The most anticipated films of the year. Everything new on Netflix. The books we’ll be talking about most (broken down by month). Interviews with George Clooney and Molly Sims. Why you should put down your phone and daydream. Skincare trends! Several solid book lists (I did a lot of shopping), fashion predictions and beauty trends, how to make dating fun again, loads of shopping finds, and more.
If you had told me at the beginning of 2025 that this is how the year would unfold, I truly would not have believed you. It was a year of very high highs and some objectively low lows, and I am more than ready to close this chapter and start fresh. That said, so much of this year was spent deeply focused on myself and the people I love, which led to some truly great moments of seeing, doing, and simply being. I shopped more than I care to admit. I spent an alarming amount of time at the Terrace Theater, likely more than I spent at home. I ate exceptionally well, to the point that I like to think Anthony Bourdain would have approved. It all felt shiny and bright in that fleeting, pinch-me kind of way, and I wanted to share the very best of it with you.
I had been dying to try this brand and ordered three products. Here’s where I netted out.
Drumroll, please! Your favorite products of 2025 are here! You know I love going through the data, it’s always so interesting to me to see which products resonated most. Last year was oddly all about hydration, this year seems to be more about dresses and comfy shoes (also things I can get behind!!!). Lots of sneakers, and lots of Tory Burch + Margaux. We are looking cute and comfy (while upgrading our cookware, sleeping in the very best sheets, and perhaps buying a new rug!?).
Every year, I like to look back, tally up how many books I read, and rank my favorites. 2025 was a really good month of reading. I read 100 books. 100 is pleasing to me as it’s a nice round number (I didn’t plan this, I do a mid-year count but don’t set goals or track my reading until the very end), but it’s also exciting because it’s a lot of books. Last year, I read 102–it was my first time ever cracking the hundred book mark. While I try not to put pressure on myself to read a certain number of books, I am pretty happy to have kept up this little streak.
You can look back over the years. 102 books in 2024, 88 books in 2023, 87 books in 2022, 80 books in 2021. And don’t forget that every book I’ve read in the time I’ve had my blog is saved to this page. You can sort, filter, and rank by category or genre.
The Stripe is a lifestyle blog for the stylish bookworm. Since its first post in 2010, it has aimed to be a daily source of inspiration for the modern woman. Written by Grace Atwood, The Stripe aims to leave you feeling like you just had coffee with a great girlfriend: savvier, more confident, and always learning something new.
