Best Purchases of 2024

Jan 20

It’s no secret that I love to shop. But I think I did a great job this year with shopping intentionally and finding pieces that I really love and will enjoy for years. I really can’t think of any worst purchases for 2024. But the list of my favorites are below. I will include links of where you can purchase the items online, if I can find some.

Jewelry from Dubai’s Gold Souk

I visited Dubai in March of 2024. Dubai is famous for their gold. You can purchase items at an excellent price — not cheap, but good prices and definitely cheaper than the United States. At the Gold Souk, they sell gold ranging from 18-24 karats. They, by law, cannot sell fake gold. This is strictly enforced, and violators will have their shop closed and can be sent out of the country. So, you can shop confidently, without worrying about being duped. You definitely still need to negotiate the price to get the best deal.

I got two beautiful 18k gold and diamond pieces. One was this stunning tennis bracelet. I had been thinking about getting a tennis bracelet with cubic zirconia prior to this trip, but I really want all my jewelry pieces to be real gold and real diamonds. So I am so glad I stumbled across this bracelet. The second item was a ring. They actually had to resize for me, because I have fat fingers. Both of the pieces fit perfectly into my fine jewelry stack that I’m building.

*The ring I got from Dubai is the one on my middle finger. (If you care: the one on my index finger is from David Yurman, and the ring finger is Cartier.)*

2. Lattafa - Khamrah Qahwa

When I say ADDICTED. Lattafa makes some dupes and some original fragrances. This is one of their original fragrances. It is a flanker to their scent Khamrah, which is dupe of Kilian’s Angel Share. I already have Angel Share, this is one of my top 3 favorite fragrances, so I didn't need Lattafa’s dupe. But I was so intrigued to try a scent that is a sister/spin-off of that scent profile. Qahwa is coffee in arabic — so this scent has a coffee note. But it is really the cinnamon note that shines. This is the perfect date night or fall/winter scent. It’s a spicy, almost boozy (even though there is no liquor note), sultry scent. And that is my favorite scent profile. This is a unisex fragrance, I’ve gifted it to men and women — they all love it. It lasts for hours on clothes and skin, and has a great sillage. And the best part — its’s affordable. Here’s a purchasing option.

Top Notes: Cinnamon, Cardamom, Ginger.

Middle Notes: Praline, Candied Fruits, White Flowers.

Base Notes: Vanilla, Coffee, Tonka Bean, Benzoin, Musk.

3. Initio - Narcotic Delight

This is another fragrance in that same spicy, boozy, sultry scent profile that I said was my favorite. This fragrance is also in my top 5 favorite fragrances. Narcotic Delight is part of Intio’s Carnal Blend Collection (the purple bottles). Initio really knows how to do enchanting, captivating scents. The hedione, cognac, and tobacco in this fragrance really amp up that alluring effect. This fragrance is pricey, but worth every penny, and just a few sprays goes a long way. Narcotic Delight is the ultimate date night scent. It will fill a room and last for hours. I would not recommend wearing this during the day in warm weather (spring/summer), but absolutely at night and during the fall/winter. This is also a unisex scent. Here’s a purchasing option.

Top Notes: Cherry, Pink Pepper, Black Pepper.

Middle Notes: Cognac, Hedione, Rose.

Base Notes: Tobacco, Vanilla, Tonka, Cedar, Patchouli.

4. Nishane - NEFS

Now, let me start by first saying this costs a pretty penny. But it is oh so worth it. Nishane is a well known niche fragrance house, with a reputation of quality fragrances. NEFS is no exception. It is an extrait de parfum, meaning it has the highest concentration of perfume oil (compared to the lesser eau de parfum and even lesser concentrated eau de toilette). This scent last beyond hours, you will smell it for days on your clothes. It is another fragrance in that spicy, boozy, sultry yet sweet scent profile. This one you have to wear with caution because people will smell you before they see you, it has phenomenal sillage. If you don’t want to be noticed or complimented, steer clear of this scent. I would again only recommend this for night time in the warmer months or during fall/winter. This is a beast-mode fragrance and would be suffocating in the heat. This scent is also unisex. I bought this in Portugal, so it was a little bit cheaper. But here’s a purchasing option.

Top Notes. Honey, Saffron, Fig, Violet, Sage.

Middle Notest Rose, Osmanthas, Nutmeg, Jasmine, Geranium.

Base Notes: Agarwood (Oud), Whiskey, Vanilla, Leather, Amber, Cinnamon,-Balsam, Cedar.

5. Jusbox - Carioca Heart

This fragrance was pretty popular amongst fragrance lovers this summer, and with good reason. It opens with a sweet fruity scent, and you think, “Oh, a cute, little sweet spring/summer scent.” But then it surprises you and dries down to a warm vanilla scent, with a slight boozy note from the rum note. Man, this is a good fragrance. And it is not just for spring/summer. I feel like you can wear this year round, and I have been doing just that. Here’s a purchasing option.

Top Notes: Mango, Pineapple, Lemon.

Middle Notes: Rum, Sandalwood, Peony.

Base Notes: Vanilla, Labdanum, Ambroxan.

6. Gucci x Globe-Trotter - GG Beauty Case

This bag came out in 2019 as a collection between Gucci and Globe-Trotter. It is obviously no longer in production, so can only be purchased on the second-hand market. I have been eyeing this back for the past couple of years, and finally decided to pull the trigger. This bag is stunning, and I love the crimson red interior. It’s an archive piece that I will always be happy to have in my collection. However, it is pretty bulky to carry around. I really only carry it in the evening as a top-handle bag. It does come with a crossbody strap, but it is pretty impractical to have this bulky bag bouncing off your body on a crossbody strap.

I purchased mine from Vestaire Collective. I also recommend searching on Fashionphile, Rebag, Poshmark, StockX, Ebay.

7. Jacquemus - La Petite Pochette Ronde Carré

I have this bag in the silver larger size, and it was one of my most carried bags of 2023. So, once I saw Jacquemus was releasing this bag in the smaller size in gold, I knew I had to have it. I originally pre-ordered it from Bergdorf early in 2024, with the predicted ship date in October. And then I saw the bag on Cettire for cheaper and with an earlier ship date, so I purchased it from there instead. This bag has been a perfect evening and wedding guest bag.

Here’s a purchasing option.

8. Coperni- Bridge Boot

I have been wanting a fun snake skin boot for years, and could not come across the right pair. I would see some that were thigh-high with stiletto heels, which were beautiful but so impractical for my lifestyle. I don’t even wear high stilleto heels anymore. And then I saw these. I don’t remember where or how I stumbled across these, but I immediately purchased these boots within 24 hours. I would recommend going up a size, because these shoes are narrow and not wide foot friendly. They are the ugly-cute snake skin boots of my dreams.

Here’s a purchasing option.

9. Nike Air Zoom Spiridon Cage 2

Indisputably, these are my favorite sneakers in my collection right now. I have a lot of sneakers, but I keep grabbing for these. Initially, I was unsure if I would get much wear out of these because I’m a gold girl and these are obviously predominantly silver. But I’ve worn these shoes out; I’ve styles these so many different ways.

Here’s a purchasing option.

10. Dior Boy Logo Detailed Slip-On Mules

I got these in October in Portugal, and they were an immediate love. I had a pair of platform loafers I got in 2023, that I only wore once or twice, and struggled to style. I loved these slip on loafers in the Dior store, but I was not sure how easy they would be to style after those platform loafers got no wear. But these are so easy to style and go with everything. These have become a wardrobe staple.

Here’s a purchasing option.

11. Kitten Heels

I can no longer suffer in high heels. I’m done. I’ve retired. I used to despise kitten heels. (I still dislike the one’s that are super kitten, less than 1 inch.) But otherwise, give me a kitten heel. I bought multiple pairs in 2024. And it was what my wardrobe needed. Perfect for brunch, dinner, church. And the ones that are on the taller side for kitten, I’ve worn to weddings. My feet thank me.

I don’t buy expensive heels, because I don’t think I’ll get my cost-per-wear. These are all pretty affordable. These Jeffery Campbell Primordial Mules are some of my favorites. I got them in black and yellow and am trying to talk myself out of getting a third color.

12. SNDYS - Nyah Bodysuit

A staple! This bodysuit in black was my most worn clothing item in 2024. It’s the perfect elevated basic, can look cute without any fuss. Easy to style up and down. I’ve worn this to the airport for a comfortable travel outfit and for date night multiple times. I love this top so much, I had to buy the off-white/pale yellow color.

Purchased from Revolve. If out of stock, sign up for the restock notification. I’m a size 8/10, and purchased a large.

13. Anine Bing - Carmen Leather Shorts

A pair of longline leather tailored-style shorts were another item I had been searching for for years, and couldn’t find the right one. Houston doesn’t get that cold in the fall/winter, so I wanted leather shorts to wear for evening outings. I saw these on revolve, and fell in love. I ended up getting them off SSENSE when there was a sale. They are made from recycled leather and are thick, great quality. These are the leather shorts I am wearing in the photo above.

They are sold out on most websites, but Farfetch has some pairs at the time of me writing this.

14. Zara - Men’s Leopard Print Carpenter Jeans

I, like many, used to have a Zara addiction, and would buy countless items that I did not need. But praise God, not in 2024. I was cured of that addiction. I probably only bough 3 items from Zara in 2024, if that many. But these jeans, my most worn bottoms in my wardrobe. The perfect slouchy, comfortable, effortless look but with the pop from leopard print. My cost-per-wear has to be down to cents for these jeans.

They have long ago sold out.

15. Vivienne Westwood - Hebo T-shirt

Epitome of elevated basic. These T-shirts are pricey, but worth it. I recommend waiting until SSENSE has a sale to get them though. I had to stop myself from wearing them late spring/early fall. I just love the way they give a basic outfit an edge. I got the black and navy, and still want a third color. I ordered the terracotta color from SSENSE, but the sizing of that one varied greatly from the black and navy, so I returned it. Here’s a purchasing option.

16. Camp Snap Digital Camera

I love this camera. It’s a digital camera that takes photo that look like the old disposable camera ones. There is a small display on the back that shows the photo count. But it doesn’t have a screen to look at the photos, which is actually great. It makes it feel like a disposable camera, and you don’t waste time in the moment looking at the photos or obsessing over getting a better shot. And when you look at the photos later on a computer, it’s a bit of a fun surprise to see what you captured. Purchase here.