7 Things I Bought Vs. 7 Things I Was Gifted
And whether or not I'd recommend them.
Happy Fourth of July Friday, B Listers! In honor of the weekend’s myriad holiday sales, let’s dedicate today’s newsletter to talking about stuff. It’s no secret that editors and content creators get a lot of stuff, often in the form of gifting and mailers galore. I know some folks who say they don’t need to shop at all because of everything they get for free — but even when I’m overwhelmed with stuff, I’ve never shared that perspective.
I like shopping. It’s why I work in fashion in the first place! And a wardrobe full of exclusively gifted pieces — no matter how cute — could never fully reflect my personal style. I want to seek out unique items on my own, and style them at my leisure. Because of this, I’m a shopper ‘til I die.
That said, I do get gifted a lot of amazing things I love, and I’d be selfish to keep them from you. Today, I’ve decided to mix it all together a la Hannah Montana and give you the best of both worlds: a list of pieces I purchased myself and pieces I was comped.
Some of the highlights of my week involved filming a few pieces of content for Nordstrom that you’ll see go live next week (Major shout out to Sarah for helping me film — do you follow her?), meeting the COS team and getting the VIP treatment at their Williamsburg location, and raiding the Fresh store in Union Square after bonding with their team during an event at Champers earlier in the month.
But far more exciting than what I did — here’s what I bought. And also, what I was gifted. I’ve annotated each product accordingly, and included my honest feedback. It was a great month for custom stationary, summery fashion bits and sheer beauty goodies. Oh, and nipple covers! Yep, TikTok Shop finally got me.
Read on for my digital haul, and let me know if you bought or received anything I should have on my radar for July.
GIFTED: The Shapewear Bodysuit You All DM’d Me About
I’ve purchased from Pinsy before, but I fell back in love with the brand when they sent me a restock last week — and the Scoop Tank Hourglass Shapewear Thong Bodysuit ($89) was a major standout. The thicker straps make it look more like a true tank than an undergarment, and it’s a great piece for a snatched, lifted look. Highly recommend, but be forewarned: this is shapewear, and it feels like it!
BOUGHT: Personalized Stationary For My Fiancé Era
The second Pat and I got engaged, I ordered us some joint stationary. I’m a big fan of my own personal stationary, but it would be strange to send thank-you notes for our engagement gifts “From The Desk of Bella Gerard”, don’t you think? We landed on this simple Personalized Couple Stationary ($25+) by SilhouetteBlue from Etsy in a pistachio green (our future wedding color). I also popped by Casey Rubber Stamps in the East Village to get some custom stamps to decorate the envelopes.
GIFTED: Lots and Lots of Custom Canvas Tote Bags
My signature engagement gift is to send L.L. Bean or Land’s End canvas tote bags in a number of sizes bearing the couple’s last name — and my friend Jojo returned the favor and had Fayne bags delivered to me earlier this month! Then, Land’s End reached out asking to gift us a tote, and we chose the Large Waxed Canvas Tote Bag ($84.97, originally $169.95) in Classic Navy. The totes I usually get are the classic light canvas, so this darker, more masc combination is perfect for Pat to carry year-round.
BOUGHT: A Glowy Foundation Stick I Don’t Know If I Like
I don’t impulse-buy a ton of makeup, but when I saw that Charlotte Tilbury dropped a stick inspired by Airbrush Flawless Filter, I had to snag it. The Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick ($46) definitely looks like Flawless Filter on the face — so much so that I’m not sure I really need both products. It looks gorgeous on, but I think I might’ve preferred if it had either a little more coverage or the benefit of SPF, just to differentiate it from the liquid formula.
GIFTED: The PatBo Dress That Majorly Boosted My Ego
When PatBo asked me to host an event at their Soho store (recap video here), I immediately started stressing about what I would wear. The brand’s designs are bright, bold and sexy — and I wasn’t sure I’d find something I felt comfortable in for hours of standing, posing and hosting. After an in-store try on, I fell in love with the Stretch Jacquard Midi Dress ($695) and it had to be mine. If you’re looking to splurge on a summer dress that makes you feel amazing, this is it (and you can size down, I’m in an 8!).
BOUGHT: A Game-Changing Addition To My Cramped Closet
I don’t love a lot of the gimmicky space-saving products I see touted on Amazon, but these Hanger Connector Hooks ($7.99) are elite. These slim little connectors slip right over the neck of my hanger and allow me to stack as many hangers as I want. I find this especially handy for keeping both pieces in a matching set together.
GIFTED: A Perfect Linen Set From COS
COS invited me to their Williamsburg store to go on a shopping spree before dinner at Le Crocodile, and it was the most fun I’ve had in a minute. I’m such a fan of the brand’s elevated essentials, and one of the sets I took home featured these gorgeous Wide-Leg Linen Drawstring Pants ($99) and the Flared-Sleeve Linen Blouse ($99). I sized way down in the top (I’m a 10 in the pants and a 4 in the blouse, which runs large!), and the result is an effortless look I can wear to the pool or all around the city. I’m now toying with the idea of buying the same set in Washed Khaki before it sells out.
BOUGHT: An Affordable Workout Bra I Wear As A Top
We chatted last week about my obsession with The Navy, and my new fixation is their workout gear, which I’d argue is comparable to that of their sister brand, my beloved Athleta. I’ve stocked up on multiples of the Light Support PowerSoft Longline Sports Bra ($19.49, originally $32.99), a longline style that definitely fits my short torso as more of a tank than a bra.
GIFTED: 3 Luxe Yellow Gold Bangles To Add To My Stack
Fine jewelry brand Gabriel & Co. invited me to pick out a few of their signature Bujukan Bangles earlier this month, and I haven’t taken them off since. I typically only wear my Monica Vinader gemstone tennis bracelets and a few welded permanent bracelets, but these bangles have inspired me to up my arm party, and I think I’ll be ditching the welded ones in the near future. My obvious favorite is the 14K Yellow Gold Bujukan Diamond Stations Bangle ($1,450), and I paired it with the Pyramid Stations Bangle ($1,075), and the Open Bangle ($1,175) to complete the look.
BOUGHT: Nipple Covers From The TikTok Shop
OK, TikTok Shop gives me the ick like no other, but I won’t lie — the Cakes Covers ($30) are as good as they say. Touted as “grippy not sticky”, these nipple covers don’t have any adhesive, so they’re meant to be worn with tighter clothes for subtle smoothing and lifting. I love that they come in a decent size range, and as a girl who doesn’t like to go braless, it’s nice to have these on standby for a little extra coverage. They also work well in swimsuits and workout tops, if, like me, you instantly rip out those awful foam inserts every damn time.
GIFTED: A One-Piece That Supports The 5 Swimsuit Theory
Swimsuits For All hosted a group of editors at Aire Ancient Baths to wear-test their new swim range, and the Lattice Plunge One-Piece Swimsuit ($37.20, originally $124) was a clear fan favorite. I loved the adjustable straps, tummy control middle and supportive but sexy neckline — my only complaint is that I prefer a suit with higher sides to flatter my short torso. Still, it’s a near-perfect suit for category 3 within my 5 Swimsuit Theory (IYKYK).
BOUGHT: A Cute White Purse For My Bridal Era
I’m definitely looking to invest in a gorgeous white designer bag for my bridal era, but until I find The One, I need something to hold me over. A few targeted Instagram ads and TikTok reviews later, I placed an order last night for the Verafied Cream Ring Handle Bag ($178). I love bracelet-style bags — see: my beloved Fendigraphy Mini — and this one looks like it fits a lot, which is great for the kind of gal that likes to pack her entire makeup bag in her purse (me). It hasn’t arrived yet, but I’ll update you soon.
GIFTED: New Fresh Lip Treatments In 3 Dreamy Summer Shades
The ladies of Fresh invited me to their Union Square store to shop some summer beauty, and after restocking a few of my faves, I got distracted by the all-new shades of Sugar Lip Balm Hydrating Treatment ($26). The brand debuted three gorgeous tinted treatments in “Sunset Rose," “Aurora Red,” and “Beach Peach,” and I eagerly scooped them all up. They’re the kind of throw-in-your-bag balms you can apply anytime, anywhere for a quick boost of nourishing color. 10/10.
BOUGHT: A Stretchy Skort From My Favorite SKIMS Collection
Last but not least — I was placing an order for some SKIMS jammies when I suckered myself into buying the SKIMS Soft Lounge Skort ($42) as well. I love the Soft Lounge range in general, but it looks like the skort is nearly sold out now. To hold you over, consider my other Soft Lounge go-tos, of which I own multiples of each: the Tank ($40), Boxers ($38), and Long Slip Dress ($80). And the question of the day: Should I get the Ruched Pants ($68), or are they too ‘90s?
x BG