Best and Worst Purchases of 2022
I look forward to putting together this list of my best and worst sartorial purchases every year even though I’m always a bit embarrassed by the “worst” purchases because I always speak so highly of what I purchase in my quarterly clothing budget updates. 🫣
In early 2022, I started a hybrid work schedule: two days in the office and three days WFH. I love getting to wear my loungewear more regularly again! I also continued to deal with a pandemic-related size change, especially when it came to jeans and pants. That coupled with the seemingly sudden change in denim styles really threw me for a loop during the fall.
I wrote out a 2022 Wardrobe Plan and just realized I didn’t do a great job of following it. I’m considering not writing one out for this year because I just don’t do well with plans and goals in general (I gave up on New Year’s resolutions years ago). Also, there’s probably nothing I’d change from 2022’s failed plan, lol.
Out of the 40+ items I added to my wardrobe in 2022, I selected six best purchases (plus four honorable mentions) and only two worst purchases. If you’re interested in specific outfit details, just click on the photo of interest to see the original post!
READ NEXT: Previous Best and Worst Purchases: 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 best/worst, 2016 best/worst, 2015 best/worst, 2014 best/worst
Best and Worst Sartorial Purchases of 2022
BEST SARTORIAL PURCHASES OF 2022
Madewell Slim Demi-boot Jeans (purchased January 2022)
I purchased six new pairs of jeans in 2022, and these slim demi-boot jeans (sadly no longer available; read my demi-boot review) quickly rose to the top of my list! I wear them multiple times a month to work, and they’re usually the jeans I reach for if I’m leaving the house on the weekends. According to Stylebook, I’ve worn them 26 times for a cost per wear of just under $3! I love that the style is more reminiscent of slim straight jeans. They feel more “on trend” than skinny jeans yet are still just as easy to style! It seems as though Madewell gave up on this particular demi-boot style. PLEASE bring this style back in more washes (and a curvy waist), Madewell!
Quince Baby Alpaca-wool Crew (PURCHASED January 2022)
2022 was the first year I really gave alpaca a try! I had always been afraid of it because I’m much more sensitive to textures and itch now than I was when I started blogging. Quince’s alpaca gets rave reviews, and since the price point is attainable, I decided to try it—and haven’t looked back! I love the fit of the baby alpaca-wool crew and have worn it many times since I bought it a year ago (15 times for a cost per wear of just over $3). I also ordered an alpaca cardigan! (That one made my honorable mentions below.) I’d definitely buy more of Quince’s alpaca in other colors. Read my Quince alpaca sweater reviews for more info!
Aliya Wanek Tig Sweatshirt (purchased January 2022)
In 2020, I purchased a couple of the Ami cropped sweatshirts by Aliya Wanek (they made my best purchases of 2020 list), and in early 2022, I was lucky to snag this beautiful Tig sweatshirt on sale! I absolutely LOVE these cotton-hemp blend sweatshirts, and this oversized sweatshirt is no exception. I originally wasn’t into the Tig; I figured the longer length would not work on me. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved the fit. And this color is absolutely gorgeous! It’s less bright in person but still so fun. It’s a much needed jolt of energy in my closet. I hope Aliya Wanek restocks her sweatshirts! I’ve worn this sweatshirt 18 times for a cost per wear of just over $4.
Everlane The Dream Pant (purchased March 2022 and June 2022)
This pant makes me laugh. I was sooo not into it when I first saw it; I honestly though the seam down the front looked weird. But every time I read the reviews on the Everlane website, I got more and more intrigued, and finally ordered a pair during a sale in the spring. I am pleased to say that I was very wrong: The Dream Pant is the best work pant I’ve ever worn. They honestly feel more like sweatpants than work pants; the ponte is thick yet flexible and so comfy to wear. I loved them so much I ordered a second color in the summer! I wear these to work constantly (though they are a little tricky to wear with rain or snow boots). Highly recommend.
Allbirds Tree Runners (purchased April 2022)
This impulse purchase when I was in Seattle turned out to be one of my best of the year! Love it when that happens. I brought one pair of shoes (ankle boots) with me to Seattle and quickly realized they would not cut the long walks we were doing daily, so I picked up a pair of Allbirds tree runners in store after hearing great things from others and basically paid full price (gulp). Turns out they were worth the price! They’ve been my go-to errand-running sneaker since then. I love how lightweight they are. They’re also machine washable, but I’ve not attempted that yet. 😆 Stylebook says I’ve worn then 14 times for a cost per wear of just under $8, but I know I’ve worn them more than that for random quick errands and things that weren’t recorded.
Target “The Earth’s Atmosphere” graphic Tee (purchased September 2022)
As far as graphic tees go, this tee from Target really is the most perfect tee I’ve found so far! It’s perfect for me since I’m a meteorologist in my full-time, bill-paying job. It’s from the little boys’ section at Target, which works pretty well for my broad shoulders. I took a size XL, which fits similarly to a women’s small. Even though it’s wildly out of scale (naturally 😆), it’s still super fun and I love wearing it to work and out on the weekends!
Honorable Mentions
Honorable mentions go to my Madewell curvy Cali demi-boot jeans (no longer available; purchased January 2022; last seen here), olive green baseball cap via Poshmark (purchased August 2022; last seen here), Quince baby alpaca-wool oversized cardigan (purchased October 2022; last seen here), and Madewell Haskell crop cardigan sweater (purchased December 2022).
WORST SARTORIAL PURCHASES OF 2022
Madewell Tank Thong Bodysuit (purchased April 2022)
I sort of knew when I bought this tank bodysuit that it wasn’t going to be my “forever” bodysuit, but it is the best I’ve tried so far. It’s not the worst thing ever, and I’m glad I featured it three times on the blog in 2022, but it’s not my favorite garment. I find the scoopneck to be really low cut (typical of Madewell for me), and I pull it up constantly when I wear it. (It’s super stretchy and tends to slide down as I wear it.) The seam around the hips and leg opening starts to dig in and is not that comfortable for longer periods of time. It’s also slightly sheer in direct light, which you can see in the third photo above.
Loft Floral Shirred Tie Neck Blouse (purchased April 2022)
It pains me so much to include this floral blouse under my worst purchases list! I love how it looks—the blue floral is beautiful—but I haven’t worn it since this one blog post that I shared back in spring 2022. I’m challenging myself to style it more in 2023. I tend to gravitate towards tops that are really soft and less structured, and this one is not that soft of a fabric, and it’s a bit stiff and difficult to tuck. Definitely something I need to keep in mind for my purchases this year!