2024 Favorite Things
Welcome to the annual Favorite Things issue of I Was Just Thinking About….
This isn’t our usual fare but I have to admit I love a roundup of any kind (just as much as I love giving and receiving recommendations). So, welcome to something a little different. I meant to get this out before the New Year but instead I leaned into relaxation and disconnect from the internet (see evidence below—a snowy mountainside in Colorado where we spent the holidays) and I hope you did the same. And, in the spirit of looking forward, not back, everything I mention below will no doubt be a favorite in 2025 as well.
Additionally, welcome to the new subscribers. I’m so glad you’re here! If you want to get to know me and this newsletter a little better, I’d recommend this post, this post, this post, and this post.
Now, on to the best of the (last) year…
Reading and Listening
I set myself a goal of reading 24 books this year and I crossed the finish line just before New Year’s Eve. I spent much of the first three months of the year absolutely devouring the Throne of Glass series. It’s one of my favorite fantasy series of all time. It’s not high literary prose but it’s packed with well-paced, intricate world building and lots of action. It’s highly readable and if you love fantasy I highly recommend it.
My favorite read of the entire year was Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. To read this book is to witness someone fulfilling their life’s purpose. When people used to describe a writer as being guided or inspired by the muses, I imagine Kingsolver’s work is the type they’d have in mind. The story she weaves about a boy coming of age in Appalachia is so raw and gritty and real and stunningly vivid—I’ve thought about it ever since.
I had a couple of surprising reads this year as well. I didn’t expect to fall in love with Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. I know nothing about video games (and dare I say I don’t care to). But Zevin so deftly weaves the subject matter into poignant and moving human experience that I couldn’t stop recommending this read to anyone who would listen this year.
My second surprising read was In the Shadow Garden by Liz Parker. This is a cotton candy read. It’s easy and delightful—a little murder mystery combined with witchy lore. If you need a fun read to start your year this one is a good choice.
I continued my devotion to Substack newsletters this year—nearly all of them in the fashion genre. I remain a weekly reader of Anna and Emilia’s. Anna brings a practical but light-hearted and stylish POV to dressing for the life you have. Emilia’s newsletter reads like a letter from friend—she’s funny and smart time after time. I also added some new-to-me weeklies that I can’t wait to keep reading.
I find myself taking endless screen shots of Irene Kim’s creative and unique outfits. Liz Belmonte’s in-depth breakdowns of fashion’s most foundational questions for Everybody Gets Dressed are my new favorite ways to nerd out on style. Start with Don’t Settle for Mediocre Pants to get a taste of what she’s doing—it’s so needed and extremely helpful if you’re trying to build a wardrobe you actually want to come back to over and over. Hillary Kerr is a fashion legend. She founded WhoWhatWear—a staple Internet stop in the early aughts for the style-minded. Now, she’s telling us where and how to shop via Substack with a light, easy-to-digest newsletter.
Beauty
I know 90% of the Internet and 100% of 13-year-old girls already know this, but there really is something special about the Summer Fridays Jet Lag mask. I avoided it for ages because I don’t like masks in general. They tend to clog my pores rather than accomplishing any skin-transforming results. That said, with skin that was as dry as a desert I warily tried Jet Lag this year for moisture purposes only and it did not disappoint. Now, you won’t catch me traveling without it.
Another big find this year was Skin Fix. I love this skincare line. The Triple Lipid moisturizer alone has dramatically improved my skin’s texture and moisture level. I also love the Triple Lipid Activating Serum. It just enhances the effects of the moisturizer and it’s a soothing step on a day when I’m alternating from retinol or exfoliation. If you want to dip your toe in, this set is on sale for $41 and gives you a full size of the moisturizer and face wash (another fave of mine), and a mini of the serum.
My makeup bag benefitted from this addition in a big way. I love having two formulas for layering—it gives the blush staying power. The shade “Not too Much” is….well….just what it says—the perfect flush for every day.
Random
This is probably my weirdest recommendation but while shopping for my kids’ stocking stuffers I nabbed the NeeDoh Dream Drop stress relief toy for myself. It’s become my favorite fidget fixer during the work day. BUT even though this brand has become wildly popular, I have found this specific toy to be the most satisfying texture if you like to fidget during meetings.
Another random buy that I’ve relied on this year is Ritual’s Vegan Protein Powder. I (like every other woman i know) have been trying to get my protein intake up but can’t stomach whey-based powders. Ritual’s vegan option is the most palatable and easy to digest vegan option I’ve tried.
Style
I found myself struggling to come up with a style recommendation to share but it’s for good reason. This year I focused on two things: wearing what I already own and shopping secondhand. The combination has made me a more conscious shopper and buying mostly secondhand (albeit it’s been mostly designer) has given me a sense of having a more individualistic wardrobe.
One not-super-exciting buy that I have loved (and purchased new) are the YPB leggings from Abercrombie. I recently saw a writer describe the clothes at Abercrombie as “just slightly shittier than you’d want them to be.” And by-and-large I agree. But, the everydaySOFT leggings from the YPB line are (fabric-wise) an exact dupe for the $99 Beyond Yoga Spacedye leggings which have been a long-time favorite of mine. I also love that they’re available in a short inseam.
And that’s all folks! I’ll be back next week to dive into some new content for 2025. Hope this first month of the year treats you gently.