what I bought (and wanted to buy!) in April
ballet sneakers and power suits
Another month, another moderately successful adherence to my one-buy challenge—it’s called a challenge for a reason! I feel good about the items I ended up with (four in total, or five if you count a suit as two pieces)—they all filled gaps in my wardrobe rather than adding to an already overflowing category. One thing to note: I’m always tempted to order multiple items when I’m buying from the RealReal because of how exorbitant the shipping cost is. But maybe if an item doesn’t feel worth the entire shipping cost, I don’t want it as much as I think I do?
Before I share them with you… here are all the things I wanted to get:
Cecilie Bahnsen or Simone Rocha dress: Okay, I wasn’t ever seriously considering any of these dresses, but I was tempted for a moment while I was on my quest for a wedding guest dress earlier this month. (Insert ‘If I won the lottery, I wouldn’t tell anyone, but there would be signs’ meme here.)
Piral trifold white pants: Saw these on
in her post about a trip to Tucson and they looked amazing! I love a functional adjustable waistband that is part of the design. I’d already made my purchase for the month, though, and they weren’t secondhand, so I passed for now.
Silver and lapis lazuli pendant: I’m still thinking about my mom’s necklace that I borrowed last month. I like this specific style of chain (I think it’s called a snake chain?) Found some similar options online, but none of them are 100% what I’m looking for.
Ecco x Chloe Sevigny ballet sneaker hybrid: I love these, but I have a feeling I would struggle to style them, and I don’t want to spend that much money on shoes I don’t need at the moment. So cool, though…
Damson Madder red skirt: The quest for a midi or maxi skirt continues. I loved the silhouette of this skirt and the fact that it was 100% cotton, but while this red is one of my favorite colors to wear, it’s trickier to style as a bottom than as a top. I know this because I added it to my Indyx and had trouble creating outfits I liked with it.
As for what I did buy…
Damson Madder puff eyelet midi skirt (RETURNED): The red Damson Madder skirt led me to this one in a color that would be easier to integrate into my wardrobe. I loved it and could tell it was well-made. However, the bubble hem meant that the skirt was double-layered, and it felt heavy when I had it on. Not perfect—back it went! Maybe I’ll find a skirt I like by the end of the year…
Needles corduroy pants via Grailed: This was my official April purchase! I mentioned wanting some new corduroy pants in March, and figured I’d go with a silhouette/brand I already knew. Found them on Grailed, which seems to be the best place to get Needles pants—several options for under $150, which is not usually the case on the RealReal, and they’re much more expensive on eBay. My very cool teenage neighbor complimented these pants as well as a stranger in the bookstore. Already paying off in compliment dividends.
Lena Lumelsky dress via the RealReal (RETURNED): You’ve already read about this one—I made an allowance for an extra purchase this month for a wedding guest dress. However, when I ordered this dress I also added a couple other things to my RealReal order…
Vintage Armani suit via the RealReal: Made the ill-advised decision to buy a suit on the RealReal on final sale, only to discover it actually fits almost perfectly. I wore it to a wedding welcome party and the groom told me I looked “incredibly chic.” (My friend’s husband made a remark about American Psycho and power suits, but we’ll ignore him!) Hoping to get the waist taken in slightly but I think that’s all it really needs (once the pants sit slightly higher on my waist, I think the hem will hit at a better place.) Styling suggestions welcome—it doesn’t look good with loafers, and my strappy heeled sandals feel too delicate. I wore it this time with blue suede sandals, but I’m hoping that I have shoes other than that very specific pair that will look good with it!
Rachel Comey top via the RealReal: Not something I needed but I’m very happy I bought it. Felt a lack of ‘going out tops’ in my closet lately, and this satisfies the requirements in a way that feels seasonless (it’s a cotton-silk blend, long-sleeved but puffy and cropped, a color that works throughout the year). Perfect for occasions when a sweater is too hot, a tank top too cold, a button-up too formal, and a t-shirt too casual. I’ve worn it a couple times already.
Piazza Sempione sweater vest via the RealReal: Again, not something I needed, but something interesting in a color I love (I also felt like it would be perfect on my trip to San Francisco—keep an eye out for an SF outfit post soon!)
As for what I’m eyeing for next month… the eternal search for a cotton midi skirt continues!
That suit is GORGEOUS!! I think super minimal sandals would be fun, low profile sneakers (so the pants break well), and for formal maybe something with a more elongated/pointed toe as someone above mentioned!! But honestly I bet the more you wear it (esp once the pants are tailored) the more shoes you’re like “oh this looks great” bcs your eye just gets used to it! Also wow those cords and the red top are IT. Also ty for saying red bottoms are hard to style bcs I have a pair of red cords I LOVE and somehow struggle SO hard to wear, I have like 3 specific outfits I can do and idk why I find it so hard but this made me feel less goofy abt that lol
I maintain you need the ballet sneakers. You would rock them.