my 2025 open to buy
plus, my no buy list and a little styling hack
friends- we are safely home after evacuating. A lot of the same organizations for wildfire victims are getting promoted on here, which is great, but I also encourage you to donate to family GoFundMe’s (I went off this spreadsheet) and seek out local organizations with fewer resources. My best friend has been volunteering at the South Pasadena YMCA, where they are still looking for donations of underwear, mouthwash, kids shoes, paper towels, Clorox wipes, toilet paper, mens shoes, mens underwear, lip balm, laundry detergent and new or very gently used clothing. You can contact him on IG here or e-mail him (phongk.dang@gmail.com) if you know a brand who would like to donate and he will get you their mailing address. If you’re local, South Pasadena YMCA is updating their IG stories daily with donation needs.
One way in which I am trying (keyword there) to hold myself more accountable with my expenses this year is by creating an “open-to-buy” list. It’s a list of items your closet could use- that would help you create more outfits with the items you already own. For me the pieces on this list are often modifications of pieces that I love- like I have a fantastic little red crossbody but I would love a big red shoulder bag. An open-to-buy list is also a great tool if you find yourself buying the same thing over and over but still feel like you have nothing to wear when you’re in a rush.
I encourage you to go through your closet and make a running list on your phone (you might even add to it when you’re out and catch a glimpse of your outfit and think wait.. I could really use X item to liven this up.. and X item would also work with Y and Z…).
Anyway, here is my list!
bags- I sold a lot of bags last year. Most were ones I’d held onto for far too long, or impulse purchases from TRR (one of my resolutions not to do that in 2025). I have a lot of black bags, and have narrowed down the type of silhouette I like to carry and would love to purchase a brown, red, and silver bag. With silver being first and foremost priority. I love this Loewe puzzle, but I’m still browsing.
hoodies- Knowing a lot of my days will be low key and spent at home after this next little one arrives (at least temporarily), I’m giving myself permission to purchase new cozy items- I love this set!
leather jacket- I’d love to find a leather jacket with a unique cut- like this one.
solid brown shoes- Been on the hunt for months and have yet to find a pair I’m excited about… besides these.
new jeans- This will likely be a postpartum purchase, but I have heard about Moussy Vintage for years and love the cut and color of this pair.
dresses I don’t hate- We have a few special family events this summer and sadly I don’t think they’re denim friendly. Unpopular opinion, but I struggle to find everyday dresses that really resonate with me. I’m more of a separates girl. Would love to find a few versatile pieces (maybe from Tibi or somewhere that leans less girly) that I enjoy wearing.
A heavy duty toiletry bag- Most of mine are old from PR packages or the fancier ones I use in my carry on that can double as clutches. Would love something I could throw in the wash! Been eyeing this one and love that you can add initials.
elevated black sneaks- I was looking for black flats for the longest time thinking they would be so useful, but I still gravitated towards my black sneakers, so this year I’m finding a happy medium with these!
My 2025 no buy list!
more sambas in random colors- Sambas are great shoes…but purchasing them in every color way I saw was not my best move.
tan/brown jackets- Turns out I really don’t like how field jackets look on me? I bought two last year (this one and this one, if you’re curious) and they left me with more questions than answers! (and have since been donated to wildfire victims, since they’re in excellent condition).
too many white tanks- For some reason I always end up with 5-6 white tanks and can never find my favorite one- so I’m making myself max out at two (this one is my current go to- a little on the longer side and easy to wear with a bra).
and finally….. a mini styling tip from me to you.. swap your black or white tee for a grey one. Simple but gives a basic look a bit more interest. Especially with the outerwear a lot of us are still rocking at this time of year- leather jackets and trench coats.
BTW…..
A little early Valentine’s idea... How cute is this heart palette?!
Made myself go through all my brow products…this pencil is top tier for staying power and color (I wear soft brunette).
Embarrassing or cool that I love the beanie Travis Kelce wore to the Chiefs game this week?
I predicted that neons would make a comeback this year… according to these sneaks maybe I was right!
XO, Liz
I second the challenges with finding dresses! Looking forward to seeing what you find
I like the idea of a gray tee. I’m too messy for white. Also I love the puzzle bag. It is so cool. But unless it drops in price by 90%, it’s to never be.