May style diary and analytics report
What I wore, how often I wore it, and what's on my wardrobe wish list.
Every month throughout 2025, I’m posting my closet data gathered from a spreadsheet (and Indyx) in order to gain insights about my clothes consumption habits and learn more about my personal style. You can find my March and April analytics here.
A refresher of 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 while on 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 250 items of clothing, and approximately 52 of them are items I no longer wear. I was honestly expecting to own more when I initially counted back in March, but it’s still more than the average woman. (According to Indyx’s 2025 State of Our Wardrobes Report, we each have on average 166 total items in our wardrobes.) I’ve been selling unworn items on Depop and Curtsy.
Where my clothes are from
I started collecting outfit data at the beginning of March, and what I’ve found so far is that the majority of the clothing I’ve worn in March, April, and May was all originally purchased new.
Because my goal is to purchase fewer new items and not to wear fewer new items, I still consider this a good thing. This means I’m wearing the new clothing I’m purchasing rather than leaving those items to hang, neglected, in my closet. It’s important to note that “new” also means items that were purchased new in any year, not just 2025. I’m tracking the years in which I’ve purchased the items of clothing in my closet — the oldest piece I wore in May (a crewneck from my alma mater, The University of Iowa) was purchased in 2019.
Which colors I wore the most this month
While black remains the dominant color in my outfit choices, the percentage of wear has been steadily decreasing as we enter the summer months. I was happy to see the addition of yellow and orange in May’s pie chart!
Outfit gallery
The item I wore the most this month
I wore my trusty neutral New Balance 574 Cores a whopping 14 times this month. What can I say? A girly loves a walk in the spring.
As I’ve noted before, 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.
What I bought this month and what I got rid of
An upcoming bachelorette party with multiple themed nights meant that I purchased a total of 9 items this month, but it was nearly completely evened out by a successful month of sales on Cursty and Depop.
What I bought: An earthy green Nine West dress and brown lace-up Faded Glory boots from the thrift, a basic white tank top I picked up from Target, and two blue maxi dresses (I wanted options…). I successfully bought everything for my sister’s upcoming bachelorette party in Nashville on Depop, including a camo miniskirt, vintage cowboy boots, a denim mini dress, and a pink babydoll dress.
What I got rid of: Sadly, a pair of heels handed down from my mom started to crumble, so I had to toss them. I also sold a lovely vintage denim miniskirt I picked up at a market last year that took me several months of denial before deciding it was several sizes too big. I also sold a multi-colored patterned Zara skirt, a brown ribbed bell-sleeved dress from Windsor I only wore once, a floral midiskirt and wrap dress, a floral Altar’d State dress, and a pair of black denim shorts. Feeling good!
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 end of 2025.
My wishlist:
The perfect vintage graphic tee
A flattering one-piece swimsuit
A vintage heart-shaped locket (preferably gold)
A long wool coat
A dark-wash, midrise denim miniskirt
A vintage brooch
Black slacks for work
Something butter yellow (I caved)
Such a fun way to achieve your style goals, love it. If you want to discover some cool emerging brands that will make you forget about fast fashion, I send a weekly shopping list via my Substack 🔥