Hi!
Welcome to a very belated Mess Recs for the month of August. My deepest apologies for this delay, but what with the VMAs, the
launch, and the YouTube content factory I’ve turned into this month, it feels like September just slipped right through my fingers! But at long last, I’m back with a treasure trove of deeply random items to share with you because for some reason you guys seem to enjoy these types of consumerist disclosures. So per your wishes, here’s some stuff I bought, read, clicked on, and watched last month!Shop:
Before we officially begin, just a note to say that last time we did this I told you I was in the midst of buying Pact organic cotton leggings, but I had not yet received them. I have since received them and they are even better than anticipated. They are somehow both long enough to reach my ankles while still keeping the waistline pulled up to my belly button, which as a 6’2” individual is no easy feat. Complete athletic wardrobe overhaul incoming.
Owala FreeSip 40 oz Water Bottle
As I also warned you last month, my endorsement of this Owala water bottle was forthcoming and it has now officially arrived in these pages. I know you all already know, but this water bottle really is great. The straw situation is ideal for sipping and for cleaning, and usually that is a one or the other type feature. I actually have two of the giant-size 40 oz bottles now as I got a second one for my birthday, and I assume they are about to fix every hydration problem I’ve ever had. Anyway, I’m sure you’re all set on the water bottle front, but if you’re not — this is the ticket. And may I suggest putting a gorgeous holographic winky cat sticker on said bottle while you’re at it just to really sweeten the deal?
Vogue Paris Collection magazines
I also informed you that I was about to be on my Vogue Paris Collection eBay bullshit, and on that bullshit I have been. But honestly, the prices are pretty rough! I hate when people know exactly what they have and try to make me pay over full price for it. So far, I’ve only purchased a singular additional magazine from Fall 2012 as I was able to secure it for $30, but I think to complete my library I might have to make a return trip to High Valley Books where they are retailing for $40, but at least there’s no shipping involved. There’s just something about having these on hand as a print reference point for really delving into a particular season and what was going on fashion-wise at that time that I love and is greatly pleasing to my completionist archival brain.
J.Crew Factory Loop Leather Belt
I desperately needed a belt while visiting my parents in Maine and lucked into this perfect one while perusing the J.Crew Factory store at the mall. I am sooo picky about belts, but this one hits all the right notes for me and even has gold hardware which I feel like I rarely see. I believe this is a knockoff of something fancy and trendy, I want to say Khaite? But considering it’s made out of 100% leather and $35, whatever it’s copying, I feel like you can’t go wrong.
IO Lens Cleaner
I didn’t know I could feel this passionately about a lens cleaner until I purchased this lens cleanser. I don’t know how to convey to you what a fantastic addition that has been to my many lensed and screened life except to say that they’re all sparklingly clean now, totally streak-free, and shall stay that way forevermore.
Mess Polo Shirt
Yes, this is a shameless plug for my own merch, but this top is so funny to me and I do actually own it. I am obsessed with creating like weird finance bro corporate swag for the newsletter. You might recall I previously took Juju + Stitch up on their offer of a sample of one of their half-zip pullovers that I got embroidered with “Mess, Inc.” and my friends are obsessed with it and ask if I can get them one all the time. Unfortunately for them, it is a 1 of 1 Mess original for founding members (me) only. But on the bright side, now EVERYONE can pretend they’re the Wolf of Wall Street if Wall Street was all about taking bets on ugly celebrity clothing by wearing this very silly little polo that proudly let’s the world know that you are a MESS.
Purina Pro Gastro Wet Dog Food + Purina Probiotics
Fran had a rough August in the poop department which is probably TMI, but such is the reality of pet ownership. My girl has got an unbelievably temperamental little tummy and this combo of wet food and probiotics is the only thing that has ever saved us from the hell a rogue hot Cheeto gobbled off the sidewalk can impart. Also, Fran is so obsessed with the flavor of the probiotics that even just the scent when I rip the bag open causes her to start violently snuffling and snapping at the air. Because of that, I have also often used this powder to bribe her to gobble down all her food if we’re in a hurry to go somewhere and don’t have all day for her to toss her kibble around the house like edible confetti before she eats it.
Heart Post-It Dispenser
This all started because my sister buys me these Mini Brand Balls for all birthdays and holidays as I turn the little consumer goods inside into magnets for my fridge. And during my birthday this year, one of the balls contained this heart-shaped Post-It note dispenser. Upon discovering it, I exclaimed, is this a real thing you can actually purchase?!?, googled it, and immediately discovered that once upon a time it was something you could actually purchase. So obviously, I logged on to eBay, bargain shopped around, and then acquired the life-size version of my mini. Fear not, there’s a million more of these on there if you feel similarly passionate about acquiring one. It’s so silly, I love it. It makes me feel like I have an office in Barbie’s dream house which is a goal I never knew I had, but now feels so obvious and right.
Ryobi Dust Buster
This thing is absolutely insane. The suction power is extreme, to put it mildly. It feels like using a reverse leaf blower inside the home. It is sucking dust bunnies out of cracks and crevices I didn’t even know were there. My one quibble with this dust buster is that you have to buy the battery packs separately and in a pack of two, but now I love that it made me buy two because I can leave one charging while I bust dust like a mad woman and then swap out the battery for double the dusting once the first one runs out. You’re never going to see a Fran hair tumbleweed roll through my apartment ever again.
After the jump, I will continue to tell you all about my favorite blush (for now!), the greatest pen I’ve used in years, my fabulous birthday facial, the YouTube workout videos that are going to get my arms shredded in no time flat, my two favorite books from August, “heteropessimism,’ and the only fashion influencer I’ve ever liked…