The Coolest New Stuff That Dropped This Week, From Art Scarves to Overalls

We did it people—we made it through another scorching hot summer full of drinks that melted too fast, hopelessly broken AC units, and countless pools of sweat that formed in-between our backpacks and our shirts as we walked to and from the American Girl Doll emporium. Yes, put another notch in your non-existent headboard (a headboard? in this economy???) and shout the good word from the highest loft in your apartment building: FALL IS HERE!

Now, before we cut a suspicious hole in the side of a pumpkin and guzzle an ocean of PSL (that’s pumpkin spiced lube, for the record) we need to sort out what we’re going to be wearing, what we’re going to be cooking, and what we’re going to be resting our pretty little heads upon while we sleep and dream of Halloween-themed bathroom decor. (“Gory” holes, anyone?) And yes, this is a rated-R, roundabout way of letting you all know that once again, your faithful Rec Room stewards of all that is hip and happenin’—the arbiters of the sick and also the tight—have put together the Get-This-Now Gospel of the week. We HAVE the MEATS, and by meats, we mean Claire Saffitz's kitchen-ready overalls that are fresh outta Park Slope (we assume), Uniqlo’s collab with Jeff Koons, and Caraway's retro bakeware line, so you can finally knock your cake game outta the park, instead of just bunting.  

Read on for the absolute best new stuff that dropped this week, from (actually cool) shit from Novogratz’s comforter game to an Ai Weiwei & Taschen scarf collabo.

Are we normally excited about anything at JCPenney? No offense, but not really. However, we do know that The Novogratz makes some really cool home stuff, from ultra-retro shag rugs to sweet mid-century-lookin' record cabinets. And so when we heard that they were doing a line for JCPenney, we were super curious. Now it's dropped, and we're seeing the sweetly psychedelic patterns Novogratz is known for, including mustard palm leaves and painterly marble swirls, on these super-affordable comforter sets. Use the code ALLYOU9 to grab a set for just over a hundred bucks; they're perfect for adding some flavor to your boring bedding without spending a fortune, or for keeping around for guests. 

Caraway is known for its attractive, cult-fave, non-stick cookware, and now, it's adding to its portfolio everything you need to whip up the cookies, brownies, muffins, roasts, casseroles and cakes of your dreams. Its cookware has a 4.8/5 star aggregate rating from nearly 19,000 reviews, so we know that their bakeware is gonna rock—and, of course, it's all free of nasty, toxic chemicals and comes in the cool, 70s-inspired colors we've come to expect from the brand. Try out a five-piece set, or go for an 11-piecer if you need a one-stop move to fully stock your cabinets. 

Art book purveyors Taschen have done a lot with contemporary Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei, and the latest drop includes silk scarves emblazoned with his work and limited to 2,500 copies of each. This scarf features a motif created by Ai Weiwei as part of his Papercut Portfolio, and yes, we are kind of stoked that the word "FUCK" is hidden in it. Comes tissue-wrapped in a box, so it's the perfect gift for your most elitist art-world friend. 

Perhaps it’s our latent, to-be-explored feelings about Thomas the Tank Engine, but we think a person in overalls is 110% more trustworthy/hot/down-to-clown than anyone else. The latest coverall collaboration by dessert whiz/former Bon Appetit fan-fave Claire Saffitz and Alex Mill improves upon so many of the things the kangaroo suit does well; it’s made of recycled denim, has extra deep pockets, and loads of slots and loops for you to attach all your spatulas, tools, keys, and trinkets. A true cottagecore superhero.  

Jeff Koons is the pop artist you should know if you hardly know of any living pop artists, the one whose claim to fame is making fun, faux blow-up balloon animal pieces and uncomfortably horny, wonderfully kitsch sculptures. His collaboration with Uniqlo pulls from some of his most iconic and family-safe designs, like his orange balloon dog and silver rabbit. 

Who doesn’t want a bum that says “lick me” on the cheek? Lingerie company Parade is so good at turning out capsule collections that help us improve our personality, and their latest ice cream-inspired spread is a smorgasbord of chocolate-hued, cherry-topped pleasure. 

It’s nearly puffer jacket season, and we’re looking forward to finding even more ways of bundling up in style. We may already have a great selection of cold weather jackets—but you know what we don’t have? Sleeping bags for our feet, like these new, outdoor slipper-shoe-hybrid mules by Dries Van Noten. They’re pricey, for sure, but think of all the falls to come in which you’ll be the most stylish kid at the function, or puffer-centric porn shoot.  

We’re sick of soggy wallets and chonky money-holders that give us a weird bulge in our pockets. Thankfully, Ekster just dropped a limited amount of super-thin, mega-protective wallets made of military-grade carbon, which means it will survive pretty much every dive bar floor you drop it on. Except Union Pool. 

If you have also recently become an Adult Person with a Bed Frame [high fives], or are looking to get that mattress off the floor, Parachute has your back, spine, and sweet little cherry tomato toes with its latest bed frame drop, which are an investment but come in a variety of forever designs; the woven texture of the Horizon feels artisanal but cozy, and the color palette is very Alex-Vervoordt-meets-Japandi-design. This is definitely in some rich person’s pad in Calabasas.   

Consider us a stan (haaaa; sorry) of the latest Adidas golf shoe drop, because it looks like it was designed by a Happy Cow from California, complete with pink udders on the sole, for all you secret freaks.  

Every time we blow dry our hair with that $14 Target blowdryer, which has slowly transformed our hair into a bale of hay over the years, we know we are rolling the dice, man. No more. If you are serious about blow-drying your hair every day, then you might be interested to know that Dyson, aka the sexxxiest of vacuum tech companies (next to Blowmotion and Fleshlight) has dropped the crème de la crème of supersonic hair dryers, complete with copper and Prussian blue accents, and you know it’s fancy once they start with that Fabergé egg talk. Truly, though, this is a hair dryer you can use for the rest of your life, on every hair type under the sun. 

Woooooow. [Phones home.] Thank you, Marc, for blessing us with a knit vest capable of giving us all the 90s feels from our childhood, and leveling up our streetwear wardrobe for the coming cold months. This particular rendering of E.T. was designed by Katherine Bernhardt, a New York- and St. Louis-based artist with a soft spot for all the pop culture characters we love, and a talent for subtle, psychedelic design touches. 

Fashion’s appreciation for arts and crafts is having a moment, from the Met Gala’s Americana theme to the influx of quilted pieces by indie designers and high fashion brands like Bode, as it feels like more and more creators are giving the people what they want: stitching that’s rich in storytelling. Luxury fashion site Mr Porter taps into that ethos, too, with its latest craftsmanship-centric collection; expect collaborations by Vans X Enfants Riches Déprimés, cozy corduroy by Camp High, and Carhartt WIP cardigans that Gran could never make (saying it; sorry) and more. 

See ya next week, kiddos. 

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story.