New Year, Old Favourites

A new year ought to feel like a fresh start, but I thought it might actually be a good time to talk about the old … old favourites, that is. Perhaps “old” is the wrong term; what I mean is, simply, favourites. I enjoy reading other people’s (unsponsored) opinions and recommendations, because you never know what useful information or good tips you may get. I solicited prompts on Instagram, and am sharing the list here.

Favourite quality brands that hold up: This is tricky because, with careful laundering, most things can hold up fairly well. I also have an extensive wardrobe, which means my wears are spread out over a larger number of items; I have very rarely “worn out” items, apart from shoes. So my experience is limited in that sense.

However, here are some brands which I think tend to have consistently good quality (in my experience) and are relatively inexpensive secondhand: MaxMara (apart from coats, which have high resale prices), Ralph Lauren, Marc Cain, COS.

Favourite colours to wear: Aqua/turquoise/teal, pink, magenta, and rainbow (of course). My palette has changed a lot in the last few years, and continues to evolve. I mean, I’m wearing orange these days … who am I, even??

Favourite skincare: I am currently battling winter skin and mask-ne, and struggling to tweak my daily regimen to these challenges. But the one item I consistently use and would never give up is my prescription retinoid. I use the Micro gel, but I believe Differin is similar and, in some places, available over the counter.

Favourite things to thrift: Dresses, skirts, jewelry, and art.

Favourite nail colours: Classic red (Chanel “Dragon”); white; and a dark forest green.

Favourite suspense/mystery/keep-you-guessing books for cold weather snuggled up reading: Anything by Ann Cleeves, PD James, or Agatha Christie. I re-read my favourite mystery novels every 3 years or so. It’s just enough time to forget the intricacies of the plot; even if I remember the culprit half way through the book, I still find them very satisfying to read, in a “comfort food” sort of way. For new suspense/mysteries, Lucy Foley, Tana French, and Anthony Horowitz are usually reliable. Oh, and Sophie Hannah’s continuation of the Poirot series.

Favourite Zoom styling tips: Undereye concealer, eyebrow pencil, red lipstick — these are key to helping me avoid looking like the undead.

Favourite royal biography: Tough one, because I love royal biographies and have so many favourites. If I had to pick, it would be between The Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser, Born to Rule by Julia Gelardi (about granddaughters of Queen Victoria), and The Four Queens by Nancy Goldstone (about 4 Provencal ladies who all went on to become queens). But I could easily add a dozen more to the list, don’t tempt me!

Favourite fashion moments: I love Tilda Swinton’s red carpet moments, and a lot of her editorial spreads. Going way back, Audrey Hepburn’s “transformation” in Sabrina. I used to dream about going to Paris for a few years, and then returning as an infinitely more chic version of myself, to the surprise and amazement of all, hahaha! Can you tell that I wasn’t a popular kid in high school? But I think the idea of reinvention and transformation through clothes that has never stopped fascinating me, to be honest.

Favourite textiles, balancing wearability and washability: I love silk-linen and silk-wool blends, though they can be trickier to care for (hand-washing and air-drying, all the way). Otherwise, cotton or rayon blends which can be machine-washable and also machine-dryable (always on low heat!).

Favourite art supplies and inspo: I love buying embroidery floss — I always buy way too much, because I want to get ALL the colours. Beads is probably a close second. In terms of inspiration, nature is probably my no. 1 source, but I also find inspiration in art very often. For example, I am currently working on a series of embroidery pieces inspired by the water lilies I saw last summer on my vacation, and I have been looking at Monet’s paintings as well.

Favourite home office item: Stationery, hands down. I love pens (gel pens and fountain pens) and colourful inks. Colourful sticky notes … notice a trend here? In this category, I will also include my day planner. My therapist recommended it for me as a technique to address my anxiety. I have a basic one, nothing fancy, but it has each day broken down in hour blocks, plus room for To Do lists. I find it helpful to write-in both work and personal commitments, including chores and leisure activities; it makes my days feel more manageable.

Favourite season for style: Fall and spring. Basically, any time when the temperature is between 10-18 degrees Celsius. Cool enough for sweaters or cute coats — basically, interesting layers — but warm enough for bare legs, in a pinch. This is the weather when you can experiment the most with style, IMO, because the weather isn’t fully dictating what you have to wear.

Favourite Netflix binge: I don’t watch a lot of Netflix, to be honest. I haven’t even seen the newest season of The Witcher. I mostly only watch new shows if they feature one of my favourite actors (Stay Close, for example). My favourite things to binge-watch are mostly old British shows on BritBox — period dramas, Poirot and Miss Marple, that sort of thing. And I watch The Vicar of Dibley Christmas special whenever I need cheering up.

Want to find out more of my favourites? Or have some of your own to share? Hit me up in the comments.