My 2024 Favourites

2024 has been a year full of memories and favourites.

Although it didn't have big changes or a lot of anything, it was a year of making every day good. Instead of going after ambitious goals, I focused on making each day filled with things I love and making small accomplishments.

Since I focused so much on everyday life, I loved a lot of small things. So, grab a cup of your favourite drink, and let's go through my 2024 favourites. I'll try linking whatever I can too.

clothing

2023 was a transformative year for my body and style. That carried over to 2024 as well. Although I didn't shop much this year, I used a few pieces to make several outfit combinations that were comfortable and casually stylish.

1. flared pants

I got my first pair of flared pants from BlissClub in 2023 and loved it so much that I quickly got more from them. I made so many good outfits with it in 2024 so I bought another black pair from them so that I don't have to wait for my first pair to be washed for my next outfit.

The black flared pants are so versatile. They work for any occasion—I've worn them to the office, parties, and casual hangouts—and are super comfortable because they're athleisure pants. I have a cotton pair and two polyester pairs. The polyester ones are my favourite.

I wear them very often and have gotten several compliments. Many friends asked me where I got the pants and some asked me multiple times because they didn't realize that it was the same pair on different occasions. The pants look very flattering on me and I love them. Wearing them makes me feel confident.

2. sleeveless ribbed crop tops

For the longest time, I never wore sleeveless clothes. I always covered my shoulders and upper arms. In fact, I prefer long-sleeved clothes. I didn't prefer to show any skin.

In 2024, I bloomed into my body and felt more confident so I tried out different types of clothes. I grew to like crop tops in 2023 and finally tried a sleeveless version in 2024.

I got a set of 3 tops online which are basically the same in 3 different colours and loved them. I've worn them so many times with different pants and jackets. I like how these basic tops are adaptable and work as several different outfits. They're perfect for the Bangalore summer and can be worn in winter with a good jacket.

3. green & blue pajamas

Although I lost a bunch of weight in 2023, I made do with my old house clothes for a long time. In 2024, I finally had to get new ones because the old pants were literally falling out of my waist if I didn't tie them very tightly. I didn't have any outdoor pants to repurpose for home either.

My mom took me to a nearby supermarket which had very affordable track pants to wear at home. I got a light blue one and a guava green one. They were around 200rs each and they're so comfortable. They have large pockets, including 2 cargo-type pockets that fall on the thighs. They're my go-to pants to wear at home.

I found a very old athletic top buried in the back of my closet. I don't know when or where I got it, or if someone bought it for me. I remember hating it because it hugged my skin too much but I grew to love wearing it at home this year paired with the new pajamas. It's a lovely light pink that goes well with both pants. When I first wore it with the green one, my mom said that I looked like a guava 😂

4. green fleece jacket from decathlon

Decathlon has become a very popular chain of stores that sell sport-related items. They have everything from clothing to bags to badminton racquets and hiking gear. I love how it has things for every purpose. Whenever I have an upcoming trip with specific requirements, I go to Decathlon to buy stuff.

When my friends and I decided to go to Ladakh this year, I needed to buy warm clothes. Although I had jackets, they were for Bangalore weather and not for single-digit degrees Celsius. I went to Decathlon with a friend to buy all the necessary things.

I already had one Decathlon jacket for cold temperatures and another that my fried gifted me. However, I needed a light jacket for layering. My friend and I checked out the fleece jackets and I loved a pink one but I didn't like that I had to wear it overhead. So, I chose a similar green one which is soft.

The green fleece jacket has become my go-to for trips and even to wear at home when it's cold. It's very light, flattering on my body, and so soft which is perfect for my eczema-prone skin. The pockets at the front with zips are super convenient to keep my phone. Despite being a light green, it goes with many outfits and looks good.

5. high-waisted flared blue jeans

I really needed new jeans this year, all of my old jeans did not fit me anymore. I needed something that was not black, too. So, I went shopping with my mom and found this really nice pair of jeans.

It fit like a glove and looked great on me. I won't lie, it was a bit expensive and my mom balked at the price but I know how hard it is to find a good pair of jeans that fit me well so I got it.

I love the pair. It goes well with many of my tops and I've worn it so many times this year (considering it's one of my 5 pairs of pants, it gets a lot of wear haha). The colour has stayed consistent and it still feels new sometimes.

I've lost a bit more weight since I bought the pair so it doesn't fit me perfectly anymore but it's still good and it looks great.

6. my office's jacket

In 2022, when my company was under a different name and brand, we got a really cool jacket from Rare Rabbit. I absolutely loved it and wore it all the time. It was warm without being too hot and was proper for the AC in the office. I wasn't a fan of the green colour but it was comfortable. Unfortunately, I got into an accident in 2023 and I was wearing the jacket. It helped cushion my fall because it was a bit thick but it got torn and I haven't worn it after that.

This year, my company is under a new name and they gave us jackets with the new branding. It's another Rare Rabbit jacket but it's dark blue in colour and is lighter and thinner than the previous one. Unfortunately, I chose the wrong size and traded for a smaller one but it's still one size big for me. I didn't like the loose fit initially but I soon grew to love it. I'm literally wearing it now at home while writing this.

I love this jacket. This is a great casual jacket and I wore it almost every day for a month after getting it. It became a part of my wardrobe even outside of the office. I've worn it to many hangouts with friends and have made outfits with it. The jacket is thin and light-weight, and being a size bigger actually adds a different casual style to my outfits

It's not just me, most people in the office love this jacket. We got it as a Diwali gift and the office has been filled with people wearing this since then. The HR head commented that it kinda looks like a uniform because almost everyone wears it at the office but I find it nice. So many people love it, it looks good, and it goes with everything.

7. men's cotton shirts from h&m

The above jacket got me to love the slightly oversized look again and I needed some new basic T-shirts for my wardrobe so I bought a forest green T-shirt from H&M and it's so good. I loved it so much that I got another maroon one.

It's been a long time since I dressed masculine and I've missed it. Wearing these shirts removes the feminine vibes which is helpful on days when I don't want to be pretty. These shirts are so soft and comfortable too. I usually wear them to the office or on casual hangouts when I don't need to or want to dress up.

accessories

I've been very into accessorizing lately. I always go through periods of using many accessories, switching to a minimalistic look with nothing, and back again. I'm currently in the loving accessories phase but I'm trying to not overdo it.

1. rings

I'm in my ring era lately. I've bought a few really cute minimalist rings that I combine to create a bejewelled hand. My manager has complimented my rings a few times too 😂 I love wearing them and they're handy to fiddle with too.

My current favourites are the ones pictured here. The gold and silver minimalist rings are my favourite because they go with everything and they don't have any stones or parts that get stuck on my clothes. I generally don't prefer rings with stones because they catch on my clothes.

I've recently been loving fidget/spinner rings. They're perfect for me to fiddle with while thinking about something or in meetings. They give my restless hands something to do. They're easy to carry around because I can wear them and they're pretty.

The green four-leaf clover ring in the picture is a fidget ring where the green clover is slightly raised and can spin. It's so nice, I love it.

Another ring that is a favourite but isn't pictured here is a pink opal fidget ring. Unfortunately, I lost it on my recent trip so I can't show it now. But it was so pretty and went with all of my outfits. Since it was a circle with no sharp points, it didn't catch on my clothes as well. I bought the ring again just now.

Usually, I spend some time researching before buying anything. Even though all of these rings were quite affordable, I spent a while looking at different rings and choosing one or two among them. I absolutely love the collection I have now and my hands look so pretty with them.

2. silver deer stud earrings

Lately, I've been drawn to studs more than larger earrings. They're so comfortable, minimalist, and pretty. Sure, they don't catch attention easily but I've received many compliments on them when people do notice them.

I have a metal allergy so I usually stay away from artificial earrings. Hence, everything I have is silver or silver-plated (I don't like gold earrings) and is a bit more expensive. So, I spend a lot of time looking at earrings or jewellery before buying them.

I have a few earrings that I wear regularly and usually rotate between them. However, I wear the deer earrings pictured here about 80% of the time. They go with all of my outfits, are small and cute, and they're comfortable.

These earrings are from Giva. I'm unable to find this pair on the website now (maybe they're sold out?) but they have a lot of good silver jewellery. I like the selection that Giva has because they're minimalist and pretty. In fact, my silver ring is from them as well.

3. magsafe pop socket

I got the new Kindle Paperwhite recently which is a tad bigger than my old Kindle. I saw people online decorate it with a clear case, stickers, and a pop socket for grip. Inspired by that, I was looking at pop sockets.

As I needed pop sockets for my phone and Kindle, and I usually use one of them at a time, I decided to get a pop socket so that I could switch between the two whenever needed. The MagSafe clear pop socket was quite expensive and it took me 2 weeks to decide to get it, but I'm glad I got it.

The clear pop socket goes well with the Raspberry Kindle and my pink phone. It will go well with anything because it's plain. The magnets are very strong so I don't have to worry about my devices falling and yet it's removable to switch between devices. I really like it.

4. namjooning tote bag

I initially saw this online in 2023 and searched for an Indian website selling it. I found it but I decided to wait for a day when I wanted to buy myself something. When the time came a month or so later, the bag went out of stock and I was so sad. I messaged the site's Instagram page asking if it'll come back and they said no.

Still, I kept checking and it finally came back at the end of 2023. I asked my best friend to gift it to me since my birthday was coming up (I always tell him what I want so that I get something I like) and he did.

The Namjooning tote bag looks great and is my go-to bag. It is not too big but has enough space to carry books, an umbrella, a light jacket, and other small things. I've gotten many compliments on it from strangers. One of my friends bought the tote bag after seeing mine. It goes well with any outfit too.

I love the verb and the meaning too. It says "to appreciate nature and art, to enjoy your own company and the company of others, to spend time doing the things you love." I want to live by this quote and love looking at it on the bag.

tech

I don't buy a lot of tech but I do like using tech to improve my daily life. Tech is kind of all around me, especially since I work in tech and constantly hear updates even if I don't seek them. Here are a few tech pieces that made a difference in 2024.

1. power bank

This is a basic thing that almost everyone gets but I'm mentioning it here because buying it was a specific choice in 2024. I've had an iPhone for over 3 years and didn't buy a power bank until recently. It was because I didn't use my phone that much and whenever I went travelling, there were others with iPhones who would take photos.

Now that it's been three years, my phone's battery drains just a bit faster. I've started using many Bluetooth devices connected to my phone which drains the battery faster too.

I have my Watch connected to the phone all day, have headphones or earphones in at work or while commuting, and the phone will be connected to my speaker at home whenever I'm at home. The speaker is the one that uses the most battery, actually. As I play music all day on the phone, it takes up a lot of charge.

Lately, I've been using my phone a lot while travelling—for photos, videos, and playing music in the car or stay. I use it for GPS a lot too. It's during travel that the need for a power bank is the most.

Hence, I finally needed a power bank. I looked through Amazon during the Diwali sale and got a pretty purple powerbank with wireless charging. It has helped me a lot even though I've had it for only a couple of months.

I use it during the workday too and don't worry about charging my phone when leaving for the office. The power bank was really helpful in my last trip because I was using my phone a lot and didn't worry about the charge.

2. homepod speaker

I got the HomePod mini in 2023 but 2024 was the first full year of using it and I still love it.

I set my alarms on the speaker for the morning, I call out to Siri whenever I'm in the room to set reminders, and I use voice commands to play music. I like that I can connect to it using multiple devices since I have all the Apple products. I can control the music using my watch too.

Initially, I was worried about the sound disturbing others in the house or beyond the house. But I didn't have to worry. The speaker is pretty great with sound travel. I can play it pretty loud to envelope the room but the sound beyond the room is minimal.

The speaker is on all day from the time I wake to when I sleep. I always have some music playing in the background. I play peppy music in the mornings to start the day well and slow music at night to help me wind down. I'm living a life with background music like I wanted.

My Spotify Wrapped this year said that I listened to 74,661 minutes this year, which is almost 52 days. My biggest listening day was April 8th with 744 minutes (~12.5 hours)! All of that is because of the speaker.

3. sony wh-1000xm5 headphones

I've been wanting a good pair of headphones with noise cancelling for a long time and finally got these recently. They're amazing. I'm wearing these right now because there's some drilling going on in the apartment and this blocks out the sound really well.

The only problem with them is that I can't wear them for long. I've used earbuds for the last few years and am not used to a weight on my head. It will take time for me to get used to wearing it for longer periods. I've also noticed that wearing them when I have a headache adds to the ache because of the weight.

However, the headphones are usually comfortable and useful. I especially like wearing them at the office. I get disturbed often at work by people asking me things which is fine but sometimes, I just want to focus, you know? It's hard to focus on work. With earbuds, people don't know that I am trying to focus but the headphones signal it and the disturbance has reduced a bit.

I spoke more about the headphones in my November wrap-up so check that out for more thoughts.

4. raspberry kindle paperwhite

I can't say a lot about this because I got it literally in December. I asked my friend from the US to bring it when she's coming for vacation because the model is not available in India yet.

So far, I'm loving it. I used it during my Nainital trip and it was so handy. I love how fast it is. I like the dark mode and have it on all the time. I got a clear case, stuck the MagSafe adapter for the pop socket, and decorated it a bit with the stickers I had on hand.

It doesn't look impressive now because I haven't had time but just wait, I have a few ideas in mind. It will take time to gather the stickers and prints for it. I don't want to add scrap paper at the back as it would cover the colour so I need to get stickers that would look good on the pink and that go well together.

I absolutely love the pink, though. It's brighter than my usual preference but it's great. The Jade one looked pretty too but I always prefer pink over green and am happy with this.

It's a tad bigger than my previous one so I have to get used to the new size but that'll happen soon. The only problem with the size is that it doesn't fit into my pockets anymore and women's pockets don't come big enough for this Kindle, so I've gotta carry a bigger bag for it.

I can't wait to truly decorate it when I have time and read more on it.

home

1. mushroom lamp from ikea

After getting this in 2023, I barely use the overhead lights in my room. As soon as the sun sets in the evening, I turn on the mushroom lamp and sit in the small sofa nearby. I still love the warm glow that envelopes the room from the lamp. It gives a nice character to my room at night.

The lamp and the speaker are in one corner of the room together. They make a nice set in the evening. I love reading by the lamp with slow music with my tea mug on a small table nearby.

My headaches have drastically reduced, partly because of this lamp. Since I work with bright overhead lights all day at the office (unfortunately, I don't have other options at the office) and come home tired, the overhead lights at home added to the strain and caused headaches.

Now, when I come home, I freshen up and sit with the lamp turned on and allow myself to relax a bit. Having a muted warm glow at night has helped my eyes a lot.

2. weighted blanket

I bought a weighted blanket in 2022 and it has truly helped my sleep. The 7kg weight sounds a bit much but it's the right amount. I've been using the weighted blanket for 2 years now and I can clearly see a difference in my sleep when I use it and when I don't.

I got the sherpa weighted blanket so it's warm on one side and cool on the other. I choose a side depending on the weather and it's easy to switch at night if I'm feeling cold or hot. It suffices alone for any weather so I don't use anything else with it.

3. quilt from jaipur

Although I'd love to use the weighted blanket all the time, it does have to be cleaned regularly. When I give the blanket for dry cleaning, I usually use a quilt that I got from Jaipur in 2022.

On our first day in Jaipur, we visited the Jaipur palace and three of us took the royal tour. It was quite expensive compared to the regular admission but came with a guide and access to some restricted areas so we decided to go for it. The tour was really great, we got to see and learn a lot of history, and we took a ton of pictures.

At the end of the tour, we were given tea and biscuits and then taken to the shop inside the palace where they showed us scarves and quilts. Honestly, the quilt was quite expensive and I must have been high on endorphins that day to have bought it, but it's pretty good.

It's very lightweight and soft but surprisingly warm. It's a huge change to go from sleeping with a weighted blanket to a quilt that weighs nothing so I add another blanket on top. But I keep this because it's soft for my skin and doesn't cause itching at night.

I wasn't able to take a proper photo in the waning sunlight but I hope the print is visible in the photo. It has block prints throughout. On the border are some vines. Right above the vines is a block print of the Hawa Mahal in Jaipur. In the middle space, there are repeating block prints of an adorned elephant.

music

As I said earlier, I listened to a whopping 52 days this year. So, of course, I have music to talk about. I'll be talking only about my most favourite music but you can check out my 2024 wrapped playlist for more.

1. chptrs

CHPTRS is my #1 artist this year. I don't love a specific song or a specific album by them—I love their entire discography. My favourite CHPTRS song changes and sometimes I like other songs too but I always come back to their discography.

The "This is CHPTRS" album on Spotify is my go-to playlist when I'm at home. The melodies make for great background music that helps me focus or calm down.

My #1 song this year was You Changed Everything by CHPTRS. I'm not surprised. I reached for this song whenever I wanted comfort, which was quite a bit sometimes. At one point, I had it playing on repeat.

If you want to try some of CHPTRS's work, I suggest the following songs.

2. hazlett

Hazlett is an artist that I discovered this year and soon loved several of his songs. I don't love all of his music like with CHPTRS but I like many of them. Hazlett was my #2 artist in 2024.

My top song by Hazlett was Hesitate feat. OSKA. I love the melody in the song and listen to it for comfort. It's a great song to play in the background too because the words kinda get lost in the music and the two voices blend together really well.

If you want to listen to Hazlett's work, here are my favourites:

apps

1. apple built-in organization

Most of my organization system is through digital apps and I rely heavily on the built-in reminders, calendar, and notes apps. I have all 3 on my phone's home screen so that they're easily accessible. I use them several times each day for various things.

You can check out the post on my digital organization system to know my entire system and how I use it.

2. money manager

I've been using the Money Manager app for over 3 years now. It's simple, easy to use, and has everything I need. I can segregate my income and expenses into categories, check my finance stats over time, and easily add or update items.

After years of using it, I don't need a reminder to add anything. I add my expenses and income soon after it happens. It's become a habit now and hence my finance tracking is going splendidly.

Since the app has a lot of data now, it has also become a part of my knowledge management system. I use it to look up when I bought something, where I bought it (I add it in notes sometimes), if I borrowed or lent money to anyone, and how much I've spent totally on anything. For example, I can check how much I've spent on cabs just by searching "cabs" which is my keyword for those expenses.

If you're looking for a way to manage your finances, I highly suggest this app.

3. spotify

You've already read about me listening to a ton of music this year. I usually listen to music through Spotify and sometimes use YouTube when I want niche songs that aren't on Spotify. I don't want to move to YouTube Music because my Spotify gives me great recs (I found Hazlett because Spotify played it once) and doesn't have any distractions.

They have added music videos in the app now which I don't understand the point of. I like that the app has only music and nothing to distract me. I never get sidetracked on the app because I play one of my playlists and lock my phone.

If you're looking for some new music, check out my playlists below. I initially made these playlists because my friends asked for my music and it's become a collection of all the songs I liked since then.

4. snapchat

I've used Snapchat a lot since college. I went through periods of spamming snaps and sending nothing. When I quit social media in the second half of 2023, I uninstalled this too. However, I got it back in Feb 2024 because I missed getting updates from my friends.

In 2024, Snapchat was the only social media app that I used. My friends and I snap quite a bit. We snap when we go out, meet whoever, and do anything remotely interesting. Most of us lowkey take our Snapchat friends with us when we go on trips because we snap everything.

Recently, one of my friends went to Paris, another went to Dubai, and I went to Nainital. All 3 of us snapped every part of our trip and could kinda live through each other. We also saw people back at home doing other things. We save snaps, have conversations, and keep up with what everyone's doing.

I really like how the app keeps my friends and me close despite the states and countries between us. It's something we have cultivated and not a thing that will work for everyone. But I love that we use it and stay close through it.

chat with me!

Phew! This post took a good while to write but I love how it's filled with my recent favourites.

What are your 2024 favourites? What clothing and furniture made a difference? What tech or apps did you use the most? Tell me in the comments!