#24 Mid-week Quickie: excellent Tory Burch accessories, a chic deodorant that works and smells like perfume and 7 simple joys lighting up my world
+ an artist I love, quirky mirrors out of NYC, a case for pale pink cotton bedding and a preview of the new Maggie Marilyn drop I'm swooning over
Hi Friends!
We’ve had a very rainy week in Sydney and here are a few things that have brought me joy:
Visiting our local Paddington Markets and Saturdays - buying fresh fruit + veg, delicious bakery treats and sussing the (excellent) vintage stalls
Infrared saunas at Nimbus - as the temp drops, I looove a good sweat. I feel so revived and cleansed afterwards.
Fourth Wing - slowly getting into this but I can tell I’m going to LOVE. I also love being on a bandwagon! Excited to chat to all those around me who have already read once I finish.
Cuddles with all my cats - specifically my kitten Toto who you really have to earn affection from but she’s started napping on me lately. She’s a rescue and didn’t have the greatest time before she was taken into care so it’s a slower, gentler process getting her comfortable.
Painting my office - although to be honest with you it’s been a SLOG. But the joy factor comes in when I see the progress and think of what it will be like when it’s done. It’s not done yet but soon.
McDonalds soft serve with caramel sauce (chocolate sauce for Angus).
The fact that The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 is only a few months away and they just dropped this teaser. #teamconrad
It really is the little things!
In today’s Mid-Week Quickie, there’s all the usual themes - new fashion from Maggie Marilyn, Tory Burch, those Chloe shoes, menswear from Charlton. Some beauty products worth trying - including an excellent deodorant from a brand that I see online all the time, some home bits and two TV shows we’ve been enjoying.
As ever, thank you for subscribing, reading, liking, messaging and commenting. Each interaction means the absolute world.
Home bits: art, bedding, mirrors
In Bed marshmallow bedding
When I saw this new-ish colourway on In Bed’s instagram, I was in love. Then I saw the pretty pale pink shade is called ‘Marshmallow’ and I was completely all in.
In Bed’s quality is really beautiful and this set is 100% organic GOTS and Oeko-Tex certified cotton and woven in a 300TC (TC stands for thread count).
Little known fact but one of my first ever jobs as a teenager was at Bed Bath and Table so I learnt very early on the difference good quality bedding makes to your life/sleep comfort. For years I’ve been a linen bedding girl but have reintroduced 100% cotton again and really love the texture and feel. It just feels crisp in a really wholesome way.
Forever a lover of quirky home accessories, New York based brand Ready To Hang is definitely a bit of me. These mirrors are stocked locally in Australia at Living Edge and inject a lot of fun and personality into your space while still having a timeless quality.
ZuZi
When the social media algorithm just gets you - that’s how I felt when I was served Turkish artist, ZuZi’s instagram. Her work is described as being Neo-Expressionist and I love the colours she uses, the personality and fluidity within each of her paintings.
Fashion: Tory Burch, Maggie Marilyn, Charlton Studio, Chloe
When I think of recent brand reinvention success stories, Tory Burch is at the top of the list. The whole revival is giving It Girl, Must-Have, IYKYK, Chic chic chic. And their recent store opening in Beverly Hills and the content roll out that followed was a thrill to watch. If you ever have a chance to visit a Tory Burch store, it’s always a lovely experience. The staff are always magnificent too.
Their new accessories are really cute - like these bags and shoes.
Not a new piece, but a jacket I always think about and need to find on the resale market is this one:
Maggie Marilyn
One of my favourite brands of all time, Maggie Marilyn (I literally got married in a Maggie Marilyn dress) is about to launch a new collection on May 7. The campaign features Maggie and her gorgeous sisters. I had a preview of the new pieces and as usual, they are all stunning.
Maggie creates forever pieces embedded in nostalgia, using the most beautiful fabrics. Everything she makes seems to feel familiar and yet fresh. Here are some of my favourites, including the most unbelievable burnt caramel cashmere jacket:
Chloe
These jelly sandals are very hit or miss and people love to hate but they are certainly eye-catching. These will likely be duped relentlessly, a sign of cult shoe so get used to seeing them around!
Charlton
I’ve been meaning to take Angus into Charlton’s Paddington store for a while now and after the markets on Saturday morning we finally had time to do so!
Charlton works with premium materials (a lot from Japan), everything is handmade in limited quantities and Angus was immediately drawn to the long sleeve 100% Australian Merino Wool pullover in powder blue, as well as the same style in a Prada esq Forest Green. Angus settled on the powder blue (which I absolutely will be stealing) but I’m still thinking about the forest green.
I knew we’d find something for him to take home.
TV!
We’re really being served some premium television right now, from Adolescence, to The Studio - we’ve been absolutely treated across the various streaming networks. The latest show we’ve been slowly working our way through is, The Pitt. It’s a top-tier, very real and raw medical drama. Each episode has the same format and it depicts a full hour of a day in a hospital in Pittsburgh (hence the name of the show). So, the first ep is 8am to 9am and the next ep is 9am to 10am and so on. It’s chaotic, non-stop, emotional, funny - all of the emotions you’d expect from the goings on in a hospital. I wouldn’t recommend it if you have a low threshold for gruesome things!
We’ve also been watching Jon Hamm’s new Apple TV+ show, Your Friends and Neighbours. I like this show, it’s worth watching but it’s not my favourite. The show follows Jon Hamm who, when he loses everything, turns to stealing from his friends and neighbours. It’s actually quite depressing - watching a bunch of super wealthy 40-50 year olds and how they live their life and treat those around them.
Beauty: Salt and Stone, Sisley, Benefit
As a longtime roll-on Dove deodorant devotee, I am skeptical of most deodorants - especially those of the aluminium-free variety. While I don’t personally need a deodorant to be aluminium-free, I know that’s important to some people. All I want is to not smell.
I’ve seen plenty of hype around Salt and Stone’s products and they’ve newly launched at Sephora in Australia so it was time to trial. After a few weeks of using - I can confirm this deodorant is amazing. It works, keeps you nice and fresh all day long and the scent is gorgeous (I have saffron and cedar). The scent somehow manages to stay all day and acts like a perfume. I’m super keen to try more from this brand.
Hair Rituel by Sisley Curl Care Jelly
I have curly/wavy hair and live for a hydrating or curl-dedicated leave-in treatment. I’ve been using the new Hair Rituel Curl Care Jelly and I’ve been loving it (and thank god, given the price - $155). It’s a gel-like texture, feels lightweight and helps to hold your curl while de-frizzing your hair.
Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Wave Bronzing Balm
Benefit brought out a cream version of their beloved Hoola powder bronzer. The original Hoola powder bronzer will always have a special place in my heart (I still use it here and there) but I’ve pivoted to mostly using cream makeup products for the last 7 years or so.
The new Hoola Wave Bronzing Balm is beautiful. It’s light and gives a beautiful glow without going overboard - however you can gradually build up the colour if you’re after a bit more impact. I also love the brush it comes with - makes application seamless and is a good all rounder brush for the rest of your makeup.
Thank you for reading!
I’ll be popping back up in your inbox soon with my deep dive into my No Buy Learnings. For Jan and Feb I didn’t buy any fashion and it was a really interesting experience learning about my shopping habits and urges when I took away the ability to do so.
More Smooth Brain Thoughts soon,
Ali xx
Laughing that your kitten’s name is Toto! (It’s also on my dog name list). Do you say it in an exaggerated accent like Dax? 😆
Love the Tory Burch clear shoes!!