“Strategist Brain” is a series where staffers share the stores they’ve stopped into, stuff they’ve spotted, and extra tidbits from stories they’ve worked on. You’ll hear from a different writer every week.
I’m planning to attend a couple of music festivals and a big stadium concert this spring; as such, I am (reluctantly) on the hunt for a clear bag. For most of my concertgoing years, I’ve gotten away with just stuffing things in my pockets or using a small bag I already own, but after security at a festival I went to last year tried to make me throw away my beloved Cotopaxi fanny pack, I don’t want to take any more chances.
Clear bags are weirdly difficult to shop for IRL, and the standard fare online is mostly highly utilitarian clear totes, fanny packs, and crossbodies or more “fashionable” styles with details like chain straps, gold hardware, and purse-ier shapes. I don’t particularly like the latter, but I want something cuter than the run-of-the-mill options on Amazon.
This straightforward Thread Wallets bag can be worn as a shoulder bag, crossbody bag, or fanny pack.
Vera Bradley is not the first place I ever would have thought to look for a clear bag, but I really like these three options. The crossbody style is definitely in the more purselike camp, but I like the color combo; my only worry is that the strap might dig into my shoulder after hours of wear, so I think I’d lean toward the backpack or belt bag in the same color scheme.
I think I could shove a water bottle into this bag from Target’s Wild Fable line, which would be handy.
For the minimalists, this teeny-tiny sling from Baggallini is a charming essentials-only bag — and probably meets just about any venue’s size requirements.
This holographic heart-shaped bag from Doc Martens is bigger than I’m looking for and doesn’t quite fit my style, but it’s one of the more unique clear bags I could find. Someone wear it to a rave, please.
Strategist-approved luggage maker Away also sells a clear stadium bag. I like that it looks like a miniature version of the brand’s suitcases, but it’s pretty small for such a steep price tag. (Maybe it’s super-sturdy?) Away also has limited-edition translucent pink and green versions of its Mini Crossbody bag, which feel a little more special for $75.
Here’s everything else I’ve seen recently …
I recently heard someone make the case for wearing slips under dresses to help them lay more smoothly. I had completely forgotten that slips exist — I’ve only ever worn one while playing dress-up with my mom’s in preschool — but I was compelled by the argument. Then I bought a white dress and skirt that are both quite sheer, so now I’m looking for a slip to actually make them wearable. I tried a cheap slip skirt and dress from Jockey but wasn’t super-impressed; they were too clingy and fairly see-through, which didn’t solve my issue. For my next attempt, I’m interested in this one from Christy Dawn. It’s made of cotton, which seems rare in the slip world, and I like the length. Plus the straps look unobtrusive and the skirt isn’t fitted. But $98 for a dress to wear under my dress hurts a bit.
As a kid, I absolutely hated boleros, shrugs, and little cardigans of all sorts because I mainly wore them to church over otherwise not-church-appropriate spaghetti-strap dresses, and I thought they were supremely dorky. But as an adult, I’ve come around on them as an excellent layering piece. This ballet-inspired one from California-based brand Rat Boi has grunge-era thumb holes.
Sweatpants have also been on my mind lately because my current ones from Aerie are in need of replacement. I’m thinking I’ll go for a wide-leg style, like this pair from Spanx that a former co-worker wore all the time. I’m not sure I want to spend $100 on sweatpants, but I honestly still think about how put-together they looked for loungewear, so I know first-hand they would be worth it.
I’m also considering this pair from Girlfriend Collective — my usual source for athleticwear — but the colors are pretty limited and the drawstrings look oddly thick.
I bought the cardigan that matches these pants last month, and I love the feel of the organic cotton, so I’m ogling the matching pants to complete the set (especially if I end up ordering that bolero!). The trade-off is that these sweats would be thinner than the other two options above.
Every time I travel, I think about how I really need a sneaker that can pull double duty for casualwear and more “athletic” endeavors like hiking. I most recently had this thought during a trip to Mexico City, where I saw many other tourists wearing cute dad sneakers out and about. When I got back, my colleague Bella Druckman dropped these polka-dotted New Balance 530s into Slack and I realized they might be exactly what I’m looking for. I haven’t decided if I want to try the polka dots or go for the same 530s in a different color, maybe white and indigo or white and metallic pink — but I think there’s a pair in my future.
I just finished this memoir by Mexican American journalist Daniel Hernandez about moving to Mexico City in the late 2000s. I learned a lot about the city’s capital-H History during my trip, but Down and Delirious was a nice complement — a tour through the more recent history and the subcultures that defined Mexico City in the aughts.
I’m usually a diehard library user, but I happened into a few different bookshops recently and couldn’t help but make a few purchases that are now stacked in a big to-read pile on my nightstand. It’s mostly a mix of titles I’ve had on my list for awhile, authors I like, and topics that caught my eye. But Naomi Klein’s Doppelganger will be a reread — it was one of the best books I read last year.
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