Shoppies to Soothe the Soul 💘
For when you need to buy things for the sole purpose of a serotonin hit
Hello shoppers!
Wow there are so many new faces here! I’m so grateful that I get to watch this little community of material girls (all genders) grow. Since this is the first newsletter for so many of you, it won’t be paywalled and I hope you love it enough to consider signing up for for a paid subscription.
January has been a long month for me, physically, mentally, romantically, spiritually, and as a result, financially! I’ve done a lot of retail therapy these last few weeks for the sole purpose of feeling something other than existential dread and so I thought to close out the month I’d share with you all some of the things I purchased that will soothe whatever your soul might be ailing from.
The AYM Taylor Dress: This dress has been following me on social media for months and I finally decided to pull the trigger a few weeks ago. It arrived today and I regret to inform you all that the hype is absolutely worth it for this. If you’re looking for a revenge dress look no further. It’s soft as butter yet the double layer of fabric gives it an incredible amount of hold and support. I’m already eyeing a few other dresses on the site. I’m a 10/12 in pants and a 34G in bras and I bought the L.
Aubade Bra: I am always on the hunt for a good bra and I came across this one on Herroom and decided to give it a try. It has almost a memory foam feel to the cups, super soft to the touch but firm enough to give a ton of support. I also love that even as G cup there are only two hooks at the back; I’m about 5’5 and I find that sometimes when bras have 3 or 4 hooks I feel like I’m wearing a a suit of armor and I hate it. This was true to size as well!
A shit ton of books: Ok here’s the thing about me: since law school, I have not wanted to read for pleasure at all. There’s something about being assigned hundreds of pages of the driest text you’ve ever read that made me resent the very thought of picking up a book. But as many of you who have been here for a while will know, I’m a Nordic Noir lover and on a recent Barnes & Noble trip I realized that most Nordics are based on books. I picked up a few by Jo Nesbo and a few by Lars Kepler and I’ve already blown through a bunch of them. I loved The Snowman (Nesbo) and The Nightmare (Kepler) and I’m reading The Devil’s Star (Nesbo) now. Absolutely not for the faint of heart but if you can stomach gruesome murders, I highly recommend.
Doen Jane Blouse: I am a longtime devotee of Doen and I’ve been eyeing this blouse for years. It went on sale after the holiday and I scooped it up at a discount but I can definitely say it’s worth it even at full price. It’s feminine, lightweight, and I cannot wait to wear it this summer with jeans.
NARS Foreplay Palette: I bought this on a whim because I wanted a new blush that was both warm tone and had some shimmer to it. It’s so easy to use and looks beautiful on the skin; I use all four colors together on a big brush because I’m not that precise about how I apply my makeup and I find it’s pretty foolproof!
Emi Jay Clips: I already own a few of these and yes I know they’re pricey for claw clips but they are so comfortable and so secure. I have super fine hair and they work great but I also know girls who have super curly hair and also swear by them. They’re just magic!
Sol de Janeiro no. 71: Look, I know I’ve said this before but I am a gourmand girlie — if it smells like a bakery or a vanilla bean was physically rubbed all over my skin — I’m in. This is such a cozy and yummy scent; it smells like caramel and warmth and you feel like a human baked good but also kind of sexy? Just trust me on this one.
Sanrio Humidifer: I’m a firm believer that in times of emotional turmoil, change, etc., it’s important to change a few things in your space to mark that transition and to move away from the sensations of whatever you’re leaving behind. Which is why I bought this absolutely ridiculous My Melody humidifier to put on my bedside table (and a bunch of other little Sanrio/Hello Kitty accessories, like this pen cup and these file folders.) And you know what? This humidifier works — I struggle with super dry skin and ever since I started using this I haven’t had any dry patches show up on my face.
Biordi Imports Head: This purchase is squarely filed under the “romantic” item on my list of reasons this month has been less than ideal and was a little gift I gave to myself. (Just read the history behind them and you’ll get it.) It’s a miniature version of the one’s on White Lotus and I love that it’s all white with the stark contrast of the red lip.
Material Girl Eats: As promised — I’m expanding my newsletter to include recipes or new foods I’m loving! (And TV recs, below.) Here is my never fail tomato sauce.
You’ll need a can of San Marzano Tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, unsalted butter, garlic, basil, a tiny bit of sugar, pasta of your choice.
Put your pasta water on, salt it, and add pasta when it comes to a boil.
In a deep frying pan heat up the extra virgin olive oil; let the garlic cook until you can mash it on the back of a spoon. Add a few of the tomatoes from the San Marzano can, and some of the juice. The amount of tomatoes you add is relative to how many people you’re serving — I always dice them before I add them in just to make the sauce a little smoother. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Let that all come together and bring to a simmer. At this point I add about two tablespoons of unsalted butter. (This is the secret, it makes it creamy without being heavy and cuts some of the acidity.)
Once your pasta has almost finished cooking, scoop out about a half cup of pasta water and add this to the tomato sauce, bring to a simmer, and let it cook down. The starchiness from the pasta water will thicken the whole sauce and add to the creaminess.
Sometimes I’ll add a pinch of sugar, but it’s not necessary!
When the sauce is almost done cooking, I’ll add a few handfuls of chopped basil so it cooks into the sauce.
Toss with the pasta and serve!
Material Girl Watches: Because I’ve been enjoying a renewed ~love of reading~ I actually haven’t been doing a ton of tv watching lately but a few weeks ago I finished Post Mortem: No One Dies in Skarnes which is a Norwegian show about a funeral home and the family that runs it. You need a pretty strong stomach to watch it because they are not shy about depicting the process of preparing a body for a funeral, but if you are into absurdist horror, it’s a great find. (There is literally a scene where a woman is drinking human blood and it’s set to Polka music, of all things.) It is so weird and campy and dark all at the same time.