The Cool Girl Hobby Guide
Less scrolling. More living.
Somewhere between the endless scrolling, the saved Pinterest boards and the 47 open tabs, we forgot how satisfying it feels to have a hobby that exists outside our phones.
Not everything needs to become content. Not every beautiful moment needs to be posted or shared.
Sometimes you just want to put on an album, solve a mystery, self-soothe by colouring, write an actual letter with a real pen or disappear into a brilliant book.
We've collected 20 beautiful, nostalgic and genuinely enjoyable finds for a more hands-on approach to free time. Kinda chic? Try extremely chic.
Think retro music, pocket-sized puzzles, creative projects, handwritten letters and a little leather folio filled with hobbies you can take anywhere.
They're simply things you love doing.
At home, in a café, in the park, on the train — find something that makes you forget to check your phone cos' you know it's not going anywhere.
Your hobby era starts here.
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01. The Art of Being Offline
1. Rediscover Listening to an Entire Album
Harman Kardon Aura Studio 4
Remember when listening to music was the activity, rather than just background noise while you scrolled?
Choose an album, put your phone away and actually listen. The order of songs on every album have historically always been selected with a storytelling intention.
The sculptural Harman Kardon speaker doubles as a beautiful design piece, with intuitive ambient lighting that makes an ordinary evening feel like soooo much more!
[SHOP THE HARMAN KARDON SPEAKER →]
2. Create Your Own Little Listening Corner
N&V Blue Chenille Floor Lounge Chair
Every cool girl deserves a corner dedicated to doing absolutely nothing productive.
This deep-blue chenille floor chair has a relaxed, retro-inspired silhouette that practically invites you to settle in with a paperback, your favourite album or a crossword.
A dedicated little space for enjoying your hobbies? Very much encouraged.
[SHOP THE BLUE LOUNGE CHAIR →]
3. Curate Your Own Music Collection
Surfans F20 HiFi Music Player
Your music taste deserves better than an algorithm deciding what comes next.
A dedicated portable music player, voice recorder, audiobook player, brings back the pleasure of building your own collection, choosing albums deliberately and listening without social media notifications interrupting every three minutes.
Think of it as a modern take on the beloved MP3-player era but with a little more to offer (and better quality listening.)
[SHOP THE SURFANS MUSIC PLAYER →]
4. Bring Back Wired Headphones
Moondrop Retro On-Ear Headphones
A little retro, a little minimalist and wonderfully uncomplicated.
These old-fashioned wired headphones have the kind of understated design that looks like something discovered in a very cool vintage electronics shop.
Pair them with your portable music player, take yourself somewhere lovely and enjoy the underrated pleasure of listening without scrolling.
02. The Portable Hobby Kit
For café afternoons, long train rides, lazy Sundays and everything in between.
Who decided hobbies needed their own dedicated room, expensive equipment or hours of uninterrupted free time?
Sometimes all you need is a beautiful little folio, a few pocket-sized activities and somewhere comfortable to sit.
5. Your Hobbies, All in One Place
Leather Traveller's Folio
Meet your new favourite thing to carry around.
This beautiful leather folio is the inspiration behind our portable hobby kit — a place to organise your little collection of puzzles, creative activities and favourite stationery.
Keep it ready for café visits, holidays, quiet afternoons or those unexpected pockets of free time.
A little library of things to do that don't involve opening an app.
6. Become a Crossword Girl
Pocket Crossword Puzzle Book
There's something wonderfully satisfying about solving a crossword with an actual pencil.
No notifications. No advertisements. Just you, a few clues and the occasional completely unjustified confidence in your vocabulary.
Slip a pocket crossword book into your hobby kit and you've always got something to do while waiting for coffee or enjoying a slow afternoon.
7. Give Your Brain a Little Workout
Pocket Sudoku Puzzle Book
For the girl who enjoys a challenge but doesn't necessarily want to socialise.
Sudoku is beautifully simple: a pencil, a grid and the satisfaction of finally figuring out where that last number belongs.
It's the perfect little ritual for train rides, quiet mornings and screen-free evenings.
No Wi-Fi required. Just a little patience.
8. Solve a Murder Mystery Over Coffee
Murdle Puzzle Book
A murder mystery you can actually solve yourself?
Consider us interested.
Murdle combines logic puzzles with a delightfully old-fashioned detective atmosphere. Work through clues, eliminate suspects and piece together the mystery one deduction at a time.
Bring it to your favourite café, take it on holiday or settle in at home with a cup of tea.
A little detective work makes an ordinary afternoon considerably more interesting.
03. Make Something With Your Hands
No artistic talent required. Seriously.
9. Colour Your Way Through an Afternoon
Inklings Colouring Book
Colouring isn't just for children, and we're very pleased about that.
Inklings is the perfect excuse to sit somewhere lovely, unpack your pencils and spend an hour making something colourful without worrying about the outcome.
Bring it along in your portable hobby kit, enjoy it over coffee or settle into your favourite chair at home.
No deadlines. No expectations. Just choosing colours because you like them.
[SHOP THE INKLINGS COLOURING BOOK →]
10. Build Your Dream Colour Palette
Coloured Pencil Set
There's something deeply satisfying about opening a beautiful set of coloured pencils.
The possibilities! The colour combinations! The completely unnecessary amount of time spent choosing between two shades of pink!
Pair these with your Inklings colouring book and you've got a wonderfully simple hobby that can travel with you.
11. Try Your Hand at Something Colourful
Acrylic Paint Markers
For the girl who's always wanted to paint but doesn't fancy setting up an entire art studio.
Acrylic paint markers make it easy to experiment with lettering, decorative illustrations, handmade cards and little creative projects.
Start with a few simple designs on suitable paper or craft surfaces and see where your imagination takes you.
The best part? You don't have to be good at it.
You're allowed to make things simply because making them is fun.
04. A Little Nostalgia Never Hurt
For the girl who remembers when entertainment came with buttons.
12. Raise a Tiny Digital Best Friend
Tamagotchi
Remember the tiny electronic pet that somehow became your entire responsibility?
The Tamagotchi is back to remind us that entertainment doesn't always need a giant screen, endless content or a monthly subscription.
Feed it, care for it and check in throughout the day. It's silly, nostalgic and surprisingly charming.
A little pocket-sized throwback to simpler times.
13. Rediscover the Joy of Retro Gaming
Retro Handheld Gaming Console
Before gaming became an entire online universe, sometimes all you needed was a little handheld console and a game you couldn't put down.
A retro-inspired gaming device brings back that wonderfully uncomplicated feeling.
Perfect for lazy afternoons, travelling or simply switching off from social media for a while.
Because not all screen time is created equal. Sometimes a self-contained game is exactly the kind of escape you're looking for.
[SHOP THE RETRO GAMING CONSOLE →]
05. The Lost Art of Letter Writing
Bring back beautiful handwriting, thoughtful notes and actual post.
14. Write Someone a Proper Letter
Vintage Letter-Writing Stationery
When was the last time you received something lovely in the mail that wasn't a bill or an online order?
Beautiful writing paper makes the simple act of sending a letter feel special again.
Write to a friend, send a handwritten thank-you note or start exchanging letters with someone who lives far away.
No typing indicator. No read receipts. Just something thoughtful arriving in someone's letterbox.
[SHOP THE LETTER-WRITING STATIONERY →]
15. Level Up Your Vintage Core Writing
Wax Seal Kit
Is a wax seal necessary?
Absolutely not.
Does it make sending a letter feel like you're corresponding with someone in a period drama?
Absolutely.
Add a decorative finishing touch to handwritten letters, invitations or little notes tucked inside gifts.
A wonderfully unnecessary detail that makes an ordinary activity feel like an occasion.
16. Fall in Love With Handwriting Again
Dark Blue Fountain Pen
There's something about writing with a beautiful pen that makes you want to slow down and choose your words.
Whether you're keeping a journal, writing letters or simply making your everyday notes a little more interesting, a fountain pen turns handwriting into its own small ritual.
Pair it with your vintage stationery and perhaps a favourite album playing in the background.
06. Collect Moments, Not Screenshots
For the memories you actually want to keep.
17. Become the Girl Who Takes Photos
Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Camera
Not every photograph needs to end up on Instagram.
The Instax Mini Evo brings a little magic back to photography, combining digital shooting with the fun of choosing which moments deserve an actual print.
Take it to cafés, bookstores, weekend markets or on little adventures with friends.
Start collecting photographs you can hold, display, tuck into journals or give to someone you love.
18. Start a Little Photo Collection
Instax Mini Film
Because the best part of instant photography is having something tangible to keep.
Fill a scrapbook with everyday moments, decorate your journal or start a collection of photographs from places you've visited.
Not every picture needs to be perfect.
Sometimes the slightly blurry, wonderfully ordinary ones become your favourites.
07. The Bookish Girl Era
Because reading will always be a cool girl hobby.
19. Dress for Your Next Bookstore Adventure
Reign by Raine — Bookworm Postal Service Tee
A little something for the girls who would rather be browsing a bookstore.
Our Bookworm Postal Service tee brings a nostalgic, vintage-inspired touch to everyday bookish style.
Pair it with your favourite jeans, headphones and a bag filled with your latest read, crossword book and portable hobby kit.
Consider this your unofficial uniform for afternoons spent doing exactly what you love.
[SHOP THE REIGN BY RAINE TEE →]
20. Get Completely Lost in a Book
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue — V. E. Schwab
Sometimes the best way to disconnect from the world is to disappear into somebody else's.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is an atmospheric fantasy about a woman who makes a remarkable bargain and must live with its consequences.
It's the kind of story that invites you to settle in, turn the pages and forget about your notifications for a while.
A beautiful reminder that reading doesn't need to be productive, educational or part of a challenge.
It can simply be a pleasure.
[SHOP THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE →]
Your Next Hobby Starts Here
You don't need to master a million hobbies.
Pick one thing that makes you curious.
Take your little leather hobby kit to a café. Spend an afternoon colouring. Write someone a letter. Listen to an entire album. Photograph something beautiful. Read until you forget what time it is.
Be a beginner. Make something imperfect. Change your mind. Try something else.
And most importantly, enjoy the moment without feeling like you need to share it.
Less scrolling. More living.
With love,
Reign by Raine ♡