The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in August

I began using this toothpaste last summer after cycling through several of the fanciest whitening toothpastes I could get my hands on (namely ones from Marvis and Lindhart). I just stocked up on this one again, and bought two tubes. It’s the only toothpaste that’s felt potent enough to handle neutralizing the inevitable yellow that comes withnotgiving up life’s simple pleasures: as many coffees a day as I please. The pink tone is a delightful switch up from the charcoal and purple of other brands, and the minty flavor leaves my mouth tingly fresh. Be warned, though: The tubes can be a real pain to squeeze and fold up.

At some point between my return from Italy and now, I became fixated on high-quality, elevated basic tanks. Blame it onthe Skims tank I bought last month, or on my exhaustion with the same old ribbed little-boy tanks I already have plenty of. I wanted something delicate, bordering on ballerina-like, with a deep scoop back and neck that, ideally (and appropriately), I could wear without a bra. Some digging led me to this tank from Leset that was on final sale for over half off and in stock in my size. I took the risk, and it paid off: It fit perfectly snug and secure, and the dip on my neck and shoulder blades looked even more flattering than it did online.

I currently own three pairs of boat shoes — two from Sperry in tan and chocolate brown and a suede pair from Vince — and promised myself at the beginning of the summer that I would not buy another pair. No matter what. But I am not a woman of my word, because after I got a hot tip from Crystal that these gold metallic Topsiders were on super-sale, I couldn’t resist. I’ve spent more on lunch recently, so I don’t feel too bad. Plus, Crystal assures me they “fit like a glove and are so comfortable.”

I was struggling to break in some too-tight Russell and Bromley flats and bought these on the recommendation of Ambar Pardilla. I shoved them in, left them overnight, and the next day they were comfortable for the first time. I could even wear them without socks if I wanted to (I’m not that foolhardy).

When it comes to housewarming gifts, I think,Let someone else give them towels. I like to give something that is delightful and slightly useful. So when my friend Cassie got the keys to her new flat, I sent her this ceramic berry basket. She could also use it for eggs (or wrapped candies; whatever).

My boyfriend and I are both trying to up our protein intake after starting personal-training sessions, but while he’s happy to dump some protein powder over a bowl of yogurt, I simply cannot do it. No amount of chocolate/vanilla/peanut butter/fruit-punch flavoring can mask how disgusting protein powder tastes to me. Thankfully protein is having a moment right now, so there are a lot of alternative options available, including Khloe Kardashian’s protein-infused popcorn brand, Khloud. I tried out a sample and was amazed that it tasted just like regular, delicious popcorn — no weird, milky, or chalky aftertaste. We’ve just restocked the kettle-corn flavor, which is my favorite, but at the rate I’m going through it we’re going to need another shipment ASAP.

I participated in a CSA last summer, and while it was amazing to receive weekly batches of seasonal farm-fresh produce, there were two downsides: You couldn’t choose the groceries you received and the amount of food was a little too much for a two-person household. This year we discovered Farm to People, a Bushwick-based grocery-subscription service that sources from local farms, which solves for both problems — you can order whatever you want and however much you want. The pricing is basically on par with our nearest grocery store, but the food is fresherandbetter quality. The fruit medley has been especially nice this summer, with lots of beautiful melons, berries, and stone fruit.

I spent some time on an island off Portland, Maine, earlier this month and enjoyed a day on the mainland munching on pastries fromStandard Baking Co., popping in and out of cute shops, and, of course, eating some oysters. One fruit of my travels is this adorable cheese plate that my boyfriend and I are now using as aspoon rest.

I’ve been tempted byJ.Crew’s very good recent salesand picked up this dainty cotton-poplin tank earlier this month. I love how the peplum-style hem falls nicely over a pair of jeans, making it perfect for both a nice dinner or a warm day in the office.

After a frustrating summer spent wondering what shoes to wear, I picked up a pair of these suede boat shoes. They are the same Sperrys I wore to the ground in college, but with a soft suede texture that makes them more versatile. I can pair them with jeans and a tee for a casual look or with a button-down for more formal occasions.

Like our contributor Mya Gelber, I am on a constant hunt for theperfect white tee. My go-to men’s tee for the past few months wasMadewell’s All-Day tee, but I like these new shirts from Buck Mason, which have a slightly shorter hem and a lighter weight. My biggest gripe with most white tees is that they often choke up on the neck and in the armpits — not these. They have an unrestricted fit around the collar and shoulders, which make them comfortable to wear all day.

I love how effective Yeti’s products are at keeping things cold, but I don’t always love the bold branding — especially when it comes to tableware. But I recently came across this minimally styled stainless-steel wine chiller, and it has barely left my table since I got it at the beginning of August. Unlike other chillers I’ve used, it doesn’t require pre-freezing or additional ice to keep white wine and rosé perfectly cold throughout the course of a long meal shared with friends. And it’s wide enough to fit a liter bottle as well. Like all Yeti products, it’s incredibly well made and has been a huge improvement over the messy, drippy ice bucket it replaced.

I wore the new Keens Jasper III to a camping festival this past weekend where, according to my GPS watch, I comfortably took over 100,000 steps over a 48-hour period. They have just enough arch support to feel like there’s something there yet are almost as flexible as barefoot shoes — perfect for walking through the woods and dancing on uneven terrain. While the pictures online weren’t particularly inspiring, the asymmetrically vented design looks more interesting in person. More importantly, they breathe better than many similarly styled shoes I’ve tried — including the original Jasper and the more ruggedJasper Zionic.

Two of our close friends are having a baby in September. As part of their gift, my fiancé and I got them a little collection of our favorite books from when we were kids. Also included:Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?,If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,Caps for Sale, andHarold and the Purple Crayon. There are truly so many good ones, it was almost impossible to pare it down!

Russell Wright’s iconic pottery designs are now produced in Los Angeles by Bauer. They’re readily available (and you can find vintage pieces aplenty around Etsy and eBay, too) — but I maintain that I really scored this past weekend when I found the classic Lug Bowl at an antique warehouse in upstate New York for $12 in a gorgeous color.

$85 is more than I would usually be comfortable paying for a canvas tote, but this was a birthday splurge. It’s actually very good and worth the price tag. The canvas is thick and sturdy, and there aresomany pockets. I use one for my phone, one for my chargers (phone and laptop), one for a water bottle, and one for keys. I still have two left over, plus another pocket on the inside and a place to hook my AirPods case (I don’t use it, but it seems nice to have). The forest-green color is vaguely preppy but timeless, and I like the old-school J.Crew label with the oarsman on the front. The bag is a bit too bulky to use as my everyday tote, but it’s a great weekender or vessel for groceries. I’m thinking about getting one for my mom for Christmas.

I realized that I didn’t have any nice white button-up shirts, so I consulted ourbest-in-class roundupas well as contributorMya Gelber’s huntfor the same and ended up getting Ambar Pardilla’s top choice, the Ayr Deep End shirt. I love how boxy and menswear-like it is and the fact that it’s made of a stiffer Oxford cotton. The oversize pocket is also a nice touch. I haven’t worn it yet but plan to make it a staple piece of my fall uniform. I might get it in blue next.

The first CD I ever bought as a kid was Smashing Pumpkins’Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadnessdouble album at a yard sale at my aunt’s apartment complex. It’s probably my all-time favorite, but I somehow missed the2012 reissue. I tracked down the lastdeluxesix-CD box setand paid a pretty penny for it, but also found that the vinyl set is still available on the official band website and had to get it, too.

I picked up a few bottles ofmy beloved Mrs. Meyer’s Tomato Vine hand soapbecause its seasonal availability window is closing; the stores have already trotted out their displays of the brand’s fall scents. But I haven’t tried any of the new offerings yet because I also just bought a bottle of this Baylis & Harding hand wash in Oud Cedar & Amber. I tried it in the bathroom of a cocktail bar we visited while traveling this summer and liked it enough that I snapped a photo so I could look it up. It turned out later that my husband had also taken notice and done the very same thing. It feels and smells more expensive than its $6 price tag.

My 9.75-year-old outgrew her last pair of Sambas over the summer and requested a fresh pair in a different colorway for fourth grade.

For many years now, every fall and winter I’ve found myself wishing I had one thinner puffer (I have plenty of coats and jackets, but my puffers are the very thick, tundra-appropriate kind), especially since everyone else in my family always seems to happily wear their Nano Puffs and down sweaters for most of the colder months. And now I, too, will have just the right amount of insulation in a more packable package.

I stocked up on our new best-in-classunderwearthis month. (As did Strategist readers, by the looks of its stock.) It’s one of the only hipsters I’ve tried that doesn’t give me a wedgie.

I’ve been putting my hair up more now, all because of this clip. I like that the tortoiseshell blends in with the back of my head (and might be mistaken for some elaborate updo).

Last year, before fall, I bought platform UGG slippers, and this year, I decided to try the brand’s ultra-mini boots. I purchased these during the last few days of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, which ended in early August. The inside-out shearling seemed a tad more fun and unexpected than the classic smooth sheepskin.

The other shoe that’s been on my mind is On’s Cloudboom Max. It’s a race-day shoe that just launched last week, and the brand recently sent me a pair to try out. It’s more cushioned than other marathon (or long-run specific) shoes I’ve tried. If you’re nervous about stepping into a shoe with acarbon platefor your fall marathon, these feature a glass-fiber-infused nylon speedboard that should feel more flexible, making them a comfortable option for heel strikers.

I tend not to buy colas or sodas for the house as I have no self-control and will to finish off a multi-pack within a day. But on a recent trip to the seaside, I discovered what seemed like aslightly“better for you” version of my favorite cherry-flavored Diet Coke. They contain no artificial sweeteners and, crucially, taste very very good. I’m still trying to make a pack last me a whole week, but I feel marginally less like my fridge cigarettes are rotting my insides.

I’m now on my third jar of this moisturizer, and it really is the best I’ve tried in a long time. Ever since starting a retinol about a year ago, I’ve looked for thick moisturizers that don’t clog my pores, and I bought this one after reading Rio’s rave about it in herupdated skin-care doc. She called it the “moisturizer to end all moisturizers” and honestly I agree — the formula feels luxuriously dense when you rub it into your skin but hasn’t caused any breakouts. It absorbs well enough that I can layer on sunscreen without looking shiny, and I also appreciate that the jar comes with a little spatula for scooping out the cream.