If you follow our monthly feature “Your Shopping Cart,” you know we have some eerily good intel on what you all are buying, which led us to think that, as Strategist editors, we could turn the tables and highlight all the things we’ve been buying for ourselves. As you’ll notice, it’s both a blessing and a curse to be a Strategist editor; we’re picky, but sometimes we just have to get on with it. (It’s online-shopping expertise meets IRL needs.) Below, what we bought in May.
Amelia Jerden, sleep writer
These were my go-to shoes from approximately 2017 to 2022. At some point, my last pair got too ratty, and I tossed them without replacing them. Since then, I’ve felt a major lack in my closet. I’ve looked at other options, but nothing has ever appealed to me quite like my simple white Supergas. With summer approaching (the ultimate white-sneaker season), I decided it was finally time to reintroduce white Supergas into my life — and I pulled the trigger when I found them on sale at Zappos.
Clearly, I’m updating my summer wardrobe. I’ve wanted some kind of loose, flowy white button-down to wear over tank tops and dresses for a few years and finally decided to get this one from Quince. I’ve worn it only once since I bought it, but I really like the look and feel of the linen so far. If I bought it again, though, I might size up for a slightly oversize look.
Ailbhe Malone, senior editor
I bought this quenching sunscreen serum recommended by my facialist. It feels like water going on and never pills (even when I forget to wash my face at night).
My book club is reading this, and it’s making me both very hungry and very concerned that I don’t call my mum enough.
Arielle Avila, writer
My current apartment doesn’t have central AC as my former one did, so a window unit was at the top of my list this month. I ended up getting Windmill’s because it looks sleeker than most and I wanted the ability to control it from my phone. It was a breeze to set up on the app, and I’ve been able to switch it off on cooler days or turn it on for my dog if I panic about her being hot at home while I’m out. I’ve left it on throughout most nights this month, and it keeps my railroad-style apartment extremely cold (a must for a sweaty sleeper).
After some trial and error, I finally got my hands on Adidas Spezials in my correct size (apparently, am not alone in finding sizing to be an issue — when I stopped at the Adidas store, there were at least three other people there just to find their proper size). So you don’t have to trek to your nearest store, I advise you to go down an entire size. All that trouble did seem worth it, though, because these were comfortable out of the box, and I’ve already gotten a couple of compliments on them.
Jordan McMahon, writer
I’ve been using the same power bank for several years, but this one has a built-in AC plug that enticed me to upgrade. Now I don’t need to carry a separate power brick with me on trips. This lets me charge my gadgets while it charges itself, and it has enough power to charge my phone twice.
Emma Wartzman, kitchen-and-dining writer
I was in Paris at the beginning of the month and spent a good couple of hours wandering around Merci, which I had originally heard about from people recommending its gorgeous glassware to me. That place is huge and lovely. And while it would have been a logistical nightmare to take home a full set of glassware, I opted for some heartier treasures, including a throw pillow (yes, I put a throw pillow in an extra tote bag I brought and managed to get it on the plane) and two of these less breakable glass bubble candleholders. They’re sitting on my dining-room table now, and I love them so much because of their slight mismatch and the way the light shines through them.
Editor’s note: Merci lists all prices in euros, so the price shown is an approximate conversion to U.S. dollars.
I’m pretty dedicated to Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen, mostly because I love how it acts as a makeup primer — but it’s very pricey. I decided it would be smart to add a couple of others to the mix for days when I’m not painting my face: a big tube of La Roche–Posay that can also be used on my body and this one from Beauty of Joseon because I keep hearing about how great Korean sunscreens are (this video has been living rent free in my head for months) and I’ve never tried them. TBD on both, but I’m optimistic.
Hilary Reid, senior editor
I was on the hunt for some new bedside lamps this month, and after scrolling through what felt like infinite pages of minimalist beige stone lamps, I landed on these, which are quite the opposite. I remembered them from my house growing up, and lo and behold, there were tons of them still on eBay, and at not-too-bad prices. The ones I ordered didn’t come with shades, so I found some very elegant bell-shaped ones at Broome Lampshades that look as though they were meant for these lamps.
A few years ago, I interviewed Nicky Hilton for our “What I Can’t Live Without” series. She had just done a collaboration with French Sole — a tiny shoe store on the Upper East Side that sells mostly flats that come in leopard-print shoeboxes — and after the piece ran, Hilton’s publicist sent me a pair of black flats from the collaboration as a thank-you gift. Little did I know that those flats would become one of my most-worn pairs of shoes ever and that I would clock nine miles of walking around the city in them more than once. I still have the black pair but was ready for some fresh ones. After debating getting them in white or beige, I saw the red and it was an immediate yes.
Ambar Pardilla, writer
I’ve wanted to own a Puppets and Puppets purse for a long time now. They’re just so silly with their banana-shaped handles and jeweled chocolate-chip cookies. I used the excuse of turning 28 to get one — on sale, of course. This may be the prettiest bag Puppets and Puppets makes, down to the moiré lining that looks like wood grain.
I’m not into the oval-shaped sunglasses — sorry! I like a cat-eye instead. These from Bottega Veneta were 60 percent off at Shopbop and rightfully sold out quickly. I haven’t ever been asked so much about a pair of sunglasses (including getting compliments on them at a Rolling Stones concert).
Tembe Denton-Hurst, writer
I’m the steward of our “Best Gifts for Bookworms (That Aren’t Books)” article, which turned me into a book-light person. I never thought much about them before, but now I can’t read without one. I originally purchased the one mentioned in the story and loved it so much that when I inevitably lost the charger, I purchased it again. The amber light was inoffensive, and the three light settings allowed me to adjust the brightness as needed. But it wasn’t without its drawbacks: You press it to turn it on, which means it can light up in your bag accidentally and stay on for hours on end. Noticing this, my fiancé bought me a different book light, which has a button to turn it on and off. What’s more, it has three light options: a balanced white, an amber, and a blue. I thought I would want to read only by the warm amber light, but now I’m partial to even the white lighting — so much so that when I lost my book light on a recent trip to Mexico City, the book light my fiancé bought me was the first thing I got when I came back despite having my backup Hooga lights on hand.
Kiki Aranita, senior editor
I restocked my supply of Mopiko in time for mosquito season. I usually pick up half a dozen tubes when I go home to Hong Kong, but I ran through my supply early this year. Mopiko is the perfect antidote to itching from bug bites and allergy shots (which make my arms swell). It has menthol and camphor in it so it cools bites immediately, and I love the smell.
I’ve been using this Aleppo soap (which is actually made in Turkey according to traditional Syrian methods) for the past couple of weeks as a shampoo, body soap, and face wash. It makes a satiny lather, smells like fresh mud (as in a mud mask — it’s heaven), and is significantly harder than other soaps, olive oil or otherwise, so I don’t feel as though it’ll dissolve into a puddle of mush in the shower. It leaves my skin feeling clean but not dry, and I’m shocked at how well it works on my very thick, usually unmanageable wavy hair.
Winnie Yang, senior editor
This was a replacement for the one I’d had since 2018 that somehow got lost in our recent move. I cook a batch of beans once a week (I basically have to as a Bean Club subscriber or beans would take over our pantry), and nothing, not even a Dutch oven, produces a better textured or better flavored bean than this clay pot. I don’t know how, but even when I forget about my beans on the stove, they never end up overcooked with this pot.
As part of a multipronged effort to delay getting a smartwatch and smartphone for our older child, we’re putting in a landline.
Kathy Li, social-media editor
I’ve never been a Mary Janes person, but these jumped out at me when I was shopping at Primark the other week (do not sleep on its bra selection). The shoes are from, randomly enough, a collaboration with Rita Ora and are most likely inspired by (though not a direct rip-off of) these $890 Alaïa flats. The Primark version has a more conventional shape, but I like that it has the black mesh underneath the fishnet part so you’re not really seeing the wearer’s feet, and it makes them a bit more practical for walking around because you’re not splashing mystery sidewalk goo on your toes. They’re not orthopedic by any means, but they’re a lot more comfortable than they look. I’ve worn them to work and on plenty of errands and they’ve held up surprisingly well.
Bella Druckman, junior writer
I graduated college early this year and started here at the Strategist as a junior writer soon after, but my college’s official graduation ceremony was this May. As part of the festivities, I joined my mom and aunt on a trip to France during which I consumed wine of almost every color (sorry, orange!). Knowing I would want to bring a few bottles home with me, I ordered these wine bags ahead of my trip after hearing about them from one of my colleagues. The set comes with four wine-bottle-shaped Bubble Wrap bags and four PVC bags with Velcro and a zip lock. Thanks to them, my souvenir bottles made it back safe and sound.
I recently moved into a new apartment and am in the midst of decorating. While it was difficult to choose just one item that I’m excited about, this peach-themed shower curtain felt too adorable not to share. I’m also tempted by the matching bath mat but will probably opt for something a bit more simple like the Brooklinen bath mat.
Sam Daly, deals editor
Last month, I went back home to the Bay Area to visit my mom for both Mother’s Day and her birthday. We spent one day roaming around Solano Avenue in Albany and naturally found ourselves at one of our favorite nurseries, Flowerland. Its gift shop is filled with fun things, and I just had to buy this seaweed-print postcard for myself because I really miss living by the beach.
There are so many great local roasters in the Bay Area. I bought this bag from Highwire’s coffee trailer at Flowerland to bring back home, and wish I had bought two! It makes the most delicious batch of cold brew.
Rachael Griffiths, writer
I’ve had a year longer than my American colleagues to prepare for the Eras tour, but I’ve only just tracked down my outfit. As soon as I got my ticket, I knew I wanted to go dressed in the Folklore-era theme, but I didn’t want something so heavy that it would be a nuisance to queue in during the sweaty British heat waves. This dress from Free People is perfect: flowy and light, a maxi length, and a very outdoorsy-appropriate green. Now I just need to work on accepting how many Folklore songs have been cut from the set list.
I’ve cycled through a dozen primers since I first tried this one as a tween, yet it’s still my firm favorite. It does exactly what it says on the tin — creates a smooth veil that blurs your pores — and doesn’t feel too sticky or too dry. In summer, I like to partner it with my Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter for a fail-safe no-makeup makeup look.
Liza Corsillo, senior writer
Last Friday was hot, and by late afternoon I found myself walking down Seventh Avenue in Park Slope in search of some ice cream. But before I found the cone of my dreams, I wandered into Good Footing, a familiar neighborhood favorite that sells all the best orthopedic shoes. I was in search of a break from the heat and a pair of toddlers’ sandals. I left with this pair of suede Birkenstock Arizonas that I have been wearing nonstop since.
A while back, I bought a set of all-natural beeswax crayons for my son and was disappointed to find that they don’t transfer pigment very well unless you push really hard. And since they smell good and don’t work for him, he only wants to eat them. But we’d had success with small nubs of sidewalk chalk that other kids had discarded so I decided to get him a set. I also let him use it in our apartment, and now everything has chalky hash marks all over it. I don’t mind, though, as they wipe clean with a wet sponge.
Lauren Ro, writer
Rachel Khong made such a convincing case for the Brick in her “What I Can’t Live Without” that my husband ordered two of them immediately after reading it. Now that I’ve tried it myself, I want to tell everybody about it too. It’s well designed, easy to use, and, most of all, effective. My phone usage went down 20 percent the first week I got it, and all I did was block Instagram, Twitter, and the New York Times Games app from my phone! Before the Brick, I would compulsively reach for my phone and automatically open Twitter or Instagram. Now, just knowing my phone is “Bricked” does something to my brain where I don’t even go looking for those apps anymore. This past weekend, I Bricked my phone for over 34 hours and never felt social media FOMO. I’m not always that disciplined. I’ll probably un-Brick my phone later today and go on a bender, but once I’ve had my fill, all I gotta do is tap my phone on the little tile and get on with my life.
My younger son, Solomon, turned two this month and I went a little overboard with presents, even though between him and his older brother, Augie, there’s absolutely nothing he lacks in the toy department. But I couldn’t resist the open-play and grow-with-you goodies from Sarah’s Silks. I also realized we didn’t own any dress-up costumes, so I got this knight set, a (now sold out) shield, and another cape for his older brother, plus other accessories, during a recent sale. The boys love thwacking the foamy sword against the soft shield and pretending they’re slaying dragons.
Kitty Guo, writer
While strolling through the Lower East Side a couple of weeks ago, I stopped into the bookstore–slash–pickle purveyor Sweet Pickle Books. Though I didn’t leave with any pickles (next time!), I did walk out with a secondhand copy of this Rizzoli book documenting rooftop gardens in New York. I’m not normally a coffee-table-book collector, but I found myself utterly entranced by the lush photographs of hidden oases bursting with hydrangeas and Japanese maples, all perched precariously above pedestrians and yellow taxicabs.
I also paid a visit to fine-jewelry brand Bernard James’ new Greenpoint location and, buoyed by the lovely spring weather, went ahead and got a single white lily installed in my left lobe. I absolutely fell in love with the brand’s Flora collection. Inspired by the blooms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the collection also includes delightfully detailed sunflower, hellebore, rose, petunia, and daisy charms.
Jeremy Rellosa, writer
I have been on a yearslong quest to find a product that can tame my thick, straight hair without leaving a gunky, sticky feeling behind. That’s normally the trade-off: The higher the hold, the less smooth my hair feels. This month, I’ve been using Highland’s glacial cream, which, so far, is the best product I’ve found for keeping my hair in place while leaving an actually smooth finish. It’s on the lighter side, so I end up using more than I would of a typical paste or pomade, but after I apply it, my hair feels as if I’ve just rubbed in a leave-in conditioner. I like that I can run my hands through my hair without getting them caught in a sticky mess.
I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve spent years looking for this mug online, and this month I finally found one. I’m a Conan fanatic, and I’ve always wanted a mug from his late-night show (my favorite of his). I think his recent appearance on Hot Ones and the new show on Max recently put him back in the national consciousness, which is when I started seeing more of his old merch appear online. I can’t prove it, but I’m convinced coffee tastes better from this mug.
Kelsie Schrader, managing editor
I’m seeing more and more people wearing these for day-to-day life right now, and I understand why: They are so cushioned. I got them for running, but I think I prefer them for walking. The brand has always said its shoes are like walking on clouds, but these shoes are probably the first time that has felt deeply true for me. They do kind of look like monster shoes, but I like them (and especially enjoy the speckled shoelaces).
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.
