Everything I bought in 2024: Part 1
A two part overview of the best and worst additions I made to my wardrobe in 2024, starting with the category I had the most love/hate relationship with this year: accessories
The year my wardrobe went public
As we move towards the finish line of 2024, I wanted to step back and reflect on my wardrobe. I’ve spent more time, energy and probably money on my wardrobe this year than any other year. I started out really wanting to hone in on my personal style, cut through the noise of social media and all the ‘inspo’, and find the pieces that truly made me look forward to getting dressed. I think I’m getting there, to a certain degree, but there’s always work to be done, as I mentioned in my chat with
a while back:
Since my wardrobe has become more and more public this year through my Instagram, Indyx profile and of course The Look Buffet, I thought we could reflect on this year’s additions all together. When I wrote up the list of all the items to include in this post, it was, well, long. So we’re splitting this into 2 parts. Grab a coffee, tea, wine, whatever you want, and let’s dig through the accessories I added into my wardrobe in 2024. [Spoiler alert: some have already made an exit]
As always, a little house keeping. I didn’t include any gifted items or items I was able to keep as part of collaborations this year. These pieces do make up a decent chunk of my wardrobe, but I wanted to keep my focus on the items I spent my own money on and reflect on whether those purchases were worth it. And any link followed by an *, is an affiliate link meaning I may make a small commission if you choose to purchase something when clicking on it, at no extra cost to you!
Bags
What a mixed bag (sorry, I had to)… Great highs and epic lows in this category in 2024.
Highlights
Dragon Diffusion Santa Fe in dark brown*, €495
Why did I buy this? I wanted to add more interest and texture to my outfits, without feeling the need to buy too many new clothes, or go too far out of my minimalist comfort zone.
Why this piece works for me? This ticked the texture requirement with the beautiful weave detail, the particular shape, while also being super practical in terms of the size. Bonus points for the fact it’s brown rather than black, so just a little softer when contrasting with other colours in my wardrobe.
J. Crew Berkeley bucket bag in black leather*, €175 (currently on sale!)
Why did I buy this? This baby has been on my wishlist for over a year. I’ve been looking for a classic black bucket bag that can take me from workday Emily to weekend Emily and everything in between.
Why this piece works for me? The shape, the size, the leather, the timeless vibe. Pretty much everything about this bag is exactly what I was looking for. I can even fit my MacBook in it. The only downside for me is that there is no zip, so I have to be quite careful when in busy places.
Shouldn’t have bothered
Jil Sander Tangle Small leather bag in yellow*, €390
Why did I buy this? At the beginning of the year I was under the impression that to make my wardrobe more interesting, I needed to add colour. So I bought a yellow bag…
Why this piece doesn’t work for me? Well, it’s a yellow bag. And it’s tiny. Ok, the size I can get over. There’s a time and a place for a little bag. But the colour. It’s lovely, don’t get me wrong. But it’s just not a colour that works with the rest of my wardrobe. It was intimidating and difficult to match with my existing pieces. She found a new home mid way through the year, and I’m glad we parted ways. I definitely learnt that interest doesn’t have to come from colour from this purchase.
COS braided barrel bag in black*, €50
Why did I buy this? Because it was in the sale. And because I was feeling spendy.
Why this piece doesn’t work for me? It’s a great piece to be honest. It’s just not me. It’s a bit too much. The barrel shape is interesting, but I found that it sat funny on me when I wore it crossbody. Like, it just stuck out a bit.
The rest
Mango white bucket bag, €30 → I’m on the fence. I used this bag a lot in spring, but haven’t reached for it much since then. It’s a great bucket shape, maybe a bit on the small side, but the white is quite stark and I think that’s what’s putting me off.
Anthropologie chocolate brown woven bag*, €150 → A solid purchase that I’ve worn plenty. A little trend led (it’s THE Bottega Veneta Jodie dupe at the end of the day). Not sure how timeless this is, but for now I’m happy with it.
COS ‘Cavatelli’ leather clutch bag*, €99 → Versatile (it has a crossbody strap) and the perfect Loewe Flamenco dupe. I only got this a couple of months back and have used it loads already.
Shoes
I fell hard and fast for the trends in the footwear realm in the first half of the year, but ended on a high with a few well thought through purchases.
Highlights
Bottega Veneta Astaire Loafers in fondente*, €950
Why did I buy this? 1) It was my bday and 2) love at first sight.
Why this piece works for me? I mean look at them! Granted they’ve only been in my wardrobe for a couple of weeks, but honestly I am so in love and already got a tonne of wear out of them. The colour, the gold detail. Just wow.
H&M black leather ankle boots*, €119
Why did I buy this? I was missing a flat black leather ankle boot that wasn’t too chunky.
Why this piece works for me? They’re the perfect shape and they’re giving Khaite sans price tag. The bevelled toe feels modern yet timeless. Looking back through my Indyx stats, I can see I’ve worn these at least 30 times since I bought them at the end of summer. Not bad.
Massimo Dutti taupe ruched suede loafers*, €89.95
Why did I buy this? We all know suede has been having a moment this autumn/winter. So, yes, sure I was influenced, but I thought this purchase through at least.
Why this piece works for me? I feel these shoes tick all three of my ‘three words’: timeless, refined, relaxed. They’re loafers so they’re the definition of timeless and refined. And they’re suede and ruched and very ‘soft’ looking, so the relaxed element is covered. Bonus points for being as comfy as slippers.
Shouldn’t have bothered
COS off-white loafers* (via Vinted), €70
Why did I buy this? Late 2023/Early 2024 Emily was under the impression she needed a loafer in every colour possible.
Why this piece doesn’t work for me? I just didn’t need a white pair of closed toe shoes. I found these really hard to style, and will be uploading to Vinted as part of our pre-move clear out. I’ve learned through these shoes and the Mango white bag that as easy as it may seem, white is not a colour I can work with easily.
H&M off-white braided ballet flats*, €24.99
Why did I buy this? The internet told me I needed them.
Why this piece doesn’t work for me? I mean, they’re cool! But maybe just a bit too cool for me. I really didn’t consult my three words before jumping on the bandwagon here. And that shows in the fact I wore them about 5 times since purchasing in March…
ARKET red leather Mary Janes*, €159
Why did I buy this? I wanted to make the ‘pop of red’ trend work for me.
Why this piece doesn’t work for me? I had great intentions here. I wanted to try out the pop of red without buying an item of clothing because I don’t particularly like the colour on me. Apparently that also applies to my feet too. I just felt like I was wearing a costume whenever wearing them. They’re also on the ‘to sell’ pile.
The rest
Zara suede clogs → A good alternative to the Birkenstock Bostons with a slightly different look (less seen on the streets), but still as comfy and achieving the same vibe.
H&M taupe suede sandals* → I wore these all summer long, and well into September and October with jeans and knitwear. Very A. Emery, bravo H&M.
H&M snake effect ballerinas* → A more successful attempt to add interest into my wardrobe, this time through print rather than bold colour. This has worked way better for me!
The White Company brown leather heeled boots → A great addition to my wardrobe, very Moosgaard-esque, and finally a dupe here*!
The Extras
Small touches in an attempt to add a little something something to my everyday looks.
Highlights
Mango chunky knot earrings*, €15.99
Why did I buy this? To add a feminine touch, and dress up even the most relaxed outfits.
Why this piece works for me? Most days I wear very simple outfits and I’ve found these to be the perfect ‘something something’. The goal was to use them to dress up basic fits, and they get a 10/10 for that. Thanks hubby for getting me a better quality pair* for my birthday!
Shouldn’t have bothered
COS cream leather rope belt*, €35
Why did I buy this? To have fun and play around with cinched waist silhouettes.
Why this piece doesn’t work for me? It’s not that it didn’t work for me per se. I wore a couple of outfits using this belt, and I did like them, but this piece just doesn’t feel practical to me. I also wasn’t particularly comfortable. Chic for sure though!
The rest
Mango earrings with ball design*, €12.99 → A little on the dangly side (lol, I know how it sounds), the drop is dropping a little too much for me. But I still like these for a more dressed up look, just not on the daily.
ARKET red claw clip*, €15 → 10/10, should buy in other colours. Cute and practical, I wear this most days at some point.
This was a lot of fun and really eye opening to put together! It took a lot of honesty to reflect back on this year’s accessories purchases - the good and the bad, the worth it and the regrets. Key takeaways for me going into 2025 when shopping for accessories:
Keep the three words in mind. The accessory doesn’t need to tick all three of them, but come on at least one of them.
I don’t need to be wearing colour to be adding interest. Texture and print can achieve the same impact, while being true to my beloved neutral colour scheme.
Part 2 is going to be long. We’ll be tackling all the clothing pieces I purchased in 2024. Let me know if there are any other insights you’d like me to cover, plus any other feedback you have. I would love to know if anything surprised you here, or if you agree/disagree with any of my highs and lows.
Emily, I loved this post so much!! Especially during the middle of Black Friday sales and considering tasteful accessories that fit my style. This is so helpful and I feel like I need to do the same exercise 😂 I can’t wait for part 2!
This! I loved this!! It’s so brave to say the things that don’t work but also… we all have so many failed purchases that this should be an exercise for us all. I started making a list of everything I bought this year and was embarrassed at the number that I either didn’t end up liking or resold. I can’t wait for your part 2!