December 29, 2024

I felt really happy with my closet in 2024. I never stressed out about what to wear, shopping was easy and fun (both in person and online), I didn't feel the lack of too many HEWIs, and most outfits felt true to my moniker of laid-back luminous garçonne.

While I did not track wears this year, I have a pretty good handle on what I wear (workhorse collection) and what gets worn less frequently (my less frequently worn items here, with analysis in the notes for those who like to dig deep.)

My wardrobe is currently sitting at 156 items. That number includes coats, footwear, bags, and all clothing but not gear, PJs, hats, gloves, undies, scarves, or jewellery. (Scarves function more or less like "soft" jewellery for me, except the outdoor kind.)

I consider that figure on the large side (for me). My sweet spot seems to be between 125 and 150 or so -- fewer and I lack for options in specific roles/ seasons and miss the "play" element of dressing; more and I feel overwhelmed.

I do have the room to store what I own, and, as you can tell from my collections, I do wear everything apart from a few special occasion pieces. And even those get worn a few times per year.

54 items (or about 1/3) are 5 years old or more.
72 items are between 1-5 years old.
30 items (or about 1/5) are new this year (and I retired/ passed along 34).

Is this, or is this not, too much churn? Or too large a closet? I know there is no answer that applies to everyone. How many of those purchases are from sustainable sources? How many were second hand? Where are the donated clothes going? What else is one doing to reduce one's carbon footprint? These are some of the questions we might ask ourselves.

I am mulling about the French 5 piece or even (gasp!) 5 pieces only next year...but I am quite sure I'm not ready for the latter. I am not as happy with my thrift/ consignment options here as I was in Vancouver -- i've been out investigating the stores, and while there are quite a lot of them, I haven't been wowed by the quality or options. At least not so far. I know that you need to make a habit of dropping in.

Anyway. While the ethical issues remain unresolved in my mind, what is clear is that I had a lot of fun with fashion and I loved being able to dress for whatever presented itself!

Here were some of my favourite outfits this year. Thanks for looking! And for any thoughts you might have.

Posted in the General category

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33 Comments

Dee replied 2 weeks ago

Those are some fabulous combinations Suz, such a nice variety of colours, textures and silhouettes. You really know your style. I see your technique of often having some white or light in patterns near your face, very becoming.

I too, have started to ponder more about churn and where my donations really end up. I have a much larger wardrobe than yours. I tend to hang onto items for a very long time even if they're not trending but I still like and wear them. They are mostly classic silhouettes that I can update with more current trends. The quality of some of my older pieces can't be beat. Most of my churn tends to be items that no longer fit properly or they're items I probably shouldn't have bought in the first place due to their quality or not really suiting my lifestyle.

I have purchased much more second hand this year than ever before, but now my wardrobe seems a bit too big. I have enough clothes to never repeat an exact outfit for probably a couple of months. I also worry about wearing out some of my favorite pieces, so I think that's why I keep such a large wardrobe, it helps to share the wear.

I plan to be quite strict with any type purchases this year including second hand. I really have no need for anything more. Trying my best to be more sustainable and responsible with my wardrobe and just really playing around with new ways to style and wear what I already own now.
Irina replied 2 weeks ago

These are great outfits, Suz! You know your style and you built a wardrobe that works for you. It is a very big achievement in my books :)
I reduced my donations to maybe 5-6 items a year. Because my wardrobe is large (for me), items that I edit are in a good condition and I can sell them. That is my goal for 2025 - buy less & edit and sell more.
Suz replied 2 weeks ago

Irina, thank you. You do a great job with Poshmark and similar (both buying and selling) and this is something I may investigate further myself. I like your recent emphasis on bags, jewellery, etc. -- putting the $ into those items that will get a huge amount of wear and don't wear out.

Dee, thank you. If you have the space to store your older items and you still enjoy and wear them, I say, why not? Some of us feel overwhelmed with a lot of clothes, and some of us feel restricted without options. As you say, the quality of some older items can't be beat.

Irina's point that it takes work to build the right wardrobe for oneself is so true. When I consider that I started at YLF with literally nothing (it sounds like an exaggeration, but it's true! I had nothing besides undies and one pair of jeans and one shirt -- and those didn't fit!) I can see it is an achievement to figure out a personal style and build a closet that supports it. It took a long time. First I could only thrift (financial pinch). Later I had more options and I imagine one reason I enjoy this larger wardrobe is that I did not have much at all for about 3 decades.
pirouette replied 2 weeks ago

That’s a great roundup for 2024. You have a great wardrobe and it works so well on you. I don’t track wears but I can guess I only wear 20% of my clothes and footwear. I donate a lot to friends and to charity. I love shopping but I managed to restrict myself to 36 items during the year. About 6 of these were mistakes for one reason or another but I donate all mistakes as I feel guilty looking at them. It is very hard work to have a wardrobe that is the right size and fulfils all your clothing needs. I doubt I’ll ever get there but I enjoy the challenge.
pirouette replied 2 weeks ago

I forgot to say your all white outfit is my favourite of all you posted.
JAileen replied 2 weeks ago

I always love your outfits. But especially all of the bundled up for cold outfits, and #16 (love that jacket!) and #23 (love that guitar strap!).
Suz replied 2 weeks ago

JAileen -- thanks! That jacket in #16 and 17 was one of my best thrifting finds ever -- it is by Paul Smith! I would never be able to afford such a jacket new.

It also offers proof that knowing one's own style ties in with shopping karma. That jacket was offered by its previous owner at a time when large, long, oversized jackets were trending. It is a short, even shrunken fit -- not the current style then (or now, for that matter). But it works for me and I pounced.

Pirouette, thank you! I'll bet if you tracked a bit you would find you wear more of those clothes than you think. you do. Or you might begin to wear them -- tracking can have that effect! You go into your closet and remember -- oh yes, that top! Tracking can be a pain (and, as I said, I don't do it regularly myself) but I do think it can be a helpful exercise.
Roberta replied 2 weeks ago

It is an excellent idea to consider the age of your wardrobe. I will think more about that. I go back and cross out items I have weeded, so I could cross reference the percentages by age as you have done.

You and I like a larger closet and plenty of choices.
Jaime replied 2 weeks ago

Loved reading and seeing your roundup Suz! I think you have really honed in on what you like, what works for your lifestyle, and what size closet you can manage happily. Your first outfit wowed me and it just got better from there. Love the pink and red through line. As for me, well, I have not figured out anything yet :) . The concerns about the ethics of donating and selling are pretty much in my face, but anything that re-uses the abundance that is already out there seems like a good start to me.
Bonnie replied 2 weeks ago

What a great set of outfits. I had a big shopping this year, 29 items, after two very low shopping years, but I felt it was time and I am pleased with my new additions. I still have to do some editing but since our community has a yearly two day sale in September, I have time to decide what to let go. I feel good about donating to the sale because I have actually seen people wearing some of the items I've donated.
Suz replied 2 weeks ago

Bonnie, 29 sounds like a sensible level of purchasing to me, especially if I compare it to my last year's refresh which was about double my usual 30 or so! And how lovely that you can see the items worn and loved when you donate.

I give some items to my stepdaughter who is close to my size. I can't pass along wools or silks (or leather), however, since she is vegan. So some proportion of my closet cannot go to her.

Jaime, I'm going to keep haunting the Victoria second hand shops in hopes I will find a good fit here, and I know I always have success in Vancouver when I visit. So for statement items, particularly designer pieces, I'm going to look there first next year.

Roberta, I hope you will try that exercise! It's instructive to me with respect to what degree of currency I crave. (I won't say "trendiness" but you get the idea). I think you're right -- we both want some variety and freshness in the closet, but we also make use of older items, so it is not as if they go to waste. What I find is that some new items just enliven and vivify the old so that I appreciate the old even more!
Janet replied 2 weeks ago

What a great year of outfits, Suz! I particularly love your column of cream/white, and that blue patterned sweater. #10 is really great too!

I think you ask good questions. I seem to start out each year with no or few purchases and then ramp up over the course of the year. I’ve bought a fair amount over the last few months, but I was craving some colors that have just come back into availability (burgundy, forest green, etc), and I’ve also been taking advantage of newer, wider, full-length pant silhouettes that work better for me than the prevailing skinny or cropped styles of the past decade plus.

I faced reality long ago that I am not inclined towards minimalism or a tightly restricted closet. I am fortunate that I have the space and budget for my wardrobe desires, but I am continuing to be more mindful about my purchases and what happens to the items that I no longer want or need. I suspect 2025 may be a challenging year and am kind of glad I’ve done my “splurging” this year.
Olive Green replied 2 weeks ago

They all look so good I cannot pick a favourite.
I lived out of a backpack for a few years, so I do know minimal, and laughed at your comment on how you started with nothing.
What a great wardrobe you have assembled. And I would spot you in a crowd, it feels very emotionally coherent, or do I mean congruent?
I think keeping the pretty hair and the trendy shoes consistent helps a lot.
So nice, Suz!
LaPed replied 2 weeks ago

I suspect a lot of us are asking these questions! I was around the 30-in/30-out mark for years, and although it's moderate by current western wardrobe standards, I know it's really too much from a climate/carbon perspective. This year, I ended up with 9 new purchases (4 of them shoes), 6 traded clothing items (I did a lot more trading, but much of it was trading my clothes for housewares or clothes for DS and DH), and 3 secondhand purchases.

I'm pretty excited to try Tiffanie Darke's Rule of Five (five new wardrobe items per year) in 2025. Seems way more sustainable to me than a no-buy approach, which I find can result in binge-shopping when it's over. I'll have to tweak it for myself, because I absolutely overbuy socks/underwear if I don't add some constraint. :D
sarah replied 2 weeks ago

I am always impressed by how well curated and coordinated your wardrobe is, Suz. You do such a wonderful job of carefully selecting pieces that integrate well into your red/blue/charcoal/lavender/silver/cream palette and choosing wardrobe items that are stylish and fun. You look fab!
Suz replied 2 weeks ago

Thanks, Sarah. Choosing a colour palette and sticking to it is really helpful and it makes shopping easier, too -- there's a lot my eyes just glide over, which reduces decision fatigue. ;)

Interesting, LaPed. Your trading economy seems to be working really well for you. My kid does this sometimes, although they have trouble finding things in the size/ style they need and want. But I love this idea in theory. I also love the idea of figuring out how to repurpose beloved items that we no longer wear, either into new clothes for ourselves, or household items, or new clothes for others, and I wonder if there would be a place for a business that takes donations specifically to recreate.

Olive Green, that is a really nice word -- congruent -- thank you! It feels exactly right. I aim for a congruent style amid the variety. And wow, you lived out of a backpack for years -- that is impressive. (I did it only for months one time and it wasn't easy -- I froze, for one thing!) Your current wardrobe is quite streamlined also, correct? And deliberately suited for your climate and needs.

Janet -- yes -- minimalism is a nice ideal ... but I don't think it is mine, either. For one thing, I have way too many books! And I do enjoy this varied closet of mine. And would be sad without the choices. So perhaps it is a question of balance -- finding other ways to minimize one's negative impact and also finding positive ways to contribute to the world.
Sal replied 2 weeks ago

Love your year of fashion Suz. I honestly think you nailed it this year - your new purchases are fab and you integrate older pieces so well. It’s such a cohesive yet varied set of outfits.

My shopping numbers are similar to yours and I suspect my edits are also similar - I will tally up today. My wardrobe sits around 100 - give or take - which is about right for me. I could get rid of 10-15 pieces that are very lightly worn but I don’t plan to at the moment.

I am thinking of a temporary halt to online shopping - will write more in my review post.
LaPed replied 2 weeks ago

Suz, in terms of repurposing textiles, Suay in LA is doing some pretty cool stuff. I've sent in "dead" clothes and housewares, and with the credit I received used their community dye bath for a couple of stained pieces that I would have otherwise gotten rid of. I could have dyed them myself, I suppose, but the colours on offer were shades I wouldn't know how to achieve myself, and the credit was a good incentive to try it out! I feel like Vancouver is a market that could support something similar.
Suz replied 2 weeks ago

Thanks, LaPed -- that is good to know and I can follow up on it. It seems like it should be do-able, right?
Runcarla replied 2 weeks ago

Solid review, Suz. 100% agree with what you wrote about sticking to a colour palette and how it makes shopping easier, and reduces decision fatigue. I’ve been doing it for a while - since learning about it on the forum!

The development of a collection of lilac items has transformed your closet - and bridges the gap between blue and red. I’m wondering if we’ll be seeing more of it popping up in your blue based outfits?

I have to give a shout-out for the whiteout combination (#7) - brilliant styling!
Suz replied 2 weeks ago

Awww, thanks, Carla! Those white jeans, alas, are history -- they were a very well loved and well worn bargain basement purchase with at least 60 wears — so I just ordered some new white pants. I have off-white (ecru) barrel leg jeans that I love but I do not have anything in an optic white now. I actually like to combine the whites and off-whites, so that is not a bad thing, but I also need an optic white. So, crossing fingers the new (sale) options works.

I have really enjoyed the lavender/ lilac additions and YES -- I prefer them with blue (and red or burgundy, or white) vs. with pink. That is going to be part of my tonal analysis. I've continued to dress in tonal outfits over this season and have many discoveries about my own preferences. I think the lavender/ lilac looks fantastic with the pinks etc. But I don't enjoy wearing it that way.
Suz replied 2 weeks ago

Sal, I am eager to read your year-end review. I think you've had your best fashion year ever -- I really see you honing your style!
booksandtea replied 2 weeks ago

What absolutely fabulous outfits! I love all the glorious red. 23 and 24 are my favourites—but all of these outfits radiate dash and panache!
Helena replied 2 weeks ago

You've added such a creative twist to all your looks, so top notch and looks so authentic! I love it. If I was
*forced* to choose a favourite it would be the swooshy skirt because it so perfectly swooshed in the photo! It captures a sense of dynamism that is really coming through in all of these and in your perennially positive energy!
RachelNZ replied 2 weeks ago

Such great looks! There is real cohesion without them feeling the same (even with the same pieces).
Cohesion is something I’m pondering within my own wardrobe and your comments about sticking to a colour palette and how you’ve been using a tonal approach when pulling together outfits are probably key aspects of why they are so cohesive.
Evie replied 2 weeks ago

I just love how you have honed in on your style, Suz…and how you understand what will be a good addition to your closet when you purchase new items. I am impressed by the way you can quickly pass on items that you are not completely sold on. Everything seems to work together so seamlessly.
It was fun looking through your favourite outfits of 2024. I especially love when you mix mauve and reds, the patterned blue sweater in #5, your tonal white and cream outfits, the plaid pants and denim jacket in #13, the blue wide denim outfit in #17, and the dressy skirt with silver accents in #18. All outfits are amazing. They have inspired me to try new combinations within my own wardrobe. Thank you!
Angie replied 2 weeks ago

*APPLAUSE*

LOOKING KILLER GORGEOUS in 2024! Impossible to pick a fave! Just. So. You. Well turned out for every occasion. Punchy, pretty, polished, and elegant! Equal parts trendy vs. classic, and neutral vs. non-neutral. Lots of patterns, AND solids. More texture! More red and lilac!!! And more white. Very much like the colour pivot that is an organic and natural evolution for your style, IMO :)

Suz, you have SUCH a good handle on your style, shopping, budget, and managing your wardrobe. Inspirational, and energizing! You've achieved good balance. Dress honestly. You are honed!

This:

"While the ethical issues remain unresolved in my mind, what is clear is that I had a lot of fun with fashion and I loved being able to dress for whatever presented itself!"

FWIW, you practice sensible and manageable sustainability and ethics DAILY because that's how you're wired! You're ticking off the boxes that I personally find important with regards to these questions, and that's good enough for me. Hopefully for you too :)
Lisa replied 2 weeks ago

You've got a lovely wardrobe and like Angie I can't pick a favorite.

My sister and I just did a closet swap as a way to freshen up our wardrobes in a sustainable way. It was a lot easier to purge my closet when I knew where my clothes were going and she felt the same. And now we both have new to us items to start 2025.
Suz replied 2 weeks ago

Lisa, that sounds like so much fun! Brava! Can't wait to see some of your new items.

Angie, thank you. I owe so much to you and the forum!
Zaeobi replied 2 weeks ago

Lots of sartorial success here! In addition to luminosity, I'm generally noticing a 'fluid' theme in these looks (particularly the bottoms) - there's a certain level of ease that comes across as approachable (not to say that your pieces aren't tailored, but that they aren't overly stiff, if that makes sense?)

Also hard agree with @Dee RE: quality - I feel like some level of churn is inevitable these days, especially if we aren't buying exclusively vintage or handmade. I think so long as we're reflecting and doing better than before, that's progress.
Suz replied 2 weeks ago

Thanks, Zaeobi, and nice to see you! Hope all is well.
SarahD8 replied 2 weeks ago

Great roundup, Suz. It's interesting to see that after your wardrobe refresh year in 2023 (with higher than usual turnover) you've returned to more typical numbers in 2024. I think that reflects a real self-knowledge about your style and wardrobe management -- even as those things are inevitably always in flux. Carry on!
Suz replied 2 weeks ago

Sarah, thanks! I'm not sure if it suggests that most of us need a major re-set every 8-10 years (due to lifestyle and other changes as well as fashion's vagaries...) or whether I should attribute it all to the pandemic. I neither shopped, nor edited very much in 2020/21 (except for gear), but eventually that meant some of the older stuff was well worn out by 2023 and I was actually in need (vs. just having the "wantsies") for a few categories of item, and I was well and truly bored of other well-worn but not yet worn out items.

Pix-Elated

2024 Review: Analysis and some numbers

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