We’re getting personal with this one folks. I grew up with not a lot of money—not in the way your friend who cosplays as poor but actually grew up in a mansion says it. This was more of a “sometimes the water would turn off because we couldn’t pay the bill and I’d have to shower at my aunt’s house” situation. So, I’m a bit intense about living within my means but there are some products that are worth the extra $$$.

Obviously not having generational wealth to bolster me and originally working in nonprofits, I was continuing to be broke well into my 20s, focused entirely on trying (and failing) to not accrue more medical debt. Now, I am making a much better salary (though most of it goes to rent and a lot of it goes to helping my fam) and have paid off a few of those debts. With a bit more disposable income, I’ve been able to change some of my shopping habits to focus on saving and then buying better quality items, rather than buying cheaper alternatives out of necessity or just to save in the short term.

So, I’m here to tell you about some of the investment pieces I’ve gotten over the years and why I think they’re worth it. Most of these are just high quality necessities, but the last category is just for fun (which is fine, too!). If you’re ready to start spending your $$$ more strategically, these are a great place to start, but work within your budget and timeline!

Kitchen

I have been raving about this Made In stainless steel pan set to literally anyone who will listen. Ask any of my friends and coworkers. Though I have one giant raw cast iron pan I love (mostly to make focaccia), they are simply too heavy for my delicate little hands to use day-to-day. So when choosing new pans, I went the stainless steel route. It’s what the pros use and I aspire to be the pros. If you treat them right (read about how to properly cook in them and buy this stuff), you’ll never have to buy another set again.

 

The Le Creuset hype is so strong and I was not a believer because of the prices. But someone bought me this Dutch oven… and I was wrong! I’m not afraid to admit that. After using a raw cast iron Dutch oven that was impossible to clean, this was a dream come true. It’s perfect for soup, boiling bagels, and baking a gorgeous sourdough. It is so light and much easier to clean because it’s enameled. I use it multiple times a week and it looks stunning sitting on my otherwise heinous stove. I’ll be using this one forever as well, and would totally pass it down as some kooky kitchen heirloom.

Bathroom

I literally never knew luxury until I tried these towels from Boll & Branch. Whoever was gatekeeping them did too good of a job. I didn’t even know towels could be this nice. They have a few different types of knits for the towels, but my biggest recommendation is to get the bath sheet size, which is larger than a regular bath towel, esp if you’re curvy!

Jewelry

Now we’ve moved away from needs to wants. Jewelry brings me a lot of joy. I’m a gold girlie (Lebanese) and most of my jewelry is unfortunately from tiny little jewelers in Tripoli that I cannot exactly refer you to. But I’ve found some that are actually attainable online or IRL in the states.

I refuse to wait until I get engaged (if ever) to have nice rings. It’s against my moral code if you will. That being said, nice rings can be super expensive so you might as well make it bespoke so you can ensure it’s perfect. Yes, I’m serious. If you’re going to be splurging, it’s so important that it’s on something you absolutely adore and this is one of the ways you can ensure that. The process of custom designing with Noémie was not nearly as intimidating as it seems and the ring I designed (currently being made!!!) is so perfect I could cry. I sent pictures, links, and descriptions of exactly what I wanted and the follow through was amazing—though they have free returns and exchanges if not. 

When crafting the perfect ringscape, not every single ring needs to be custom, or even ornate. Catbird has gorg, gem-filled rings galore (go drool over them), but I absolutely love the variety and quality of their plain gold stacking rings. I have this one and this one (which I wear together on one finger) and I am looking respectfully at this one.

 

Happy spending (responsibly!),

Reina Sultan, editorial director