2024 Reflection

revisiting my goals, my best and worst purchases, my in's and out's, and more!

What a wonderful (and sometimes horrifying) year it has been! I love taking this time to reflect on all the things that have been accomplished, changed, and discovered over the last 12 months! I wrote about my 2024 goals in this newsletter and am now going to take some time to reflect on a few of them, but before I do, I first want to say thank you for being here! I appreciate you the most!

me and my best friends when we reunite for the first time since graduating in about 6 hours

One New Item a Month Goal:

This year I set myself a goal to purchase only one piece of clothing/makeup a month. I was talking to a friend earlier this week about how this challenge went and what it had taught me. We both agreed that I had never been the type to do a $300 Zara haul and the idea of shopping final sale terrifies me, but I still felt my shopping habits could be approved upon. At the end of the year I wanted to be intentional. That didn’t mean every choice would be perfect, but it definitely meant fewer bad ones. Money saved, bigger purchases made. A smaller closet that made getting dressed easier. Turning to inspiration, rather than my online shopping cart.

For the first five months of the year, I’d say I did a pretty good job at this. I took my time when shopping and thought about how to get the most out of that one (sometimes two) new item. Taking this year, or at least the first five months to be analytical about my shopping choices instilled a practice in me; to think beyond that very moment in time. To think back to two days ago when I saw something else that drew me in and to leave space for the version of me who in a week would come across something else she found noteworthy.

Although I didn’t stick to this goal, I want to call it a success. I like the practice I have built up of creating monthly wishlists on Substack and having a master list of things I wanted on my Pinterest. I would recommend a visual wishlist because it helps put things into perspective. I have so many white pants and jeans on my wishlist, which makes it obvious to me that it is still something I’m looking for.

Best purchases:

• My Tag Heuer — My biggest purchases this year were in the watch category. This year I acquired four new watches. One on Etsy, one at a flea market and two Tag Heuers on eBay. I wear a watch every single day and am very happy with the collection I have so far and am excited to expand my knowledge on them in 2025.

  

• Levi Low Loose Jeans — The most ideal shade of dark blue denim. They don’t sell it in that wash anymore which is tragic. The silhouette of the jeans is the perfect elevated wide/straight leg while also being incredibly comfortable.

  

  @let1sgabBoat Tote Reveal

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• Wilfred skirt — I purchased this skirt in March and hadn’t worn it much during the summer. My first time washing it I accidentally turned it blue in the wash and I cried. My generous and lovely mother bought me a new one for my birthday and come the fall I wore this skirt with a sweater and boots at least once a week.

  

• Doen Blouse — It’s like an elevated t-shirt in my wardrobe.

  

• SL72s — Incredibly comfortable and adorably cute color ways. I wore them to work and on long walks.

  

• Wool coats — I bought two vintage 100% wool coats this year. A black one on eBay and a navy blue one on Etsy. Both I’ve worn so much and love dearly, I’m not sure how I survived winter without them.

  

  @let1sgabFrazzeled english woman scarf <3

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Worst purchases:

• Banana Republic suede jacket — I bought this in February and have never worn it. Harsh to say the worst, it’s not bad and it was second hand so I can just relist it, but I want to try styling it in the new year. It’s a very tailored fit and I tend to gravitate to my baggier jackets more.

• RAINS rain jacket — I bought this during my trip to Ireland and currently have it listed on my Poshmark. I just don’t like wearing rain jackets. They track water everywhere and don’t keep you dry or warm. I’d rather wear my normal coat and use an umbrella.

Things moving to the 2025 wishlist:

• This ring, these flats, and this skirt.

Things I didn’t buy this year, but wore a lot (inspired by

Mandy Lee @oldloserinbrooklyn

)

• Vintage brown barn jacket — I bought this jacket back in 2020 when I was on a trip to visit a friend in New York and didn’t bring a good layer with me. We went to L Train vintage and I bought this jacket for $25. It’s always gotten compliments from strangers which always shocked me because it’s way too big and looks so old, but when the barn jacket trend came around this year I was extra happy to participate with something that was already 4 years old to me and I’m sure much older than that in the grand scheme of things.

  

• Vagabond Sandals — I got these for my birthday two years ago and wore them here and there, but this past summer I wore them almost every day. They were comfortable to walk in for long periods and easy to throw on with any outfit.

• Ralph Lauren denim shirt — I bough this on eBay in 2023 after looking at the many listings under “Ralph Lauren denim button down” and am so happy with the one I chose. It’s not too thin and is perfectly baggy to wear on its own, tucked in or as an extra layer over a tank or tee.

Movies:

I logged 71 movies on my letterboxd. I’d say 85% of them were first time watches.

Best First Time Watches:

• The Iron Claw, Society of the Snow, Anatomy of a Fall, The Holdovers (I logged this 5 times this year), Killers of the Flower Moon, One Day (not a movie and I’m not a big series watcher, but this was so fantastic) Dune: Part Two, La Chimera (probably my favorite movie this year), Challengers, Columbus, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Sideways, Carrie, Anora, Wicked, A Real Pain, Nosferatu.

Music:

I never understood why Spotify wrapped came out so early. I know people wanted it earlier than December 3rd or whenever it ended up coming out this year, but what happened to everything you listened to in December?? I use last.fm which is more accurate and different than my Spotfiy wrapped because we count December here.

Top Artists:

1. Taylor Swift

2. Arctic Monkeys

3. The Killers

4. Haim

5. One Direction

Top Albums (top 3 songs from said album):

1. THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY - Taylor Swift

   1. The Bolter, Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus, Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?

2. Women in Music Pt. III - HAIM

   1. Leaning on You, Summer Girl - Bonus Track, All That Ever Mattered

3. The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess - Chappell Roan

   1. Red Wine Supernove, HOT TO GO!, My Kink Is Karma

4. Suck It and See - Arctic Monkeys

   1. That’s Where You’re Wrong, Reckless Serenade, Suck It and See

5. Harry’s House - Harry Styles

   1. Keep Driving, Daylight, Love of My Life

Top Songs:

1. Crying, Laughing Loving, Lying - Labi Siffre

2. Can’t Find My Way Home - Lila Forde

3. That’s Where You’re Wrong - Arctic Monkeys

4. Satellite - Dave Matthews Band

5. Tiny Moves - Bleachers

Books:

I ranked everything I read this year in this newsletter, you should check it out! Every link included is from a website where you can purchase each book second hand and like new! This year I set out to read 40 books. I just finished my 39th book of the year, ‘The Art Thief’ by Michael Finkel. I gave it four stars. An interesting true story about a couple who stole over 200 pieces of art in the late 90’s and early 2000’s around Europe. The first 100 pages are a little lackluster, but I stayed up to finished the last half of it and at one point I did tear up. I might try and read George Simenon’s ‘The Blue Room’ before the end of the year to try and make it to 40, but we shall see. I have a train ride to DC today. My favorite place to read is an Amtrack car.

My in’s

• Brooches

• Folk music (yes, I just watched ‘A Complete Unknown’ but also check out this artist and this one too.)

• New Haim Album (manifesting here)

• Women wearing and buying watches (biased, but I’m also right.)

• Long, unstyled hair

• Cinnamon buns

• Nipple Heels (as made obvious by

  Liana Satenstein
  , I have these)

• Neon

• Floral arrangements

  

My out’s

• Going on my phone as soon as my eyes open in the morning

• Long skincare routines

• Acai bowls

• “House Plants”

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Thank you again for reading!! I’m excited to continue sharing things with you on “Wanna Gab?” in the New Year. I’ll be back next week with a post about my goals for 2025. If you have anything at all to add or say at all, please share it with me in the comments! I wanna gab more with you!

xoxo,

Gabbie