I thoroughly enjoyed this shopping challenge of only buying 24 items of clothing in 2024. In this post I'm sharing what I bought, what I spent and what I plan on doing in 2025. 

First off, in total I actually bought 41 items of clothing which included shoes. Many of these I didn't count towards my 24 because they were concert tees I bought at a show, costume for a fundraiser, souvenir pieces in Italy, and 5 items that were thrifted. I didn't think about thrifted items going into this challenge, but decided later not to include them. I purchased the most items right before my trip to Italy because I was panicking on what to bring since the weather was all over the place. 

* Total spent on 24 items: $2,009

* Total spent on additional items = $1,109

WHAT I SPENT: $3,160

* The most expensive item I purchased = $280 Citizens of Humanity Horseshoe Jeans (not including tax)

* The cheapest item I purchased = $34 Free People Tank 

* 24 purchase breakdown: 10 tops, 4 jeans, 4 pairs of shoes, 1 pajama set, 3 jackets and 2 dresses

WHAT I LEARNED

I learned to be content with what I have. I learned to lean on friends and borrow from their closets for events. I learned it's OK to rewear the same party dress from the year before. I learned self restraint in Target. I learned I can take a vacation and not purchase a whole new wardrobe. 

I've known I'm a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl, but this challenge really solidified that. My most worn items were the two pairs of jeans I purchased. I fell in love with a simple white tee paired with wide leg jeans and sneakers. I think for anyone who hasn't found their personal style a challenge like this truly helps. It makes you examine what you currently own, what you naturally reach for, and what you feel most comfortable in. They say the less clothes you have the easier it is to find your personal style and make better decisions on what to wear. It takes away the analysis paralysis. 

I made some purchases that I realized were a mistake and highlighted the trap I fall into when I buy on a whim. For example, I fell in love with a green linen blazer at Kohl's and purchased. I've worn that blazer once. It's a beautiful item but I rarely reach for it. I learned it's better to invest in quality staple pieces I can mix and match easily with my wardrobe. This is a challenge for me though because naturally I'm the type of girl who loves the vibrant and ecentric pieces that are great for special occasions but not something I would wear to the coffee shop or on the weekend going to my kids sports games.  

This challenge also made me loathe Amazon haul videos. I would much rather spend the money on a quality piece than buy the dupe from Amazon. The amount of waste some fashion influencers create is insane and I unfollowed many this past year. And then there are the influencers who are normalizing purchasing $10-$30k designer handbags. They have a right to share what they want, but I learned it's not healthy for me to follow influencers who are in an extremely different tax bracket. It makes me jealous for what I don't have and that's not healthy. 

PLANS FOR 2025

I've decided not to restrict myself to a certain number of items, but I will be tracking how many items I purchase and the total cost so I can do a YoY comparison. I want to take a hard look in June and see where I'm at and make a change if necessary. I've also signed up for a Nuuly subscription, and feel that will help curb my shopping as well as my desire to purchase vibrant/loud pieces for events such as concerts and vacations. Use my referral code to get $30 off your first month!

Thank you to everyone who joined me in this challenge! I'd love to hear something you learned/took away from it. What was your favorite item you purchased? Most worn?