The tally for 2020 - YouLookFab Forum

Inspired by La Pedestrienne's post, I looked over my purchases for the year. It was an odd year, to say the least. I've been working from home since March, and haven't browsed any stores in person since then.

I bought 37 new things this year, more than I realized. My purchases fit specific new needs that came from working from home: low rise jeans for comfort (most of mine were high rise), comfy sneakers for neighborhood walks, Birkenstocks as house shoes, buttoned shirts to look professional on zoom, and a t-shirt dress and jean shorts for our distressing heat wave (I never wear shorts out here). With temps over 100, no A/C in my house, no escape to my office A/C, and thick smoke keeping me from opening windows, clothing took on an entirely different role in August!

A surprising number were duplicates of old items. Makes sense -- I haven't been exposed to as many new things. Just before the pandemic, I duplicated some favorite shoes -- then haven't worn the old or new versions at all, thanks to lockdown! I did add a few trendy new items just recently, after months of not knowing if trends still exist.

sneakers (2), leather shoes (1, duplicate), sandals (1)
jeans (3, all duplicates of the same item though in two different sizes)
pants (3), shorts (1)
buttoned shirts (8, one a duplicate) in an effort to stop wearing tees for work
tees (8)
knit tops (2)
cardigan
t-shirt dress
Uniqlo +J blazer
a lovely plaid wool suit from Poshmark that won't be worn until next winter, I bet!
gear shorts for dance class

My goal for 2021 is to keep an eye out for a few new trends after a year of seeing almost no people, and keep myself from buying much else. The wish-list file I keep on my computer says:

Theme - not solid black. Texture, slightly more maximal, but masculine
DO NOT buy more flats until after the pandemic
No more black t-shirts!
No more blazers!

Which is a reminder that I'm all set on practical things! I probably shouldn't buy any more buttoned shirts either! I should also stop duplicating until the first item is really dead and gone. And I finally found a few HEWIs this year, like plaid wool pants, so I should remember to turn off the part of my brain that looks for plaid pants everywhere.

5 years ago

Minaminu

Veteran

Great analysis and well thought out plan for 2021! I like that you prepared a theme and a no-buy list, it's a clever idea!

I am not surprised that you duplicated items this year, confort dressing has taken priority this year.

Liesbeth

Wfh DOES come with its own requirements - looks like you did well. I'm curious what 2021 will bring for trends too - I expect we will all be both excited to wear pre-covid stuff again AND top things of with fun new stuff.

Janet

(website)

Good insights and analysis! You and La Ped are inspiring me to take a look myself.

rachylou

Makes sense what you say.

cat2

I judge where I am not by piece count but by wardrobe space. I have been transitioning from business casual to casual at work and for the first time since we started the transition I have more closet space, which means I have been meeting my goal of wearing out business casual pieces and not replacing them. The next year is about just using what I added this year for WFH unless the fashion gods deliver great colors I don’t already have in the mix or silhouettes I love.

Carla

Texture is a great way to add interest to monochromatic outfits. If/when you venture into colour, will you limit your palette? Do you have any specific colours in mind?

Greyscale

Carla: I’ve branched out a bit already this past year. I added oxford shirts in pale pink and pale green. I also have a handful of white oxford shirts and white graphic tees now, and a few in gray animal print. And some bleached gray jeans, and glen plaid pants and blazer. So, still mostly monochrome but with some lighter shades and pale colors to mix with black. I prefer the pastel shirts with faded black or gray denim so the contrast is less stark.

If I add more color it’ll be along those same lines. I could imagine sweaters in those same pastel shades but I’d want them to look edgy in some way. Oxford shirts work well for me because their masculine vibe contrasts with the soft colors.

Gotcha! I remember the pink and green. Maybe give lilac a try?

JAileen

I’m glad you’re branching out, even if only a tiny bit, from black. I’m struck by your beautiful coloring and how black kind of obliterates it. You can still have your tough look in more flattering colors, at least by your face. Wear black in tough boots, and jeans.

kkards

My purchases fit specific new needs that came from working from home
Yes i can totally relate to this..so weird to think that i would need some very specific things when i am not going or doing anything LOL

nemosmom

What a great analysis! I am nodding my head in agreement with needing specific things to WFH comfortably. I giggled a little at your mental note to turn off your brain once you have acquired a HEWI - and a dupe of a favorite item. I need to jot that on a post-it and stick it on my closet wall!

Anonymous

LOL! I have the plaid brain as well. Great year end summary and goals. Happy New Year!

LaPed

Hah, I know all about overbuying plaid pants and button-front shirts! That said, one of the few things I regret culling over the past few years is one of my too-many oxford shirts. It was white with tan stripes, which is a surprisingly difficult combo to find in a women's oxford shirt. I didn't realize that when I got rid of it.

It's been sort of a tricky balancing act this year: should I be looking for practical things to wear right now, or optimistic things to look forward to wearing at some point in the future? Will I get tired of my practical at-home clothes and never want to see them again? Will any fun "out-in-the-world" things I buy still feel relevant by the time I have an opportunity to wear them? It sounds like you managed to do a little bit of both, which I think is smart. And I applaud you for exercising discipline with footwear. I'm going to have to sit on my hands to keep from shopping for shoes in the spring. I hardly have a chance to wear fair-weather shoes in a normal year!

deb

Don't numbers make you feel accomplished? I think the 2020 year from hell has messed with many of our purchasing choices. But it also gives us a chance to really think about our closets.

Jenni NZ

So great to “see” you! I’ve missed you.
This is a great analysis. I try to buy replacements *just* before the first one dies. Otherwise there has been a risk I keep both!
I will absolutely duplicate the exact same thing as a replacement if it is still available. Because if it has been such a perfect workhorse, I can’t imagine doing without it. Eventually however most things are no longer available so I am forced to change.

Suz

This is a great analysis and should prove useful, going forward. I'm with you on having bought largely practical things for a new situation this year. And wow, yes, August. That was a tough month for sure!!

You must look great in the pale pink and green. I remember the pink, actually, but not the green -- important for Zoom to have something different now and again.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

Well done! Excellent wardrobe adaptions to cope with new normals.

I like your NO MORE list. I find those very useful too. Good job pinpointing the 2021 additions, and how you want to evolve your style authentically.

We had the August smoke too. Absolutely stifling inside with no a/c, a heat wave, and nowhere to go for relief. It was a terrible month

The smoke really was awful, Angie, and I know you had it even worse up there. We bought our little house last year, right in SF where no one has AC. But now we're thinking of installing a mini-split AC unit next year, much as I hate the idea of needing it. I just can't handle the heat and smoke combination.

Sorry about the smoke and being stuck with no ac- sounds awful! I bet those light colors are beautiful on you!

Category