Cart Curator #72 - Travel, the CC way
The short that will take over this SS25, a Notting Hill one to try and an Italian Miu Miu dupe.
Hi CC friends,
There's not too much to report on for Nic, other than v much enjoying this warm weather, and she is ready for daylight savings to be back. The day feels so much more productive in the daylight.
Jess is continuing to bop around London, taking the time to settle in before jetting off on one last Summer holiday - any guesses where? The London weather has been beyond temperamental and will have you sweating, shivering and rained on all in the same hour.
Enjoy,
You Asked For It
We’ve been getting soooo many travel recommendations recently, so thought this would be a good opportunity to recap some of our past travel issues and YAFI’s - all in one place.
Before we do, Jess is working on a few travel specials off the back of her recent Euro adventures, so keep an eye out for those!
Other recs from past issues include our favourites apps to make travel a breeze, the best comfies to wear on your 30+ hour travels and we’ve also shared soooo many travel bag options in the past including here and here.
And taking this opportunity to share our absolute must-haves for travelling.
We’re proper broken records at this point, but these are the best suitcases and travel bags on the market in our opinion.
Even if we’re heading to a warm destination, we always have a comfortable sweater in our bags for the chilly flights. Brandy Melville is always a go-to for us, for their simple and perfectly oversized knits.
The Birkenstock Boston is the perfect travel shoe. You can wear socks with them, without looking daggy, can easily slip them on and off - especially for a toilet run - and they have enough room for your feet to expand on the plane.
Like we said, we’ve got so a few travel issues planned, but if you have any specific travel requests let us know!
Add to Cart
What’s sitting in carts, or what’s been checked out.
Jess
It’s very unlike me to have a shoe in here that isn’t black or white but the Presley sneaker in Peanut from Alias Mae’s latest drop is the perfect neutral shade that would work with so many outfits, especially if you’re a lover of denim and white like me.
The style is very similar to that of the Loewe Flow Runners but I almost prefer this style and warmer colour tone more. Sneakers that can transition between active and casual wear seamlessly are worth their weight in gold and this style is one to add to your wishlist now.
Charlie Beads Babydoll Bloomers
I never thought I would need or want a pair of bloomers but this sold out style has been the top of my wish list for some time now. My obsession was kickstarted by the bloomer queen @robrahmand who has sooo many different ways of styling her many pairs and just makes these look so effortlessly chic and perfect for any occasion including a night out (?!).
Safe to say I have restock notifications turned on for many of the Charlie Beads colourways and I recommend you do so heading into AUS summer.
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Nicole
Harper Lu Mini Cowl Slip Dress
This is a need, not a want. Everything about this dress is perfection - the shade of blue, the cowl neck, the floral print. It’s screaming to be worn - especially as Sydney gives us some lovely Spring weather before the season has even officially started.
Someone needs to give me a reason to buy this, so I can justify such a purchase.
As always, I’m here to point out that this is 100% polyester, which seems to be inescapable right now. Give a girl some breathable natural fibres!!!
These are a very suspicious looking dupe of the Miu Miu Riviere cord sandals - but at an absolute fraction of the cost.
The Miu Miu version have sat firmly on my Summer wishlist, but after this find I’m not sure I can justify the price of the Miu Miu’s - especially given they seem to always be sold out here in Australia.
Firstly, these are 100% leather (except the rope OFC) and made in Italy. And may I add are $159 AUD… I’m also a very big fan of some of the colours - especially the green.
Beauty Counter
Prod of the week.
Jess
Rhode Pocket Blush Toasted Teddy
This is my first foray into the world of Mrs Hailey Bieber and I am so pleasantly surprised. With any of these celeb brands I wouldn’t usually buy into the hype but colour cosmetics - especially with a product like a blush/multi stick makes it so much easier to dip a toe in, especially as someone with sensitive skin.
I was on the waitlist for this shade for quite some time after it went viral on TikTok however it was more than worth the wait. Having previously used the MECCA MAX blush sticks I was used to its buildable colour however this blush is PIGMENTED. For my skin tone, I only need a light dab on the cheek for a wash of colour meaning the what seems small sizing will last you a lifetime.
This shade is so nice blotted onto lips as well as on cheeks and I have seen creators on TikTok also use this on the eyes for a monochrome look which is next on my list to try.
Nicole
Christophe Robin Scalp with Sea Salt
Sorry to mention my hair growth journey once again, but here we are.
In the pain of growing out my bob, I’ve resorted to mostly wearing my hair in a slicked back bun - which is resulting in using alot of products. From leave-in conditioners, to hair masks to gels and hairspray, you name it and I’ve probably got it in my hair.
Given how fine my hair actually is, this means that when I shampoo I need to really get in there and cleanse - which is where this scrub comes in. I’ve tried quite a few hair scrubs over the years (some I’ve mentioned on here) but this Sea Salt based scrub from Christophe Robin is always the one I come back too.
It’s so easy to use, and it actually lathers at the scalp, so you can use it alone as a shampoo. It also adds so much volume to the roots - which is always a win.
One to Try
Recent openings and discoveries.
Okay given that one of us (Jess) is now residing in London it only makes sense that we incorporate some bits and bobs local to her in the hopes of giving you a curated list for your next trip or maybe even places to try if you’re relocating like her.
So in saying that I (Jess) had Ria’s on my list for quite some time and I finally was able to try it out last week and my god was it worth the wait. The menu features Detroit-style deep dish pizza, natural wines and other yummy bits like crispy potatoes with garlic infused whipped feta.
A serious standout was the pepperoni & soppressata pizza which is drizzled with hot honey and parmesan - I will be getting an entire pizza of this next time and this is as someone who doesn’t usually love a pepperoni pizza.
Lottery Win
A girl can dream.
Bottega Veneta Bang Bang Vanity Case
The Vanity Case shape is well and truly trending and whilst we’ve previously featured the OG in this shape Loro Piana I (Jess) am obsessed with this chocolate woven leather version from Bottega Veneta. Something about this texture and shape just gets me everytime but this new silhouette for Bottega could even trump the (far more pricey) Loro Piana style.
Consumables
What we can’t stop binging.
Emily in Paris Season 4
This show just gets sillier and campier every season and I (Nic) ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. You can’t make me hate Emily in Paris, even with the most ridiculous storylines and even more ridiculous outfits.
The only gripe I have is with Netflix for splitting the season into two parts, with the second set of episodes coming out several weeks later on 12 September. Like I get it from a commercial POV (they want people to not to the trial and then cancel after bingeing), but it is annoying.
And what is this Rome teaser??!
IYKYK
Super specific recs and niche hyper-fixations.
Trivia fans, this one is for you.
The Saturday Quiz is a deeply ingrained ritual in my (Nic’s) weekend, best done over a coffee and croissant.
Saturday Quiz is a weekly 25 question - you guessed it - quiz. Delivered via SMS each Sat morning, it’s Aussie based with questions that range from news centric to general knowledge.
If you’re new to Cart Curator, take a read of some of our recent editions.
Cart Curator #71 - Don't Be Suede
Cart Curator #70 - Where the It Ends with Us drama Started
Cart Curator #69 - Are you ready for this Jelly (shoe)?
Cart Curator #68 - The Fashion Games
Cart Curator #67 - Do we need to stop re-making movies?