Cart Curator #34 - Turn off your phone Selena!
Why the internet does not like Selena Gomez's new BF, The Edit is back and your new summer fragrance.
Hi CC friends,
A quick check-in on the holiday movie count from last week. Now we’ve gotten some classics out of the way, we’ve moved onto the good kind of trashy, Hallmark-esque movies, like Holidate and the ultimate classic The Princess Switch.
Jess spent a lush long weekend in Byron soaking up some sun at the Atlantic - would highly recommend it for anyone planning a getaway!
We are both going to be reunited in Brisbane next week before Christmas (how the hell is Christmas under two weeks away).
Enjoy,
The Edit
The Edit is backkkkk! You all loved our first edition so much that we had a lot to live up to for our next.
We landed on H&M as our next retailer because generally speaking we have been impressed with the items they have been releasing lately, with a lot of online-only styles that you won’t see in stores. H&M is one of those high-street brands alongside Zara that can be very tricky and overwhelming to shop, but when done right you can reap the rewards of chic, on-trend pieces at a fraction of the price.
Fun fact - H&M is owned by the same parent company as COS and & Other Stories, so don’t be a brand name snob when they’re the essentially the same brand.
Okay so as always our advice is to look at the fabrication first (we’ve spoken about this in a previous newsletter) and opt for higher concentrations of natural fibres like cotton, wool, and linen.
Firstly, in the interest of being the season for dressing up, we are starting with a few dressier options like this chic black lace cami which would look excellent styled under a blazer, this rhinestone detailed cami, and this satin look mini dress which would be perfect for New Years.
Next up we have this classic black mini skirt ($45) which is such a wardrobe staple and works for both work and the weekend. This pink mini skirt is very chic, and looks a lot more expensive than its price tag (which is on the higher end of the H&M range), and would look sooooo great with a crisp white tee and pink pumps. These crochet look pants are a great beach basic and look very similar to some of the options on the market that are double (if not more) the price. We are still loving the pyjamas as outerwear look and this pull on short and oversized poplin shirt set is super reasonable and would look great worn together or as separates.
Lastly, H&M also does an excellent accessory, and if you scour the website hard enough you can find hidden gems like these A.Emery inspired black sandals, which are actually real leather and under a $100. We also came across these Chunky Heart Earrings, which are a silver version of the Lovisa heart earrings we both have and are constantly complimented for.
Popshop
Our favourite pop culture or industry moment of the week.
TikTok is not happy with Selena Gomez’s new boyfriend, Benny Blanco.
The news of her new beau first broke and was quickly confirmed by Gomez herself when Popfaction posted a rumour about their apparent relationship. Selena dropped a comment that simply read “facts” on the post to immediately confirm the rumour. She then went straight in with the hard launch on her IG stories.
However, many were quickly to share their upset, which quickly snowballed into the girl going to WAR into the comment section to defend her new man.
She then followed this all with another IG story where she can be seen wearing a “B” ring - which fans were quick to compare to Hailey Bieber’s B necklace she is always seen wearing.
This had us asking:
Who is Benny Blanco?
Why is everyone so up in arms about them dating?
why is Selena working overtime to prove how stable she and their union is?
Centennial World have a great explainer to kick things off before we deep dive.
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Firstly, Benny Blanco is a 35 year old (Selena is 31) American producer who is best known for producing and writing a bunch of very famous pop songs. His resume includes Katy Perry’s California Girls, Rhianna’s Diamonds, Maroon 5’s Moves like Jagger, TikTok by Ke$ha and Taio Cruz’s Dynamite, which are all 10/10 bangers so clearly the man is very talented.
This is where it starts to get interesting. He has also produced for Selena herself, including some of best work with Same Old Love and Kill 'Em With Kindness. What adds another layer to the situation is that Benny has had a close working relationship her very famous ex Justin Bieber since 2019, and the two have worked together
So, why is everyone so annoyed with Selena given that she is seemingly happy and in love? WELL, people have dug up old footage and interviews with Benny Blanco where he is seemingly shading Selena. In an interview from 2020 with Bieber he says that he loves working with the singer because he is not “one of those cookie-cutter pop artists” who create a “makeup line” simply because they are famous.
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To throw some more dirt into these already muddy waters, there is a rumour going round on TikTok that he has been caught on Raya in the 6-months they have apparently been together. Noting here there is no concrete evidence on this one.
TBH, this is us right now.
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Look, if Selena is happy, then let the girl live honestly. BUT, if we’re honest, we’re not sure that this one is made to last. Sorry guys, that’s just our two cents. Let us know if you think otherwise.
Add to Cart
What’s sitting in carts, or what’s been checked out.
Jess
ASOS DESIGN Asymmetric Waistcoat
Tailoring is a ‘trend’ that isn’t going anywhere fast, however, it can be difficult to get this right with some of the cheaper options out there lacking the shape and fabrication needed to make these styles live up to their full potential.
I have gotten back into trawling through ASOS recently and found this stunning waistcoat (which is part of a set) from their label which is giving me Camilla and Marc vibes but get this, is only $74 … And even better - is currently 25% off and the fabrication includes wool.
This style would look amazing with a range of different outfits for work/drinks/smart casual vibes etc. and looks way more expensive then it actually is.
Zara Full Length Striped Trousers
Again, I love pyjamas as outerwear. These striped trousers from Zara are the perfect throw-on piece and are a beautiful sage green colour which looks beautiful with a crisp white top. I actually love the way Zara have styled these (for once lol) and will definitely be picking these up for Summer and even into Autumn.
Nicole
Maison Balzac Olive Oil Bottle
I’m not sure if this is a sign of the fact I’m nearing my 30s, but the second I saw this Olive Oil Bottle from Maison Balzac I knew I immediately needed it in my life/kitchen. Flagging straight up that this is pricey for a mostly unnecessary kitchen item but given the time of year I thought I may as well put it in here in case Santa is reading.
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Is this not an affordable ($39.90!) dupe of the Lack of Colour hat that looks almost identical? Let’s face it, if you’re taking a hat to the beach, it's most likely going to be squished in your bag, put on wet hair and bleached by the sun, so you may as well purchase something that you don’t mind getting a little ruined.
Beauty Counter
Prod of the week.
Jess
Goldfield & Banks BOHEMIAN LIME Perfume
I forgot to pack a fragrance for Byron but conveniently found a sample of this Goldfield & Banks scent in my makeup bag. The name Bohemian lime made me think that this perfume wouldn’t be my vibe at all but it skews quite masculine and reminds me of Korres and MALIN + GOETZ which was the perfect holiday spritz after a day spent at the beach.
I think I will need to purchase this one in the full size for the warmer months and for the upcoming holidays. This is my first foray into scents by Goldfield & Banks so would be interested to see what their others are like.
Nicole
This purchase was only made because I was standing in a queue in Mecca and spent far too long in front of the items in the cubes at checkout. I’ve mentioned my love for a scalp scrub before with the cult Christophe Robin cleanser, but given the price point of this one in comparison (it was only $27 vs $71 for the Christophe Robin) I didn’t have as high of hopes. It took me a while to get used to the difference in texture (this is much more grainy whilst the CR is chunky) but I was pleasantly surprised how easy this was to use and how it did the job very well. It also had a peppermint scent, which felt minty and cool on my scalp which added to the fresh, clean feeling. Given how flat my hair goes following a Keratin treatment, which I’m due for next week, this will be a welcomed addition to my haircare routine.
One to Try
Recent openings and discoveries.
We love a Sydney pub and always welcome a new opening so are looking forward to checking out a new Darlinghurst local - The Waratah.
Described as a “love letter to all that makes Australia unique”, the venue, menu, and drinks are influenced by our native produce, landscape, and a bustling bar.
Lottery Win
A girl can dream.
Our motto is that if you’re going to leave an appliance on your benchtop it’s got to be chic. This Anza Espresso Machine (available exclusively on SSENSE) is a cool $2,090 BUT if you are using this daily instead of buying a coffee you’re pretty much making money.
IYKYK
Super specific recs and niche hyper-fixations.
Bennett St Dairy Original Choc Chip Cookie Dough
Bennett Street Dairy (which fun fact I, Nic, actually lived across from when I lived in Bondi) quickly became a Sydney institution due to their decadent choc chip cookies.
During COVID they started selling the dough from their cafes (they had a second outpost at the time) so we could recreate the goodness in our own homes, due to an overstock off the back of the lockdown closures. Due to the insane popularity they started manufacturing them en masse, and you can now purchase it much more easily in Woolworths and Harris Farms across AUS.
If you’re new to Cart Curator, take a read of some of our recent editions.
Cart Curator #33 - Who the f*** is Madelaine Brockway
Cart Curator #32 - Bring Back Black Friday Stampedes
Cart Curator #31 - Our 2023 Holiday Gift Guide
Cart Curator #30 - Alice McCall's Fashion Faux Pas