A peek into my innermost desires when no one is watching.

It should go without saying that I’m grateful for the privilege (and luck) I’ve had throughout this pandemic, but out of guilt (and gratitude), I feel the need to acknowledge it at every turn. If I were a wiser person, I wouldn’t be spending, much less inclined to share my acquisitions at all.

But here I am.

Perhaps it’s part childish compulsion (one born out of years of show-and-tell throughout childhood), part grooming by a digital-forward world. Whatever it is: I hope this list of things purchased during quarantine might inspire you and bring you some joy, too.

CANDLES

For obvious reasons, home fragrance sales have tripled amid the corona pandemic—which means as unique as we all purport to be, we’re more alike than we think. Every morning I’d light a candle or two; every few days I’d unbox another. Within a month I burned through a stash meant for an entire year, and I, like the rest of the consumer world, needed to replenish.

I nest. I crave ambiance. I’m a romantic by nature despite my best efforts to fight these inclinations, and I’ve learned that allowing for indulgence is part of cultivating my own happiness in a world where I have little control. I need visuals, energy, and the tactile to feel and be productive—so imbuing my most sacred space with scent is a simple way to inspire motivation. If there’s one lesson learned during this shelter-in-place, it’s just how important the idea of home is. Home is a state of mind, a manifestation of your innermost workings. (The physical space is just a vessel.) I’m my best self when my home becomes my inspiration, and inspiration, my home.

Beautiful home fragrances are part of it. I have my incense (brought home from Taipei to remind me of my grandparents, though that’s to be saved for when I miss my favorite city the most) and essential oils (the classics, plus a sandalwood inspired by Le Labo’s Santal 26—a reminder of Paris), of course. I’ve gone through all my favorites (Diptyque, Boy Smells), the gifts (an entire collection of Malin+Goetz minis), with just two to spare: an Oribe candle and a gorgeous Seda France piece housed in a ceramic vessel.

Newly welcomed are candles from two brands: Sunday Forever, a longtime favorite, and Heretic Parfum, a newer discovery I’m head over heels for.

• Sunday Forever Tanlines candle
• Sunday Forever Rich candle
• Heretic Parfum This Smells Like My Vagina candle
• Heretic Parfum Dirty Suede
• Heretic Parfum Fleurteese, from its Bougie Burlesque line featuring Dita von Teese

SOCKS

Not just any kind, but the coziest of them all. These are the thick slouch socks from Threddies, and they’re every bit as slouchy 90s vibe as they promise. In fact, they’re practically begging to be paired with leggings or scrunched at the elastic of an oversized pair of sweatpants.

LINGERIE

Not the usual Agent Provocateur, I’m sad to report—because as lavish and over-the-top as I can be, there’s still a time and a place for the classic nude bra. For most of my life (since puberty) I’ve been in search of The One without success… until I succumbed to targeted ads and ended up with Cuup’s classic mesh balconette bra in taupe (and its matching bottoms).

Happy to report that they’re beautifully made and even better on. Even happier to have found the perfect “nude” bra that’s so good, I’d wear it out, alone, if I could.

BOOKS

Naturally. Although I have enough books in my (growing!) library to last me two more weeks, I cannot be stopped when it comes to buying them. (Above is most of my haul; there are a few more stragglers en route or currently on pre-order.)

VINTAGE

I have no self-restraint when it comes to the eclectic. If I stumble upon something of value, it’s usually a happy coincidence; the pieces I’m drawn to are pedestrian or just kooky to the average eye. At best, they serve as insight into my innermost workings of most nostalgic self.

The time that would’ve been spent commuting is now dedicated to scouring the web for pieces I’ve always wanted or never knew I needed. The pièce de résistance falls into the former. Somehow, by a stroke of luck, I ended up with that Loris Azzaro beaded top, a no-brainer for true vintage collector. (For me, this acquisition was simply the manifestation of every teenage fantasy spent dreaming of becoming some Pigalle showgirl or joining PCD.)

Other vintage finds are just as special:

• 80s or 90s graphic tees (something I can’t help but collect; the taglines and typefaces are just too charming!)
• a pair of red Betty Boop sweatpants (she’s one of my favorite (cartoon) characters of all time, and sweats were just better back then)
• the iconic Galliano newsprint on a tee (not Dior, but that’s neither here nor there for me because the graphics from the designer’s eponymous line are so much cheekier)
• a Cinema Haute Couture corset (unsurprising: I used to wear corsets over plain white tees or white button-ups in high school to get away with wearing, well, corsets)
• this Gulp! cropped graphic tee by End Time Unlimited (which is new, but is definitely inspired by vintage covers of racy magazines. Graphic design then was incredible.)
• and on that vein, a butter pat plate, likely from the Moulin Rouge, that pays tribute to the venue’s star can-can dancer Louise Weber (whose stage name was La Goulue)

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xx