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 | ![]() | | Our editors solve your shopping conundrums. Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers | | | | In our advice column “Ask the Strategist,†we answer your most burning shopping questions by surveying friends, calling up experts and drawing on our own personal experience. Earlier this month, we asked you to share your most pressing shopping conundrums — and today, our writers and editors gave their best advice. (If you want a chance to get expert advice from our team, send us an email at [email protected] with the subject “Ask the Strategist.†We’re here to help — and you may see your question answered in a future newsletter.) |
| “I’m going to a weeklong women’s surf retreat in Costa Rica this summer and I’m having a very hard time finding something to wear in the water that is both cute and functional. Finding a rash guard or long-sleeve swimsuit is easy enough, but they mostly have cheeky bottoms, which, in addition to exposing me to a very uncomfortable butt sunburn, is not very comfortable on a surfboard. I’d love to find something that covers my back and torso as well as my upper thighs and ideally is not too dowdy or fussy.†|
| Before I went on a weeklong surf trip to Costa Rica this January, I found myself on this same shopping journey, and like you, I had a horrible time trying to find a cute suit that covered my arms, back, and butt all at once. |
| My solution was to pair this SunRays Surf Suit from Australian brand Inner Relm for the most complete coverage. The fabric of this suit is thick and supportive, the patterns are cute, and the shorts cover my butt. After six straight days of surfing, this combo kept me sunburn free — and I got lots of compliments on my cute suit. There are plenty of other brands making these vintage-inspired swimsuits, like Abysse, Seea, and Salt Gypsy (and that last one might be the most thigh-covering option). But in researching this for you, I discovered that TomboyX, makers of some of our favorite swimwear for all genders, makes this long-sleeve shorty suit that might be the answer to all our problems. Have fun, be safe (and don’t forget a surf hat and some zinc, too). —Maxine Builder, editor |
 | ![]() | | | | | | “I need a mid-century modern, Sputnik-style chandelier for our dining room to go along with our vintage mid-century table and hutch. Any good sources you suggest checking? I looked at Tala and didn’t see that style.†|
| I don’t know what your budget is, but here are a few options in a range of prices. If you want a truly starburst shape, there are several options out there: This one from AllModern is a great option for under $500; CB2 has one that is quite pretty, too, but a little more expensive; I like that West Elm’s version is not a complete sphere but still looks pretty orbital (it’s also a great price). Finally, here’s a more minimal, contemporary take that comes in multiple sizes. —Lauren Ro, writer |
 | ![]() | | | | | | “I’m really struggling to help my 10-year-old daughter find a suitable pantsuit she can wear to church. She wants a girl pantsuit (preferably in blue) that doesn’t show off her stomach or legs but allows her to throw a football after church without having clothing restrictions. She’s an amazing quarterback, Brazilian jujitsu champion, and is also quite small (she is a size 6X to 7 right now). We would preferably like something under $40. What can she wear so she can stay true to herself in a comfortable way?†|
| Here are some options that I’ve found that are currently available, in your budget, and that could potentially work: This blazer from H&M is $20 and pictured on a range of models that suggest it’s fairly gender neutral. It’s in stock in navy in your daughter’s size, and the matching pants are on sale for just $8. Also from H&M, these pants and this jacket come in light blue or navy, and both pieces together will be about $55. |
| This jacket and these pants from Target have a subtle but fun stripe pattern. In my experience, Target does cut its boys’-department clothes a little wider than its girls’-department clothes, so I’d probably size down, but again, you can choose different sizes in each piece. Because so many school uniforms involve blazers, I would also definitely take a look at school outfitters like French Toast and in any school uniform section you can find at other stores. Good luck! —Jen Trolio, senior editor |
| “I have been searching the internet for a cordless, battery-or-other operated lamp/nightlight/glowing orb. The most important detail is that it is dimmable and I need, as an option, for it to give off BARELY ANY light! Does this exist?†|
| It’s surprisingly hard to find a portable light with smooth dimming — as of last August, all lightbulbs sold in the US must be LEDs instead of energy-inefficient incandescents, but the tradeoff is that LED dimming can be wonky. After doing a fruitless design-first search, I went to my source for the LED bulbs with the best, most predictable dimming: Philips, especially its Hue line. Turns out it makes a portable, rechargeable light with the same internal technology as its bulbs. I tested my own Hue bulb to confirm that you can adjust the brightness anywhere from 100 percent down to a very dim, barely on one percent. —Erin Schwartz, writer |
| “I like the look of ribbed white crew socks with my sneakers, but I also like to wear wool on my feet because it is warm, durable, moisture wicking, and smell repellent. I’ve been poking around online and I can’t seem to find a white wool crew sock. Do they exist?â€ï»¿ |
| “I recently bought a Roller Rabbit polo pajama set on sale and have been obsessed with them ever since. They are so comfortable that I want to sleep in them every night. Unfortunately, I just can’t afford multiple pairs of $148 pajamas. Are there any less-expensive but equally well-made dupes with the same look and feel?†|
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