I am creating a 2023 retrospective thread for doing 2023retrospectiveposting in.
The following is a template post for others:
Tell me about how you did in 2023
answer
did you buy more than you had hoped/planned or less
answer
what did you buy that you really love (post fit pics)
answer
what did you buy that was a huge mistake
answer
look back on your styling in 2022 and reflect with a focus on buying less
answer
what did you like wearing?
answer
what did you expect to wear more often than you did?
answer
what does 2024 look like from your head?
answer
2023 Retrospective
-
thewisdomoftime
- Posts: 150
- Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2021 10:23 pm
- Reputation: 386
- Location: NEW YORK CITY...LA GRAN MANZANA
2023 Retrospective
'I feel like I'm a messenger .. sent here by someone .. my mom, probably.'
-
thewisdomoftime
- Posts: 150
- Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2021 10:23 pm
- Reputation: 386
- Location: NEW YORK CITY...LA GRAN MANZANA
Re: 2023 Retrospective
Tell me about how you did in 2023
These thoughts are both fashion & metafashion: I kinda distracted myself from fashion by addressing things I should've addressed years ago -- getting back into swimming, learning to plan my own vacations (haha), understanding computer specs and building a desk I want to be at in my apartment, digging into niche music scenes I like, that kind of shit. When I bought clothes/acc I focused on what I know I like ... post-workwear, softcore outdoorswear, japanese 90s/00s stuff. I got heavier than I've ever gotten (195+) then flew back down to 170ish, so I developed a finer appreciation of making sure I wear big clothes, but I also am far more muscular than ever (despite never really getting back down to like .. high school swimming weight), so my relationship to clothing is still changing. My hair is getting really long and good and I'm doing everything I can to not cut it. I got a tattoo and even told my mom about it (not my dad), and I am wondering what it's gonna be like to wear tees in the summer with it on my arm.
did you buy more than you had hoped/planned or less
I think I might have bought the correct amount, but in substantial part because I redirected my clothing interest onto other hobbies. Bought too many 100mls of fragrances, bleh. I felt like I bought the right amount of clothing, except that I'm not good enough at creating a place for it on the shelf!
what did you buy that you really love (post fit pics)
- Smaller circle-frames in a dark tortoise shade (Yesglasses).
- Black Engineered Garments raglan hoodie. It doesn't get better than this.
- South2 West8 light fleece jacket that I roll up the sleeves on. Snappy, vintage-bball type lapels, no collar, medium-warm. Olive-brown-black, goes with everything I own. I even like it over a tee since it's fleece.
- 18 East double knee pants, twice. Absolutely love the pockets, fit, details. All-timers, to me. I don't think about pants that don't have a similar spirit to these.
- Engineered Garments fatigue pants, twice. I got myself EG patchwork fatigues in 2019 w/ my own internship cash at the end of summer, before senior year.. they're the garment I continue to have the best-ever relationship with, maybe wallabees excepted? So, based on that, I keep an eye out for when someone posts EG "fatigue" pants, and this is brilliant because every time they're made with similar detailing and the exact same measurements everywhere (front rise, thigh, hem, etc.), so they're always guaranteedly for me.
- Engineered Garments Atlantic parka (wanted this for 4+yrs, so..easy shot there). Nepenthes cashier (detail-sparse since this is the kind of person someone on here is gnna know directly) told me 'you can actually wear it into the winter,' and I am prolly gonna wear it straight thru the winter even though it isn't insulated, cos I don't really see the need to wear something more insulated unless temps drop below like 20F. Wore it in Sverige on 25F days and shit was fine, it just functions like a shell. Somewhat bad that I can't escape thinking I'd prefer the 'nyco ripstop' version with pinstripe detailing that they made in other seasons.
- Honestly quite plain 90's-vintage Issey chronograph watch that Watch People keep asking me about
Fit where I'm in 18 east doubleknees, EG atlantic parka, Danner boots I got in 2016 when I moved to NYC:
- Basically unfair to toss these on the list but I wear these prolly 50+% of all days: "Hidden NY collab" Wallabee CUPS. The Wallabee cup is a new cupsole version of a Wallabee. I bought these because I thought Hidden NY had done something so f-ing cool by putting a cup sole on a Wallabee, but actually all Hidden did was put their green logo on a new Clarks model that released around the same time. I actually wear them w/ the Wallabee dogtag unlike what I did back when I had normal Wallabee boots that I wore til the upper started tearing off. I've posted on here before about my sand-tone Wallabee dependence.
I am troubled to think I actually bought all that shit and more in 2023, oops. I even got shorts this year and got comfortable in them. I probably am spending more than the correct %age on clothing, and feel the need to get rid of some.
what did you buy that was a huge mistake
I bought some Salomon XT-Quest 2's. I tried to think until I could make the perfect sneaker purchase, by basing the sneaker-purchase decision on how much I love my wallabees and always have. But, I don't like chunky sneakers. I own 18 pairs of shoes. Something's gotta break here. Not a huge financial mistake, it was a Packer Shoes sale w/ a sale-double-dip code, yaknow, so we're talking like $60 here, less of a mistake than flying Spirit with a carry-on last week.
look back on your styling in 2022 and reflect with a focus on buying less
I actually really feel good about my progress from 2022->2023. In 2022, I spent much less money because I finished my grad degree that spring, was still new to working, etc.. until fall of 2022 when I made some cops that all fit together and were strongly in the color range I wear .. 1 was a light Kapital jacket that I actually didn't love the fit of until I lost weight down to 170 in fall of this year.. One thing I miss about what I was doing in winter (early) 2022 was that I was wearing these 2 quasi-formal EG vests all the time, over white oxford shirts.. but I got so strong and fat in winter (early) 2023 that I gave up the white oxford shirts, and have descended more into my post-workwear style.
Really bad from 2022: 2 pairs of CASUAL LEATHER SHOES: (i.) Yuketen rocker-sole bluchers in 4 color suede that just don't wrap my feet the right way, awful ankle support and the sole isn't plush at all, (ii.) black suede Alden norwegian-split-toe boots with a kinda aggressive last and hard leather sole, it is mostly the last about these shoes that troubles me, but also the fact that I don't wear black twill trousers the way I really frequently did in winter22. 3 shirts: all 3 engineered garments button-downs on my shelf from 2022 that I sadly don't love wearing, all 3 just feel undersized, I think those shirts (and gaining like 15lbs over Nov22->Mar23) kinda forced me to learn to buy ONLY clothes I feel GREAT about given measurements of.. one last one before moving on: I bought a Junya blazer at a great deal from someone on grailed who belaboredly "measured" it for me, but he fucking measured everything wrong, not my fault, I put the right kind and amount of thought and effort into that, we move.
I think I'm doing way better than '22.
what did you like wearing?
Post-workwear, Wallabees.
what did you expect to wear more often than you did?
It is actually kinda hard to think of anything, here, which is awesome. Obviously, "vintage black mountain folk music tee shirt that didn't fit."
what does 2024 look like from your head?
As clothing goes, I am tempted to say I feel awesome about where I'm at, I am basically in a no-cop that only Engineered Garments and 18 East really trouble, but those 2 brands can really trouble it. I like to keep an eye on, like, Kapital, but nothing ever drops to my range, the only realistic move I see, there, would be getting a pair of century denim pants, which are like a 9yr old dream at this point. I think I want some japanese mid-to-light-wgt denim to wear in the summer. I can't describe the dream well enough that it deserves to be dreamt, but it's there.
Right now, I can't swim because I just got a tattoo, a minor struggle that'll take another 3 weeks. But, after that, I want to join my local masters swim team and swim in the mornings (I did the 'trial' practice, the coach is good, this is a really well-formed dream). I want to take my diet seriously and fix my sleep schedule (how often do I say this). I want to stay focused on learning Danish (I don't know how this is supposed to go and nobody else really does either). 2024 looks to me like it's, basically, not about clothing, from where I stand, but I fucking hate hate hate hate hate the summer, even with NYC being a universe better than where I grew up.. so maybe summer will end up being about shirting again, I hate the summer.
These thoughts are both fashion & metafashion: I kinda distracted myself from fashion by addressing things I should've addressed years ago -- getting back into swimming, learning to plan my own vacations (haha), understanding computer specs and building a desk I want to be at in my apartment, digging into niche music scenes I like, that kind of shit. When I bought clothes/acc I focused on what I know I like ... post-workwear, softcore outdoorswear, japanese 90s/00s stuff. I got heavier than I've ever gotten (195+) then flew back down to 170ish, so I developed a finer appreciation of making sure I wear big clothes, but I also am far more muscular than ever (despite never really getting back down to like .. high school swimming weight), so my relationship to clothing is still changing. My hair is getting really long and good and I'm doing everything I can to not cut it. I got a tattoo and even told my mom about it (not my dad), and I am wondering what it's gonna be like to wear tees in the summer with it on my arm.
did you buy more than you had hoped/planned or less
I think I might have bought the correct amount, but in substantial part because I redirected my clothing interest onto other hobbies. Bought too many 100mls of fragrances, bleh. I felt like I bought the right amount of clothing, except that I'm not good enough at creating a place for it on the shelf!
what did you buy that you really love (post fit pics)
- Smaller circle-frames in a dark tortoise shade (Yesglasses).
- Black Engineered Garments raglan hoodie. It doesn't get better than this.
- South2 West8 light fleece jacket that I roll up the sleeves on. Snappy, vintage-bball type lapels, no collar, medium-warm. Olive-brown-black, goes with everything I own. I even like it over a tee since it's fleece.
- 18 East double knee pants, twice. Absolutely love the pockets, fit, details. All-timers, to me. I don't think about pants that don't have a similar spirit to these.
- Engineered Garments fatigue pants, twice. I got myself EG patchwork fatigues in 2019 w/ my own internship cash at the end of summer, before senior year.. they're the garment I continue to have the best-ever relationship with, maybe wallabees excepted? So, based on that, I keep an eye out for when someone posts EG "fatigue" pants, and this is brilliant because every time they're made with similar detailing and the exact same measurements everywhere (front rise, thigh, hem, etc.), so they're always guaranteedly for me.
- Engineered Garments Atlantic parka (wanted this for 4+yrs, so..easy shot there). Nepenthes cashier (detail-sparse since this is the kind of person someone on here is gnna know directly) told me 'you can actually wear it into the winter,' and I am prolly gonna wear it straight thru the winter even though it isn't insulated, cos I don't really see the need to wear something more insulated unless temps drop below like 20F. Wore it in Sverige on 25F days and shit was fine, it just functions like a shell. Somewhat bad that I can't escape thinking I'd prefer the 'nyco ripstop' version with pinstripe detailing that they made in other seasons.
- Honestly quite plain 90's-vintage Issey chronograph watch that Watch People keep asking me about
Fit where I'm in 18 east doubleknees, EG atlantic parka, Danner boots I got in 2016 when I moved to NYC:
Spoiler:
I am troubled to think I actually bought all that shit and more in 2023, oops. I even got shorts this year and got comfortable in them. I probably am spending more than the correct %age on clothing, and feel the need to get rid of some.
what did you buy that was a huge mistake
I bought some Salomon XT-Quest 2's. I tried to think until I could make the perfect sneaker purchase, by basing the sneaker-purchase decision on how much I love my wallabees and always have. But, I don't like chunky sneakers. I own 18 pairs of shoes. Something's gotta break here. Not a huge financial mistake, it was a Packer Shoes sale w/ a sale-double-dip code, yaknow, so we're talking like $60 here, less of a mistake than flying Spirit with a carry-on last week.
look back on your styling in 2022 and reflect with a focus on buying less
I actually really feel good about my progress from 2022->2023. In 2022, I spent much less money because I finished my grad degree that spring, was still new to working, etc.. until fall of 2022 when I made some cops that all fit together and were strongly in the color range I wear .. 1 was a light Kapital jacket that I actually didn't love the fit of until I lost weight down to 170 in fall of this year.. One thing I miss about what I was doing in winter (early) 2022 was that I was wearing these 2 quasi-formal EG vests all the time, over white oxford shirts.. but I got so strong and fat in winter (early) 2023 that I gave up the white oxford shirts, and have descended more into my post-workwear style.
Really bad from 2022: 2 pairs of CASUAL LEATHER SHOES: (i.) Yuketen rocker-sole bluchers in 4 color suede that just don't wrap my feet the right way, awful ankle support and the sole isn't plush at all, (ii.) black suede Alden norwegian-split-toe boots with a kinda aggressive last and hard leather sole, it is mostly the last about these shoes that troubles me, but also the fact that I don't wear black twill trousers the way I really frequently did in winter22. 3 shirts: all 3 engineered garments button-downs on my shelf from 2022 that I sadly don't love wearing, all 3 just feel undersized, I think those shirts (and gaining like 15lbs over Nov22->Mar23) kinda forced me to learn to buy ONLY clothes I feel GREAT about given measurements of.. one last one before moving on: I bought a Junya blazer at a great deal from someone on grailed who belaboredly "measured" it for me, but he fucking measured everything wrong, not my fault, I put the right kind and amount of thought and effort into that, we move.
I think I'm doing way better than '22.
what did you like wearing?
Post-workwear, Wallabees.
what did you expect to wear more often than you did?
It is actually kinda hard to think of anything, here, which is awesome. Obviously, "vintage black mountain folk music tee shirt that didn't fit."
what does 2024 look like from your head?
As clothing goes, I am tempted to say I feel awesome about where I'm at, I am basically in a no-cop that only Engineered Garments and 18 East really trouble, but those 2 brands can really trouble it. I like to keep an eye on, like, Kapital, but nothing ever drops to my range, the only realistic move I see, there, would be getting a pair of century denim pants, which are like a 9yr old dream at this point. I think I want some japanese mid-to-light-wgt denim to wear in the summer. I can't describe the dream well enough that it deserves to be dreamt, but it's there.
Right now, I can't swim because I just got a tattoo, a minor struggle that'll take another 3 weeks. But, after that, I want to join my local masters swim team and swim in the mornings (I did the 'trial' practice, the coach is good, this is a really well-formed dream). I want to take my diet seriously and fix my sleep schedule (how often do I say this). I want to stay focused on learning Danish (I don't know how this is supposed to go and nobody else really does either). 2024 looks to me like it's, basically, not about clothing, from where I stand, but I fucking hate hate hate hate hate the summer, even with NYC being a universe better than where I grew up.. so maybe summer will end up being about shirting again, I hate the summer.
'I feel like I'm a messenger .. sent here by someone .. my mom, probably.'
-
foxtail_grass
- First Prestige
- Posts: 170
- Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2021 6:08 pm
- Reputation: 467
Re: 2023 Retrospective
How I did in 2023: Overall a very enjoyable year full of new growth. My biggest takeaway from 2023 was learning how to trust myself again, in several aspects of my life. Relying much less on input from outside voices. Trying to do my thing and self-validate.
Did I buy more than I hoped? Yes, I did. I am still working on the fact that thrifting was/is a stress coping mechanism, a vice in a person who otherwise has .. no vices? I truly can’t think of one right now. I tried being hard on myself, being compassionate towards myself, and all in all I can be happy with the ongoing learning process. At the end of the day, I never jeopardized any part of my life (except mental energy) for clothing. That being said, I recently blocked all secondhand shopping sites from my devices. lfg
What did I buy that I really love? Some vintage button downs. A vintage wool bubble-hem pleated skirt.
*The best thing I got this year was given to me by a dear friend. It’s a kid’s hoodie with a Yoshitomo Nara painting on it.
What did I buy that was a huge mistake? Related to the answer to the first prompt- I bought a secondhand Dior bandana in an effort to appear very “fashion” after being invited onto a podcast discussing style. $85 for a piece of screen-printed cotton. Fortunately, the other two guests were super nice, and we all clicked pretty instantly. We ended up having a lovely conversation and even talking about my stupid impulse buy. I made two new friends, and they are one of my highlights of 2023.
Compare to your previous years’ style: Some things have come and gone, some have left and returned, some have remained steadfast. I think what I have wrestled with (and likely mentioned previously) is the balance between clothing and costume. I think costuming can be really fun and there are days I feel like I need to pseudo-cosplay to face the world. That being said, I struggled to commit to any very singular style both this year and the previous one. However, in the last 4 months or so I’ve become pretty enamored with having a uniform. I don’t want to jinx it but I think it’s going to stay that way for a while.
What I liked to wear: My uniform.
What did I expect to wear more than I did? I now have a wardrobe where I feel like everything gets worn as much as it should.
What does 2024 look like? More poetry. I’ll be releasing my second annual collection soon. If anyone wants to read some, I’m happy to send.
Did I buy more than I hoped? Yes, I did. I am still working on the fact that thrifting was/is a stress coping mechanism, a vice in a person who otherwise has .. no vices? I truly can’t think of one right now. I tried being hard on myself, being compassionate towards myself, and all in all I can be happy with the ongoing learning process. At the end of the day, I never jeopardized any part of my life (except mental energy) for clothing. That being said, I recently blocked all secondhand shopping sites from my devices. lfg
What did I buy that I really love? Some vintage button downs. A vintage wool bubble-hem pleated skirt.
*The best thing I got this year was given to me by a dear friend. It’s a kid’s hoodie with a Yoshitomo Nara painting on it.
What did I buy that was a huge mistake? Related to the answer to the first prompt- I bought a secondhand Dior bandana in an effort to appear very “fashion” after being invited onto a podcast discussing style. $85 for a piece of screen-printed cotton. Fortunately, the other two guests were super nice, and we all clicked pretty instantly. We ended up having a lovely conversation and even talking about my stupid impulse buy. I made two new friends, and they are one of my highlights of 2023.
Compare to your previous years’ style: Some things have come and gone, some have left and returned, some have remained steadfast. I think what I have wrestled with (and likely mentioned previously) is the balance between clothing and costume. I think costuming can be really fun and there are days I feel like I need to pseudo-cosplay to face the world. That being said, I struggled to commit to any very singular style both this year and the previous one. However, in the last 4 months or so I’ve become pretty enamored with having a uniform. I don’t want to jinx it but I think it’s going to stay that way for a while.
What I liked to wear: My uniform.
What did I expect to wear more than I did? I now have a wardrobe where I feel like everything gets worn as much as it should.
What does 2024 look like? More poetry. I’ll be releasing my second annual collection soon. If anyone wants to read some, I’m happy to send.
Re: 2023 Retrospective
Tell me about how you did in 2023
Got a full time job and a bunch of pairs of wranglers, started stretching my ears/septum (fun !)
did you buy more than you had hoped/planned or less
I hope to never buy anything ever but I went to the thrift a lot, oh well
what did you buy that you really love (post fit pics)
this vest these pants and this shirt !
what did you buy that was a huge mistake
Most of it was probably a mistake, I have to get rid of some button ups and pants that just do Not fit. I think I only like dressing like I'm in dorohedoro
look back on your styling in 2022 and reflect with a focus on buying less
I mostly did pants and t shirt this year which, I for sure have enough pants and t shirts to last me for several years of combinations. I have some cool dresses that I wish it was warm enough outside to wear, but mostly my job is pretty active so I need pretty durable clothes to stand up to cardboard boxes and I can't wear platforms. Limiting, but at this point I've spent enough time in the thrift to have pretty much all my clothing bases covered, just need to prune what doesn't fit/I hate. I would love an entirely canvas wardrobe I think. 2022 I mostly wore the same stuff but bigger t shirts and smaller jeans lol
what did you like wearing?
I liked wearing medium t shirts and big pants and light wash denim and leather boots. Cotton and cotton/poly and nylon. Basketball shoes and pants with a knife pocket. Camouflage hats. Ripstop workwear.
what did you expect to wear more often than you did?
Leather jackets, skinny jeans, big t shirts. Not immune to trends! Getting tired of non zip hoodies (oh no)
what does 2024 look like from your head?
Smaller shirts, maybe more coherence, shedding most of the clothes I get annoyed seeing. More jewelry, bigger holes in my ears, more tattoos. Need new glasses soon, more realtree. Cotton! Adjusting the derailleur on my [redacted] so I can actually ride to work. Might be going back to school in the fall so that'll unlock the rest of my clothes (smiling)
Got a full time job and a bunch of pairs of wranglers, started stretching my ears/septum (fun !)
did you buy more than you had hoped/planned or less
I hope to never buy anything ever but I went to the thrift a lot, oh well
what did you buy that you really love (post fit pics)
this vest these pants and this shirt !
Spoiler:
Most of it was probably a mistake, I have to get rid of some button ups and pants that just do Not fit. I think I only like dressing like I'm in dorohedoro
look back on your styling in 2022 and reflect with a focus on buying less
I mostly did pants and t shirt this year which, I for sure have enough pants and t shirts to last me for several years of combinations. I have some cool dresses that I wish it was warm enough outside to wear, but mostly my job is pretty active so I need pretty durable clothes to stand up to cardboard boxes and I can't wear platforms. Limiting, but at this point I've spent enough time in the thrift to have pretty much all my clothing bases covered, just need to prune what doesn't fit/I hate. I would love an entirely canvas wardrobe I think. 2022 I mostly wore the same stuff but bigger t shirts and smaller jeans lol
what did you like wearing?
I liked wearing medium t shirts and big pants and light wash denim and leather boots. Cotton and cotton/poly and nylon. Basketball shoes and pants with a knife pocket. Camouflage hats. Ripstop workwear.
what did you expect to wear more often than you did?
Leather jackets, skinny jeans, big t shirts. Not immune to trends! Getting tired of non zip hoodies (oh no)
what does 2024 look like from your head?
Smaller shirts, maybe more coherence, shedding most of the clothes I get annoyed seeing. More jewelry, bigger holes in my ears, more tattoos. Need new glasses soon, more realtree. Cotton! Adjusting the derailleur on my [redacted] so I can actually ride to work. Might be going back to school in the fall so that'll unlock the rest of my clothes (smiling)
Re: 2023 Retrospective
Tell me about how you did in 2023
ups and downs (is that always my answer?) overall. a lot of good! got out of a toxic situationship (wow), went to thailand again, had a great time, reconnected with some old friends, among other things that i think i can contentedly keep to myself for the meantime. clothes-wise good, feeling like i'm really finding what i want to be wearing as i get older (????).
did you buy more than you had hoped/planned or less
about as much as i'd hoped, if not a little more? i let go of a lot of older pieces and ported the money made from that to buying myself more nonnative, which is a move i've been very happy with for my day-to-day. i've had a fair amount of impulse buys from thrifting/secondhand type arrangements, but a lot of those have been welcome additions and anything that doesn't work out or stick i sell again instead.
what did you buy that you really love (post fit pics)
well, pretty much all my nonnative! more info below (warning, WALLS OF TEXT):
outside of nonnative,
i ended up with some ss16 junya watanabe man levis for really cheap, knew a guy who'd been trying to sell them for years and they fit me nicely so i swiped them for a song. maybe they're a little longer than that on me in a size L, but still a touch above the ankle i'd say. lots of crazy zigzag topstitching that goes through a bunch of cream herringbone panels on the inside that somehow doesn't make them feel warm to wear?
this yellow beams military jacket; super lightweight poplin-ish, four front pockets (envelope flap closure chest things with additional side entry hand pockets behind them), more sleeve pleating, and a nice, roomy, slightly shorter fit.
moral of the story: beams outlet is an insane way to score a good jacket for less than uniqlo prices.
one more thing, these fancy north face urban exploration denims.
what did you buy that was a huge mistake
nothing in particular, although the kozaburo 3d sashiko pants i bought off a friend at the end of 2022 were wildly expensive and maybe don't always work with the direction i've gone towards. frankly, for the price, there's some small things about the front pocket openings that bug me from a quality perspective, but i fathom it's got to do with the handfinishing and all that. still an amazing pant with an amazing pattern, but maybe not truly meant for me. i'll give it some time and see.
look back on your styling in 2023 and reflect with a focus on buying less
more trim, or big top fitted ish pants, but depending on context i can still fall into everything loose (read: summertime). on the whole i'm happy with where my wardrobe's been growing towards, and almost everything i bought last year was secondhand (and everything well within the budget i permit per piece). i feel like i'm going to be selling even more items this year and slowly getting more nonnative. i still have some avant-garde bits (devoa, viridi-anne, kazuyuki kumagai/attachment) that i really like and welcome, but given how difficult it can be to find those for prices i'm willing to shell out on the secondhand market i'm happy letting those be occasional at best. the goal is a relative amount of synergy, or something
what did you like wearing?
all the things i mentioned above! my fivefingers! ganryu salomons (amazing and great beater)! reverse layering! generally just big tees and slim pants, or regular tees and lightweight jackets with slim pants, or some combination of the above with big shorts/big pants (almost always cropped if big pants, though). everything kind of works together nicely. everything reminds me that i have difficulty reconciling collar gaps, that i need a touch of feeling tailored somewhere, somehow, and that i really do prefer my trousers to be fitted or neat around the hips. something.
what did you expect to wear more often than you did?
from my 2023 buys, i think everything got as much wear as expected, if not more! a nice feeling
what does 2024 look like from your head?
more consistency, working on balancing a more streamlined wardrobe with my clothes nerd pattern-collecting habit (a difficult balance to strike, i will be gentle with myself), and focusing on growth in all aspects. i'll give it my best to make it a good one.
happy new year, everyone!
ups and downs (is that always my answer?) overall. a lot of good! got out of a toxic situationship (wow), went to thailand again, had a great time, reconnected with some old friends, among other things that i think i can contentedly keep to myself for the meantime. clothes-wise good, feeling like i'm really finding what i want to be wearing as i get older (????).
did you buy more than you had hoped/planned or less
about as much as i'd hoped, if not a little more? i let go of a lot of older pieces and ported the money made from that to buying myself more nonnative, which is a move i've been very happy with for my day-to-day. i've had a fair amount of impulse buys from thrifting/secondhand type arrangements, but a lot of those have been welcome additions and anything that doesn't work out or stick i sell again instead.
what did you buy that you really love (post fit pics)
well, pretty much all my nonnative! more info below (warning, WALLS OF TEXT):
Spoiler:
i ended up with some ss16 junya watanabe man levis for really cheap, knew a guy who'd been trying to sell them for years and they fit me nicely so i swiped them for a song. maybe they're a little longer than that on me in a size L, but still a touch above the ankle i'd say. lots of crazy zigzag topstitching that goes through a bunch of cream herringbone panels on the inside that somehow doesn't make them feel warm to wear?
this yellow beams military jacket; super lightweight poplin-ish, four front pockets (envelope flap closure chest things with additional side entry hand pockets behind them), more sleeve pleating, and a nice, roomy, slightly shorter fit.
moral of the story: beams outlet is an insane way to score a good jacket for less than uniqlo prices.
one more thing, these fancy north face urban exploration denims.
Spoiler:
nothing in particular, although the kozaburo 3d sashiko pants i bought off a friend at the end of 2022 were wildly expensive and maybe don't always work with the direction i've gone towards. frankly, for the price, there's some small things about the front pocket openings that bug me from a quality perspective, but i fathom it's got to do with the handfinishing and all that. still an amazing pant with an amazing pattern, but maybe not truly meant for me. i'll give it some time and see.
look back on your styling in 2023 and reflect with a focus on buying less
more trim, or big top fitted ish pants, but depending on context i can still fall into everything loose (read: summertime). on the whole i'm happy with where my wardrobe's been growing towards, and almost everything i bought last year was secondhand (and everything well within the budget i permit per piece). i feel like i'm going to be selling even more items this year and slowly getting more nonnative. i still have some avant-garde bits (devoa, viridi-anne, kazuyuki kumagai/attachment) that i really like and welcome, but given how difficult it can be to find those for prices i'm willing to shell out on the secondhand market i'm happy letting those be occasional at best. the goal is a relative amount of synergy, or something
what did you like wearing?
all the things i mentioned above! my fivefingers! ganryu salomons (amazing and great beater)! reverse layering! generally just big tees and slim pants, or regular tees and lightweight jackets with slim pants, or some combination of the above with big shorts/big pants (almost always cropped if big pants, though). everything kind of works together nicely. everything reminds me that i have difficulty reconciling collar gaps, that i need a touch of feeling tailored somewhere, somehow, and that i really do prefer my trousers to be fitted or neat around the hips. something.
what did you expect to wear more often than you did?
from my 2023 buys, i think everything got as much wear as expected, if not more! a nice feeling
what does 2024 look like from your head?
more consistency, working on balancing a more streamlined wardrobe with my clothes nerd pattern-collecting habit (a difficult balance to strike, i will be gentle with myself), and focusing on growth in all aspects. i'll give it my best to make it a good one.
happy new year, everyone!
Re: 2023 Retrospective
first time doing one of these retrospectives, and in a boring year as well (all my years are boring) --
Tell me about how you did in 2023
nothing I can really think of, though at the beginning of the year, while i was running, i ripped this ann d skirt
(ribbed turtleneck cameo) that i bought in dec '22 which was really sad -- both that i ripped it, because it's a great skirt, but also that it would rip so easily. so i guess i kind of regret getting this skirt because it ripped so easily and now it's ripped. i mended it once but it just ripped again in the same spot. i don't think mending it is really going to work -- i think probably i will have to just put a slit into it where the rip is and re-sew the edges. i'm sad because i got it specifically because it was a column skirt and so striking that way.
look back on your styling in 2023 and reflect with a focus on buying less
i buy very little, everything i got in 2023 has been mentioned in this post. why are we being prescriptivist though ppl should cop if they wanna cop
what did you like wearing?
Tell me about how you did in 2023
- depends on how you measure! In terms of buying stuff (or more accurately low-buying stuff), I basically continued the tradition from the last 5+ years. I bought very little (more detail below) but I did start to get antsy about my clothing, which is kind of a newly emerging feeling. I haven't really felt the impulse to buy stuff/change it up for the past few years, since I've mostly been happy with my clothing, buying pretty much nothing, and keeping effectively a """capsule wardrobe""" (all of which I've written about pretty at length, especially on old-care-tags).
- but I'm getting a bit of ennui/dissatisfaction with my clothing again, a foreign sentiment since like 2017-2018. I don't know how I feel about it. I don't want to be pulled back into the buy-guilt-buy cycle I used to have, but I'm also kind of apprehensively looking forward to exploring/expanding my look a bit. the past few years I've been wearing really basic stuff -- mainly two ribbed wool turtlenecks and two sweaters; straight-leg pants; sneakers... It's definitely A Look, but not one that's particularly expressive, except in its restraint/fastidiousness
- now that i think about it, i think i got more than i thought i would. i got a pair of sneakers, the oxford, and the t-shirt mentioned below as well as a lace shirt which i haven't posted photos wearing but i like a lot too
- i also scored a pair of waterproof boots (the gorp eventually reaches us all) for free because another regular at my coffee shop tests their waterproofness as part of his job... so he had a bunch from testing that he was giving away
- i also got my stutterheim jacket (which i also love) back after a year -- i left it by accident when visiting my friend in san diego, and it took some time for me to make it back out there
- two are in this picture:
the sneakers (adidas astirs) and the shirt (this universal works oxford)Spoiler:
had to get new sneakers because the soles of my air maxes cracked so i had to replace them. love these so much more than the air maxes. affectionately call them my orthopedics - i also got a beige/off-white qlomaire t-shirt because i didn't have any t-shrits and wanted one during the summer. it has become my FAVOURITE t-shirt. unfortunately i left it at my friend's place in dc by accident so i don't currenlty have it (a recurring theme it seems -- travel is hard)
- i also (finally!!!) replenished my underwear and bought two pairs of socks. but i still need more socks.
nothing I can really think of, though at the beginning of the year, while i was running, i ripped this ann d skirt
Spoiler:
look back on your styling in 2023 and reflect with a focus on buying less
i buy very little, everything i got in 2023 has been mentioned in this post. why are we being prescriptivist though ppl should cop if they wanna cop
what did you like wearing?
- this black silk apiece apart skirt that i got the same time i got the ann d skirt, from which i have gotten so much more wear -- it's so comfy, i can wear it in all temperatures, it goes with everything...
- the black velvet dress that in the photo with my orthopedics above
- as previously mentioned: my ribbed wool turtlenecks, my two pairs of sneakers (the zigzag blazers and the astirs), my new oxford shirt, the qlomaire t-shirt (so comfy and the perfect colour)
- this top that i got in jan '22:
the geometric pattern is so cool but sadly the colouring doesn't work well with blue jeans, which are my only pair of jeans. i think it's better with black/white/cream bottoms (basically, colours already in the top). i do have a few black bottoms but jeans are just so comfy and braindead that usually i end up going for the jeans out of laziness, which rules out this top. it does go really well with the new oxford shirt so i got more wears in near the end of the year.Spoiler:
- this jacket:
which i've had for a few years now and used to wear incessantly. i don't know why but over the past few years i think my clothing has slowly taken a more black/leather/uptight-cold-shrew direction (during this time, i have retired at least three denim items and their spiritual replacements have been grey/black/etc) and this jacket doesn't really fit in so well any more. i don't know what to do about it though because it's such a cool jacket. maybe i'll try to relocate my love for the jacket once the weather gets a bit warmerSpoiler:
- i think this year might finally be the year i retire my nike zigzag blazers:
i just love these shoes so much and i'm so sad. i got them during the 2014-2015 school year and i've wore them constantly since. just yesterday, i noticed a tear in them that's probably developed from wear. i will probably keep wearing them for now, but i don't see them lasting until the end of the year. can't even bear to think about replacing them. don't even know how i will replace them. i think i'm going to feel worse than i did when i had to retire the acne shearling-lined pistols though maybe that's recency biasSpoiler:
- might start branching out with my clothing, as sort of mentioned above. we'll see. it's likely going to happen slowly anyway, over the course of a few years, because i acquire clothing at a glacial pace. at the moment i think i want to:
- incorporate more volume/moment in my clothing, more extraneous fabric, no draping or ruching but just volume. i saw this picture years ago
and it changed my brain chemistrySpoiler:
- scarves tied around the neck like flight attendants
- continue tending toward uptight-frigid-bitch: (black, grey, maroon, oxblood, cream, brown) and (wool, leather, silk, linen)
- incorporate more volume/moment in my clothing, more extraneous fabric, no draping or ruching but just volume. i saw this picture years ago
likes: the bachelorette
dislikes: the bachelor
dislikes: the bachelor
Re: 2023 Retrospective
Tell me about how you did in 2023
i feel like i grew a lot in the last year. ironically my career goals in the last year shifted me into a role (i do agency brand/comms strategy for fashion brands) that i would have been ecstatic about when i was at my peak obsession with fashion some years ago, but i look at clothes and my relationship to them a lot differently now. part of that is working in "the industry" (ew) and part of that is growth and having different priorities, but i feel like i look at my new purchases a lot more holistically and i'm more focused on paring my wardrobe down to only what i absolutely love and only buying when there's a perceived need or when the inspiration strikes me.
did you buy more than you had hoped/planned or less
probably less (and even more so if you discount stuff i get through my work), but i've always thought my purchase habits are pretty reasonable in my own self-assessment. i really only ever buy pretty cheap staple items or stuff that just immediately grabs me and i need to have it, and that latter group is pretty few and far between.
what did you buy that you really love (post fit pics)
realizing i wore mostly new stuff today so here's most in one:
i found these dries aw14 moto pants for a steal, only to try them on and discover that the fit is way too slim for me now. they fit and i would probably have worn them back in my ace cash days, but skinny jean-fit wool pants now sounds like a nightmare to me. luckily i recouped pretty easily
look back on your styling in 2023 and reflect with a focus on buying less
my cumulative purchases over the past couple of years have put me at a cruising altitude i'm pretty comfortable with at the moment. i try to have the kind of wardrobe where no matter what clothes i throw together there's a baseline level of cohesion, so i don't need to spend much time to put together something that's half-decent. half the battle is selling or getting rid of anything i'm not in love with, and that helps me narrow down to exactly what i like wearing and what looks good for how i want to present myself.
what did you like wearing?
black carhartt double-knees or dickies with black boots or black chucks, either white tees or black vintage tees, slightly cropped jackets (mostly blue), ma-1s, and then some random streetwear or techwear bits for flavor.
what did you expect to wear more often than you did?
i have a few summery shirts, like camp collar s/s button-downs, but i tend to have to make a conscious effort to wear them. i think they feel like a concession that i should have some summer-specific items, but the thought of having a "summer wardrobe" runs counter to how i see my whole wardrobe working together. i still like the shirts themselves though.
what does 2024 look like from your head?
a couple more elevated options so i can dress... i guess "aspirationally" is the right word. i figure if i get the right black wool trousers and a pair of sleek black boots the rest will fall into place (cool shirting, knits, maybe a coat like a chesterfield?). a casual suit would be a baller move but i wouldn't know where to start there at the moment. beyond that, probably adding a couple more pants to pad out the rotation and replacing or upgrading accessories (hats, i need a pair of glasses after a decade+ of contacts). if buying for fun rather than necessity, trying to move away from supreme or stussy and buying japanese or european instead. try to have a little fun with it
i feel like i grew a lot in the last year. ironically my career goals in the last year shifted me into a role (i do agency brand/comms strategy for fashion brands) that i would have been ecstatic about when i was at my peak obsession with fashion some years ago, but i look at clothes and my relationship to them a lot differently now. part of that is working in "the industry" (ew) and part of that is growth and having different priorities, but i feel like i look at my new purchases a lot more holistically and i'm more focused on paring my wardrobe down to only what i absolutely love and only buying when there's a perceived need or when the inspiration strikes me.
did you buy more than you had hoped/planned or less
probably less (and even more so if you discount stuff i get through my work), but i've always thought my purchase habits are pretty reasonable in my own self-assessment. i really only ever buy pretty cheap staple items or stuff that just immediately grabs me and i need to have it, and that latter group is pretty few and far between.
what did you buy that you really love (post fit pics)
realizing i wore mostly new stuff today so here's most in one:
Spoiler:
- c.p. company puffa - a perk of the job, phenomenal piece of gear and super warm
- dickies wide leg double-knees - five years ago i was wearing acne ace cashes and now 874s aren't wide enough for me... call it growth or call it chasing the trend, either way they're like 30 bucks
- nike x cdg terminators - i've been completely checked out of the sneaker game but my buddy who works at dsm got me to buy these 50% off and they're great beaters. it's also funny to me that they look almost like panda dunks but they're a lesser-known old nike model and them being marginally cdg gives me annoying unwarranted hipster cred
- supreme ronin football tee - mentioned before on here but i loved frank miller's ronin in high school and this shirt just works perfectly for me, understated as far as supreme flashiness goes and works well however it's styled
- i also got these doc martens 14xx boots through my work and they're getting a ton of consistent use as an all-purpose pair of aggro black combat boots that work with almost all of my pants
Spoiler:
look back on your styling in 2023 and reflect with a focus on buying less
my cumulative purchases over the past couple of years have put me at a cruising altitude i'm pretty comfortable with at the moment. i try to have the kind of wardrobe where no matter what clothes i throw together there's a baseline level of cohesion, so i don't need to spend much time to put together something that's half-decent. half the battle is selling or getting rid of anything i'm not in love with, and that helps me narrow down to exactly what i like wearing and what looks good for how i want to present myself.
what did you like wearing?
black carhartt double-knees or dickies with black boots or black chucks, either white tees or black vintage tees, slightly cropped jackets (mostly blue), ma-1s, and then some random streetwear or techwear bits for flavor.
what did you expect to wear more often than you did?
i have a few summery shirts, like camp collar s/s button-downs, but i tend to have to make a conscious effort to wear them. i think they feel like a concession that i should have some summer-specific items, but the thought of having a "summer wardrobe" runs counter to how i see my whole wardrobe working together. i still like the shirts themselves though.
what does 2024 look like from your head?
a couple more elevated options so i can dress... i guess "aspirationally" is the right word. i figure if i get the right black wool trousers and a pair of sleek black boots the rest will fall into place (cool shirting, knits, maybe a coat like a chesterfield?). a casual suit would be a baller move but i wouldn't know where to start there at the moment. beyond that, probably adding a couple more pants to pad out the rotation and replacing or upgrading accessories (hats, i need a pair of glasses after a decade+ of contacts). if buying for fun rather than necessity, trying to move away from supreme or stussy and buying japanese or european instead. try to have a little fun with it
Re: 2023 Retrospective
Tell me about how you did in 2023
2023 was the year that i lived in a different continent from the one in which i was born. you would think that would be really exciting and mark the year but geography doesn't really matter that much for a boy who mostly likes to listen to music in his headphones by the river. the river is nicer here though. fashion-wise i think i was a bit influenced by the french hipster. they wear small hats but a different type of small hat that i'm told you see in places like new york city. they also wear a lot of vintage clothing from way too expensive boutiques and that's what i mostly liked. they also really like circular fashion and upcycled clothes and i think that's cool. i grew a moustache and wore thick glasses which was probably a symptom of trying to fit in or something but i think i look handsome anyways.
did you buy more than you had hoped/planned or less
i buy very few things. i probably should have bought more things but i have a phobia of spending money i think.
what did you buy that you really love (post fit pics)
i bought a utility/hiking vest that is kinda a cheat code for making any pant and tee outfit a bit interesting, and i can even wear it in the summer. i also bought pants with flowers on them and a sweater with flowers on them, and both make me look cute and people really like them. i bought the red hender scheme neck key ring thing early in the year and i wore it all the time--it's a nice accessory even though it's a bit uncomfortable to have heavy keys hanging off your neck (i wore it without the keys a lot..). oh i also bought a ring that says "talks to trees" on it, i like the kitschiness.
what did you buy that was a huge mistake
nothing is a huge mistake in my beautiful life but i bought a camiel fortgens wool blazer that hit the classic "cool in theory but not very wearable in my day to day when i go sit by the river" problem. i'm still gonna keep it because it wasn't very expensive and i like owning beautiful objects even if they're not that useful. i'll probably find an occasion to wear it eventually.
look back on your styling in 2022 and reflect with a focus on buying less
i already don't buy anything and when i do it's on grailed or vinted which means i can usually resell if it doesn't work out for around the same i bought it for. nothing goes to waste and i get a nice walk to the post office. i am beginning to have more swag in my overall behaviours which is translating to having a bit more confidence in wearing more out-there clothing (still tame by any fashion head standards). i wore my hoka recovery slides more often than is reasonable but they are soooo comfortable and don't even look that bad in a real outfit. i also abused my gramicci fleece and company-branded arcteryx puffer. i should have worn both less.
what did you like wearing?
a few years ago i was into making clothes and i had a lot of fun making my own patterns and thrifting interesting materials and making clothing. at the time i was too nervous to wear most of it because they would always get comments ("wow, that shirt has a huge pocket"), and then i would have to say that i made it and it would turn into a whole thing and i was a nervous little boy back then. i was also deathly afraid that a seam would come undone and everyone would know i was a terrible seamstress even though i'm certain my self-made clothing is more robust than a lot of the other cheap stuff i wear. now that i'm old and wise i don't care about silly things like that and i started wearing those things and i really enjoyed it. in 2024 i will start making clothing again.
i also bought a yellow wool chore coat in a thrift store in new york that became my staple coat. everyone recognizes me by the yellow coat and i like that.
what did you expect to wear more often than you did?
i have like 4 nice looking unstructured blazers that i would like to wear but hardly get the occasion to because they only really make sense in fall or spring weather and those seasons are so short. i need to learn to stop buying so many unstructured blazers.
what does 2024 look like from your head?
i don't know
2023 was the year that i lived in a different continent from the one in which i was born. you would think that would be really exciting and mark the year but geography doesn't really matter that much for a boy who mostly likes to listen to music in his headphones by the river. the river is nicer here though. fashion-wise i think i was a bit influenced by the french hipster. they wear small hats but a different type of small hat that i'm told you see in places like new york city. they also wear a lot of vintage clothing from way too expensive boutiques and that's what i mostly liked. they also really like circular fashion and upcycled clothes and i think that's cool. i grew a moustache and wore thick glasses which was probably a symptom of trying to fit in or something but i think i look handsome anyways.
did you buy more than you had hoped/planned or less
i buy very few things. i probably should have bought more things but i have a phobia of spending money i think.
what did you buy that you really love (post fit pics)
i bought a utility/hiking vest that is kinda a cheat code for making any pant and tee outfit a bit interesting, and i can even wear it in the summer. i also bought pants with flowers on them and a sweater with flowers on them, and both make me look cute and people really like them. i bought the red hender scheme neck key ring thing early in the year and i wore it all the time--it's a nice accessory even though it's a bit uncomfortable to have heavy keys hanging off your neck (i wore it without the keys a lot..). oh i also bought a ring that says "talks to trees" on it, i like the kitschiness.
Spoiler:
nothing is a huge mistake in my beautiful life but i bought a camiel fortgens wool blazer that hit the classic "cool in theory but not very wearable in my day to day when i go sit by the river" problem. i'm still gonna keep it because it wasn't very expensive and i like owning beautiful objects even if they're not that useful. i'll probably find an occasion to wear it eventually.
look back on your styling in 2022 and reflect with a focus on buying less
i already don't buy anything and when i do it's on grailed or vinted which means i can usually resell if it doesn't work out for around the same i bought it for. nothing goes to waste and i get a nice walk to the post office. i am beginning to have more swag in my overall behaviours which is translating to having a bit more confidence in wearing more out-there clothing (still tame by any fashion head standards). i wore my hoka recovery slides more often than is reasonable but they are soooo comfortable and don't even look that bad in a real outfit. i also abused my gramicci fleece and company-branded arcteryx puffer. i should have worn both less.
what did you like wearing?
a few years ago i was into making clothes and i had a lot of fun making my own patterns and thrifting interesting materials and making clothing. at the time i was too nervous to wear most of it because they would always get comments ("wow, that shirt has a huge pocket"), and then i would have to say that i made it and it would turn into a whole thing and i was a nervous little boy back then. i was also deathly afraid that a seam would come undone and everyone would know i was a terrible seamstress even though i'm certain my self-made clothing is more robust than a lot of the other cheap stuff i wear. now that i'm old and wise i don't care about silly things like that and i started wearing those things and i really enjoyed it. in 2024 i will start making clothing again.
i also bought a yellow wool chore coat in a thrift store in new york that became my staple coat. everyone recognizes me by the yellow coat and i like that.
what did you expect to wear more often than you did?
i have like 4 nice looking unstructured blazers that i would like to wear but hardly get the occasion to because they only really make sense in fall or spring weather and those seasons are so short. i need to learn to stop buying so many unstructured blazers.
what does 2024 look like from your head?
i don't know
-
olympiaitsthewater
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2021 12:21 am
- Reputation: 72
Re: 2023 Retrospective
I started dressing like a real piece of shit
Re: 2023 Retrospective
Tell me about how you did in 2023
Lifewise? Ok. My wife had another kid, which is, like, twice as much work as one kid. It really focuses your time and energy, which is rewarding and exhausting. Consequently, the clothes I wore out were of a specific kind. Wearing wool is a lot less reasonable when pee poo and spew are more prominent.
Depressingly, I used to buy clothes as avenues to do things in them. Now I just kinda buy clothes that I think are cool items.
did you buy more than you had hoped/planned or less
I bought WAY more than I'd hoped.. I bought, uh, several suits. Some of these were for wedding parties, some of these are because I have fucking brainworms and despite barely leaving the house, like casual suits.
I bought a lot of deadstock byborre, something I thought I was done with because the brand as a label is done, but turns out there's still a lot out there that's 70% off! Well, less so, now. Nice to shore up a Collection, as a collector.
Everything else was either replacing dead items or picking up activity-ish specific technical gear, activities I barely participate in but would love to return to in the future! I love consumerism, and it loves me, so it's all good.
what did you buy that you really love (post fit pics)
I bought this maniacally oversized sweater-cum-outerwear that I didn't realize the shape of when it reached a shockingly low-and-acceptable price. it's a lot of fun to wear, though, if a bit challenging.
what did you buy that was a huge mistake
One of those suits? The cut sucks. Like, it's closer to a chore coat than a suit, which is fine, but as a chore coat it sucks, too. It's just bad. Cool fabric, though.
A couple of crimes of ebay opportunity based on the price-to-experimentation ratio turned out to just not be right, which stinks because they were otherwise cool clothes.
EDIT: I forgot about my true worst purchase: back in January, I took advantage of sale season and got some 4sdesign Ventile Cargoes. Hell yeah, man! Cargoes! Ventile! First problem: I mis-sized since I couldn't find measurements anywhere and figured a 50 would fit since that's a size down from my suits. WRONG! It's huge in the waist. That's ok, I can use a belt even if ventile is kinda hefty and cinching that much fabric makes a gnarly knot at the waist. Second problem: BOTH inseams popped open when I leaned down to put on my shoes the first time. That's ok, I can fix that. Third problem: the second time I wore them, a beltloop popped off! I need those! To cinch these heinously sized pants up! I'd had enough and they're for sale which nobody wants to buy because the belt loops pop off, but what a fucking ordeal. Total fucking lemon for something that according to saks retails for over 900 fucking dollars. Pisses me off from all directions.
look back on your styling in 2022 and reflect with a focus on buying less
I'm not done, I love buying and having and wearing stuff. 2022 was a lot lighter on my wallet (though if you remove all those fucking suits and related accoutrement, I guess it's pretty similar) but the focus remains. Fewer misses, and they were cheaper.
what did you like wearing?
I basically walked around like this when the temperatures were acceptable.
what did you expect to wear more often than you did?
Technical shells. I have a pretty extensive collection of rainwear but now that I don't leave the house without someone else, their lack of really good rainwear means I don't really go outside. It sucks, because I like doing that.
I also bought a wetsuit but I used it in June and it was good to have one that fit me appropriately but then by the time I got back to the beach in FUCKING DECEMBER a 3/2 was too light.
what does 2024 look like from your head?
I set up a poshmark account to move old clothes, and those people are some of the cheapest people on the planet, but I did get some things out of the house. The things that didn't move, I get to pretend they're In The Process of being sold so they can be removed from my mind and I get to write goofy copy and reflect on my clothes, sort of like this. I like to think I'm a good storyteller but a terrible salesman. I hope to move a lot more.
I will continue to not buy shoes, I will not buy any t-shirts, I will not buy any outerwear, I will not buy any knits. Pants? You better believe I'm buying pants.
Lifewise? Ok. My wife had another kid, which is, like, twice as much work as one kid. It really focuses your time and energy, which is rewarding and exhausting. Consequently, the clothes I wore out were of a specific kind. Wearing wool is a lot less reasonable when pee poo and spew are more prominent.
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
did you buy more than you had hoped/planned or less
I bought WAY more than I'd hoped.. I bought, uh, several suits. Some of these were for wedding parties, some of these are because I have fucking brainworms and despite barely leaving the house, like casual suits.
Spoiler:
Everything else was either replacing dead items or picking up activity-ish specific technical gear, activities I barely participate in but would love to return to in the future! I love consumerism, and it loves me, so it's all good.
what did you buy that you really love (post fit pics)
I bought this maniacally oversized sweater-cum-outerwear that I didn't realize the shape of when it reached a shockingly low-and-acceptable price. it's a lot of fun to wear, though, if a bit challenging.
Spoiler:
One of those suits? The cut sucks. Like, it's closer to a chore coat than a suit, which is fine, but as a chore coat it sucks, too. It's just bad. Cool fabric, though.
A couple of crimes of ebay opportunity based on the price-to-experimentation ratio turned out to just not be right, which stinks because they were otherwise cool clothes.
EDIT: I forgot about my true worst purchase: back in January, I took advantage of sale season and got some 4sdesign Ventile Cargoes. Hell yeah, man! Cargoes! Ventile! First problem: I mis-sized since I couldn't find measurements anywhere and figured a 50 would fit since that's a size down from my suits. WRONG! It's huge in the waist. That's ok, I can use a belt even if ventile is kinda hefty and cinching that much fabric makes a gnarly knot at the waist. Second problem: BOTH inseams popped open when I leaned down to put on my shoes the first time. That's ok, I can fix that. Third problem: the second time I wore them, a beltloop popped off! I need those! To cinch these heinously sized pants up! I'd had enough and they're for sale which nobody wants to buy because the belt loops pop off, but what a fucking ordeal. Total fucking lemon for something that according to saks retails for over 900 fucking dollars. Pisses me off from all directions.
look back on your styling in 2022 and reflect with a focus on buying less
I'm not done, I love buying and having and wearing stuff. 2022 was a lot lighter on my wallet (though if you remove all those fucking suits and related accoutrement, I guess it's pretty similar) but the focus remains. Fewer misses, and they were cheaper.
what did you like wearing?
I basically walked around like this when the temperatures were acceptable.
Spoiler:
Technical shells. I have a pretty extensive collection of rainwear but now that I don't leave the house without someone else, their lack of really good rainwear means I don't really go outside. It sucks, because I like doing that.
Spoiler:
what does 2024 look like from your head?
I set up a poshmark account to move old clothes, and those people are some of the cheapest people on the planet, but I did get some things out of the house. The things that didn't move, I get to pretend they're In The Process of being sold so they can be removed from my mind and I get to write goofy copy and reflect on my clothes, sort of like this. I like to think I'm a good storyteller but a terrible salesman. I hope to move a lot more.
I will continue to not buy shoes, I will not buy any t-shirts, I will not buy any outerwear, I will not buy any knits. Pants? You better believe I'm buying pants.
