Tiia your quarterly shopping round ups are some of my favorite to read! Thank you so much for your transparency. I want to offer you a bit of grace as I can see the mindfulness you are bringing to your shopping and while you didn’t hit your goals, you brought that thoughtfulness year-round. Bravo!
Thank you Kelly! Mindfulness is more important to me than the numbers. I still want to buy a lot less, but at least my process of buying has improved a lot over the last few years. I feel like I'm actually getting somewhere, which is what matters.
i am sick with how much i over-shopped in 2023! fluctuations were part of it, but so was the resulting frustration and desire to feel better. some takeaways: (1) 70+% of my purchases were 2nd hand, almost all online, and my new purchases were mostly due to influencer recommendations. (2) i seem to regularly sell and replace a lot of my knits, and i'm not sure why. now i have some quality pieces from studio nicholson and lauren manoogian, so i'm hoping they keep me happy for many years. (3) i have recently shifted my focus to separates that can be dressed up for special events. although these dressier pieces will get less wear, i was in a cycle of buying a dress for an event and never wanting to wear it again, which i hated. hoping some mix and match special pieces bought out of love instead of last minute panic will fix this.
finally, going into 2024, i hope to shop MUCH less, and invest time in selling and/or mending/tailoring. i don't expect to be capable of only 5 pieces, but i can at least ask myself: if i were to commit to buying only 5 items this year, could i make a strong argument for this to be one of them? if the answer to that is no (i've found it often is a quick no), then i don't want to buy it.
That's so interesting about your new purchases being influence recommendations. How do you feel about those purchases now that you've recognized the connection?
I hope you find yourself wearing your new stellar knits, and that the special event separates work well for you!
I like your idea re: playing with the 5 pieces in your brain while shopping. I might try it, too!
I admire your being so transparent about your shopping habits. I’m still a little scared to even try to count the items I bought last year. I definitely agree that you have the BEST thrifting luck of anyone I know (and a well trained eye helps). I think that Junya knit is my absolute favorite, followed by the Issey Miyaki skirts. Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year, Tiia!
I think my thrifting luck has something to do with going often, and hitting the places where artsy/wealthier people live and re-sell/donate their stuff. But yes, experience helps, too! I've been doing this a long time.
I wrestle with shopping as well. It's a difficult balance because clothes are such a passion for me and I'm so "well behaved" when it comes to spending money elsewhere! I have the smallest collection of jewellery, bags and shoes known to mankind, but all bets are off regarding pants. I guess I'm rationalizing! I definitely want to be a far more thoughtful shopper in 2024 and, like you, I'm making progress.
Progress is what matters! I'm like you, where I don't really spend money on other things. I just love clothes! I actually like having a lot of clothes, as long as the clothes get worn and they feel right and special to me. Here's to a thoughtful new year of shopping!
So relatable -- I’m also always trying to figure out why I feel compelled to keep shopping when I know that I have enough for now. I think the answer lies somewhere between “I just love shopping and finding and wearing new clothes” and “I’m spending so much time looking at clothes online that I feel a subconscious fomo when not shopping for something new/my brain becomes obsessed with new images and I want to recreate them in some way.” I agree that it’s important to be aware of this behavior and also loving to ourselves. Both things can be true. Also love the idea of a monthly present and that Twin Peaks quote. We need to find small delights in this world!
Hi Francesca & Tiia, just chiming in to say I, too, very much relate to the "subconscious FOMO when not shopping for something new." My brain also gets obsessed with various pieces, the feeling being, "THIS will be the piece(s) of clothing I need to REALLY complete my wardrobe!" Instagram is hard for me with seeing all the new pieces (esp. from Tibi) and the ads that know me too well. (Though ethically, I love the idea of secondhand shopping/thrifting/resale, I'm not a secondhand shopper for the most part, those purchases tend to be mistakes for me that I don't end up liking or wearing.) I falsely believe sometimes that I will be happy with having some sort of "complete" wardrobe, but then that doesn't account for (1) FOMO (2) the rush/ thrill of the new (as Tiia said) and (3) getting bored with existing looks and wanting new looks/ a creative urge. Honestly, the most self-control I have is determined by how much I can spend (or feel I can spend) without feeling guilty. [I actually don't think I have a lot of clothes (truly) and very few accessories, I do try to stay minimal as I detest the look of clutter, but nevertheless, these experiences are real -- it seems regardless of the size of one's wardrobe.]
P.S. And if the goal is purchasing only 5 pieces a year...I've reached my max already and it's January 14th.
1 pair pants = Tibi sale
1 sweatshirt = Tibi sale
1 top = Tibi sale
1 pair of green ballet flats = Mansur Gavriel sale (which I wanted so desperately in November but felt was just too expensive and was able to control myself and not buy, only to see that this month, they were on a significant sale...and that made me feel that I had to buy, but now I'm worried they may be a mistake! Hoping the green shoe thing doesn't end up feeling trendy for me where I could lose interest.)
1 sweater = Quince
And I already have two button down shirts that I'm dying to buy next. It never ends! (Though I did just do a closet culling and got rid of 30 items (clothing, shoes, accessories), so there is that...)
I get really easily seduced by that weird, almost compulsory feeling of "if I only get this one more thing, then my style will finally make sense"... but of course it never ends up that way. There are always more things to get seduced by!
Sale time is a tough one! On the one hand sales give you the opportunity to buy something you wanted for a better price, but on the other hand, it's so easy to lose track and buy _because_ of the price.
I get into these moods at thrift stores where clothes are cheap. I don't think things through, I don't pay enough attention to fit because there's just that one piece that's available... I just get seduced because of the low price. Second hand shopping is not easy, and it's not for everyone.
I find myself thinking about "the rule of five". Five new pieces is not a lot! Well, I could quite easily not buy five "new" things (as opposed to second hand), but I think "the rule of five" limits the amount of second hand pieces to 8, which sounds terrifyingly low... And it's one of those things that I guess I could do, but do I want to? Taking into consideration that there are so many other things that are much more crucial re: our carbon footprint than just the clothes we buy... I'm wondering if "the rule of five" might give some consumers a false sense of superiority regarding issues of sustainability. Just thinking out loud here. Maybe I need to write about this in more detail...
Tiia, please pardon my belated reply! Thanks for commenting back. I think that would be a great piece to write about...the false sense of superiority regarding issues of sustainability and clothes shopping. I think most all of us in the West have a *deeply* seated unconscious capitalist mindset and until that mindset genuinely changes, our longings to buy, buy, buy clothes or whatever it is, and how gripped we all are (myself included!) by the whole experience of purchasing as part of our lifestyle and even mental health, then we are all responsible for this climate disaster we're in and true sustainability is not possible. Not that we shouldn't try to do any small things, just saying that the problem is MUCH deeper than exactly how many items we purchase in a year or a month or what-have-you. That's my opinion for now!
I can definitely relate to your reasoning re: why we keep shopping. That subconscious fomo you mentioned is a real conundrum. It's really difficult to balance the thrill of the new and what you already have when you are interested and invested in matters of personal style and fashion. Social media really complicates things, too.
It has been a real eye-opener to compare your account with Laura Reilly's (Magasin): she breaks down the cost per wear for each purchase, and she spent more every month than you did all year. I've never been as detailed as either of you about clothing expenditures, but I do track them, and I always feel ashamed about the total (closer to yours than to Laura's, but still in the realm of "too much"). Used clothing here is not much cheaper than new, and it's frequently in bad condition, so that's not a remedy for me. I'm experimenting with just making do with what I have.
Making do with what I have is an interesting one. I keep wondering if/when I might hit a plateau with only having really special things in my wardrobe, and if that's going to curb the attraction of what's new. For years I've had so much filler in my closet: things that aren't all that great, things I bought on impulse because I just wanted to buy something, things that are trendy... I have a lot less filler stuff in my wardrobe these days, and at least in theory buying new things should become more challenging, if it means replacing what's already in my wardrobe. That's the eventual goal, I think: to stop buying so much stuff because what I already have is better.
I love that idea of a monthly gift to oneself, and I'm definitely going to be borrowing that, if only to remind myself to explore my surroundings like, like going to museums or performances, or visiting a coffee shop in a part of my city that I rarely go to.
Congratulations on all the lovely pieces you've found to treasure last year, and I think it's a wonderful feeling to be able look at your wardrobe and not feel anxiety about it. To me, buying less is one aspect of buying well, and it sounds to me you've done great finding things that are worthy of being welcomed into your life. Like you, this year, I'm also trying to understand better what is it I "naturally" gravitate towards and how that translates across a variety of daily scenarios and moods.
Happy 2024 and here's to another year of style exploration!
This year was an interesting one for me. After deciding I would only buy five items in the year, I ended up finding out I was pregnant in January(planned but I didn't consider the clothing conundrum I would end up in). Personally, I find most maternity clothing absolutely atrocious, and have never felt good or put together in any maternity wear. So I made myself a promise to not buy any maternity clothing. Around 6 months nothing felt comfortable to me so I did buy a pair of maternity leggings. I was proud of myself for making my wardrobe work for the majority of my pregnancy! One of the best mood boosters for me during pregnancy was people telling me how cute I looked. I'm not going to lie though... There is something about the hormonal shifts during pregnancy that makes you feel like you NEED new clothing. I did buy a few non maternity items, and was a big thrift customer. I lost track of items mid summer(not because I was buying a lot but it just lost my attention). I did a maternity shoot in all of my pre-pregnancy clothing. Post-pregnancy has been a bit of a different story. My body is still fluctuating and doesn't quite fit into a lot of my pre-pregnancy(my denim collection!)clothing. I've purchased one pair of used Levi's and probably too many blouses(though a lot of my others didn't work well for nursing). My biggest purchase was a gown for my sister's wedding, but I've worn over three times now so I feel like it was well worth the purchase. I've fought the urge to buy many different sweaters in the thrift stores, but ultimately left them because they were not made of natural materials. I'm the front woman in my band, so I did make some purchases for performance, but I try not to get too hung up on those. My show wardrobe is so very different from my every day. I'm still trying to figure out rules around those purchases. My gift to myself this month? A pair of red Sandgren clogs (used of course!) to replace ones that no longer fit my feet after pregnancy. I am happy with my spending and collecting this year. So grateful for your newsletter. Looking forward to another year of your writing!
Wow, what a year you had! I can only imagine how pregnancy changes everything, both during and after. But it sounds like you're doing really well with being thoughtful and figuring out what works and what doesn't, and the best thing is that you feel happy with your spending and your purchases. Yay!
I have never really done an accounting of my purchases before this year so this was an interesting exercise. I gave away/ donated/sold approximately 70 pieces, purchased 36, 7 of those were consignment.
I am fortunate that I have always bought “well” and as a result over half my closet, even post purge, are items averaging 20 years old that are in pristine condition and still feel modern as I change up the way I style them.
My “ need” was “home” clothes now that I am no longer working outside the home. And I too, live in a very definitive 4 season environment.
Most of what I purchased were “ elevated” basics, tees, 4 pairs Tibi sweats ( new style “rule” for me though - sweats can only be paired with “nice” sweaters!) 3 pairs Tibi and Nili Lotan oversized jeans - recent Eczema flareups meant no longer wearing leggings I depend on all winter; fortunately I have always loved very wide leg pants, so all my wool pants still work for me. Maybe 3 items total in new purchases are more going out to dinner than wearing around the house. I am wearing about 90% of new purchases regularly so I feel reasonably good.
Next year, pairing way back - love the idea of a gift a month❤️
I love that you've had such a good year with shopping! And I love that you have so many items in your closet that you've had a long time. That's where real personal style comes from. My problem, for years, was that I kept buying things that weren't special in any way, things that I didn't really feel invested in.
Elevated basics sound wonderful and really practical.
Tiia your writing is my favorite on Substack! I really relate to the difference in impulse and spontaneous and will try to listen to this more. Monthly gift. A No buy period. Maybe I can even dare to write all my purchases down... all. To
Not have anxiety about your clothes are great! Happy new year!
While I love that you hold yourself to a high standard and are vocally self critical (this encourages me to do better!), I would say you did very well. I love everything you bought and when you consider outflows/inflows, you are ahead in $$ and just slightly ahead in volume (# of items), I would be over the moon to be where you are right now.
Alas---I have not yet catalogued everything I bought in my spreadsheet (85%) but have been good about uploading it to my app and tracking usage. Learnings for me to buy less next year.
I guess I was a clueless youngster when I watched Twin Peaks as I do not remember that scene! Love, love that I idea. Need to find a way to implement it in my lifestyle (would be easier to be a small town sheriff LOL). Going to give that more thought.
I do tend to be a bit hard on myself when it comes to shopping. I easily get to a mental place where every purchase is a purchase too many, and even though I'm buying almost entirely second hand, I still don't think it's good enough. It's a work in progress, that's all I can say!
I'm still trying to figure out how to implement the idea of a monthly present and how to embrace it... I guess that's a work in progress as well! Twin Peaks is such a treasure. If you haven't seen it since the original airing, I encourage a re-watch!
Tiia your quarterly shopping round ups are some of my favorite to read! Thank you so much for your transparency. I want to offer you a bit of grace as I can see the mindfulness you are bringing to your shopping and while you didn’t hit your goals, you brought that thoughtfulness year-round. Bravo!
Thank you Kelly! Mindfulness is more important to me than the numbers. I still want to buy a lot less, but at least my process of buying has improved a lot over the last few years. I feel like I'm actually getting somewhere, which is what matters.
i am sick with how much i over-shopped in 2023! fluctuations were part of it, but so was the resulting frustration and desire to feel better. some takeaways: (1) 70+% of my purchases were 2nd hand, almost all online, and my new purchases were mostly due to influencer recommendations. (2) i seem to regularly sell and replace a lot of my knits, and i'm not sure why. now i have some quality pieces from studio nicholson and lauren manoogian, so i'm hoping they keep me happy for many years. (3) i have recently shifted my focus to separates that can be dressed up for special events. although these dressier pieces will get less wear, i was in a cycle of buying a dress for an event and never wanting to wear it again, which i hated. hoping some mix and match special pieces bought out of love instead of last minute panic will fix this.
finally, going into 2024, i hope to shop MUCH less, and invest time in selling and/or mending/tailoring. i don't expect to be capable of only 5 pieces, but i can at least ask myself: if i were to commit to buying only 5 items this year, could i make a strong argument for this to be one of them? if the answer to that is no (i've found it often is a quick no), then i don't want to buy it.
Those are some excellent takeaways, Amy!
That's so interesting about your new purchases being influence recommendations. How do you feel about those purchases now that you've recognized the connection?
I hope you find yourself wearing your new stellar knits, and that the special event separates work well for you!
I like your idea re: playing with the 5 pieces in your brain while shopping. I might try it, too!
I admire your being so transparent about your shopping habits. I’m still a little scared to even try to count the items I bought last year. I definitely agree that you have the BEST thrifting luck of anyone I know (and a well trained eye helps). I think that Junya knit is my absolute favorite, followed by the Issey Miyaki skirts. Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year, Tiia!
Thank you Christina, and Happy New Year!
I think my thrifting luck has something to do with going often, and hitting the places where artsy/wealthier people live and re-sell/donate their stuff. But yes, experience helps, too! I've been doing this a long time.
I wrestle with shopping as well. It's a difficult balance because clothes are such a passion for me and I'm so "well behaved" when it comes to spending money elsewhere! I have the smallest collection of jewellery, bags and shoes known to mankind, but all bets are off regarding pants. I guess I'm rationalizing! I definitely want to be a far more thoughtful shopper in 2024 and, like you, I'm making progress.
Progress is what matters! I'm like you, where I don't really spend money on other things. I just love clothes! I actually like having a lot of clothes, as long as the clothes get worn and they feel right and special to me. Here's to a thoughtful new year of shopping!
Oh, and I love the monthly present! Idea!
So relatable -- I’m also always trying to figure out why I feel compelled to keep shopping when I know that I have enough for now. I think the answer lies somewhere between “I just love shopping and finding and wearing new clothes” and “I’m spending so much time looking at clothes online that I feel a subconscious fomo when not shopping for something new/my brain becomes obsessed with new images and I want to recreate them in some way.” I agree that it’s important to be aware of this behavior and also loving to ourselves. Both things can be true. Also love the idea of a monthly present and that Twin Peaks quote. We need to find small delights in this world!
Hi Francesca & Tiia, just chiming in to say I, too, very much relate to the "subconscious FOMO when not shopping for something new." My brain also gets obsessed with various pieces, the feeling being, "THIS will be the piece(s) of clothing I need to REALLY complete my wardrobe!" Instagram is hard for me with seeing all the new pieces (esp. from Tibi) and the ads that know me too well. (Though ethically, I love the idea of secondhand shopping/thrifting/resale, I'm not a secondhand shopper for the most part, those purchases tend to be mistakes for me that I don't end up liking or wearing.) I falsely believe sometimes that I will be happy with having some sort of "complete" wardrobe, but then that doesn't account for (1) FOMO (2) the rush/ thrill of the new (as Tiia said) and (3) getting bored with existing looks and wanting new looks/ a creative urge. Honestly, the most self-control I have is determined by how much I can spend (or feel I can spend) without feeling guilty. [I actually don't think I have a lot of clothes (truly) and very few accessories, I do try to stay minimal as I detest the look of clutter, but nevertheless, these experiences are real -- it seems regardless of the size of one's wardrobe.]
P.S. And if the goal is purchasing only 5 pieces a year...I've reached my max already and it's January 14th.
1 pair pants = Tibi sale
1 sweatshirt = Tibi sale
1 top = Tibi sale
1 pair of green ballet flats = Mansur Gavriel sale (which I wanted so desperately in November but felt was just too expensive and was able to control myself and not buy, only to see that this month, they were on a significant sale...and that made me feel that I had to buy, but now I'm worried they may be a mistake! Hoping the green shoe thing doesn't end up feeling trendy for me where I could lose interest.)
1 sweater = Quince
And I already have two button down shirts that I'm dying to buy next. It never ends! (Though I did just do a closet culling and got rid of 30 items (clothing, shoes, accessories), so there is that...)
I get really easily seduced by that weird, almost compulsory feeling of "if I only get this one more thing, then my style will finally make sense"... but of course it never ends up that way. There are always more things to get seduced by!
Sale time is a tough one! On the one hand sales give you the opportunity to buy something you wanted for a better price, but on the other hand, it's so easy to lose track and buy _because_ of the price.
I get into these moods at thrift stores where clothes are cheap. I don't think things through, I don't pay enough attention to fit because there's just that one piece that's available... I just get seduced because of the low price. Second hand shopping is not easy, and it's not for everyone.
I find myself thinking about "the rule of five". Five new pieces is not a lot! Well, I could quite easily not buy five "new" things (as opposed to second hand), but I think "the rule of five" limits the amount of second hand pieces to 8, which sounds terrifyingly low... And it's one of those things that I guess I could do, but do I want to? Taking into consideration that there are so many other things that are much more crucial re: our carbon footprint than just the clothes we buy... I'm wondering if "the rule of five" might give some consumers a false sense of superiority regarding issues of sustainability. Just thinking out loud here. Maybe I need to write about this in more detail...
Tiia, please pardon my belated reply! Thanks for commenting back. I think that would be a great piece to write about...the false sense of superiority regarding issues of sustainability and clothes shopping. I think most all of us in the West have a *deeply* seated unconscious capitalist mindset and until that mindset genuinely changes, our longings to buy, buy, buy clothes or whatever it is, and how gripped we all are (myself included!) by the whole experience of purchasing as part of our lifestyle and even mental health, then we are all responsible for this climate disaster we're in and true sustainability is not possible. Not that we shouldn't try to do any small things, just saying that the problem is MUCH deeper than exactly how many items we purchase in a year or a month or what-have-you. That's my opinion for now!
I can definitely relate to your reasoning re: why we keep shopping. That subconscious fomo you mentioned is a real conundrum. It's really difficult to balance the thrill of the new and what you already have when you are interested and invested in matters of personal style and fashion. Social media really complicates things, too.
I'm all for small delights!
It has been a real eye-opener to compare your account with Laura Reilly's (Magasin): she breaks down the cost per wear for each purchase, and she spent more every month than you did all year. I've never been as detailed as either of you about clothing expenditures, but I do track them, and I always feel ashamed about the total (closer to yours than to Laura's, but still in the realm of "too much"). Used clothing here is not much cheaper than new, and it's frequently in bad condition, so that's not a remedy for me. I'm experimenting with just making do with what I have.
Making do with what I have is an interesting one. I keep wondering if/when I might hit a plateau with only having really special things in my wardrobe, and if that's going to curb the attraction of what's new. For years I've had so much filler in my closet: things that aren't all that great, things I bought on impulse because I just wanted to buy something, things that are trendy... I have a lot less filler stuff in my wardrobe these days, and at least in theory buying new things should become more challenging, if it means replacing what's already in my wardrobe. That's the eventual goal, I think: to stop buying so much stuff because what I already have is better.
I love that idea of a monthly gift to oneself, and I'm definitely going to be borrowing that, if only to remind myself to explore my surroundings like, like going to museums or performances, or visiting a coffee shop in a part of my city that I rarely go to.
Congratulations on all the lovely pieces you've found to treasure last year, and I think it's a wonderful feeling to be able look at your wardrobe and not feel anxiety about it. To me, buying less is one aspect of buying well, and it sounds to me you've done great finding things that are worthy of being welcomed into your life. Like you, this year, I'm also trying to understand better what is it I "naturally" gravitate towards and how that translates across a variety of daily scenarios and moods.
Happy 2024 and here's to another year of style exploration!
I'm almost a little shocked to not feel wardrobe anxiety! It feels like it's been a part of me for so many years.
I look forward to reading about your adventures in the realm of personal style in 2024. Happy New Year!
This year was an interesting one for me. After deciding I would only buy five items in the year, I ended up finding out I was pregnant in January(planned but I didn't consider the clothing conundrum I would end up in). Personally, I find most maternity clothing absolutely atrocious, and have never felt good or put together in any maternity wear. So I made myself a promise to not buy any maternity clothing. Around 6 months nothing felt comfortable to me so I did buy a pair of maternity leggings. I was proud of myself for making my wardrobe work for the majority of my pregnancy! One of the best mood boosters for me during pregnancy was people telling me how cute I looked. I'm not going to lie though... There is something about the hormonal shifts during pregnancy that makes you feel like you NEED new clothing. I did buy a few non maternity items, and was a big thrift customer. I lost track of items mid summer(not because I was buying a lot but it just lost my attention). I did a maternity shoot in all of my pre-pregnancy clothing. Post-pregnancy has been a bit of a different story. My body is still fluctuating and doesn't quite fit into a lot of my pre-pregnancy(my denim collection!)clothing. I've purchased one pair of used Levi's and probably too many blouses(though a lot of my others didn't work well for nursing). My biggest purchase was a gown for my sister's wedding, but I've worn over three times now so I feel like it was well worth the purchase. I've fought the urge to buy many different sweaters in the thrift stores, but ultimately left them because they were not made of natural materials. I'm the front woman in my band, so I did make some purchases for performance, but I try not to get too hung up on those. My show wardrobe is so very different from my every day. I'm still trying to figure out rules around those purchases. My gift to myself this month? A pair of red Sandgren clogs (used of course!) to replace ones that no longer fit my feet after pregnancy. I am happy with my spending and collecting this year. So grateful for your newsletter. Looking forward to another year of your writing!
Wow, what a year you had! I can only imagine how pregnancy changes everything, both during and after. But it sounds like you're doing really well with being thoughtful and figuring out what works and what doesn't, and the best thing is that you feel happy with your spending and your purchases. Yay!
I have never really done an accounting of my purchases before this year so this was an interesting exercise. I gave away/ donated/sold approximately 70 pieces, purchased 36, 7 of those were consignment.
I am fortunate that I have always bought “well” and as a result over half my closet, even post purge, are items averaging 20 years old that are in pristine condition and still feel modern as I change up the way I style them.
My “ need” was “home” clothes now that I am no longer working outside the home. And I too, live in a very definitive 4 season environment.
Most of what I purchased were “ elevated” basics, tees, 4 pairs Tibi sweats ( new style “rule” for me though - sweats can only be paired with “nice” sweaters!) 3 pairs Tibi and Nili Lotan oversized jeans - recent Eczema flareups meant no longer wearing leggings I depend on all winter; fortunately I have always loved very wide leg pants, so all my wool pants still work for me. Maybe 3 items total in new purchases are more going out to dinner than wearing around the house. I am wearing about 90% of new purchases regularly so I feel reasonably good.
Next year, pairing way back - love the idea of a gift a month❤️
I love that you've had such a good year with shopping! And I love that you have so many items in your closet that you've had a long time. That's where real personal style comes from. My problem, for years, was that I kept buying things that weren't special in any way, things that I didn't really feel invested in.
Elevated basics sound wonderful and really practical.
Still more to cull but not much, if anything, more is needed or wanted ( maybe new trainers come spring, I literally wore holes through my last pair)🙃
Tiia your writing is my favorite on Substack! I really relate to the difference in impulse and spontaneous and will try to listen to this more. Monthly gift. A No buy period. Maybe I can even dare to write all my purchases down... all. To
Not have anxiety about your clothes are great! Happy new year!
Writing down what you buy is a great exercise, I highly recommend it!
Thank you for reading, Elin, and Happy New Year!
While I love that you hold yourself to a high standard and are vocally self critical (this encourages me to do better!), I would say you did very well. I love everything you bought and when you consider outflows/inflows, you are ahead in $$ and just slightly ahead in volume (# of items), I would be over the moon to be where you are right now.
Alas---I have not yet catalogued everything I bought in my spreadsheet (85%) but have been good about uploading it to my app and tracking usage. Learnings for me to buy less next year.
I guess I was a clueless youngster when I watched Twin Peaks as I do not remember that scene! Love, love that I idea. Need to find a way to implement it in my lifestyle (would be easier to be a small town sheriff LOL). Going to give that more thought.
I do tend to be a bit hard on myself when it comes to shopping. I easily get to a mental place where every purchase is a purchase too many, and even though I'm buying almost entirely second hand, I still don't think it's good enough. It's a work in progress, that's all I can say!
I'm still trying to figure out how to implement the idea of a monthly present and how to embrace it... I guess that's a work in progress as well! Twin Peaks is such a treasure. If you haven't seen it since the original airing, I encourage a re-watch!
Sorry meant slight behind in volume....