I sympathize! I find myself thinking a lot about what to wear and then not being totally happy with what I'm actually wearing in the end, and I'm not even ill!

May I suggest that you measure yourself and use those measurements when purchasing online? It's not foolproof, as individual items vary and not all brands/shops are good about accuracy. But I've found it does help a lot to get the right size.

ChristelJ - Thank you for the feedback! And always nice to meet other knitters/crafters. Adding bits of color through accessories is a great idea I think, as it can easily satisfy the urge, while not being too much of an investment. Also a great way to test out a new color, so I think that’s a good way to start for me. I am actually sewing some pink throw pillow covers, and thought I might make a little coin purse with the leftover fabric. Also just had the idea of adding some pink embroidery to a simple white t-shirt…

And yes, reaching a place where I am able to pour some energy into this feels major for me, and it is definitely a version of self care, I think!

Jenava - I need to get better at using my measurements when ordering online! I actually have my measurements written down on a note on my phone for easy reference, but somehow forget to use them. Some stores (like Boden for example, which is where I recently made one of my failed purchases) even have the garment measurements listed.

I think another challenge for me is that I haven’t been in stores and tried things on for quite some time, and with changing styles and cuts, I don’t have a good grasp on what fits me anymore. For example, I ordered a bunch of sweaters last month from & Other Stories, and failed to notice that they all had fairly voluminous sleeves, which looked ridiculous on me. Also, after sending back a variety of wide leg pants, I have learned that I need my pants to be fairly fitted around the hips and upper thigh, so a slightly flared shape works better for me. Lesson learned, even if it’s a slow journey.

Oh I see, that's clever to use Huggies that way - I guess another advantage of that sort of closure is not having to worry about losing the back of your earrings either! Or is that just me, lol?

Hmm you seem to favour quite different colours to me (I'm more of a Deep, Warm & sometimes Clear season) - since you mentioned Boden, have you also tried White Stuff, Fat Face & Joules? A somewhat similar style (since they're all UK high street brands).

Zaeobi - Yes, I think I am somewhere right in the middle of soft summer/soft autumn season, can't go too cool or too warm, but always somewhat soft/muted mid-tone colors. Thank for those suggestions, I will check them out. Joules looks quite interesting, but unfortunately they don't seem to ship to my country.

I decided to order the cardigan from Sezane, and it arrived yesterday. The neckline is a little wider than I would prefer, but I love the color and softness, so I am leaning towards keeping it. Also hoping to pick up some yarn this weekend for a second cardigan, but not sure if I should go for a dark blue or soft olive...

Ah that's a lovely cardi, neckline & all!

Sezane is a brand I've had my eye on for a while but never pulled the trigger - do you mind if I ask what the sizing is like - true to size or do you need to size up? Does it accommodate curves well? Thanks!

I love Sezane's aesthetic, but to be honest I find their sizing to be a little all over the place. A lot of their knitwear seems to be very oversized, so there is room to size down depending on the look you prefer. I don't care for oversized and went down a size for this cardigan, could easily have gone down two sizes. For blouses and outerwear I have found the opposite, and usually go up a size. I'm mostly curvy on my bottom half, and haven't yet tried any of their pants, so I don't know about that.

I'd recommend reading their size chart carefully, and they often have a suggestion for each piece to size up or down if you are between sizes. It's also fairly easy to find blogger/YouTube reviews of a lot of their popular pieces, and they will usually mention something about the sizing. Good luck!