“What I NEED most at the moment is a pair of boxing gloves” – this is an actual quote by me to J from two days ago. For context, let me also inform you that I uttered this sentence after complaining that I was forced to go to the doctor and spend 73 euros on prescription drugs (and when I say ‘forced’, I mean that my cough got so bad that I had to run out of a meeting and eventually leave the office entirely; by then I had not been able to sleep properly for a week – hence the doctor).

As this situation caused quite a bit of merriment, I decided to write down things I want to buy right now. Partly to remind myself of things that I’ve wanted for a long time and could potentially improve my life (as opposed to buying random clothes from Zara); partly as a substitute for actually buying the things (it’s very unlikely I’m going to get some of the pricier stuff on the list) and partly as an acknowledgement that while I think about sustainability a lot and try to buy less, the craving for pretty new things obviously hasn’t gone away. There is also an element of ‘my recent favourites’ here, as some of the things I have owned in the past and either lost or run out of.

Here are some things I keep thinking about:

1. Boxing gloves and wraps. I was not kidding when I spoke to J. I have been boxing for a few months now and would like to train at home between my PT sessions. For that, obviously, I need the gloves and hand wraps – the bag we already have. If you have recommendations, hit me! (I also need to learn to wrap my hands myself, when Jeremy is not around to do it for me…)

2. Lucas Hugh bodysuit. Considering that I work out four days a week, I have been surprisingly disciplined with buying gym clothes. In fact, I think there is a pretty good case to be made for owning a few more items, so that they would last longer. I really like this body suit, although I’m still debating whether I’ve got the confidence to wear it. Sports bras with zips are another thing on my list (I hear Victoria’s Secret does good ones).

3. Headphones. My biggest regret of 2019 was losing my Bang & Olufsen wireless headphones. I miss them every day, especially when walking from the gym to the office. These were a gift from J and I don’t think I can bring myself to buy the exact same model again, as it’s a massive amount of money. So a good alternative needs to be found – recommendations, again, are welcome.

4. Masterclass subscription. I have been eyeing up this online learning platform for a good while and the selection of classes is getting wider and better all the time. I really like the people they have chosen and there are several topics in which I have a real, practical interest (for example writing and cooking) and some that I think would be just fascinating to learn about (basketball, ballet, Anna Wintour on leadership).

5. A Victoria Beckham dress. Sheath dresses are something I have worn faithfully for at least 20 years and I don’t foresee stopping any time soon. When I think about buying less but better quality, I immediately think about simple, classic dresses and this Victoria Beckham one specifically, as I’m still obsessed with everything cream. In the same vein, I’m hunting vintage L’Wren Scott dresses on Vestiaire.

6. Bottega mules. Well, I cannot quite claim that these are a practical, long-term investment. The truth is that like everyone on Planet Fashion, I fell for the shoes and bags Daniel Lee has designed for Bottega Veneta and for these pale blue padded mules specifically. I imagine wearing them with cropped jeans and a red dress and all my beige and brown clothes.

7. Gucci lipstick. This is another thing I lost – I think my Diana Amber lipstick by Gucci fell out of my bag on the plane and was lost forever. I miss it terribly, possibly enough to just go and buy the exact same lipstick again. It’s the perfect everyday red for me – very comfortable, relatively sheer and easily smudgeable.

8.The Ordinary cleanser. Most things on my list are very spendy, so I’m glad that the skincare item I have been thinking about the most recently happens to be perfectly affordable. I have raved about The Ordinary Squalene Cleanser before and experience has confirmed that it’s my favourite cleanser for the gym and for travelling. I have many alternatives and nothing else is quite as convenient – it’s the perfect size and works wonderfully as the first and second, morning and evening cleanse. (Full disclosure: I have just ordered a new tube.)

9. Sappho’s poems. I read Daniel Mendelsohn’s essays recently and one of them is about Sappho. He speaks favourably of a specific translation into English that collects all Sappho’s known works. I have read a selection of her poems in the Penguin little black book, but now I of course want to read the collection that Mendelsohn mentions and that for some inexplicable reason costs about five times the amount of a normal poetry book. Of course it does.

What have you been lusting after? I will not judge 🙂