The Biggest Shopping Mistake I’m Guilty Of…

I realize, as a fashion blogger, the irony of what I’m about to say. But after buckling down with my finances this year and really re-evaluating where and how I was spending my hard earned money, I made a huge commitment to downsizing my closet and being much more selective about what pieces I choose to buy. I really started to taking my personal finances seriously this year, and after doing a ton of research and planning (news flash: life is expensive), I realized the days of buying a new Reformation dress “just because” are over.

Call this adulting, but I made the decision that someday owning a home, possibly having children, and retiring are way more important than having a closet that screams #goals. When I graduated college and started my first big girl job making more money than I ever had before, I definitely went a little crazy with shopping. Because well, I could. Some of the purchases I stand by to this day – I’m looking at you, Stuart Weitzman 50/50 boots I bought 6 years ago that still go with everything, and a Mackage coat that I wear regularly in the winter to this day.

Other decisions weren’t as smart (sorry, printed DVF wrap dress that I can only wear a few times a year). I’ll say that the biggest shopping mistake I’m guilty of is buying before thinking. See, like all things in life, a good wardrobe requires some planning (and some fun, spontaneous decisions!)

What do I mean by “buying before thinking?”

It means buying something before justifying the purchase and thinking it through. The most important question, which feels like a no brainer now, is – “how often am I actually going to wear this?” I’m so guilty of buying expensive dresses, only to wear them once, and then have them collect dust in my closet. Some of them were $50, others over $200. Honestly it doesn’t matter the price, wearing something only a handful of times and then having it collect dust is the WORST. Buying something because it’s “cheap” or “on sale” is NOT a good reason.

I would so much buy 1 thing full price that I LOVE and know that I will wear all the time, then spend the same amount of money on 6 things at a sample sale, and only wear each thing once (or worse, NEVER AT ALL). There are certain brands that make the absolute cutest clothes – but when you really think about it, let’s be real – you’ll wear it once to a party and never again.

Which is totally fine if you have the budget to support that habit! Truthfully, I don’t. And my closet doesn’t have space to support clothes that don’t get worn (apartments are small, you guys!).

But that’s life, right?

You live and you learn. I’m in the middle of a huge closet refresh, and I’m making a point to only buy staple pieces that I will wear often (think – at least once a month, if not more often). My work wardrobe does not have a rotating door, so I’m choosing to be selective about which neutral, classic pieces I invest in, and which trendy styles I’ll supplement with my Rent the Runway subscription. Also, not investment pieces are created equal! For some people, their essential shoe might be the perfect black pump. I can’t stand wearing heels, so I would forego heels for a classic slide or loafer. I’ll do a post on the pieces I mapped out as “essentials” for my capsule wardrobe – stay tuned.

So let’s say you do the same thing and went a little crazy with fun, but not practical pieces in your closet. What’s a girl to do? The first thing to do is re-evaluate your wardrobe and spending behaviors. Do you buy impulsively because there’s a sale or before you’ve had a chance to think about how they fit into your wardrobe or lifestyle? Are there pieces you haven’t worn in over a year? If so, you should consider tossing or selling them. It’s easy to look at celebrity closets or other bloggers on Instagram and think “wow, they have so many clothes, how amazing” – but honestly, most of them are not wearing 75% or more of the clothes.

Speaking of selling clothes…

I’ve been selling a lot of my clothes on Poshmark. Any resale platform has huge ups and downs, but overall I like it for making the resell process as simple and seamless as possible. I’ve sold clothes on Poshmark that I haven’t touched in over a year, so getting some money back for those is better than nothing at all. Should I do a post on Poshmark and tips for selling?

The items I’m wearing here all fit into my new closet criteria:

+ Leather jacket – I bought this jacket from AllSaints on sale 4+ years ago and it has gotten good use. I love the details on it, but would honestly love something a little simpler. For my next jacket, I’m eyeing one from Acne or Iro. Knowing how much I wear this one and how it’ll truly be timeless, I feel ok (eventually) biting the bullet on one of these.

+ Silk cami from CAMI NYC – I wear this ALL the time. It goes with everything. I love silk camisoles as basics, they’re a little dressier than a basic tee and can be layered underneath so many tops. This top is so versatile, I just bought a similar one in white.

+ Slip skirt – To be honest, this piece is arguably a little trendy. I said my wardrobe was getting streamlined, not entirely boring ok?! How I approached buying this skirt – leopard comes and goes, as do slip skirts and dresses. Most importantly, I could style it for in and out of the office, which is a huge bonus for me since I do work a corporate job. Versatility is key for me!

+ Combat boots – another trendy piece, but one that I believe has staying power. These are from DSW, but Dr. Martens are everywhere this year as well. If you want to splurge, Gianvito Rossi and Prada have amazing options.

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