part search engine magic; this is my way of sharing the love.
Today in the first issue, I’m sharing with you a few purchases I’ve made for the transition into the cooler months of fall.
Quick Links: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
The Ordinary Moisturizing Factors + HA (Hyaluronic Acid). It took me 20 years and the assistance of my skincare hero Charlotte Parler to realize that my breakout-prone skin was both hormonal and actually dry rather than oily. This was a second-time purchase from Sephora after I tried out the smaller size. It is creamy and soothing but not at all oily, and hyaluronic acid has been a total game-changer for my skin. I haven’t had a breakout in months, friends.
Search terms: hyaluronic acid moisturizer, moisturizer with HA, the Ordinary HA moisturizer
(Side note: I have a whole lot to say about skin- and hair-care as a mixed race human… Is this something you’d like me to talk more about? If so, let me know 👇🏼)
La Roche Posay Cicaplast Levres Lip Balm. There are some things I won’t hesitate to pay up for, and a good lip balm is one of them. As soon as the temperature starts to dip overnight, I wake up with dry lips. My fruitless quest to find the perfect lip oil dupe has also given me an annoying recurring dry patch on my upper lip which wasn’t healed until I discovered this French pharmacy brand balm. It is colourless and not at all sticky. I wear it under lipstick and reapply as needed throughout the day.
Search terms: French pharmacy lip balm, nourishing lip balm, hydrating lip balm
Vans Slip-On Checkerboard Skate Shoe in French Oak. I reluctantly bought my Vans brand new and not thrifted but not for a lack of trying, okay!? Before finally stumbling upon these at an outlet mall in Oregon, I unsuccessfully scoured every thrift store in the Pacific Northwest for my desired size and colour. (Of course, when I sat down to add links to this post, the unicorn pair popped up on Poshmark instantly 🤦🏽♀️.) I’ve already worn mine several times this school year with dresses and trousers, and I’m obsessed. They’re the perfect low-profile silhouette and shade for my plus-sized feet.
Search terms: Checkered Vans slip-ons, slip-on checkerboard sneakers, neutral checkerboard Vans
TNA Coaches Long Coat. Also brand new, this coat was a purchase from the Aritzia Warehouse Sale in Vancouver in early September. I’d be lying if I didn’t say my super-stylish shopping bestie didn’t heavily peer pressure me into buying this, but I’m glad she did. Our first field trip of the school year was this week, and naturally coincided with a dip in temperature and a downpour which gave me the perfect opportunity to bust it out for the first time. The long version is sold out in store and online, so I’ve linked the shorter style. Read the measurements carefully because the sizing is slightly different than the norm. Mine is a Size 3 Oversized (I’m usually an XL / 14).
Search terms: Coaches coat, shell coach jacket, coaches long coat, puffer coach style jacket
Aria Grey Marble Blowdry Brush. I am visual-spatially challenged. Parallel parking, eyeballing measurements, and round brush blowdrying my hair in the mirror are impossible for me. The invention of the round brush dryer has been an amazing solution to the latter problem. (My future self-driving car will hopefully help with the former.) This Aria version of the blowdry brush was recommended by a friend’s stylist as a safe no-breakage tool. She bought it for herself, but didn’t like it for her ultra-long mane, so gifted it to me. (Don’t I have the best friends!?) Three settings, long cord, and boar bristles achieve a smooth bouncy round-brush blowout without the upper body stress. Love love love. This one falls into the
will have to pry out of my cold dead handsessentials category of beauty tools.Search terms: Round blow dry brush, heated dryer brush, round boar bristle dryer, thermal air dryer brush
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Lip + Cheek Cream Blush Stick in Petal. It feels like I’m cheating on NARS by even typing this. I’ve worn Dolce Vita and Orgasm for actual decades. But as the season changes, I wanted the same glowy cheeks but with deeper pigment and less shimmer. Westman Atelier is the very best option I’ve found so far.
Search terms: Rose pink blush stick, cool pink cream blush, deep pink multi-stick
🔗 New | 🔗 Preloved (new in box with two other recommended products)
Zara Teddy Shearling Shacket. Okay, so we rewatched Only Murders in the Building in the summer and my fall fashion choices are heavily Mabel-inspired (albeit more muted in colour). You all know how I feel about trends, so when I saw this Zara shacket at Value Village, I jumped on it even if the ‘teddy’ style was at its hottest a couple seasons ago.
Search terms: