If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what famous people add to their carts. Not the JAR brooch or the Louis XV chair, but the ground coffee and the noise machine. We asked Kim France, Lucky founding editor, Girl of a Certain Age–helmer, and writer, which items she can’t live without.
I’ve got two dogs, and I don’t get to make too many aesthetic choices on their behalf, so I really try to make them count. The search for attractive dog bowls has been epic, especially since I require very solid ones, as my Schnoodle, Sammy, has a habit of knocking the water bowl over as a way of signaling to me that he is hungry — and since hunger is pretty much his default state, this can get messy. These ceramic bowls from Orvis are fantastic — extraordinarily sturdy, and attractive enough for human consumption as well.
My underwear drawer is the most boring place in the world, because all I have are dozens of pairs of the same thing: On Gossamer’s Mesh Bikinis. It is so far and away the perfect underwear that I have a hard time understanding why anybody wears anything else: It’s super-light, highly breathable, and — most importantly — hugely VPL-resistant. Seriously, it’s as VPL-resistant as a thong, but without the annoyingness of a thong.
I’m a little obsessed with Pendelton’s National Park series — really, it’s a must for any fan of stripes — and the dish towels are not only a good buy, they’re very well-made, too. If dish towels aren’t your thing, in addition to their blankets, they make everything from dog beds to travel mugs to tote bags emblazoned with the colors of your favorite national park too.
Unfortunately these are sold out, but here is another nice plaid option.
When you travel in Colombia, you see black La Chamba cookware everywhere. It’s been made in the same Colombian village for 700 years, is microwave-safe and lead-free, and so damn elegant too. I kicked myself for not shlepping any home, but this turned out not to be a problem: Amazon is crawling with it.
The first time I had Ottogi Honey Citron Tea was at the Jin Soon nail salon, and it was so delicious — so honey-ish and citrus-y! — I thought it must be some secret Korean recipe handed down from generation to generation. Turns out it’s not tea at all — just a ton of honey and orange zest — and it comes from a jar. As soon as I start feeling like I’m coming down with a cold, I mainline this stuff, and it doesn’t make everything better, but it definitely helps.
There are people who spend all their money on clothes, and those who choose to do so on items for the home, and I definitely fall into the former camp. But occasionally I find something that just completely delights me — like this floral Missoni bath mat — and I go for it. It’s so cute, like a little area rug for the bathroom, and nicely plush.
I was not blessed with good hair in this life, but if I spray enough of this Davines All-in-One Milk on before I blow-dry, I can just about approximate it.
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