6 Things to Shop, Read, Buy, Try, Hear, and Watch for January 2024

Resolutions are trash, generally speaking, but these recommendations are not.

There’s something about New Year’s resolutions that brings out the absolute crank in me. It honestly reminds me of ‘90s diet culture in ways I haven’t fully unpacked, other than to say the emphasis on goals, goals, goals feels punitive and communicates the message that we only deserve happiness if we reject ourselves first. 

As always: Fuck that noise.

So about a decade ago, I reworked my own understanding of resolutions. Instead of focusing on the things that were wrong and needed fixing, I decided to center things that brought joy. Resolutions that I actually looked forward to keeping.

My first good resolution was simple: Always have a chilled bottle of champagne in the house. 

At the time, I was in the process of rebuilding my life after the disastrous end of a long-term relationship, and the champagne felt like a promise of better times. A reminder that there was always something to celebrate, if you paid attention. 

That resolution led to one of the happiest years of my life. Every time I opened the fridge, I was confronted with my own small bid for optimism. A tiny, fizzy token of future fun, whether it was for an impromptu after-party following my friends’ wedding or a toast on a random Tuesday night. 

While my resolutions this year don’t involve alcohol, I’m trying to channel that 2011/2012 energy and evolve it. As of now, I have a few things I’m workshopping for 2024, and though it’s a little cringe, I’m going to share below, with the sincere hope that you tell me yours too.

-Take time off, and vacations too. Top of my list because I’m so bad at it.

-Incorporate strength training into my routine. When I interviewed the great Bobbi Brown for Second Life, I asked her what advice she’d give her younger self. She said: “The only regret I have in life is that I did too much aerobics and not enough weights…Do weights! If you haven’t started, start now.” Also, you start losing muscle mass between the ages of 30 and 35! That’s so early! 

-Write more. My day job is truly interesting and I’m always learning something new, but more responsibility means I have less and less time to write. And I miss it, which is partially why I started this newsletter. But while I love the moments during the week I steal to work on this, I also want to start a longer project, and I’m going to try and dedicate some time to that. Specifically: I want to write another book. Fiction this time. 

That’s it. Three things that make me feel great today, tomorrow, and forever. Resolved. 

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Moving on! Welcome to January. The incomparable Chani Nicholas says that the year doesn’t *really* start until January 10th, astrologically speaking, so if you’re still easing into 2024, you’re not alone. 

As we all get acclimated, here are a handful of things I’m really into right now. I hope you enjoy them too.

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SHOP: Doen Kaira Dress ($378)

Doen often updates their best dress silhouettes in new colors/fabrics, a practice I love, so when I saw that they were offering my absolute favorite Doen dress in a new print, I audibly gasped. 

This dress is perfect. I own a green one with a dainty white print that I bought two years ago, and honestly it’s the piece I probably wear the most. In my entire closet. Really. It is outrageously flattering (I hate that word, but it’s true), forgiving, and people always stop me on the street when I wear it. This style is bra-friendly, the lightweight cotton voile and longer sleeves means it works pretty much year-round here in LA, and it’s a little sheer, but you absolutely do not need to wear a slip with it, or even give much thought to your undergarments. 

My only complaint is that they don’t make it often enough, nor in enough prints, but that’s probably better for my wallet in the long run. But if you’re reading this Margaret and Katherine, I am begging you to keep this style in heavier rotation. Begging.

If you told me I could only wear one dress for the rest of my life, I think this style would be it? Wearing it with my new-favorite Khaite denim jacket and suede Lucchese boots I bought 19 years ago for a wedding in Montana and still like!

READ: I’m A Fan by Sheena Patel ($13)

I was reading one of my favorite new Substacks the other day—Slouching Towards Bethnal Green, by Gillian Orr, who I don’t know, but now have a brain crush on from afar—specifically a tremendous clever post called “Wait, when did everyone get so good at interiors?”. The post is great, but there was a little aside about how everyone was tearing through this one book in London, and it gave me book FOMO. I want to read what all the cool girls in London are reading! So I immediately bought I’m A Fan and gulped the whole thing down in one hazy, lazy post-Christmas, pre-New Year’s Eve afternoon. This is how it starts: 

“I stalk a woman on the internet who is sleeping with the same man as I am.” 

You’re interested, right? I sure was. And it’s off to the races from there. 

Honestly, it’s a vibe.

BUY: The Great The Blackbird Jacket ($395)

I am terrible at casual dressing. It’s weird! I know! But it’s true. Office dressing (casual or formal) is probably the thing I am best at/is easiest for me, followed by any type of fancy occasion, with weekend/casual coming in dead last. I’d rather wear a cocktail dress every day for the rest of my life than casual clothes. 

That said, the reality of my life for the last four years—small kids, pandemic, working from home more than I ever have before—requires casual outfits. While I will still try to wear a maxi slip dress and biker boots and tell you that’s my laidback look, I have been slowly making moves into what might be considered more traditional weekend wear. 

Of course I’m still kind of a snob about it, so you can only imagine my delight when I discovered The Great’s extremely plush (yet elevated), subtly embroidered (ooh she’s special!!), extra cozy The Blackbird Jacket. It’s honestly absolute heaven. I have been wearing it pretty much nonstop for the last two weeks. I throw it on first thing in the morning with my favorite Gap soft joggers while getting my kids out the door to school. I’m wearing it right now with black jeans, a t-shirt, and a chunky Chloe loafer. She’s the first and only fleecy garment I will probably ever own, and she’s worth every single penny. Buy this jacket now, I implore you.  

TRY: Shani Darden Skin Care New Product That’s Embargoed

Okay, so technically this _____ isn’t available yet, BUT! It will be in just a few short days, and I want you to be on the lookout, as it might be my new favorite product from the skincare guru who legit changed my life. 

It’s outrageously good: A _____ that is a dream for winter skin, hungover skin, aging skin, anyone’s skin, really.

Set an alert for January 10th, and buy this _____ immediately. 

LISTEN: Elizabeth Saltzman on Second Life

Is it weird I’m so excited about my own podcast? Maybe, but after six years, 300 episodes, and not a crazy amount of self-promotion in the grand scheme of things, I’m planting a flag in the ground to say: This episode of Second Life is a blast. And it’s especially relevant as we are launching into awards season, as of today!

So why this episode? Well, Elizabeth Saltzman is a beloved fashion editor (Vogue) and longtime fashion director (Vanity Fair) turned celebrity stylist, and her work is simply legendary. Longtime clients include Gwyneth Paltrow, Sandra Oh, Jodie Comer, and more, and Saltzman’s joie de vivre is simply delicious. She’s a true legend in the industry, and it was an honor to sit down with her.

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P.S. This Tom Ford look from the 2012 Oscars (which really re-started the cape trend that continues to this day) will forever be a favorite of mine.

WATCH: Saltburn (available on Prime Video)

I know, I know, this is extremely late on the recommendation front, but on the off chance you haven’t seen director/writer/producer Emerald Fennell’s latest, I very much recommend watching it immediately. But not with your parents or kids.

Why does Fennell’s name sound familiar? She won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Promising Young Woman in 2021, which she also directed and produced. She also played Camilla Parker Bowles in the third and fourth seasons of The Crown, to devastating effect. Oh, and she was the head writer and executive produced the second season of one of my favorite shows, Killing Eve (Phoebe Waller-Bridge gave her the job!). 

Honestly I think she’s a genius, and the more I thought about and unpacked Saltburn, the smarter and more nuanced it became. The casting is flawless—Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan are inspired, but I loved Rosamund Pike perhaps most of all—and the whole thing is just a slightly twisted delight. Plus the inspired final song—”Murder on the Dancefloor” by Sophie Ellis Bextor—has been stuck in my head for a month.

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And last, but not least: Can we talk about towels for a moment? 

I posted a photo of Wilder sitting on a basket of towels the other day (see below), and immediately got a zillion questions about my towels. And truthfully, folks ask about towels a lot, in general, and I’m always sad that I don’t have an immediate go-to recommendation. 

My friend Annie Meyers-Shyer—her IG @thisoakhouse is an absolute must-follow—shared the best sheets in the world, from Lands’ End of all place, which I have written about several times and included in my story 19 Things I Don’t Regret Buying in 2023, so I stalked her for some initial towel ideas. Annie likes Matouk’s Milagro Towels ($41, on sale), so I just ordered some to try, and I’m hopeful, as I adore the brand’s lofty duvet inserts. She also recommended Frontgate’s Resort Collection Bath Towels ($37), which are also a New York Times Wirecutter 2023 pick. 

While I love a plush towel as much as the next indoor-cat girly, I also have an affinity for really lightweight options too, so we also have Ottomania’s Hammam Towels ($32) in dark gray and white. If you like a slim, fast-drying option, this is a good one. It also comes in loads of colors from the brand’s website, if you’re curious. 

But all of that said, I would love more recs! If you have a personal favorite, will you please leave me a comment? If you do, I’ll be your best friend…

Yes, she is wearing a Gap x Cinderella dress at 9:30 a.m. on a Saturday.

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Okay friends, that’s it for now. If you want to follow me on @hillarykerr, I’d love it. And if you have anything to say or ask (preferably nothing terribly mean), please drop me a note either via DM or in the comments below.

As always, thank you for taking the time to read this post. I’m truly so glad you’re here. If you like what you’re reading, please consider sharing this newsletter. (And if you have the time to like it, that would mean a lot to me!) All products mentioned are independently chosen, and some may be affiliate links. Your support is appreciated.