Here are a few more things I’ve had clogging up my browser tabs for the last few weeks – from an eminently sensible (I was going to write “misandrist” but why would I write something I didn’t believe?!) T-shirt to the perfect windbreaker (a description I never thought I’d write) and the solution to all of my summer-with-kids woes…

I’d love to know what you’ve bought and recommend, if anything, lately! Because I need to be further influenced, you understand. The internet isn’t doing a good enough job of that on its own.

Oh and… this post contains affiliate links! If you click through any of these links and buy one of the items I’ve linked, or, in most cases, buy something else from that website within 30 days, I’ll receive a small percentage of your total spend. So, you know, please click on every single one.

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Free People’s Chelsea Funnel-Neck Jacket ($168)

Specifically in this perfect shade of pink. Am I blaming windbreaker-gate for the fact that I want this?! I’m not sure. All I know is that the $3,200 price tag on the windbreaker Paige DeSorbo lent Hannah Berner (I know too much about the entire Summer House universe, truly) has made this $168 Free People version seem positively bargainous.

Rails Emmie Pants in Rio Stripe (€168)

Why is everything I want $168?!? Okay two things, but still. Weird. Anyway, these Rails trousers are sold out in the US, which is doing THE ABSOLUTE UTMOST in terms of whetting my appetite for them. There’s nothing like an “Almost Gone!” ticker to make me immediately hit “checkout”, I’ll tell you. Luckily for any of you who are (a) in Europe and (b) feeling flush, they’re still available on the European site, although only in size L which also feels prophetic?! WHY IN MY SIZE IF NOT DESTINED TO OWN?!

Step2 Dino Showers Water Table ($68.94 at Walmart)

Okay, I’ll accept this may result in my losing those of you who don’t have kids, but I am fully convinced – this is also one of my toxic shopping-related traits – that this Step2 water table is going to absolutely make my summer, in terms of giving my children something to do outside for hours on end, and allowing me to sit next to them (close enough to supervise, far enough to stay dry) reading my book while they do. And while, ordinarily, the items I include in these posts are things I’m not planning on buying, this might be the exception. Can I afford it without putting on a credit card?! Maybe not. So… we’ll see. I’m still debating. (I really do think that, without this, our summer is going to be terrible. See above re toxic trait.)

Kulglass bluetooth speaker lamp (€90 at Ikea)

Okay. A contrast. I accept that the lack of this cute Ikea lamp in my life is not going to affect me or my children whatsoever. No one would even notice its presence in the house except me. (Although I am the most important person who lives here, so that doesn’t really factor into things.) We absolutely do not need it. But if I was still living like a rich person, buying random things, willy-nilly, just because, I would absolutely buy this. Ergo, you should probably buy it for yourself. And if you’re in the US, buy it here.

Shiraleah Samba Neoprene Tote Bag by Anthropologie ($68)

So what’s funny about this one is that while I adore it from the pictures, even if I was about to buy it, the reviews might put me off. It’s more muted than it appears in the pics, they say, and smaller than you might think (now that I look at it, it says 10” wide, which is smaller than a ruler?! tiny). So I guess this is a… something I love in theory but probably wouldn’t love in reality. (But if you’re a bag designer and fancy “taking inspiration” from Anthropologie’s mistakes, well, you’re welcome.)

Green Top & Trousers Set from Next (€22)

Another one that’s not for the childless among us (sorry), but this little outfit is adorable and I’m very tempted to buy it for Roman. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s just so difficult to find cute, colourful, cute clothes for boys! I tend to shop in the girls’ sections a lot, and while I’m not a big fan of bows and ribbons, cutesie little outfits like this tick all of my boxes (and in fact why is this for girls?! That makes no sense). Here it is in the US.

We the Free Jet Set Pull-On Pants in Going Green by Free People ($148)

A couple of months ago (probably about three years ago, honestly, but in my mind that’s “a couple of months”), a friend of mine showed up to a barbecue in a gorgeous pair of corduroy trousers in exactly this shade. “I got them at Goodwill,” she told me, irritatingly, and I’ve been hunting for similar ever since. Well, I’ve finally found them – and they’d be perfect if it wasn’t for the $150 price tag. I’m also slightly iffy on the length (neither cropped nor full-length), but I think I could get over that, would that I had $150 to spend.

Stephanie Yeboah’s ‘Ban Male Podcasts’ tee ($35 from Girlgangshop)

Have you ever seen a more perfect T-shirt? I think not. I spotted this on Threads (cursed place, don’t ever go there) this morning and have been trying to find it ever since. I think I’ve found a similar enough version on Etsy, although who knows what it would be like if I actually ordered it. Yes, I know I could message her and ask, but I worry she’d read my message and not respond and then I’d feel embarrassed and like I could never engage with her again (is this another toxic trait?!). [Rosemary from the future: I tagged Stephanie in my IG post and she DMed me to tell me the tee is from Girlgangshop!]

HSIA Enchante Minimizer Bra ($24.99 on TikTok Shop)

I try really, really hard not to buy things on TikTok Shop because, in the past, I’ve ended up loading my cart up with way too many cheap, undoubtedly not ethically made, things, but I just can’t stop coming back to the HSIA Minimizer bra. It doesn’t help that I see ads for it approximately every four TikToks I scroll through, or that I have a friend who owns and recommends it. Having spent almost $300 (I had a gift card!) a few months ago on two bras and a pair of knickers, I’m desperately trying to find bras that are supportive, boob-separating (I cannot have them touching I just can’t) and ideally not a million dollars. So, like I said, very tempted (but I haven’t pulled the trigger just yet).

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