Black & Blue
Happy Friday!
I have a goal to share today—and I need you to hold me accountable. Last weekend, I was checking in on my bank account as one does on pay day and realized that most of my recent credit card charges were for Cub Foods, the grocery store that is five minutes from our house (ha—is that sad?). Sooo, I started looking deeper into my spending habits and discovered that I haven’t bought ANY new clothes since July 15. As someone who is historically a huge online shopper, I felt pretty impressed with myself. There are a bunch of items that I’ve been debating buying over the last few weeks—fall is such a fun season to shop—but with the holidays approaching and a year-end financial goal in mind, I decided to challenge myself not to spend any more money on clothes until 2022! There are plenty of things I want, but nothing I really need. I love clothes—a good outfit makes me feel good, and that will never change. But at the same time, it can sometimes feel like an endless cycle—there is always more stuff to buy. Over the last couple of years, I’ve made an effort to pare back my wardrobe and purchase only versatile pieces that are great “capsule wardrobe” staples: things that you can wear a million different ways, again and again—and always feel great in. So, it’s time to put my investments to the test. I’m hoping that I can mix and match my way through the next few months and make it to January 1 with only the pieces currently in my closet. Eeeeeek. (NOTE: I’m all for spending your money on what makes you happy—including clothes—and I’ll be back at it soon. I just also think it’s important to have an emergency fund, and I’m so close to hitting a goal number. Normalize talking about money and budgeting, right?!)
Maybe you’ll join me in the challenge, and if your closet is missing some capsule wardrobe essentials, hopefully my posts over the next few weeks will help you fill in some of those gaps!
Outfit details: So, as we get into this #shopyourcloset challenge, it’s crucial to find creative ways to style your basics. My J.Crew tissue turtleneck (available in 16 colors) has been a favorite … FOREVER. This week, I paired it with a striped skirt (old) and layered it up with a classic jean jacket that I’ve also … had forever. The fun part? Simply adding a checkered belt created unexpected contrast—and made the whole look a little more memorable.
More Turtlenecks Perfect for Layering
Looking for something a little heavier? I’m obsessed with all the cut-out turtleneck sweaters! This one, this one and this one (all under $100) would be so cute dressed up or down. I also love this denim jacket for an updated look (note the cinched waist detail) and this one (only $89) if you want a black wash.
💰 #SHOPYOURCLOSET CHALLENGE: WEEK 1 MONEY DIARY 💰
I’m planning to document my discretionary spending to hold myself accountable to the goal of not buying any new clothes until 2022. Plus, I always find money diaries interesting! Note: I won’t include spending on necessities like bills, groceries and gas—just extra/fun purchases.
Discretionary spending 10/8-10/15:
InStyle magazine renewal fee: $34
Liquor store: $39
Clothes: $0
Reflections from this week: As you can see, I did a pretty good job of keeping a lid on the spending this week! The magazine ended up automatically renewing before I had a chance to decide what to do about it, but oh well. I still enjoy getting it in the mail every month. Make sure to swing back next week to see how week two goes!
