How is it November already? This year feels like it’s going by so fast. A year since last year’s presidential election. At least this year’s election season went better. Dare I say I’m feeling hopeful about Mamdani’s win?
I’m belated in posting my consumption update for the third quarter of 2025. I’ve had this draft sitting here for quite a while. So, I’m giving myself a deadline of 30 minutes to finish this post now. Alright.
Wardrobe Acquisitions
At the end of June I had only acquired three clothing items. But during the third quarter I acquired many more things. A good chunk of them (nine) were given to me by brands for promotional purposes. I won’t be keeping some of them, but I haven’t decided on which ones. That’s one reason why it’s taken me so long to get around to this post.
I am by no means complaining about getting free clothes. (Well, it’s not exactly free as there is an expectation that I publicize the brands in some way. I feel that the value I bring is in writing detailed reviews, which takes labor and time.) But it does complicate my goal of trying to keep my consumption down — a contradiction I’ve written about before.
So, in order to get on with this post, I’m just going to enumerate the four things I bought myself:
- A pair of cropped summer pants from Muji. (After six years, some of my existing summer pants from Everlane have been demoted to home-only clothes as the elastic at the waist is stretching out and the fabric is fading.)
- A shirt dress from Mixed by Nasrin. (Yes, this was a dress that I wasn’t sure about in my fitting room review because of its proportions. Now that I have it, I can report that I do need to fold up the sleeves to make it work better on my petite frame.)
- A bra top from Uniqlo.
- Black denim shorts that I thrifted. They are a Chinese brand, so they’re a size large lol. (I am typically a small or medium in American brands.)
Secondhand items constitute 28% of my acquisitions so far through September, which is not meeting my goal of 50%. Clearly I need to try harder with shopping secondhand. It’s a mind shift. When I want something, I should take a moment to check secondhand first. And while I’m not going to get into October numbers here just yet, I will say that I’m doing better already.
On the subtraction side of things, I’ve ramped up my closet culling these last few months. I’ve finally admitted there are a whole bunch of things from about 15 years ago that I won’t be wearing ever again, including clothes I bought on a trip to Asia. Those items are all too tight now and I doubt I’m ever going to be that size again. Among them is a skirt suit I had custom made in Vietnam, which I never wore — not even once. The local Dress for Success isn’t taking donations, so I’m not sure what to do with it.
Welcome Objects 2025 Wardrobe Count
Additions: 7
Number of Additions That Are Secondhand: 2
Subtractions: 28
Currently Coveting
Lo & Sons Aoyama Nylon. I love the look of this bag, particularly in ivory, but will that just lead to tears? Especially since I mostly wear dark clothes?
Cardigan in Tiger – Mixed by Nasrin recently came out with a line of cotton knits for the fall. And while I don’t need more sweaters, I do want more clothes in general with prints or patterns.
Everlane Pleated Crepe Midi Skirt – I don’t know why I’ve gotten into pleated skirts these last few years. I blame a skirt that I thrifted back in 2022 for being the gateway skirt. Anyways, I like the chocolate brown color of this one.
Aoyama Bag in Nylon – I’ve been coveting the leather version of this crescent bag for over a year. Lo & Sons just came out with a nylon version, so I’m coveting that one too. I love how you can change the strap.
Other Acquisitions
AirFanta 4Lite Personal Air Purifier – As I mentioned last year in this post about outdoor dining in Philadelphia, I am immunocompromised and generally try to eat outdoors when going to restaurants. This summer, though, I attended a conference where the only dining option was an indoor cafeteria. I decided to bring this personal air purifier to make it a little safer for me to eat indoors. Instead of attempting to filter the air in an entire room, it creates a narrow stream of clean air directed at you.
Ikea SMÅÄTA Cutting Board – I bought this small cutting board to replace a plastic one I’ve had for ages because apparently using a plastic cutting board generates microplastics. Sigh.
OK, I didn’t quite make my deadline. I’m 11 minutes past it. So now I just got to post this. Sometimes it’s better to get the thing done than to get it done perfectly.
Question for You: Have you ever bought something you never wore or used? What was it?
This post contains affiliate links but was not produced in partnership with any brand.
