An all-over-the-place assortment of stood-behind products culled from this very website that appear in the October 9 issue of New York Magazine.
Best in Class
When strategist writer Lauren Ro began her search for the best high chair, she suspected she already knew the answer. She had used the Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair for her own sons and been thoroughly impressed—and heard other parents on staff sing its praises, too. The experts she spoke to agreed that it towers above the Primos and Lalos and Maxi-Cosis of the world. It has an upright seat and a footrest, which feeding expert Jennifer Anderson says ensures that babies will be properly positioned to “manage the food and swallow it safely.” Also, the wooden Norwegian design is downright attractive as well as durable, straightforward, easy to clean, and incredibly versatile, given that the chair can serve a child well past infancy—with a weight capacity of 242 pounds and a slip-off footrest and baby seat, it can be smoothly transformed into a handsome chair.
Celebrity Shopping
“I went out to eat with a girlfriend, and I couldn’t read the menu. She gave me her glasses, and I realized I needed readers. These Caddis ones in pink were given to me by Anne Morgan, who’s an Oscar-winning hairstylist. Now they’re my signature glasses. I have to wear them, especially on Zooms.”
“I try to use products with as few ingredients as possible in anything that I put on my skin or inside my mouth. And this has always been the best. I’ve used it for over ten years. It’s made with raw shea butter, so it’s very moisturizing. I am the keeper of the balm. I have at least five around here because my children also love it.”
Strategist Investigates
When I saw the photos of Ayo Edebiri throwing out the first pitch at Fenway Park, I immediately pinched and spread my fingers to zoom in on her dark-wash wide-leg jeans and white high-tops. The sneakers were classic Converse All Stars, but the jeans were a mystery to me. They are high-waisted and wide without looking like trousers or sailor pants. In fact, the legs are a bit twisty or barrel-like in shape. I dropped a link to her Instagram post in the Strategist team’s Slack to see what everyone else thought. Senior editor Simone Kitchens said she was 100 percent certain they were from Uniqlo, specifically the sold-out dark-blue-wash curved jeans from the Uniqlo x Lemaire collection. She owned the same pair but sold them because the very high rise on her long torso wasn’t that comfortable. She looked back at her resale pictures and confirmed, “They’re identical.” –Liza Corsillo
Recommended by Experts
According to those who would know. —Steven John
1.
An Everything Rake
Sara Bendrick, a Team Stihl national spokesperson and licensed landscape contractor, appreciates that this rake “fans out and has flexibility,” as it lets you work both on your wide-open lawn and in cramped areas, like under bushes or up against the house. It’s even able to remove thatch, that hard-to-get-to layer of debris at the base of your lawn.
2.
A Hand Rake
“I love a mini garden rake with a miniature flexible fan of tines,” says Bendrick, who calls hand rakes ideal for “access to tight spaces” like raised planter beds or flowerpots. This ergonomically designed one from Fiskars weighs just half a pound, but its seven stainless-steel tines are tough enough for use in rough, rocky soil.
3.
A Garden Rake
The short, pointed, and rugged metal tines of a garden rake are critical for “their ability to grab sticks, rocks, and clumps of dirt” as you clear out and level a garden, Bendrick says. Once the bed is free of unwanted materials, this durable rake is great for working the land itself.
4.
A Shrub Rake
Raking around and under shrubs is challenging, but not with this narrow, nine-inch-wide one—which can also be used with precision and control among flowers, hedges, and tree trunks—recommended by Frank Rossi, chief science officer of lawn-care company Sunday. The long spring-loaded tines easily catch debris in tight spots and bring it out for collection, while the 55-inch-handle gives you plenty of reach.
This Thing’s Incredible
Since my final oophorectomy in 2021, my estrogen patches have left dark circles of clothing fuzz trapped in glue across my abdomen. Nothing would budge their gummy remnants.
I tried dish soap, nail-polish remover, and even peanut butter, but the adhesive stayed stubbornly intact. I was ready to resign my stomach to looking like Sally of The Nightmare Before Christmas when a Google search resulted in Goo Gone for skin. I expected failure, but as I rubbed the cotton ball splashed with Goo Gone over a dark circle, it lifted away. I only needed a quick squeeze and light touch, and I didn’t mind the citrusy scent. A swipe with a damp towel to follow up and my stomach looked normal again with no lingering lint or tackiness. —Andria Kennedy
Compulsive Shopping
A few years ago, my mom started giving me sparkly crocheted kitchen sponges in funny shapes like those of pinafores and various fruit. Just abrasive enough, the scrubbies removed food and grease better than all the dishwashing implements I’d tried before. They also dry faster, don’t get grimy, and last three times longer because the special “eyelash” polyester yarn they’re made of is basically indestructible. Below, some of my favorites. —Lauren Ro
Retail Secrets
Six current employees spoke to me on condition of anonymity in exchange for insider intel. —Ambar Pardilla
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Be careful with the cashmere.
Employees warned about pilling, overpriced polyester, and cheap acrylic fibers when it came to knitwear. And though the company has made investments in cashmere, one service-and-selling manager complained about scratchiness. Alternatively, she suggested the viscose Carys sweater because it’s “really, really soft.”
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Pilcro denim has gotten a lot better.
In-house denim line Pilcro used to be straight-up bad, according to associates. The sizing was inconsistent, and the denim would stretch to the point where it couldn’t shrink back. But as of late, “the quality has been really exceptional,” one stylist explained. The cotton and hardware are nicer, and the sizing is more standardized. The employees we spoke to specifically mentioned the Wanderer and Boyfriend styles.
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Employees love the candles.
Anthropologie’s signature scent is Volcano from Capri Blue. According
to one associate, it’s the candle employees “force down everyone’s throat.” One of the more underrated candlemakers you can find at Anthro is California company Voluspa, whose French Cade Lavender and Goji Tarocco Orange scents are the favorites of another associate.
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The Somerset dress is a standout.
Staffers described the By Anthropologie line as “hit or miss,” but one top-selling item is the Somerset dress, which has a Hill House–esque tiered skirt and smocked waist. There are several editions, including a mini and a long sleeve. Employees told me the dress’s greatest selling point is its A-line shape. “It looks good on almost everyone, which is a hard thing to be able to say,” said the stylist.
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Glasses are the best of the homeware.
After candles, the product employees
use their discount on the most is glassware. It’s affordable and charming in that only-at-Anthropologie way. “Sure, you could get something simple at Marshalls,” said an associate, but you won’t get details like gilded rims at around the same price. “I don’t see them anywhere other than Anthropologie.”
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