I am bad at making and keeping New Year’s resolutions. The typical resolutions I heard before, like losing weight or trying new things, always seemed to be uttered half-heartedly and without discussion of the true motivation for the resolution nor the plans of achieving it. This also seemed to be true for me each time I attempted to craft my vision going into a New Year. Lacking desire to reflect back on my year’s past, I often attempted to create resolutions without introspection and without clear understanding of what I desired and why. I’m sure you can imagine where that landed me – I would get to the end of the year without the faintest idea of what my previous resolutions had been or if I had even come close to achieving them.
Although I still think the cultural ideas we have around New Year’s resolutions don’t set us up well for continuous self-improvement, I do think developing some sort of practice around setting goals, no matter how small, will help me feel as if I am steering my life and identity development in some sort of definitive direction. And though I have resisted it previously I am beginning to realize that clearly looking towards the future will always require coming to an understanding of one’s past. How will I understand where I am going if I don’t even know where I have been?
Philosophical interlude aside, since Confused Musings is primarily a style blog, I thought it would be fun to practice self-reflection and goal setting within the context of my personal style. I often get so focused on scientifically dissecting and analyzing every aspect of my wardrobe that taking a step back to regain a sense of direction can be challenging. I’m selfishly hoping to use this series of posts to help me recalibrate my understanding of my own style and to carve a path for where I want to go. To kick off my 2023 reflection and 2024 vision, this first post will be a quick rundown of my favorite items in my closet I acquired this year.
Shaina Mote Boy Trouser
I had been eyeing the Shaina Mote Boy Trouser for 3-4 months but was hesitant to buy them because of the price. Luckily, Ebay notifications helped me find these pants being resold in my size for about half the price (secondhand finds from small/medium-sized brands is a rare blessing!). As soon as I started styling them I knew I would be using them frequently. I’ve always had an affinity for menswear and these pants give me the classic tailoring of a trouser but I can dress them up or down for a lot of different occasions. These also pants have the curved shape to the leg that I’ve been really enjoying but the curve is subtle enough that I can wear these comfortably in a corporate setting.
Vintage Dr. Martens Mary Janes
These are also another great Poshmark find that I wear almost weekly. Even though they have the classic, girlish Mary Janes look, they also have a 90s punk feel that helps give my outfits just a little edge and tension. I am a fan of the chunky shoe trend but not to a dramatic extent for everyday wear. These feel slightly chunky but are not at the extreme end. The bonus of these Mary Janes is that they also give me the chance to show off my growing collection of fun socks.
Green Camber Sportswear Hoodie
I know for some people the sweatshirt is considered lazy dressing. But having my favorite cozy sweatshirt for the days I don’t feel like getting “dressed” is a necessary piece of my wardrobe. My sweatshirts get a lot of use so having one that is durable is essential. The Camber Sportswear heavyweight hoodie (style #232) is perfect for what I need. It has a really nice thickness and weight to it so I am enveloped in coziness and warmth when I wear it. I always pack it when I’m going on short weekend or day trips because I know I’ll be wearing it by the end of the trip.
Note: I bought this sweatshirt a size up because it shrinks the first time you wash it! You can see from the pictures that it’s a little long on my arms but I personally prefer it that way for my sweatshirts because I enjoy constantly fidgeting with the cuffs and pulling them on and off my hands.
World of Crow Pleated Midi Dress
This dress from World of Crow is another piece I had been eyeing for ~4 months and became one of the most worn items in my closet during the summer. I was also lucky getting this dress because my partner bought me this dress as a gift knowing how unlikely it would be that I would buy it for myself. What I love about this dress is the lines. The bust has this beautiful pleating that cascades down to the skirt of the dress and the pleating also has this lengthwise asymmetrical shape that creates a simple, beautiful, and dynamic shape to the dress.
Note: The colors on this dress do run a bit – I have noticed a little dye rub off on other things when the dress is slightly damp and the color also runs when I wash it by hand.
Northern Watters Knitwear Crew Neck Pullover
Please forgive the slightly unflattering lighting in the photo I used for the Northern Watters pullover sweater. I got this sweater fairly recently but I was so excited about it I wanted to put it on here even with the lack of photos. This sweater filled that needed niche in my wardrobe for a cozy wool knit sweater that is serves me well during rainy and cold winters. The wood buttons make me feel like I’m the main character in a 90s rom-com that takes place in the shire from Lord of the Rings. I also love the smell of wool (maybe a bit weird) but I’ve come to associate it with being cozy.
Note: The yarn I selected is called Ecru Nep and is this pretty creamy white with brown and black flecks throughout the yarn.
Vintage T-Shirt (from my family)
Last but not least, my aunt gave me this vintage hand-painted t-shirt this summer. She told me that my dad had bought this t-shirt for her from a street artist in the 80s near a local university in our city. It pictures a woman carrying groceries with the words “They were out of sugar” near her face. I love receiving treasured items from family and this one is especially cool because it is tied to the history of the city I live in and a small piece of family history. From a styling perspective, it is also very easy to style because any hand-painted item will have an artsy and creative vibe that helps make the overall outfit cooler without much additional effort. I try not to wear it too often because I don’t want to ruin any of the paint but I also find myself frequently tempted to wear it. I will treasure this shirt for as long as I can.
That wraps up my quick list of my favorite things I purchased in 2023! Do you have anything you either bought this year or just used a lot that you really love? What aspects of your personal style and clothing preferences do you use to decide if something will work in your wardrobe? Feel free to leave a comment and thanks for reading!