the friday five (!!)

The best best things I’m currently loving, coveting, and fixating on this week.

I spent my commute home yesterday catching up—i.e., scrolling on IG and watching as many videos as I could find, on the Victoria's Secret fashion show. Which, if you also missed it, aired on Wednesday night. I thought it was somewhat crazy that it took almost 24 hours for the content to hit my Instagram feed. Which, to be fair, may have been my problem, because I was accidentally locked out of all of my social apps for 36 hours due to my Brick, which I will get into below! But regardless, this fashion show happened in my own backyard (the Brooklyn Navy Yard! lol), and there was a lot of chatter that I needed to catch up on.

Naturally, some people loved it, and others hated it, for a variety of reasons. The POV I thought was most interesting was the outrage in letting celebrities, athletes, and influencers participate. And while I can see why some are nostalgic for the #VSFS that had a chokehold on us in the 2000s and early 2010s, it’s 2025, and that’s really the only way to break through. I saw one title that read “…failed woke rebrand.” Like what? lol

And that said, did it even break through in a big way? I’d love to know if you engaged, cared, or now care because you know it happened? And truly, no disrespect to all who participated, because they all look fab and I think it’s fun to watch. But the way we used to count down the days, gather round the TV with all our friends, and wait to see who wore the best wings, seems to be a thing of the past. Or maybe I’ve just aged out? But if Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, and Alessandra Ambrosio are still engaged, I feel like I should be too, right? lol

Wow. Taylor Swift last week, and the Victoria’s Secret fashion show this week—I’m basically a pop culture columnist now. Should we also get into Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau? Probably not! lol

Instead, we’ll just get into The Friday Five, featuring the best best pieces, places, and things I’m currently loving, coveting, and fixating on. This week includes a plastic square that is supposed to help curb my phone addiction, pre-packed vitamins that have streamlined my pill poppin, and skincare for people who want great skin without a 12-step routine.

Xx, my best best!

1. The Brick

my brick <> my waterbottle

Have I made this my entire personality? If you work with me, your answer might be yes! But that is because this tiny plastic square is really just that life-changing. If you’re not familiar, The Brick is a plastic square that locks you out of all the apps you deem distracting with one tap. You select which apps you’d like to restrict via their app, and then activate them by tapping (like a credit card) the physical Brick, which is magnetized. So it can live stationary somewhere in your home (mine is on the side of my fridge), but then also easily travel with you to work.

Obviously, most of us are addicted to our devices, which is why this product even exists. But I didn’t realize how much it impacted my productivity until I got The Brick. I now activate my Brick right when I get to the office, so I stay focused all day, and then activate it again around 9 pm to wind down for bed. I am currently trying to limit my access to my commutes, and then post-dinner, because in addition to my desire to be highly productive at work, I also want to be present at home with my husband, friends, etc.

I love it so much, I am now Brick-ing my phone on the weekends, because I never realized how much time my phone eats into my free time. Can’t recommend this enough, and if you get one, feel free to talk to me about it—because I clearly can’t stop! lol

2. La Ligne Cora Skirt

Quince Cardigan, DONNI Rib Tank, La Ligne Cora Skirt & Larroudé Anne Boot

Influenced by the queen, Kelly Klein—I first saw this skirt styled via her Instagram stories at the start of September, and I could not stop thinking about it. And when I think about something for six weeks—i.e., every morning I’m wishing I had the piece while getting dressed, I usually take that as the confirmation I need.

Transparently, it’s a little bit more than I would typically want to spend, but the more I looked for a dupe, the more I knew it must be mine! lol So last weekend I took myself to the La Ligne store uptown, and pulled the trigger. I wanted to try it on IRL to make sure it was just as perfect as I imagined it would be, and also the effort it takes to go all the way uptown…that’s dedication! So here I am, wearing it for the first time. I love the green, but it also comes in chocolate. I’m also pleased to report it’s 100% cotton, so we can file this under capsule wardrobe, as I’ll be wearing it all year round.

3. Perelel Vitamin Pack

Ok, it’s no secret here that I love vitamins, specifically vitamin organization—know that my AndAgain pill case is alive and well! It’s also no secret that I have been on a journey to the journey of motherhood—and if you have no idea what I’m talking about, read all about it below.

While I’m still very much on that journey, I recently decided to start taking a prenatal. A) because my doctor recommended I should begin 3–6 months before we even try to start conceiving, and B) because I’ve also heard they work wonders for hair loss. Which is a whole separate journey! And while there are so many prenatals out there, I was immediately drawn to Perelel, transparently due to the packaging—because apparently I will always be a sucker for good packaging.

Since I’m already taking a handful of vitamins every night, I loved the idea of a pre-packed assortment that I could easily grab and take in the am—without having to add another chic pill case to my counter. Perelel is also seemingly what so many of my friends are taking, which I appreciate, because it alleviates some (maybe a lot!) of the research that I needed to do on my end. However, as I read the fine print—i.e., the website description, I loved that it was formulated by doctors, is actually proven to help with conception, and it’s female-founded—which we know is always a draw for me :-) I also love that they offer different packs for every stage of your pregnancy and post, so you’re getting the right vitamins throughout.

After taking it for a few months, I’ve also added their Synbiotic Greens Powder to my routine, so if you’re not on the same journey, know they also have multi-vitamin packs and other great supplements! AND since I’ve become such a fan, they’ve kindly extended a code for all of you, so you can experience the magic of their pre-packed vitamins. Use THEBESTBEST for 20% off your first order <3

4. Lazy Skinscience Double Duty

Lazy Skinscience launched today with their first product, Double Duty. I was lucky to receive samples of Double Duty a few weeks ago, and I am truly in love. One side is a serum—silkening red camellia serum to be exact, and truly smells insanely delicious. And the other side, or dose, is a hydrating squalane moisturizer. Both feel incredible when applied, and I love the way my skin feels/looks.

Naturally, the samples sat in my medicine cabinet for a bit, because it’s hard to break routine, but once I finally opened the tiny capsules that reminded me of Alice in Wonderland (see image below), I have not turned back! I had been using and loving it nightly, and after quickly finishing the samples, I was so excited to get my hands on the full size. Per the ode to Perelel above, I am obsessed with packaging and every detail is perfect—as is their branding. And while that doesn’t matter as much as the product within, they do get bonus points!

The name alone paints a picture! But as someone with robust skincare, I even enjoy the fact that I only have to open one container to get both a serum and moisturizer. This will definitely be the answer to my morning routine!

5. Chan Luu SS25 Collection

Yesterday morning, I had the privilege of stopping by the Chan Luu SS25 presentation—thanks to the lovely Cat Chen, and it was truly a feast for the eyes! The collection is perfection, in that I could honestly make the case for adding each piece/look to my spring/summer wardrobe. It’s essentially everything that you’d want to wear on vacation and beyond. The taffeta, the feathers, the mirror details, the semi-sheer fabrics, poplin, the accessories !! I could go on and on. As someone who has been counting down the days for fall, this really got me excited for next spring! lol

Designed by the talented and chic Tessa Tran, who is really one of my favorite follows, it was so fun to get a sneak peek!

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Want more Friday finds? Scroll down for more of my recent fixations!