What I Bought in February

Congratulating myself for restraint in the year's shortest month

I’m on ice. We know this from January when I blew through two months’ worth of picks in one sale.

But, not buying doesn’t mean not shopping. In fact, this entire experiment and the process I’ve designed along with it kind of *depends* on me doing much more shopping than buying. So, let’s get into it.

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 massive overconsumption and 2. curate a wardrobe of things I actually love.

THE LIST as it stands today:

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? ❌

I keep finding myself attracted to silky pants. I even have a pair that I am now trying to sell! Is it a sickness to keep looking at the same thing, even when another version didn’t work for you? Maybe.

Or, I can justify to myself why this pair will be different: it has a slimmer leg, a silhouette that I know I love because I also own these exact Simple Pants in linen! These are also a smoother silk vs. the more crinkly satin on what I already own.

Idk, or maybe I’ll always have that feeling deep down that silky pants look cool on others but seem like pajama pants on me.

On the list? ✅

Whereas silky pants read pajamas on me, a silky SKIRT(!) however, is somehow…fancier? The only question is whether the outfits I can make with this will pull too feminine for my personal style.

I am again contradicting my own advice by jumping on this one when it’s gone on sale. But, I think it’s still probably worth a try in March. Stay tuned.

On the list? ❌

I stumbled across this one on an Indyx styling client’s inspo board (occupational hazard!) and my heart STOPPED. The sheerness. The plunging neckline. The mix of feminine lace and sporty mesh. So good!!!

I do not need more dresses. I certainly don’t need more white dresses. But….ugh.

On the list? ❌

I similarly discovered Studio Amelia this month through an Indyx stylist (shout out to Kim!) who styled this cutie-patootie into a client Lookbook. I’ll repeat: occupational hazard.

I already have a shoe in almost this exact color. That’s probably why I’m so attracted to this one! But realistically I don’t need this same color in a sandal, too. It’s a reminder to dig back into what I already have…but, I’m glad this brand is on my radar.

On the list? ❌

BE STILL MY MILLENNIAL HEART. The oversized charm necklace (the Gen Z version of the Millennial statement bubble necklace) has made it fully mass market at J. Crew.

I’m tempted by the (relatively) cheap thrill, but I know I’ll regret it soon enough.

On the list? ❌

Is this good, or just good styling? I fear it would pull much too “little lad” on its own without the (very good) layering.

Like seriously, whoever did the styling for J. Crew this season did a great job!! I saved this color combination.

On the list? ✅

I simply cannot go a single month without wishlisting something Tibi, okay!?

I’ve held back on “completing” my suit set with the tropical wool Liam Blazer for quite a while. There’s just something about a totally matching suit set that feels…boring? Too corporate? Like, I struggle to imagine actually wearing them together. Now I have it in my head that the nylon blazer is, in fact, the correct not-too-matchy pairing.

On the list? ❌

These are insane!!! In the best way, of course. Now I must debate whether this newer slide silhouette or the original rain boot version is better for me.

On the list? ❌

But, I have summer travel coming up that will require a good bit of walking and I’m feeling nervous about it. The classic: “if it’s good enough for Mary-Kate Olsen, it’s good enough for me”.

On the list? ✅

Influenced by another Indyx stylist,

Jamie Lee

of

The Monthly Edit

(this time just via her Instagram!). It’s a barn jacket that’s not army green! I also love the minimalism of it. A pet peeve of mine is jackets overloaded with gold hardware. I’m already holding on to ye ol’ 2015 J. Crew “Downtown Field Jacket” waiting for its moment to become ‘vintage’, so I don’t need more of the same thing! This feels different enough. And I always lament feeling under-jacketed in San Francisco where you literally cannot leave the house without one 365 days a year.

Let’s just wait and see if this one sticks around in my head…

What I bought:

Nothing! Nada. Not even secondhand this month. It’s been quite a while since that was the case. But it felt good to just sit in the glow of my splurges from last month and appreciate my closet for what it is right now. I’m not a huge proponent of “no-buy”s (vs. “low-buy”s), as I think they tend to end in feast/famine behavior. But, I get the appeal.

Three favorites from this month, featuring:

1. My vintage leather jacket bought last year on eBay that I….might…be finally pulling off? (left)

2. A very advanced (for me) layering gambit, featuring a color combination inspired by the one and only

   Heather
   (& the new inspo feature on Indyx!)(right)

3. The outfit I wore for THE NEW YORK TIMES (center). And yes, I did stand in front of my mirror the night before frantically trying on a million brand new outfits until I realized “hey, there might be an app for that?” and pulled up my favorited outfits. If this is my one and only shot, might as well make it a signature, right?

Please pardon my vanity for just one moment:

Screaming, crying, and throwing up.

That’s all.

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If you’re ever curious, you can see all the details of my real closet on Indyx. The web link will let you spy on my items, but you need the app to see aaaalllllll the outfits I’ve styled with those items.