This week’s installment of “Don’t Dillydally” is chock-full of stuff that’s sure to turn heads this summer when we get back to socializing as we used to — from eye-catching earrings to an olive oil that will match your East Fork dinner plates to limited-edition shoes from Vans, Blundstone, and Merrell. There are some great things for homebodies, too, including a cozy-looking patterned quilt designed by the founder of Jungalow for Target and, of all things, a Pride-themed version of our favorite firm mattress from Allswell (which should be plenty comfy for anyone you may share it with).
Studs
Studs, which has been called the Glossier of piercing studios, makes some of our favorite hypoallergenic — and just regular — earrings. The brand recently released the “Say It With Studs” collection, its first foray into words-as-earrings, which debuted with a splashy campaign featuring Teyana Taylor. The earrings feature words like drip, vibe, and baby, and can be paired to make phrases like fuck y’all and big mood. Thanks to their slightly flashy bubble lettering, we think they would make a statement whether you use some together or rock one word on its own.
Jungalow x Target
Justina Blakeney and her boho-chic aesthetic have found their way to Target. The collaborative collection features Blakeney’s signature graphic prints applied to pillows, shower curtains, sheets, and other bedding. This lightweight quilt in particular caught our eye — not just because quilts have become super-covetable décor of late but also because its price includes two matching shams.
Vans x Hedley & Bennett
On the footwear front, Hedley & Bennett has teamed with Vans on a collection of Sk8-His that riff on the sneaker brand’s sturdier-than-normal Made for the Makers collection. Up top, the shoes — which come in three neutral shades (white, gray, and a moody green called Black Forest) — appear pretty much identical to normal Vans. But when you look underneath, you’ll find ombré-rainbow lug soles that are meant to be grippier and provide more stability. That said, these aren’t traditional work shoes. So, unlike Hadley & Bennett’s popular aprons, they’re better worn outside a professional kitchen.
In-N-Out
For shoes that look like Vans but aren’t quite Vans, In-N-Out has released these slip-ons as part of a new line of merch featuring some of its iconic packaging. They’re covered with the design you’ll find on the West Coast burger chain’s cups.
Barbie x CHI
Malibu Barbie’s 50th-birthday celebration this year is continuing apace. This twist on CHI’s classic one-inch flat iron is among the latest merch to drop as part of the festivities. The iron has brightly colored beach balls, palm trees, rainbows, sun rays, and Barbie-style B’s peppered across its body. Its titanium plates have a maximum temperature of 450 degrees and promise a smoother straightening experience and faster heat transfer. Plus, the iron has dual voltage for international travel.
Pineapple Collaborative x East Fork
When former Strategist writer Nikita Richardson started to notice a rise in fancy vinegar brands, Pineapple Collaborative was among the first she encountered. Last August, its apple-cider vinegar was back-ordered, and we have a feeling this new olive oil released with ceramics brand East Fork might soon be, too. The extra-virgin oil is certified USDA organic and comes in a taro-colored tin to match East Fork’s pottery.
Adidas
Following in the tradition of companies that have designed period underwear that’s cute enough to wear on its own, Adidas is releasing activewear that promises “added protection” (via a leakproof membrane) but looks sleek enough to wear when you’re not flowing. In addition to these bike shorts, you can get periodproof leggings, both of which come in black. The activewear drops at 10 a.m. on June 17, so if you’re curious, we recommend setting a reminder to ensure you don’t miss out.
Merrell
In talking to campers and hikers of color, we’ve heard about a lot of efforts to make spending time in nature more inclusive. Merrell is attempting to do its part with the release of its new Outdoors for All collection, designed in collaboration with artist Latasha Dunston, which includes sneakers (for women and men) as well as graphic tees and totes. The company will donate 25 percent of proceeds from sales of the collection (up to $15,000) to Vibe Tribe Adventures, an organization that encourages Black people to explore the outdoors.
Made in Chinatown
Made in Chinatown, a grassroots initiative that supports Chinatown businesses, recently released a Pride collection created in collaboration with queer AAPI artists Harry Trinh and Vincent Chong. The merch includes a bucket hat and this “Welcome to Chinatown” T-shirt, which infuses queerness with traditional Chinese American aesthetics to make the point that queer people are not an invention of western ideologies. All of the proceeds from sales of the T-shirt will be donated to Q-Wave, an organization that seeks to strengthen the AAPI LGBTQ+ community.
Blundstone
Also in celebration of Pride, Blundstone has released the #2105 Rainbow boot: a limited-edition style that riffs on its iconic #500 boots but with a little extra flair in the form of multicolored webbing and subtle rainbow threading throughout. Because no two spools of thread used to make them are exactly alike, each pair is unique. Currently available for preorder, they’re expected to ship in three to five weeks — and some sizes are already selling out.
Allswell
Finally, in case you want to bring the Pride celebrations into your bedroom, Allswell has released a limited-edition version of its popular Luxe Hybrid mattress, which we’ve said is a remarkable value for the price and one of the best firm mattresses you can buy. It has all the spine-supporting trappings of the original but with a jaunty rainbow-colored logo where the white one usually is.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
