25 Ways to Love Yourself This Valentine's Day, Part Deux
25 Ways to Love Yourself This Valentine's Day, Part Deux
The gift guide sequel we need.
We all know by now that Valentine’s Day is a performative Hallmark Holiday built for us to make commercial gestures of love toward our family and friends. Whether you’re single or taken or missing someone, if you’re not on the receiving end of any such gesture (or one that meets your expectations), the day can be a real downer. So last year, I posed an obvious solution: we become our own valentines.
Our Tiny Rebellions exists to celebrate women’s tiny wins and pleasures—both ones we experience and give to ourselves. Why wait for other people to provide us external validation in the form of a little treat when we know what we really want? And if you don’t know what you really want, I am honored to help you sort that out.
Let’s go, girls. Here are another 25 ways to gift yourself pleasure, gratification, and (self) love this Valentine’s Day.
That nine-to-five. The only thing I’ll ever miss about working at a law firm is the justification to buy a fancy suit, like this one from Cinq à Sept. But now that matching sets translate from the office to elsewhere, I might still have to splurge on the Crepe Khloe Blazer and matching shorts.
Cheeky accents. A little pop of color and humor will brighten up your home and your spirits. These Maison Balzac candle holders are one adorable option I’m obsessed with from Coming Soon, an NYC homewares store.
The Other Stanley Cup. I’m not talking about hockey. My dear husband used his unrivaled eBay skills to find me THE Stanley 40 oz. Quencher H20 FlowState Tumbler in a premiere color, Rose Quartz! Linking to Dick’s, but you’ll have to try harder to snag yours.
Meet me at The Bar. I need this varsity sweatshirt for the same reason Sara Petersen needs Jenni Kayne’s balm and for the same reason we all need things we’re brainwashed into on the internet.
Sort it out. No one chooses an overstuffed inbox—it just sort of happens, and fixing it’s a lot harder than creating it. Dedicate a whole day to deleting, labeling, and organizing, and get your digital life together.
Hot take. The Dyson Air Wrap did nothing for me. Hundreds of dollars later, my head still looks like a bird’s nest. Sell it and reinvest that money into a package at a local blowout salon. You don’t have to fight gravity alone.
Clockwise from top left: Japan Candy Box; Poweradd charger; Terrace plant; Z Supply pants What’s in the box? My husband and I have a bucket list wish to travel to Japan together. We cannot consume enough knowledge about its culture, style, food, and history. But until then, a subscription treat box from Japan Candy Box will give us a little taste.
Just charge it. Frankly I’m ashamed by the places I’ve had to ask for a phone charge over the years. Poweradd’s EnergyQC Slim 2 Portable Charger ranks high amongst its peers and is tiny enough for your pocket or a small bag.
Growth mode. Flowers are cute, but plants grow with you. Terrace Plant Shop will get you started on your botanical journey.
Cozy casual. I love finding a new way to wear denim that isn’t so…stiff. Z Supply released the Peggy Knit Denim Pants, which are effectively sweatpants but look less like sweatpants. They are more reasonably priced than the rag & bone option, but I love those, too, so if you see them on sale, grab them.
Like and subscribe. Much of what I want to read is behind a paywall these days, and for good reason. Set a budget and choose a few new digital subscriptions to support the work that you enjoy reading.
Drip drip. Anyone who has ever crossed paths with my husband online or IRL knows that we are a “make your coffee at home” family, as this mantra is embedded in his personality (I just get to reap the benefits). We receive a weekly subscription from Tandem Coffee Roasters, which delivers special single-origin roasts right to your door.
Clockwise from top left: caviar from Marky’s; Sold & Striped crochet bag; Dagne Dover caryall; Brooklyn Candle Studio set Eggies. If you’re as emotionally caught up in the caviar chronicles on social media as I am, you’ve fantasized about your own intimate evening alone with a bottle of Sancerre, a tin of fine caviar, and all the bougiest fixings. Marky’s Madison can make this dream a reality, even if it’s more cost-effective to go splitskies with a friend.
Crocheyyyyy. I spent all of last summer fantasizing over Prada’s Raffia Tote Bag, but I couldn’t rationalize the purchase. These alt options from Clare V. and Solid & Striped give the same vibe for less.
Carry all. Quickie trips can be a headache, but the function and fashion of Dagne Dover’s Landon Carryall Bag ease the load.
Mood lighting. I am beholden to a fantastic scent and am always looking for new ones to fill my home. Brooklyn Candle Studio’s gift sets bundle together several candles in a purposeful manner, like their grounding meditation set meant to instill inner calm.
It takes two. I had this thought when I re-folded my favorite pair of leggings to “save them” for another day: how luxurious would it feel to have more of your favorite clothing item? Double up. Triple up. It’s not impractical if you use them all.
Hot and sticky. Hot honey has blown up across FoodTok and makes almost anything better. It’s like the truffle oil of 2023. Mike’s Hot Honey is my choice for that extra drizz.
Sleepy time. There’s no better gift than a good night’s sleep. We upgraded our mattress to a Saatva Loom & Leaf last month, and our millennial backs don’t feel a day over 37.
Clockwise from top left: Anine Bing sneakers; Inked by Dani nail art tattoos; Gregory’s Groves oranges; Mantar lamp Call them daddy. Confession: I only buy white Nikes. But if I were to jump on the dad sneaker trend, I’d buy something with the essence of these Anine Bing Sport Dina Sneakers.
Temp tats. Perhaps my brain is playing tricks on me from years of applying temporary tattoos all over my kids, but Inked by Dani’s temporary tattoos, which look like real tattoos, are suddenly very appealing to me, and their nail art packs are the most.
Orange you glad? Every winter, my grandparents used to send me a box of oranges from Florida. There was a time I thought it was silly, but I miss them now.
Lights out. A battle royale takes place weekly in our bedroom over who wants the lights off first, but Mantar’s Brulee Modern Table Lamp might just bring us world peace.
Foot the bill. Drive yourself over to your nearest foot massage place and tune out. These foot spas are less of a commitment than booking a full-body massage, probably have better hours, and will still give you the best 60 minutes you’ll have all week.
Back it up. Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone from your laptop in a digital black hole? An external hard drive might not feel like a gift now, but it will when your laptop craps out and the cloud isn’t clouding. I realized this too late so you don’t have to!
Send me your purchases and gestures of self-love: averagejoelle3@gmail.com. Happy Be Your Own Valentine’s Day!
And Go Birds!
Also
I read:
Why You Should Root For The Eagles This Sunday — New York Magazine
Gurus Gone Wild — This Is The Top
Control Is Not Love — Burnt Toast
What Place Do You Call Home? — Cup of Jo
Your wins
Alex set up a Super Bowl pool fundraiser despite very limited subject matter experience! She crushed it!