Cool Stuff Pt.17
A roundup of the cool things that inspired me this past week
Welcome back to Cool Stuff!
If you are new here (welcome!) Cool Stuff is The Inside Pocket series where I present some inspiring and beautiful finds from the fashion world and beyond, hoping to bring you a bit of joy, of course. :)
Here’s a list of things I loved this past week, as usual, in no particular order.
Check out the previous volumes!
If you are looking for inspiration you might also want to take a look to the Visual Voyage series!
Hair Things
I recently made the executive decision not to cut my hair. So now, as it keeps growing longer and longer (before the inevitable impulsive run to the hairdresser), I’m trying to embrace every stage of it and play with all the possibilities that come with length.
Part of this newfound enthusiasm was sparked by the recent runways, where hair accessories and creative hairstyles made their return. Seeing delicate barrettes, clips, and little adornments was enough to justify my decision to channel my inner Rapunzel. I started looking for pieces that could get me closer to all that.
That’s how I came across Merrma and Letlet NY, brands that make the most wonderful hair accessories, which literally stole my heart. Especially now that spring is around the corner and my outfits are starting to lose a few layers, I feel the need to accessorise my hair more. Here are some of my favourites: acetate barrettes and clips.
Beauty Favourites
London was recently blessed with a few proper days of sun. Around the same time, I repurchased my usual retinol serum, which means SPF is no longer optional if I want to avoid long-term skin damage. Luckily, my long-time favourite brand, Susanne Kaufmann, came to the rescue with two new heroes that have quickly became staples in my routine: the Ectoin Repair Serum and the Ectoin Barrier Repair Moisturiser SPF 50.
From someone who’s not an expert but will just speak the truth here: I loved the serum because my skin looked calm and hydrated, but I loved the moisturiser even more. I swear its SPF formula is one of the best I’ve tried in a while. Both smell beautifully natural, with that subtle botanical fragrance Susanne Kaufmann is known for, and the moisturiser has none of the thick, heavy feeling many high-protection creams tend to have. No white cast, no stickiness, and perfect under makeup.
And yes, I’ve raved about this brand before (the Glow Mask, the Hand Cream) because it’s TOO GOOD. If you want to try, you can get 20% off with the code THEINSIDEPOCKET20.
Makeup
I haven’t tried much new makeup recently, mainly because I’m trying to finish the products I already have. That said, my brow game needed an upgrade. My eyebrows are so light that I basically have to draw them from scratch every morning…
I recently tried the Brow Definer and Brow Gel from VIEVE and really loved them. The pen is very precise, making it easy to sketch natural-looking hairs, and the hold lasts all day — a big yes from me.
Stirrup Leggings
I’ve recently developed a small fascination for stirrup leggings, the ones with the little strap that goes under the foot. They originally come from equestrian and sportswear, but became very popular in the 1980s, when the fitness boom brought sleek, stretchy pieces like this from gyms and dance studios into everyday wardrobes.
Now that we can finally show our ankles again without freezing to death, I’m finding them particularly appealing. They stay perfectly in place and create a really nice, elongated line, which makes them ideal to wear with my oversized blazers, leather jackets, and, perhaps most importantly, my beloved loafers and ballerinas. They feel a little nostalgic, but also surprisingly easy to wear today.
On my radar these brown ones by Skims, affordable ones by Organic Basics, black ones by The Frankie Shop, more expensive ones by LESET. I also really like this pairs by FRAME, Rue Sophie, but also H&M and Oysho for a cheaper alternative.
The Guardian of Scents
Hidden inside an ordinary shopping plaza in South Lake Tahoe is a place that feels almost magical for perfume lovers: a space known as the Fragrance Vault. At first glance it might look like a boutique, but it is closer to a living museum of scent. Inside, more than 6,000 perfumes are carefully stored: rare bottles, discontinued classics, and fragrances that many people thought were lost forever. A paradise, I would say.
The woman behind it all is Jana Menard, a self-taught fragrance expert who has dedicated her life to preserving perfume history. For her, scent is not just a beauty product but a memory keeper. A single spray can bring back a childhood moment, a long-forgotten holiday, or the presence of someone you once loved. That emotional power is what drives her work.
Some visitors travel from across the world simply to smell a perfume that disappeared from shelves decades ago. Others come hoping to rediscover the fragrance their mother used to wear. Each bottle is treated almost like a historical artefact, stored carefully and protected from light and heat to preserve its delicate formula.
