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Tamga Designs shirt and shorts lounge set in a red floral print

Tropical Vibes: TAMGA Designs Lounge Set

Published by welcomeobjects

If you’ve been following along, you know that I’ve really leaned into loungewear during the pandemic. Today I’m reviewing a lounge set that TAMGA Designs sent to me. TAMGA Designs is a Canadian brand that proves sustainable clothing doesn’t have to be minimalist and neutral. Their clothes give off feminine boho vibes with bright floral prints, ruffles, and high skirt slits.

My style leans towards the minimalist, so to be honest, most of TAMGA Design’s cuts and prints are not for me. But there are a few prints that spoke to me. When TAMGA Designs asked me to pick out something to try, I gravitated towards the Zahara Lounge Set and its more tropical prints.

This post contains affiliate links as well as gifted items from TAMGA Designs. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. As always, all opinions are my own and I only write about items I’m interested in. Thanks for supporting Welcome Objects!

Sizing & Materials

Fabric: I ordered the Iris colorway, which reads as a red-orange to me on the site. But in person, it’s a more muted color with a bit of brown to it.

Closeup of the Zahara Lounge Set by TAMGA Designs

A closeup of the Lenzing EcoVero fabric and shell button.

The fabric for the lounge set feels lightweight and smooth, like a light cotton.

The fabric is Lenzing EcoVero, which is a brand name viscose. Viscose is a type of rayon that comes out of dissolving tree pulp (with the help of chemicals), forcing the solution through a machine called a spinneret to create filaments, and then spinning those into yarn. While the raw material comes from plants, the process to create fibers can be super polluting.

Lenzing EcoVero uses wood from responsibly managed forests. Lenzing says the process for creating EcoVero generates 50% lower emissions and water impact compared to generic viscose.

The fabric for the lounge set feels lightweight and smooth, like a light cotton. It’s perfect for warmer days. The dyes in it are also eco-certified. So far, it looks great after washing. I washed in cold water and line dried.

Where It’s Made: Ethically made in Bali.

Sizing & Fit: Here’s a 5′ 9″ model with a 32″ bust and 25.5″ waist wearing a size small in a different colorway.

A model wears the Zahara Lounge set, a shirt and shorts set, in a blue tropical print.

TAMGA Designs Zahara Lounge Set in Lotus – $111 USD

And here’s 5’4 me with a similar bust, but a larger waist wearing medium.

I’m happy to report that the shorts have pockets, and not puny pockets either.

Sizing is available in XS to XXL. In most brands I wear a small, sometimes an XS, but after scrutinizing the garment measurements, I decided to size up to a medium in this set because the shorts run a little small in the waist. In medium, the shorts have a 26.7″ waist (unstretched). I feel this was the right decision for me, even if it meant the matching shirt was a little big as it already has an oversized fit. (The medium shirt has a 43.3″ bust.) But since I intended to sleep and lounge around in these, I don’t mind the shirt being loose.

I’m happy to report that the shorts have pockets, and not puny pockets either.

Styling the Zahara Lounge Set

I fully intend to wear these at home as pajamas. BUT, if I wanted to venture out in them, I could get away with it. Tucking in the shirt makes things a little more polished.

This look is giving me flashback to the ’90s when my mom wore matching sets like this. Except hers were not as flattering. (Sorry, mom!).

You can also style the pieces as separates.

Environmental & Cultural Considerations

This is my first time trying TAMGA Designs, and so far I’m happy with the quality and feel of the fabric. That the clothes shipped in a plant-based compostable mailer bag also impressed me. While I’ve seen brands used recycled plastic bags, this is the first brand I’ve encountered that used a compostable mailer.

TAMGA Designs also partners with Canopy Style and the Sumatran Orangutan Society to preserve the rainforests in Indonesia, the country where it manufactures its clothes.

Kimono is not just a generic word for robe-like garments. It refers to something specific.

I’d like to see this thoughtfulness to the environment extend to culture as well. Several of TAMGA Designs’ items are called “kimono.” But as educator and sustainable fashion advocate Emi Ito writes in her article “My Kimono is Not Your Couture,” kimono is not just a generic word for robe-like garments. It refers to something specific, and throwing the word around to describe all sorts of clothes is appropriative and orientalist.

“Contrary to what Orientalist art and contemporary brands might have you believe, kimonos are not just clothes,” Emi writes. “They are garments worn for celebrations, sacred ceremonies, and life’s milestones. They are part of our family stories, which for some of us, are the stories of what was left behind and the people who are no longer with us.”

I passed along a link to Emi’s article through the affiliate marketing firm that TAMGA Designs works with. Maybe they don’t know about the history and meaning of the word. I suggested that they rename their items labeled “kimono” and hope that they do. At the time of this writing, they haven’t changed them.

View of an alley with a wall of leaves, and red flowers.

Summer 2021 Shopping Diary

Published by welcomeobjects

Pandemic Life Lately

Life has been a bit bananas lately, particularly in my personal life, so I haven’t had as much time to blog. I finally stopped by my gym, 16 months after I was last there, to collect my things from my locker. It felt strange to return to a place I used to frequent on a regular basis knowing I wouldn’t be back.

Yesterday most of the Bay Area returned to an indoor mask mandate, though it doesn’t apply to indoor dining as I saw people eating inside restaurants. For some of us (me), we never stopped masking in public spaces. I’ve visited with friends who are likewise vaccinated without masks indoors. But now I’m worried about the more contagious Delta variant, breakthrough cases, and how the J&J vaccine (which I received) doesn’t seem as effective as the two-dose mRNA vaccines against Delta.

** affiliate links below **

Things I Bought in June & July

Just because I was busy doesn’t mean that I didn’t take a peek at some sales, though in general, my online window shopping was way down. I browsed sales over at Vetta (still going on) and Two Days Off, but nothing caught my eye. I didn’t even look at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, which has become less interesting to me over the years. The only purchase I made was the Stila eyeliner set since it’s a decent discount for a product I use regularly.

There was one sale I did give in to: dr. Liza’s 60% off summer sale. I’ve been quite happy with the two pairs of shoes I own from this small brand. (See my review of the ballet flats here). With such a generous sale, I treated myself to three pairs of shoes, including these new sneaker sandals, which have the look of the sandals that first got my attention, but with a shorter heel.

Tamga Designs shirt and shorts lounge set in a red floral print

Zahara Lounge Set – $111 USD

I was also gifted something from a brand, so I guess that counts as shopping: this cute lounge set by TAMGA Designs, an ethical and sustainable Canadian brand that makes clothes in floral prints. You’ll be seeing this soon on the Gram and I’ll write about it more after I’ve had a chance to wear it some more. (UPDATE: here’s my review.)

I also added something back to my wardrobe that I had previously KonMaried. So, while that’s not shopping exactly, it added to my wardrobe count. Previously, I had removed every single one of my work dresses (think sheath dresses) since I no longer work in an office. When I say removed, I mean I listed them on Poshmark, but they were all still hanging in my closet. Not surprisingly, office wear hasn’t sold well, so I decided to free up the closet space.

Recently I gathered them up to donate to Dress for Success. But at the last moment, I decided that it was reasonable to keep just one. The one I kept wasn’t necessarily the most flattering shape-wise on me, but it was the most unique, made by a local designer out of high quality natural fabrics like wool and silk. Have you ever reinstated something from your donate pile? What was it?

In non-clothing items, I bought this Merit combo foundation and concealer stick. I figured it was time to throw out the liquid products that I’ve been using since 2016. (Yes, I have been ignoring the little symbols on the packaging indicating things expired in 12 or 24 months because they seemed fine. It’s fine to use makeup for 5 years, right?) I used the shade quiz on Sephora’s website, and to my surprise, it worked. So far, so good. I feel like it blends quite nicely and I like the convenience of two products in one, and in stick form at that.

Welcome Objects 2021 Wardrobe Count To Date
Additions: 5
Number of Additions That Are Secondhand: 0
Subtractions: 0
Total Number of Wardrobe Items: 160

Things I’m Shopping For

Dreaming of traveling again, I’ve started looking around at carry-on luggage, though I don’t have any trips planned. My last carry-on bag was this Travelpro rollerboard. I bought it based on the WireCutter’s recommendation, but I never felt completely satisfied with it. It just seemed meh to me, both in terms of its conventional looks and its functionality. (It’s a two-wheeler and I wish I had bought a four-wheel spinner instead.) I ended up giving it to a relative who needed a suitcase.

Must-haves for my carry-on include:

  • spinner wheels
  • lightweight
  • side and top handles
  • at least 13.5″ wide inside
  • exterior pocket

Right now I have my eye on the Monos Carry-On Pro. I have to admit that part of its appeal is its sleek minimalist aesthetic, though from the reviews it sounds solidly made. If you have a carry-on bag that you love, tell me about it.

A hand holding a pink Giesswein Wool Sneaker

Giesswein Wool Sneaker Review

Published by welcomeobjects

Comfy, cute shoe alert! Today, I’m reviewing the Wool Sneaker from Giesswein. This shoe was gifted to me from the brand. To be honest, I hadn’t heard of the Giesswein until they reached out to me. They are a family-owned business, three generations deep, from Austria.

The company says they are committed to sustainable production. How? Giesswein uses organic, natural materials, namely wool. They also make Rothy’s-like ballet flats out of recycled ocean plastic. The company says their production process is zero waste and uses up to 90% recycled water. Giesswein sources their Mulesing-free wool from Uruguay, makes the fabrics in Austria, and assembles their shoes in Vietnam and China. They say they visit these factories twice a year, factories that have “exemplary” work conditions.

Giesswein let me pick a product to try, and I quickly gravitated towards the Giesswein Wool Sneakers, which appealed to me with its classic look.

These shoes were gifted to me for review. As always, all opinions are my own and I only write about items I’m interested in. This post contains affiliate links (not to the shoes, but to other items). If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Welcome Objects!

Giesswein Wool Sneaker in pink, as viewed from above

Giesswein Wool Sneaker – $99.95. Yes to laces that match the shoes.

Sizing & Materials

First Impressions: Upon picking up the package, the light weight surprised me. There are shoes in here? Indeed, this shoe is only 160 grams, or 5.6 ounces. Impressive.

Upon picking up the package, the light weight surprised me. There are shoes in here?

Fit: The Wool Sneaker, like all Giesswein shoes, comes in whole sizes. I am a wide-ish 6.5, so I always round up to a 7 when ordering a shoe that only comes in whole sizes. However the size 7s that arrived felt big, like an entire size too big. Turning the shoe over, I saw that it was marked Euro size 38. Hmmm. Isn’t a 38 the same as a US 7.5?

I went back to look at the website, and that’s when I realized that you can toggle between US, UK, and EU sizing. I wear a Euro 37, which in my experience is equivalent to a US 6.5. But on Giesswein’s site a 37 is labeled a US 6. I was able to exchange the 7/38 for the 6/37, which fit much better. Moral of the story: go with the European sizing as it’s more accurate.

Giesswein Wool Sneaker in pink

The Giesswein Wool Sneaker comes in 12 colors.

Materials: Giesswein uses what they call Merino Wool 3D stretch for the upper. It’s water-resistant and the wool doesn’t feel itchy at all. The sole is made out of EVA, a shock-aborbing material, and feels super light. The removable insole is also Merino wool. A nice thing about these materials and the design is that that you can machine wash the whole shoe. (But don’t put them in the dryer!)

A hand holding a Giesswein Wool Sneaker to show the lightweight sole.

The lightweight EVA sole

Comfort & Wearibility

Breaking Them In: These shoes felt comfy upon putting them on, so I didn’t think I’d need to break them in. I was wrong. As soon as I got them, I wore them without socks to run an errand in the neighborhood. In that short time I developed 2 blisters at the back of my feet. The shoe even broke skin on my right foot, and I had to lay off of them for more than a week as the area scabbed over and healed. Pro Tip: wear these with socks first to break them in!

These shoes felt comfy upon putting them on, so I didn’t think I’d need to break them in. I was wrong.

I did that for about 2 weeks. And then for good measure, I rubbed an emory board at the inside back of the shoes, just in case there was anything irritating me. That’s probably not great for the fabric, but I wasn’t taking any chances. After that, I was able to wear them out and about without socks.

Comfort: After the initial fiasco, these shoes have been great. Even though I don’t see an arch support, my arches are happy. I’m still not walking all over the place like I did in pre-pandemic days. I only recently took public transit for the first time. But I go on 40-minute walks or run errands in these with no pain or problems.

Merino wool is supposed to be temperature and moisture regulating. As the owner of sweaty feet, I can report that these feel good moisture-wise. However, I do find them warm. On a recent 80-degree day, they felt slightly warm to me.

How does Giesswein compare to Allbirds?

Comfort wise, I have a slight preference for that cushy feeling of the Allbirds insoles. But, I have to say, I have no complaints about the comfort of Geisswein.

Price wise, these brands are in a similar range. Allbirds are $95. These Giesswein Wool Sneakers retail for $99.95, though other shoes run up to $139.95.

Style-wise, I have to go with Giesswein. Of course, this is not an apples to apples comparison. I own the Allbirds Wool Loungers, a slip-on shoe, which I reviewed a while back. They have a different look altogether. The material for the Wool Loungers is clearly wool, whereas the textile of the Giesswein Wool Sneakers have a woven look.

There are other Giesswein shoes that look more similar to Allbirds. For example, the Giesswein Merino Runners and the Allbirds Wool Runners resemble each other.

The Allbirds Wool Piper and Tree Piper come closest in terms of looks to the Giesswein Wool Sneakers. But I haven’t tried the Allbirds so I can’t make a direct comparison. From the photos though, the Giesswein sneakers look more refined.

Allbirds have never looked quite right to me, at least on me. Their shoes are too rounded for my taste in the toe box. Plus, I’ve had problems with my toes pushing up against the fabric unattractively. The Giesswein Wool Sneakers, though a casual shoe, are just a bit more graceful in shape. Styling them with shorts or casual pants are a no brainer. But I find I can also style them with more elegant pieces like a paperbag waist skirt.

Another consideration is the color choices. Allbirds come in neutrals and earth tones like grays and browns. With Giesswein, I could choose from every day colors like black, navy, and white, but there are also fun, bright colors like a handsome red and neon yellow. I opted for zyklam, a berry pink, to add a pop of color to my outfits.

Overall, I’m happy with the Geisswein Wool Sneakers and recommend them. Given how lightweight they are, they’d make a great travel shoe.

View of Giesswein Wool Sneaker on my feet, next to some flowers at a flower shop.

Pact Sweatpants [review] // Giesswein Shoes

Looking down at dr. liza leopard print flats on colorful tile

What I Bought Since Vaccination

Published by welcomeobjects

Hi there. It’s me. The sporadic blogger. Things has been quite hectic lately — a lot going on (much of it stressful) in personal and work life. But, you know what, I am now fully vaccinated and that is a huge relief. That first hug I gave to a friend (also vaccinated) after my vaccination made me almost cry.

Not So Lockdown Life

Lately, I’ve been venturing out a little more. I even ate indoors the other day (at the place above with the lovely tile). It was at a restaurant with plentiful windows along several walls, which they opened up, so it seemed well ventilated. (I’m still not comfortable with eating indoors in most situations.) I visited the eyebrow waxing lady for the first time since the pandemic began (while double masked). She’s someone I’ve seen for years and she gently laughed at my DIY job, letting me know that one eyebrow was kind of uneven. So happy to have some professional help! And soon I’ll visit the hair stylist.

Since I wrote about taking a wardrobe inventory, I’ve purged 26 items from my closet, and put a few others in purgatory (meaning that I can’t quite decide if I should keep them or not.) I started off the year with 173 items, so that means I’m down to 147 …. except that I bought a few things.

Things I Bought in April & May

Most of these were April purchases. For some reason, it seems like I do a burst of shopping every spring. Probably has something to do with trying to be good the first several months of the year.

** affiliate links below **

The Boyfriend Shirt, the Girlfriend Shirt, and the Every Day Pant, all from Vetta – While writing my review of Vetta’s Boyfriend Shirt, they happened to release it in new colors. I fell for the French Navy color, a very dark blue. And though, as I learned from my wardrobe count, tops is one of the categories where I have more than plenty, I gave in and bought another Boyfriend Shirt. I also ordered the Girlfriend Shirt and the Every Day Pant, mostly just to try them out. But I ended up keeping them. (The nice thing about ordering multiple items from Vetta is that there’s a discount.) I’ll probably do a write-up of both items, especially a comparison between the Boyfriend and Girlfriend Shirts, as that was something I wondered about a lot before purchasing them.

Opal House Plastic Wave Texture Tumbler – I don’t usually make impulse purchases when it comes to housewares, but I couldn’t help it when I came upon these plastic tumblers in Target one evening. They come in an array of cheery colors. I bought some short and tall ones in orange and pink. The design reminds me of some amber-colored glass tumblers my parents used to own in the 1970s, which is what probably sealed the deal for me.

(I was also very tempted by the Hilton Cater for Target collaboration of planters, gardening tools, and plants (both real and faux), but I didn’t see the planter (the medium one) I was interested in while in the store, and now it’s sold out online. Just as well. I don’t need another planter. I wouldn’t even know where to put it.)

Giesswein Wool Sneakers – This super lightweight sneaker was gifted to me from the brand. I went for an uncharacteristically bright pink color. I’ve been testing them out and will write a review very soon. (UPDATE: here’s my review.)

New Balance 574 in Leopard Print – Y’all know I love a good leopard print (as evidenced by my dr. liza flats review) These are a bit extra since there’s not one, but two prints. Not going to lie, I’m also tempted by this black and white version of the animal print 574s.

Welcome Objects 2021 Wardrobe Count To Date
Additions: 8
Number of Additions That Are Secondhand: 0
Subtractions: 26
Total Number of Wardrobe Items: 155

A sweatshirt and two sweatpants from the Everlane Track Collection.

Everlane Review: The Track Collection

Published by welcomeobjects

It’s been over a year of this pandemic, over a year of wearing sweats at home nearly every day. Even if we return to more normal life, that sweats lifestyle is here to stay, at least for me.

I recently tried several pieces from Everlane’s Track collection. The last time I reviewed anything from Everlane was about 9 months ago. I stopped shopping at and writing about the company last year when some of their bad behavior came to light. For now, I’m cautiously returning to the brand as I explained in a recent diary post, with hopes that they’ve made changes though admittedly, it’s hard to know if they really have.

** this post contains affiliate links **

The Track Jogger

Everlane Track joggers in black

Track Jogger – $58

Always on the lookout for good loungewear during shelter-in-place, I found myself wanting another pair of sweatpants. The Track Jogger caught my attention because reviewers on Everlane’s site complained that the 26.5″ inseam was too short, leaving their ankles exposed. As a petite person, this means there’s a chance the length will work for me.

The jogger — or sweatpants, what’s the difference? — is high rise (another plus for me), with a relaxed tapered leg for a retro look.

Here’s the Track Jogger in size S on a 5′ 9″ model. Note how high her socks are.

And here’s 5′ 4″ me wearing the XS and S. Note how they go to my ankles. That 26.5″ inseam? Perfect for short little me!

A comparison of the same person wearing a set of Everlane Track sweats in two sizes.

Wearing the Everlane Track Jogger in XS and S. BTW, the S are not shorter than the XS. I must be wearing the S higher on my waist in this photo. The length generally falls past my ankles as pictured with the XS.

Fit: I’m a size 4-6 in bottoms. The S fit loose as intended, like on the model. But I liked the XS, which was slim while not being snug. Either worked, though. The rise, at 11″, worked well for me too.

Materials: Everlane says the material is a “custom-developed, organic french terry,” whatever that means. I’m glad to see that it’s 100% organic cotton. Too often, I’ve checked out some sweats only to find they’re a cotton-poly blend. (That’s a combo that I’m trying to avoid as polyester is basically plastic, and blended fabrics are difficult to recycle.)

The Track Oversized Crew

Being a fan of matching sets, of course I had to try the matching sweatshirt. Here’s the 5′ 9″ model wearing the Track Oversized Crew in S.

I’m wearing the Track Oversized Crew in the section above about the joggers. But here’s a few more photos with my hands outstretched to show what they mean by oversized.

Me, a normal person, wearing the Everlane track sweats. My arms are out to show the shape of the arms.

Track Oversized Crew and Track Joggers in XS. It measures 41.5″ for the bust, 24″ length. Also wearing Allbirds [review].

Me, a regular person, wearing the Everlane track sweats. My arts are out to either side to show the shape of arms and the width of the sweatshirt, which is wide.

Track Oversized Crew and Track Joggers in S. It measures 43.5″ for the chest, 24.75″ length.

Fit: I generally wear XS or S. In Everlane, I mostly wear XS. The Track Oversized Crew in S was too big on me. The sleeves were too long for my petite limbs, and it felt way wide. While the XS fit better and I usually I love boxy shapes, this cut didn’t feel quite right.

What I liked: The sleeve, which has a slight balloon sleeve shape, a touch of elegance for a sweatshirt.

What I didn’t like: How high the crewneck sat on me. But that’s just a personal preference. I don’t like turtlenecks or anything that sits too close to my neck. Note that the model photo shows a wider neck, so there’s a discrepancy. In reality, the neck opening was smaller. I also wasn’t a fan of how the threads for the tag was visible on the outside. Seems intentional, but looks sloppy to me.

The back of the Everlane Track Oversized Crew showing the outline of the interior tag on the exterior.

Why didn’t they use matching threads to sew the tags on?

The Track Pant

Everlane Track pant in blue

Track Pant – $58

Everlane bills its Track Pant as unisex, though it only features male models in the product photos. I decided to try these as well since I liked the colors better: blue, gray, black — basically my wardrobe colors. The women’s colors for the Track Joggers and other pieces feature more spring pastels like apricot and laurel, a light green.

Here’s a 6′ 1″ model wearing size L.

And here’s 5′ 4″ me in a S. The 28.5″ inseam is do-able scrunched at the end on my short frame, though I prefer the shorter inseam of the Track Joggers.

Me, a petite woman, wearing the Everlane Track pants, which are kinda tight.

The unisex Track Pant. Hmmmm, too tight and not flattering.

Fit: When something’s labeled unisex, I assume it’s going to run bigger for a small, petite woman like me. But this was not the case. I ordered XS and S in the Track Pant, and I couldn’t pull the XS past my hips. While I could get into the S, it was tight all around — in the thighs, rear, and even the leg opening. I should have ordered the M instead of XS to try on.

The pant opening to the Everlane Track Pant (in gray) versus the Everlane Track Jogger (in black).

The leg opening on the Track Pant (gray) versus the Track Jogger (black). Both are size S. Measured flat, the leg opening on the Track Jogger is 5.25″. It’s nearly an inch smaller for the Track Pant.

What I liked: Could be my imagination, but it felt slightly softer inside than the Track Joggers. But maybe that’s due to color. The Track Pant also feature the drawstring on the inside instead of out, and have one rear pocket. Yay for pockets! (The women’s joggers have no back pockets.)

The inside of the Everlane Track Pant waistband, showing an interior drawstring.

Hidden drawstring in the Track Pant.

More Thoughts on the Everlane Track Collection

Branding: One thing I should mention is that the pieces in the Track collection all have an embroidered E somewhere on them. On the sweatshirt, it’s on the sleeve. On sweatpants, it’s on the thigh. Since I’m not into branding, I could do without this extra touch. Also, the Es are not applied consistently. Out of the 6 pieces I ordered, 2 of them didn’t have the E.

Close up of the embroidered E on pieces from the Everlane Track collection.

Eeeeeeee

Where they’re made: Everlane’s website used to have a page for each factory it used, but last year I started noticing that they didn’t seem to do that anymore. There’s not one for the Hirdaramani Factory in Sri Lanka where the Track collection is made. (Nor does it say which factory in Sri Lanka.) Is this the same Hirdaramani, which says it has sustainability goals and fair trade factories? But there’s also this article about Hirdaramani’s harsh working conditions during the pandemic. It’s from the World Socialist website and not a journalistic entity, so I don’t feel confident about the reporting, but the picture it paints of workers being pressured to work longer hours is very concerning. 

Everlane has marketed its factories as ethical. They’ve got a hashtag for it: #KnowYourFactories. This claim was one of the reasons I shopped from them. But after last year, I’ve lost some trust. I still assume Everlane is better about production than a fast fashion conglomerate. But I also wonder if it’s just that they’re better at marketing. How can a company know with certainty how well an overseas factory is run? And as consumers, how can we really know that factories treat their employees well?

Quality: Overall, I find the Track collection to be well-made, even if most of the pieces I tried were not the best fitting for me. The GOTS-certified organic cotton fabric feels nicely thick and decently soft.

What I kept: I sent the Oversized Crew and Track Pant back, but kept the Track Joggers, pleased to have a pair of sweatpants that fits petites. Luckily, the XS in the joggers that I ended up keeping didn’t have a decorative E. I’ve been wearing them on repeat as I work from home.

There are other items in this loungewear collection that I didn’t try, like the Track Wide-Leg Pant and the unisex Track Hoodie, which is nicely designed. I like the array of items to mix and match. There’s even a sweatshirt dress, the Track Dress. Everlane also recently added a few items, including a cropped sweatshirt and sweatshorts. You can see all the pieces from Everlane’s Track collection here.

I’ve reviewed a lot of Everlane over the years. You can find a directory to all my Everlane reviews here. If you found my review helpful, please consider shopping through my link. Thank you!

Five items of clothing hang on a clothing rack.

What I Learned From Counting Every Item in my Wardrobe

Published by welcomeobjects

Back in January 2020, I took an inventory of my wardrobe. I had never actually counted how many items were in my closet before and it was interesting exercise.

The Wardrobe Inventory

Here were my tallies:

Pants (including jeans) – 12
Shorts – 1
Skirts – 18
Dresses – 17
Jumpsuits – 3
Tops (includes T-shirts) – 50
Sweaters (pullovers) – 9
Sweats (including sweatshirts, sweatpants, hoodies) – 6
Coats & Jackets – 17
Layering Items (cardigans, shrugs, blazer-like items, dusters) – 10
Suit – 1
Shoes – 25

TOTAL Number of Items in My Wardrobe – 169

This total doesn’t include workout clothes, outdoor-specific clothing (like hiking pants), pajamas, and “home clothes,” which are slightly ratty clothes or other demoted clothing that I only wear at home.

What the Numbers Told Me

Counting items and seeing that total next to each category really gave me a sense of how unbalanced my wardrobe felt in some areas. Some things that popped out at me:

  • I have a shorts shortage, though I knew this already since I only owned 1 pair. It’s not an item that I wear much here in San Francisco where the temperature seems to hover around 64 degrees. But I could stand to use another pair for heat wave days and visiting other places.
  • The number of skirts, 18, feels high relative to how often I wear them. 3 are fancier special occasion-type skirts. Another 3 are wool or wool blends, which I haven’t worn since I worked an office job. (One of them I bought after my office job, so I’ve never worn it out. It still has the tags on it.) Still, that leaves a dozen skirts, mostly knee length, which I also don’t wear that much. Again, I blame the weather here. Knee-length skirts are not practical for being out and about in San Francisco where temperatures drop rapidly when the fog rolls in. This just leads to emergency tights buying.
  • The number of tops I own also surprised me. I knew I was it was a problem when I lost count taking inventory in this category. 50 seems like a lot. While 20 of them are T-shirts or more casual tank tops, that still leaves 30 tops, which is plenty. This section could definitely use a good culling. And if I want another top, I should think hard about what purpose it serves before adding it to my collection.
  • I’m proud of the number of shoes I own, 25, because just a couple years ago, I owned twice as many.

Now, this total — 169 — is where I was in January 2020 after 3 years of slowing down my shopping and whittling down my wardrobe. I used to own much, much more, though how much exactly I can’t say. It wasn’t until 2019 that I started to keep track of how many items were coming in and out of my closet. (I reported the numbers every month in my diary posts.)

Over the course of 2019, I subtracted 47 items from my closet, but also added 24, so I know that at the beginning of 2019, I owned 192 items. I most certainly owned more than 200 items prior to that. Seeing that I’ve listed roughly 200 items in my Poshmark closet from my own personal collection means that I’ve had close to 400 items, though not all of them at one time.

Three rows of shoes, 9 shoes total

Some of the 25 pairs of my shoes that have survived rounds of culling. Read my reviews of some of them: Allbirds Wool Loungers, dr. Liza Leopard Print Flats, Everlane Form Sandal, Everlane V Heel, Hopp Studio Wedges, Allbirds Tree Breezers.

Pandemic Considerations

Continuing to downsize my wardrobe was already on my mind — and then the pandemic hit. This past year I’ve worn only a small percentage of my wardrobe regularly as I sheltered in place. Roughly, that number is 30 to 40 items, or about 20 to 25%. I didn’t touch any of my jeans except for 1 pair. I never wore skirts out since my trips out of the home were mostly groceries and supplies runs. Sure, I played dress up at home because I enjoyed putting together looks and find it fun. But in my day-to-day, comfort was queen. Sweatpants ruled.

While we might be returning to a more normal life later this year, living in the pandemic has underscored how much of my wardrobe I don’t need. Pre-pandemic, I was already leaning towards looser clothes. The pandemic has only confirmed that I should KonMari items that fit on the tighter side. Some things I just don’t want anymore. (Looking at you, hard jeans!)

In 2020, I subtracted 14 items, but added 18 to my wardrobe, so I started off 2021 with 173 items. This year I plan to go through each section of my wardrobe, especially the categories with high numbers, and scrutinize each piece. (I don’t have a specific goal number in mind, but I plan to get that number down.) While I’ve already been doing this somewhat regularly for the past few years ever since I started paying attention to my consumption in 2017, every time I do another sweep, I get a little more strict about what to keep. No doubt the pandemic has made me even more picky.

Now that I’ve counted the number of clothing items I own, I’m so curious what other people’s numbers look like. Have you ever taken an inventory? What did it reveal? And has the pandemic changed your feelings towards your wardrobe?

Me, an Asian person with long hair, wearing the Vetta Boyfriend Shirt in navy blue over some red pants.

Versatile Style: Vetta Capsule’s Boyfriend Shirt

Published by welcomeobjects

After thinking about it on and off for more than a year and a half, I finally bought Vetta Capsule’s Boyfriend Shirt this past fall. So, of course, now I’m going to write a review about it.

This shirt first caught my attention for its effortless look. I liked how the sleeves fell below the elbow. It seemed at once casual and elegant. And like many of Vetta’s items, this shirt can be worn a couple different ways: with the buttons in front or the back. Vetta is known for the convertible nature of its garments, its capsule collections, and ethical production. The Boyfriend Shirt is part of Vetta’s Casual Capsule, which was re-released today in new colors.

Fabric & Details

The fabric is Tencel, a cellulose fiber. It’s thick-ish (a surprise to me) with a decent weight to it, which gives it a nice drape. The shirt originally came in two colors: black and white stripe and washed navy. I went for the washed navy, which is more muted in person than on the website. (I encountered this same color discrepancy in my review of Vetta’s Two-Piece Midi Dress). Up close, the blue fabric has a slightly faded look to it. With the new release, Vetta isn’t offering the blue anymore, but they added olive and french navy (a darker blue than this one). One nice detail is the inclusion of bra strap holders.

Closeup of the fabric of the Vetta Boyfriend Shirt in blue

Closeup of the fabric, which is a tad more muted in person than on the website.

Sizing & Fit

I’m a dress size 4 and a size XS or S in most brands. Since this shirt looked oversized, I went with XS. The strange thing, though, is that even though it’s oversized, it doesn’t exactly feel that way. When I first put it on, it felt weirdly constricting. You see, where the arm pit falls on this shirt is much lower than on your typical shirt (or where your arm pit would actually be). This design probably allows one to wear it either way.

A person with black hair wears the Vetta Boyfriend Shirt in blue. Arms are stretched out to show the width of the shirt.

Note the low arm pits.

For a moment, I thought I had made a mistake.

So even though the measurement from pit to pit in an XS is 21.5″, it doesn’t feel as free flowing as I’d expected. I guess this is the tradeoff that happens with a convertible shirt. If you’re busty, this shirt probably isn’t going to work well for you because of the cut.

For a moment, I thought I had made a mistake. But after wearing it for a while, I got used to it.

Ways to Wear

After my initial hesitation, I’ve grown to like the Boyfriend Shirt. It has turned out to be a versatile addition to my wardrobe. The slate blue color works well in my closet, which is abundant in blacks and blues.

Untucked, it’s kind of long on my petite frame — I’m 5′ 4″ — and cuts me in half. So, I prefer tucking it in or leaving the bottom buttons unbuttoned and tying it.

A person with black hair wears the Vetta Boyfriend Shirt two ways. On the left, with the v-side in front, on the other side, with the rounded neck in front.

The Vetta Boyfriend Shirt untucked on 5’4″ me.

Two images of a person in black hair wearing the Vetta boyfriend shirt tucked in. To the left with V-neck in front, and to the right with rounded neck line.

The Vetta Boyfriend Shirt tucked in. Whew, much better for my proportions.

Out of the two necklines, I prefer the V on the front, which seems to sit more comfortably than the rounded side. I’m generally not into showing cleavage, and the V is is almost too deep for me — key word being almost.

A person with dark hair wears the Vetta Boyfriend Shirt knotted over a digital floral print pencil skirt.

Vetta Boyfriend Shirt // Target Skirt // Eileen Fisher Shoes [similar]

I love the sleeves, which add a bit of drama to the look. Though I think of it as a casual shirt, I can dress it up in a satiny pencil skirt.

A person with black hair wears the Vetta boyfriend shirt tucked into a satiny polka dot pencil skirt.

Vetta Boyfriend Shirt // J Crew Pencil Skirt // Eileen Fisher Heels [similar]

You can also wear it open like a cardigan.

A person with black hair wears the Vetta Boyfriend Shirt in blue open like a cardigan over a black tank top and black jeans.

Vetta Boyfriend Shirt // Uniqlo Jeans // Hopp Studio Shoes [review]

After trying it out for several months, I love it now. I’m even contemplating getting it in one of the new colors.

I'm wearing the Vetta boyfriend shirt in blue, knotted, over black pants. I'm on my cell phone.

Vetta Boyfriend Shirt // Eileen Fisher Cropped Pants [review] [similar] // Allbirds Shoes [review] // Lo & Sons Bag (Yes, I really was on the phone. I was ordering burgers for dinner.)

The Vetta Boyfriend Shirt retails for $89 new on Vetta’s site. I found mine secondhand through a fellow Instagrammer, Ariel. She found it too big for her, preferring the smaller proportions of the Vetta Girlfriend Shirt instead. I’m happy that it found a new home with me.

UPDATE 5/12/21 – I went for it and ordered this Vetta shirt in the new French Navy color. I also got the Girlfriend Shirt and the Every Day Pant and am loving all these pieces so far.

Vetta Capsule Boyfriend shirt in Washed Navy and French Navy.

The original washed navy color on the left, and French navy on the right.

UPDATE 1/20/22 – I wrote a post comparing the Boyfriend Shirt with the Girlfriend shirt.

Lockdown Life Lately: One Year Later

Published by welcomeobjects

It’s been awhile, dear readers. Here’s a little life and shopping update.

Lockdown Life

I’ve been unexpectedly busy with work since my last post, working more hours than usual and struggling with work-life balance. The one-year anniversary of sheltering in place at home passed quietly for me on March 17. I remember stocking up on groceries and thinking this would pass in a few months. How wrong I was.

March 17 was also the day I woke up to the news of the Atlanta-area murders. I’ve already been on edge for the past year as harassment against Asians has increased. As a woman, I’m always aware of my surroundings in public, but now even more so. The other day, as I walked to pick up pizza for dinner I kept thinking about the man who had been stabbed, unprovoked, in the back in NYC Chinatown. I looked over my shoulder now and then as I carried my pizzas home, to make sure no one was sneaking up on me.

The most heartbreaking thing to me is how in some of these incidents, no one helped. Not one bystander did anything.

I had to stay off social media for awhile for my own sanity. I didn’t want to be repeatedly subjected to images and stories of violence.

Anyways, trying to take care of myself. Took some time yesterday to give myself a manicure. And today, I thought about getting back to the blog, so here we are.

Shopping Life

A collage of three items: Everlane joggers, kuhn rikon spiralizer set, Vionic slim insoles

Everlane Track Joggers, Kuhn Rikon Spiralizer Set, Vionic Slim Fit Insoles

*** affiliate links below ***

Shopping wise, I haven’t bought much lately, but here are some things I’ve acquired:

Everlane Track Joggers – I know I said I wouldn’t write about Everlane again until they’ve changed. Have they? The company released a statement about internal hiring changes, diversity, and representation last August. But it’s hard to know from the outside if they’ve actually changed their culture. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt. I hope they are taking it seriously. But I just don’t know.

The truth of the matter is I had accumulated some store credit, which I’m not going to leave behind. And I wanted another pair of sweatpants because the Mister had taken to borrowing my Pact sweatpants. (Yes, I bought Pact men’s sweatpants for myself.) And then, when I saw tall people complaining about how these particular joggers were too cropped on them, well, as a petite, that’s exciting news. At $58, the price was right, especially for GOTS-certified organic cotton.

Vionic Slim Fit Insole – Ever since my foot injury, my Hopp Studio wedges haven’t felt quite right. Even though they’re cushy, my feet felt achy in them. But, the insoles in those shoes are removable, so I replaced them with these Vionic ones. And viola, for $35 I can wear these shoes again! The shoes now feel more supportive. I do wish that the insoles didn’t come in plastic clamshell packaging, though.

One other complaint: For some reason, the insoles are 3/4 length. The reason, I guessed, was so that you could put them in shoes where you couldn’t remove the insoles. From reviews, it seemed many people did exactly that. I hoped I could pop them into my Everlane V Heel shoes, which lack arch support. Alas, it’s too tight of a fit. I’d have to size up in the shoe to incorporate the Vionic insoles.

But then, when I received the insoles, the instructions said they were to replace other insoles. I find this baffling since I’m using them as intended in the Hopp Studio wedges. But as they only cover 3/4 of the way, my toes are hanging out on the uncovered part of the shoe’s footbed.

Kuhn Rikon Click-N-Curl Spiralizer Set – Since we’re spending so much more time cooking, we decided to splurge on this set. I say splurge not because it’s an expensive item at $18, but because the idea of turning veggies into pretty ribbons was not something I would have entertained before the pandemic. I think of veggie spirals as a restaurant touch. And though restaurants are open for indoor dining at 25% capacity currently in San Francisco, I still don’t think it’s safe, so I will not be partaking. The nice, practical thing about this set is that the cones for spiralizing are attachments. Take them off and you’ve got plain peelers, and good ones at that.

Well, that’s my report for now. In other news, I’m happy to see educators and restaurant workers in my personal network getting vaccinated. Everyone in my immediate family has gotten the first or both doses of the Pfizer vaccine except for me. With the news that everyone in California 16 and older will be eligible on April 15, hopefully, I’ll get mine soon.

Product photo of a lilac pink boxy sweater

Italic Review: Boxy Cropped Cashmere Sweater

Published by welcomeobjects

Today I’m reviewing a sweater from Italic that I’ve been wearing on repeat for the past two months: the Boxy Cropped Cashmere Sweater. This is the first item I’ve tried from this brand.

Italic’s value proposition is that they manufacture their products in the same factories as luxury brands like Prada or Sandro, but without the luxury brand markups. Since it first began, Italic has changed its business model to one that’s based on membership. A membership to Italic costs $120 a year. A friend who’s a member kindly gifted me a membership during a promotion. To be honest, I don’t think I would have shelled out for it myself. UPDATE: As of 10/9/21, Italic is no longer members only. While there is a membership level called Italic Bold with perks, anyone can purchase from the site.

Of course I went straight to the sweater section because I’ve been trying to beef up that part of my wardrobe for the last couple of years.

** affiliate links below **

An Italic boxy cropped cashmere sweater in black laid out on a white surface.

Boxy Cropped Cashmere Sweater – $70. This is what it looks like after two months of wear.

The Boxy Cropped Cashmere Sweater caught my eye because as a petite person, I gravitate towards anything called “cropped.” To me, that increases the chances that something won’t be too long on me. UPDATE: After Italic updated its website in fall 2021, it’s now called the Cashmere Boxy Crewneck Sweater

Style: Italic says this sweater was inspired by the ’90s. As a young GenXer, I attended high school in the ’90s and I don’t remember sweaters looking particularly like this. (But also, I can’t seem to remember if I even owned any sweaters back then.) In any case, it has a boxy and slightly cropped (but not too cropped) silhouette and ribbing on the cuffs, waist, and neckline. All in all, a pleasing design.

Fabric: Those of you who have been following my sweater quests over the years may recall that I have sensitive skin. I cannot deal with a lot of cashmere, which irritates me. Everlane cashmere? Generally feels too scratchy. Thus, I am happy to report that this 100% Mongolian cashmere Italic sweater doesn’t have that problem! I can actually wear it right against my skin (though I usually wear a tank top underneath).

Second, I love the weight of this sweater. Italic says the “weighty 7 gauge stitch makes for a substantial knit with added warmth.” To me, this sweater feels medium in thickness. I am not into light T-shirt weight sweaters and this is definitely not that. But it’s not a thick, chunky sweater either. It’s perfectly in between. And it’s nicely warm and soft and seems good quality to me, though I wouldn’t say it’s the highest quality ever.

Sizing: First off, I want to say how nice it is that there’s not only a size chart, but under “product detail,” there’s garment measurements for each size. Here’s a 5’9″ model wearing a size M.

And here’s 5’4″ me in two different sizes. I’m generally a S, sometimes an XS in most brands. I ordered the S (to the left) and M.

Italic boxy cropped cashmere sweater as worn by the same person in two sizes.

Wearing S and M

Both are not cropped on me in the sense that you can see my belly (thank goodness). They land around the top of my high rise jeans. The medium is longer by 3/4 of an inch. (Italic says the medium is 22″ long, but it’s more like 21.5″ according to my tape measure.) The sleeves on the M are much longer, but they both fit in the body. I decided to go with the M for a looser fit.

How it’s held up: Does it pill? Yes, some. Cashmere pills. That’s what it does. The area that seems to have developed the most pilling is the arms. Compared to the cashmere-wool blend stroopwafel sweater from Everlane that I own (seen in this post about sweaters from ethical brands), this Italic sweater pills more. But I don’t think the pilling is abnormal or cause for concern. Every once in a while, I do some de-pilling maintenance. No big deal.

closeup of an italic boxy cropped cashmere sweater showing some pilling.

Pilling report: Yes, it does. But not in a bad way. Black is hard to photograph, and this photo makes it look a little worse than it is in real life.

This sweater comes in 11 colors. I find the black kind of attracts lint and dust. So, it’s probably not a great color choice for those with furry friends.

I wear this sweater several times a week and since it’s a black sweater, it goes with everything.

Black Italic boxy cropped sweater, worn with a long skirt.

Italic Sweater // Eileen Fisher Skirt  // Eileen Fisher Shoes [similar]

Overall, I’m happy with this sweater and think it’s a great buy for $70. I would buy it in another color, though most of their other color offerings don’t quite appeal to me. I’m eyeing the saffron and wish it came in a dark brown.

But is it ethically and sustainably made?

Italic’s FAQ merely says, “Italic takes supplier policies and practices seriously. Only a fraction of the factories we speak to are able to sell on the platform.” It goes on to say that the company is preparing more information to share with customers about suppliers. That’s certainly not a resounding yes. It sounds like they might be trying to trace their supply chain, but don’t really have answers yet.

Italic does include a bit of info about the manufacturer. What we know about this one is that it’s been operating since 2002 and has ISO and GRS certifications. ISO stands for international standards, I take it? But the ISO website says they set the standards but don’t actually perform certifications, and that simply saying “ISO certified” is not enough. It should be more specific and say something like “ISO 14001” which would indicates which standards it adheres to.

GRS stands for Global Recycle Standard (GRS) certification, which sets requirements for third-party certification of recycled content, chain of custody, social as well as environmental practices, and chemical restrictions. So, it sounds like this factory is making an effort at using recycled content and reducing harmful environmental effects.

UPDATE 2/15/23 – I noticed sometime last year that Italic increased their prices significantly. This sweater is now called the Mila Cashmere Boxy Crop Sweater and retails for $150. While it’s not as good a deal before, it’s on par with Everlane pricing. And I have to say, this is the sweater I wear the most.

Flatlay of a black jumpsuit, blue sweater, leopard print boots

How My 20 in 2020 Shopping Goal Went

Published by welcomeobjects

New years greetings, everyone. It’s that time of year when I look back on my year of shopping. And by that, I mean clothes shopping. When it comes to other areas, I’m pretty good about not going overboard. But clothes, I fricking love clothes! In years past, I bought way too much. I started this blog partly as a way to hold myself accountable to reducing my clothing consumption, so here we are with my annual check-in. (May you find this navel-gazing interesting.)

In December 2019, I set a wardrobe shopping goal for 2020: Buy no more than 20 items — and make half of them secondhand. But 2020 was unexpected to say the least. The Covid-19 pandemic both helped and hurt my goal.

It helped because I spent the majority of the year at home where I couldn’t be tempted by retail displays. I left my apartment for exercise and to buy groceries and supplies, but not much else. Without passing by and popping into stores and boutiques, I didn’t think about shopping as much. True, other more weighty thoughts were on my mind in this year of sorrow. But there was a recreational aspect to shopping that dissipated once I wasn’t reminded of stores.

Of course, I happen upon things in the virtual space that tempt me too. (Damn you, Instagram. I bought these shoes because I learned about the brand from someone’s Instagram.) But in general, the impact of seeing something in person is usually stronger on me.

In a year of isolation with Zoom meetings and virtual hangouts, even the act of shopping underscored how important and irreplaceable in-person interactions are.

The pandemic hurt the second part of my goal — buying 50% secondhand because again, seeing things in person is key for me. Though I do shop secondhand online, many platforms like Poshmark don’t allow returns. I don’t want to create more work for myself by reselling something that doesn’t work out, so I tend to look for specific items or brands whose fit I’m familiar with. When it comes to browsing, I prefer brick-and-mortar consignment and thrift stores so that I can see the fit, material, and condition. But this year, I’ve only been inside a thrift store twice.

In a year of isolation with Zoom meetings and virtual hangouts, even the act of shopping underscored how important and irreplaceable in-person interactions are.

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The Numbers

So, how did I do? I spent $1,075 on 18 clothing items this year, not including underwear, workout garments, or jewelry.) The dollar amount does not include $150 worth of clothing for nearly 3 items that a brand gifted to me, nor does it include $75 in store credit that I used. (The reason I don’t include jewelry is that I buy little of it, and they’re all inexpensive items. It’s not an area where I have a shopping problem. This year I bought 2 pairs of earrings from J. Crew with a coupon, which caused me a bit of consternation, as I mentioned in this diary post.)

Not only did I meet the first part of my goal, but I believe this is the fewest number of clothing items I’ve ever bought in a one-year period in the past decade. I’ve been steadily trending downward these last few years. In 2017, the first year of this blog, I bought 40 items. In 2018, it was 31 items. And in 2019, 24.

But, I didn’t meet my 50% secondhand goal. Only 3 items, or 16.6%, were secondhand, which is slightly better than last year’s percentage of 12.5%.

Here’s a breakdown of what I acquired by category:

Accessories – 1
Shoes – 3
Tops – 3
Sweaters – 4
Dresses/Jumpsuits – 1
Skirts – 1
Pants – 1
Sweats – 3
Outerwear – 1

Where did I shop? For the first time, the majority of my purchases, 83%, were from ethical brands or were secondhand. (If you still consider Everlane ethical, which, well, I have conflicted thoughts about that.)

Another indicator of how I’m doing is: Will I keep these items? Last year at this time, I already knew that 2 of my 24 purchases were duds. Looking back on my 2018 acquisitions, I didn’t keep 5 out of 31. In 2017, it was 10 out of 40. Of course, only time will tell, but so far only 1 item hasn’t work out, an Aritzia cocoon coat I found secondhand, which was too big. I turned around and sold it. I’m also on the fence about this Club Monaco cardigan, which met my aesthetic and fit requirements, but feels rougher than I expected. I’m leaning towards keeping it, though part of me thinks I should keep searching for the perfect lightweight cardigan.

Welcome Objects 2020 Wardrobe Count 
Additions: 18
Subtractions: 14

Shopping Habits & Patterns

Four sweaters, neatly folded.

Clockwise, starting on the upper left: Italic cropped sweater, Everlane ReCashmere sweater [updated style] [review], Club Monaco summer cardigan, Everlane ReCashmere cardigan [review]

There was a spurt of shopping in the spring, but also many months where I didn’t buy anything. Like last year, I shopped the most towards the end of the year, buying 7 items in the last 3 months. My resolve generally wanes towards the end of the year in the face of sales. This year, there was also the additional factor of volunteering a lot for the election, and feeling that I deserved to treat myself.

That I bought the most in the category of sweaters is not surprising. Sweaters have been high on my list of things I could use more of for the past 2 years. With the addition of 2 warm sweaters and 2 cardigans, I now have 13 sweaters of varying warmth and thickness. This feels like a good number to me.

Tops was an opposite situation. I had plenty. At the beginning of the year, I did a wardrobe count (something I’ve never done before), and found that I owned 50 tops. This number surprised me. 20 of them are T-shirts or more casual tank tops. Still, that left 30 “nice” tops. I told myself I shouldn’t buy any more. Yet, I added 3: this Vetta shell (reviewed here), this Eileen Fisher silk/cotton boxy top that I just reviewed, and the Vetta Boyfriend Shirt. (These Vetta items accounted for my other secondhand purchases.)

What does it all mean in a pandemic year?

Though I already owned lots of tops, I told myself these new additions were all good buys as they seemed versatile. Being able to wear something with many other items in my closet is one way to judge the worthiness of a potential new wardrobe item.

In a pandemic year, versatility was not as important.

But also, in a pandemic year, versatility was not as important. It didn’t matter how versatile something was because I wore the same things day in, day out. Talk about outfit repeating! Honestly, there were only about 20 pieces of clothing in steady rotation.

I did put together outfits to share on Instagram and for my own enjoyment. Sometimes I destress by playing dressup. (You do this too, right?) The less practical items in my closet bring joy. But also, the pandemic really drove home the point that I could make do with less.

So, I think for 2021, I’m going to concentrate on whittling my wardrobe down even more. I hesitate to put a number to it such as: I must get rid of X number of things or I can have no more than X items in my wardrobe. I don’t know. I’m just not feeling it. Perhaps I hesitate to name specifics after the unexpected year that was 2020. But in general, I will strive to decrease the size of my wardrobe, and when I do shop for something, to look for secondhand first. I know this isn’t as satisfying as having a clear goal like 12 in ’21, but whatever.

How did this past year impact your shopping habits? Did you set goals for 2021?