2011: My Top Ten items in my closet

Hi everyone! We are back from our holiday vacation to Sedona, AZ where we spent a fun filled week with family...it was such a great break from day to day life! It was nice to be un-plugged for a week...no blogging, no laptop, very little reception on my phone...it was like a little techy detox. However, it was fun to come back and pull up my favorite sites and blogs and see so many new things/posts! Christmas was a fun day with all my inlaws, nieces and nephews...18 kids makes for a crazy Christmas morning! Hubby spoiled me with a new camera and new perfume which I LOVE!!! Somehow Santa (my mother-in-law) also managed to slip a nice little Anthro gift card into my stocking so I'm excited to use that! My kids and Josh loved their surprises too so that was good. It was a very Merry Christmas indeed.

With 2011 coming to a close in just a few days I thought I'd do a little re-cap of my favorite things I acquired this past year in my closet...after all, 2011 was the year my closet practically exploded. 2012 will be a calmer year for my closet I'm thinking as I plan to shop a bit less and be pretty picky about what I want/need. It doesn't mean a girl can't look at all the pretty things being offered though...there will just a little less purchasing going on. =)

Here are my top 10 favorite things I added to my closet in 2011...by favorite I mean I loved it the most, I wore it the most and I am so glad I didn't pass it up:

1. American Eagle Artist Crop Jeans
These were my go-to pairs of bottoms this past summer. They were super comfy, came in a few different washes (I own two)and were totally affordable (picked them up for about $30 a piece on sale). I cannot say enough good things about these. They will certainly be used a ton in the future.





2. Miz Mooz "Siri" Knee-High Boots from Endless
I really wanted to add one more pair of boots to my closet this year and I was hoping to find a true cognac colored pair. When I came across this pair by Miz Mooz I knew I had found the ones. They are the perfect pair of everyday boots. I love the wedge, the color and how comfortable they are. I mean, if you can Black Friday shop in a pair of wedge boots for almost 18 hours with your feet not hurting too bad until the end, I think you've found a pretty good pair of shoes! The down side of these were for sure the price point, but I waited until there was a promotion and grabbed them for 25% off.





3. Alstroemeria Tee from Anthropologie
I'll admit, I still have a hard time pronouncing the name of this cute tee, but I love it none the less. This top is one I had on my wish list for months before it went on sale and I had originally decided to pass on it when it went down in price. A few days later I had a change of heart and had to do some calling around to find it since it had sold out online. I have worn this top so much and the possibilities are endless for how to style it with all the colors it has. It's one of those you can dress up or down too. Love! So glad I got it!





4. AG Stevie Ankle Denim in Sulfur Plum from Anthropologie
I grabbed these cute jeans when they hit 40% off at an east-coast store and have loved them ever since! They are the perfect length on my short legs and the fit is fab. I have since also picked the Stevies up in the wine color and love them just as much. I'm (not-so-patiently) waiting for the white (bone) colored ones to hit sale too so I can add them to my closet as well!





5. Weave & Plait Belt from Anthropologie
This belt has become my go-to for both dressy and casual. I love the unique twist detail in the buckle and the band is super comfortable over any top or cardigan. This is my favorite belt in my closet by far!





6. Frilled Echelons Peacoat from Anthropologie
I was so happy to grab this cute coat at 40% off the sale price a few months back. The color is amazing and I love how it looks layered over a longer top. I have worn it a TON and plan on keeping it in rotation for years!





7. BP Three Quarter Sleeve Cardi from Nordstrom
I have this cardigan in about 6 colors...at $15 it was hard to pass up! Nordstrom knows how to do basics, for sure! I have found this an easy cardigan to style as the cropped length works so well over so many of the tops in my closet.





8. American Eagle Jeggings
This pair of denim makes my list because of their unbelievable comfort factor, and because of the amazing deal they are. At just under $30 during a 40% off sale, I couldn't go wrong! These are one of my favorite pairs of jeans (along with my Gap Always Skinny jeans).





9. Gathering Blossoms Top from Anthropologie
This was another top I stalked for months before it went on sale and when it finally did, I waffled about actually getting it. I wasn't quite sure how to style it. Well, I'm so glad I went with my gut because this top is amazing! I love the unique folds and architecture about it and the gorgeous blue color. A+ in my book! I've been able to pair it with multiple cardigans in my closet and love the outcome each time.





10.Seychelles "Purr" Wedge Heels from Shoes.com
I practically lived in these cute wedges all summer..they were my go-to neutral sandal. I loved pairing them with cropped pants to elongate my short legs. They are also suprisingly comfortable and easy to walk in. They got quite the workout during the warm months and held up very well. They'll be well used in the future!





Of course there are a ton of other items I purchased that I loved this past year, but these 10 represent my most-loved and used. In the coming year I'll be focusing on only purchasing items that really fill a need in my closet. I love adding unique cardigans, colorful shoes, and tops that I can wear without layers underneath. I need to focus more on these types of items...the ones that I don't already have something like. Since we'll be moving in the summer I'll also have to take inventory on the type of weather we'll be moving to and cater my closet to that (we won't find out where we're going until around March or April). Overall I really don't need a thing, but there are a few basics I would still love to add. I'll be making my wish list pretty soon so stay tuned for that.

So what were your 2011 must-haves? Are you planning on shopping more or less in 2012?