Would you spend $33 on toilet paper just because it looks good on your bathroom shelf? You’re not alone—and there’s a reason why. Today Sammi unpacks the rise of what she calls aesthetic utility—a consumer movement where everyday essentials are elevated into lifestyle flexes. Gone are the days of basic olive oil and generic hand soap; now, products like Flamingo Estate’s $48 EVOO or Skinny Confidential’s premium TP are selling status, not just function.
Sammi traces how this shift evolved from the first wave of DTC disruption into something deeper: a full-blown cultural phenomenon driven by micro luxury, social media aesthetics, and generational disillusionment with traditional success. You’ll learn why this trend is booming, which brands are getting it right, and how “small luxuries” are reshaping the future of retail—one beautifully packaged necessity at a time.
Follow Sammi on Instagram
Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter
Here’s what Sammi covers today:
00:00 The Rise of Aesthetic Utility
00:22 The $33 Toilet Paper That Says Everything
01:20 DTC 1.0 vs 2.0: From Cheap to Chic
02:53 Micro Luxury: The New Status Symbol
04:49 Brands That Turn Basics Into Flexes
07:17 Sammi’s Prediction: How Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary
08:06 How to Show Social Currency Some Love
All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC.
*APY as of 6/30/25, offered by Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Rate subject to change.
See terms of IRA Match Program here: public.com/disclosures/ira-match.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
