0 - WELCOME

Hello!

Welcome to this month’s newsletter. Before I start, I want to say thank you. I recently hit 20K followers on Instagram, and I wouldn’t have gotten there without your support. It’s been a wild ride — I started the year off with 2,504 followers (I have a screenshot from Jan 1), and here we are with 21K! Forever grateful to you all.

Later this month, I’ll be heading to Sicily for a wedding, followed by Toronto. I’m excited for my first trip back to Europe since COVID — can’t wait to stuff myself with pasta and seafood.

1 - FASHION

Sweater Weather

As temperatures dip, I like to invest in a few sweaters every season that can work with multiple outfits. After this recent Instagram post, a few friends asked if I could write something about knitwear, so here goes:

• My favourite knitwear brands are Toteme, Acne Studios, Lauren Manoogian, Lisa Yang and Everlane. To me, a good quality sweater should last many years. I also like to gravitate towards wool, cashmere, or alpaca

• Cashmere crewneck sweaters are a game changer. I have several from Everlane in classic colours (black, white, grey, beige) — I buy the men’s version because I prefer an oversized fit. In the winter, I wear Everlane sweaters 2-3x a week. They’re perfect for layering, tucking into pants, and pretty much everything

• Sweaters will pill — it’s inevitable! It’s not a sign of bad quality. I brush all of them regularly with a cashmere or wool brush. I use this Sweater Comb from The Laundress, as well as their Cashmere Brush

• If I get a bad stain (not often, surprisingly), I’ll take my knitwear to the dry cleaner. Other than that, I prefer washing all of them by hand at home. It’s easy and certainly the economical option. I alternate between Wool & Cashmere Shampoo from The Laundress, and Soak’s No-Rinse Laundry Soap

• I don’t hang any of my sweaters; they go in the dresser. Hanging them will stretch them out — we want to prolong their lives!

Here are some sweaters that are in my closet, as well as those on my dream wishlist:

Five Things I Bought

Here are some things I bought and loved last month.

2 - BEAUTY

Lip Balm

Lip balm is my absolute must have — without a tube, stick, or pot of something in hand, I always feel bare. I’ve tried so many lip balms from various brands and at different price points that I feel rather qualified to put forth my recommendations. Personally, I look for lip balm that is hydrating, not sticky, not too smelly, not too shiny, and doesn’t require constant re-application. I also prefer tube form if I’m on the go (because hygiene), but when I’m at home, I’ll make an exception for pots. Anyway, below are the ones I use regularly:

3 - DESIGN

Lamps

In an alternate life (or perhaps this one), I would be immersed in a design or fashion-related career. As you can probably tell, I love fashion, but I equally love interior design. I’ve actually been helping to design the interiors for two (different) friends, and it brings me such joy. Anyway, to my boyfriend’s chagrin, I’m always browsing for things to add or change (mostly add) to the apartment. I’ve had my eye on a few lamps, none of which will fit in our space (maybe?), but that won’t stop me from looking! Here is my lamp wishlist:

4 - OTHER

5 - PARTING NOTE

I’m spending the weekend indoors and catching up on TV. If you have any recommendations on what I should watch, let me know!

Until next month, friends.