Full disclosure: I am a bit nervous about writing this post and have actually been putting it off! My goal with my no shopping challenge for 2018 was to share quarterly check ins with you guys. But, as you can probably guess from my silence about it, I’ve gotten off track. And when I say ‘off track,’ I mean really, really off track… The last time I shared an update, I was doing so well, but I think between travel and a few really tempting sales, I have lost sight of my goals. So it’s time to come clean with you guys, confess what I bought, and set some intentions for moving forward!
Coming Clean
Ok, this is the part of the post I am so nervous about sharing… cuz I’ve bought a lot. It all started with planning and packing for my trip to Italy. As I said in my original post about starting this no shopping challenge, one of the reasons I wanted to stop buying clothes is to inspire me to get back into the gym so I could fit into my old clothes. I’ve been really slow to start working out again. So unfortunately most of my summer clothes aren’t exactly a great fit. Which meant that it felt like I had nothing to wear in Italy.
My trip to Italy was a mix of both professional pursuits and personal time off. I felt this need to be stylish and pulled together, almost so I could blend in with the locals. I wanted to look like a chic Italian woman! This means that I did some shopping at a local boutique before leaving and did some major shopping while in Italy. At the time, I justified shopping before the trip by telling myself it was ok since I was supporting an independent local boutique and artisan brands. Then in Italy, it felt like I had to make the purchases I did because who knew when I’d be back… like this feeling of scarcity! I have a lot of mixed up feelings about that last one, especially.
When trying to go minimal, how do you handle vacation shopping and all the various unique, one-of-a-kind finds? For example, I bought a gorgeous pair of leather mules that are direct knock offs of the ubiquitous Gucci ones (for a 1/6 of the price). Both in the moment and now a few months later, I’m really glad I made this purchase because I’ve worn them non-stop, the quality is great, and they weren’t nearly as expensive. BUT buying them violated my challenge rules… so I don’t really know how to feel!!
And then the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale happened.
You guys, I resisted for over a week! But then on Saturday night, I had a few cocktails at home and realized I ‘should’ order some candles from the sale. So I added a few to my cart… then proceeded to order some new workout clothes… then another pair of mules (in black!)… then a few dresses because we’re going to a wedding in August… then the only real bra that I like was on sale… you get the picture. *insert facepalm emoji here* The stuff has already shipped, so I can’t cancel the order.
My plan when it all arrives it to try it all on because I do actually need some new workout clothes (side note: someone make me stop wearing my nice workout clothes while doing construction projects at the house) and most of my nice dresses still don’t quite fit. Unless the mules are a revelation, I plan on returning them.
What I Bought
Ok, let’s get down and dirty. Time to share what I actually purchased as I broke all of the rules:
- faux Gucci mules
- real Gucci bag (sigh) — I feel like I could write an entire blog post about all of the guilt and excitement (and mixed up feelings) I have about this purchase alone!
- 7 dresses
- 1 pair of linen pants
- one linen scarf
- 1 pair of new jeans
- 2 shirts
- one bathing suit
- 1 pair of shorts
- a workout top
- 1 pair of socks
- a pair of mules (black)
Honestly, I think that is the full list… but I can’t totally remember. SHAME.
The Revised Plan
I’m pretty frustrated with how I’ve handled this challenge over the last few months. It feels like I’ve undone all of the money saving I accomplished in the first quarter by going HAM in the second quarter. Lately, I have been feeling totally overwhelmed by the amount of STUFF in the house again. We have a lot of big projects on the horizon, so when the bungalow feels too full I get really stressed out. We’ve been thinking of doing an impromptu yard sale this weekend so that I can clear out a ton of stuff and recoup some of the money that I spent shopping.
Also, I want to get back on track with my rules from the original challenge and really work hard to limit myself to 1 new item a month, if at all. Considering just how much I bought in the second quarter, I feel a little ridiculous saying that I am still allowed to buy 1 item a month, but I also want to give myself a bit of grace and not go overboard with rules… especially because we’ve now seen what happens when I rebel against something that feels too restrictive!
Stay tuned for another update about this challenge in a few months. If you’re doing a similar challenge, I’d love to hear how it’s going for you and what you’ve found along the way! And in case you missed it, catch up on my ‘no shopping’ challenge here.
