The 2024 Wardrobe Report (Most & Least Worn)
310 days into a no buy challenge, wardrobe reflections, & a deep dive into the data
After 310 days into my 365 no buy journey, the data is pretty meaty! I started my no buy challenge in February 26th 2024 in a bid to reconnect to my creativity and enjoy really wearing the pieces in my wardrobe. I’ve wrote at length about the experience, and have loved it so much I made a course to help other people do their own no buy which you can find out more about here. In addition to a private portal of video tutorials, the course comes with a workbook (I use mine digitally on a tablet but you can also print it out) which I use to store my data in so I can compare how I’m using my wardrobe and reflect on each quarter, year to year. I get my data from the app Indyx. So without further ado, Let’s get into it.
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I wore 72% of my wardrobe in 2024
Thanks to my no buy challenge, this will go down in history as the year I REALLY wore my clothes. 72% of my wardrobe to be specific which i’m really blooming proud of, as this was one of my main goals when I started my no buy: to enjoy the pieces I do have and find new ways to wear them. I wanted to focus on styling my existing pieces vs buying more. Getting to a point wear certain items had holes in bought a new kind of pride to how I approach my clothes.
My top 5 most worn items, aka the wardrobe Heroes
Using the workbook from my course, I track my most and least worn items. I separate it into clothing and accessories. Thanks to my Indyx wrapped the above shows my overall top 5 most worn items and nothing here surprises me. Earrings are a very reliable piece in my wardrobe and the Lie Studio earrings still look as good as the day I bought them, no peeling and no discoloration. I would have thought something was wrong with the Indyx app if my Aritzia Effortless Pants weren’t in my top 5, and these also look as good as the day I bought them. My Massimo Dutti boots have worked incredibly hard, providing comfort, practicality and polish. I got them rehealed while I was in London and they look good as new! The heel is the perfect height (and width) for lots of walking and the toe is very similar to my Toteme Mid Heel Boots. The H&M drawstring trousers became a work from home essential, although they now have a hole in after so much wear, and this is where I can see the decline in quality of a $30 pair of trousers vs that of my Aritzia trousers which cost around $146.
My top 5 MOST worn in each category
Bags - Very happy to see my most expensive bag, the one I feel like I waited a lifetime for, has been my most worn. My biggest fear with buying my vintage Hermes Kelly was babying it to the point where i’m too precious to use it, but it really does go with everything and as such I make sure I give it the love it deserves. I feel like this is a pretty good cross section of bags from my collection, and it’s nice to see a mix of textures, size and finishes. So far, the only bag I would like to add to my collection after my no buy is this one.
Shoes - The fact that four pairs of my most worn shoes are open toe sandals isn’t a surprise given that I live in Los Angeles. The second pair are my house slippers and I have to say these always make my work from home outfits feel more polished and less like i’m wearing pyjamas.
Trousers - At this point if you haven’t used ‘Aritzia Effortless Pants’ as a drinking game then you’ve missed a trick. If there was an oscar for trousers, these would win it! Dave calls them my school trousers, and while I can’t lie, they do sometimes remind me of that, they just make me feel like my best self, no matter the occasion. I’ve spoken at length about my love for the Abercrombie curve love jeans, and the relaxed 90’s style ended up being my most worn because of the fit and comfort factor.
Dresses - It’s interesting that I gravitate more towards high street dresses (cotton or linen where possible) vs more expensive ones. I think because I wear dresses for a big portion of the year I see them more as consumables. The under arms wear out, and the white ones always get stains on them. I talked at length on where I prioritize my spend in this article, but these high street dresses have served me well. With the exception of my linen romper, I like all my dresses long.
Jewelry - Without a doubt, jewelry, in particular earrings are a staple in my wardrobe. In the latter half of the year I found myself gravitating towards antique pieces that held sentimental value. There was a great deal of comfort in this and a feeling of closeness to those I love most. It has been a reminder that clothes are so much deeper than we give them credit for, especially when you consider the memories certain pieces hold.
Outerwear - It’s fascinating that the majority of my outerwear (especially in the blazer category) is either thrifted or pre loved. My Toteme trench has been a great addition to my wardrobe (bought a few years ago), and continues to be a piece (like my Aritzia Effortless pants) where I just feel at home in my body when I wear it. They make me feel my best self. Before my no buy, I had struggled with over buying blazers. I had noticed multiples of certain styles and it’s been good to put some breathing space between buying more and using what I have.
Tops - My basics worked really hard in 2024, and I think that’s because I found my perfect t shirt and vests. I talked about my favorite basics in this post, but I make sure there are always one of the above in rotation within my wardrobe. I have at least two of each so that when one in the wash I have a fresh one ready. Living in LA means that my vests and tees are often a main focal point of my outfits vs only acting as a layering piece.
Accessories - Similar to jewelry, it’s my accessories that ice the cake. They are the pieces I value most within my wardrobe because the smallest details often add the biggest impact. My Hermes reversible belt is a piece I always travel with thanks to the fact it offers so much flexibility.
My top 5 LEAST worn in each category
Bags - Given that two of these bags (the Calpak and the Longchamp) are both primarily used for travel I wasn’t too surprised by these results. The vintage Dior bag was a gift from a friend over 10 years ago and while I don’t reach for it often (or at all this year) it offers a sense of nostalgia I enjoy every now and then (usually after watching SATC). The rope bag was a fantastic thrifted find that I plan on wearing more next year. My porto pouch brings me a lot of joy and it’s my go to ‘evening bag’ because it’s also the easiest piece to pack. That and a silk slip dress make very easy in case of fancy event emergency packing essentials that take up little to no room in a carry on bag.
Shoes - The ballet slippers were a hand me down from my mum that if i’m honest with myself, are too small for me but I love this chocolate suede so much. The wellies are self explanatory, given that I live somewhere warm with possibly 3 days of rain a year. The Veja trainers are an interesting one because I do like these when I wear them, but I reach for my Converse more as I find those more comfortable. The pointy pumps need rehealing, and the black Manolos I have worn I think I just forgot to record them (oops!).
Trousers - The Zara and Cos silky pants are part of a two piece set, and while I love both of these, I just wore my Toteme Silk set more in 2024. The jeans are both Abercrombie, and the darker blue wash didn’t look how I wanted them too in person (more reason to try things on in person where possible or see washes/fabrics up close in the flesh in 2025). The black ones were a saturated black and while I chose them for that reason, turns out I should have opted for a pair that are slightly faded, but this is where my no buy has been a game changer. Knowing I wasn’t wearing those jeans, is what made me decide to turn them into long shorts instead, thus creating a new item for free that now gets worn way more! The black linen baggy H&M trousers needed hemming, note to self for 2025.
Dresses - The dress on the left is a beautiful dress I picked up from a brand in Mexico City who’s designs I love. While I haven’t reached for the cream one this year, I have an olive colour that i did wear a ton and I’m excited to go back to my cream one. It’s a nice reminder that some pieces in my wardrobe are there to return to when I feel inspired by them, whether that’s six months from now or six years from now. My no buy has helped me get to a place where I trust the difference between keeping hold of something I still love and being ok with not wearing it right now (knowing I will again at some point) vs not wearing something because it doesn’t fit, is damaged beyond repair or just doesn’t make me feel good. The latter the are the items I feel peace parting ways with. The silk slip actually became a nightie. The two Cos dresses are beautiful, but for whatever reason, I just don’t feel like myself in them so I will be giving these away. The Amazon set was a classic case of being influenced only to realize the fabric is low quality, and the design is underwhelming on me.
Jewelry - No your eyes do not deceive you, those are a pair of red felt earrings! A pair I must have owned for longer than 8 years, which I rarely wear, but act much like the seasoning at the back of your baking cupboard that one in every 100 recipes calls for. I’m glad I own these. Much like that random seasoning that sees little use, sometimes it just feels good knowing it’s there. I like knowing these very inexpensive earrings offer a fresh take on icing my cake.
The gold earrings and the silver bracelet were a gift I received later in the year so i’m excited to incorporate these more into my looks in 2025. I fell back in love with my antique locket and really enjoyed the edwardian nod this gave my more basic outfits. The gold bracelet was from my first clothing swap. I want to experiment with wearing this over sweater cuffs.
Outerwear - The black coat was accidentally left at my parents house before my no buy began in feb 2024, so this makes sense. The other blazers/jackets are pieces I still love but I just have others I reached for more.
Tops - The Dissh top is actually way more see through than I realized, something that definitely wasn’t as obvious online. The pinky sand tone tee is one shade I thought would reach for but didn’t. The sweater isn’t a surprise (again I live somewhere warm) and the gym jacket is something I always forget to track in my app so I think that’s actually in accurate. Even when you go to a clothing swap it’s easy to get carried away at the idea of newness for free. I’m still on the fence with this cardigan so will have a go at styling it in 2025.
Accessories - This is where it gets a little confusing as the H Hermes one is reversible and I have actually worn it alot, just not as much with the tan side. I think I honestly forget I have another option, so I’m mentally making a list of things I plan to wear more in 2025, and this side of the belt will be one of them. The thinner Hermes reversible belt is one I love but it’s a little tight at the moment, so I think I need to add another hole, the same goes for the thin Toteme belt. The Celine glasses are from the Phoebe era and I will never get rid of these. I love what these offer to very feminine outfits. I feel like sunglasses are another other piece I forget to track in my Indyx app so going to try to amend that in 2025.
Key takeaways
From looking at my wardrobe from an investment perspective I can see i’ve prioritised my spend on accessories; notably bags, shoes and jewelry (the icing) and generally speaking, less on the cake. When I think about my approach to getting dressed, it’s with the understanding I can change, modify or tweak a look using the icing very quickly and with ease. I feel good about where I have prioritised my spend over the past five years.
Just because I haven’t worn certain pieces in my wardrobe, it doesn’t automatically mean I should get rid of them. It’s fun to be reminded of what I do have, knowing that just because I don’t reach for it now, doesn’t mean I won’t in the future. When you buy an album by a band you love, it makes sense you listen to it on repeat to the point of boredom, and then many years later you hear it again and fall in love all over again. You might even hear different instruments, or a lyric you never noticed before. I believe the same is true with certain items in our wardrobe.
According to Indyx my most worn colors were neutrals and denim, which is unsurprising, but these are the colors I feel my best self in.
Curiosity and creativity have been my guiding force, my north star throughout my no buy challenge and they have served me well. At no point has this felt like a punishment or something I resented. This has been (and continues to be be) life changing, and I don’t say that lightly.
While i’m a proud outfit repeater, there is still so much more to experiment with in my wardrobe, and i’m excited to see how many more interesting concoctions I can create in 2025 and beyond.
Thank you for all your support in 2024, and i’m wishing you all the best for 2025. Here’s to wearing our clothes!
Harry x
P.s. You can learn more about the No Buy Styling Course here.
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