My 36 Best Purchases of 2024
The créme de la créme.
It’s fun to look back on the year. I take my time and spread things out. We’ve talked about best books and reader favorites . . . today, we are going to chat about my personal best purchases! And if you’re curious, here’s last year’s post!
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Apparel
Madewell Sweater. This is a truly perfect sweater. It is cut like your favorite sweatshirt (slouchy, dropped shoulder). and super cozy. I have the red and grey and reach for them both constantly. Lucky for you, it’s on sale + an extra half off with code LASTCHANCE (runs TTS, I take a medium).
G Label Sweater. G Label, where have you been all of my life? This sweater is splurgy, but it’s perfect. (And I love this shade of green; kind of like if you took chartreuse and emerald and mixed them together). The extra-long sleeves are perfect for cuffing. I love it so much on colder days.
E.M. Reitz Boss Dog Shirt. Another splurge, but this is one of the best shirts in my closet. The fabric is heaven — very lightweight but substantial (it’s not sheer, and it isn’t delicate, but it has an airy quality to it?). It’s made from Sea Island cotton (the rarest cotton in the world) and silk. A perfect shirt. Plus, it supports a local business: Erin, the founder, local to Charleston, is a lovely human.
Toteme Embroidered Shirt. What’s that you say? If you love it, buy it in every color. I won’t be doing that, but I bought this in cream a couple of years ago and wore it on repeat. So I got the green as well, because duh, I love green.
Leset Margo Tee. This is my favorite t-shirt. I size up to a large. It’s got the perfect cut. I love that the shoulder flares out slightly. It’s just the right length, just the right weight . . . a truly perfect t-shirt.
Madewell Barrel Jeans. Confession: I love Madewell’s denim more than any of my more expensive denim. Jeans are something this brand just gets right. These barrel jeans are perfect for those of us who maybe feel a little hesitant about the trend. The darts really give them a nice shape. I size down in these.
La Ligne Colby Pants. I now own these pants in 3 colors (red cotton, steel & emerald silk). They rival The Row Gala Pant (a favorite purchase from 2024) with slouchy (but still flattering) styling and a thin elastic waistband. I love mine so much. True to size!
(not pictured) Doen Lace Bra. I can’t even talk about how good this bra is.
recommended it, and it’s more money than I’d usually spend on a bra but it’s perfect. It’s (to use Kerr’s words), “female-gaze sexy” and super comfortable, and it feels like nothing. The only underwire bra I want to wear.(not pictured) Lands End Fisherman Sweater. This oversized sweater is, in my opinion, one of the chicest things in my closet, and it’s under $100. It’s perfect with everything for a casual, comfy, nineties J.Crew model sort of vibe and it only gets better with every wear. I have the French pecan heather (on sale at the moment!), and once I put it on, I have a hard time taking it off. It layers perfectly over the Leset tee (#5), FYI! I wear the medium. It’s big but you want it big.
Beauty
Monastery LED Mask. (This was gifted, not purchased — thank you
.) I still love my Therabody LED mask from last year but have decided that one will live in LA, and this will be my everyday mask — it’s the first at-home LED mask to use deep light, which is pretty cool! It is expensive but I think it really works. I try to use it every day for ten minutes (I like to do it right after a shower - I throw on a robe, get back into bed, put this on with an audiobook or guided meditation, and chill for a little bit).Manucurist Active Glow. This was a best-seller for the year, so you loved it too! A flawless wash of sheer pink. Like Dior nail glow, but in my opinion, it's better!
Sarah Creal Concealer. This is one of the best concealers I’ve ever tried. It has excellent coverage, but thanks to some sort of sorcery (it’s developed with women over 40 in mind), it does not crease or settle into fine lines. Really great if you struggle with the lovely combination of dark circles and fine lines (me!).
Homecourt Cocomoi Body Wash. The whole Homecourt body line smells incredible. Woodsy/sexy fireplace. I was a little bit skeptical about buying body care products from the brand that makes my cleaning products (the Neroli Leaf surface cleaner is my favorite!), but they are really, really good.
SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic. OK OK I get it now, this is completely worth the hype. I use this every morning, and my skin has been noticeably brighter and evener. When I wrote this post about Vitamin C, I learned that vitamin C and vitamin E actually stimulate each other’s antioxidant power, and ferulic acid is famously an antioxidant booster that actually doubles C + E’s ability to fight free radicals. So I tried it and haven’t looked back.
Facial Cupping Set. This was the year I learned about facial cupping, and I am obsessed with it. So good for stimulating circulation and decreasing puffiness. Here is a great tutorial!
Dior Foundation Stick. It takes a lot to truly blow my mind, but this did exactly that. It’s the best foundation I’ve ever tried. It sinks in immediately, covers everything, and doesn’t look like makeup. I love it.
Theraplush Hand Cream. A wildly effective hand cream. I’ve always bemoaned at how “old” my hands look (I know, get a life), and using this at night before bed has made a massive difference. Bonus: the jar is refillable, and it looks pretty on your nightstand.
Jawline Mask. I have tried and liked tons of affordable jawline masks, but this one delivers wildly dramatic results, as if you’d had a lymphatic drainage massage. They are splurgy, so I only buy them when Bluemercury is having a sale.
Sarah Creal Mascara. A reader recommendation: this is the best tubing mascara I’ve ever tried. Sarah Creal, as a whole, is a best discovery of 2024. High quality products, created with 40+ women in mind. I like the eye cream and lipstick a lot as well, in addition to the concealer which we talked about above!
Rare Beauty Lip Oil. These lip oils are so nice. All day hydration, + more pigmented than most lip oils. Happy and Hope are my two favorite shades: easy neutral pinks that look good on everyone!
Accessories
Loeffler Randall Triana Sandals. These sandals are magical and so pretty. They make your legs look amazing, they’re really pretty, and they are the perfect heel height for me. I can stand/dance/walk in them all night.
Bombas Frill Socks. Socks have now become second nature but it took a while (linking Carly’s Socks School below). These are my favorite and most reached-for pair. Cute with everything!
Erede Delta Studs. These were a splurge, but they were such a good one. I really love them. Super special. They are big and make a statement but aren’t so fancy that you can’t wear them with jeans and a tee.
Metier Calla Tote. Last year, it was the Metier Market bag. This year (influenced by
) I bought the Calla and I really really love it. This has been my go-to personal item when traveling. I feel really pulled together and chic when I carry it.Le Monde Beryl Ballet Flats. This brand has become a favorite for shoes, and the good thing is that they seemingly have a lot of sales. I started with a slime green satin pair (mostly sold out, but available in a few sizes here), but these black Mary-Janes are what I reach for most. (I’m eyeing these satin Mary-Janes next).
Juju Vera Shell Necklace. This was one of those pieces I spotted and had to have. I love the shell, I love the longer length, I reach for it constantly.
Madewell Crossbody Bag. I bought the chocolate suede and love it so much. It reminds me a LOT of my Khaite Augustina bag (I have that in the hazelnut). A perfect “holds everything, wear it everywhere” sort of bag. I love the new woven leather options!
Anything Sherman Field. I know, I know — so splurgy, but it’s all so perfect. I feel like my jewelry is down to a system with these pieces. Everything mixes and matches. The tassels come off of the hoops and go onto the chain. I buy 1-2 new pieces a year and find that each piece mixes and matches ten new ways.
Etc. Food/Home/Entertaining
Elder Statesman Cashmere Blanket. The softest, most luxurious cashmere blanket I’ve ever snuggled up in. I found mine on The RealReal (brand new, for 1/5 the price!). This is why we do saved searches!
Ghia Strawberry Orange Blossom Le Fizz. I love this drink so much. Sometimes I drink it chilled over ice; other times, I add a little seltzer. It’s just delicious. I always try to have a bottle on hand when entertaining; more and more of my friends drink less, and it’s nice to have options.
Aerin Jewelry Box. I wanted a home for my most special jewelry pieces and had been thinking about this jewelry box for a while. I can’t get over how beautiful it is. The perfect shade of green and just the right amount of space.
Kroma Chicken Broth. This is just delicious. I go through a LOT. It is the best-tasting bone broth I’ve tried, and it has 12 grams of protein in each serving. I am a little obsessed. I travel with the packets and also keep some in LA. Whenever I am craving a saltier snack, I reach for this first. I can’t stress how good it is. Miso-y, just YUM. GRACE15 should work!
Zara Vase. My friend Lily (founder of Flowershop, my favorite place) turned me onto Zara for vases. Of course, the bud vase featured above has sold out, but they make beautiful vases at great prices. Everything holds up well in the dishwasher, too, which is important to me!
West Elm Gold Flatware. Like jewelry for the table. They make any of my tablescapes so much prettier. I sound fanatical, but the spoons! They are so beautiful and sculptural.
Fiesta Size Anchovies. This was the year I got really into all things tinned fish and started to love (like, really LOVE!) anchovies (I thought they were gross for years. It's funny how our taste buds change). These are so delicious, and this giant container of anchovies is the perfect party treat and/or hostess gift.
Gold Pepper Mill. I splurged on pretty salt and pepper grinders and love them so much. They look great on every table and just make me really happy!
There we go! I’d love to hear about your favorite purchases, too, if you feel like sharing.
Is it weird to say that is the sexiest silverware I’ve ever seen? Because that is the sexiest silverware I’ve ever seen.
Are you hand washing it? I’ve wanted gold silverware for ages but the reviews are always awful regarding rust
These are so good! Love your style and recommendations!