My 25 Favorite Things of 2025
From furry vests of ambiguous provenance to scary clown bodysuits to white mascara to lawyer games.
Hi all! It’s about that time for the arbitrarily-marked passage of another year to induce disproportionately melancholic self-reflection in the best and worst of us, so I’ve decided to catalog my 25 favorite, mostly fashion-related (though, honestly, who cares where those lines blur) items of the year. Of course, the most important facets of this year for me were marked by stuff like spending time with my sister, experiencing Portland in the summer, and seeing, somehow for the first time, this flawless Tim Curry Halloween video. But you come here for the stuff and my thoughts on it, I assume, and I find value in marking the slow-quick drip of time with the well-loved objects that occupied it, too. Allons-y!
If you like these posts, please let me know by liking and commenting here or on Esque’s Instagram, subbing to the Esque Substack (this) for free, getting bonus posts for five bucks a month, or for ZERO DOLLARS, share (tag me if on IG so I can see and thank you)! If you share with three friends (or enemies), you’ll automatically get a free month’s subscription to Esque’s paywalled posts. If you buy anything from an Esque link, there’s a chance I’ll earn a percentage commission at no cost to you—if you end up inspired by anything below, please send over a photo of your new togs by replying to this email and I’ll comp you a month of Esque!
If you cannot afford the $5/month, I totally understand—respond to any of my email sends and I will set you up with a $1.50 subscription or comp you, whatever you need. Esque is for everyone!
Thank you SO MUCH for your support, whatever you are able and willing to do to help is extremely valuable to me and I’m honored to be a small part of your life on the web.
Reversible furry vest of ambiguous provenance
I bought this with my employee discount at the consignment store I work at (though I’m currently searching for a new job, if you have any leads, I implore you to help a brother out). I didn’t think I liked vests—couldn’t understand why you wouldn’t just wear a jacket if you were cold enough to need core warmth—and then I found this one. It’s been a saving grace in the freezing store and has become a staple in my wardrobe the past few weeks. I think it’s faux fur but all I know is that it adds a Slavic-Nordic sense of gritty, romantic winteriness to everything from thin pink sweaters to oversized athletic tees (see Arc Pants below).
MA-1 bomber jacket - $53.99
My boyfriend got this for me for our Halloween costume and I’ve worn it almost every day since—in a town where it rarely dips below 40F, this jacket is more than enough to keep me warm all winter long (I just wish it were water repellent, but I’ve heard there are sprays for that!), It’s reversible, too—sense a theme?
Colin’s booth was pretty much the only exciting one at what was otherwise a White Cultural Event (a holiday market featuring AI slop, too many cutting boards, and, redemptively, free booze). I appreciated his attention to detail when it came to sourcing blanks from Everybody.World and Los Angeles Apparel (née American Apparel) and every piece he had on offer was unique, grotesque, hilarious, and compulsively wearable.
Le Bon Shoppe Arc pants - $125
I now own three pairs of Arc pants: the two you see above, plus a plain black pair. I have written before of my hatred for LBS’ sizing system (where a “large,” their largest, fits MAYBE a size 8), and I feel gross supporting that business model, but I simply wear the shit out of these pants and they’re a level of quality I’m convinced will last me until I dissolve into the Evangelion-style Singularity. They’re also the perfect length for me at 5’1—they JUUUUST clear the floor/getting stepped on my my heels but give me the volume and slouch I love without needing tailoring or feeling weirdly proportioned. I think I’m done buying them with this latest olive green cheetah print pair, which I could envision slotting into like 50 places in my wardrobe and has been on heavy rotation ever since I copped—it’s the perfect subtle-but-invigorating, neutral-but-not-boring base to my daily fits.
Nelle Atelier Horseshoe Jean - $268
Another pretty unimpeachable pair of pants are these by Nelle Atelier, made specifically for short people and kindly sent to me by the brand—these made me understand barrel legs and are both light enough for 95F days and hardy anough for 40F days (I’ve tested them).
Big Bud Press mid-rise trousers
The last bottoms I’ll proselytize are This pair of mid-rise trousers I got in a Big Bud Press sample sale for around $30—I’d wanted them months before when they were $180 or some such and was thrilled to receive them in a blind bag where you picked your size and were surprised with a random colorway. NOTE: These run RIDICULOUSLY large versus what is written on the BBP website, which is annoying as its sizing instructions are so labyrinthine you’d think they’d at least be…accurate. I recommend trying on a pair at full price so they’re refundable before fucking around with a sale purchase.
Big Bud Press thick crew sock - $12
The other BBP item I was thrilled by this year was the pack of thick crew socks I got free with a BFCM purchase—each pair is genuinely worth the $12 price tag, though. Thick, color-saturated, cushy, holds up so well in the wash I thought I’d gotten a sneaky extra pair because post-wash they looked exactly the same as they did before. The ribbing on the cuff doesn’t completely warp and become see-through like some do as they stretch over your ankles. I have never liked a normal sock so much. I want the royal blue color badly.
Comrad compression socks - $26.60
In the realm past “normal” socks lies these compression socks that, when compared to the Amazon stinkers I wasted ducats on earlier this year, feel like comparing a cherry pie baked by In a Garten to a cherry Lacroix. Smooth, not scratchy or indent-leaving, but still firm enough to feel like they *do something,"* though I was sent a few test pairs by the brand I will be repurchasing in honor of my POTS for years to come.
Jockey string bikini underwear - Three for $24
I know I’ve written about these like 25 times, but it has become clearer than ever over the past year that I did, indeed, find The Underwear of My Life in these string bikinis. Thick 100% cotton with a perfectly full-coverage but low-cut and high-cut in all the right places silhouette, these babies are equal parts pragmatic and beautiful. I’ve even grown to appreciate the subtle front tag as it allows me to instantly ID the direction in which to slide them on, even when I’m half asleep after a hot shower. The price is genuinely perfect for this quality. I don’t think I’m ever gonna stray from these, honestly.
Cut-brim hat
After publicly hemming and hawing over a micro TikTok trend, I found this hat advertising a local bar for $6 at a consignment store, then just chopped off the brim with medium-heavy-duty scissors, following the curves of the sewing to retain the shape while reducing the length by like 2/3. I get compliments on this every single time I wear it—most also ask me if I did it myself, lol. This is a great, lighter-weight alternative to a beanie so you can stay in your fuckboy bag year-round if you so choose.
Chullo hat
Inspired by Paolina Russo, I grabbed this hat on eBay just poking around the chullos listings—it’s fleece-lined, devastatingly warm, and can make a look in and of itself with its long, dangling bits that act as additional accessories, like a scarf or necklace or earrings and hat all in one.
Molly Goddard x Baggu purse - $82
I hate to say it, but I think this one is a goner (maybe secondhand?)—hey, I told you about it when it was still for sale, so don’t blame me! I’ve used it every single day since acquisition, and it still looks exactly like it did the day I bought it. I usually prefer natural fibers, but for a daily driver bag I plan to flop and bang around 24/7, ripstop ruffles can’t be beat.
VADA Siren sunglasses - $495
Full disclosure, these are due to show up in the mail literally any minute as I type this, so I haven’t tried them on yet, but these gorgeous glasses by the lovely Katie Vada which I will be writing about in great detail very, very soon are my current object fetish and I am so lucky to get the chance to receive them for a review. I feel like a buck-toothed kid waiting for the Wells Fargo Wagon to bring me raisins from Fresno (IYKYK).
Chunks hair clip - $26
This one will probably restock, but in the meantime, every single Chunks I’ve tried has proven worth a buy now that I actually have hair to claw to my head. This cougar orchid will always be my favorite, though—I love the dangling pearls on each side that make a ratatat when I whip my head around incredulously (a frequent occurrence these days).
Becoming Linked Together necklace - $74
My Grandma bought us matching necklaces a bit more than a year ago—mine broke right after she died (I still have it of course), so I’ve been wearing the one she died in ever since. I haven’t taken it off and I’m scared to death of it falling off some day. Any tips for preservation? Gold isn’t even my hardware shade of choice, but… I just miss my fucking grandma. It hurts every single day and I’m so frightened of losing any connection I still have to her. She was/is the second most important person in my life and it just feels like a part of my life is over in a way I can’t quite grasp.
Magic Molecule hypochlorous acid spray - $8
I use hand sanitizer with a religious fervor, especially while working at the consignment store, and this is like hand sanitizer for your face. I haven’t had A Zit since I started using it (other than this, the only preventative product I use is prescription tretonoin), and one of the smallest bottles has lasted me like four or five months at least with frequent spritzes. Be warned: it does smell like semen in a Pirates of the Carribean ride boat.
I’ve wanted to try Sunset Makeup for so long given the founder’s avid pro-Palestine stance and hilariously thorough product testing, so I was thrilled when my boyfriend bought me the goth bundle, the water-activated eyeliner palette, an eyeshadow palette, and a freckle pen. There’s definitely a learning curve to these products, and you’ll need good brushes (my boyfriend sweetly picked up a Morphe pack from Ulta), but the pigment and application are impressive from the little I know about makeup, the foundation really does feel weightless, and the white mascara has become a surprise regular wear for me.
Trader Joe’s candles
God damn these seasonal candles that are only ever available for like two days at my local TJs. I learned my lesson when missing a few winners and picked up two of these corndles when they were available—I should have grabbed more. Extremely long-lasting, great scent projection, and great value for someone who now burns candles basically every waking moment they are at home. I also really like the “red fruits in the forest” or whatever candle they have out right now. I’m hoping they re-release the tomato leaf candle this spring…
Half Baked Pumpkin Smash candle - $34
For a candle splurge, you already know it’s gotta be Snif for me. So powerful, long-lasting, and cute on a side table—none of the other scents come NEAR the pumpkin smash, though, I’m afraid.
Snif Crumb Couture EDT - $25
The other surprising Snif I’ve been sniffing multiple times a week since I received it is my travel size (I LOVE TRAVEL SIZES, guys—I barely even consider buying full-size bottles anymore. If I love a scent, I wanna have it with me, and I wanna use it up before it turns funky!). I don’t like berry jam to eat, but this buttery, jammy, but not heavy or cloying scent (especially since it’s a less-concentrated EDT) has been a comfort and joy since the seasons turned.
Clue Warm Bulb EDP - $140
To just quickly contradict my previous statement, I genuinely couldn’t imagine living life without a full bottle of this perfume in my arsenal, though I do wish Clue offered travel sizes, too. Electric, buzzy, staticky, burnt vanilla dust that I will never tire of.
Amphora Parfum Honeycakes EDP - $150
This is the best gourmand. Period. Spiced without feeling harsh, treacly without veering into claustrophobic, warm and emanating without making your coworkers gag. It’s THEEE winter holiday scent, in my not-so-humble opinion.
I played the first three games of this godforsaken series when I was in middle or high school, then largely forgot them until this year, when my boyfriend generously bestowed upon me a Steam deck. I’ve been glued to it for months working my way through The Great Ace Attorney: Chronicles (possibly my new favorite, though it’s a prequel!) and now I’m finishing up the Apollo Justice trilogy. There’s very little gameplay involved—it’s basically a visual novel with logic and reasoning puzzles sprinkled in. If you ever get REALLY stuck, don’t be agreed to use a walkthrough because sometimes the game is very obtuse and stupid about certain trains of thought, but DON’T SCROLL TOO FAR and spoil a plot point for yourself like I did! :(
Crosley radio - $50
89.1 KMHD forever. I love having someone else play DJ for me while I’m working or avoiding the abrasive Ace Attorney soundscape. This one looks great, but if you, like me, go vintage, I’d just recommend checking before you buy to see how loud your radio’s analog clock ticks, as it’s proven to be so annoying I have to unplugh it every night, which pretty much negates its time-keeping function.
I own two as of now (my favorite is this one)—Canyon’s art style is reminiscent of my fever dreams and is situated right where my decorative sensibilities lie, somewhere between uncanny and delicious. Though they’re limited edition, the beautifully risographed prints are also gloriously affordable—I believe I got mine for $15 each???
It sure has been a year! Let’s survive the next one together, ok?
<3 ESK
Whoa so good
Those undies look gas. This was gas.