Leftovers v.9

Inside: a vintage necklace I'm dying for

Jul 17, 2026

I have spent much of this week deeply entrenched in all the controversy surrounding Phia.

Phia is the brainchild of Phoebe Gates (Bill’s daughter) and co-founder Sophia Kianni and is an AI shopping app and browser extension that works like this: you install a plug-in and when you shop, it finds you the best price by scanning secondhand sites, like eBay, TheRealReal, etc. (It’s essentially Honey or Rakuten, but specifically geared toward designer secondhand.)

But as Bloomberg reported late last week, Phia appears to have been fradulently taking commision for sales it didn't drive (by, it is alleged, running in the background of shopper’s devices, so even if you didn’t buy something using Phia, it could have still claimed the sale as its own, thereby stealing the commission from the creator or platform that actually drove the sale.)

I received a message here on Substack from Phoebe some time back, saying she was a fan of my content and was interested in having me try out the beta version of Phia (I believe she reached out to many Substack creators, which is really smart!). I did indeed try out Phia, and I also asked Phoebe if I could include her in my Best Thing I Ever Thrifted series. It made sense to mention Phia, of course, as it is a secondhand shopping tool, and that is what this newsletter is all about.

Now that things have seemingly gone sideways, I am diving deep and reading every article (this piece by Ali Kriegsman is especially well-done and fascinating) and wondering what comes next. The business side of social media and affiliate marketing is fascinating to me. I use affiliate links, of course, and often see a specific type of ire directed toward female creators who use them (product placement in film and television is nothing new, but when a woman tries to make money herself by sharing links to products she loves… some people sure do get angry!)

But cookie-stuffing is something else entirely and involves big companies stealing affiliate income that should go to smaller creators (to be clear: it’s nothing new, and lots of companies have done this!). Alas, lots ot think about and still lots to come here.

Anyway, on to the show: This month, I have an incredible vintage necklace for you and something new for paid subscribers that I’ll start including each and every week: five under-$100 secondhand finds that I think are really amazing.

xx,

Killer, killer, killer vintage necklace. $65. Imagine this with a white tee. So good.

I add one of Biologica’s delicious packets to my water for every workout (or just take it as an afternoon “cocktail” of sorts). They have something for every stage of a woman’s life, from prenatal to post-menopausal.
Just ordered these sunglasses, from the Freda Salvador x Sardine collection.
An under-$18 vintage fringed t-shirt. Doesn’t get much better.
This is the 1990s wood red evening bag of my dreams. That tassel!
And these are maybe the most perfect shorts ever IMO.
Oh my god, these sandals.

This shampoo and conditioner works perfectly (my hair is weird! Some shampoos just do not wash out and leave a bunch of buildup — this one gets sudsy and cleans out like a dream). But it also smells like an old magazine (remember when magazines had perfume samples throughout them? That is exactly what this reminds me of.)

Sooo this primer, “skinveil” (which I just used to set my makeup with a fluffy brush blush — under my eyes and on my cheeks), and bronzing stick are amazing. Like full stop. I don’t think my makeup has ever looked better and it took me maybe 5 minutes start to finish? Blush is here and eye palette is here (I used this eyeliner).

A dinner I made recently: Ina Garten’s lemon fusilli with arugula. Mmmmmm, this was terrific. So easy, fresh, and full of flavor despite so few ingredients. Lots and lots of lemon. I used the Banza chickpea pasta for more protein and it worked really well.

…and I made it with this pan, which I use probably 6 out of 7 days of the week. It is non-stick, non-toxic, and comes with a steaming basket (great for frozen dumplings!) and a top!

And for post-dinner (or anytime, really) cleanup: I am obsessed with these cleaning wipes. The wipes themselves are under $5 (though the $17 dispenser really helps them stay moist and is nice-looking enough to have on the counter) and they are 100% plant-based and non-toxic.

I keep a running list of all my 1stDibs favorites here, if you are interested.

Now for something new: 5 really great secondhand finds for under $100.

As always, this newsletter may contain affiliate links, but I only recommend products I actually love.

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