I keep seeing sweaters. I keep thinking I need sweaters. But what about all the sweaters I already have?

It’s very hard to change the way we think about clothing, about buying new things. All the new stuff is, well, new. And they’re all just slightly different from what I have.

I already have a ton of sweaters — not to mention sweatshirts and other fall/winter tops. Why? Because I have been buying new ones! (Actually, some of my sweaters were gifts.) So, I am not short on knitwear!

In an effort to convince myself, again, that I don’t need to add to my wardrobe, I’ve tried on all my sweaters. How many are there? Let me count…23!?

I find that trying on what I already have, and taking photos, reconnects me to those items in a way that is different from just looking at them in my closet. I keep most of my sweaters folded and stacked on a shelf in my closet but a few are on hangers.

Most of my sweaters are warm and cosy but included in here are some that are light and cottony, more for warm weather. After going through everything I have, I decided that: I really love a crewneck sweater, open cardigans are my least favorite and I don’t need any more sweaters.

Take a look at the slideshow, and if you want, scroll all the way through to see each sweater with its details. 

One cool thing I recently learned: wool sweaters are antimicrobial/antibacterial. Did you know that? The waxy substance that coats the wool fibers makes it water repellent and inhibits mold and mildew growth. It also means that wool sweaters rarely need washing and only need airing out to smell fresh and clean. Learn more here. And, If your sweater has lost its lanolin coating, you can buy it in a spray like this one.

When I went through all of my sweaters, I took note of what brands I go to again and again, what material they’re made of, how I’m supposed to wash and dry them and how well they’ve held up. My goal in the future is to buy from more sustainable brands and buy clothing with natural fibers like wool and cotton.

Enjoy!

Brand: J.Crew Factory

Material: no tag (cotton?)

Care: no tag (machine wash, tumble dry?)

I love this thin, navy blue crewneck. I’ve had it for a while and the tag fell off at some point, so I’m not sure about materials and care but it was a good pick and has held up pretty well.

Brand: J.Crew

Material: 100% merino

Care: dry clean

One of my favorite sweaters. It’s thin but warm. I don’t always feel comfortable in three quarter length sleeves but it’s very flattering. It has to be dry cleaned so that adds up.

Brand: J.Crew

Material: 100% merino

Care: dry clean

This is a very nice sweater that doesn’t get a lot of wear. Like the previous grey one, it’s merino wool which is soft, thin, and non-itchy. I like the unexpected neon pink and the zippers on the shoulders.

Brand: Old Navy

Material: 55% cotton 25% viscose 20% nylon

Care: hand wash cold, lay flat to dry

This was an inexpensive, impulse buy. I needed a summer sweater and just grabbed this. I can tell you: I do not hand wash it. I’m usually good about reading tags. I guess I got it in my head that if it’s not wool it’s machine wash and tumble dry, but that’s not always true.

Brand: Everlane

Material: 100% cashmere

Care: dry clean

This is the perfect sweater: soft, warm, breathable. It is dry clean but because it’s cashmere it doesn’t need to be washed very often.

Brand: Banana Republic Factory

Material: no tag (cotton?)

Care: no tag (machine wash, tumble dry?)

My husband got this as a gift (from him mom) and I stole it. I don’t mean “borrow,” I mean took permanently. I love its slouchy ‘boyfriend’ style. The tag fell off, but I remember it being tumble dry. And because my MIL always seems to avoid wool sweaters, it’s most likely cotton.

Brand: GAP

Material: 55% cotton 40% nylon 5% acrylic

Care: machine wash cold, tumble dry low

My MIL gave me this sweater and I like it because of its Fair Isle style and low maintenance care. It has a cotton-y feel to it but looks like it should be worn in the winter.

Brand: Lucky Brand Jeans

Material: 60% cotton 40% acrylic

Care: hand wash cold, lay flat to dry

My only graphic sweater. I like that it’s black and a crewneck.

Brand: Banana Republic

Material: no tag

Care: no tag (I cut off tags if the item is machine wash, tumble dry)

This is a slightly long tunic style sweater with zippers on the shoulders (this was the thing back in 2014). I’ve loved it and gotten a ton of wear out of it but I think it might be time to retire it.

Brand: J.Crew Factory

Material: 51% acrylic 35% polyamide 7% wool 7% spandex

Care: machine wash cold, tumble dry low

I got this sweater as a birthday gift (from my MIL). It’s very soft! and easy to care for. It has a high spandex content which makes it very stretchy.

Brand: Lands’ End

Material: 54% cotton 28% nylon 13% acrylic 5% wool

Care: hand wash cold, lay flat to dry

I love a cable knit fisherman’s sweater but I’m not sure about the tunic style. 

Brand: H&M

Material: 60% cotton 40% acrylic

Care: machine wash warm, line dry

My only cropped sweater which I bought as a summer layering piece. The neck is very boatneck-y.

Brand: Banana Republic

Material: 45% merino wool 25% rayon 20% nylon 5% cashmere

Care: hand wash cold, lay flat to dry

Very pleased with this one. Love navy and a navy v-neck is a great wardrobe staple.

Brand: Banana Republic

Material: 82% merino 16% nylon 2% spandex

Care: hand wash cold, lay flat to dry

I’ve had this cardigan for years. It is good quality and has a pretty velvet detail along the buttons. I wear it buttoned, unbuttoned, and sometimes backwards.

Brand: GAP

Material: no tag (cotton?)

Care: no tag

Gift from my MIL! Again, I think I removed the tag because this was machine wash, tumble dry. Love the color and classic style.

Brand: ESPRIT

Material: 87% acrylic 11% polyamide 2% spandex

Care: hand wash cold, lay flat to dry

This sweater is so good. I bought it in Paris, so I know I’ve had it since 2007. It looks brand new. 

Brand: Banana Republic

Material: 48% silk 31% cotton 18% nylon 3% spandex

Care: hand wash cold, lay flat to dry

Similar to the previous black turtleneck, but thinner. Feels like a thick t-shirt. I love fitted black turtleneck.

Brand: GAP

Material: 100% merino wool

Care: machine wash cold, lay flat to dry

Current favorite. It’s dark green, it’s comfy, and it’s flattering. This merino wool is a little bit itchy.

Brand: Banana Republic

Material: 45% acrylic 35% merino wool 20% alpaca

Care: hand wash cold, lay flat to dry

A very thick, warm sweater. It has this cute zipper detail that turns the turtleneck into a sort of lapel collar.

Brand: GAP

Material: 52% cotton 22% acrylic 24% polyester

Care: machine wash cold, lay flat to dry

I just got this, and it gets high points for soft, warm, work-from-home lounge-y-ness although it’s not very stylish.

Brand: Madewell

Material: 100% merino wool

Care: dry clean 

This was a gift from my husband many years ago and is a favorite. Definitely overdue for a cleaning. 

Brand: Madewell

Material: 100% cotton

Care: machine wash cold, tumble dry low

I bought this by accident back in April in a Nordstrom haul that turned out to be final sale. It was supposed to be the perfect summer cardi but the lack of buttons makes me crazy.

Brand: GAP

Material: 55% cotton 45% ramie

Care: machine wash cold, lay flat to dry

A short sleeve, open cardigan, I often wonder “what was I thinking” with this one. I guess I was thinking casual summer kimono to throw over a sundress or a tank top and shorts. 

The year is drawing to a close. Well, not exactly, but I’d like to think 2020 is almost over! When I started the Low Buy Challenge in January I didn’t know what we were all in for. Buying as little as possible, and trying to buy second hand has been really good for me. Good for my soul, good for my budget, and I think good for the planet.

Following the rules set forth by Signe of UseLess, I tried hard to only buy things that I really needed. Basics like t-shirts, socks and underwear were okay, as were worn-out items. I bought things that I had planned ahead of time, often letting them sit on my wish list for month before purchasing. I asked myself if they were something I didn’t currently have and were truly my style (as in, I would wear a lot.) One area I could use improvement: buying from sustainable brands. I relied on stores I know work for me such as the Gap and Nike. Not so eco-friendly.

Here are the last few purchases I made this year:

Dr. Scholl’s Snakeskin boots  |  Leather version

This boot purchase was a result of my entire shoe inventory. I had so many black boots (and few brown) and wanted something fun. I wasn’t sold on the snakeskin trend but these really convinced me.

GAP true skinny jeans

These jeans were a result of my denim inventory. I ended up getting rid of one very worn out pair of jeans and realized I only had one pair of skinny jeans which were actually too big.

GAP Turtleneck T-shirt  A much needed basic.

GAP Belted Cardigan  An addition to my “loungewear capsule” that is so soft and cozy it made me feel slightly better about winter weather.

Asics running shoes  That time again: new sneaks.

Athleta top  Been looking for this kind of workout top for a while.

Fossil Wallet (poshmark)  My previous wallet was also from Fossil and was really falling apart. I found this replacement used on Poshmark.

Total clothing additions for the year: 3 pairs of shoes, 4 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of shorts, 3 sweaters, 1 dress, 6 tees, 3 pj pants, 5 workout items, 5 underwear items, and 1 accessory.

Lucky Brand boots

Before we start, you might see a small white dog in a couple shots. This is Gabriel, our new puppy. He is a 9 month old, half Australian Shepherd/half Dachshund rescue.

I recently tried on ALL my shoes. I think it’s so helpful to try on everything at once. It really shows you how much you like what you have and don’t need new things just because they’re new.

When I was done documenting everything and tidying it all up, I decided to donate 4 pairs (open toe booties that just aren’t me, two ballet flats that I never wear and really don’t flatter me, and those vintage Dr. Scholl’s I thought I wanted but really don’t work for me), bringing the grand total down to 28 pairs. (Not included are: a pair of tall Hunter boots, a pair of Sorel snow boots and my Asics running shoes, which all reside in the hall closet.)

I pretty happy with this collection. I feel like I have everything I need. Some of my shoes are really worn which I’m okay with. It means they are well-loved. I’m getting my money’s worth and being more eco-friendly. And can I say, through this process I really came to appreciate that all my shoes are broken in and feel so good when I slip them on! I decided to give my brown Lucky boots a bit of shoe polish (remember shoe polish?) and they look so much better. Still very distressed but a darker brown than they were and I think they have a lot of character!

I will be swapping out my Asics for a new pair and maybe adding a pair of boots that are not black or brown. And those $4 rubber flip flops will most likely be replaced by these Rainbows.

I hope you enjoyed this inventory. I highly recommend doing one!