On My Mind: Walking Shoes and Vivienne Westwood Tees

I love my Keens. They got me through a week of hiking and lake trips on a recent trip to Montana. And Strategist writer Lauren Ro called them the sandal of the summer. The only problem? I got minelastsummer and went for lilac for a reason that escapes me now. I saw Lauren in an all-black pair just this week and suddenly my Newports feel decidedly un-chic. I considered buying a black pair but having two pairs of Newports in my closet feels like overkill.

I didn’t buy these Chloë Sevigny–approved Eccos when they first came out because I wasn’t convinced the ballerina trend was totally my style, but I kept the tab open. And now that they’re on sale, they might do the trick.

I already have a pair of Air Rifts in chocolate-brown suede that I’m obsessed with but are obviously not appropriate for warm weather. I used to have a pair of black-and-white mesh Rifts that I wore into the ground, so I was thinking about re-buying, but this time in all-white.

Or do I just go full orthopedic and get Asics?

Speaking of my trip, I have also been looking for a small cross-body bag that I can stash my phone, passport, and wallet in. Fellow Strategist writer Liza Corsillo has two bags from Lindquist, a small leather-goods brand based out of Providence, that are just the right size. I’m particularly drawn to this bright orange shade and might treat myself before my trip.

I got sent a sampler from new-to-me fragrance house Perfumehead and have been working through the vials slowly but surely. Right now my two front-runners are the musky Cosmic Cowboy and the more powdery Canadian Tuxedo. I was alternating between the two the past few weeks and got lots of compliments on both, so the tie has yet to be broken.

As I’ve already established, the summer heat usually makes me want to buy nothing but bathing suits. This T-shirt is the lone exception. I’ve had my eye on it sincelastsummer but couldn’t totally justify the price. Then, a few weeks back at the office, I saw the Cut’s editor-in-chief, Lindsay Peoples, in it and realized I had to have it. The draping detail is just so elegant on the body and the cotton jersey is light enough that I won’t completely sweat through it. Hopefully.

PSA from my recent update of thebest vibrators: Magic Wand has gone waterproof.

I’ve had a few rare shopping misses recently — a lost eBay auction, a few saved things on The Real Real I hesitated on — but none have hit as hard as missing out on the Essie limited-edition re-release of Clambake. Luckily for me,Strategist contributor Caroline Weaverfound a nearly perfect replacement for it from Kure Bazaar and I think I’m going to buy a bottle as a consolation prize.

I’m a jewelry collector and usually only buy solid gold. But, on said recent trip to Montana, I bought a $20 strand of coral-colored beads at a roadside-attraction gift shop and now I can’t stop window shopping for similar accessories. I’m having visions of nautilus charms on silk opera cords,turquoise beads,mother-of-pearldisco collars. And, with the price of solid gold just going up and up, this is certainly a more affordable preoccupation.

My drink of the summer is simple this year. Mezcal with a grapefruit slice. We just had an in-office tasting of this brand — co-founded by chef Enrique Olvera — and I was really impressed.

I’ve been on a slippery slope this past month. First, I bought a Lafufu for my cousin’s birthday because I thought it was a funny gag gift. Then my competitive shopper came out and I decided to see if I could score a Labubu. Not to brag, but I managed to get one on my first try. I told myself it was for journalism’s sake. And now I just pre-ordered this other adorable blind-box creature called a Wakuku from a toy store in Tampa. I need to be stopped.