Things I Want to Buy... Myself
Impractical indulgences to gift oneself
Hello again, friends. By now I would imagine you, much like I, have been inundated with gift guides promising to provide you with the solution to seemingly any gifting conundrum you might have encountered this holiday season. While I don’t feel that I have anything new to contribute to that specific conversation, I do love to celebrate the concept of gifting oneself some kind of holiday indulgence. An indulgence does not have to be expensive, nor does it even need to be material in substance, although, for me, it often is. Regardless, it should be something that one has been lusting after from afar for a long time, or something that one saw on a whim and immediately felt that it filled a (insert object here)-shaped hole in one’s heart.
My friends will often counter my wardrobe suggestions with a question of the practicality or the longevity of an item. Of course, one should buy things that one is confident enough to wear, and wear often, as well as stay within the bounds of what one can reasonably afford, but I actually encourage a lack of practicality when it comes to choosing wardrobe additions. This is fashion — it should be fun! If you love something so much it has taken over your waking thoughts and dreams, trust me, you will find a way to wear it, practicality be damned. The more you explore what it is you love and why you gravitate to those things, the more your additions will fit within your existing wardrobe, even if the pattern of the wardrobe is clear only to you. In that vein, today I am offering a list of indulgences that I would buy myself if not governed by pesky realities like a budget.
Embellished Hats
I like hats but typically gravitate toward standard beanies and not much else. I have been obsessed with this hat since The Row showed it this March. I love how it essentially functions as jewelry for your head and serves as an accent to their glorious wrapped coats and scarves. Perhaps this is an evolution of my brooch fixation from earlier this year. In the time it has taken me to write this letter, the hat has sadly sold out on ssense, so clearly I am not the only person who is willing to spend the amount of a monthly car payment on seasonal head jewelry. I actually don’t know if that’s the amount of a car payment, and now I’m wondering if the money I have saved by not having this fictitious car could then go to pay for this hat. Until it sells out altogether I will have to stare at it longingly while reminding myself that this is not a good use of my funds. (In case anyone likes the idea of literally arriving with bells on, this one from The Row actually jingles. Don’t think I didn’t also give this one serious consideration).
Fancy Bracelets
I used to stack all variety of bracelets, from my classic love bracelets to string friendship bracelets; I even wore multiple hair elastics as part of my wrist stack for years. Recently, however, I had pared back to four key bracelets and hadn’t acquired any new ones for some time. That all changed once I started going to jewelry appointments, however. I suddenly felt compelled to add to my stack again, but with more of a focus on novelty than recreating what I already have. I love how this sapphire bracelet feels like a gold bracelet in its warmth but the color is unique. In the spirit of indulgences that don’t require selling a kidney, Dorsey does a great version of colored lab grown stones at a more reasonable price. Despite that attempt to be reasonable, the real one that I have been waiting for is this stunner from Yvonne Leon. I love the whimsy of the snake design and the diamonds for the eyes along with the tongue as part of the clasp. So clever and fun! Plus, this one will fit right in with the rest of my bracelet stack while also bringing to it an entirely new element.
Jazz Shoes
I have been considering the evolution of the flat shoe as we moved into fall and winter. I like loafers but often find that they read too literally preppy given some of my other sartorial signatures, and the standard ballet flat feels too girly for me and reminds me too much of wearing Capezio shoes and a leotard for my comfort. I started to see jazz shoes (I’m using the term somewhat liberally here but generally referring to a flat shoe, either laceup or slip on, rendered in patent or leather) in various runway shoes and decided they might be the answer to my conundrum. I had been considering these from The Row and I still love these from Lemaire but I found myself in Paris and unexpectedly in Chanel where I spotted these beauties. I did my standard foreign country spending equation (in this case it’s Euro to Dollar minus VAT equals free), and brought them home with me. I love how they elevate even the most basic of denim while still feeling somewhat androgynous paired back to more classic tailoring or a sheer skirt.
Triangle Scarves
I have been gravitating back towards scarves over the past few months, perhaps due to the saturation of the sweater as scarf styling trick in the world at large at the moment. The scarves I have been feeling, however, are more triangle in shape (although of course one could create this look with a simple square scarf as well). These are somewhat of an indulgence as they do not necessarily serve to provide a powerful amount of warmth, but they do serve as an accent to a more basic outfit. The one that I bought seems to be sold out, but here is another one from The Row, one from Lemaire, and a few options from Toteme that serve the same purpose. For some reason this look makes me feel like a pioneer woman or a pilgrim but I really enjoy it as a contrast to some of the other more casual elements of my wardrobe.
Cardigan Jacket
This one isn’t necessarily an indulgence but I hardly need additional knitwear given that I have enough sweaters to last me until the next decade. However, I love the idea of this heavy cardigan to wear as a light jacket especially with shorts or a swimsuit underneath. (I guess that’s the indulgence, given the frequency with which I wear swimsuits while working in the office). I love the story behind the Old Stone Trade shop in general and this Cowichan cardigan in particular and actually think it would be extremely practical (!) in transitional climates and as a travel sweater. I also love that they are made to order so truly feel personal and unique while not contributing to the overproduction crisis afflicting much of fashion these days.
That’s all for me today. Wherever this letter finds you, I hope the holidays bring you peace and a chance to enjoy some indulgences, whatever they may be. Cheers.