Worst Purchases of 2014

In my last post, I gushed about my best purchases of 2014. It was all rainbows and puppies. But what about the items that got relegated to the back of my closet? The ones that never saw the light of day. Let's talk about those too. Here are the 10 worst offenders of 2014.



1. Madewell skinny skinny jeans in crackle print (grey 25) - These jeans were originally $158, but I bought them for $22 this past June. Like most Madewell jeans, the fit is impeccable, but the crackle print is too edgy for me. I feel like a K-pop star every time I try to put together an outfit with them, which is fine if you look like this.

EXO (source)

My style is more classic (boring?), so I feel like I can't pull them off.

2. Madewell skinny skinny jeans in nightfall (nightfall 26/29) - I really do like Madewell jeans, but this pair has a fatal flaw. The fit was decent, and the price was right (on super sale for $18). The color was fine too, a very wearable dark indigo wash. So what's wrong with them, you ask? They bleed on everything they've come into contact with! Even though I washed them several times, they still stained my white Old Navy tassel bucket bag. Now I'm afraid to wear them with anything lighter than dark navy, which is just about every color except for black.

3. AG Adriano Goldschmied Angelina bootcut jeans (white 25P) - I've been looking for the perfect pair of white jeans for a while now. I don't want anything that makes me look fat, and the white material needs to be completely opaque. This pair delivers on both counts, but is too low-rise and after years of wearing skinny jeans, I just can't get used to the way bootcut jeans look now. They seem all wrong with the pointy toe flats I like to wear. I'm holding onto them though in case I change my mind later. Kind of sad that I paid $78 for them.

4. J.Crew lace shift dress (neon citrus 00) - This dress fits like a glove, but I'm having a hard time with how/when to wear this. I rarely wear cocktail dresses except to attend weddings, but the neon yellow is too gaudy of a color for solemn occasions. Also, I paid $46 for it in June, but later it dropped to around $20. *shakes fist*

5. Gap essential rib tank (heather gray XSP) - There isn't much to say about this tank, except that it's a little too tight and it rides up to become a belly shirt whenever I put my arms up. I can't even wear it out for fear of flashing someone accidentally.

6. J.Crew Factory sailor sweater in stripe (snow navy XXS) - This sweater seemed like such a good idea when I bought it for $33 back in June. Classic stripe sweater, right? Well, I hate the tan buttons on either side of the collar, and it shrank the first time I washed it (even though it's a cotton sweater). This is Exhibit #1 of how I tried to buy a classic breton top but failed.

7. Loft striped long sleeve cotton tee (burgundy XS) - And here's Exhibit #2. At least this Loft tee was cheap at $7.50. I bought it, thinking this could substitute for the normal white and navy/black stripe tee (which I'm still searching for). Wrong. The burgundy stripes are harder to pair, and the base color is ivory, not white. It's also sort of sheer. Sigh.

8. J.Crew lightweight merino tunic sweater (haven blue XXS) - Yet another time that sale goggles have gotten me in trouble. Look, this sweater only costs $9! It's so cheap! Of course I need a blue tunic sweater, even though I don't like tunics. 

9. Peter Pilotto for Target sunglasses (red iris) - The print is too loud for me. Also I don't like how they're simultaneously round and aviator style. My only consolation is that I bought these with a gift card.

10. J.Crew Factory seersucker mini (class navy 00) - I love seersucker, but I regret paying $38 for this skirt. The buttons should have been decorative instead of functional, and the front zipper needs to go down lower so that it's easier to slip in and out of.

So how does this compare against my worst purchases of 2012? (I forgot to make a Polyvore set in 2013 for my best and worst purchases.)



First of all, I actually rescued 2 items from the worst purchases of 2012: the neon yellow tee and the navy J.Crew dress. Secondly, the problem with 2012 was that my purchases were all sorts of wacky colors. I definitely toned that down in 2014. However, there are still some lessons that I need to learn for next year:

- Stop buying things just because they're cheap. A few dollars here and a few dollars there really add up. This is going to be even more important in 2015 as I reduce my budget.

- Don't buy odd colored things unless I know with 100% certainty that they'll work with my existing wardrobe. My current wardrobe color palette consists primarily of ivory, grey, black, and blue with hints of red and burgundy.

- If there are any doubts, leave it. If something bothers me at the store, it's only going to bother me more when I get home.

- Don't settle for a substitute. Every time you wear it, you'll wish you got the original. You'd think I would have learned after the chambray shirt and military jacket fiascos.

What were your worst purchases of 2014? And where on earth can I find a classic stripe tee?

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On a more serious note, I'm so glad I started blogging this year! Thank you all for being so welcoming and encouraging, and thank you for taking the time to read this blog. I can't wait to see what 2015 brings. Happy New Year!