Critically Curated: Best Buys of 2024

The perfect green nail polish, the celebrity beauty brand I had written off, the best pants to wear on a plane, and more!

Hello and welcome to 2025! A little secret: I started this post somewhat selfishly. In a way, this post is actually a self-imposed mind game.

I’ll explain.

For the first time (ever?), I’m truly committing to a “no buy” (with some parameters). The goal is no new clothes or beauty for at least a month, but I’m ultimately aiming for three. In writing this post, I hoped it would mentally reinforce for me the value and the delight of the things that I own and purchased just in the last year.

“Oh yeah that beautiful blush I bought over the summer!”
“That skirt was *so* good”
“I totally forgot about that top!”

So rather than a wish list for what’s next, I wanted to engage in some active reflection and practice exercising gratitude for the (really great!) things I already have.

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Batiste Dry Shampoo: This isn’t a new purchase, but I did have to go without it for a brief period of time in February. You know those weeks where you run out of something and you know it’s dire but you just can’t or haven’t made time to drag yourself out to the drugstore to restock your must-have essentials? Yeah. This was my moment to realize how dependent my lifestyle is on having multiple cans of dry shampoo in my bathroom vanity. Going to the gym four times a week, daily 10K+ steps, cardio sessions - I could go on.

Boy Smells Italian Kush Candle: I purchased this because Mr TSS picked it out. Our tastes tend to differ in most regards (he loves a pastel, I near exclusively favour neutrals; he has a sweet tooth, I prefer all things savoury). So needless to say, this wouldn’t be my usual top choice for a candle. I usually gravitate towards muskier scents that have a touch of sweetness. Your spicy leather / woods / amber / smoke scents that finish off with a hit of vanilla or rose or musk. But I must say this quickly became a household favourite. My personal Boy Smells top choice will always be Cowboy Kush, but this one is herbaceous and lovely. I look forward to grabbing more for spring/summer.

Shop The Look: Toque / Coat / Poppy Barley Boots.

Poppy Barley Boots*: For years I had been after a good pair of warm, waterproof boots. I wore these relentlessly through the fall and winter. Their chunky, lug sole is very on trend for the moment (so note that they are heavy lifting - literally) but more importantly the sherpa lining on the inside feels nice and cozy. *The brand reached out to me to form a partnership after I had already purchased these boots - they were on my list for awhile! - and they offered to refund me their full value. So transparently, these were ultimately gifted but I would have (and initially did) pay full price for them. The quality and cost per wear in my closet is invaluable.

Dark Green Nail Polish: The colour worn on the TSS Book Tour and that is the best match for what I consider to be the “TSS Green” shade. Seen above in a very smiley photo taken on my balcony with a surprise author cake ℅ my sweet husband.

Uniqlo Tank Top: The MVP of the summer. Why? Three words: Built. In. Bra. You’re welcome.

Lululemon Bra: I admit I sort of bought this bra on a whim. I love a matching set for the gym and there were limited options for the specific shade of red I was after. I’ve worn and loved the Align legging for years (it’s made from the brand’s butter soft, weightless Nulu fabric that’s most ideal in my opinion for yoga, lounging, or errand running) but never tried anything else in the Align, er, line. Until this bra! Normally I prefer a strappy, barely-there bra. I don’t have a lot going on in the chest area so I don’t count support as an exercise must-have. Something minimalist, breathable, lightweight, and cute is all I’m after. This tank top is a lot more fabric than I typically opt for but it is so good. The sweetheart cut and longer length are insanely flattering. The fabric is just as soft and a delight to wear as the leggings, but with a tad bit more ‘hug’ which feels nice for working out.

Shop The Look: Jenny Bird Necklace / Shirt / Trousers (also see below!).

Jenny Bird Necklace: I get compliments on this every single time I wear it. It’s a great statement piece without being *too* much. My favourite way to style it was with just-one-too-many undone buttons of a crisp button up shirt, loose waves, and a bold lip (sans mascara). As above! My only reason to pause a rec is that I don’t wear this all that frequently as it’s plated brass and I worry about tarnishing / wear. So far, I haven’t experienced issues but it’s something I think about when I’m wearing pieces that are plated or vermeil vs solid gold.

Rhode Glazing Milk: I had a lot of skepticism for Rhode. I originally deemed it as just another celebrity beauty brand but got coaxed into trying it and purchased the ‘Rhode Kit.’ It comes in a cute padded pouch and includes their four signature skincare products in a way that feels oddly nostalgic for someone who was raised under her mom’s devotion to the Clinique 3 Step System. Much to my intense surprise, I genuinely loved the products. But the winner by a landslide is the Glazing Milk. Oh sweet god. It’s unbelievably luscious. Practically delicious. I have skin that I would say most closely resembles the cracked dirt of a dried up riverbed. My skin simply drinks this in. It is an unreasonably beautiful product to use and the one I’d absolutely repurchase on its own. The cleanser, serum, and moisturizer are all perfectly nice but I love others in these categories that do the job just as well (if not better) at more serviceable price points. Though I do think I’m on the lookout for a new Holy Grail cleanser (in the milky / gel / cream formulations) in 2025.

Shop The Look: Vest / Everlane Trousers / Flats.

Everlane Trouser: I wore these so much on tour (they’re also in the above photo ft the Jenny Bird necklace!) and just noticed they are on HUGE discount right now. They were such a chic “in between” piece. They had a substantial weight to them, and because of their fabrication (98% cotton with a *bit* of stretch) they fell somewhere between an office slack and non-denim pants. They never felt like too much. Although a note for my fellow shorties (I am 5’4”) that for me the inseam was a few hairs too long fresh upon delivery but they shortened up to the perfect length after a wash + dry.

Shop The Look: Vest / Aritzia Skirt / Heels*

Aritzia Ladder Skirt: Probably the hero of the entire TSS Book Tourdrobe. A swooshy, statement pleated skirt (w an elastic waist, natch!) that has an extra special magical swish to the hem. Lightweight but still substantial and so pretty. Have already worn it to multiple holiday parties and styled it with a coordinating vest for a tailored statement, a tight turtleneck tucked in for a cozy polished look, a boxy knit, etc. The best party skirt.

📚 Book Tourdrobe: For everything I wore while on the Taylor Swift Style book tour, you can check out the first and second instalments of the tourdrobe series in the past newsletters below!

Book Tourdrobe: Part I

Book Tourdrobe: Part II

Cuyana Travel Set: I had been meaning to update my “makeup bag” for years. I use loose quotations here because the vessel that previously held all of my beauty essentials was a peeling dopp kit that came as a “free gift with purchase” at a department store fragrance counter a decade ago by my mother. At one point the handle was a light, powder blue. By the time I had tossed it into the gaping maw of my building’s dumpster it was an unappealing dark brown. Ew. Packing and unpacking my life for nearly two months on the road seemed like as good an opportunity as any to finally get new bags that were beautiful but functional. I chose this set from Cuyana - a brand I had heard many things about but hadn’t yet tried. I got the pair in red thinking it would make them impossible to lose in whatever bag I threw them in and was so proud to have them be one of the first things monogrammed with my new initials after getting married last August.

Same pants, styled three different ways. With stripes and neutral classics in Chicago (left). Tonal while heading from KC to NYC (middle). And breezy with light linen at Centennial Park in Nashville (right).

Everlane Barrel Pants: Big “if I like it I’ll just get it in a different colour” energy. I first purchased these pants in a lovely burnt terracotta colour (their name: ‘Rosewood’) and wore them non-stop in 2023. They came in clutch on the tour for street style as well and were infinitely comfortable but still cute to wear on planes.

IT Cosmetics Foundation Brush: I consider myself very basic when it comes to makeup. An expert applicator, I am not. This was the year I actually made a concerted effort to put on eyeshadow which is a leap for me. I also decided to invest in some actual brushes to apply my makeup. This double-sided brush with a larger, fluffy side for foundation application and a smaller, denser brush for concealer under the eyes has served me really well. Especially for travel. And he bristles are so so soft.

Summer Fridays Lip Balm: A saving grace on the dozens of plane trips I took this year. Had to include because if I deemed her worthy enough to take a random aesthetic photo I found on my camera roll, she should be in the roundup. Which is sound logic, if you ask me.

Bonus

TSA Pre: This isn’t something I did in 2024, but I’ve never been more grateful to be a card carrying NEXUS holder. By my estimations, I boarded some two dozen flights over the course of 64 days in support of the Taylor Swift Style book tour. I truly don’t think I would have made it without the convenience and the superiority complex that having TSA Pre gives me. Easily one of the best things I’ve ever invested in.

I’d love to know - what were some of your best buys in 2024?