An Update on My 2024 Shopping Resolution

Time for a 6 month check-in.

If you were to read the texts between my best friends and I, you’d find that most of our conversations come back to clothes — mainly that we have too many. We often lament about how we need a good closet clean out, and yet, we’re constantly shopping. As Marie Kondo taught us all back in 2016, the key to maintaining an uncluttered space isn’t just purging things that no longer bring you joy, but also minimizing the items that enter your home in the first place.

Back in November, we decided that our New Year’s Resolution would be to buy less clothing in 2024 — specifically, we’d only buy 24 pieces a year (12 for the fall/winter seasons and 12 for the spring/summer seasons).

The Goal

Let’s be honest: Twenty-four pieces of clothing is objectively still A LOT of clothing. But according to a study conducted by Public Desire that landed in my inbox, Americans purchase approximately 53 items a year, leading the global ranking in clothing expenditure. With this challenge, I’m essentially buying 50% less than the average American. (Editor’s Note: I’ve never heard of the brand Public Desire but a quick Google search shows that this is apparently a fast fashion brand — why a fast fashion brand would want to shed light on America’s questionable purchasing habits is beyond me. Regardless.)

The study goes on to note that despite having the highest purchasing power, shoppers in the U.S. only spend an average of $28 per item. Shoppers in Norway, in comparison, purchase about 12 items annually, but spend an average of $98 per item, focusing on buying fewer items of better quality.

The concept of “fewer but better” was a driving force behind this challenge. I’ve been trying to shop in a more ethical way for the last five years, honing in on brands that use more sustainable practices, pay their workers livable wages, and use higher-quality materials that are made to last more than one season. That said, the fast trend cycle sometimes gets the best of me. Despite my best intentions of purchasing a more expensive linen dress that I’ll likely wear forever, sometimes I succumb to the Zara dupe. By only shopping 24 items a year, I’m forcing myself to be more strategic with my purchases.

The reason I landed on 24 pieces wasn’t arbitrary, either. I get paid twice a month, which comes out to roughly 24 paychecks a year, or one item per paycheck. Instead of throwing my cash at a couple hauls a year, I can now slowly and intentionally purchase one item per paycheck and focus on quality over quantity.

My goals with this challenge aren’t all altruistic. I love the idea of having a wardrobe where I cherish every item. Hopefully, this practice will also help to achieve that.

Because this is a marathon, not a sprint, I have some exceptions for the challenge. Jewelry and shoes do not count towards my 24 purchases, because I’ve noticed that the more jewelry I purchase (which is never that much anyways), the less I feel like I need new clothing. If buying some rings or a cool necklace makes me excited to rewear what’s in my closet, it feels worth it. I also am pretty practical with my shoe purchases, so I figured I wouldn’t be stocking up on a bunch of cheap footwear. (Or so I thought, but I’ll get to that later.)

Similarly, renting items for special occasions, like weddings, does not count because I’m not physically adding items to my closet. I also do not need to stick to exactly 12 pieces per season. Living in a warmer climate means I don’t need as much for the fall/winter — if I want to buy five things for those seasons and 19 pieces for the spring/summer, that’s fine too.

The Plan

I’m a visual learner and a big Pinterest girly, so it only felt natural to start by mapping out what I wanted to buy in a Pinterest board. I have a board for fall/winter and one for spring/summer and I pin every item that catches my eye in its respective board. Within those boards, I have a “Top 12” section where I move over my favorite items I’d like to buy. The Pinterest board acts like a working shopping list — sometimes things get added to the “Top 12” section and later removed — and the items that ultimately stick around the longest are the items I tend to purchase. I also created a “Purchased” section where I move items over once I’ve bought them. This has been one of the most helpful tools because when I feel like I have nothing to wear, I have a visual reminder of all the pieces I just bought.

Now to the good stuff, my best purchases so far — and my regrets.

The Results (So Far)

This year, I’ve purchased 20 pieces — 9 of which are accessories and one of which is a rented item. That brings me to 11 clothing purchases, with 13 remaining for the year. I’ve spent approximately $1,440 on all these pieces combined — and while there’s some big outliers in there (vintage Gucci slides) — I’ve averaged about $72 an item.

Editor’s Aside: While I technically, “don’t count” the 9 accessories and one rental towards my 24 item limit, I will be examining these purchases for the sake of the experiment. I feel like it’s a helpful practice to understand my shopping habits in general.

My gut reaction is to feel anxiety when seeing the above number, but the reality is, this formula has allowed me to be smarter with my money in general. Thanks to planning my purchases, I haven’t had to pull from my savings account once this year (an awful habit I got into when planning for my wedding). Instead, I can consistently contribute 20% of my salary to it.

Also, intentionally spending approximately $72 twice a month on two items I’ll wear longterm, feels financially smarter than spending $50 on more items I’ll never wear again. I’m able to put aside the amount I need for the item I want to purchase each month and know exactly where and what I’m spending it on.

12 Purchases I Love 💘

Amber Sweater Oxford Stripe

Price when purchased: $97.59 (actually $248)

When I think of pieces I love that I purchased this year, this sweater is the first thing that comes to mind. It’s SO well-made and soft, the colors are my favorite combination of blue and green, and I got it new-with-tags from eBay for $150 off. Win-win.

Two-Tone Double Stacked Rings

Price when purchased: $48.30 (actually $58.65)

If I was truly thinking longterm, I probably would be sourcing jewelry made of sterling silver or non-plated gold, but the fact remains that I love and wear these rings almost daily. The mixed metal allows them to go with nearly everything and because they’re fashion jewelry, I never shower or workout in them, and they’ve yet to tarnish in the last six months. Big fan of Mickey’s Girl.

The Luxe Micro-Rib Long-Sleeve Crew

Price when purchased: $40 (actually $50)

The gaps in your closet become more apparent the more you wear the clothes you own. A big gap for me was a lack of layer-able long sleeve white t-shirts. I love Everlane’s basics and knew I’d get a lot of use out of this item — which I have. My only note is that its kept me a LOT warmer than I expected, which is great for someone on the East coast, but not always so great for someone in Texas.

Havaianas Slim Square Flip Flops

Price when purchased: $34 (actually $34)

I was influenced to purchase these Havaianas after seeing them all over TikTok, and while that purchasing model is usually a recipe for disaster, I wear these often. They’re comfortable, really cute, and easy to throw on and go.

Embroidered Ruffle-Trim Top

Price when purchased: $78 (actually $78)

I wanted this top for months and the fact that it kept selling out only upped its appeal. Unfortunately, it’s officially sold out again on Madewell, Zappos (where I eventually found it in-stock), and Nordstrom, but fingers crossed it comes back soon.

Vintage Animal Necklace

Price when purchased: $38 (actually $38)

Like I said, fun jewelry has been a big inspiration for me this year, and I loved this necklace the moment I saw it last summer. My grandfather, who I’m really close to, loves to fish and this reminded me of him. Luckily, it was still in stock this summer and I was able to snag it.

Daphne Ribbed Bikini Top and Bottom

Price when purchased: $157 (actually $196)

This purchase had all the makings of a “regret.” I bought it when emotions were high (I’d just spent hours trying all of last summer’s bathing suits to see that nothing fit well), I did not budget for it, and I did not plan for it. Regardless, I got it on sale during Memorial Day weekend and it worked out perfectly. In an ideal world, I plan for every item I add to my closet, but a well-fitting bathing suite in the heat of the Austin summer felt necessary. Plus, the return policy was solid in case it hadn’t worked out.

1993 Bikini Top and Bottom in Gingham

Price when purchased: $90.93 (actually $134.50)

This bikini was also purchased at the same time as the Solid & Striped one, and the bikini Gods were on my size. It was on sale, it’s full coverage, and it’s one of my most-worn pieces. It’s also discounted even lower right now if you want to add to your cart!

Essential High-Neck Rib Tank

Price when purchased: $25 (actually $25)

While I’d love to always purchase from high-quality brands, the fact remains that I think Abercrombie does t-shirts really well, and I reach for them a lot. When the scoop-neck tank top trend came out a few years ago, I purchased a Zara version that I wore to death. I upgraded it this year with this guy and wear it equally as often.

100% Organic Cotton Boyfriend Crew Sweater

Price when purchased: $49.90 (actually $49.90)

I’m a big fan of this comfy crewneck sweater. I’d been wanting something I could layer in a navy blue color and this fits the bill. I also love Quince’s price transparency and that the brand uses high-quality fabrics in its items.

Gaspard Cardigan

Price when purchased: $120 (actually $120)

I think the entire internet has this exact sweater in this exact color. I wanted it for two years before I finally pulled the trigger this spring and I think I’ll be happy I did when I can wear it come fall. Looks like it’s already selling out again, too.

Badgley Mischka Sweetheart Midi Dress

Price to Rent for 4 Days: $75

I rented this dress for my best friend’s wedding and felt great in it! I know a lot of people can’t understand why you’d rent an item for so much money to only wear it once, but the truth is, I used to buy items for more money and let them sit in my closet after one wear. I’d never be able to afford to wear Badgley Mischka if I didn’t rent it, and I felt good knowing once I returned this piece, it would be enjoyed again and again by others.

4 Purchases I Feel Conflicted About ❓

Used Gucci Brixton Leather Horsebit Loafers

Price when purchased: $340 (actually $990)

I happened upon one sole pair of like-new Gucci Brixton Loafers in my exact size two weeks ago while perusing State Street in Santa Barbara. If the year was 2016, I would have been foaming at the mouth to own these, but since the style has faded into the background a bit, I gave myself time before purchasing them. I tried them on, spent about an hour shopping elsewhere, texted some friends for their thoughts, and finally decided to bite the bullet and buy the shoes. At the time, I regretted the purchase because my gut was telling me I didn’t need the shoes and that I only got them because of the thrill of the deal. Now that I own them, I’m thinking of plenty of ways I’ll put them to good use this fall.

Forevermore Tank

Price when purchased: $78 (actually $78)

While I don’t regret this purchase, per say, I don’t think I needed it. If I’m being honest, I think I purchased it when the Madewell top above was sold out and I was looking to fill a void. That said, I do wear it a decent amount — I probably just don’t need two white ruffled tank tops.

Boundless Softshell Jacket

Price when purchased: $109 (actually $129)

This is a unnecessary purchase disguised as a practical purchase. While this coat is great to have on hand, I already own a rain jacket that would have served me just fine. I decided to get this before a trip to Scotland when I’d become obsessed with the idea of owning a green rain jacket (I have a gray one). I’m sure I’ll get plenty of use out of it, but I’m not sure anyone needs more than one rain jacket.

Rym Shirt

Price when purchased: $130 (actually $130)

I saved up and planned for this item, and even still, I kinda regret getting it. I wanted it for my big solo birthday trip to Paris, and while the top is lovely, I never reach for it. In hindsight, ruffle or lace white blouses are something I always love to buy, but never wear. Now that this is in my closet, though, I will be making more of an effort to put it on.

6 Purchases I Regret 💔

Red Enamel Heart Pendant Necklace

Price when purchased: $19 (actually $19)

There’s a theme with the purchases I regret most — they’re almost all cheap items that I bought on a whim. I remember buying this around Valentine’s Day, because despite working in marketing and knowing better, the V-Day ads got me. It’s cute, but poorly made and a bit too long. And despite owning a heart necklace, I still really want this heart necklace.

Carnelian Heart Ring

Price when purchased: $14.72 (actually $23)

Another Valentine’s Day purchase I did not need. When you pay $15 for a piece of jewelry you should expect it to look cheap, but this is really cheap.

Fine Knit Cardigan

Price when purchased: $39.99 (now $17.99)

This cardigan was an impulse purchase before my London and Scotland trip this spring because I felt like I needed more sweaters (I didn’t). The Sézane sweater above that I truly wanted was still sold out, so I settled for the next best thing. As always, I ended up still buying the item I really wanted and am now left to care for this slightly worse version of it.

Beaded Pearl Necklace

Price when purchased: $16.99 (actually $16.99)

Before I started this challenge, I’d already been studying my behavior and looking for spending triggers — and Target was one of my biggest culprits. It’s cliché and meme-worthy at this point, but you do always go into Target wanting one thing and leave $320 later. I wear this pearl necklace and haven’t lost sleep over the $17, but did I need or plan for it? Nope.

Brown Tortoise Round Sunglasses

Price when purchased: $17 (actually $17)

I had round vintage 1960s sunglasses pinned that I’d been wanting to buy, but saw these at Target and figured they’d be just as good. They’re not. Obviously.

Elsa Mary Jane Ballet Flats

Price when purchased: $30 (actually $30)

Although these flats are surprisingly comfortable, black Mary Janes are a staple and I should have just held out to buy the higher-quality Everlane version that would last me more than one season.

The Learnings

It’s sappy but true: The good things in life are worth waiting for and clearly I’m happiest with the items I properly thought through before purchasing. Interestingly enough, price doesn’t seem to be a huge factor when it comes to regret. I don’t seem to love something more if I spent a bit more on it and I don’t necessarily regret a sale item. The outliers, of course, are they incredibly cheap jewelry I impulse bought. Remember when I said I don’t really buy much jewelry or regret it? Whoops.

I’m also learning that I want what I want and trying to find a dupe wont quite scratch that itch. Additionally, I clearly need to take the time to invest in more essentials. I should have known going into the summer that my swimwear didn’t fit, instead of frantically shopping for a new suite last minute. Before fall, I plan to take a hard look at my boots, coats, and jeans before buying the Uncles Studio Collared Cardigan that’s been high on my list, but isn’t a necessity.

Ultimately, fashion should be enjoyable, not something we overthink, but if you’re looking to notice patterns of wardrobe regret (and elation!), as well as save a bit of money in the process, I highly suggest doing a yearly inventory on your closet. Your rules may not be the same as mine. Maybe, instead of giving yourself a free-pass on accessories, you give yourself a free pass on basics or another item you won’t go overboard with. Maybe your number is lower than mine — or maybe you start out higher than mine. You make the rules. The goal is to slow down your consumption and intentionally add items you love to your rotation. Instead of sifting through our closet to find a bunch of pieces we regret buying, hopefully there’s fewer better items you’re happy to see there.

See ya'll in December for a final update!