What's Worth the Hype?

I asked three women I knew would know...

Hype doesn’t always equal impact.

I love hype. I love being at the forefront of it — even though I usually pull the trigger somewhere around the mid-point of the curve. These days, seeing something take off organically feels rare, in an era where “hype” can be manufactured via nonstop podcast plugs and Instagram or TikTok placements (looking at you: greens powders, colostrum, collagen — all the so-called ‘magical’ powders except electrolytes). So when something is truly worth the hype, to me, that means something! It adds real value. Often the most hype-worthy thing isn’t even something you can buy. It’s a concept, mindset or a practice. Mediation (worthy) 10K+ steps (you bet) cold plunge (pass) protein maxxing (hard pass).

I also asked three women I deeply admire—each of whom seems to have an effortless knack for spotting what’s not just cool or useful, but truly resonant.

Erika Veurink

,

Katie Stone

and

Talía Cu

. Here’s what they told me.

Five Things Worth the Hype According to

Katie Stone

1. The Hatch Restore alarm clock - I was unconvinced that a $170 alarm clock would ever be worth it, that is, until I tried it. This makes my bedroom feel like a hotel and it eliminates my need for an additional noise machine.

2. Paying a task rabbit to assemble furniture - I’m not doing that myself and I wouldn’t subject my loved ones to it either.

3. Bandit Running Leggings - I’m seeing a lot of Bandit clothing in my neck of the woods (downtown Manhattan) which triggers my inner cynic. These are now one of my favorite pairs of leggings I’ve ever owned. They’re tight but not too tight, they’re flattering, they’re comfy. They’re perfect.

4. Grayson Carter’s new memoir When the Going Was Good - he’s been hitting the press junket like a mad man for this book but truthfully I had this release in my mental calendar for months. The audiobook (he narrates) did not disappoint one bit— quick, entertaining, and perfect for anyone interested in NYC cool kid culture of yore.

5. Drinking water and going for a walk - I bundled these together because combined they are wellness cliche elite. They are also the closest thing we have to a panacea on this Earth.

You can read more from Katie here. I love her Into the Fridge series SO much. Who isn’t nosy & dying to know what’s in cool people’s refrigerators?

Five Things Worth the Hype According to

Erika Veurink

1. Unbranded Jewelry from The RealReal (example here) There's a veritable landmine of incredible fine jewelry at really affordable prices on TRR, mostly because they're not branded. I like to send my husband a list of them to pick from for big anniversaries or gifts because your money goes so much further than on trendy designer pieces.

2. Using one pouch for every purse (I use this one) I don't know why adopting this habit took me so long. It makes my frequent bag switching way less of a mess. And the best part is you can use whatever you have.

3. Roruban Memo Pad These little notebooks make me feel like a spy in the best way. I need something spiral bound, and the colors it comes in are all incredibly chic in my opinion.

4. Saying "no" when you're on the fence is very much worth the hype in my book. I think nearing 30 has made this lesson clearer for me, but there's something so satisfying about deciding based on your gut instinct and sticking to it.

If you’re not already a huge Erika fan, you can find her here:

Five Things Worth the Hype According to

Talía Cu

1. Cruda shoes: One of my favorite brands, designed in Costa Rica, made in Mexico. There’s true craftsmanship behind the upcycling of the pieces, and you can feel the uniqueness when you wear them.

2. Reading in paper instead of the phone: Someone on Substack said they printed the articles they wanted to read, and I did that for a long feature I saw in a magazine. I was quite surprised at how much calmer it is to just sit down and read on paper for a change.

3. Buying Suave magazine for $1 USD This wonderful issue of a Mexico City–made publication is my most recent purchase. It’s a newspaper-like edition, and it’s so unique and with such an interesting sense of fashion. You can find it worldwide through several distributors.

4. Collecting pieces instead of shopping: I recently talked about this—and it’s not like I do it very often—but once in a while, I do buy fashion or jewelry pieces that I find interesting because I want to collect them as an archive. It’s interesting to appreciate fashion objects as art pieces too.

5. Doing a cata of chilaquiles or sweet bread: In the city where I live—Guadalajara—there are so many wonderful and different cafés. Recently, when a friend was visiting, she really wanted to try all the sweet breads from each spot. However, she ended up doing a chilaquiles trial instead, trying to find the spiciest one!
   Pro tip: always order chilaquiles divorciados (that’s two sauces in one plate) so you get to try both flavors.

Talia’s Substack is a gem. She often spotlights emerging Latin American brands, which, as a South Floridian, makes me feel delightfully in-the-know.

Five Things Worth the Hype According to Me

1. This trifecta of hair essentials has empowered me to: a) watch an entire episode of Gossip Girl with my teenager on hair-washing nights (instead of just half—boo), and b) achieve glossy, swingy, great-smelling, salon-worthy hair with minimal effort. The magic-makers: Goop’s Himalayan Salt Scalp Scrub Shampoo, the Crown Affair hair towel, and the Dyson hair dryer. The last two save me so much time, it feels like I’m getting away with something.

2. Affirmations: This feels a little vulnerable to admit, but I’ve been leaning on mantras a lot lately! They help me curb mindless scrolling and unkind self-talk. Mirror affirmations still feel a little over-the-top, but what really works is saving a new one as my phone screensaver every few days. I repeat it when I wake up, fall asleep, or feel tempted to think dumb/bad thoughts.

   Here are a few I love:

   • What’s meant for me comes with ease.

   • I am allowed to take up space.

   • Peace is my power.

3. Not drinking. I’ll still have a cocktail or glass of wine occasionally, but at my age, it takes me down. A night out is so much better when it’s not followed by bad sleep, a puffy face, and a sluggish morning. Fizzy water with lemon feels almost as festive.

4. Sunday meal planning and posting the week’s menu somewhere visible feels like a Sunday gift to my weekday self. I don’t assign meals to specific days (unless it’s something like fish which I do not want to linger in my fridge), but I list out four dinners:

   – One uses leftovers (rice bowls or breakfast for dinner)
   – One’s a sandwich night (paninis, subs, veggie burgers)
   – One’s pasta (spaghetti, pesto with chicken)
   – And one is the only meal I really have to think about.

   A little Sunday planning goes a long way.

5. White canvas sneakers. I recently spotted a grandmother at a Little League game wearing a crisp, logo-free white baseball cap and classic white Chuck Taylors. She was probably in her 70s, but looked as fresh and vibrant as the players on the field.

   I love white canvas sneakers fresh out of the box, a little scuffed, or washed for the 25th time. There’s almost no outfit—besides an evening gown—I don’t love them with. Options include but definitely not limited to: this, this and this.

• This dinner based on patatas bravas has just earned my number four slot, and I shall no longer be thinking about it.

• A snob’s guide to Costco.

• On Gena Rowlands and John Cassavetes The message, naturally, is that life is messy. And no American filmmaker ever made that point better than Cassavetes did. Having Rowlands, his primary muse, also act as a megaphone lent his convictions full voice. He wrote great roles for her and then directed them; she gave uncommon life to his visions. And if that doesn’t define a perfect artistic partnership— to say nothing of a marriage— what does?

• The most searched-for Kentucky Derby recipe is not what you think.

• Gap x DÔEN is live. Both the navy maxi skirt AND the big denim jacket I wanted are both sold out. I hope they’re worth the hype.

• What Vogue editors actually buy.

• This is an oxymoron, and we’re all still reeling from whatever series of unfortunate decisions Kristi Noem made at Gitmo.

• All signs point to this being the shoe of summer.

• Netflix has cast Laura Ingalls. Melissa Gilbert’s proud support is extremely cute.

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  Xx

  Jen