The verdict on some stuff I've bought

6 Dec 2017

I wanted to share a quick verdict on some of the stuff I've bought over the past couple of years. I've split this into two sections: stuff I would recommend and stuff I wouldn't.

I'm not a big fan of consumerism or buying (and owning) lots of stuff, so I think it's important to make wise decisions when shopping, and wherever possible to buy fewer things that will last. Hopefully this helps you do the same.

Stuff I'd recommend

These are my favourites, and most of them are high-quality products that last a long time.

Son of a Tailor tailored T-shirts

These are my favourite T-shirts, but be prepared to have a couple of failed or slightly-off fits before you get it just right. They're also not cheap, but they seem to last well. So far none of mine have pilled, either, which is a common problem with graphic T's I've bought in the past.

SleepPhones

Though these headphones have some issues, I haven't found anything better. They're way more comfy than actual earbuds in your ears, and if you can be bothered to charge them every day or two, the Bluetooth set are reliable and easy to use every night.

Rollie shoes

They're not cheap, but it's true that these shoes are very lightweight (they claim they're lighter than a pair of Havaianas thongs). I find them comfy and really like the style. I've had mine for several years now—and I don't wear them every day—but they're not showing any signs of wearing out.

TomboyX underwear

These are expensive to ship from the U.S. to Australia, but they're totally worth it. They're the best undies I've ever had. I tried the 2.5" and 6" shorts styles, and found the 6" way too long, but the 2.5" style is just right. There's also a 4" if you want something in-between.

American Eagle jeans

The best pair of jeans I ever bought were from Gap. But when they wore out and I bought the same pair again, they didn't fit the same way, despite being ostensibly the same style, cut, and size.

Eventually I took a risk on a pair from American Eagle and I now think of those as my best pair ever. To have a pair of jeans fit perfectly off-the-shelf seems incredibly rare, and the shirt I bought at the same time fits just as well.

Outlier pants

They don't make women's clothing anymore, unfortunately, so I'm glad I bought some Outlier pants while I could. If I could fit into a men's pair I'd buy more now. I love the way they're made and the technical fabric makes them both comfy and practical.

Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter

If you use standard-sized notebooks and want to keep multiple in one place along with sticky notes, paper clips, or random sheets of paper, the Roterfaden is really handy. It feels solid and well-made, and mine has lasted really well so far. You can even personalise it with a logo or name embroidery when ordering, and choose the colours and materials yours is made from.

Alamere Designs Merino Wool Henley

This winter I spent most of my time in exercise clothes, even when I wasn't working out. In particular, I loved wearing long-sleeve running tops every day, since they wick away sweat and they're super comfy. I also didn't own any other long-sleeve T-shirts, so I enjoyed these for the in-between weather that was too warm for a jumper, but too cool for just a T-shirt.

I was getting sick of wearing running tops with jeans, though. It looked weird. I bought this henley to replace my running tops, and it does the job very well. Unlike the jumper I'll mention below, I haven't had any issues with this fabric pilling or wearing out, and I find the shirt really comfy. I wore it almost every day for a good chunk of spring, and will probably buy the green version next year so I can alternate.

Stuff I wouldn't recommend

I wouldn't buy these things again, though in some cases I haven't found a better option, either.

Lazy patch doona suit

I love the idea of this, but the quality isn't great and the customer service is disappointing. The suit is a two-piece made from duvet materials. I carry a doona all over the house with me during winter, so having it in a suit format seemed perfect!

Unfortunately, the stuffing began coming out of my suit within a week and it's constantly covered in pills, making it quite an unattractive sight. When I contacted the Lazy patch company for help, they told me to take it to a tailor to fix any spots where the stuffing was coming out, and didn't apologise for the bad quality.

Their website appears to be suspended as of December 2017, and their store is unavailable, so I'm guessing their business isn't doing too well.

Alamere Designs Portola Sweater

Like my doona suit, I actually love this product, but I'm disappointed in it. Also like the doona suit, it took less than a week for this sweater to start pilling. Ever since, it's been constantly covered in pills, despite my attempts to scrape them off with velcro as suggested by the company when I complained.

This company is great, but unfortunately they said this material pills and there's not much they can do about it. I wouldn't buy this sweater again, but I wish I could. I still love the look of it and wear it when I don't care too much how I look, since it's really comfy.