what I bought in December

something old, something new, nothing borrowed, several things blue

January kicks off a modified no-buy for me, and knowing that may have been in my subconscious as I made my purchasing decisions this past month. But you should see what’s still sitting in my eBay cart—this month could have been worse!

Y2K 01-01-2000 baseball cap (via eBay): I took my own advice and bought something from this post! I ended up wearing it on New Year’s Eve (and obviously will also wear it on days that aren’t December 31st and January 1st).

GAP rugby shirt (via eBay): I liked the rugby shirt I bought in November so much that I looked for (and found) another one in a slightly different pattern and colorway. No complaints. I only wore it a couple times before I came down to Florida for the holidays, but I’m looking forward to wearing it again once I’m back in New York. It’s gonna be a Playmobil-core 2025!

Clare V. metal chainlink bag strap (new): I ended up ordering this straight from Clare Vivier. I found one on Poshmark, but it was listed for only $10 less than the brand new price, and the seller didn’t respond to my offer. I found a 20% discount code that brought the price of a new one lower than the secondhand option, but I’m still a little disappointed whenever it makes more financial sense to buy the same exact item new instead of used. I bought it to replace a peeling leather strap on a silver chainmail mesh evening bag of my grandma’s that I found in my childhood closet.

here she is with her shiny new strap!

Erika button-up plaid shirt and Roper plaid and denim shirt (via eBay): After wearing my Bruce Brown-inspired Levi’s shirt for a few days straight, I had a hankering for another Western (or Western-adjacent shirt), and both of these came up in my eBay searches. I don’t know? I’m a sucker for this type of colorblocking. (Also going through a phase where I feel slightly more at ease in more traditionally masculine clothing, and these fit shirts the bill.)

Taco Bell t-shirt (via eBay): Okay, this one wasn’t even for me, it’s for my neighbor. (I haven’t given it to him yet, but he doesn’t read this, so we’re good.) We both love Taco Bell, but his obsession is next level! Whenever he’s ordering, he texts me to see if I want to ‘ring the bell’ (join in on his order). He’s also very into biking. I wanted to get him a piece of Taco Bell memorabilia, and I knew this vintage Taco Bell t-shirt with the silhouette of a biker was it as soon as I saw it.

GAP barrel jeans (new): Why am I slightly disappointed in myself for buying new pants? I really wanted a pair of dark rinse jeans, and I like the very subtle barrel leg silhouette. I do wish I had waited to try them on in person, because I might not have bought them had I experienced them IRL first. I like the fit a lot, but the color doesn’t feel quite right to me, and while they’re 100% cotton, it’s a lot thinner and softer than the thick and rigid denim I prefer.

Sea New York top (via the RealReal): On the second to last day of the year, I decided to pull the trigger on this shirt as a last hurrah before my no-/low-buy/75 hard/soft/whatever you want to call it (more on this soon!), goes into effect. I’d had it in my cart a few times before and noticed that it had dipped below $50. I might not have gone for it had I not been back in Florida and feeling as though I’d packed all wrong (despite bringing a lot with me…), but I’ll be able to wear it right away here and then again in when it gets warmer in New York. I already own this shirt in beige (which is how I knew it would fit). The debate around the utility of multiples rages on (“stock up syndrome”, as

Hey Mrs. Solomon on Style

referred to it recently), but I do think I’ll get a lot of use out of this.

A lot of thrifted clothes (total $39): This I am totally okay with. I love thrifting, but I don’t find it as satisfying in New York, so when I come to Florida I get a chance to really dive into it. So far I’ve spent under $40, and I’ve ended up with a striped zebra print silk shirt, dark denim jacket, a striped men’s button-down, a black nylon raincoat, a cropped army jacket, and a cropped BDG shirt. I don’t have photos of all of these yet but I’m sure they’ll show up in a week of outfits post soon enough!

If you aren’t doing a Dry Clothing January, here’s a secondhand selection from the things I didn’t buy but wanted to this month! Guess what—last month I was obsessed with a cashmere dickey I put in this section of November’s post. Didn’t even remember it until I looked back at the post to reference while I was writing this one. Noted.

Clockwise from top left: Clare V leather bag strap, $93; On the Verge plaid button-up (M), $10; Whiting and Davis gold mesh bag, $35; GAP striped rugby shirt (XL), $33; High Advantage red and blue button-up (M), $20

Any purchases—clothing or otherwise—that you’re feeling good (or bad) about this month? Anyone else have plans to do a no-buy or follow along with Mandy Lee of

Cyclical

for her second 75 Hard Style Challenge?