...and now, I present some of my favorite and least favorite purchases from 2016. For the past 3 years, throughout the year, I keep an excel chart of all of the items that I purchase, and include data such as retail price, how much I paid for it, where I got it, online vs in-store, and general thoughts (could include if I had to get it tailored before wearing, if it is Made in America, etc.), and then at the end of the year I go through and review/analyze what I bought. This might sound clinical, or crazy, but I like shopping and my system helps me identify trends from my own shopping data.
For example, last year I noticed that most of the items that I purchased and never really wore/lost interest in quickly were items I ordered online from J. Crew and Banana Republic. That helped me curb mindless online sale shopping at both of those places, and remind me that if I am going to shop at either store, I need to do it in person.
This year, just to give you a flavoring, 31% of the clothes I bought were dresses, 42% of the items I bought were used or second-hand, and I saved, on average, 79% off of the retail price of all of the clothing I bought. That last number is heavily weighted by the secondhand shopping, and some key Nordstrom Rack and RealReal.com clearance item finds.
1. Best Sport: Rag & Bone Varsity Jacket
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Jacket Rag & Bone
Pants | Joe's Jeans |
This first piece is a great example of my commitment to bargain hunting. I really wanted a varsity jacket, and had seen a few Rag & Bone ones, but did not want to, and could not, pay $500 or more (retail here, although mine, to be fair, is probably last year's model) for one. I waited and waited and eventually the one I am wearing above popped up on the RealReal for less than $80. Boom. It was one size larger than I would have ordered normally, but the slouchy look totally works on this piece and everything else about it was exactly what I wanted, so I purchased.
I really adore it and wear it all the time, even though sometimes I think it makes me look like a local high school student. Go Bulldogs?
2. Most Unflattering: Caslon Pants
The back of these pants is pretty unflattering - even more so in person. I ordered online, drawn in by a $15 price tag, and then missed the return window, so here they sit in my closet. I will probably force myself to wear them to work one time, and then donate them. Mental note to stop adding things to cart just because they are cheap, or because I am like $8 away from free shipping.
3. Best Assist
These pants, on the other hand, feel like they were made for me. Both the top and bottom here were actually random second-hand finds that I did not initially intend to try on. In both instances, I was in the dressing room and needed a top/a bottom, because I was wearing a dress that day and trying on a top/a bottom, so I randomly grabbed these from the rack to assist me in the dressing room. I'm so glad I did because I now wear this top once a week (who knew a metallic could be so versatile....probably Stacey London actually...), and I have worn these jeans multiple times a week, to be frank.
Long live the skinny jean!
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Top | Calvin Klein
Pants | Citizens of Humanity |
