The Strategist’s Year in Review
Soft suitcases made a comeback, and everyone threw out their black plastic kitchen utensils.
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In the final days of last year, we asked the staff of the Strategist to reflect on 2024 through a particularly Strategist-y lens: the stuff we bought and the stuff we noticed. In order to gather this data, we put together a giant end-of-year survey and asked all our staff of specialists to pool their knowledge on the year just gone. From the cheapest best things we bought to the stuff we bought in bulk and the trends we catalogued (soft suitcases made a comeback, and everyone threw out their black plastic kitchen utensils), here’s the Strategist’s year in review.
Aselectionofthebestthingsourwritersboughtthisyear
The biggest splurge was a $1,000 camera
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“I had wanted a nice digital camera for a long time, and I finally decided to take the plunge. Aside from paying my rent (or paying for my wedding lol), it’s themost expensive thing I’ve ever bought.” —Amelia Jerden
Followed by a pair of Miu Miu x Church’s brogues
“They were $850 (but $500 less than retail).” —Lauren Ro
Some other splurges:
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“Thegiant groundbreaker skeletonthat I ordered from Costco to decorate our yard for Halloween. It went viral as soon as it launched, soI had to buy it in July.” —Jen Trolio
“I boughtthis desk on eBayand paid an additional $340 for someone to drive it from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to New York.” —Kitty Guo
“It has to be myblack Paraboot Michaels.” —Jeremy Rellosa
“A broker’s fee — I missed the FARE Act by three months.” —Erin Schwartz
AndtheCheapestBestThingsomeoneboughtwas…awoolsaunahat.
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“A wool sauna hat fromSpa 88for my friend’s birthday. The cost-to-joy ratio was extremely high.” —Dominique Pariso
Some other cheap good things we bought:
“Abeautiful $3 glass from CB2. It’s surprisingly sturdy for how lightweight and delicate it looks and feels, meaning that when I accidentally slammed it against the cabinet while putting the dishes away, it didn’t shatter or even chip. I use for everything from my morning cold brew to my afternoon seltzer to my nighttime water cup.” —Bella Druckman
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“This toddler soccer ballthat looks like an owl. We always have it in our stroller for an easy energy-releasing activity.” —Liza Corsillo
“Primary-color 2x2 Post-it Notes.” —Tembe Denton-Hurst
“I switched toSchick’s Hydro Silk razors— I don’t even feel like I’m shaving with them.” —Ambar Pardilla
“I bought16 glass strawsand seriously love them.” —Lauren Ro
“I got two ofthese long-sleeve shirtsfor five bucks apiece at Renys while on vacation in Maine this summer.” —Jeremy Rellosa
(Read the full list of the best stuff our writers bought this year here.)
Thestufftheylongtobuy,butcan’t:
“AnAMC Stubs A-List membership. What if I don’t break even???” —Katherine Gillespie
There are two Alex Mill sweaters waiting at checkout
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“My most recent fixation is on finding a thick, cozy sweater that feels like a hug but isn’t made with wool because my skin is really sensitive. I’m debating betweenAlex Mill’s Nico cardigan in dark navyandPact’s cable-knit crew sweater in black, but my indecision is holding me back.” —Emma Wartzman
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“I really want to buy thisroll-neck cashmere/cotton cardigan from Alex Mill. I keep telling myself that I have so many sweaters already. If I had more free time, I would take a day to pull out every piece of clothing I own and do a harsh edit. But as it is, I don’t want to add more before I get rid of (donating/selling) what I currently have.” —Liza Corsillo
Thestufftheybought,butregret
“I purchased akitschy shower curtainfrom Urban Outfitters and am afraid that I’m already sick of it. The lesson? Buy a simple shower curtain and have fun withthe bath mat.” —Bella Druckman
“Brat summer had a hold on me and I ended up buying multiple mesh/lace black dresses. I could have stopped at one, realistically.” —Arielle Avila
Thestufftheyboughtinbulk
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“My acne tested me this year!” —Rachael Griffiths
“I boughtnine blocks total of Palestinian olive oil soap. It’s amazing — I have sensitive skin, and it never causes irritation. I use it as shampoo, face soap, and body soap. (Reem Assilis also a fan).” —Erin Schwartz
“Pampers Pure diapers for my son, CBD treats for my elderly dog, big bags of Twizzlers for a little secret treat.” —Liza Corsillo
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“Body sunscreen. I got really diligent this year.” —Crystal Martin
“Honey Stinger gels. I was marathon training and constantly needed a restock.” —Ashley Wolfgang
“Mrs. Meyer’s hand soap in the tomato vine scent. Love it so much that I put away a small stash of like ten bottles. Hope they bring it back next year and sell refills!” —Jen Trolio
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“A very weird answer, but a pack of 200 angled wooden nail-care sticks some random person suggested on Instagram. They’re meant for gently pushing down cuticles and cleaning under the nail, which they have been great for. But even more so, I’ve ended up using them for apartment cleaning, because it turns out they get into the teeniest divots in random places (like the face of my crappy dishwasher, hard-to-reach areas of my coffee maker, and around outlet covers) to push out accumulated dust and grime. I’m almost out. Will be repurchasing.” —Emma Wartzman
“Old Navy long-sleeve tees — I lost count of how many I have now.” —Ambar Pardilla
“We bought three ofthese big boysafter moving the smaller ones into our respective bedrooms. There’s one in the kitchen, dining room, and living room.” —Lauren Ro
“Peach-raspberry Celsius.” —Tembe Denton-Hurst
“I have a subscription to theseecofriendly paper towelsbecause I go through them like nobody’s business.” —Kitty Guo
Whatchangedinbeautythisyear,accordingtoBeautyBriefwriters
“I got a lot of questions about beauty devices and gadgets this year. Should I get an LED face mask? (Yes.)Is theDyson AirWrapworth it? (Probably not.)” —Dominique Pariso
“Theblush boom. I loved the rosy cheeks gracing my feed and real life this year.” —Arielle Avila
“I loved the Brat beauty aesthetic — dark, smudgy eyeliner, minimal lips, a messy ‘just rolled out of bed after partying all night’ look. Mostly because my eyeliner is always smudged, but now I could say it was in an on-trend way.” —Kitty Guo
“Hair care as skin care blew up.” —Crystal Martin
“People also become terrified of Olaplex because it can ‘overprotein’ your hair.” —Rachael Griffiths
“Makeup personalization is so key now — TikTok videos place so much emphasis on finding the right makeup style that suits your face and features. That 2016–17 full beat-and-contour look was the last beauty hegemony — now everyone can experiment with what works best for their face shape and eye shape and nose shape, etc.” —Kitty Guo
“But everyone’s still trying tofigure out foundation. And moisturizer!” —Tembe Denton-Hurst
For more of the above,sign up to the Strategist Beauty Brief here.
Whatchangedinfoodthisyear,accordingtoourkitchenanddiningwriter
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“Everyone threw out their black plastic kitchen utensils.” —Emma Wartzman
Whatchangedintravelthisyear,accordingtoourtravelwriter
“Soft suitcases made a comeback, Rimowa finally started offering a lifetime guarantee on its products, and Patagonia got rid of its iconic shiny ‘Black Hole’ fabric (and replaced it with a more ecofriendly waterproof material).” —Katherine Gillespie
Thisyear,Ichangedmymindabout…
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“I normally prefer percale bedding, but I’ve recently fallen hard for washed sateen sheets, which are more lived-in and less sheeny than typical sateen sheets. That means they’re incredibly soft and sumptuous and make me never want to leave my bed. My favorite brands areMorrow’s Matte Sateen SheetsandBoll & Branch’s Signature Vintage Washed sheets.” —Lauren Ro
“I softened my stance on cooling gels in memory foam — I honestly thought it was sort of b.s. until I met a foam chemist who explained how it actually works! The TLDR is that rather than actively ‘cooling’ you, they just disperse heat so you don’t overheat.” —Amelia Jerden
AbrandIlearnedaboutthisyear…
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“Haand makes the most gorgeous, substantial-feeling platters and serving bowls. Adding them to my collection has been a game-changer. (I originally found about the brand from Claire Saffitz, who has and loves their plates and bowls.)” —Emma Wartzman
“Woolino! My son sleeps in theirmerino-wool sleep sackevery night.” —Liza Corsillo
“Near Earth— they make very good distance-running socks.” —Jeremy Rellosa
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“Nicholas Mosse Pottery! The pottery is cute without being cutesy, and it feels like something I’d find at my grandma’s house, in the best way.” —Amelia Jerden
“Tower 28. My little sister and little cousin were both saying that they love the brand’stinted moisturizer— better than the Ilia — and I made the switch myself.” —Lauren Ro
“While working on a DIY bookshelf, my partner and I discovered the Texas hardware company Doug Mockett, which makesthis very beautiful bracket. I really fell for Mockett — there’s a vein of American ingenuity and tinkerism that I am happy to see alive and well. They hold an annual design competition, and my new life goal is to win it. Someone won in 2022 with a table-leg fitting. This year, there was a coat hanger shaped like an exclamation point.” —Erin Schwartz
“Freja New York: They sell amazing handmade veganwork bags!” —Brenley Goertzen
Thisyear,Ilearned…
“This is a straight steal from my story onwhat I took away after talking to over 50 people about their tableware, but Crate & Barrel is the best big-box store for those pieces. Since I published it, I got my own set of dinner plates and though it’s only been a couple of months, they’re great so far. If you’re not going the $50-per-handmade-ceramic-plate route, it’s what’s up.” —Emma Wartzman
“So when you’reshopping for bras, the brighter the color, the better the discount. You don’t need another one in black.” —Ambar Pardilla
“UsingBuyee as a proxy serviceto shop vintage Japanese bargains.” —Rachael Griffiths
“If you’re buying amemory-foam product, see if you can find out the density! Higher-density foam is better quality and will last longer. (It’s also usually more expensive, sadly.)” —Amelia Jerden
“Literally no price is static right now. If something’s too expensive, wait a while. But similarly, if you see a really good deal, jump on it. Things are going up and down constantly.” —Katherine Gillespie
“I discoveredGemthis year, and it’s amazing and so helpful for buying clothing secondhand. Anything I consider getting, I first search it on Gem to see if something similar is listed for less on Poshmark or eBay or Grailed.” —Kitty Guo
“If you want to find Baggu on sale,keep tabs on Ban.do. They have sales all the time, and older Baggu collections are often included.” —Sam Daly
“According to the sleep doctors I spoke to for a story, wearable sleep trackers (like the ones on your smartwatch) cannot reliably calculate your sleep stages. So: Don’t really sweat it when your watch says you got TK# of hours/minutes in TK sleep stage. Just focus on how you feel!” —Jeremy Rellosa
2025willbetheyearof…
“French Twist pins.” —Rachael Griffiths
“I think we’re going to see a lot morebedazzled jeans, unfortunately.” —Ambar Pardilla
“Beautification of teeth products (e.g., ateeth “serum” I saw recently).” —Arielle Avila
“Repair. Inflation’s too high to throw things out.” —Erin Schwartz
“Related to throwing away black plastic, but generally speaking, I’m anticipating more widespreadalternatives to nonstick materialsand plastics in the kitchen (and more people buying them).” —Emma Wartzman
“Herringbone.” —Bella Druckman
“Mall brands. They all seem to be making a big comeback!” —Katherine Gillespie
”Denim on denim.” —Brenley Goertzen
“Weird newprotein bars.” —Jeremy Rellosa
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
