Our Favorite Things, 2025

It’s that time of year when Leah, Melissa, and Kate put on their influencer hats and recommend the things that made their days a little brighter in 2025. This year, they’re joined by two special guests: rockstar Strict Scrutiny intern Jordan Thomas to share some of his picks, and former Chair of the Federal Election Commission Ellen Weintraub to discuss two of democracy’s favorite things—independent agencies and the regulation of money in politics. 

Favorite things:
 

• WANT
  • Leah: Cozy Earth Bubble Cuddle Blanket, Jones Road Just Enough Tinted Moisturizer
  • Kate: Aventura electric scooter, Grüns Superfood Greens Gummies
  • Melissa: True Botanicals, e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush
  • Jordan: Tea Tree Leave-In Conditioner, Pink Oil Moisturizer, 
     
• NEED
  • Leah: Peloton stretching classes, Farmhounds dog treats; Badlands Ranch dog food
  • Kate: custom bobbleheads & action figures, Lilly Allen’s tour, Strict Scrutiny’s upcoming West Coast tour
  • Melissa: Caddis readers, Blackwing Matte pencils, As Ever Rosé
  • Jordan: 2026 Evanescence and Korn tours, these headphones
     
• WEAR
  • Leah: Forme Power Bra, Argent, TheRealReal
  • Kate: Strict Scrutiny onesies, Cozy Earth Studio Wide Leg Pant
  • Melissa: Quince yak wool sweaters, Uniqlo White T-Shirt, Clearly Collective Collegiate Scarves, WaySoft Cashmere Beanie
  • Jordan: Crooked Con Merch, Mavi jeans
     
• READ
  • Leah: The Wedding People, Alison Espach; Julie Anne Long’s Pennyroyal Green series; Lisa Kleypas’ Wallflowers series; These Summer Storms, Sarah MacLean; Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, V. E. Schwab; The God of the Woods, Liz Moore; Book of the Month
  • Kate: The Power Broker, Robert Caro; Who Is Government? Michael Lewis; Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter, Kate Conger & Ryan Mac; The Radical Fund, John Fabian Witt; Isola, Allegra Goodman; Heart the Lover, Lily King; Martyr! Kaveh Akbar; The History of Sound, Ben Shattuck
  • Melissa: Matriarch, Tina Knowles; Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People, Imani Perry;