New year, new me, new list of things I want! Frankly, these posts are rather embarrassing to make, as they lay bare my materialistic tendencies for everyone to see. Not that they are otherwise particularly hidden, considering I’m a lifestyle blogger, but still. On the other hand, they are a good exercise in examining what one wants, what one needs and what one can afford. To be clear, there are many things on these lists that I cannot or will not buy in the end. It is a a shopping list for a richer and more stylish version of me. As I know that many readers find these lists fun, I’m continuing the tradition.

The Row XL Park tote in taupe. Last year, I put The Row’s Margaux bag on this list and I still think it’s a beautiful, beautiful bag. However, it really is too expensive for me and if I’m perfectly honest, the dupes that have flooded the market have also cooled my enthusiasm somewhat. More practically speaking – and I understand it’s relative in a situation where we are talking about bags that cost multiple thousands of euros – I have also figured out that good old tote bags work the best for me: I am a messy person who needs easy access to my stuff. All this is to say that I have replaced the Margaux with the XL Park tote. And unusually for this post, I have in fact already bought it. It was my birthday present to myself, after almost a year of contemplation and saving. I am very happy with my decision, but in case you are thinking about the exact same bag, please be aware that it is considerably darker in person than it looks online.

Extreme Cashmere Oversize Xtra sweater (No 20). Is it even a Life in a Cold Climate ‘things I want’ list if it doesn’t include any cashmere? I think not. I have to admit that at least when it comes to cashmere sweaters, I have almost everything I need. I have my neutral rollnecks, I have my thin crewnecks, I have my casual navy and khaki knits. However, as I am constantly cold, I would love to own one extra-warm sweater for proper winter. And I know of no warmer and more sumptuous cashmere knit than the Extreme Cashmere No 20, as I have this sweater already. Unfortunately, and for reasons that remain shrouded in obscurity, I bought it in bubblegum pink. Which is very nice, but really limits my wearing options. So I have my sights on the camel version for next winter.

Miu Miu sneakers. I agree with you, designer sneakers are awful. I know this. That said, I do love these Miu Miu ones – I love the simple design, I love the colour, I love the suede. I almost never wear shoes these days as I go to the office (with the exception of loafers), so it would be useful to have a more polished pair. I have therefore convinced myself that I need these sneakers, but I may already be too late – they seem to be sold out in my size everywhere.

Dorsey necklace. If there is one dangerous addiction that I have been spared from, it’s expensive jewellery. I don’t really care about diamonds or precious stones or gold. I mean, these things can look nice, but I am not going to lose any sleep over a Van Cleef Alhambra bracelet. So it is with some surprise that I have recently been thinking about this tennis necklace. It is not even the type of stuff I usually like, as it’s very conservative and almost boring-looking. But I keep imagining it with casual clothes, especially with a grey sweatshirt. It’s made of lab-grown sapphires, so it’s not as insanely priced as some other similar necklaces. And it’s of course less problematic in other ways, too.

Gucci magnetic earrings. Pretty much the only jewellery I regularly wear (apart from my very modest engagement ring that I’ve been wearing for about 25 years now) is clip-on earrings – as I’m sure you know, if you are a regular reader of my ‘things I want’ posts. The only problem with clip-ons is that they work really well for dramatic looks, but if you want something smaller and more delicate, the selection is not great – partly because the clip-on fastening makes more sense with bigger earrings. This is why I’m drawn to these Gucci magnetic ones, as they give you the stud look that is generally difficult to achieve with clip-ons. In a world where I own a house on the Mani peninsula, I would also own a pair of vintage Chanel button earrings.

Smythson Kings Weekly diary. I promise you that I would rather not want a Smythson diary and go for something cheaper. However, this is the only one  I’ve found that has the size, layout, paper type and colour I like. Even among the Smythson options, Kings Weekly is the only one I am interested in – I have had their notebooks before and I do not like the very thin featherweight paper that they use for most of their stationery. If you can recommend something similar but cheaper, feel free to share in the comments.

Karolin Kuusik X Pai bed linen. Ah, finally! Something that I really do badly need: bed linen. I have basically slept with one set since I moved to my new apartment last year. Which means I have to wash it on Saturday or Sunday morning and pray that it will be dry by the evening so that I can use it again. It’s not that I have some sort of aversion to buying bed linen, but I have promised myself not to buy random stuff for my home, only things I really like. And I haven’t come across anything that I really like until now. I love the fairytale inspired but still elegant pattern of Karolin’s design and the larger size is hopefully big enough to fit my giant blanket.

Sleeper pajamas. I have never been a pajama person (or any sleepwear person, really). But recently, nice pajamas have started to seem appealing. In particular, I love this Ukrainian mythology-inspired set from Sleeper. I’ve always liked the brand, I have one of their dresses, and the colour and print of these pajamas would work perfectly with my Karolin Kuusik bed linen, which I of course don’t yet have. Also, it’s on sale, so it’s basically free.

Comete by Chanel. I definitely do not need a new perfume. Technically, I guess you never NEED perfume: unlike with clothes, where you can at least make a case for needing to cover up and keep warm. But I always WANT new perfume, including the newest Chanel exclusif. You could argue that this is a boring choice and you’d be right – it is not a heavy hitter like Le Lion or compellingly austere like Sycomore or the epitome of elegance like Rue Cambon 31, all of which I also don’t have in my collection at the moment. But I am in the mood for something soft and comforting, which is exactly what Comete is – a powdery, almondy, gentle floral. It still has the Chanel iris and the complexity of composition, though, that make it more sophisticated than other contenders in the genre.

KitchenAid Stand Mixer. I have wanted a proper stand mixer for years and using one in Estonia over Christmas break reminded me how useful these can be. I think I cook enough to justify the price and I find it appealing that it’s something that should last a long time. Compared to many other categories, my kitchen gadgets are under control – I have a kettle, a toaster, a large and a small blender (this may seem excessive, but I have them for different things and use both weekly if not daily). This is it. And I have had enough of manual whisking.*

Weirdly specific books. I usually do not have books on my list, as I buy pretty much anything I want to read the moment I want to read it. But I need to do research for a writing project and this means I also need some rather specific, sometimes academic books on the early history of Finno-Ugric tribes, Novgorod Republic and Mongol Empire/Golden Horde. I am not going to read all of these (or at least not read them in their entirety), but I have made a wish list on Amazon that’s public, in case you are curious.

*As I procrastinated for so long with posting this list, I in fact received this as a birthday gift from J already. But I am leaving it in for an accurate reflection of my wants.