A YEAR IN REVIEW: OUR 8 BEST INVESTMENTS

Reflecting on our best purchases that defined 2023. And a new obsession: furry hems and sleeves. 

We’re currently working on a new vintage batch (coming soon!), and without revealing all our secrets, it’s safe to say we’ve developed a simultaneous obsession with furry details. Whether it’s the hem of a skirt, the sleeves of a top, or a collar, we want it to be adorned with faux fur. While we can't pinpoint exactly when it all started, we suspect it has something to do with the secondhand Margiela muff in our wardrobe, the Fidan Novruzova boots and dress from last week’s edit, the pebble print pumps from the second drop of Phoebe Philo A1, and the oversized Raey and Toteme coats that feel like a hug. Christmas is around the corner, and we have no idea what we’re wearing yet, but we have the tab for these fabulous Fancì Club gloves open on our website. Yes, we have a thing for gloves, if you haven’t noticed already, but that’s a whole different discussion (perhaps for next week?). Speaking of the holiday season and, with it, the approaching end, this week we're discussing on our best buys of 2023. 

Charon’s best purchases of 2023:

1. This is cheating, but just a tad, as I technically made this purchase in 2021: Toteme’s signature shearling jacket. I've been living in it for the third winter in a row, and besides some small creases on the sleeves, it looks like I just got it. It’s everything I was (and am) looking for—warm but not too warm, with a built-in scarf effect when the zipper is pulled up. On a practical note: the jacket is short, making it comfortable for me to bike in (see the longer version here). I love the vintage shearling feel in a modern shape, creating a timeless design. Good to know: I’m tall (1.79 meters/5′10″) and I sized up to M/L for a slightly longer fit.

2. The vintage Ferragamo Hobo bag (new here)—I could go on and on about how much I love this bag, but our previous newsletter explains in detail why this grandmother-ish purse with silver hardware is everything I want. I wear it nearly every day; it accomondates loads, and looks just as good with a classic look in warmer seasons as it does during the winter months. 

3. Sophie Buhai hinged hoop earrings—since they are the perfect everyday earrings that stand out enough to look chic with nighttime looks as well, I had to get both gold and silver, but I wear the silver ones by far the most.

4. It was the summer of the ballerina, and I wore my Tipp-Ex white Tabi ballerina almost every single day. Later in the fall, I paired them with socks. The dazzling white color is something I'll never get tired of; it just elevates any look.

Stephanie:

1. This has been the year I rediscovered the transformative power of belts in elevating an otherwise mundane outfit. I purchased the Ann Demeulemeester double belt right before Paris Fashion Week (I must confess, Prada’s SS24 collection, brimming with belt details, influenced my decision to purchase it after lingering on my Vestiaire Collective wishlist for ages). I ended up wearing it multiple times throughout the week—a versatile piece that works equally well over coats.

2. I despise dull jeans unless they are vintage Levi’s 501, and we all know how challenging they are to find nowadays. This year, I introduced two pairs of jeans to my wardrobe that make a statement on their own and become frequent choices throughout the week: the Saks Potts Salma jeans, bought at Carmen in Amsterdam.

3. And the Y/Project foldover jeans. With a beautiful dark grey/washed black wash and a straight fit, they boast a particularly cool detail in the asymmetric folded-over design. Available here in a blue wash. 

4. I’m also cheating a bit as this purchase is actually from summer 2022. However, these are the shoes I wore the most this year (yes, even with a heel; I can easily get 10K steps in): the Margiela knee-high boots. They enhance all my outfits, whether worn on their own under a skirt or dress or paired with trousers or jeans, and the split-toes sticking out add that extra coolness. P.S. Read our love letter and FAQ on tabi here."