What I Bought in April
The one in which (almost) nothing is on THE LIST
My low-buy “rules”
This is my third year shopping this way, and the “rules” I’ve personally settled on are:
I’ll only buy 12 new pieces of clothing in 2025
Secondhand doesn’t count
Accessories (bags, shoes, jewelry, etc.) also don’t count
This works well for me and my goals, which are to 1. generally keep a lid on things to prevent overconsuming and 2. force myself into better choices so I end up with things I actually love.
THE LIST as it stands:
What I didn’t buy:
Things that caught my eye enough to justify a screenshot or Pinterest save, but that I talked myself out of one way or another. Read on for my self-deinfuencing train of thought.
On the list? ❌
We’re off of leopard print and on to zebra, apparently. While I can’t consider myself an animal print lover, I’ve historically had a soft spot for zebra (I owned and loved this exact skirt from J. Crew aged 18-24-ish). This is adorable.
But…have you heard about the Indyx State of Our Wardrobes report!? The data shows that dresses don’t get worn (just 3 times on average! versus a paltry 7 for all clothing items). I find this to be true in my own closet, too.
There are simply better ways to ‘spend’ my one new item a month than on a (very cute) dress that I have no plan for!
On the list? ❌
Ah, to jelly flat or not to jelly flat?
This is a less directly on-the-nose option than the multitude of The Row dupes we’re seeing this year. It’s a good example of what I consider as reasonably “inspired by”, and participating in a trend set by a well-known product versus a dupe.
It’s jelly. It’s caged. But it’s not exactly this:
Do we see the difference? Besides the “right and wrong” of duping (which I am not interested in litigating in the comment section today!), if I’m doing a trend, I’ll always (selfishly!) prefer to go with the less literal interpretation because let’s face it: we’re all hipsters to some degree, and as soon as the exact item you covet is seen literally EVERYWHERE, it’s easy to get the ick.
Don’t get me wrong: the whole thing is a trend that very few people will get more than a few years out of. But, I’ve found that hedging this way might get me 2-4 years versus literally one on a closely duped item.
Side note: I find it lusciously ironic that The Row’s original Mara Flat is completely unavailable (!!!) for purchase this year after widespread reports last year of them ripping apart after just a few wears. To their credit, The Row seemed to refund anyone claiming to have a torn pair, no questions asked. Can the $50 version do it better? I have my doubts. But we’ll probably hear much less about that because we already expect a semi-disposable price point to deliver us a semi-disposable product.
All this taken into consideration, these are still a pass for now.
On the list? ❌
Now this is a SHOE!!! I love them.
I love them because while in one sense they are wildly impractical, in another sense the are wildly practical because:
I have absolutely nothing like this in my closet. No substitutes.
I can immediately imagine them creating a million new outfits, vibing perfectly with my style and the color palette of my wardrobe
And at the end of the day, that’s what we’re we’re all voraciously seeking, right?!?
That being said: I still choke at the thought of $800 shoes. I’ll be manifesting their appearance in the Summer Tibi sale.
On the list? ❌
I had a similar cardigan a few years ago from Artizia that I ended up selling after just a handful of wears because it lived in this uncanny valley: too low-cut and sexy feeling to wear to work…but like, am I really reaching for a sexy cardigan for my precious few social outings? The answer for me was no.
I can justify that this one might be different because it has the option of those higher-up buttons. If they actually can be buttoned without pulling across the chest is another question entirely.
On the list? ❌
WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT DRESSES?
Regardless, I’m obsessed with this one. This is almost always wishful thinking, but doesn’t it just feel like something that could live in your closet for like, 30+ years? Sure, it will probably date itself, but somehow still also look cool in 2043. That’s just my opinion!
(whispers: what did I say about dresses!?!)
While I might be able to twist myself into considering this a “good investment” when amortized over 30 years, this just isn’t realistic to my actual lifestyle.
On the list? ❌
This is exactly the time of year when brands collude to psy-op us into thinking we need an entire “linen wardrobe” for summer. It might make sense for some! Alas for me in San Francisco, linen doesn’t pull its weight.
What I bought:
On the list? ❌
While they came off THE LIST as a priority a while ago, I’ve had white overalls on the brain for a few years. I’ve found this challenging, because, like…how do you know if you’re an overalls girl without owning overalls? They’re such a distinct thing that it’s hard to concretely compare to anything else in your wardrobe to get a gauge on how useful they’ll be (or not). So, what do I know?
I know I like things that are comfortable.
I know that I have been loving the silhouette of a looser, wide-leg bottom.
I know I like things that are a little silly goofy.
I know I like things with lots of built-in styling possibilities. That can be layered under and over, buttons done and undone, things wrapped and unwrapped, etc.
But I acknowledge these are a risk!
The best possible signal I can offer is that I got them home and immediately wore them the next three days in a row. It’s like the exact opposite feeling of the navy slip skirt I sent back last month after hanging untouched on my closet door for a week. What is the point of buying if not to feel something?
On the list? ✅
I am utterly addicted to light-colored bottoms, okay!? Never met one I didn’t like. While it’s not strictly the “trouser short” from THE LIST, this hits close enough to the vibe I was intending to count it.
Shorts are tricky. As a relatively thick-thighed person, I desperately wish they made them with sized leg openings. Because on the model, the open space between her leg and the opening makes shorts look easy, breezy with a cute little kicked-out silhouette.
And then on me, the leg opening is often nearly saran-wrapped onto my thighs. It’s a whole different (and much more uptight) vibe.
Please never forget, folks: the problem is the clothes, not your body! This would be solved by a pair of shorts cut with different proportions and a larger diameter leg opening. At some point I’d love to have some custom-made!
But in the meantime, I always look closely for shorts that seem WAY too big on the model’s leg, like they almost flare outwards from waist to leg opening. They still won’t look as breezy on me, but hopefully we land somewhere close.
And that’s why I like these. I want to experiment with the whole longer short / jort-esque trend without going all the way into jort land. I like the idea of these with a low heel, a dressy tank top, and an open shirt for summer vacation dinners. I’m honestly not sure I’ll get that much wear out of these, but they’re fulfilling a fantasy for me, okay?
On the list? ❌ / ✅
These are questionably list-approved. If you just consider this a “neutral slim sneaker” then this fits the bill.
I read the term “ballerina sneaker” here on Substack last week and nearly threw up. But here we are.
On the list? ❌
But, it used to be! Toward the end of last year, I bought a different vintage leather jacket on eBay. It was fine, but not perfect. This one is perfect. (p.s. can you believe how good the photo in this listing is!? No notes, and it was dropped straight into my Indyx closet).
Luckily, the issue with the old jacket was that it was a bit too oversized, which happens to be just the right size for my partner. He’s now happily wearing it. A true win-win. We love a non-toxic man who’s not afraid to steal from his wife’s closet.
Where we are so far this year
For those keeping track…
New pieces of clothing: 4 / 4 months of 2025
New accessories: 3 / no limit
Secondhand pieces: 2 / no limit
If you’re ever curious, you can see all the details of my real closet on Indyx. And as of this month, can see not just my items, but also all the outfits I’ve styled with them.
If I’ve shown you mine…will you show me yours? 👀
I feel it is my civic duty to introduce you to Decade Studio denim shorts. You’re welcome🫡
I just bought those Levi's white shorts for exactly the same reason! I love them so far, but I am anticipating some grass stains in my future.