> CD #52: Year in review

Have you looked at your Spotify Wrapped? Somehow I listened to 41,935 minutes of music, which apparently puts me in the 87th percentile for Canadians. And soon I will get my Goodreads Year in Books, which will tell me how many books I’ve read in 2021. (So far, it’s 85—a personal record—with two in progress and a few more to go in the stack on my nightstand.)

All these stats, plus all the year-end lists, have made me want to take stock, too, of the happenings in my closet. I know this is the last thing you need, but please indulge me.

Item Most Worn
Definitely the windproof sweatpants I bought at Uniqlo on a trip to NYC back in 2018. They are the warmest pants ever and have eliminated my need to wear snow pants for all but the coldest days.

These sweatpants make it possible for me, someone who is cold ALL THE TIME, to do outdoor hangs down to -10°C in relative comfort. If you want a totally unprovable statistic, I’d estimate they have been on my body at least 67% of the time this year—and the year is not over yet! They are extra thick and vaguely unflattering, but who cares? They keep me warm and let me spend time with my friends safely. A pandemic MVP.

Best New Item
I ended my shopping fast in September and have since bought four brand-new pieces of clothing, three of which have proven to be fun and versatile additions to my wardrobe. If I had to choose one, though, I guess it’d be this sweater jacket (coatigan? swacket?) from Aritzia. It’s super cozy, a great colour, and an easy addition to most outfits. Plus, my husband says it’s like I’m wearing a robe to work, which is a stance I can totally get behind.

Biggest Secondhand Score
Since September, I have also bought three pre-owned items, with two of them working out (the one dud was a vest so itchy, I had to consign it immediately). A couple generous friends also gave me some very nice things they no longer wanted. Ultimately, my biggest score was the Elizabeth & James leather skirt I wore on my first day at the university. $50 for real leather! In perfect condition! And a connection, however tenuous, to the Olsen twins!

Most Regrettable
Besides the itchy vest, which came from and was released back into the secondhand economy, the only other regrettable purchase I made was a pair of no-show ankle socks to wear with my sneakers. The right sock keeps bunching up in the shoe when I walk. I have tried a few different pairs of no-show socks in the past, some with silicone strips that are supposed to keep them from sliding down, but to no avail. Are no-show socks a scam? Is my right foot weird? Do I walk funny? I dunno, but I guess I’ll just have to wear socks that show, like a dweeb.

I’m happy I’ve been more mindful about what I bought and how I shopped in 2021. I think if I had done this kind of review in previous years, the results would’ve been a little embarrassing and maybe even shameful. Reflecting on my consumption is good for me, I think, even if it’s just to see if I’m actually living my priorities. More books? Yes. More music? Yes. Less shopping? Working on it. 96 hours spent watching all 11 seasons of Frasier? 🤦🏻‍♀️

As Annie Dillard says in The Writing Life, “How we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives.” A sobering thought.

Speaking of the writing life, this is my last dispatch for the year: I’m taking a month off in order to make a big push towards finishing the first draft of my book. I hope you spend your days well in the next few weeks. And by well, I mean loving and resting and filling yourself up with good, nourishing stuff.

:) Teresa

---

What is happening even?? Closet Dispatch is a free, limited-run weekly newsletter by Teresa Wong.