Happy Black Friday

I'm trying to regulate my use of exclamation points - I promise I'm not angry at you.

As I started shamelessly sharing ShopMy links on Instagram today (I find something about organizing links on that app supremely soothing), my friend Jonah reminded me that I do have a Substack that I have completely neglected. It hadn’t been intentional and I started to reflect on how that had happened.

I spend a lot of time talking to entrepreneurs - and I’ve often said that the best time to start a business is either when you know everything or when you know nothing. (When you know everything, because obviously, you know everything - and when you know nothing, because you have chutzpah, hope, and you aren’t able to conceptualize the challenges that are inevitably coming your way, which makes it so much easier to start). Of course this is a simplification. But what does this have to do with my Substack, you’re probably wondering? Well, I’m not in a place personally or professionally where I know everything or nothing - and, while this isn’t a business - it is starting something new. The uncertainty of it made me uneasy and gave me some stage fright.

That said, my curiosity about the new and fascination with (fixation on?) consumerism hasn’t gone anywhere. I still love going on shopping scavenger hunts for myself and my friends (“I need a something to go over a black slip dress for a winter wedding.” “What do we really know about the Rag & Bone sweatpants jean pants?” “How am I supposed to dress for Thanksgiving when I’m postpartum and nothing fits?” “How much brown suede is too much brown suede?”). So here I am, back on Substack.

It doesn’t hurt that I came down with a cold, and because I don’t want to infect anyone, especially before the holidays, I have quarantined myself. And it’s Black Friday.

Black Friday + no one to hang out with = lots of links and a Substack from Lily.

So here are a few of my ShopMy shelves:

• Favorite things (fashion)

• Favorite things (beauty)

• Favorite things (snacks & supps)

• Things I’m considering or have already purchased during Black Friday

• Gift ideas

And some things that I haven’t tried yet, but am interested in trying:

• Stiller’s Soda: Ben Stiller does soda. I wouldn’t have really thought much about this, but my friend Elizabeth Taufield recommends it and she has exquisite taste all around

• Dr. Bombays Ice Cream: Snoop Dogg has an ice cream line. I want to try it just because of that.

• Man Cereal: I have questions about this. Mostly how does it taste. I’m also still trying to figure out how creatine works.

And some hot takes:

• THERE ARE TOO MANY PRODUCTS. I don’t want to be a hater…and no one loves trying new products more than I do… but it’s overwhelming! I think the bar should be very high for launching a new product. In any case, I find a lot of new things that I buy & try here and here.

• Quince is going to put companies that focus on “very good everyday basics” out of business. So far, my Quince cashmere sweaters are performing well and are unbelievably inexpensive.

• All’s Fair is a … very very bad TV show but I couldn’t take my eyes off it? I think some combination of the outfits and the interiors made it great to look at. I don’t recommend listening too hard to the dialogue.

Happy shopping to all, and to all a good night!