I have about a dozen sweaters. In an effort to appreciate them more and avoid buying new ones, I did a shop-my-closet, try-on session recently. It really helps me to pick out items I don’t usually wear and also pair them with things that I wouldn’t usually choose. I find that makes getting dressed in the winter more fun. Here are a couple of outfits I felt pretty good about.
J Crew sweater | Madewell jeans | Madewell boots
This thin, cotton, almost a shirt sweater is so old but doesn’t look it. It’s dark navy blue and goes with everything. I’m wearing it with an old pair of Madewell boy jeans that I recently patched the knee on. I had them up on Poshmark to sell, but have been thinking of keeping them. And then I’m wearing an also old pair of brown swede Madewell boots.
GAP sweater | Everlane jeans | Docs
I love this forest green GAP turtleneck. I went with a 90s off-duty model look by tucking it into my new Everlane 90s cheeky jeans and black Doc Marten boots. Not sure this is me, but it kind of works.
Everlane sweater vest | J Crew skirt | Troentorp clogs
I got this sweater vest recently at Everlane and I love it. Wearing it without a shirt underneath would probably not happen in real life but I thought it looked cool. The whole mini skirt and tights combo is another thing that is outside my comfort zone. With the clogs, I feel very Scandi. I threw a black wool jacket over it and kind of liked that too.
Loving this fishermen’s sweater so much. I tried it with some leather pants I thrifted last year. An amazing find! And then I chose my Bostons, which seemed an odd choice but looked pretty cool.
J Crew sweater | J Brand jeans | Lotta’s clogs
This J Crew sweater is a navy V neck that’s also an old fave. The jeans are thrifted. I haven’t worn them yet. I don’t usually go for the bootleg style, but they’re very flattering. I like them with a high heel like these brown clogs.
I got this green cashmere sweater from LL Bean last Fall and it’s so nice. I picked the khaki chinos to go with because the two greens seemed almost clashing, or too matching. I don’t know. The rain boots are old from J Crew.
What to wear? I’m still trying to figure it out. I have clothes. I have clothes I love. But how do I make outfits? Here’s a collection of looks I feel like I can recreate. I got to them when I need inspiration and ideas. It also encourages me to shop my own closet.
You can click on the images to go to their source or more inspiration from that person.
I love sneaker outfits… on other people. I see photos, on Instagram and Pinterest, but when I try them on me, well, it never seems to work. Or I don’t even attempt it. Most days, lacing and unlacing shoes seems too ambitious. Then, I got inspired by a vlog by Brittany Bathgate which prompted me to put together these outfits with the four pairs of sneakers I own. I tried to do two outfits per pair but it was late afternoon and then I lost the light so the last pair only has one outfit.
Why do I try on outfits and take mirror selfies? Because I can’t tell what clothes look like on me by looking at them on their hangers. And because it curbs my appetite for new clothes. My goal is to only buy a small number of items each year. “Shopping my closet” is one way to figure out what I want to add or even IF I need to add anything. It also helps me define what my style is. I can go back through my photos whenever I need an outfit idea.
I recently added these Veja sneakers which are made with natural rubber. I saw them everywhere (online) and waited a really long time before purchasing them. They are more than I normally spend on sneakers but now that I have them and worn them, they are definitely worth it. I am willing to spend a little more on a sustainable brand. I also like that they can be styled a lot of ways.
The black Vans are also relatively new. Again, a style I saw everyone wearing. I probably didn’t need them since I have the Pumas which have a very similar look. Once they’re as broken in and comfy, I’ll probably donate the Pumas. Lastly, I have the New Balance pair which are cream and gold. They are so comfortable. I bought them used on Poshmark and love their retro look.
Four pairs of casual sneakers is not all that exciting but I’m very happy with them. And I promise I’ll wear them more often.
Vejas, Madewell pants, JCrew sweater
Vejas, Madewell pants, JCrew sweater
Vejas, GAP jeans, BR sweater
Vejas, GAP jeans, BR sweater
Vans, Levi’s, JCrew sweatshirt
Vans, Levi’s, JCrew sweatshirt
Vans, Lucky jeans, Old Navy cardigan
Vans, Lucky jeans, Old Navy cardigan
JCrew x NB 620s, Madewell leggings, GAP sweater, Madewell jacket
JCrew x NB 620s, Madewell leggings, GAP sweater, Madewell jacket
JCrew x NB 620s, Old Navy chinos, COS sweater
JCrew x NB 620s, Old Navy chinos, COS sweater
Pumas, COH jeans, JCrew t-shirt
Pumas, COH jeans, JCrew t-shirt
(You can see what I’ve purchased this year on this Pinterest board. Some of the items are sustainable. I don’t get any commission from any sales.)
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.
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.
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.
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.)
BP patent heels
J. Crew espadrilles
Steve Madden platform sandals
Steve Madden booties – DONATED
J. Crew platform sandals
Birks!
Vince Camuto espadrille slides
Steve Madden sandals
J. Crew sandals
Dr. Scholl’s originals – DONATED
Sam Edelman thong sandals
Old Navy flip flops
Banana Republic heels
Marc Fisher suede heels
Franco Sarto suede heels
Madewell ankle strap heels
J. Crew leopard ankle strap flats
Troentorp clogs
Lotta from Stockholm clogs
Pumas
Old Skool Vans
NB x J. Crew
Nikes
J. Crew pointy flats – DONATED
Dr. Scholl leopard flats – DONATED
Tahari boots
Cole Haan pointy boots
Clarks boots
J. Crew rain boots
Madewell suede boots
Lucky Brand boots
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!
I thought I was immune. I thought, “I won’t get sucked into the Fall mania, shopping for jeans and sweaters and boots.” But I did. Yesterday, I was at Nordstrom Rack, looking at all of them. But, I did not buy any! I tried on 2 pairs of denim from Madewell but they didn’t look right. And the few sweaters I tried, including a super soft black cardigan, were also no-go. Lastly, I looked at all the boots. Craving some clog boots, or possibly some Doc Marten or Blundstone boots.
Honestly, I have yet to really embrace Fall, I mean style-wise. I’m not putting much effort into getting dressed. Maybe that’s a good thing. I keep meaning to spend some time putting together outfits and getting inspired but I’ve been busy working, doing home reno and running middle schoolers around. Today, with those jean-craving feelings still lingering, I decided to try on all my denim. And non-denim. Are you excited? Well, here they are: my 17 pairs of pants.
JEANS
lucky black jeans
gap black cropped jeans
gap gray jeans
ag skinny jeans
coh girlfriend jeans
h&m boyfriend jeans
jcrew jeans
madewell boy jeans
h&m vintage-style jeans
gap white jeans
I’m really happy with all my jeans especially the Lucky black ones. All the GAP jeans are faves as well as the Citizen of Humanity and Madewell pairs. The H&Ms don’t get chosen often but I think they look good. The one pair I might retire are the J. Crew ones, mostly because they’re so thin and rip more every time I wear them. Also they’re a little too low rise. I’ve gotten a ton of wear out of them in the 4 years I’ve owned them. The AG jeans are also starting to show wear and are a little too big (Skinny jeans aren’t supposed to be baggy, right?) I documented all my pants with the same white GAP t-shirt and my Lotta from Stockholm clogs, but many of these would look better with boots since they’re fairly cropped. I think the only addition I could make would be a pair of medium wash skinny jeans that really fit.
NOT JEANS (AKA CHINOS & TROUSERS)
old navy wide leg chinos
gap army green chinos
nordstrom camo cargos
maison scotch chinos
old navy chinos
topshop black trousers
jcrew tartan trousers
Now the “slacks”. Don’t you love that word. Or trousers. The first pair is from a great brand Scotch and Soda or Maison Scotch for the women’s line. They look good but are tight. They are a beautiful thin chino fabric. The Old Navy chinos are a lot more comfy. And then the Top Shop trousers are really too big and never get worn, but they seem so ideal. IDK. I’m torn about the Old Navy ochre-colored chinos. They feel good and are a nice change from all the blue and black. Definitely look better with different styling. The army green chinos are an old favorite, too big now, but can’t give them up. I’m warming up to the camo pants but don’t wear them with a tuck because they do a weird are-you-pregnant thing. And those plaid pants! Can’t wait for the holidays! Some of these won’t get worn much in Fall and Winter. Not sure what’s missing here.
What do you think? Should I add a new pair of jeans or stick with my Low Buy Challenge and wear what I have?
My name is Leigh. I am a graphic designer and a photographer. I love minimalism, danish modern decor, clogs, books, and art of all kinds. I strive to live a healthy life and promote sustainability.
