I spent over a decade on the internet telling people what to buy. Everything from t-shirts to skincare products to jeans to kitchen appliances. I was, for all intents and purposes, a sales lady. My job as an influencer was born out of an organic desire to work in the fashion industry, and ballooned into something I never knew was possible. I was getting paid thousands of dollars by brands to talk about and recommend products, and make even more money when people bought those products.

Initially the arrangement came from a genuine place of excitement and creativity. The whole idea of influencing was a new frontier, unchartered territory. I was recommending stuff I loved, and getting paid to do it. Who wouldn’t want to do that? I had no idea when I started making money as an influencer that I would get wrapped up in what was ultimately a multi-billion dollar industry built on exploitation and over-consumption. In the beginning it all felt innocent, exciting, and liberating. I was gaining the financial freedom I never imagined, all while doing a job I loved with a schedule I controlled. It was a dream come true, until I realized it was at the expense of my values, my privacy, and the planet.

The question I get most often from people who find out I was an influencer is “did you really believe in everything you promoted?” And the answer to that question in black and white terms, is no. Because the thing is, one you become a full-time influencer and your entire livelihood hinges on what kind of ROI you can give brands, authenticity is lost, and trust is exploited for financial gain.

Influencers love to talk about building trust with their audience, because if you have someone’s trust, it’s easier to get them to do what you want. More than anything, as an influencer, what you want your audience to do is buy the stuff that you recommend. The better you can “convert” your audience, the more valuable you are to brands, and the more money you make not only in paid partnerships but in affiliate revenue.

Of course none of this started out as sinister as it sounds. Or maybe you’re reading this now and still think “what’s the harm?” And that’s fine, we’re all entitled to our opinion. Mine just happens to be that a career based on convincing people to buy into over-consumption isn’t something to feel great about.

And if at this point you’re like ok but get to the point, I’m getting to it, I promise! I had to stop getting paid by brands and using affiliate links not only because I was so exhausted from selling a lifestyle defined by constantly acquiring stuff, but because once you are making money from doing it, the nature of the recommendations change. You can’t be entirely honest about a product when there is a financial incentive tied to it. It’s human nature. If you got something for free, your relationship to that item is entirely different than if you paid for it. And once you go a step further and recommend that item, it’s entirely different when you make a commission every time someone buys it. And when a brand decides to pay you to talk about them, it changes the dynamic of the relationship even further. That’s the whole point. Brands are paying you to be their mouthpiece because you’ve built trust, and that makes it a heck of a lot easier to sell people stuff.

I’m sharing all of that to say that today I’m doing something I almost never do. I’m sharing a no-BS list of products I would actually recommend (no brand deals, no gifted items, no affiliate links). I’ve been writing this newsletter for over two years and have avoided doing anything like this because the last thing I want to do is to promote unnecessary consumption. So first, here’s a few caveats:

I created this list because in my search for a new pair of sneakers (which I found to be so mind numbingly frustrating and a huge waste of time) I realized there are very few places to get a truthful recommendation (my friend groups are the most reliable these days). I’m still looking for a pair of sneakers so if you know of a comfortable, stylish walking sneaker (I don’t want Adidas) I’m all ears.

If I’ve ever worked with the brand in a paid capacity or received free items from them, I’ve indicated that below. For some items I did not include a link because I want to avoid promoting mindless consumption. A little friction is good for everybody. If it’s something you’re really interested in, it shouldn’t be too hard to find. I know for a fact that every clothing item I’ve included can be found second-hand, and I strongly encourage you to look before buying new. At the end of the day, this is just stuff. It’s not what gives life meaning. It won’t bring you a sense of purpose or fulfillment. Those are the things money can’t buy. But we know that 😁