Favorite Buys of 2010

Plenty of my favorite blogs have done year in (usually outfits) posts. To name a few:

Roxy of Effortless Anthropologie
Rosa from Love at First Shop
Anjali from Golden Means
Marianne and Adrien of Looks Good From the Back
La Historiadora de Moda of Fashionable Academics
Carol and Kathryn of In Pursuit of Pretty Things

And because my own blog began primarily as a place to reflect and analyze my habits of consumption, here I will overview my top ten (mostly sartorial) purchases of the year. A favorite outfit recap will follow.

10. My stockpile of Havaianas bought in Brazil. I choose these recent buys because in addition to wearing them everywhere, they made great Brazilian themed gifts to give to loved ones. I learned quickly why they're inescapable because they are by far the most comfortable of their genre.

9. Two Paths Trenchcoat by Idra (from Anthropologie). When I was sorting through outfits, I noticed this trench carried me through Spring, Summer, and Fall. Now that tiered jackets are everywhere, I am sure it will look very obviously dated from 2010 in a few years. But I'm going to wear it and enjoy it while I can!

8. My Vintage Coach Satchel. I bought this little bag off ebay in March of 2010 and I've carried it constantly since. Any time I want a no nonsense, small sling bag I reach for this. It is so practical but also so cute and it cost very little.

7. Similarly to above, my two map printed satchels from Alviero Martini (also bought from ebay). They're smaller in size than I normally carry which makes them great on the go bags. I throw in my wallet, keys, phone, and lipgloss and I'm ready. They get tons of compliments despite being so 90s (or perhaps because of it!). And they match everything and nothing simultaneously.

5. My Burberry Trench. It is a shorter length but still so classic and unlike anything else I own. As much as I love the Two-Paths trench, I know this Burberry won't look dated in a few years. I will be able to wear this decades from now.

4. This is sort of cheating cause it was a gift but one I picked out and received from my parents. My Dyson vacuum. It is seriously a quality of life changer if you have hardwood and throw rugs (and need to transition quickly and easily between them). It is a quality of life changer if you have an adorable shedding dog. It is a quality of life changer if you are a little ocd about stuff. It is worth the money which is easier to say when it was a gift. haha But I adore it and had to put it in the top five. Even if it isn't sartorial, it outfits my home so beautifully that it gets a mention.

3. Ferragamo Varina flats and Valentino rehearsal dinner dress. Tied because of similar fanciness.

2. Chloé and See by Chloé everything. This year I noticed a shift. Not only did I buy more Anthropologie, but I replaced my brand obsession. My ebay searching and sale stalking used to be colonized by Marc Jacobs. Though I still love the pieces I have, I definitely coveted more Chloé than ever this year. I specifically expanded my selection of shoes and dresses.

 

1. My wedding dress. I must be honest. I truly dreaded shopping for wedding attire to the extent that I postponed it for as long as possible. I presumed the genre to be confining and largely uniform. It isn't that I don't find all brides to be beautiful, but I feared deeply the way that a wedding dress could erase or supplant my own personal style. I wanted to still be me and not merely "bride." Some of the shops I visited confirmed my anxieties by imposing the tyranny of the majority on me and ignoring my plea for sleeves. But then I visited Anne Gregory for the Bride and found a dress that was as me as I could have fathomed. And by the end of the night, I was so sad to take it off, knowing I'd likely never wear it again.

All in all, 2010 has been a very good year for my closet. In 2011 I resolve to sort through what I have and donate/sell those lesser worn items. Focus on pieces that transcend trends and seasons. And as always, fight the lure of sale goggles, try to buy less, etc. Happy New Year!