Midnight Mix
a list of some bougie and basic favourites
As a Christmas gift, I wanted to share this list with both paid and free subscribers. (Paid subscribers, thank you for making this possible!).
What’s worth being bougie about and what’s great as an affordable basic? Here are some of my favourite daily (or weekly) use items that make my life 100x better:
Dish soap: Palmolive Lavender, $3. Superior to Dawn IMO. Scent is a perfect balance between fresh (so you know it’s cleaning) and pretty (so you don’t feel like you’re grinding).
Bed sheets: KOTN, ~$150. Made of 100% long-staple Egyptian cotton. I bought it in two colours (natural and a dark beige I don’t think they sell anymore) and have never looked back. They’re beautiful, hold up well in the wash (going on 4 years now), ethically made, and comfy.
Couch blanket: Anthropologie Luxe Faux Fur Throw, $110. The best blanket I’ve ever owned. It’s big, it’s thick, it’s soft, it’s machine washable (shhh…). It’s also on sale right now!! SO worth the splurge.
Yogourt: Astro Original Balkan Yogourt 6%, $3. No added sugar or thickeners. Simple ingredients. Nice sour taste. The best!
Wine: Ceci Otello Lambrusco, $19. Niche reco for folks living in Ontario. This bottle has been a hit at every party I’ve brought it to. Moral of the story is try Lambrusco, but go for a mid-range or higher bottle.
Jeans: KOTN Unisex Antifit Denim, $138. I have them in the washed black, bought secondhand. My favourite pair of jeans right now. Flattering but effortless but cool.
Socks: Aritzia Best-Ever Crew Socks, $12. Bought these 2 years ago and they are so cozy and durable and thick without feeling THICKKKK. It’s always a good day when I wear these socks. Lots of colours on sale right now!
Kitchen pot: IKEA pot with lid, $24.99. This thing is great for making anything you have to drain. It’s non-stick (I know, the health consequences are debatable) and you can lock in the lid so that you can just drain it over the sink without having to hold anything! Awesome for pasta, potatoes, even as a makeshift colander. On sale now!
Chef’s knife: Victorinox Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife, $77. I researched for WEEKS about knives. After taking a look at some high end Japanese knives, I decided I didn’t want to worry about upkeep or maintenance and went with this one. Highly recommended and used by chefs who work in busy kitchens and want reliable tools that don’t need to be babied.
Kitchen tool: Oxo Good Grips Etched Zester and Grater, $19.99. If you’re like me and you grew up in a box grater household, this will be a revelation. Use it for zesting citrus fruits, but also grating ginger, garlic, nutmeg, chocolate, etc. I LOVE this thing. I think mine is a different brand but this had great reviews and we generally trust Oxo.
Hope you had a great end to the year! Happy 2025! Buy something that will make your life meaningfully better in the day-to-day and will make you happy every time you use it!
If you thought of something right away when I said that, I would LOVE to know about it. Share in the comments!
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Warmly yours,
Nina