YOUR best buys of 2025 so far
6 fashion people share their favourites and what got away
So this feels a bit dated by now, dear TIDBTW, because the season has changed within a week. But the other day I was wearing my newly purchased Bobkova coat, the Vagabond ballet flats and that perfectly slouchy Georgia Jay leather bag and I realized: I’m in my three favourite fashion pieces of the first half of 2025.
It’s crazy how fast those months flew by and what’s even crazier is that I already stand at 11 out of my 12 pieces for this year. To be able to hold this limit seems fragile at best.
But it also got me thinking: did I make the right choices? What else is out there? It got me thinking about you. About you and your best buys in the past 6 months. So I asked; models, stylists, artist boyfriend (long overdue little style chat with Arthur!) and more. Gorgeous people from the fashion biz and beyond.
I’m so grateful that these fashion insiders, whose style I deeply admire, took the time to share some personal shopping anecdotes. I love to see the pieces that find their way into their wardrobes - or not! How different taste is and how fun. Please read all about their best finds and things they didn’t buy. I hope you enjoy! Xx
Stella Xu, tailor & model
Things I didn’t buy this week: Please tell me about the best item of clothing you bought so far in 2025?
Stella Xu: Five Finger Shoes (Yes, really). I can’t believe this ended up being my favourite purchase of 2025. I was on set for a shoot, scrolling through Vinted during a break—nothing new there. But the algorithm really knows me at this point. I came across a super average listing, the kind that looks like it was posted by a "practical German mom," if I may say so. SOLD. It was such an impulsive buy that I wasn’t even excited at first.
They arrived fast. I unpacked even faster. Five finger shoes? “I guess that’s who we are now this summer,” I told myself. After years of obsessing over Tabis, I needed to evolve. And these felt like the next step. I bought them for the looks, but was surprised to discover the philosophy behind them.
Now I go barefoot as much as I can. Feeling textures underfoot—gravel, grass, tiles—suddenly made me connect with my surroundings in a totally new way. It's not just about wearing shoes; it's about feeling your path.
Back in fashion school, my teacher used to say: a great outfit or collection pulls from wildly different sources. Five finger shoes do exactly that—they add a weird, funny twist to any look. They disarm people. Suddenly, a serious outfit becomes approachable. A grumpy face becomes curious. It’s like you’re walking around wearing a little sign that says: “Hey, I’m human.”
Editor’s note: This is giving me serious goosebumps. Such a good teacher also! And that is coming from me, who is officially cross with the five finger shoes:
As my friend Josepha predicted, they are growing on me. But also not really… but I do love them on Stella. You go girl <3
TIDBTW: The one that got away?
SX: Jean Paul Gaultier Bag, 2005 “This is something I’ll keep forever,” I told myself the day before I sold it.
I bought it years ago when I was studying in Stuttgart, from this tucked-away luxury vintage store. It was hidden in the back corner, and I got it for an amazing price—back when vintage wasn’t trendy yet. A Jean Paul Gaultier bag from 2005. Dreamy.
But here’s the thing: I never wore it. Isn’t it funny how we can love something deeply and still know it’s not right for us? I brought it to a vintage pop-up where I was selling a lot of my designer pieces. Then a girl came in and wanted the bag. It hurt a little to let it go, but once I did, I felt an unexpected relief.
Letting go of the bag was like letting go of a version of myself I didn’t need to carry anymore. I know, it sounds cliché. But it was a real lesson in detachment and trusting timing
TIDBTW: On your fashion wishlist for 2025?
SX: Issey Miyake Pleats Please. I’ve had my eye on Pleats Please by Issey Miyake for a while now. I’m not sure which piece yet—I usually just wait until the right one finds me. I’m not an efficient shopper; I romanticize the process. Maybe I’ll find it vintage for a steal. Maybe I’ll pick it up in Tokyo. I don’t know when or where, but I can’t wait for that moment to arrive.
, NYC based fashion and wardrobe consultant
Thing I didn’t buy this week: Best purchase of 2025?
Dekota Waller: An amazing Japanese brand (Apartment Three) gifted me this beautiful leather bucket bag, and I've been obsessed with it ever since. It's the perfect size, shape and shade of brown. I love a slouchy shoulder bag, but still with a little structure, and this bag is a great combination of both.
TIDBTW: Name one thing that got away.
DW: The brown suede sneakers from COS. I've been eyeing the Dries Van Noten suede sneakers for awhile, but since I'm not a huge sneaker person, it didn't make sense to me to spend that much money on them. But when COS came out with their dupe for this style, I immediately knew that I had to have them since the price was so good. Long story short, I had them sitting in my cart, and they literally sold out in my size overnight, and they were sold out entirely by the following day. I signed up for re-stock notifications, but sadly, they never came back. I'm still so upset that I let these get away.
TIDBTW: On your fashion wishlist 2025?
DW: I actually just did a substack article about this!
Arthur Laidlaw, artist
Things I didn’t buy this week: Best item of clothing (or accessory or jewellery) you bought in 2025 so far?
Arthur Laidlaw: I’ve only bought one or two things for myself this year, so my answer is a three-way tie.
First, a yellow quarter-zip sweater I bought at your (extremely well-judged) insistence in a second hand shop on our way to Andrew Edmunds. I remember being slightly giddy and on edge all day, as it was our first day trip away from Rudi together, but we made the most of it, packing in Van Gogh, The Row, good food, best friends, expensive magazines, unfamiliar spontaneity, and the Oxford Tube. (Editor’s note: Yes, that was a great day! But baby, that sweater is orange!! And I loved it on you instantly, still do. Such a good purchase)
Second, a light pink short-sleeve cotton-shirt by Courrèges that I bought on Vinted. If only everything you added to your internet shopping trolley ended up looking and feeling this good. I bought this in a pique of premature summer enthusiasm, and still haven’t managed to wear it much, but loved “styling” it with one of my dad’s old Helly Hansen longsleeves for my recent exhibition opening at VRB Gallery, Playing and Reality.
Finally, something I didn’t buy myself, but have worn ever since they were given to me for my birthday. A pair of Tom Ford era Gucci sunglasses, circa 2000, in the colour “whiskey”. I bought some Marni cat eye glasses earlier in the year on Vinted for 50€, which I like but don’t love. The frame is a little too square for my face, I think, and it all skews a bit 80s; the downside of buying second hand online. So when my mum and I walked into Vintage Look, in Siracusa, Sicily, and saw the glasses I’d been googling for months, it was game over. (Editor’s note: I wrote about that little fashion exhibition of my dear in-laws here (I stayed clear of new old glasses, the only one!!))
TIDBTW: One thing that got away?
AL: If I start listing the things that have escape me, this could go very long. But, some of the things right at the top of my mind are:
This double breasted Our Legacy suit jacket. I own the black Panama wool trousers, which I bought to celebrate my exhibition in Seoul, in 2023 – and have wanted to complete the suit ever since.
Sticking with Our Legacy, it’s hard to look away from these mules, which are currently, upsettingly stocked in exactly my size at the vintage store NEUZWEI on Weserstraße.
But then if you start thinking about mules, you have to start thinking about Gabriela Coll Garments, and her two ridiculously impractical but absurdly desirable babouche slip-ons and cropped boots. Both of which you and I nearly walked out of her pop up in Paris wearing, in 2022.
Editor’s note: True true, here we were:
And why stop there? A recent dark night of the soul involved the existential question of whether to keep or return these Tretorn x KASSL Edition EEFJE Clogs in black, before going on holiday. I exchanged a lengthy exegesis with style & pottery icon Wendy Taylor, who owns a pair, only to discover they just didn’t quite fit me. I still mourn their loss.
Look, these are off the top of my head. I’m happy to come back for a weekly confessional. (Editor’s note: You may, if you buy me coffee)
TIDBTW: What's on your fashion radar / wishlist for 2025?
This question has kind of a split personality; what I want and what will become cool will inevitably diverge. So let’s do the latter first.
What’s going to be cool?
History is predictive. We have already seen the most hideous, insufferable fashion trends of the late 90s and early 00s rear their ugly heads. Five-fingered-Vibram-sole-ergonomic-barefoot-shoe I’m looking at you. Charli XCX, though I applaud your single-handed effort to resurrect the von Dutch trucker, I’ll pass thanks (even this Aries cap doesn’t tempt me). Don’t get me started on tribal tattoos.
Obviously, I’m perfectly placed to tell you that skinny jeans are coming back. It’s going to be just as horrible as the first time. I’m sure there is frightening evidence of yours truly squeezed into a pair of grey Cheap Monday “cigarette-fit” jeans out there on the world wide web. Do not go looking for it.
What’s on my wishlist? Other than the items listed above, I’m looking for the perfect cap. I bought one at a Studio Paul & Toni sample sale, loved it for years, finally put it in a painting, and immediately lost it. I’ve been looking ever since.
Editor’s note: The painting below is currently on show with A:Gallery alongside previously mentioned artist Anna Zimmermann (I’m head over heels in love with her outfit here).
Elisabeth Kwan, stylist
Things I didn’t buy this week: Best clothing / accessory you bought in 2025 so far?
Elisabeth Kwan: Oakley Light breathe sneakers. Durable and light, safe vibram grip sole and on sale! Directly from Oakley website, bought them for my day to day job and worked in the snow!
TIDBTW: One thing that got away?
EK: Nothing because I don’t really shop, but if I have to choose it’d be a second hand yohji winter coat.
TIDBTW: What is on your fashion radar?
EK: A piece from @stettin.jewellery since I’ve been thinking of getting more accessories.
Nayara Branco-Saeuberlich, Director of Brand at Château Royale Berlin
Things I didn’t buy this week: Best item of clothing (or accessory or jewellery) you bought in 2025 so far?
Nayara Branco-Saeuberlich: Definitely my new earrings from Maximova — they somehow manage to be bold and timeless at the same time:
TIDBTW: One thing that got away?
NBS: A pair of dreamy Bottega sandals I spotted on Vestiaire Collective… I told myself I’d “sleep on it” and, well, someone else didn’t. (Editor’s note: Haven’t we all been there… <3)
TIDBTW: What’s on your fashion radar / wishlist for 2025?
NBS: The eternal quest for the perfect classic black leather jacket. Clean cut, soft leather, not too edgy, not too shiny. The search continues.
Luca Aimée Kroeger, model, leadership coach and neuroscientist
TIDBTW: Best item of clothing (or accessory or jewellery) you bought in 2025 so far?
Luca Aimée Kroeger: My personalized shopping rule for this year is to follow the rule of five and commit to not buying more than 12 vintage pieces on top of that. I’ve been only buying vintage since 2017 so to me it’s actually new to allow myself to buy something from the rack of a (online) store. In the beginning of the year that really got me excited and I had like a zillion things in my ssense cart (for example the stunning Hodakova belt bag). I ended up buying nothing new until only a few weeks ago, even though I went on a big vacation to Bali in the beginning of the year (great excuse for a new bikini?! I still don’t own a beach bag?!) and have since been attending fashion week events (feeling the need to buy your insecurity away and wanting to fit in) and right now, writing this, I’m sitting on the Croisette in Cannes during the film festival, watching people in my 5 year old maison Cleo top (similar here - its made to order, so you can ask them to make it in black or with long sleeves) and 3 year old parachute pants, a Prada bag way too urban for the beach vibe and a silver bracelet recently passed on to me by my mom (thanks mom!)
And while all of these occasions used to create an urge to buy something for them not long ago, I feel fine. I feel free to adore others and gather inspiration for future outfits, thinking about which items that are already IN my closet to use instead of dreaming about what I’d like to buy. It’s a great mental game! I highly recommend you challenge yourself and try it out :) Before I finally want to share what items I DID buy this year so far, I want to share a tip I recently successfully tried with a dear friend of mine. She was interested in reducing her amount of (online) shopping but wasn’t yet ready to commit to such strict rules as the rule of five. So I told her she could try a shopping fast during the (Christian) fasting period before Easter. And it went great! She said she had time in her busy life as a doctor she didn’t knew she had! EDITORS NOTE
I bought a total of three pieces this year:
These vintage balenciaga glasses from Hardt Store in Berlin - I love that it adds a little bit of color to an outfit, as I’m someone that tends to wear a lot of black-on-black in my everyday (and apparently also hiking) outfits.
This great necklace from a small vintage pop up in Paris (love the pop up vintage shop trend!) I’ve worn it many times already for dinners or gallery openings in Paris, but I believe it’s true home is on a greek island or the south of France.
And I ordered, but have not yet received, the Conner Ives „protect the dolls“ shirt, mainly and most importantly because of its message to stand by the trans community and to protect the rights that currently are being threatened and taken away from them. But also because Pedro Pascal is such an inspiration and looks insanely hot in the T shirt (I myself look nothing like Pedro Pascal and still working hard to achieve his nonchalant coolness, but I’m still hoping to achieve a hot and easy t shirt spring style with it).
TIDBTW: One thing that got away?
LAK: A Hermès raincoat (possibly margiela era?) where I shied away from the investment but still think about (and now it’s gone, as it happens with vintage hunting…)
And on the side of items from stores: Claire Wright Keller did a collection for Uniqlo and I tried the simple black men’s jogging pants and they fit so nicely. But I decided to let them go, convincing myself I could do just as well without them.
TIDBTW: What's on your fashion radar / wishlist for 2025?
LAK: Is there anyone else out there who also strongly feels the need to be able to make folders in their vinted/vestiaire/etc watchlists? I would love to be able to sort them and even make wishlists for my friends who are overwhelmed by vintage online shopping!
On my radar I definitely have the Chanel 5014 sunglasses with a black frame and blue glasses, which were my absolute favorite sunglasses ever and I sadly lost them in November last year :( if you come across one for a reasonable price in good condition - pleaaaaaaseeee let me know. People started calling them the Luca glasses because we were inseparable!
Editor’s note: You should get in touch with the Vintage Look Store in Ortigia. If anyone can find them for you, it’s them.
And then I’ve been looking into vintage Tory Burch a lot, she’s kind of coming back but there’s still many amazing deals out there and some of her bags and shoes have aged very very well I think.
TIDBTW: Thank you all so much for sharing, I love these stories <3
So fab! Thanks for the highlight ✨