Welcome to the Essential List

A place to share your favorite things and have conversations around shopping, discovery and consumption.

I've always been interested in other people’s favorite things – not the latest trends or impulse purchases, but those much-loved pieces that you turn to again and again while recommending them to anyone who will listen.

When you’re pregnant, people often give you unsolicited advice on the baby gear that you have to have. When I was pregnant and someone would begin to list off their must-haves, I found it useful to ask them to pick their top three, very favorite things. (I’d also ask them for the three things they wouldn’t buy again, which was nearly just as helpful — knowing what to avoid can be as valuable as knowing what to buy.) Armed with this info, I could proceed as I pleased. Take it or leave it, it was valuable intel that I trusted because it came from real people who had researched, bought and used these things with no strings attached.

So much of the content online today is transactional. I’m easily distracted and I like things (I will happily window shop — online or in-person — for hours without buying a thing and be so content just to look). In our culture of hyper-consumption, that constantly makes you feel like you need the next hot thing, I’m making an effort to disconnect from spaces that encourage this behavior. When you can have everything, anywhere, any time and all at once, it takes effort to opt out.

It's no secret that our planet is facing serious environmental challenges. A significant contributor to this crisis is the fashion industry. I confess, I've made splurge purchases. I've bought cheap, fast fashion items, only to regret it later. I've purchased things and only worn them once. However, I am working on changing my approach.

I’m striving to be more intentional with my consumption, not only in the fashion space but in all aspects of life. It pains me to walk through the toy aisle at Target and see the endless shelves of cheap, plastic junk that kids will play with a few times then inevitably lose interest in (on that note, we will absolutely be sharing recommendations for kid’s essentials).

I'm not attempting to persuade anyone. However, based on recent online posts and chats, it appears many people share similar feelings. In a world that’s inundated with advertising (obvious or not) and mediocre products, I find myself gravitating more towards timeless classics – those enduring items that withstand the test of time.

This newsletter is my attempt to navigate through this overstimulating world of stuff. Personal recommendations are an antidote to the algorithm. I will be talking to enthusiasts and tastemakers, professionals and hobbyists, experts and everyday people alike, to share their favorite things and have conversations around shopping, discovery and consumption.

The idea for this newsletter has been percolating in my mind for years now and Substack, with its chat and community features and semblance to the early days of blogging, presents the perfect opportunity to finally bring it to life. My mission isn't to tempt you into buying more, but rather:

• to save you time when you need a particular item by showing you what real people have purchased and loved;

• to spare you from repetitive Google searches that only lead to the same five retailers;

• and to help you discover new brands and products that you'll invest in for the long haul, rather than for temporary retail therapy.

We all have our essentials: The outfit you reach for daily. The moisturizer you replenish every time it runs out. The coffee maker you don’t want to live without. The toy that your kid still plays with after three years.

In this space, we'll learn from each other and hopefully, be inspired to buy less, but better. Think of it as a collective journey to filter out the noise and focus on the essentials.

Subscribe and stay tuned!