shit i bought and liked no. 62: 2021 wrapped
My sweet Shitters,
As 2021 comes to a close, we once again find ourselves in the stretch of structureless time between Christmas and New Years. I usually spend this week vegetating in front of the TV, consuming an alarming number of cookies, and, of course, reflecting on the past year. That last one is what led me to write this (yes this is my version of reflection, leave me alone). These are the eight best things I bought this year—Shit I Bought and Liked MVPs, if you will. Some you’ve heard me talk about before, a couple are brand new. Either way, hope you enjoy:
APL Techloom Wave Sneakers: There are 365 days in a year and I estimate I’ve owned these for about 275 of those days. Of those 275 days, these have been on my feet for at least 200 (mostly because I spent the summer barefoot or in EVA Birkenstocks). These are my wear anywhere without fail shoes. To exercise, to run errands, to take out the trash, to walk around the neighborhood, to travel—they’re slip-ons that you don’t need to lace up, work with or without socks, match with everything (if you’re doing white on white), and look good on everyone. They’re snug, comfy, and MACHINE WASHABLE, so if you know your way around detergent, they’ll stay the same pristine white color throughout their lifetime. Crossing the $200 mark for sneakers is objectively absurd IMO, but (for once) the cost per wear math is on my side!!! I’m ride or die for APL and there are plenty of other styles that are less expensive than this one with all the same pros. I didn’t go into this thinking they’d be my best buy of the whole year, but in terms of use there’s simply no competition.
Dagne Dover Crossbody: I love bags. I think they’re fun and beautiful and a good splurge if you so choose, but at times I really do hate carrying them. They make it tough to move freely, and there are some outfits that I genuinely feel stupid pairing with a bag despite having shit to carry (think athleisure on a walk). Enter the crossbody fanny pack trend. This isn’t particularly new news—Lululemon crossbodys are on every street corner in NYC—but this one by Dagne Dover has come with me everywhere since I got it this summer. It has a couple separate pockets in addition to the main compartment which is great for staying organized, and it keeps me hands-free during errands/walks. Just please, whatever you do, do not wear around your waist.
Richer Poorer Core Recycled Fleece Pack: I know sweat sets are soooo 2020, but I got so much bang for my buck out of this buy in black that I had to share. The sweatshirt is a great basic to wear with leggings or jeans (I pair with these white Everlane pants constantly). The sweatpants are perfect for lounging or workouts (I’m a big time convert to exercising in sweats). And obviously they look great together as a set. The price is solid, the fit is roomy without being too baggy, and the length is PERFECT on people in the 5’3-5’6 range. All around, it’s a real wardrobe MVP and is available in men’s and women’s sizing.
PCA Vitamin C: My skincare approach took a 180 in the past year for the (much) better. Instead of trying to clear up my skin with 800 different “hero” products from different lines recommended by any esthetician, influencer, or friend who came my way, I found a derm who listened to me and my concerns and stuck to the VERY basic AM/PM routine she gave me. SEVEN months in to my new routine (once my skin finally stopped breaking out), she had me add this Vitamin C to the mix daily in the AM followed by SPF. It’s helped even out my skin tone, fade dark spots, and up the overall glow factor so much that even my dad noticed. I have one more product that I’ve since added into the rotation and am loooooving (coming soon to this newsletter after I use for a little longer) but re: skincare, if you’re looking for advice, I’ll just say this: my face and wallet have never been happier keeping extreme consistency to a streamlined routine.
Gap PJs: After a year-plus of shopping exclusively online, these PJs made me remember the joys of in-person shopping—namely the unexpected finds. I’ve said it before, but they are a perfect Eberjey dupe—the same supersoft, cozy fabric, the same color/design, and the best part: they hold up after months of repeat wears. Well not the very best part—that would be the price. Give them as a gift, buy a pair for yourself—Gap is pretty much always running a sale online this time of year, so now is the time.
Alo Wellness Bra: Who knew there were comfortable sports bras out there!!!! If you get shoulder/trap/neck aches easily, these are a godsend. They’re made for exercise, but they’re comfortable enough to wear all day running errands and such (perfect if you, like me, put on the outfit to inspire yourself to work out at some point in the day…). I’m on a gradual wave of upgrading old sports bras, and have since swapped in three of these—they are that good.
Vuori Joggers: These are usually the first pants I reach for after laundry day, athletic, sweat, or otherwise. For me, they sit at the happy medium of a sweatpant and a legging—workout-friendly, lounge-friendly, and a bit more outside-friendly than both. The material is moisture wicking, it has a drawstring waist that feels a bit less constricting than leggings, the material doesn’t pill, AND there’s a men’s version (my boyfriend borrowed a pair from a friend to do yoga and now vouches wholeheartedly). I spent all of 2020 dodging their IG ads, but I saw them on my friend Dana in early 2021 and it was game over. I have the charcoal, but I’m considering adding a heather gray into the mix to kick off 2022.
Steve Madden Boots: This list wouldn’t be complete without THE BOOTS. If you remember my original (1600+ word) writeup of these, you know I had a laundry list of criteria going into my search for the perfect black boots. This met every. single. one. You can wear them with or without the straps (I thought I’d be wearing them exclusively sans strap, but they’re a very fun addition to simple outfits), and they hold up in crowds, inclement weather, AND in overstuffed suitcases (tested extensively over the past few months by yours truly). They also come in a few different colors/patent, if those are more your speed. Big shoutout to my friend and loyal shitter Nikki for discovering them.
That’s it for this year’s Shit I Bought and Liked Wrapped. In all seriousness, 2021 was objectively not a good year, but it somehow ended up being one of my very best ones. Thank you all for all the love and support for this newsletter, for WADpod, and for me! It’s wild, but I really feel like this newsletter is what helped me do all of this for real full-time, and for that I will be forever grateful.
There is sooo much more exciting stuff coming next year (and hopefully for a long time after that!), and I can’t wait to share it with you all. In the meantime, I hope you all keep telling me about the gifts you’ve bought, shit you’ve found, and things you love just as much as I do. The requests, suggestions, and commentary keep me going, and hearing from you always makes my day. Here’s to another year of sweet shit!
xoxo,
Priyanka