Everything I Bought In 2025

A year in purchases.

This year, I spent £436.50 on secondhand clothes.

Buying the exact same pieces new would have cost £1,904.

I saved £1,467.50.

Written down, it’s a huge saving.*

In reality, shopping secondhand is slow, frustrating, and far less satisfying than the numbers suggest. Hours of scrolling, sizing guesswork, and the occasional bad seller make it feel much less enjoyable than the saving implies.

Still, the process shows why I do it. Taking your time forces intention. You don’t just add things impulsively. You wait, you consider, you pass on a lot. And eventually, you end up with a wardrobe that feels thought-through, even if it takes longer to get there.

I thought this round-up would be a useful way to see the year out. A clear look at everything I bought in 2025, both secondhand and new. Not a haul. Just what came in, why, and how it worked out in real life.

*Even assuming a generous 50% sale price, I’d still have saved over £500.

The Things I Bought New

I try to buy everything secondhand. Most of the time, I do. But some things aren’t practical to wait for, and this year I ended up buying three new items. That still feels reasonable.

For context, I use the “five items or fewer” research as a loose guide.

• Beyond Nine Huxley Trousers

• Lazy Oaf Puppy Jumper

• CAT Intruder Trainers

The jumper and trainers were both things I tried to find secondhand first. The jumper never came up at a sensible price, and then Lazy Oaf had a sale. I caved.

The trainers were less optional. My old pair developed a hole in Greece. Back home, walking the dog meant wet feet every day. I did buy a secondhand pair of CAT trainers, but the sizing was wrong. At that point, I cut my losses and bought them new.

Sometimes the most sustainable choice is the one that actually gets used.

The trousers are the only purchase I feel conflicted about. I already own a secondhand gingham pair I love: soft, comfortable, easy to wear. I hoped these new ones would relax with wear. They haven’t. I reach for them far less than I expected.

Lesson: Buying new doesn’t have to feel guilty. It’s about making conscious choices, not perfection.

How I Shop Secondhand Now

Everything else I bought this year was secondhand, mostly via Vinted. For a long time, it was the easiest place to find what I wanted at a decent price. Lately, though, it’s felt different.

Prices are higher. Sellers are less open to haggling. Once fees and delivery are added, a lot of things stop feeling like bargains. Resellers have become more common, which I don’t have an issue with, but it does change the dynamics. Original retail price now often outweighs condition or wear, and negotiation feels increasingly off the table.

I fund most of my wardrobe by selling what I no longer want, just enough to keep myself accountable.

Lesson: Selling first can make the next purchase feel less like spending and more like swapping.

Secondhand Fails

I had more fails this year than usual.

Some items didn’t fit. Some fabrics were awful. Some purchases made perfect sense in theory and absolutely none in practice. A few went back on Vinted almost immediately.

A couple of bad sellers took my money and ghosted me. Vinted eventually refunds you, but waiting is slow and frustrating, especially when the same item sells elsewhere while you’re stuck wondering whether yours will show up.

Looking back, most of the fails shared the same warning signs: vague sizing, no label photos, and listings that required a bit too much optimism to justify clicking “buy”. At this point, I’ve learned that if something already feels like a gamble, it probably is.

Lesson: patience matters more than price.

When Your Body Changes Faster Than Your Habits

A lot of this year’s fails were due to body changes.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve gone down a few dress sizes, and my proportions have shifted. I’m still catching up mentally. I’m still making decisions based on a body that no longer exists, and it shows.

Vinted’s new sizing system doesn’t help. Instead of exact sizes, they lumped them together. An S covering 8–10 isn’t helpful when you know 8 won’t fit but a 10 might. Buying becomes a guessing game; I’ve lost out more than once.

Lesson: Always look for label photos or ask for measurements, it can save a lot of disappointment.

Everything I Bought Secondhand (And What It Cost)

These are the secondhand items I bought in the second half of the year (see January-June here.)

• Lime Green Swimsuit — £10 (RRP: £25)

• Tulip Bag — £12 (RRP: £150)

• Lime Cushioned Bag — £10 (RRP: £30-ish)

• Green Gingham Seersucker Dress — £75 (RRP: £225)

• Sleeveless Ruched Dress — £15 (RRP: £50)

• Velvet Asymmetric Dress — £18 (RRP: £300)

• Velvet Midi Dress — £12.50 (RRP: £50)

• Ruched Midaxi Dress — £15 (RRP: £79)

• Sleeveless V-Neck Dress — £16 (RRP: £89)

• Embroidered Cardigan — £22 (RRP: £69)

Total: £205.50

Buying these new would’ve cost me £1,067!

Total For The Year

Across the year, I spent £436.50 secondhand. Buying the same pieces new would have cost £1,904. That’s a saving of £1,467.50.

Heading Into 2026

This year wasn’t about growing my wardrobe. It was about maintaining it.

Replacing what had stopped working. Learning when secondhand is worth the effort and when it isn’t. Accepting that buying less doesn’t mean avoiding mistakes, just making fewer of them, more consciously.

Going into 2026, that feels like enough. My wardrobe is usable again. I’m not planning an overhaul, just to wear what I have, look after it, and be a little slower about what comes next.

Takeaway: intentional shopping takes time, patience, and occasional compromise. But it does pay off, both for your wardrobe and your budget.

If you’ve spent the year trying to shop less, be more intentional, or simply enjoy what’s already in your wardrobe, you’ll know what I mean. A gentle reset for the new year can help, and the 5-Day Considered Style Reset is the best way to start.

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