The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in October

My birthday was earlier this month, so I treated myself to one of Buck Mason’s tees, which I’ve always been curious about but could never justify splurging on. With sweater weather here, I’ve already added the tee into my undershirt rotation, which previously consisted primarily ofUniqlo mini-tees. Comparatively, this one is a looser, more lightweight option that feels like it’d belong in a “cool girl” uniform. Both, though, are great for short-torsoed women (which I feel confident saying as a five-foot-three woman with a short torso).

Every time I pack my suitcase (this month, for a trip to Chicago), I’m faced head-on by my stripes addiction. Still, I found myself in the Lululemon checkout line in the Chicago suburbs with this pink striped sports bra in hand, and I can’t say I regret it. I often find sports bras to be too compressive a few hours in, but I always forget I’m wearing this one even though I got it in the smallest size (for context, I’m usually a 32B).

My under-eye bags have been particularly noticeable lately, so I popped into my local Sephora to swatch some color correctors and concealers. A helpful employee pointed me to this option from Caliray. His pitch: It was surprisingly popular with businessmen who came in looking for something that didn’t make them look like they were wearing makeup. A quick swatch seemed promising, and while normally I go for cool undertones, my trusted adviser encouraged me to opt for Sunlight, which is its lightest neutral shade. I wear this constantly. While a lot of concealers I’ve tried are too dry or too greasy, this blends in seamlessly for that “your skin but better” effect. I apply two or three dots on the offending eye bags, buff it out with my ring finger, and can feel my entire face brighten up instantly. And I love that it’s cruelty-free!

Every cat in my family — five total between me, my mom, and my brother — is obsessed with this catnip-filled banana toy. They’re normally pretty pricey, and one of my cats tends to rip it to bits within a month, so they’re a rare treat. But I spotted them on sale (for $6 instead of $9), and I had to stock up.

Around the time of my last Strategist Haul, I was coming off of a gnarly case of product testing gone wrong — exfoliating-pad testing, to be exact. While I’d long been curious about Medicube, thanks largely to its virality and our positive coverage, I was wary of giving another facial pad a shot in the fears of more breakouts or burns. Still, I did want to introduce something that could help mitigate blackheads and increase my skin’s glow. There wasn’t a more low-stakes time to take a chance on the Zero Pore Pads than Prime Day, and I’ve been using them daily since they arrived. Not only have they not broken me out, stung my face, or left me with skin-barrier burns, I’ve found they’ve helped keep my skin consistently clear. Plus, I’m able to use them nightly alongside my prescription tretinoin without irritation for maximum skin-tone evenness.

I have no rationale for the purchase of these sandals besides the fact that they took my breath away the minute I laid eyes on them during an aimless, after-hours scroll onthe RealReal. As a sucker for primary colors, a statement piece, and a shoe that can carry infinite outfits, I bought these with only the regret that I hadn’t found them at a more seasonally appropriate time. Discounted by more than $200, in my size and without many visible signs of wear, it was a no-brainer.

I’ve basically been living in this large rugby sweatshirt from Reigning Champ since it arrived a couple weeks ago. I’d be a medium according to the size chart, but I liked how the large looked on the similarly proportioned model in the product shots. The combination of a relaxed raglan sleeve and French-terry interior feels as cozy as any crewneck sweatshirt, but the snap-button collar just makes me feel a bit more put-together while wearing it. I also just love how the garment-dyed fade gives it a vintage look and feel that improves with each wash. It didn’t shrink at all after washing on gentle and drying on low, but it did feel a bit softer.

It’s finally cold enough for me to try out the new FuzzFleece Octa layer from Paris-based Satisfy, and I’ve been pleased with the results. The Japanese Octa material combines the breathability ofPolartec Alphawith a tighter-knit face for a touch of wind resistance. It’s just enough to take the intimidating bite off of a below-freezing start, but not so much that I start sweating profusely after I get going — perfect for the 30- to 40-degree mornings we’ve been experiencing in Vermont this past week. I only wish that the cut were slightly longer. I went with the medium, which fits great in the chest and shoulders, but is an inch shorter than I’d prefer for my longer torso. I’d definitely size up for future orders from this brand.

[Editor’s note: Satisfy lists all prices in euros, so the price shown is an approximate conversion to U.S. dollars.]

Every fall, as soon as the temperature drops to 60-ish degrees, my legs start to feel dry and I have to glob on moisturizer. Usually,CeraVe’s creamdoes the trick, but this year it just wasn’t, so on a recent trip to Zitomer I found this very specific German “Fusskraft” — which apparently translates to “foot strength” — cream, with packaging that says it’s for legs and feet. I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’d ever found a limb-specific lotion, and it works incredibly well. I’ve been using it for about a month now, and the dryness and discomfort are totally gone.

A few Saturdays ago, I went to Bloomingdale’s with two of my best friends for what is becoming a semi-regular tradition of going to Forty Carrots for lunch (specifically to get the “Flagship Trio,” a perfectly ’90s dish comprised of chicken, egg, and tuna salads, followed by frozen yogurt). While we were there, we did some wandering, and I found this gray cashmere cable-knit sweater on sale. Another sweater is probably the last thing I need, but it was a perfectly boxy shape and a nice pale shade of gray, and so I bought it and have worn it at least once a week since.

I needed a good in-person retail-therapy session last weekend, so I took advantage of the perfect fall weather on Sunday to bop around a few shops in Williamsburg. My best finds were at theSamantha Pleetpop-up on Wythe. I’ve missed the last few pop-ups, so I was excited to finally check out some clothes in person. Like magic, I foundthis sunflower dress(a version of her iconicClimbing Rose dress) that I’ve been dreaming about on the clearance rack. It was the last one left, my size, and ended up fitting me perfectly. The silky knit material is extremely flattering and hugs the body in all the right places. I also picked up this extremely adorableDragon Baby Teefrom her latest collection. The sleeves have a bit of padding in them, which really elevates it. Also grabbedthese stickers.

If you’re not a newsletter subscriber (which you should be!), you missed me excitedly talking about Old Navy x Anna Sui’s dream collaboration,which launched earlier this week. I practiced restraint and eventually whittled my cart down to three things. I’m a sucker for sheer tops and was immediately drawn to both thesheer mock-neck minidressandsheer long-sleevein the purple floral. It’s maybe crazy to buy two things in the same pattern, but I couldn’t resist. I also got thisdenim minidressto wear over my collection of sheer tops.

I, along with everyone else, apparently, went to the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival this month. While I appreciate a fine sweater, I don’t actually know how to knit or crochet, so I went with two goals in mind: petting a sheep and buying the alpaca hat of my dreams. (Readers may remember that back inJanuary in my Strat Brain, I wrote about my lust for an alpaca hat.) I have been looking forward to this purchase for nearly ten months now, and when I walked onto the grounds, the very first vendor stall I approached had the hat I had been looking for in the perfect shade of chocolate brown. That’s the power of shopping manifestation for you.

I’d been on a half-hearted hunt for new jeans for a while but got serious about it ahead of fall (and several fall trips). I wanted a loose-fitting pair that would be truly comfortable enough to wear all day but still fitted enough to look nice on my shorter frame. They needed to pair well with fall boots, loafers, and sneakers and all variety of sweaters and turtlenecks, whether fitted or oversize. And ideally, they needed to be a medium-to-dark wash. I’d tried several pairs that should have draped off my legs nicely but either still looked tight in the thighs or butt (I’m a runner, biker, etc., so have accordingly sized thighs) or completely enveloped my short frame. Randomly, I decided to try Banana Republic jeans during a sale. I ordered multiple pairs in multiple sizes and styles, and almost none worked. TheIcon Wide-Legswere too tight in the thighs, butt, and waist, no matter the size, and the dark-wash ’90s Loosejeans fit so oddly regardless of whether I sized up or down. But the medium-wash ’90s Loose jeans, in one size bigger than I’d normally get, fit truly perfectly. They’re not tight anywhere, yet they stilllookfitted, so they don’t overwhelm me. They were big in the waist due to sizing up, but I paid $25 to have the waist taken in, and they are the only jeans I’ve worn since. I’m incredibly pleased.

My husband just did a big fall-wardrobe refresh, and among his favorite purchases this month are the Martin jeans from A.P.C. He’d been exclusively wearing the brand’sPetit Standardin raw selvedge denim for most of his adult life and would take advantage of the half-off trade-in program every couple of years, but now that he’s a dad of two energetic boys, he needed something less constricting and fussy. The Martin jeans have a ’90s-style, looser fit than the slimmer Petit Standard, a softer washed-denim feel, and a really nice blue color. They’re definitely a “dad jean,” but that’s exactly what he wanted. Plus, they’re really flattering on the backside.

I bought these pants from Everybody.World after months of hemming and hawing. The price was a little steep for me, but I knew they would get lots of use if I loved them. From the moment I slipped them on, I knew I would buy another pair, if not two. They’re the perfect length and are baggy in exactly the way I like. I was a little nervous because they’re “one size fits most,” and because I can be anywhere from a 16 to a 20, it’s a toss-up on how these things will go, but they fit really well. I like them so much I made my wife try them on too, and now she wants a pair of her own. I wore them to a lash appointment last week and was thrilled by how comfy I was the entire time.

I bought three books this month, includingWe Survived the Night, by Julian Brave NoiseCat, which was recommended to me by the writer Sasha Bonét, author ofThe Waterbearers. It’s both a family history and a poignant look at the legacy of Indian boarding schools on the children of parents who survived. I’m about 100 pages in and loving it so far.

I couldn’t ignore the claim of a “five-minute facial” in a bar soap. It leaves my skin feeling squeaky-clean without being drying, and I love the smell of chamomile flowers first thing in the morning, too. I remember growing up, my mom whipped up egg whites to put on her face, and I guess she was onto something!

I first tried Chanel’s lip balm on at a Nordstrom beauty counter years ago and had forgotten how good it is. It’s not sticky. It stays put. It can be a base for a lip gloss, or it can be a your-lips-but-better balm. I have the shade “warm” for perfectly pink lips.

I generally don’t have strong feelings about long-sleeve T-shirts, but I have not taken this off in the three weeks since I got it. It arrives already broken-in, so soft that it feels like your favorite PJs, and well-cut enough that I don’t mind wearing it on a video call. I actually ended up wearing it with jeans to a nice restaurant the other day when bad traffic meant I didn’t have enough time to change my clothes for the reservation. Nobody seemed to mind. Size up for a nice amount of slouch.

IfMichael says it’s good,I will get it. (Thankfully, I have the iPhone 17 Pro and not the Air.)

I can’t actually verify that this curtailed the terrible sore throat and cough I got this month, but it sure tastes and feels good to drink when I’m otherwise feeling crummy. I just got a much bigger bag to last me through sick season. I also gotthis one.

My almost 3-year-old son’s best friend had a birthday this month, so while I was checking out the new MoMA design store in Soho, I picked up this adorable bike bell (it’s been installed on a scooter, though) for a gift. It went over really well and is a great value for the price.

Speaking of my son: he wants to be the Q train for Halloween. I am building his costume from cardboard, but aside from the actual train part, I bought him this T-shirt in the smallest size to wear. It is huge, but that’s actually helpful, as I can layer his jacket underneath.

I did a lot of Halloween-related crafting this month, and this cordless glue gun was a game changer. (We’re already an established Ryobi household, so I was able to buy the“tool only” model, but you can getone with the battery included, too.) Without a cord to unbalance it, the glue gun never falls over when you put it down; instead, it sits neatly in a stand-holster contraption attached to the rechargeable battery pack. It also doesn’t have an annoying wire stand attached to the nozzle. I never knew I could feel so free — it’s truly a DIYer’s delight.