Sustainable & quality things that brought [back] joy
February 2025 favorites (part 1 of ???)
After a particularly chaotic January (and with it, a challenging start to 2025), the start of February is refreshing.
It feels great to get back to writing about what I love. At the tail end of 2024, I thought about possible directions I could take this platform; as I love narratives, reading (and writing) long posts, and discovering so many creatives, connecting with unique individuals, deleting this account was a definite no.
Should I write more about my work, career path, less about clothes and looks, accessories and outings? Am I still upholding the ethos of “quiet luxuries,” not in the same vein of emulating looks found in fashion brands and scrolling through Tik Tok but in the sense of sharing the joys in everyday things that are truly priceless?
In the end, I concluded that I was getting inside my own head, and it was not productive. It only made me feel more uncertain and uninspired. I decided that I neglected my substack for far too long, and I need to let it grow organically first.
For the sake of brevity I will keep this post concise, but will dedicate the next two weeks to sharing some of my favorites and oft repeated outfits and accessories that have quickly become my tried and true essential pieces. This is a growing list, so I have no idea how many parts it will take for it to be “complete.” As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I am going to let this series grow organically.
Here is part one:
Vanishing Point Fountain Pen (Fine nib)
A good pen is just as essential to the journal writing process as a quality camera is to capturing snapshots. Writing is a joy that is very personal and special to me ever since I started creating my own book by stapling together numerous pages of computer paper vertically along the left margin and covering the said pages with crude drawings and cursive text.
I have pens galore, but decided to splurge on the one that I budgeted for in the past two months.
And it writes like a dream.
Coach Brooklyn Shoulder Bag in Size 39
At the start of February I was in the market for a ludicrously capacious office bag. After hemming and hawing, mulling over several brands and archiving many that were outside of the price range, I decided on this beauty:
Needless to say, it has not left my shoulder/s. I received many compliments about it and proudly shared that yes, it is Coach. The Coach Brooklyn comes in three different sizes and numerous colorways, but black is my go-to, and it has been one of my best purchases thus far.
Arizona Birkenstocks
Holy moly.
It has been trial and error for me and Birkenstocks in the past several years. After impulse buying several that were either too wide or too long, I finally found some that I can proudly own for the rest of winter and upcoming warmer seasons.
I am a firm believer in Allison Bornstein’s wrong shoe theory, and these Arizonas fit the bill.
As soon as I found the color and size that are perfect for my feet and color palette, I’ve worn mine nearly every day for work, errands, and downtime.
A closer look:
This pen looks pretty perfect. Added to my wishlist!!
Pamela, please keep on writing about what you are wearing and how you find inspiration. Reading your writing is like meditation. Especially the part about that perfect pen! A sweet memory of mine from my primary school when I used an old school fountain pen and absolutely loved it. :)