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Mar 29, 2023

16 Cool Things to Buy This Month According to GQ Staffers

By The Editors of GQ All products featured on GQ are independently selected by

By The Editors of GQ

All products featured on GQ are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Here at GQ Recommends, we spend countless hours toiling in the e-comm trenches to curate cool things to buy so you can shop like one of us, whether you’re looking for a new suit or a fresh three-pack of boxer briefs. Our unrivaled window shopping brings you everything from the best new menswear to the hottest menswear deals. But do those selects always align with our own personal order histories? They do not. So we thought we’d give you a tantalizing peek into our very own actual non-imaginary shopping carts. Here are 16 things our editors copped last month—much of which you can cop for yourself, too!—including cushy retro sneakers, top-shelf olive oil, and so much more.

I’m a bit of a larger guy, usually around a 40" or so waist. These shorts were purchased due to a fairly common occurrence in my life: I saw a sick pair of shorts, but they maxed out at a size 36, so I looked elsewhere for something similar that fit. I was stoked when my buddy put me on to these PFG Shorts. They checked the boxes: big shorts with big pockets. I wanted to keep the sleek look that was inspired by the initial pair that I was after so I took a pair of scissors and snipped off the elastic pocket ends to keep things uniform.

Ever since the craze that was the New Yorker tote bag took over the country years ago, I’ve slowly been collecting a small arsenal of tote bags. However, I never seem to "rotate" my collection and instead run one of them into the ground until it's unusable and swap out. I got sick of this cycle and decided to opt for the "final boss" of tote bags. I went with the medium size and long straps (one of the many customization options), and of course, got my initials monogrammed.

I hardly ever wore hats until my 20s, but ever since I started, I have always been on the quest to find hats that don't require being on the last peg of the snapback or require the leather strap to be fully extended. Then, I found Wythe. Both their rodeo and ranch hats fit my inconveniently large head perfectly. I bought this hat specifically because it's a collaboration between two of my favorite brands: Wythe and 3sixteen.

J.Crew's Giant-fit chinos are honestly very good. But they're based on vintage chinos from around the 1950s and there are plenty of those hanging around if you know where to look. I wore a vintage pair almost non-stop for three years and have even had them professionally repaired. They've still got plenty of life left, but I had to retire that pair after a few too many burgers. I recently bought a new pair (well, new-old pair) from one of my favorite secondhand stores here in NYC, 10ft. Single by Stella Dallas. They're just as baggy and sturdy as the new joints you'll find at J.Crew, but with the added history and seasoning that you can only get with vintage. On top of that, J.Crew has yet to put their Giant-Fit chinos on sale, but you can easily find a vintage pair for less. To make it easier for ya, just use this search for ‘vintage military chinos’ on Etsy.

Was I Huberman-pilled? One could say that. Written by the enigmatic music producer and shaman of sound, Rick Rubin, the book is a deep meditation on creativity, its nature, and how to tune in to it. Whether you're an artist or not is inconsequential because not only is creativity everywhere, but, according to Rubin, it's core to our very nature.

Buying fancy upstart olive oil has got to be some kind of marker of a certain stage of my life and I'm not quite sure what that is yet. But the hype surrounding Graza's tasty olive oil (and its very practical squeeze bottle) is very real.

These luxe-looking bath towels not only dry quicker, but the waffle-weave pattern keeps them feeling and smelling fresher for longer than your average Bed Bath & Beyond fare (RIP).

Overlooked in the Great Pen Debate of 2023, Muji's absolutely perfect 0.5mm ballpoint pen, which I've been using to redline your favorite GQ articles for years now.

After tearing my ACL, undergoing surgery, and enduring months of physical therapy, I owed it to myself to upgrade to some supportive insoles in my tennis shoes. Quite helpfully, Remind Insoles has a pair that literally molds to your foot, no matter your arch type. Just toss them in the oven for a few minutes and then step on in for a perfect, custom insole.

Getting back into fashion these last couple years, I’ve really enjoyed how much stylish New Yorkers love to wear New York designers, and Raul Lopez's Luar is one of the coolest New York labels out there. The Ana bag just reminds me of the city. I bought one in this beautiful espresso-brown color, and then I swung over to Etsy to pick up a red nylon guitar-style crossbody strap to swap out for the regular strap whenever I want to make it feel a bit more jaunty. It's also on major sale at SSENSE right now, so…get to it!

I, too, am in my Asics era. Admittedly, I bought this pair a few weeks ago (pre-Matty) because I realized I’d never really owned comfy, cushy, or substantial sneakers in my adult life, and these Gel-Nimbus 9s really do fit the bill. I was bummed they were out of the delicious-sounding "rum raisin" colorway in my size, so I got them in this lovely green-silver-coral combo. And while our British GQ brethren deemed them the shoe of the summer last summer, I feel that they have arrived in my life just on time.

If you also like to paint your nails at home, let me tell you: this is the best top coat I’ve ever tried. My good friend (who is of fellow at-home-manicure experience) recommended it to me, and now I am hooked. That said, the bottle claims that it will make your polish "dry to touch in seconds" upon application, and while I believe them, I still like to do the ritual of waving my hands in the air for a couple minutes afterwards just to make sure.

I'm a fiiiiiiiirm believer that many clothes, really, shouldn't be gendered—partially because I've never been able to fit into men's trousers and own more women's pants in my closet. What I love about The Row's Marce trousers are that they're black, wide-legged, and they're just great pants.

Shopping for sunglasses remains one of the most intimate experiences anyone can have, because you have to get very honest about your face. Moscot really delivered with the Telena. The black frame and blue lenses are the ultimate combination for sunny strolls in the city. I've also gotten more compliments on these sunnies than any other pair I currently own.

As the officiant of an upcoming, fabulous wedding this November, I refuse to be caught slipping in a blindingly shiny shoe. Saint Laurent's velvet smoking slipper are perfect. They're comfortable, they're sleek, and they aren't overly glossy like many other dress shoes. Obviously, because they're velvet.

Keep on scrolling to see more real-life purchases from months past

Me? Obsessed with wooden clogs? Perhaps that's a Freudian window into me as a person, but I'll have to pencil in some time on the weekend to crack that open a bit more. Anyway, I added another beefy clog to my growing collection of arguably impractical shoes, and your boy couldn't be happier (or taller!). I had my eyes on the Picasso clogs from Troentorp for some time, and though they're certainly not a cubist style as the name would suggest, they're perfect for just about every pant in my closet.

The famed Japanese writer Haruki Murakami is known for his obsessive taste almost as much as his enigmatic writing. Though I haven't quite gotten around to reading any of his fiction (yeah, yeah), his Absolutely On Music: Conversations with Seiji Ozawa got me hooked on his personal aesthetic. Murakami: The T-Shirts That I Love is basically a show-and-tell of the author's favorite T-shirts from his massive collection. It's a delightful read that peeks not only into his closet, but into his mind. Through vintage Harley Davidson tees and banal burger merch and everything in-between, what we get is a sort of sartorial autobiography that may or may not inspire me to buy more vintage tees.

While many a swaggy guy I know loves the Our Legacy Camion boot (myself included), I wanted something a little different but still sorta the same. Frye's Campus boot has been around for decades and, like the Camion, it has a beautiful square toe and stacked leather heel that looks amazing with jeans, slacks, and chinos. For whatever reason, the black colorway was only available in women's sizes (and, recently, Frye seemingly removed the Campus from the men's collection altogether). Quite a conundrum. But the upside to having smaller feet is that I can fit into women's shoes, too.

In a time when it seems that fast fashion rules now also apply to eyewear, I still prefer to patronize eyeglass establishments that carry more adventurous (and more rarefied in price) spectacles. The way I literally see it, as a lifelong four-eyes, the hardware on my face is my face. So when I was steered toward Bevel's Chicoutimi in Diesel/Mimosa during a recent visit to my favorite optical boutique, I knew I was pushed out of my comfort zone just the right amount. I also knew this ultra-light and equally ultra-strong titanium frame will be just as easy on my nose as it will be on the eyes of any onlookers.

Having just arrived home from a recent trip to my favorite vacation spot (and, I hope, future retirement spot), Palm Springs, I ached to relive the architectural wonders to be found in that literal midcentury-modern California oasis. The most meaningful way to do so was to secure a copy of the lavishly illustrated Paul R. Williams: Classic Hollywood Style, written by architectural scholar—and Williams's granddaughter—Karen E. Hudson. Paul Revere Williams, a rare Black architect during an era that shamefully offered scant opportunities for African-American advancement, grew up in an LA orphanage around the turn of the 20th century. Yet he went on to design Hollywood mansions for stars that included Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball—as well as homes, in some instances, he legally could not live in himself due to racist covenants.

Speaking of Palm Springs and Blackness, as I perused all those architectural wonders found in that desert city, I needed to protect myself from the sun while avoiding the sunscreen bane of every darker-hued human: ashy skin! Fortunately, Black Girl Sunscreen, rated SPF 30 and formulated specifically to not leave that chalky film that can discourage use of sun protection among Black populations, comfortably protected my face and arms—and my growing bald spot. It's imperative that we dark-skinned folks are encouraged to slather up in the name of skin health, and brands such as Black Girl Sunscreen can serve as part of that education.

However, when those 90-degree Palm Springs days transform into those 50-degree Palm Springs nights, what better way is there to cover up my no longer sunburn-prone bare arms than with a jacket by the city's premier leisurewear designer, Trina Turk? This almost-vintage Mr Turk cotton-elastic unstructured blazer in olive brown—and anyone wearing it—is also hot in the daytime and cool in the evening.

Cargo pants have been cool again for a long time now, but it's still absurdly difficult to find a pair that hits all the right notes. Lean too real-deal military, and you wind up looking like an extra from Full Metal Jacket. Go too tailored and preppy, and those side pockets suddenly feel superfluous and just for show. Manresa's take nails the in-between: the herringbone fabric is handsome and weighty; the cut is full with a nice slight taper; and the details—from the watch pocket to the pleats—are all practical and considered.

The funny thing about being on the product beat at GQ for as long as I have is that, inevitably, when you're looking to buy something, there's a 97% chance that an old article exists with great recommendations and your byline. That was the case recently when I decided my pen rotation needed a top-to-bottom overhaul, which led me to this 2018 story I wrote called "The Best Pens Under $10 Will Make Your Handwriting Legible." In addition to the welcome reminder that I was much smarter and funnier five years ago, I was also reminded of the existence of the Sakura Pigma Micron PN, a pen I praised at the time for "its super crisp, clean lines delivered in waterproof archival ink that won't bleed or fade." Back then, I included the Sakuras as a mere runner-up, because the younger, more reckless me preferred rollerballs with wet ink. But present-day me ain't got no time to wait for no stinkin' ink to dry before turning the page. I bought a big clutch of Micron PNs, and my notes have never looked better. Thanks, Young Yang.

I've been on an alkaline water kick lately, nominally for recovery reasons but also because it just tastes better. I throw one in a Nalgene, let it sit overnight, and the next morning you have water that tastes closer to Essentia.

I needed a backup pair of beater glasses, and these from Jins are great because they're not super expensive and are designed for low nose bridges (i.e. Asian faces), so they won't fall off my sweaty face when I'm, say, peering down at a book while standing precariously close to the subway platform edge.

It was a point of contrarian pride that I was a grown(ish) man who never owned a black suit, much less a tuxedo. Recently, an event that called for creative black tie felt like the right moment to bite the bullet. In an exhaustive search for something that has a modern elegance with a subtle unconventional slant, I came across the perfect suit from Wooyoungmi. It has a rebelliousness to it thanks to the well-placed hardware details, such as the chrome logo applied like a pin on a denim jacket, and a tailoring quality that rivals the traditional luxury fashion advertiser set. Only thing better than that is that the brand is South Korean, and female-owned. I found exactly the black suit I’ve been postponing my adulthood for.

My reality is not ruled by invisible benevolent forces, but by chaos (and you know the thing about chaos, it's fair). In spite of this, I’ve encountered certain moments where I’ve wanted to channel my hopes and desires into something other than a perfectly made Negroni. Although manifesting has become a total cliché, it provides, at the very least, a way to direct a cluttered mind to sit with a single thought. The vessel I chose for this occasional ritual is a hunk of citrine, which was readily available at my local gem store (welcome to Brooklyn). Laugh if you will, but I’ll be having the last laugh from my castle in southern France with my wife Cate Blanchett and BFFs Michelle and Barack Obama.

If you want to dress up like you're a tablecloth from the early 20th century, you shop at Bode. At least, that's what I did. I've been eyeing Bode's very-excellent pieces before I ever started at GQ, and I finally pulled the trigger on this short-sleeve shirt, which will inevitably be on me all spring and summer long. The cross-stitched daisy motif is nothing to sneeze at (literally—my seasonal allergies have me going through some things this year), and I love the signature cropped and boxy fit.

OK, I went a little HAM on Bode this month. But you really can't just buy one thing at a time! It's like I needed to scratch that Bode itch. I copped a short-sleeve shirt so I felt like it only made sense to cop a long-sleeve option. When I say this is a breezy shirt, I really mean it. The lace makes it so that every gust of wind goes straight through, so I imagine this will be an excellent top for the hot and humid days ahead. The shirt is so light that I won't be putting anything in these pockets because they just drag the whole shirt down, and the compliments I've received so far make up for the high price.

I've been watching too much Daisy Jones & The Six if you haven't been able to tell. I mean, flared jeans? Now a Western-style shirt? C'mon, this man thinks he's a draft dodger! Wythe makes really excellent western shirts (I have one of their lightweight tencel options) and I so badly wanted a flannel option. Now I have it, and you will not see me in anything else—until it's time to take out the tencel.

Dressy jeans? No, those don't really exist (don't let Wrangler fool you) but these Wranchers are the perfect '70s-style bootcut jeans that cost a whopping total of $25. The pants have a distinct Saturday Night Fever feel to them—I chalk it up to the polyester construction, center crease, and flared leg opening—but I will do my best to avoid breaking down to ABBA at the discothèque.

Too many hats, not enough places to put them. Until now! I don't have nearly enough space to store my clothes let alone all the hats, tote bags, and belts that I have, so now I'm utilizing my door as a storage solution. Umbra's Estique over-the-door hook has a slight Eames look to it, but it costs way less and does the exact same thing.

I recently discovered that some coffee roasters make a "half-caf" blend, which, as the name implies, is coffee with half the normal dose of caffeine. That's perfect for someone like me who often craves a second pick-me-up in the afternoon but doesn't want to waltz straight into jitter territory. Onyx Coffee Lab's "Power Nap" is a sweet blend of 50% Ethiopian beans and 50% decaf Columbian beans. The cup gives notes of sweet stone fruit and brown sugar and is just what I need when I find myself powering down around 2pm.

The fragrance of fresh laundry is universally intoxicating, but as someone with sensitive skin and nice cologne that I'd like to actually enjoy, I adamantly avoid using the stuff to wash my clothes. Nellie's laundry detergent soda is free of phosphates, chlorine, optical brighteners, and a whole bunch of other presumably nasty stuff that I won't even try to pretend to know what they do. The powder is super effective at removing stains and is more concentrated than the liquid detergent options, all while remaining gentle on my most prized clothes. And it's fragrance free so my cologne can finally get some breathing room.

In grade school, the classroom pencil sharpener was the designated flex zone, the one conspicuous way you could get a fit off during geometry and hopefully catch your crush's eye. These days, as a legal adult who lives with his partner, I don't have any need for a designated flex zone. But I do still have pencils that need sharpening! After growing tired of whittling pencil points with a kitchen knife, I decided to buy this German pencil sharpener from Mobius + Ruppert. It has a beautiful, old-school design that feels like it could be sitting in a wood shop for 40 years and the brass material gives it a heft that allows it to double as a paper weight. Now my pencil stays sharp even if its main purpose is to feign productivity nestled behind my ear.

Thanks to the wonder that is New York Craigslist, I was able to score a great deal on a vintage Eames-style chair like this that's majorly upgraded my workspace. It has a very scooped out bottom that keeps me in place as I type away, and the creamy color looks really stylish paired with my Scandi-style desk.

My bathroom's been in a sad state since I moved into my apartment about two years ago. Turns out all my towels are gray, and so is the tiling, but these stripe-y fellows are doing a nice job of mixing up the color scheme in there. It was part of an assortment of things I bought recently from Little King, a shop in upstate New York that sells a really rad selection of home goods: Swedish candies, lots of Marimekko, a bounty of giftable things, and so on.

Winter always does a number on my hair and skin, rendering me a static-y, blotchy mess whenever I log onto Zoom. The hair situation has had me in a bit of a spiral, so I bought a bunch of stuff from R+Co and beyond to fix it. But the real solution wasn't a cream or pomade: It's a better shampoo. This hydrating Davines one smells great and really goes to work at keeping my errant hairs in check.

Budget Khaite for $100? We'll certainly take it (and did). The knuckle-grazing sleeves are a no from me, but the sweetheart neckline is mighty flattering.

A couple of weeks ago, I took the subway to the R.M. Williams store, a cheery, wood-lined space that jostles for foot traffic with Dr. Martens and Crockett & Jones, the #menswear-y Northampton cobbler with an outpost across the street. Unlike its SoHo neighbors, R.M. Williams is a specialist: since 1932, the brand has stood fast by its hero product, a sleek Chelsea boot cut from a single piece of leather equipped with two floppy pull tabs at the top. The Yearling shares those essential qualities—ditto the chiseled toe and Goodyear-welted construction—but adds one crucial flourish: a blocky 1.5-inch heel I’m having a tough time imagining anyone wearing in the outback. Well, mates, your putative loss is my gain; I’ve worn them nearly every day since.

Every few months, a certain corner of the internet loses its shit over Supreme's latest middling offense: not enough stuff, too much stuff, not enough stuff people actually want to buy. (Supreme, for its part, tends to respond the Supreme way—by saying nothing at all.) Two years after VF bought the streetwear juggernaut for a cool 2 billion, Supreme is growing up right before our eyes, but its reliably available jeans haven't lost an ounce of their luster. Higher rise, slimmer leg: they fit a lot like the vintage 501s all those keyboard warriors are happy to overpay for—and you never have to wait in line to buy them.

For years, the only face wash I bothered using—day in and day out, AM and PM—was a drugstore buy from Cetaphil. It was totally fine, I guess, but I felt like kind of a schmoe for sticking with the same cleanser since high school…and totally fine doesn't quite inspire the type of glowing anecdotes you’re used to seeing here. So after the requisite Reddit deep dive, I switched to iS Clinical's cleansing complex, a gentle, retexturing formula with a weirdly cult-ish following. Ask me how, exactly, it works its magic and I couldn't tell you—the icy blue bottle touts the exfoliating benefits of willow bark and a slew of restorative antioxidants—but that's besides the point: work it does.

After at least 18 full months of hemming and hawing, I finally pulled the trigger on a pair of Paraboot Michaels, perhaps the most elevated and truly refined moc toe on the market. I just couldn't wear my thrashed tan Wallabees to another upscale restaurant. Turns out, all that waffling and waiting actually paid off because Paraboot and Drake's cooked up a special collab in those 18 months and it was exactly what I was looking for. It's nearly identical to the regular Michael, but with a couple subtle differences: No teeny-tiny small French flag adorning the upper, and in lieu of a heavy duty Vibram-esque soles on the traditional Paraboots, these have an easier-to-break in crepe sole (so the fit and feel is still a little bit like my well-worn Wallabees, which I dig).

Closest thing I could find to the low-key silver-buckle belt Jerry wears in the first few seasons of Seinfeld.

Took advantage of the solid winter sale going on over at the go-to for nice, normal clothes to grab this zesty teal button-up. Now I'm ready for easy spring Saturday mornings at the playground and any impromptu '90s Charlotte Hornets reunion catering gigs I might pick up.

We're living in what seems to be a golden age of coffee brand...discovery, with a slew of reliable and affordable coffee subscription services that appear to truly support smaller roasters and bean brands. What I like about Fellow, a company that also makes some of the most stylish and functional hardware for java heads, is the simplicity of the service and the all-killer-no-filler quality. Fellow's sub isn't as personalized as a couple others out there, which prompt you with a dozen questions about your preferred brewing method and tasting notes, but I haven't gotten an underwhelming bag from them yet. I was officially a convert when a bag of Santa Cruz-based Cat & Cloud showed up at my door.

I've never really considered myself a watch guy, but it was only recently that I realized I just never came across the right one. The Casio LA670W is an itty-bitty watch that I spotted while at one of my go-to restaurants. Despite it's absolutely atomic scale, it fits my wrist quite nicely and even exaggerates my relaxed-fitting outfits. It's toy-like, super cheap, and a whole lot of fun—now I see what those watch fanatics are going on about.

Two things I learned recently: First, a Costco membership is waaaaay cheaper than I thought (just $60!) and second, you don't even have to have be a member to shop the website (as long as you're okay with paying a meager 5% more). So I, a lowly non-member of the Costco universe, bought a pack of Kirkland Signature tees, a not-so-secret secret amongst fashion people. They have a substantial feel and luscious hand, not to mention a coveted tubular construction, all of which belie they're price tag of just $4 per tee. They're a classic straight fit that's neither baggy nor tight—the kind of fit you've seen on every menswear moodboard. Nothing is perfect, but these tees get pretty damned close.

If you're officially ready to move on from Baccarat Rouge 540, The Harmonist has quietly been producing some of the most interesting and singular fragrances on the market. Now that they have released a complete set of their 10 scents in sample size, you can pinpoint which parfum may be best for you. And if you really want to ensure that nobody else out there smells like you, play around with mixing various scents together. The Harmonist has carefully crafted every one of their fragrances so that they can layer with others.

I've always been a little obsessed with my home smelling like my favorite hotels (shoutout The Edition and Le Labo), but Malouf's Rest scent for the Pura fragrance diffuser smells just like what I imagine the White Lotus in Hawaii to smell like. So now I'm obsessed with my home smelling like my favorite fictional hotel.

Is it a pretty awful time to be leasing any motor vehicle? Absolutely. But if you're in need of a car, the newly redesigned Kias give off a luxuriously futuristic vibe inside and out. I don't fully understand how the self-charging electric battery works, but I'm more than happy to try to do my part and lower my carbon emissions in a hybrid.

All hail the hybrid boot. When I first saw Grape's sporty lace-up, I was initially on the fence–where exactly would these fit within my current rotation? The more I thought about it, the more outfits I mentally plotted out until I realized these shoes were exactly what I needed. A mid-calf boot that I could wear with halterneck dresses and straight-leg jeans. That would look chic spotted at a cafe but also gave the illusion(?) I might dash off into some wild city adventure when the moment called.

Mixing poetry, narrative, and history together, Claudia Rankine sets out to dissect US race relations in a way that feels honest and deeply personal. Rankine is a Black woman who is married to a white man and has no shortage of white friends and colleagues by way of academia and her field of work. So why are conversations centered around unpacking inherent racial bias–from politics to the educational system to dinner etiquette–rife with tension? I've been reading this book in parts, partly because some of the sections are incredibly infuriating but also to really sift through my own thoughts on the matter. These conversations are hard yet necessary, and when I find myself trying to explain the nuance of a certain word in relation to blackness, it's nice to defer/reflect back to this book and be reminded that I'm not alone.

Maintaining healthy curls in the winter calls for a very rich conditioner. I like the Curl Manifesto line 1) because it smells absolutely divine and 2) leaves my curls incredibly soft without weighing them down. If I had to pick one product to spotlight, it's definitely the conditioner, which is packed with honey and ceramides, both great for added moisture.

I had been looking for just the right long, warm, lightweight and BIG coat for awhile. Something that checks all of the boxes that any good coat should, but also—and perhaps most importantly to me—one that doesn't feel constricting when worn on top of layers. You know… like a huge, comfortable cape with a zipper. Or a down blanket with pockets. Or what a football team's sideline throws over their QB's shoulders during a cold weather game. This Nanamica coat is all of those things.

I very much dislike stuffing my pockets with stuff. Keys, phone, wallet, sunglasses, chapstick, some pencil I randomly bought while walking around, etc. All of that stuff. I love this bag because it's simple, sleek, functional and, best of all, now my pockets are empty.

This is the above-mentioned pencil that I just randomly bought while walking around. For years and years growing up I would use those Bic mechanical pencils for everything. Blasphemous for someone who likes to draw, I know. Anyway, this OHTO is quite a stylish upgrade and, if you're anything like me, you can never have too many pencils.

At the risk of overstating it, this stuff is borderline magical. I’ve never used such a transformative skin product with such immediate results. Just a couple drops in the morning will instantly tighten, hydrate and visibly liven up your face. Yes, it's great for the overall health of your skin, but if you’re interested in masking the appearance of a bad night's sleep or, perhaps, a hangover, this is your move.

This thing doubles as a beanie (for when it's kind of cold) and as a balaclava (for when it's really cold and/or I feel like hiding in plain sight). Perfect!

I came across a gorgeous cashmere topcoat while I was out thrifting and haven't been able to take it off. It makes me feel like the '90s heart throbs I'd grown up watching, probably because it came from that era. I like to wear mine over a fuzzy sweater and baggy jeans while topping it off with a bright scarf and a cozy beanie. Pop over to eBay and Etsy and you can be a heartthrob, too.

Terms like "period correct" and "reproduction" tickle the vintage clothing freak within me and Buzz Ricksons is among the most lauded when it comes to recreating garments from yesteryear. For years I'd lusted after these specific pants which are based on 1940s US Army officer's chinos. They've got a high rise, wide-leg, and metal buttons at the fly (among a bevy of other esoteric details of which I will spare you). But there's a twist. They're a special collaboration with science fiction writer and cyberpunk pioneer, William Gibson, and feature a very period incorrect inky black colorway befitting of my New York City wardrobe.

I forgot to turn off the 'Subscribe & Save' feature on my Amazon account and now I have an extra jar of this CeraVe moisturizing cream. But I'm not exactly upset about that. It's the best moisturizer I've ever used in my life, so having a surplus jar on deck just in case I run out is actually doing future me a huge favor. It's thick but not heavy and it feels super soothing as soon as I put it on. It's also packed with hyaluronic acid and ceramides to keep my skin barrier moist and protected so I can avoid any eczema flare ups. But my favorite part is that it comes in a jar with a wide mouth so I can easily access every last glob. My suggestion: buy two at a time.

One of the unfortunate workplace hazards of browsing all our Recommends winter guides is that I’ve come down with serious Cardigan Fever. On a recent trip to LA, I thumbed over everything in Industry of All Nations (a GQ Best Stuff box stalwart) before taking home this alpaca cardigan. It's incredibly soft, extra warm, and certifiably perfect.

For someone who's written an entire guide on how to find a stylish bed frame, I’ve been shamefully stacking my mattress on a bed foundation, no frame, for years. Everything I was seeing online felt a little too dated, too meh, or too everywhere. And when a bed frame from Quagga—a very cool Canadian brand that sells inexpensive, inventive designs—finally started selling in the States, I sat on the wait list for half a year before finally looking elsewhere. This one I surfaced recently on Etsy from a small brand based in Denver has a similar Japanese-Scandi vibe to Quagga's No Fuss Plus, but sits higher off the ground so I can stuff all my shit under there. I’ve clocked only a few days on it so far, but kinda love it.

I never really got into the ballet shoe trend (no arch support, no dice), but a humble mary jane, on the other hand, will always have my heart. My latest addition: a glitzy heeled number that I trotted out to every party on my holiday circuit with nary a blister or foot ache to report.

Blame it on the champagne brunch I had an hour earlier or the enablers I was with, but the moment I laid eyes on this bag at The Row store, I knew it was coming home with me. There's an art to the perfect tote and this one is a masterpiece. It has the most luxurious navy suede and a perfectly proportioned silhouette that comfortably holds my laptop, my cosmetics, and the gym clothes I never use. I might have bought the last one in this color, but the others are worth a look too.

I got Lasik over a decade ago, and while I've come a long way from being legally blind, my aging and screen-addicted eyes have started to depend on eyeglasses more frequently, beyond driving at night. I own several eyeglasses, but my absolute favorites are a vintage pair of Christian Dior frames. Or, at least they were my favorite pair up until recently when they snapped in half while I was cleaning them. The incident left me I depressed for a whole four days before I realized they were all over the internet. Tears were shed, but the crisis was ultimately averted. I got mine on Etsy but you can also find these particular ones on The Real Real, eBay, etc. and avoid a disaster of your own.

Head Hi is my neighborhood bookstore/cafe and I shop there regularly for inspiration. Every time I'm there I learn so much from co-founder Alexandra Hodkowski. She's a huge connector of community and has the most insanely deep and nerdy knowledge of pretty much anything relating to fashion, art and design, so it's not surprising that they've just launched an Architecture + Design Book Club for the local creative community to geek out on. Stephen Burks: Shelter in Place is the first book in this quarterly event series and I can't wait to dig into it.

As a soft-spoken graphic designer with a wildly average build, everyone assumes I’m as physically active as an aging house cat. My secret is that that's true only 87% of the time. The rest is spent at the gym maintaining a respectable-ish weightlifting regimen. (Watching Predator a few dozen times for the comforting sight of Arnold's biceps counts as being into bodybuilding, right?) This is why clothing brand Y,IWO is very near to my heart. Their name stands for "Yeah, I Work Out", and their vintage-style illustrations and typography inspired by the peak Gold's Gym era of the culture speak to both my inner Lou Ferrigno and Milton Glaser.

I have a massive floor-to-ceiling bookshelf that, somehow, still isn't large enough to hold my entire collection of books. So, people scratch their heads when I admit I’m basically illiterate. The reason is I only buy visual books that I can steal from *ahem* be inspired by in my own practice. My newest—and one of my most treasured—is Brain Dead's comprehensive monograph Clothing for a Curious Life. I bought my first Brain Dead T-shirt almost seven years ago. Since then, the brand has expanded to include footwear, home goods, toys, furniture, food, an animation studio, theater, wrestling league, and more. The book beautifully chronicles this enviable, and well-deserved, designer Cinderella story.

Winter comes with its own set of sartorial challenges. Case in point: sometime around December when the weather descends into its gloomiest phase, I find it less justifiable to wear my sunglasses on a daily basis. The problem with going sans sunglasses (other than UVs) is subjecting innocent bystanders to my dull, lifeless gaze. My workaround? A pair of light, color-tinted glasses by Oliver Peoples. I got these black frames with a custom ordered pink tint lenses. Now I can continue to wear an essential and flattering accessory through dreary weather, something that benefits both me and the general public.