Closet Audit: 10 Sartorial Purchases from 2014 that I Still Own in 2022 (and why!)
I’ve been blogging since 2013, and more specifically, I’ve been sharing my wardrobe additions and clothing budget updates since March 2014! (Do you remember the Budgeting Bloggers linkup hosted by Franish? I miss those days!) I’ve kept up with my budget updates ever since then, and it is certainly interesting to look back on my purchases from a few years ago to see what I still own and what I’ve since sold or donated. They also show the evolution of my style!
Starting in spring 2020, I went through every season of past sartorial purchases and analyzed them. Be sure to check out those posts if you haven’t already:
Not surprisingly, some things have changed since those posts were written a couple of years ago! I wanted to do a deeper dive into the items I still own from the very first year I started tracking my purchases—and WHY I still own those particular items over everything else. If you’re also into closet analyses, this post is for you!
Out of the dozens of items I added to my wardrobe in 2014 (see ‘em all in the collages below), I currently own just over 20, and I selected 10 to highlight. Here’s why these particular items are still mainstays in my wardrobe a whole 8 years later!
10 Sartorial Purchases From 2014 That I Still Own in 2022
When I first start blogging and tracking my purchases eight years ago, I was still figuring out my personal style. I was a young graduate student working on my Master’s degree, and I had just discovered style blogs and thought it’d be fun to start my own! I truly believe blogging has helped me clarify and refine my personal style over the years. As you can see by the collages, I shopped…A LOT! I still shop quite a bit, but I purchase fewer items (and now spend a little more on each item).
I currently own about 30% of the items I bought in 2014—that number seems kind of high to me considering 2014 was 8 years ago, which is awesome! I always want to show that it’s cool to rewear your favorite items over and over again, and looking back at these purchases to see what I still own was eye-opening in that regard.
Out of the over 80 items I purchased in 2014, 10 of those are still wardrobe workhorses in 2022:
Ellen Tracy short trench coat
Kate Spade stud earrings
Moorea Seal statement earrings
J.Crew crystal drop earrings
Kate Spade initial pendant necklace
Madewell leather belt
Vince Camuto perforated loafers
Salt Water sandals
Sam Edelman ankle boots
Madewell ankle boots
Not surprisingly, the clothes with the most longevity for me over the years are shoes and jewelry! I think this is because my shoes don’t tend to wear out that quickly (because I have a lot of pairs to choose from, ha) AND because my shoe size doesn’t fluctuate like my body measurements do. I’ve also been buying more high-quality jewelry that doesn’t tarnish—and that I still love to wear all these years later because they feel timeless instead of trendy. It’s interesting to think about why you still own certain items many years later over other items, isn’t it? It’s very enlightening!
Kate Spade Stud Earrings
I remember purchasing these stud earrings from Nordstrom Rack sort of on impulse. (I think all of my Nordstrom Rack purchases have been on impulse, haha—I always get sucked into looking through the shoes!) I’m surprised by how much I love and still wear them all these years later. They’re larger studs but are surprisingly easy to wear, and since they’re black (with gold trim), they go with any outfit I throw at them.
Ellen Tracy Short Trench Coat
A trench coat is arguably one of the most classic coats someone can have in their closet. The classic beige trench coat goes with everything, and it was definitely at the top of my list when I was going through my style evolution in grad school! I picked this one by Ellen Tracy because it was short; at the time I wasn’t a big fan of long trench coats (especially because I’m borderline petite). This one has worked well for me since then!
J.Crew Crystal Drop Earrings
2014 was apparently the year of the statement earring! I love these crystal drop earrings, and I’ve held onto them because they’re great quality and dress up any outfit.
Moorea Seal Statement Earrings
These earrings were a whopping $6, and as a broke grad student I couldn’t resist! I love pulling these earrings out for special occasions. (Sadly, Moorea no longer has a store.)
Kate Spade Initial Necklace
2014 was the first year I shopped the annual Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (it’s a blogger rite of passage, isn’t it?!). This necklace by Kate Spade was one of my purchases, and it ended up being one of my best NAS purchases even after all these years later! It’s amazing quality and still looks good as new.
Madewell Leather Belt
This is a super simple leather belt, and what drew me to it is its gold buckle. I’m much more fond of gold hardware than silver, and it was difficult to find gold hardware! I don’t wear belts all that often but I’m glad I have this one; it’s an excellent basic that has held up well since the first day I got it.
Vince Camuto Perforated Loafers
These loafers started as a Nordstrom purchase, and I returned them when I found them for less at Nordstrom Rack. These are TRUE wardrobe workhorses. I’ve worn them so much since 2014, and they’ve held up incredibly well. Their claim to fame is that I wore them in an absolute downpour in Vienna and they SURVIVED!!! You can’t even tell! And they’re not even waterproof! (Or are they…? Ha!) The best.
Salt Water Sandals
I think I learned about Salt Water sandals on Reddit (the FemaleFashionAdvice subreddit, which I used to spend a lot of time on and don’t as much anymore because I was being influenced to buy way too much, haha). They’re technically kid shoes, but I don’t even care LOL. They’re so comfortable AND can tolerate getting wet, so they come with me on every beach trip! I wear them all the time in summer.
Sam Edelman Ankle Boots
I technically didn’t buy these boots; I asked for them as a birthday gift! Who knew I was still going to have these boots nearly 8 years later. The Petty ankle boot by Sam Edelman was VERY much in trend in the mid 2010s, so you don’t see them as much anymore. I’ve held onto mine because I still wear them every once in a while. And now that I’ve worn them so much, they’re a little more beat up/less precious and I’m more willing to wear them to outings that may pose a risk (such as concerts, ha).
Madewell Ankle Boots
The Billie leather ankle boot by Madewell really felt like my first “big girl” shoe purchase. I remember seeing them in the San Francisco store when I was there for a conference and drooling over them. I was determined to make them my own! I grabbed ‘em on sale and haven’t looked back. I ordered a half size smaller than my usual because reviews said they ran big and the size 7 I originally ordered sold out. They fit fine but sometimes I wish I had a 7 just because my toes can feel a little tight at times.
Honorable Mention: My Cole Haan tall riding boots! These were a Christmas gift from my mom in 2013 (I exchanged the original pair I received—a Sam Edelman pair—for these boots). I didn’t include them in my first budget post because they were a gift prior to when I started budgeting. I had to mention them because they’re still favorites of mine all these years later! They make me happy. 🥰
Do you still own anything in your wardrobe from eight or so years ago? What are the types of items that have longevity in your wardrobe?
Check out All 2014 Wardrobe Additions:
March 2014, April 2014, May 2014, June 2014, July 2014, August 2014, September 2014, October 2014, November 2014, December 2014