splurge purchases

Welcome to clipboard, a weekly newsletter about good shit in Tāmaki Makaurau, by Reilly Hodson. This week, to commemorate the recent end of financial year, recommendations for spending a bonus or future tax refund. If you enjoy clipboard, share it with your cool mates!

splash the cash

I’ve just had a promotion at work, which means that when payday hit at the end of this month I saw a very nice bump in my bank account. We also just passed the end of the financial year, which might mean that some of you find yourself in a similar position: raises, bonuses, dividends etc. are all hitting around now.

I’m of the view that you have to celebrate wins and successes when you can, so I support the decision to buy yourself something nice when you find yourself with a bit of money spare. The key thing is to invest in quality and buy something that will last forever, although the other major thing that could get a mention here is travel (amazing! we can go overseas now!)

Here are a few things I recommend if you’ve got some money burning a hole in your pocket and want to spend it on something fancy.

fancy shoes

I love a good pair of shoes, and really good ones cost a lot of money. The right pair of shoes will last a lifetime, demonstrate your position as a person who respects quality and beautiful things, and look bloody good doing it. I tried on these Crane Brothers loafers yesterday, and they fit the bill perfectly, it’s a shame they didn't fit my feet quite so well.

Some recommendations: Our Legacy Cammion Boots, Gucci Loafers, Paraboot Michael

small leather goods

Small leather goods are the core of the luxury business: handbags, wallets, clutches. A quality leather good balances very nicely between fancy and practical. My favourite brand to buy leather goods from is local brand Yu Mei. Their stuff spans a huge range of price points, is made to the absolute highest quality and feels amazing.

My favourite Yu Mei pieces: The classic Ch’lita bag, the elevated laptop-toting Charlie bag, and the minimalist Frank cardholder (which I bought for my partner when she graduated university and has been a massive hit)

a nice watch

I’ve been working alongside friend of clipboard Zayyar of Wynn and Thayne to trade in my old watch (you can buy it here!) for something which agrees better with my sensitive skin, and it’s been a fascinating process so far. The watch world is deep and obsessive, and I would never presume to have even scratched the surface of the nerdery. What I do know is that watches are lovely objects that do more than just tell the time - they tap into deep histories, represent generations of expertise, and look very cool. If you’re looking to get into the market, I’d highly recommend taking Zayyar out for coffee or heading to his showroom, and chatting through the options.

furniture

They don’t tell you how much furniture costs before you move out of home, I tell you what. Good quality furniture costs even more, and good quality furniture that looks good too? Forget about it. It’s an in investment in the truest sense, because it will last a lifetime and can be endlessly fixed, reupholstered and kept in top notch shape.

My favourite furniture stores: Kiosk, Karakter, Mr Bigglesworthy, Babelogue, the Vintage Shop

art

Art is another world that goes insanely deep, and there are plenty of people that can rip you off. However, there’s also heaps of amazing art at achievable price points, and buying it direct supports artists while also putting cool stuff on your wall. Don’t buy NFTs: go to a real gallery and chat with the people there, learn about the artist, and buy work that gets you going.

clips

• Chelsea Jade’s new album is truly excellent, as is all her work

• If you’re a Wordle tragic like me, you’ll love Knotwords, a game which is kind of like if Wordle and crosswords had a baby - if that sounds like your thing, it is.

• Art gallery Moana Fresh has the first issue of Marinade: Aotearoa Journal of Moana Art, very cool stuff and I will always get behind more print goodness

• A banger of a read in Metro about why Auckland Transport doesn’t back up its chat with action

• I stumbled across a new NZ brand called Pilot the other day, which focuses on clothes for travelling in. Can’t speak to the quality, but I’m intrigued by the premise

• The first drop of Inward Goods’ new season is live now: I love these pants, and love even more that they’ll do them custom for you if you want, down to the fit in the leg and the fabric

• Good As Gold has the Teddy Santis x New Balance apparel collection, as well as the shoes! Very good stuff.

That’s all for clipboard this week, thanks for reading! I’ll be back in your email inbox next Sunday, and in the meantime hit me up on Instagram or via email. I leave you with this, which my girlfriend described as the best photo ever taken: