10 Things I Bought & Loved In 2025
Or, what's my favorite website and why is it The RealReal?
I like to say cut me open and I’m 50% vegan protein powder and 50% kombucha. But after analyzing my wardrobe purchases over the last six months, I’m actually 52%
and 48% ThredUp.I’ve bought what might be considered a substantial amount1 of preloved fashion in 2025 and I’ll probably keep going in the back half of the year. And guess what? I don’t feel bad about using money this way.
Some people spend on travel, some people spend on concerts, some people spend on sports. I spend on fashion because one of my biggest joys in life is getting dressed and feeling good about what I’m wearing. If I can reduce my fashion footprint by keeping items in circulation longer, all the better. As for the items that no longer fit my personal style, I’m finding good homes for everything through
.The Numbers
My 2025 apparel and accessories buys shook out to 36 total items so far this year.
9 firsthand pieces
25% of my total buys, dominated by accessories
Three purchases were out of weather-related desperation and the remaining six consisted of three pairs of socks, two pairs of shoes, and one pair of earrings
27 secondhand pieces
75% of my total buys, 52% The RealReal and 48% ThredUp
I’m in my tops era: 52% of my preloved buys were a mix of plain white t-shirts, going out tops, and sweaters
The Breakdown
Firsthand
1. Ganni Buckle Ballerina Flats
Hands down my best purchase of 2025. I’ve admired the Buckle Ballerinas from afar for literal years, but the price tag kept me from adding to cart. Then the stars aligned in May: the black colorway went on mega sale and I’d been saving a Shopbop gift card for something special, which turned out to be these shoes.
I’ve worn my ballerinas 43% of the days since they came into my life and have been complimented virtually every time they’ve been on my feet (three times yesterday in fact). These work with athletic socks, mesh socks, and no socks, and make every outfit feel that much more elevated.
rating: worn 27 times in 63 days, $8.19 cpw
2. Ganni Ghillie Lace-Up Ballerina Flats
Another Ganni footwear purchase that was 100% worth it. I saw these shoes all over AW25 fashion week as part of Ganni’s Fabrics of the Future collection and dreamed about the egret colorway made from Pelinova.
I’ve been watching the ballerina flat surface over the last three years and knew Ganni was the brand I’d go all in on. I got this shoe to celebrate my MBA graduation and couldn’t have asked myself for a better gift.
The Ghillies are infinitely easier to break in than the Buckle Ballerinas and just as complimented. This style doesn’t get quite as much wear only because they’re a light color and I do a lot of walking, so I hold them for situations where I have a higher likelihood of keeping them clean.
rating: worn 19 times in 59 days, $21.82 cpw
Secondhand
In the order I bought each item so the cost per wear makes more sense.
3. The Frankie Shop Wool Sweater Vest
This oversized vest caught my eye when it debuted a few seasons ago, but I was firmly in my no-animal textiles era and relegated myself to gazing at it longingly. Fast forward to a year later when I had a new perspective on animal fabrications, added this to my TRR obsessions, then made my move when it hit the $50 range.
This vest has been endlessly versatile and I’ve worn it with everything from jeans to skirts to dresses. My favorite part is that it’s long enough to keep my lower region covered when San Francisco turns into a wind tunnel. I found a few options at resale here if you want to get a jump start on fall.
rating2: worn 11 times in 151 days, $5.11 cpw
4. Nanushka Wool Blazer Jacket
The rare impulse buy that was only in my TRR obsessions for a mere weekend before I added to cart. A hybrid blazer jacket, it’s the perfect size for layering another jacket underneath, has pockets, and is incredibly soft. If you come across this, snatch. it. up. Garmentory still has the old pdp up, and seeing the details and fit sealed the deal for my TRR purchase.
rating: worn 39 times in 141 days, $6.36 cpw
5. Anine Bing Cropped Leather Jacket
My first-ever leather jacket buy, via TRR ofc. The cropped silho is a breath of fresh air after half a decade of oversized blazers and I love double breasted anything since it gives off polished vibes.
Something I’m unclear about is how to remove mineral sunscreen from leather. An avid sunscreen wearer, I’m forever finding white smudges at the bottom of my sleeves and neckline.
*If anyone has any proven ways to gently remove mineral sunscreen from leather, I’d be forever grateful if you shared in the comments*
rating: worn 17 times in 114 days, $12.47 cpw
6. Isabel Marant Studded Belt
The ne plus ultra of belts: au courant silver studs, rich brown colorway, substantial 1.5” width. The belt holes go alllll the way around so you can style this between low slung and high waist without investing in a leather hole punch.
It took me four months to land my belt since they go fast on TRR, even when priced in the $200+ range. I’m now twiddling my thumbs waiting for the black to pop up in my size. There’s a black colorway up for grabs in resale-land, and one in brown here.
rating: worn 22 times in 80 days, $8.59 cpw
7. LouLou Studio Linen Skirt
After months of searching for a secondhand sheer skirt, this is the first piece that ticked the majority of my boxes: 90s minimalist aesthetic, shorter under skirt panel, and in linen to boot. The slightly heavier texture means I can wear this with sweaters and t-shirts alike.
rating: worn 8 times in 80 days, $9.06 cpw
8. Jenny Bird Silver Hoops
When I was a merchant my absolute favorite category to buy was jewelry. Something I learned is that it’s a delicate balance to get the weight of an earring right: too heavy and your ear feels like it’s going to fall off, too light and your earring is swinging around wildly and getting tangled in your hair.
Jenny Bird has mastered earring weight with hefty-looking sculptural pieces that work on sensitive ears. I love how the basic hoop has been bubbled into a tactile, chunky shape. I’ve been wearing these hoops non-stop, along with these Jenny Bird heart earrings that are lightweight enough to double up in my first and second piercings.
rating: worn 17 times in 51 days, $7.35 cpw
9. Faded Glory Lace Skirt
My under $12 ThredUp score that met my black sheer lace skirt needs, other than a skirt under layer that needed a serious 2025 chop. At that price I cut it myself, and my less than precise alteration is kiiiind of masked by the lace.
rating: worn 4 times in 36 days, $3.00 cpw
10. Scoop Sheer Dress
Another ThredUp find, another $15 well spent. It came with a removable slip dress which I immediately tucked away never to be seen again since it detracted from my sheer dress vision.
More multi-purpose than you’d think, it works with sweaters, blazers, and as a true trend item with bike shorts and a bralette. It will be a stellar layering piece when the sheer craze eventually dies down.
rating: worn 4 times in 31 days, $3.85 cpw
Fashion Notes
A case for modular clothing, even if you’re the one making it modular.
Let me be your
cautionary tale.Love seeing a trend prediction manifest in real time, especially when it’s mine.
I couldn’t end this without an
cameo in this minimalist dream of a dress that has me scouring all the resale sites.Nosy merchant poll of the week:
That’s it for this week, thanks for reading! What’s your favorite fashion piece you’ve bought this year? And if you’re tracking your wardrobe with 3, how many wears have you gotten out of this so far?
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This post includes some affiliate links that help support my newsletter at no cost to you. Everything linked is something that I own, wear on repeat, and love.
I’ve noticed news articles placing secondhand shopping on the same wavelength as overconsumption. I cannot get on board with this mindset unless you’re buying preloved fashion and chucking it directly into the garbage after a few wears. I recommend
’s post No, Thrifting Isn’t Overconsumption for her insights on this topic.The data for how many days I’ve had each secondhand piece is skewed because I use the purchase date and not the date I actually received my package. The shipment times for The RealReal and ThredUp move at a glacial pace, and I mentally remove 1-2 weeks for each secondhand item.
I liked all your shoes and how well they went with your outfits
At this point, you deserve a TRR and ThredUp partnership!! Love seeing the data (and styling) come through in real life. Total Indyx goals!!