I Started Off With 30 Pairs of Jeans *Too Many*—Here's What Survived My Massive Closet Clean-Out

Jennifer Atilémile is the definition of a woman who does it all. A true multi-hyphenate, she is a model, writer, creative, activist, and intellectual. As an editor in residence, she gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the fashion industry.

I'm coming up on a month of living in my new house, a house that I just bought with my fiancé. Growing up, I moved around a lot, never really having any sort of permanence. That's why, I think, I surrounded myself with things. It was a comfort, a security blanket. Even if I had to move again, at least I'd still have my favorite sweater.

My job now allows me to travel for work, and I love it. If it's not a 24-hour job—fly in the night before, work all day, and then jump on a plane that evening to go home—then I love to plan out a little date with myself to go on a walking tour around the vicinity of my hotel, suss out a few vintage boutiques, and then treat myself to a nice lunch or dinner. It's my way of romanticizing my brutal schedule and perpetual state of jet lag. I also love perusing the vintage boutiques in Europe because European style and taste are so different to America's.

Because of my passion for fashion and my inability to say no to a good vintage find, my apartment before we moved into our house was literally bursting at the seams with clothing. I remember when my fiancé and I first started talking about moving in together. He literally said, "You're going to have to do something about your clothes because there's no room for me."

Packing to move into a new space was both liberating and emotional. I was making room for my new life while also loving and farewelling the clothes that held me through some of the most transformative years of my life. I was able to get rid of so many pieces, and I held a closet sale a couple of days before I moved. It was so joyful to see people love my clothes in a way I hadn't loved them in years, and it made me happy to let them go.

The thing about me is that I'm an emotional shopper. It's not that I'm impulsive, but I do buy things to celebrate milestones or what I felt were tragedies in my life. Now that I've bought a house (which is the ultimate purchase, by the way), my impulse buys have been curtailed. I'm still shopping, but everything is more intentional. I want to buy things that will last, not things that I'll need to replace next season. So here are some things I brought with me and a couple of things on my wish list. It's my birthday soon, so I'm giving myself permission to treat myself.

Jeans That Are Worth It

I think I had about 30 pairs of jeans. Nobody needs that many. What I did take with me were my classics, my tried-and-true pairs. You cannot go wrong with a good pair of Levi's. Also, I'm a big fan of Reformation jeans and Good American. I got my pair of vintage Levi's from this amazing place in L.A. called With Love, Lenny. You're able to go pick out a pair of jeans, and they will fit them to you, which is incredible.

Fun Shoes

If I'm going to own multiple pairs of the same style of shoes, the second pair needs to give the wow factor. I always get compliments from this pair from Lili Curia.

I also bought a pair of these shoes before we moved, and because we now have a mortgage to pay, I've put myself on a shopping ban. I can still buy things, but they have to sit in my cart a little longer, and I'm implementing a very strict "one in, one out" policy. This pair from Nou stole my heart and will be in my closet forever.

A Cute Dress

Because I moved during what I consider an in-between season (L.A. has been extremely temperamental, 95° one weekend and 65° the next), I really struggled to get rid of my summer dresses. I love this one from Réalisation. It's one of the brand's cooler prints.

This Exact Matching Set

I'm also a massive fan of the 11 Honoré revival. I'm always looking for occasionwear, and I was lucky enough to shoot with them recently, and I was able to take this outfit home with me. I also love this two-piece set. It really takes the guesswork out of what to wear when you have a top and bottoms that are supposed to go together.

A Paris-Inspired Pencil Skirt

I don't own that many miniskirts to be honest. I'm more of a midi-skirt kind of person, but one trend I remember seeing a lot of when I was at Paris Fashion Week was pencil skirts. My mission this year when buying things is to only add to my wardrobe if it's a unique piece. This one from Dries Van Noten is a standout.

Really Good Swim

I have more swimwear than I need, so I did a major cull. I kept the ones that fit, felt comfortable, and were a little sexy, which is essentially every single Monday Swimwear piece I own. I still own a leopard-print one-piece from about six years (if not more), and it still feels like I bought it yesterday. I love the Palma Top and Bottom in Champagne Denim right now.

If I was to add another set to my wardrobe, it would be the Burberry x Hunza G collaboration. Hunza G is another of those brands whose quality holds up over time.

The Best Pants

I have realised that I love a suit. It's always such a chic throw-on piece. Good black pants are hard to come by, but these are my favourites that came with me.

Luxe Earrings

I have realised I don't have any good diamond earrings. I'm constantly having to take mine in and out for photo shoots, and I oftentimes forget to put them back in.

I'm buying a pair of seconds from Aurate.

I took some of my favourite one-of-a-kind earrings from Karo Koru. Like I said, everything I'm keeping has to be either a basic that will get a lot of wear or a unique, one-of-a-kind piece.

Underwear

I used this opportunity to get rid of a ton of old underwear. I don't know how long you're supposed to hold on to underwear, but it's safe to say I needed a refresh. I'm a big fan of Negative Underwear and Cuup. They last, and they're the most comfortable for someone with bigger boobs.

Good Basics

Finally, the basics I'm bringing, specifically white and black tank tops. I packed my favourites from Anine Bing and Closed, but I'm also loving these ones from Icon Denim.