The holiday season is upon us, which means a new year is just around the corner. I have spared you my gift guides and holiday must-have lists, but I still have some pretensions to being a style blogger. ‘Tis time, friends.
Time to look back upon the year and wax a little bit poetic about the things I have worn, bought, enjoyed. Nothing will be linked; nothing will be sponsored. And I hope that you, too, will share some of your 2019 favourites. It’s how we do things around here.
Today, I am going to talk about about my favourite purchases of the year, and maybe a few not-so-great ones.
I am going to leave the nitty gritty stats for another day (probably in January) but for now suffice to say that I spent less and bought less in 2019 than in 2018, although 2019 was higher in overall quantity (not cost) than most years previous to 2018. 2018 was the year when I began shopping almost exclusively secondhand (and primarily thrift), which explains the trend. Thrifting allows me to “experiment” with clothes at a low cost, which is something I enjoy a lot; the items that don’t work out for me in the long run are either sold, re-donated or swapped. So, while I cycle through a large volume of clothes, my wardrobe stays roughly the same size, and my spending has gone down, year over year. I have been getting more selective in my clothing purchases the longer I’ve been thrifting but, well, the temptation is sometimes too great. As you will see, most of my “worst buys” were not necessarily terrible pieces, but simply things that didn’t work for me, and I should have known better than to try to make them work.
Fave Purchases of 2019
Gap striped sweater (thrifted, $5) – Nothing fancy, but it’s one of those pieces that makes an outfit. It makes me happy when I wear it, and people love it – it’s a compliment magnet.
Elizabeth & James vest (thrifted, $18) – This is a very versatile layering piece, and the small herringbone print “reads” like a nice neutral. I like the elongated proportions, which make this a fun piece to use to play around with outfit proportions.
Rick Owens vest (thrifted, $8) – This was a thrifting dream come true. Rick Owens is one of my favourite designers, and finding a piece from one of his collection is special not matter what. On top of that, this is just a really cool vest, and great for layering.
Saint Laurent Rive Gauche plaid skirt (thrifted, $13) – Another little piece of fashion history. 2019 was the Year of the Skirt for me, and this was one of the items that pushed me to embrace midi skirts. I adore this skirt and it’s one of those things I can legitimately see myself (or my daughter) wearing in 10-15 years’ time.
Ralph Lauren plaid skirt (thrifted, $6.50) – The skirt for all my grown-up princess-dress-up dreams. It’s double layered luscious silk, and I love how it swishes when I walk. It’s wearable for my daily life but just that extra bit special.
Zara green leather skirt (thrifted, $11) – I don’t love the quality of this skirt (it’s okay for being fast fashion) but I love the aesthetic. I’ve worn it a lot and I have to admit that it’s holding up well. I don’t opt for the pencil skirt silhouette very often these days, but this skirt adds an edge to it that I really like.
Australian brand skirt (thrifted, $8) – A random brand from Australia that I’d never heard about, but I was immediately sold on the draping details. It has a certain Vivienne Westwood flair to it, but I can wear it to work without feeling like I’m being unacceptably “extra”. [A little bit extra is basically my whole aesthetic.]
Issey Miyake dress (secondhand, $580) – Apart from my wedding dress almost 10 years ago (and my designer bags), this was the single most expensive clothing purchase I’ve ever made. But it was so worth it. This is the dress I could wear every day, and the one I would ask to be buried in. It fits like a dream, makes me feel like a million bucks, and can be dressed up or down for almost every occasion. It’s one of my fave pieces ever, not just of 2019.
Cartonnier faux fur collar jacket (thrifted, $20) – I love this little cropped jacket; it makes me feel a little bit cooler every time I wear it.
Mackage leather jacket (thrifted, $50) – A lucky score during a thrift sale day; this is a practically new, in perfect condition. I love leather jackets, and this one has the thickest, nicest leather – and it’s very warm as well.
Favourite accessories: Napoleoni flats (thrifted, $6); Rafael jewelry (all secondhand); beaded clutch (thrifted, $10).
Worst Purchases of 2019
Staring at Stars fur vest (thrifted, $16.50) – I love this in principle, but in action it makes me look like Chewbacca. I just don’t think I can pull it off. I will either keep this as a potential Halloween costume, or swap/donate it. I have no pictures of this because I haven’t worn it.
Elevenses linen coat (thrifted, $10) – A lovely coat that I’ve worn a few times, but not my style. I will probably either consign or try to sell it directly next spring.
H&M jacquard jacket (secondhand, $40) – I fell in love with the idea of this coat but later realized that it’s not particularly versatile for my lifestyle. If I had paid $10 for at the thrift store, it wouldn’t be as big of a deal. But I bought it from a reseller and paid quite a bit more than I would normally spend on a (non-leather) coat, especially from a fast fashion brand – hence some buyer’s remorse on my part.
MSGM mini skirt (thrifted, $13) – I was seduced by the label (and the fact it was new with tags) and ignored that it was (a) too short, (b) not really my style. I never wore this, and didn’t end up selling it, so I re-donated it.
Isabel Marant blouse (thrifted, $13) – same deal as above. Not really my style, but I was simply too excited to find a “cool girl” label. If I don’t end up selling it next spring, I may end up giving it another try out of sheer contrariness. Or just putting it in my annual clothing swap. Sigh.
Your turn: What were your best and worst purchases of 2019, and what if anything did you learn from them?
