In the two years of the pandemic, my makeup, perfume and clothes purchases have slowed down – although not stopped by any means. Perhaps most irrationally, my habit of buying a few evening dresses per year is as strong as ever. But if you are expecting a proper ‘best of’ of fragrance or beauty releases, this I’m not able to provide. Still, perhaps this overview is useful as you are planning your own wardrobes or makeup buys. 

Giuliva Heritage boots. Let me start with the cover image, the gorgeous leather boots by Giuliva Heritage that I bought this Autumn. I love that they are very narrow and fitted and have this timeless look that I’m sure I’ll love also ten years from now. They are reasonably comfortable (and I’m pretty sure they’ll become very comfortable as I wear them more), although not 100% practical: they are very slippery, so useless in the snow, and probably not ideal in the rain, considering the delicate leather. But for crisp Autumn days, they are perfect.

Oksana Tandit tweed skirt. I suspected that I would wear it a lot, but it has become my absolute go-to for workdays when I have to look polished. As I said in my original post, a pencil skirt with a knit is one of my favourite outfit formulas and I have certainly proved myself right. I feel effortless and confident and put together when I wear it, which is exactly how I want to feel in the office.

Extreme Cashmere Oversize Xtra jumper. If I were to buy this again, I would perhaps go for the cream version, as it’s more versatile and neutral. That said, my bubble gum pink (now sold out everywhere, I believe) is gorgeous as well. It is by far the thickest and most sumptous knit that I have, cashmere or otherwise. So if warmth and softness are important for you, this is worth a look. It’s of course an investment, but not one I regret. 

The Vampire’s Wife dress. I did a full post about it yesterday. 

New Balance trainers. After wearing my Nike sneakers on repeat, they have been dethroned this year by New Balance 530s. I was looking for something less bulky than my Nike Teknos, but not as boring as Vejas (I own a pair and they are nice, apart from being too wide for my feet). NB struck the perfect balance (pun intended!) between chic and sporty. They are also lightweight and extremely comfortable – I cannot abide trainers that aren’t comfortable to wear, it completely defeats the purpose of wearing them in the first place.

Victoria Beckham lipstick in Sway. Some people have given up on lipsticks because of all the mask wearing, but I must say it doesn’t bother me. So what if there is some transfer? I tend to wear relatively neutral colours these days, though, rather than statement reds and pinks. My absolute favourite has been Victoria Beckham’s Sway: the formula is lovely and comfortable, the colour is a beautiful cool-ish mauve and I love the packaging, too. Purely in terms of quantity, I may have worn Gucci’s Call It A Day more – it is a similar shade (slightly more beige), but sheerer and more hydrating, so it’s super easy to wear.

Armani Eyes to Kill in Stellar. I am not a big eye shadow wearer, but if I DO wear it, it’s usually one shimmery product at a time. Armani is excellent at doing this type of eyeshadow and Stellar is an, um, stellar example of the genre. It gives you a gorgeous, effortless wash of champagne (I apply with fingers) – the texture is lovely, a bouncy cream-powder hybrid. The result is pretty and polished and makes my eyes look more alive. I have also repurchased my old favourite, By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Frozen Quartz, which has reminded me how brilliant it is.

Gucci Mascara L’Obscur. I am not easily impressed by mascaras, my absolute favourite remains Kevyn Aucoin’s misleadingly named The Volume Mascara. As it’s a tubing type, I sometimes long for a bit more drama, and I find Gucci gives me that without going overboard or being clumpy. The gorgeous packaging doesn’t hurt.

Fenty Beauty cream bronzer. If I don’t wear eyeshadow often, I wear bronzer even more rarely. It’s not really my thing, plus I don’t like base products that are powder-based and there aren’t many cream bronzers available. Also, the colours are usually too warm. Enter Fenty Beauty’s bronzer in shade Butta Bisquit, which is very much a cream and has an almost gray tinge. It works well for me, both as a contour and a bronzer, and is very easy to apply (yes, it’s a theme). And as we are on the topic of base products, let me also state that NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser has been, by far, my most-worn base of the year – and this despite that fact that I did buy both Gucci and Pat McGrath foundations.

Eau de Californie by Celine. By my standards, I didn’t buy a lot of perfume this year, but I did find new favourites. Eau de Californie was probably my most-worn scent in 2021 and I highly recommend it to those who like masculine-leaning, woody, elegant fragrances. A full review is available here.

Chicago High by Vilhelm Parfumerie. Chicago High, in contrast, is a scent that I’ve worn only a handful of times. Not because I don’ t like it, but because it’s intense and unusual, a potent mix of champagne, tobacco and honey. I generally don’t divide fragrances into ‘day’ and ‘evening’ ones, but this really is a party perfume for me. It is The Great Gatsby in fragrance form.

Margaret Dabbs London Hygiene Foot Cream. I realise that it’s not a very glamorous entry, but I must mention it nevertheless: this is the best foot cream I’ve ever used and in the grand scheme of things, a much more useful product than another lipstick or dress. It’s not a lovely, light, rose-scented lotion, but a serious, medicinal-smelling cream. It drastically improved the condition of my battered feet, after daily walks, 4-5 training sessions a week and no proper pedicure since the beginning of the pandemic.

What have you enjoyed this year? Anything you want to whole-heartedly recommend?

Boots by Giuliva Heritage, jeans by Essentiel Antwerp, coat by Remian Birger Christensen. Image Laura Nestor.