Tina.b, you just reminded me of another brilliant purchase this year -- my metallic clutch! It goes with everything and I have to remind myself to switch things up and use my other fab purses too.

Ooh, this is hard. My two leather jackets I have only been able to wear once each, because of climate, so I don't know if I can consider either a 'best' purchase yet. I also adore my wine skinny cords, but again climate limited their wear until very recently.
I can say my $8 'paper bag' olive dress was a big hit and I wore it more than anything else this year. Also, it shifted my style dynamic in dresses to a drapey silhouette. I will declare it the best purchase based just on number of times worn, and also because it moved my style direction.

Way too enthused with my weight loss and some great thngs to limit to just one. I will say that I am most thrilled with my new collection of shorter and cropped jackets that are better for my height than what I was wearing last year to cover up the weight...
Second to that would have to be my two pairs of shooties...Oh, wait can't forget my purses... see too much to pick!

My tall black Blondo boots from NAS. Having short, thick legs I never thought I'd find boots that I could tuck jeans into. So fun to wear and comfortable "to boot". Thanks for the recommendation, Angie and everyone else!

I am going to have to go with my JCrew calf hair leopard print belt. I considered this and another one I didnt like as well but that was 1/3 the price. DH convinced me to get the more expensive one I liked better and it has made all the difference. A good lesson to me: spend the money for KILLER as opposed to trying the scrimp the pennies and not be completely happy.

It has to be my new boot purchases. All of them have been getting so much love.
I am really happy I didn't wait for the R&B to go on sale. I bought them at full price and have been enjoying wearing them for months.

My worst purchase of the year was a pair of Seychelles pumps. I wore them around the house and they seemed comfortable enough. They killed my feet after a few minutes outside. Also, the leather on both heels tore right away. That was a waste of $98.

Oh gosh, it's hard to pick! I think by virtue of "most worn" and by that I mean at least once a week I would have to say my Silver Suki Skinny Jeans, which I may have purchased boxing week 2011, so I guess they technically don't count.

In that case, it's the JCrew Tipped Peacoat. LOVE that coat.

I am benched. I can't pick just one. I bought several workhorses:

Red belt from Strasbourg
Black/white oxfords
Black moto jacket

My new recent loves:

Red skinny jeans
Frye Melissa boots

This has been hard as I am planning on some rethinking for 2013. BUT I do love my marc jacobs crossover bag. Right size, cross over, but holds a bunch of stuff. I can do life hands free yeah!

Mine has to be my brown Frye campus boots. I wear a lot of earth tones and they go beautifully with everything. I love them equally with slacks or jeans. I got the version with the lug sole and so I also have great footing when it's icy. It's been a win win win.

Been looking forward to this thread, and I've really enjoyed reading everyone's responses. My best purchase of 2012 was my fucshia blazer. I tried unsuccessfully to wear blazers for months before finding one in a smile-inducing color that fit my body and style persona just right. Despite not being a super expensive item, it was my most expensive purchase of the year and I paid full price for it. That was an important lesson for me. My second best purchase was the two pearl necklaces I bought. I didn't realize what a wardrobe hole this was until I filled it. No MCP's wardrobe is complete without pearls!

First off, thanks so much for all chiming in! It has been delightful reading about what you love in your wardrobe.

It's interesting to note that the favourite items run the gumut of everything from jackets to jeans to boots to handbags to belts. You just never know what's going to become a workhorse. I also like that for many of you, these favourite items either started a style shift or were purchased as a result of a style shift.

Well, I guess my answer would depend on whether my best purchase is a workhorse or something cool.

Workhorse: black James Perse t-shirt or Zella quilted jacket
Something cool: Pink spikey Jeffrey Campbell combat boots or black strappy Demobaza trousers (I don't think I've posted photos of these here)

I think I need to sit on the bench while I decide...

I've been happy with several things but the best will probably be the Stuart Weitzman python booties. They bookend my hair, have a fun pattern/texture, low heel and are 12 hour shoes.

As a frugal student, my best purchase would be my best deal. I bought this pencil skirt in first week of January. It was leftover stock from boxing week so everything was on deep discount. I had been searching for a classic pencil skirt within my budget for ages for presentations and business competitions. I found the perfect dark grey pencil skirt at Sears. It had 3 layers (built-in slip!) and was made from substantial quality material. It went to the top of my kneecap so totally competition-appropriate. And it was marked down to $6! I couldn't believe it and found out there was a further 50% off on all clearance. The cashier couldn't believe it either and we had chuckled at the $3.39 (incl. tax) skirt.

This skirt has accompanied me to Utah and won me 4th place at an international business competition, so we're pretty much inseparable now

Great question - really made me think. For our winter just past I bought some skinnies & then went back & bought X2 more in slightly different washes - they got constant wear & were so comfy. I've always been good with the "statement" pieces but I'm really learning the value of the wardrobe basics & essentials.

My leather jacket. Not only because I love it and wear it constantly, but because it was the result of my first successful extended search.

Hmm, mostly accessories were my best purchases of the year. Shortly after the new year, I found an amazing sale price on a God Save McQueen scarf, and it is my favourite scarf EVER. I treasure it and sometimes hesitate to wear it for fear it will get "worn".

Second is my cobalt blue RM MAC. It is versatile and the perfect size. I may buy another in a different colour just because it works so well.

Ay! Great question, Shannon, and so hard to answer since I love so many of my 2012 purchases....BUT I think I'll go with my GAP really skinny black trousers. I wear them so much I had to buy another pair.

Boyfriend jeans. They were a totally new silhouette for me and changed everything I wore. Next, Sam Edelman red booties. Dang, I have worn those SO much!

I have numerous "best purchases"!
- Rag & Bone booties (recent addition)
- Grey MKors clutch I got last winter
- 2 pairs of True Religion bf jeans, I wear them constantly. One lighter wash, one darker, I got these last April.
- My neon yellow belt from J Crew
- My black belt from Madewell
- Tuxedo pants -- one from Rag & Bone, the other from Shakuhachi
- Leather moto from Zara
- Grey skinnies from James Jeans

Look at this, I am happy with so many things this year!

And I am still happy with these things from last year:
- 2 pairs of US-made booties from Vintage Shoe Co.
- Sessun oversized coat
- Burgundy skinnies from 7
- coated skinnies from Paige
- Two cozy, washable cardis from Nordstrom

Dissapointments this year:
- T by A. Wang knit skirt
- T by A Wang blue top that goes with it
- Expensive Vince cardi, I wear it but it's already pilling.
- Almost everything I purchased at Loehmans

Denise, are you disappointed with the T quality, or for other reasons?

Caro - let's hear it for fab basics!

Denise - what a fantastic list of things you love. It's clearly been a good year for you.

My few big purchases were my burgundy leather jacket from Nordstrom, Dr. Maarten Marcy boots, and my new light coat from Anthropologie.

I'm sure I've forgotten something since a whole year has passed by but these are the three that really stand out right now.

Im going to be boring and say I can't pick one piece. Over the past 12 months I have slowly and steadily revamped by wardrobe and I can honestly say that I am loving everything in it and everything is being worn in fairly even rotation. But I have loved reading everyone elses picks and note Im not the only one who cannot choose.

Best purchase of the year is also the most recent: a faux leather moto from Express:

I was going to wait until I finished losing weight to buy a moto, but I tried this on on a whim and it was instant love. I did some quick calculations and realized the CPW would be reasonable even if I only wear this for one year, so I went for it and am so happy I did. I've worn it every other day since I bought it a few weeks ago. I'm halfway into my weight loss so I figured this was a reasonable reward! Glad I BBQ because it's sold out in black now.

It's this one, only in black:
http://www.express.com/minus-t.....pro#jsLink

Like this:
http://springpad.com/#!/mcdeig.....tatexpress

Chloe satchel.

This was a hard choice. Short list was Chloe bag, black and cream knit top and
Theory moto jacket. Chloe bag wins - pomegranete glazed leather and it somehow goes with everything in my closet. I am looking at it on a cost per use basis and it's coming down quickly with no end in sight!

Hands down, without a doubt my new Aquatalia black booties. I've worn them with trousers, suits, jeans, skirts and dresses! They are so comfortable that I want to wear them every day (and I nearly have since I finally brought them out of shoe purgatory!). They are the most comfortable pair of 3 1/2 inch heels I've ever owned. I wear them all day and don't have the "I can't wait to get these off" feeling I have at the end of the day with most of my other heels. They weren't cheap, but I am glad I spent the money on them. I think these will seriously affect the way I look at other shoes. My guess is that I will become *much* pickier and save up for the perfect pair rather than any pair that seems to catch my eye.

What a fun list! I've enjoyed reading everyone's responses!

I'm pretty sure it's my black Fluevog Stop It Stad booties. I adore them, they're comfortable, cute with slacks, and funky with skirts. They're also the most expensive thing bought this year.
http://www.fluevog.com/code/?w.....iew=detail

But nagging at the back of my mind are my brown Fitzwell tall boots. They're the first tall boots of my adult life and have completely opened up my winter dressing options. I got a screaming deal on them last spring and put them to work this fall.

http://www.zappos.com/fitzwell.....ilian-calf

Hmm, the boots I love or the boots that let me bring my skirts and dresses out to play more?

Best purchase this year--a pair burgundy maternity skinnies. Once I got over my hurdle of not wanting to buy any maternity clothes (because it's my last one and I already had some from before, although they don't feel quite as fab anymore) and let myself buy a couple of new maternity pieces, it changed my whole attitude about maternity dressing. I will make it through my pregnancy while still feeling stylish, and I won't run out of clothes! I'm wearing the heck out of these burgundy pants and I feel like I'm still keeping up with the current trends.