the case for trusting your style instincts
a one-year check-in on the clothes I almost talked myself out of buying
Last year, after putting a lot of thought into my budget and clothes spending and how I was overthinking purchases due to scarcity, I decided to (attempt to) buy anything that struck my fancy for one month.
Since I still overthink and stress over every purchase, I was curious for my own information to see how those purchases from last April worked out. I just looked at that post, having no memory of what I’d actually bought, and I’m pleasantly surprised!
Here is a moment when I wish I were more diligent about tracking my wears (my motivation for doing so ebbs and flows). I did actually track from January 2025 through May 2025, but fell off after that, when most of the wearing of these items would have happened. Even still, between the tracking and my outfit photos, I have a decent record. I also just have a sense for what's in the regular rotation.
Of the eleven items I bought and kept that month, nine (!) of them are in that regular rotation. Of the two that aren’t, one I can probably let go of, and one is an item that I like but doesn’t get a ton of wear, and I probably wouldn’t miss it too much either. Four of the items were purchased new and seven were secondhand.
Ok, here they are:
Top row L to R:
Unless you just subscribed or followed this week, you’ve seen these secondhand Zara pants plenty. I documented wearing them 9 times, but there’ve been many more wears than that.
I probably wear this Elizabeth Suzann ball cap once a week. It goes with everything and is great for days I didn’t wash my hair.
This UZI NYC dress hasn’t gotten much wear. I’ve probably worn it four times since purchasing it. I also have an older black and brown printed version of this that I also haven’t worn much at all in the last few years – it might be time for these to move on to a new home.
I wear these track pants a couple of times a month.
This Paris Woodhull tee (no longer available 😢) is one of my favorite articles of clothing. I fully believe that clothes are meant to be worn and not saved, but I feel myself trying to preserve this one.
Bottom row, L to R:
These Vionic sandals really fulfill their intended purpose: to have a throw-on shoe that’s a little more interesting than a Birkenstock. Unfortunately, I ripped the leather on the front of one of them and I’ve been wearing them less lately.
I love this Vilanca leather woven bag and wear it often, mostly in the colder months.
I only wear boots in the winter and having this forest green pair is a nice alternative to my basic options.
These rainboots (original link here, can’t find them anywhere secondhand!) get used every single time I have to leave my house in the rain and I love how they look as well.
Again, these flats were a fun version of the one other pair of flats I own, a neutral beige.
just a few wears of my purchases
What worked:
Giving myself permission to buy things I’d had my eye on for a while.
Sticking with shoe brands I know fit my foot well.
Buying things that had a specific purpose.
Ditto for things that filled a specific hole in my wardrobe
I stuck to the intention I set: “my only requirement for the purchases during this month was that the item add something interesting to my wardrobe.”
I think the biggest surprise here is that despite all my overthinking, my instincts were actually pretty solid. The items that worked best weren’t necessarily the most practical or the most expensive, they were the ones that genuinely added something to my wardrobe and fit naturally into my real life.
Looking back also reminded me that thoughtful shopping isn’t about never making a mistake. A couple of misses out of eleven purchases feels…completely fine, actually. Especially when those purchases brought joy, solved a problem, or helped me understand my style a little better.
I’m curious whether any of you have ever done this kind of check-in with your own purchases. If you looked back at what you bought a year ago, what do you think would still be in heavy rotation?
