Strategist Brain is a series where staffers share the stores they’ve stopped into, stuff they’ve spotted, and extra tidbits from stories they’ve worked on. You’ll hear from a different writer every week.
I’ve always loved The Row’s late-’90s-looking strappy kitten-heel sandals — but not for $900. I wanted a similarly minimal shoe for a lot less, like around $100. A mall brand was exactly the tier I was going for in terms of price and quality: something on the cheaper end that wouldn’t fall apart after a few wears. These Jeffrey Campbells are as close a dupe you can get, but the reviews were so bad that I couldn’t in good conscience order them. I also considered these from Steve Madden. I ultimately decided on these flip-flops, also from Steve Madden, and this silver pair from Schutz that are more special-occasion than everyday summer but were $50 on sale. Both pairs are very cute on and check all the boxes: low spiky heel, thin straps, a little Carmela Soprano. The Steve Madden thongs did tear up my toes, if I’m being honest, but they’re super cute.
Here’s everything else I’ve seen recently.
After seeing this tweet, I too wanted ’90s-reminiscent A-line denim shorts and settled on these $50 ones from Mango. They’re not too short, they have a flattering cut, and the wash is a classic blue — though I should have sized up for a looser fit. I also tried these from Agolde but returned them — too flared and distressed.
My husband and I “archive” all our magazines in these acrylic holders, but I’m looking for a rack to display the ones we’re currently reading. Maybe this metal collator designed in Germany (here’s a less-expensive version from Zara Home) or this Kartell classic. I’m also intrigued by this string rack.
Goodee sent me ecoBirdy’s toddler Charlie Chair in sky blue, and I love how it looks on my Milano Green Nordic Knots rug. I want to get a second one to make a pair for my two boys.
My new favorite pen is this weighty ballpoint by Korean brand Monami that I picked up at McNally Jackson a few months ago.
And my new favorite notebook is this work-horsey one from National Brand that a former boss buys in bulk. I love its compact size and green college-ruled paper.
Gap has been very good lately. I’ve been wearing this all summer. I also have it in black.
But the best tanks, in my opinion, are from Oscalito, whose underthings are a bit hard to come by in the states. Surprisingly, I’ve found a bunch on Poshmark and eBay for not much money at all. I got this royal blue tank from the Saks Potts collaboration for $40 and this whisper-white, satin-trimmed tank for $25. They’re both great for layering or wearing solo. I’ve also tried looking for long-sleeve wool tops with Victorian-adjacent lace collars and cuffs that a former boss’s partner would wear under her fabulous vintage dresses, but those are harder to source.
Here’s a cheaper version of the Dragon Diffusion bag I have.
I’m learning tennis for the first time and got this lightweight visor to complete my court look.
I’m just about to pull the trigger on this USM console in “golden yellow” for our foyer, where we’ve had a round wooden pedestal table for years that now looks outdated.
I’ve been scouring the internet for a gold medallion that’s a good size, has some heft, and, more important, is not a Zodiac sign. These Catbird ones looked promising, but I went the vintage route. I found a French Art Nouveau month pendant on Etsy that is nearly perfect, especially since my husband, younger son, and I were all born in May. This is similar. Now I’m looking for February, my older son’s birth month.
I’m wearing this cooling sun hat from Amazon more than my fashion-y ones — they were too precious and annoying to throw on. This one is so lightweight and does an excellent job of blocking the sun thanks to its foldable brim. (We wrote about it here.)
And these matching baseball caps for my kids with their initials on them in hunter green.
The In Common With lamp “with opaline embellishments” I saw at Quarters when I visited a few weeks ago. A collaboration with Sophie Lou Jacobsen. Reminds me of a Lisa Marie Fernandez dress I own.
The Strategist is 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 about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
