The most engaging conversation I had recently about shopping was on notebooks. No surprises there, considering January is stationery primetime. In particular, a friend and I were discussing the merits of Hermes notebook covers. The beauty of these creations – refillable, crafted in hardy, scratch-resistant Togo calfskin – is that they make the thoughts you pen inside feel a little more sophisticated and worthwhile.

Of course, when you talk about penning things down you’re going to need an actual pen. Cartier quietly makes some really beautiful examples, like this model inspired by the Santos timepieces. It comes in a yellow gold finish and burgundy lacquer that’s got a real old-world charm. At 125mm, it’s a handy portable size but also weighted with the heft to make even throwaway scribbles feel important.

When you’ve got a pen of your liking, you’re going to want beautiful paper to match. Smythson remains top-tier in that regard. These pale blue A4 sheets come in a box of 50, and at 115gsm have a nice, crisp weight to them. It’s pricey for paper, but think of how touching and chic it could be to dash off a handwritten note of thanks on stationery like this – pieces of correspondence that are lovely to receive and treasure.

I’ve been really into fine porcelain lately – particularly porcelain from Limoges, the French and European heart of the craft since the 1700s. It goes really well with my intent this year to drink better coffee, which is an effort to literally start days off on a more tasteful note. Dior Maison has some truly gorgeous things that elegantly adapt fashion motifs like the toile de jouy print. The homeware collections are not available online now, but well worth checking out in person at the brand’s Ion Orchard boutique.

Being a busybody can be invigorating. But rather than hound people around you with questions, why not scratch the persnickety itch of curiosity with a coffee table book? It’s a bit more dignified. This one is a fun and lighthearted look at what glamorous, worldly travellers throughout history have packed in their Louis Vuitton trunks and suitcases. Better still are the fascinating custom designs: trunks with a bed, trunks with secret compartments, trunks with a fold-out desk, and so on. These are presented through cheery drawings by Pierre Le-Tan, an accomplished illustrator who started out at the New Yorker in 1968, and narrated through snazzy writing by Bertil Scali, a longtime Paris Match reporter who understands the intrepid thrill of poking around in someone else’s luggage.

This vivacious creation is from Fendi’s Spring Festival capsule collection – hence the tiger motif in its colourful print on silk duchess satin. What’s most attractive: is this not a truly fabulous thinking cap?!

My mother used to house an ungodly number of coins in a black nylon Prada pouch. As it got heavier and heavier over the years (at least two decades, really) it transitioned from being a useful, portable change carrier into a permanent home installation/repository. The lesson here is that when Prada lovers talk about the nylon being indestructible, they’re only slightly exaggerating. That relic has since been lost while moving, but I’m very into continuing this little legacy. This time in vibrant orange (the brand calls the colour papaya – cute!) and a commitment to keep the change inside at a reasonable amount.

Bucket hats are near ubiquitous today, but what if you took it up a notch? What if, for example, you looked to Dior – one of the grandest names in haute couture and one of very few maisons that has always maintained its own millinery workshops and today has its hats designed by milliner par excellence Stephen Jones?

Loewe makes some really interesting home scents. There are also sprays and reed diffusers, but I think the candles best capture the Spanish house’s crafts-forward ideology. They come in glazed terracotta jars that make for lovely home decor, even after the wax is finished. There are plenty of scent options, but I really dig the tomato leaves one, which is also what the brand scents its Casa Loewe flagship with.

Most of the year, ‘keeping warm’ is a ludicrous ambition in Singapore. There are, however, always going to be indoor moments that call for something snug. That, consequently, calls for fine cashmere. This one from Loro Piana has a fun print of a Tokyo street, and is made from a plush blend of cashmere and silk that feels like heaven and drapes like a dream.

The most intriguing product from Chanel’s big new skincare line is this L’Eau Rouge fragrance mist. Unlike the serums, cleansers, creams and makeup, this has nothing to do immediately with skin. Rather, it’s meant as a sensorial prelude to your day or nighttime beauty routines. Taking cues from the revitalising benefits of the Nº1 de Chanel line and the red camellia key ingredient, this fragrance mist is meant to jolt the senses awake and prepare it for invigoration – a lovely accompaniment to make the whole lotions and potions routine more pleasurable.