After a long year of shopping, wearing things, and trying to convince you to trust me and buy things, 2019 is over and we're straight into 2020—giving me an opportunity to reflect on the past year of wardrobe hits and misses. While I can honestly say I loved all the items I wore (and endorsed) over the course of the last 12 months, naturally, some had more of an impact than others—and, with that, garnered more compliments.

Okay, just what were they? With everything from shoes and bags to clothes and jewellery making the cut, I guess you could say it’s quite the range, and not just in terms of what type of items they are. From my favourite £43 sneakers to the investment coat I’m planning to wear for many winters to come, the price points are also a true high-low mix—right in line with my style.

So if you’re ready to see and shop my favourite fashion finds of last year, just keep reading.

Starting things off with the flattering tank I wore all spring and summer and this eye-catching Yuzefi bag. While this exact colour of the bag is no longer available anymore, it was recently released in all-black, and I might even like it better than my own.

This blazer helped me look polished despite so many lazy days this year. It's also worth noting that I went one size up so that I could achieve an ever-so-slightly oversized look and continue to be able to wear it layered over sweaters in the colder months.

This might be one of my favourite outfits I wore all year. This Nanushka skirt is just so flattering and luxe-looking (despite being faux leather), and the Staud mules were not only lovely to look at, but they were also so comfortable. I can't believe they're 40% off and not sold out!

I think these boots speak for themselves, but I will say that they're especially perfect for NYC or London because of their lug soles and durable patent-leather material.

I tend to keep it pretty simple when buying designer bags, but when I saw this embellished Prada style a few months ago, I literally couldn't help myself from buying it. I love how the jewels are green because it actually is so easy to match, and it's the perfect size for day or night. I've been using it nonstop ever since.

I will treasure this grandma-inspired Saks Potts coat until I am literally a grandma. It's just so fun and special, and while this exact style is now sold out, its other coats all possess that same quality.

I'm extremely picky about jeans, so it was a pretty big deal with this Slvrlake pair became my new blue go-to.

Firstly, I cannot tell you how many times I've had to convince people that this blazer is, in fact, from Zara and not designer. Secondly, I have to give a major shout-out to these Agolde jeans I wore countless times this year.

This little green bag by Montunas is another on-sale item I urge you all to buy. It's a magnet for compliments and so easy to wear with anything.

Meet the perfect non-boring black bikini top.

These sunglasses basically have not left my face since I got them back in January. That's how much I love them.

I love a kitten heel, but I really love a black kitten heel that goes with everything and makes all your basic outfits just a little more interesting. Mine are velvet and now sold out, but they're still available in black leather, and I'd highly recommend buying them.

Even when I wore five other necklaces at the same time, this half-pearl, half-chain one seemed to be the one people commented on the most.

I desperately "needed" a leather trench and am pleased to say I found the perfect one for me. It's definitely an investment piece, but I plan to wear this for years and years to come thanks to the trend's classic nature.

I needed a pair of simple, white sneakers to wear with any outfit, and when I found these, I could tell they were just perfect—and that was before I even knew the price.

These pants are so cool and luxe-looking in person that even my super-picky mom bought them.

Next up, the biggest S/S 20 fashion trends you need to know. 

This piece originally appeared on Who What Wear U.S.

Trust Me—Buy This is a monthly series where our market editor, Nicole Eshaghpour, makes her favourite real-life fashion finds shoppable for Who What Wear readers.

I know I said this about haircare, but I mean it even more when I say that I’m no makeup expert. Sure, I wear it and try to do so in an effective manner, but when you combine my aversion to change and my inherently classic style, you get a girl who doesn't really like to switch things up unless absolutely necessary. And that’s probably for the best, seeing as I already spend too much of my personal time shopping for clothing. Adding a beauty addiction into the mix is the last thing I need.

However, what I do confidently know about makeup is what I like. Whether they’ve been personal recommendations from beauty editors, things I’ve stolen from my beauty-obsessed sister or something my makeup artist used on me at my wedding, there are a handful of products I swear by and am regularly recommending to all my friends. While I don’t have endless items (or brands) in my makeup bag, I am pretty obsessed with the ones that have made the cut. So to see, read about and shop my absolute favourite makeup finds, just keep scrolling.

Brows

Related: VB Just Revealed the One Product She Always Uses on Her Eyebrows

Skin

Related: This Is the Best-Selling Highlighter in America—and I Can Totally See Why

Eyes

Lips

Related: I Recommend This £14 Product to All My Friends Who Hate Lipstick

Nails

Up next, these are the 16 hair products that I use every single week.

I’d like to preface this story by informing anyone reading that I’m no beauty editor. In fact, I’m possibly the furthest thing from it. As someone who has had a deep love affair with fashion my entire life, I never really had the time to devote as much attention to makeup, skincare, or anything else that falls under the general umbrella of beauty. If I did, I’d never get off the internet or out of the house in the morning! I do, however, I do have a few things going for me when it comes to the category:

1. I’m lazy, which means I often seek out easy-yet-effective products and practices.

2. I’ve worked alongside beauty editors for the last five years, leading me to pick up my fair share of tricks here and there. AKA I hounded them with questions.

3. I’m Persian, which makes me, by default, an expert in hair—as I’ve had to maintain my own mane for as long as I could hold a brush. Thank you, mum.

Given all the above, I’ve managed to get by and actually receive a handful of compliments and questions about my various routines when I post my favourite fashion finds on @trustmebuythis. Most often, as I’m sure you’ve already guessed, these questions relate to hair. So today is the day I’m finally sharing what I do know, as well as a little bit about what I don’t—but first, a few last notes...

I get asked a lot about how I keep my hair healthy. I honestly think a lot of it has to do with genetics, but one thing I avoid is using a flat iron (especially on the ends) because of the damage and dryness they can cause. I have naturally curly hair and style it at least twice a week, but only with a blow dryer and curling wands—never an iron. If I’m getting a blowout, which I also do regularly, I request they do the same and only use an iron if they really can't get a section of the roots straight (usually the baby hairs).

You’ll also notice there’s nothing about shampoo or conditioner in this article. That’s because I’m pretty low-maintenance about them and don’t stick to one specific brand or product. It’s kind of a revolving door of samples and drugstore finds, so no use in taking my advice there. Now that we’ve got that covered, scroll through for the tools and products I do highly recommend!

Brushes

I’ve decided to spare you a photo of my hair-covered brushes in favour of the above. The first thing I use when I’m preparing to wash and style my hair is a Conair paddle brush just before I get in the shower (when my hair is still dry). I find it’s easier to detangle that way and makes the need to brush after the shower much more minimal. Later, while blow-drying, I only use a round brush, as I’ve been told you can damage your hair otherwise. It’s also essential to achieving volume and shine, if you ask me.

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Hot Tools

Onto my blow dryer—yes, it’s pink, but the colour is optional. Since I have thicker hair that’s also naturally curly, I need a strong blow dryer to help make the process of doing it myself easier. I’ve been using this one by T3 for several months now after retiring my (very) old one, and it has been serving me quite well. I blow-dry my hair section by section from bottom to top until it’s all smooth.

Related: This Iconic Hair Product Is Sold Every 2 Minutes

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Up next: wands. I have two different curling wands that I use to wave my hair. Why wands, and why two? I’ll explain… Firstly, I use wands rather than traditional curling irons because they’re easier to use and they don’t clamp onto your hair the way a curler does. The one on the left is GHD, and it gets very hot, so it creates a really tight, long-lasting curl. I use it after blow-drying to get tight curls which I brush out with my fingers. Because my hair is thick and long, I have to start with tight curls if I want it to last a few days. The second wand (from Bed Head) has a larger barrel and is ceramic. It creates equally beautiful waves but is not as strong, so I use it if I need to touch up a portion or want my hair to settle into a softer look. If you have thinner or lighter hair, you’ll probably be able to achieve a tighter curl with the Bed Head. 

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Products

I don’t typically use a holding spray in my hair unless it’s very humid or I’m traveling. That said, I’ve found that in either situation, these are the best two. On the left is a traditional hair spray—but much lighter-feeling. It does the job without giving you crunchy hair. The other is an anti-humidity spray that keeps my hair from curling up or frizzing when summer hits in NYC or I take a tropical vacation. It also leaves almost no feeling or texture on your hair after it’s applied.

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Related: 55 Celebs and Fashion People Who Are Making Me Want to Get the Chop

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Every once in a while—usually in winter—my scalp gets a little dry, and this treatment saves me. At first, I was afraid to use it because you apply it to clean hair and then style as normal (rather than washing it out), but it leaves no residue and doesn’t make your hair feel oily or greasy. Just using it once or twice always yields immediate results.

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I've been told countless times by both beauty editors and stylists that it's important to use some sort of heat protector on your ends before blow drying your hair in order to prevent damage. I eventually got around to listening and it definitely makes a difference—especially for someone like myself who does so so often. I love this one from Oribe because it's very lightweight.

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Lastly, these are my two dry shampoos. I love the Living Proof for when my hair needs a cleaner look but also more volume—it does wonders for that. The Oscar Blandi (which now comes in spray form) is a little lighter. It works great as just regular dry shampoo when you don’t need a volume boost.

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Next up, this is the £220 hair tool that VB won't travel without.

Today I’ll be rounding up some of my favourite pieces of late but with more of a personal spin than your usual shopping story because it focuses on what I’m actually wearing in real life—not just eyeing up on the internet. This time I'm focusing on the items in my wardrobe that I use more than anything else: my basics.

Despite loving a statement piece here and there, I describe my day-to-day style as simple, so you can imagine how seriously I take my essentials like T-shirts, jeans, sandals, and more. Are you ready to learn what made the cut? Just keep scrolling to shop my absolute favourite basics of all time.

Jackets

Tops

Trousers

Shoes

Trust Me—Buy This is a monthly series where our market editor, Nicole Eshaghpour, makes her favourite real-life fashion finds shoppable for Who What Wear readers.

In case you’re new to this, today I’ll be rounding up my favourite items of the moment with more of a personal spin than your usual shopping story. These special selects are the pieces I’ve been loving not only online, but IRL too. With a little help from my shopping-focused Instagram account, @trustmebuythis, where I share my own snaps of items I’m into at the moment, I get to both show and tell you what I’m really wearing this month.

So what's on the docket today? Everything from an Insta-famous statement coat I finally got my hands on to an everyday overcoat I get (almost) too much use out of, black ankle boots for both day and night, jeans, jewellery, accessories—and, of course, a mix of high-end investment pieces and budget-friendly steals I think you’ll love. Simply scroll down to see and shop my picks.

This oversized crystal belt is one of those things you could literally wear with anything and it would make your outfit cool.

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I'm not usually one to share my gym looks (because they're most often far from cute), but I couldn't help showing off this cyclist-inspired top and matching leggings. I just want to wear the outfit all the time! 

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I've been wearing these boots nonstop since buying them on sale a couple months ago. I love the pop of orange, the zippers, stud details and the fact that they're made from durable nylon rather than leather or suede.

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As you can see from some of the other items in this roundup, I love a statement piece here and there, but this is really how I dress 95% of the time. An easy, oversized coat, black denim, any one of my million white T-shirts and ankle boots. 

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The latest addition to my ever-growing ring collection is this initial ring. I love that it's solid gold because I don't have to worry about it tarnishing every time I wash my hands.

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Aside from the relatively reasonable price point, I love that this bag actually holds all my essentials while still giving any outfit a touch of (the loveliest) colour.

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Related: I Tried on 50 Pieces From Kate and Holly's Favourite High-Street Brands

If you read this series regularly, then you know I'm a sucker for an Alice Mccall dress. They just fit so perfectly, and for being so eye-catching, are not fussy at all. I realized it's also been a while since I last shared credits for my pendant necklaces so I've included those as well!

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A better look at the bag from the last photo. I recently purchased this and literally could not wait to wear it. I love the chainlink strap, the geometric design and the fact that it (somehow) fits my giant iPhone XS Max.

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I got this Trademark bag with the intention of using it for work and it has seriously delivered. It perfectly fits my laptop, wallet and all other essentials, and is a major upgrade from the promotional totes I'd been previously using. Plus, the mock-croc texture is so luxe in person.

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While you can't see much of either, pictured here is my new favourite (sparkly) swimsuit from Oseree and a Sleeper pajama dress that I recently discovered makes for a perfect cover-up.

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If it's not already abundantly clear that I love black ankle boots—I do. This pair is my most recent purchase (I think?) and, while delicate, I have found myself wearing them quite a bit to events, dinners and other evening activities. They make the perfect statement while still feeling subtle.

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New sunglasses alert. This pair by Illesteva is the first exaggerated cat-eye to ever look good on me. If you also have a small face (and even if you don't), I highly suggest trying them out.

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I've dreamed of owning a Saks Potts coat for years, and as you may be able to gauge from her smile, so has Lauren. While I don't suggest walking around the streets matching with someone (unless you're into stares and the occasional commentary from strangers), I do recommend snagging any one of them if you're in the mood to splurge on a statement coat.

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Up Next: Trust Me—These 14 Designer Bags Will Dominate 2019