The 13 New Things I Bought & Mostly Loved In 2025
10 hits, 3 misses, and 2 items that already crossed the 100 wears threshold
It’s February Week 2 according to the retail fiscal calendar and I’m shamefully late in recapping my 2025 new fashion buys. I ended the year at 13 firsthand pieces, three of which were apparel. While I didn’t do a low buy pledge in 2025 and only bought three items according to my 2024 low buy parameters below, this number still feels uncomfortably high.
Up to 10 new clothing items are allowed
No cap on secondhand buys
Gifts and workout gear count
Shoes, bags, jewelry, accessories, socks, and undergarments don’t count
Rentals don’t count
Repair of something I own doesn’t count
2025 New Buys
Looking back at my 13 new items I only regret three of them. Is this good? Idk, a 23% miss rate doesn’t sound promising even though the remaining 10 items were great additions to my closet. I wish I did a better job of buying less new clothing and am actively working on this for 2026, but that’s a topic for another post.
January
1, 2, 3. Uniqlo Heattech Ultra Warm Long Sleeve Tops and Gloves
I write this acknowledging that I’m a soft Californian1 who went to New York with my lightweight layers in tow and could not believe how cold it was. I had to make an emergency stop at Uniqlo the first day to grab a Heattech Ultra Warm top and gloves since my ancient polyester coat and sad knit gloves weren’t cutting it. My top became markedly less pleasant after wearing it for two days straight, so I went back and bought one more. These are my regretful purchases since both the tops and gloves barely moved the needle heatwise during my trip2.
May
4. Ganni Buckle Ballerinas
It’s safe to say that these Ganni pointy flats were my best purchase of 2025 at 129 wears and counting. After wishlisting these shoes for years, a Shopbop gift card and 40% off markdown aligned to push me over the edge. They make everything look slightly better: the San Francisco wind is more dramatic, my outfits feel more elevated, and I’ve had tens (yes, tens) of compliments from people who I didn’t expect to appreciate women’s shoes. Transparently, they are tough to break in if you’re a half size person in a full size world, but were worth every bandage to me.
5. Jenny Bird Padlock Heart Huggie Earrings
I bought these Jenny Bird earrings alongside my Gannis. They’re substantial looking yet lightweight enough to wear lined up in my first two piercings, a true feat for my sensitive earlobes. I had a parallel The RealReal alert for Jenny Bird and bought the Chunky Doune Hoops secondhand a week later3, another great purchase at 69 wears to date.
If you want an earring with longevity, this is the brand to get. As a former jewelry buyer I can confirm their quality is high: no tarnishing or chipping and the hinge closure is still secure at 101 times in my ears.
6. Ganni Ghillie Lace-Up Ballerina Flats
Another Ganni shoe, another firsthand purchase that was money well spent. I fell in love with these lace-up ballerinas after seeing them in AW25 Fashion Week imagery. After a few months of gazing at them longingly, I made a rare splurge to celebrate my MBA graduation. The ruched heel was much easier to break in than the buckle ballerina slingback and they have the same “compliments from people who don’t seem like they’d be into women’s shoes” energy.
June
7, 8, 9. High Heel Jungle Sweet Frill Socks & Starry Sky Socks, Stems Alexia Fishnet Socks
I have an ancient pair of sheer fishnet sample socks4 from my time as a legwear buyer that I was wearing into the ground. Shopbop was having a summer clearance on their sheer socks and I got carried away. I’m adamantly not a deals-driven shopper but I couldn’t believe the price I paid for all three, a little over $36 total.
July
10. Stems Micro Fishnet Sneaker Socks
Another month, another sheer sock on sale. I wasn’t planning on buying any other socks, but my old sample pair snagged on my Ganni buckle and had signs of an emerging hole. The Stems are a backup for the bargain price of $11.25 and have been happily resistant to my Ganni buckles.
September
11. The Frankie Shop Calliope Sheer Skirt
I was very into sheer in 2025 and am still very into sheer in 2026. I really wanted this specific burgundy skirt from The Frankie Shop, but it kept selling out on their website and I couldn’t find it secondhand. I got this as a gift from a family member when it came back into stock.
This skirt has been a joy to wear, although the fabric is a delicate flower and I somehow managed to stain it with water. My biggest quibble with The Frankie Shop is that it seems like 90% of their assortment is dry clean only when it’s probably hand or hand washable in reality. I’m currently reading Laundry Love and hope to find a way to wash this safely.
November
12, 13. J.Crew Red & White Opaque Tights
Red tights have been on my wishlist since 2023 but I’d felt too guilty to buy them when I own a drawerful of non-red tights. I’m not typically a J.Crew shopper, but the opacity and shade of their red tights drew me in. I held out for a BFCM deal and added white tights to my order after thinking about them all season. Both were a fantastic legwear investment and are much more versatile than they appear.
A Note on Sunscreen
If you’ve been with me for awhile, you know I’m very sunscreen-forward5 and have been a loyal Supergoop customer for 12 years. They discontinued my favorite Mineral Sheerscreen last year, so when I got a Supergoop gifting invite I was thrilled. I find honest sunscreen reviews to be incredibly helpful. Here are mine.
Dewscreen Sunscreen SPF 50: My facial skin can’t handle chemical sunscreens but I’d hoped the hydration would balance out any irritation. It did not, this gave me the usual stinging sensation both times I tried it. I’m using it on my hands and neck to avoid wasting anything. A true bummer since the formula is so hydrating.
Mineral Mattescreen SPF 40: At first this really didn’t do it for me because it had a tight feeling and I rarely wear tinted sunscreen since it’s tough to fully wash off the pigment. But I wanted to use this up and applied a little more with each wear6. Either my face adjusted or I got to the correct amount because now it feels like regular sunscreen on my skin. I’ve since bought another tube with my own money and am investigating cruelty-free micellar water.
Mineral Glowscreen Soft-Radiance Drops SPF 40: Supergoop kindly sent this sunscreen as a backup. I had low expectations since I thought it would be too runny and pearlized. But I really like it since it’s hydrating and very dewy (note: this might turn some people off since it has a distinct shine). It’s not fluffy like my beloved Mineral Sheerscreen; it has a thicker glue-like consistency that might not be for everyone, but works for me. I’m converting to a paying customer for this sunscreen as well.
Glow Gloss Lip Balm SPF 40: I was a fan of the discontinued Mineral Lipshade and hoped Glow Gloss in Strawberry Spritz would be my replacement. It has a subtle tint and the consistency is excellent, but there’s also an unavoidable chemical sunscreen taste. I’ll probably purchase Glow Gloss when I use this tube up anyway to protect my lips from the sun.
I’m still on the lookout for a fluffy mineral sunscreen that’s certified cruelty-free, vegan, SPF 40 or higher, non-tinted, hydrating, doesn’t cause breakouts, and is under $40. I’ll report back if I actually find this HG of sunscreens.
Friendly reminder: you can use FSA/HSA funds on sunscreen with a few parameters.
That’s it for this week, thanks for reading! I have a secondhand/style your closet post planned for next time before we dive into New York Fashion Week street style.
If you like what you’ve read, please tap the ❤️, comment, share, or give a free month to a friend on me if you’re a paid subscriber. It’s hugely helpful in giving my newsletter visibility and appreciated more than you know.
This post includes some affiliate links that help support my newsletter at no cost to you. I donate a portion of my affiliate earnings to animal rescues each month. These charities are close to my heart as a longtime volunteer at my local animal shelter.
Ask someone why they love living in San Francisco and the weather is almost always #1.
I’ve read rave reviews about Heattech and was surprised these didn’t do much for me. I’ve worn my tops and gloves in San Francisco and they’re good for our mild weather at least.
The more current Jenny Bird earrings go fast on TRR. If you really want something that’s sold out on their website, don’t wait around like me. Twice to my detriment, but I did get the cropped jacket on round two.
A huge perk of being a legwear buyer is that you get to wear test the production samples as part of the quality control process. My tights drawer still runneth over 15 years later.
Sunscreen is equal parts health and vanity for me. Dermatologist Dr. Santa of Derm Views’ insights about the long-term benefits of sunscreen here and here are compelling if you need an incentive to get better about consistent daily use and/or regular reapplication on the face and body.
I use the two fingers method, but find it hard with tinted sunscreens since it feels like I’m washing my face in foundation.
That’s not bad given that you’re counting socks (I’ve gone around this by not counting legwear into my new item count… convenient as I’ve bought 10, half of which hasn’t been worn yet 😬 Hoping to get wear out of them in spring.)
I like Uniqlo Heattech - I have the thinner weight which works well for me but it still requires proper outerwear. As well, living in a colder climate, we get acclimated over the weeks. In spring I can be more lightly dressed than fall despite same temperatures.
Loved this review, Tina! Have you tried any Korean sunscreens? I personally love the Beauty of Joseon one for everyday—especially for the price. (I love Supergoop too, but it’s more of an investment, so I tend to switch between the two.) Curious to hear your thoughts!