The Prettiest Record Player; An Ode to Bumble & Bumble; More!

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Welcome to Editor's Picks, a weekly round-up of what we're buying (or at least coveting) this week.

Crosley AV Room Portable USB Record Player, $160 at Urban Outfitters

Racked Miami editor Ashley Brozic: I'm a die-hard Spotify Premium user, but I'm also nostalgic over the good old days of music. You know: when people used real instruments, not synthetic beats; when they made complete albums, not just hit singles; when you listened to songs as they were, not auto-tuned and edited versions. So for the past few months I've been itching to get a record player, and this pink floral Crosley portable player is at the very top of my wish list.

It's an Urban Outfitters exclusive, and at $160 it's not a bad deal for such a cool toy. You can play 7 and 12-inch records and can easily integrate your MP3 player to play those songs that don't have a record counterpart. It's also got a set of full-range stereo speakers, and it's small enough that you can carry it from the quiet confines of your room to the wide-open spaces of a block party.

HELMUT Helmut Lang cropped skinny jeans. Images via Shopbop.
Racked National editor Leslie Price: There are a few reasons why Helmut Lang's jeans, in particular their gray skinny jeans (on sale right now!), are excellent. The denim has a thickness that feels particularly luxurious, but not at all stiff or heavy. There's just the tiniest bit of stretch, not enough to cause knee bagginess or waistband gaping, but just a touch so that they don't cut into your waistline. Curved seaming ensures that the leg stays skinny all the way to the ankle. And then there's the adornment, or rather, lack of. No detailed pockets, no print, nothing ostentatious—just one belt loop rendered in leather instead of cotton.

Unfortunately, this perfection comes with a high price and a dry-clean-only edict, but if we've learned anything from men, it's that we shouldn't be laundering our denim so much anyway. The jeans are on sale for $117 at Saks, where many sizes are left. If you wear a 30, you might be able to snap them up for a mere $58.50 on Shopbop.

Bobbi Brown long-wear gel eyeliner, $24
Racked National features reporter Chavie Lieber Bobbi Brown's long-wear gel eyeliner comes in a small glass pot and glides on easily with a thin, flat makeup brush. The eyeliner has a gel-like texture, which makes the application process really easy: If you're going for an everyday, basic look, all you need is a few dabs across your eyelid, whereas a more dramatic line or even cat-eye is easily attainable with a thicker scoop on the brush. The eyeliner slides like liquid but doesn't smudge, and the amount in the pot has lasted me over a year.

Perhaps the best perk of this product is its durability. I've had good cries, intense Spins, and long days with this baby still lining my eyelids. That said, Bobbi Brown doesn't kid around when they promise "long lasting," so careful when applying if you wear contacts—any sudden movements can leave you with sticky black spots on your lenses.

Bumble and bumble Brilliantine, $24
Racked Boston editor Susie Kostaras: Oh Bumble and bumble Brilliantine, how I adore you. I do not quite know what it is you are (a texture pomade? styling creme? anti-frizz elixir?) but you've been treating my strands well for the past half-decade. Good for pretty much any hair type, you bring instant sexiness to clean or even second-day tresses with just a wee pea-sized amount. You seal frizzy ends, add shine, and give a bit of slept-in volume. Plus your tube lasts at least a year. No wonder I love you so.

Yves Klein medium pouch by Tracey Tanner, $69 at Zady
Racked editorial director Izzy Grinspan: Blue is my favorite color, and Yves Klein blue is my favorite blue, so of course I'm wildly attracted to this cute little pouch from Tracey Tanner. Handmade in Brooklyn from Italian leather, it sounds like it should cost a bundle, but you can get it at ethical online marketplace Zady for only $69.

As the Zady team points out, it's technically a cosmetics bag, but it could easily double as a clutch. Personally, I plan to fill it with useful odds and ends and toss it into my giant leather tote—the one that eats useful odds and ends if I don't keep everything carefully categorized.
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