March style diary and analytics report
What I wore, how often I wore it, and what's on my wardrobe wish list.
Since becoming more serious about my love of fashion, I’ve been mesmerized by creators in this space who use data and tech to forecast trends and analyze runways, like Data But Make It Fashion and Style Analytics.
But there are so many others using data to organize their own closets and analyze their personal style, as well, and as someone who loves a spreadsheet, I’ve been immediately hooked. This month, I downloaded a closet audit from the insanely talented and creative Megan McSherry, who runs Outfit Repeater on Substack, and have been documenting my outfits there while simultaneously keeping an inventory of my closet on Indyx.
Every month, I plan to post my outfit data here — primarily because I’ve found this process to be ridiculously entertaining, but also because it’s helped me visualize the goals I have for my personal style.
I know some of you have asked where I shop, as well, and while one of my goals is for that answer to increasingly be “thrift stores,” I am tracking the brands I tend to buy from and plan to include a gallery of outfit photos I take along with where each piece is from — next month!
My 2025 closet goals:
Buy less in general, but primarily fewer “new” items, particularly from fast-fashion brands
I don’t consider myself an impulsive buyer, but I do obsess over clothing purchases I want to make when I have a vision. This year, I will track all my clothing purchases throughout the year and their sources and keep a wishlist (see below).
Wear more color
I love my basics, and it’s not realistic for me to let them go, especially in my sustainability journey. But I have plenty of colorful items in my closet that go unworn, and I want to flex my creativity to give those statement pieces more love!
Continue to develop my personal style to make informed purchasing decisions
While I’m proud of the progress I’ve made in discovering what clothing items work for me, I believe my personal style is constantly evolving and would like to be able to refine and define my individual aesthetic.
Downsize
I currently own 200 items of clothing. I was honestly expecting to own more, but it’s still more than the average woman, according to The Internet. I’ve begun selling unworn items on Depop and Curtsy and am in the process of organizing a clothing swap.
Where my clothes are from
I started collecting outfit data at the beginning of this month, and what I found was that the majority of the clothing I wore this month was bought new.
Because my goal is to purchase fewer new items and not to wear fewer new items, I consider this a good start to my journey. This means I’m wearing the new clothing I’m purchasing rather than leaving those items to hang, neglected, in my closet.
Which colors I wore the most this month
This is easily my favorite visualization of the entire chart. It’s a little nerdy how giddy I got seeing the colors of my outfits quantified. Obviously, basics reign here, with black and white overpowering the other colors. There’s a high percentage of blue as well, but that does include the majority of the denim I wore this month.
The item I wore the most this month
Everyone loves a white sneaker, and these neutral New Balances are my absolute favorite. I wore these often — 10 times this month, to be exact — mainly because I was in rehearsals for a dance-heavy musical, but their color and comfort mean I also have worn them to work and on walks.
I consider these my “nice” pair of sneakers that I’m able to pair with skirts for a more casual vibe, but only because they haven’t withstood too much dirt and wear yet. Not to worry, I assume they’ll join the ranks of my beat-up, decrepit Air Force 1s soon enough. I LOVE the texture on these shoes.
The cost of my wardrobe
Rewearing my pieces is important to me. Quite frankly, I can’t afford the luxury of wearing items once, but there are those statement pieces and dresses bought for a certain occasion that simply sit unworn for months afterward, and I do want to avoid that where I can. I’ll be paying close attention to the pieces I’m buying new this year.
Clothing usage and value can be calculated by using the “cost per wear” formula: the total cost of an item divided by the number of times you wear it. It’s a beautiful example of girl math that is incredibly useful when making purchasing decisions.
Using the helpful chart and formula built into this spreadsheet (which I admittedly immediately goofed up before I read the instructions, so forgive the strange formatting), I know that the cost of my March wardrobe comes to $34, which I’m extremely satisfied with. I have yet to calculate the value of my full closet for comparison, but I am excited to see the total year-long cost my items come to.
Wishlist
Finally, I’d like to share my current clothing wishlist, which I’ve started keeping as a way to keep my buying habits in check. I’ve noticed that some of my nonessential clothing wants are too fleeting or trendy, and keeping them in a list until I find myself on a physical shopping trip, at a vintage market, or, ideally, in a thrift store, has been a helpful alternative to running to Amazon or an online shop. Sometimes, the trends pass quickly, and I save some money. At the same time, I think the list will end up serving as a trend archive that I can reflect on at the conclusion of 2025.
My wishlist:
The perfect vintage graphic tee
A statement belt
One-piece swimsuit
Vintage golden heart locket
Long wool coat
Dark wash, midrise denim miniskirt
Vintage brooch
Baby blue maxi dress
Green sequin skirt
White tube top