The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in June

I’ve been dealing with some pretty unpleasant hand and arm pain, so I’ve been meaning to buy some kind of ergonomic mouse for months. As a very sweet surprise, my partner got me this vertical mouse from Logitech to try. I’ve only been using it for a few days at the time of writing, but I think it has already helpedsignificantly,since the upright design doesn’t force me to constantly engage my forearm muscle (a major cause of my pain). It’s not a silver bullet — I’m pretty sure I need to get a more ergonomic desk and chair too — but it feels like a step in the right direction. Even though I technically did not buy this for myself, I think it’s easily one of the best items I’ve acquired in a while. It comes in two sizes (I have the smaller one) and three colors (mine is pink!).

I know theseflip-flopslook like something from an aquarium gift shop or a merch stand in a water park. But unlike a sea turtle tee you regret buying, I’ve only felt pride since making this purchase. They just feel like summer, as much as an inflatable flamingo float does. I have worn them so much that theJ.Crewon the insoles has almost rubbed off completely.

This was a big month forsandals! When I wasn’t wearing those J.Crew flip-flops, I was wearing these Marni flatforms. Yoox stocks past-season Marni sandals, and the discounts can be better than what’s on sale at, say, the RealReal. That is if your size is available. I got the last size 7 in these (and only a size 6 and 9 are left).

Earlier this month, I spotted a girl on the subway with this shoulder bag and took note of the brand for later. When I realized that all of the colors in this baguette-y style were sold out, I started obsessively checking the site until I was lucky enough to find it had restocked the bag in the version I was coveting — this lovely pastel pink and Malbecstripe duo. I paid an arm and a leg to get it over here from the U.K., but the amount of compliments I have received the two times I’ve worn it out have made it well worth it.

Editor’s note: This bag is available for pre-order and will ship in July.

I’ve been trying to do more Move With Nicole videos at home and wanted to give my sports bra collection a little refresh to keep myself motivated, so I took a chance on SET’s Airluxe bra. While I’ve only worn it a few times since it arrived, I’m already impressed by how soft yet supportive it is. It’s so comfortable that I’ve found myself reaching for it while cooking dinner and working from home, too.

I needed a costume for the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, but still wanted to be comfortable during a long day of standing in the sun, so I bought a pair of Coddies. I got a ton of compliments from the other revelers, and the clogs were actually quite easy to walk in. They did end up getting wet after I took a dip in the ocean, which resulted in some of the paint peeling off the insole, but overall I would say I got more than my money’s worth.

My hay fever has gotten so violent lately that contact lenses are no longer an option. I was wearing them far too often, anyway (pretty much all day, every day), so a reckoning was well overdue. In their absence, I’m trying to build up a bit of an eyewear closet, so I purchased this vintage-looking pair from Jimmy Fairly. The glasses I wear currently have a rather large, square-shaped frame, so I wanted something smaller for a bit of variety. These fit the bill while also looking very ’90s- and Miu Miu–inspired.

I bought lots of very sensible camping stuff for Glastonbury, but unfortunately none of it is available in the United States, so you’ll have to settle for thisslightlyless practical purchase instead. (I told you I was building up an eyewear closet!)

I went to a wedding in the Berkshires earlier this month and stayed in the area for a couple of days after. I really wanted to take some goods home from my favorite farm, so I stopped in at a local hardware store and grabbed this Igloo cooler and a couple of ice packs. It’s technically meant for cans, but it fit some meats and cheeses perfectly for the drive — and kept them good and cold. I already have a couple of larger coolers for occasions where I need to transport a lot of things, but I’m happy to add this little guy to the mix. I anticipate taking it to the park a lot this summer.

My husband is the hard-to-shop-for, buys-what-he-wants-himself type, but for Father’s Day, I got him these, which work as stake or string lights, and they were a hit.

I discovered recently that Adam Kay, who wrote the memoirThis Is Going to Hurt(which was made into an AMC series), wrote a few kids’ books that are perfectly pitched to a 9-year-old who is currently very into gross-out humor and nonfiction books packed with weird facts. She took the book to sleepaway camp and I think has already read it several times cover to cover.

This is my first bottle (but definitely not last) of Canaan Palestine’s Rumi olive oil, which is made from the fruit of indigenous Palestinian trees planted when the land was part of the Roman Empire. It’s pungent, complex, and plenty flavorful on its own with just a pinch of salt — no vinegar or mustard needed.

I have ogled this carbonated-water-maker for at least five years, but after seeing it at two friends’ houses in quick succession, tasting just how bubbly the water is (fizzier than San Pel!), and feeling guilty about the amount of plastic waste generated by our six-liter weekly sparkling water habit, I caved. It is also particularly nice-looking, if that sways you.

I also bought these striped bloomers from Salter House that are made from a crisp-but-still-soft poplin. I plan to wear them over swimsuits by the pool and with ballet flats around town.

This month I did a lot of impulse shopping, starting with a tiny water bottle that I have been carrying with me everywhere since buying it at the Whole Foods in Fort Greene. It’s adorable and weighs nothing and is a helpful little backup when my son’s water bottle spills on the ground.

Whole Foods also sells my son’s favorite textured playground balls. I bought this one as a replacement for the bug-themed one we lost almost a year ago.

I went a little crazy and bought three pairs of Adidas shorts last month. (The second andthird pairare out of stock, but you can sign up for the latter via an email alert.) Even with different fabrics for each, I think they’re all equally comfortable. The teal-and-pink pair is nice enough to wear out of the house as an honest-to-god outfit, usually with a tiny tee or tank and plenty of jewelry so I look a little more put-together.

I’ve never been to a hot spring, so, unfortunately, I can’t speak to this perfume’s scent accuracy. What I do know is that it smells amazing; it’s very warm and cozy. (The notes are Japanese Matsu pine, cedarwood, and snow.) I also prefer a roll-on perfume or oil, since I find that scents stay longer than traditional spritz types.

As I mentioned inour roundup of things we use during a heat wave, I ordered these orthopedic slides three weeks ago because I desperately needed shoes that I could put on and take off without thinking about them. They’re great in the heat, because the last thing I want to do is wear socks when it’s 103 degrees outside, and a barely there sandal is just going to leave weird lines on my skin or slip and slide around and be uncomfortable to walk in. With these, I don’t have to adjust a strap or lace anything up, and I’m out the door in 15 seconds. They do leave a slight imprint of your foot, à la Birkenstock footbeds, but I don’t mind it — it makes the shoe look more lived-in. I look forward to wearing them for the rest of the summer.

I finally got a period cup and it’s been a game changer. I went for the Nixit, which is a disc-style one that my sister raved about. More than a decade ago, I tried and failed to use a Diva Cup. Getting the Nixit in is surprisingly easy, and I barely feel it during the day. Now I can go 12-plus hours without a single change. Removing it, however, is another story. You really do have to fish it out. I’ve only managed to take it out successfully in the shower because there is major spillage, but hopefully I’ll get better at it.

I went to Ireland in the beginning of June, and I got this menthol gum at a convenience store in Dublin. The menthol helped open up my slightly congested nasal passages in a way that regular cough drops can’t. I brought a few packs back with me to the States, and they’ve come in handy during this heat wave — they have a cooling effect (on my mouth, at least).

I had a goal to return from Ireland with a nice wool sweater. I found the winner after a few days of popping into various gift stores. I eyed this one at a shop in Dingle (I actually got the brown color, which I can’t seem to find anywhere online). I like that it has a combo mock-roll-neck collar. I wore it every day for the rest of the trip.