what I bought (and wanted!) in January
yeses, nos, and the most money I've ever spent on eBay (no regrets)
So… about those shopping resolutions I made last year… 😂. Some of those obviously didn’t work out (“I can buy one item of clothing online each month!”)—and I’m okay with that. Honestly, I don’t really feel like doing a big overhaul of my approach to shopping right now. I think the best way for me to be conscious about what I’m buying but still allow myself to have fun is the approach that LF is taking—by category! Here is my working list of ‘yeses and nos’ by category for 2026.
YES
Miniskirts: the only legitimate wardrobe hole I’ve noticed recently. Most important for winter, when I like to wear shorter skirts with tights.
Trench coat: All cotton, unlined, needs to be a specific shade of beige with a certain style of collar. It’s been on my list for years, probably because my specifications are so particular.
Wedding guest dress/outfit: Yes… this is a fraught topic for me. I have one wedding coming up in April and another in July. Giving myself permission now and hoping the search isn’t as all-consuming as last time!
Summer tops: Perpetually miserable and not excited to get dressed when the temperature goes above 75°. The midi skirts I bought last summer unlocked more possibilities, but I would love to add a few more hot weather tops to the mix to bring me at least a tiny amount of joy from June through September.
NO
Pants: Unless I am shopping because my size has changed, I do not need any more pants. Feel free to remind me of this if I start showing signs of weakness.
Winter clothing: Particularly sweaters, leather jackets, etc. Fun things to thrift, which is how I’ve ended up accumulating a lot of them, but I have more than enough warm options for my favorite season.
Sneakers: As much as it pains me to admit this… no more Weird Sneakers for a while. My Salomons and Adidas ballet ones are more than sufficient.
Will update this list throughout the year!
Before I share the things I bought with you… here are all the things I wanted to get:
Tokyo Design Studio x New Balance MT10T: Saw these on Kelly Klein… so weird and cool! Same hesitation as I had around getting Salomons—uncertainty about sizing, which makes it harder to shop secondhand.
Aime Leon Dore x New Balance MT10T: Collabs on collabs on collabs! Found these while poking around for the above version. The color combo is great. No need for them/no reason to get them but… dreamy color inspiration at the very least.
Classic New Balance sneakers: would love to wear these in kind of an 80s workout video vibe, with scrunched tube socks over leggings. I don’t need any more sneakers right now though!
Kara Yoo rings: Another brand I found out about through Viv Chen in a jewelry post from last year!
Jungmaven mesh t-shirts: Have been curious about Jungmaven for a while. Mesh in natural fibers feels like the only option for getting through the summer (and I also want to try wearing them as workout tops).
As for what I did buy…
Leopard print faux fur coat via Poshmark (with Poshmark credit): Been wanting a leopard print coat for years after selling my old one (cute, but not as warm as I would have liked it to be, and the silhouette wasn’t for me). Decided to look up the brand of my other vintage faux fur coat (a quality faux that still looks brand new, despite ten years in my possession and presumably more in someone else’s) and see what I could find. I was not disappointed!
Madewell t-shirt (gifted… by my mom lol): Okay, I didn’t buy this, but it is a new acquisition! My mom bought it for me right before I left Florida. =)
Akris Punto cotton mesh polo via the RealReal (gift card): Kept adding this to my cart and finally bought with my gift card when it dropped to $33. Hoping this will help soften the blow of summer weather.
Studiocult giant safety pin earring (to use as a pin): Had never heard of this brand before, but I’m obsessed with the various scales they evaluate each product on (see below)—not the bouba/kiki effect!!! I wanted a giant pin because I crocheted a sort-of scarf, but it’s too thick to actually wrap around my neck, so I have to secure it with a pin in the front. I think this will work—it hasn’t arrived yet, though!
Faris ring: Added another silver ring to the collection (the ‘Seep Slim Band’). Their pricing is going up on February 14th because the cost of silver is skyrocketing, so I’m glad I got in when I did.
Painting by R.L. Lewis via eBay: Okay, this isn’t clothing, but it’s too good not to include here!!! R.L. Lewis is one of the original Florida Highwaymen, which is a group of artists you’ve only probably heard of if you’re from Florida. They were a loose group of Black painters active from the late 1950s through the 1970s, though some of the original artists and their descendants are still painting today. They were largely turned away from galleries and unable to find formal representation, so they sold their paintings out of the trunks of their cars, along the highway (hence the name), door to door, etc. Highwaymen painted landscapes almost exclusively, capturing a Florida that was already disappearing but not yet considered endangered. I’ve wanted to own a painting by one of them for years, though I never actually imagined being able to afford one. I saw several paintings by Highwaymen at an antique shop on my Florida road trip in December (all priced too high for me), and decided to look for one on eBay instead. I ended up finding one by one of the original Highwaymen, R.L. Lewis, and the seller shipped it with a copy of his book, which included his email address on the back page. I sent Lewis an email to thank him and show him where his painting had ended up and he wrote back! If I ever decide to buy another one, I’ll contact him directly.
Lots of thrifted stuff! (see below for complete list)
What I thrifted:
-Harvé Bernard collarless wool jacket
-Unbranded black wool pleated maxi skirt
-Junk Food brand 100% cotton Lakers sweatshirt
-Nike baseball cap
-Perry Ellis cotton v-neck sweater
-Ambiance lace top (a cotton blend!)
-Linen/cotton blend Saks bomber jacket (for my husband)
-Calvin Klein merino wool sweater
-Free People black cotton rollneck cropped sweater
-Talbots plaid wool skirts (in grey and orange)
-Quilted red silk jacket
What I’m eyeing for next month… not much! I did sign up for the Jungmaven mailing list—might try one of the mesh shirts if they have a sitewide sale.
The Highwaymen painting purchase is such a cool example of how eBay can surface genuinely meaningful finds. Having the artist email you back and getting his book too turns a purchase into an actual connection. Way more valuable than the hundred fleeting "deals" most ppl chase online.
Hooray for an amazing art score! I've realized very little brings me more long term happiness than investing in art for my home, even if buying (and framing) is often a little more than I would comfortably spend.