What I Bought In July & How I've Worn It

I feel I have been doing a lot of shopping this year! While I didn't buy anything in June, I added to my wardrobe in July, just like I did in March, April and May. And I added quite a lot this past months! With the preloved markets stalls I've had I've also cleared out a lot from my wardrobe, and I feel I've made some really wise buys to replace some of the things I've let go.

What I Bought in July:

• thrifted red dinosaur skeleton earrings
• blue and yellow daisy resin earrings
• thrifted pink ombre tassel scarf 
• thrifted Rebecca Minkoff vintage Cupid satchel in dark navy blue

• Kmart linen blend textured black tank
• Kmart teal tank
• Cle The Label Amelia tank in indigo 
• Cle The Label Charlotte tee in ombre rose 
• Kisschasy Hot air balloon United Paper People tour band tee

• thrifted Atmos&Here white straight leg jeans
• thrifted no label floral print babydoll dress
• thrifted colourful geometric print maxi dress

• thrifted Kmart turquoise linen shorts (no wears yet, until it warms up!)
• thrifted pastel Paisley print cape (no wears yet, until it warms up!)

Why I Bought It:

Actually bought a couple pieces new this month! The majority of my purchases have been preloved through the year, but I couldn't resist picking up a tour tee from my favourite band. The Cle the Label items were on super sale so I thought I'd give the brand a try, however I don't think I'll be buying more from them in future. As good as the organic cotton is as a material, I haven't found anything about the people in their supply chain and if they have fair wages, so they were a bit of an impulse buy I was maybe too hasty on. The two pieces I got are good basics, but I really need to be more thoughtful about where my money goes when I buy retail. Kmart is good for a bargain, but despite improvement isn't yet paying a living wage either.

With the decluttering at home, of everything from books to pieces from mine and the kids wardrobes, I've been visiting the opshop more frequently, so of course I couldn't resist a couple of browses through the clothes and picked out a few things for myself. While they are impulse buys, I'll never turn down a Rebecca Minkoff opshop find, and I did try to stick to thrifting pieces I knew would work with the goals I have for my wardrobe this year. I've been focusing more on shopping preloved as I know it's more environmentally friendly. More budget friendly too!

How I've Worn It:

As you can see, I've been buying a lot of basics! And that Rebecca Minkoff Cupid bag has been a firm go-to since I practically danced out of the opshop with it. Such an amazing find. To prevent this post just being a huge wall of photos, i tried to only share times I'd worn the bag with other new pieces I bought this month.

I haven't worn some of the summer pieces I bought. While I could make the dresses work with a few layers, the cover up and shorts are going to have to wait until winter weather leaves us in Brisbane. Not too long until spring arrives though!

This is the biggest shopping month I've had this year, with 14 items purchased, which is a lot to purchase all at once. Not everything has met my goal of being worn twice in the month I bought it, as I did buy some summer pieces, and July only had so many days to wear so many new buys. I'm confident everything I bought will be a wardrobe staple though. Even with the opshop finds I was trying to be really discerning with what I added to my basket. At only $1 per item of clothing at my local opshop it can be hard to not buy everything I like!

My wardrobe has changed a lot this year, but I'm putting thought into it. With going back to work full time, and having regular days in the office each week so I'm working from home less, it's been a good year to have re-evaluated my wardrobe and to have made a few changes. Even if I have donated or sold on pieces I didn't hit 30 wears with, I'm trying to make sure everything I buy is something I'll want to wear 30 times or more.

Excited to come up with more outfits from these new additions to my wardrobe!

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What I Bought In May & How I've Worn It: Preloved Purchases

After not buying anything for my wardrobe in January and February, I have been impulse buying a lot these past few months! Picked up some things in March and April, and now I've tripled what I spent over both those months with my latest buys in May!

What I Bought:

• Rebecca Minkoff quilted maxi Edie crossbody in Porcini brown suede
• Orange Sherbet Zoe tiered dress in geranium print pink
• Witchery black belted moto leather jacket
• Adjustable coral flat bead necklace
• Red multi strand beaded statement necklace
• Gold beaded statement multi strand necklace
• Mimco gunmetal twisted bracelet stack

Why I Bought It:

Everything except the bag was purchased at Gladrags markets. It was a cold morning so I did a few laps around the market to keep warm, instead of sitting in my stall all the time. I ended up chatting to some of the other stall holders and making a few too good to pass up buys. Still made more than I spent, so a good day, and I got some incredible bargains too!

The handbag was an impulse buy as well - I've been looking at this style when it goes on sale quite often on the Rebecca Minkoff site, but even the sale prices didn't drop enough to make me buy. When I stumbled across this on eBay, ticking off a style I wanted to try, and a fabric I wanted to try (I don't have any suede bags in my wardrobe), I knew this was a keeper!

How I've Worn It:

Gladrags Markets was at the end of May, so I haven't had as many opportunities as I'd like to wear everything I bought. Even if it takes me a few days longer to hit my goals of wearing everything I buy twice in the month I bought it though, I've managed to wear everything at least once which is awesome.

The leather jacket was a very timely buy with our record breaking cold temps at the end of autumn - it's kept me very cosy! And I've managed to wear the bag 3 times too.

I can definitely see I've been increasing my spending since the start of the year. With that stall at Gladrags markets I'm being a bit more critical with my wardrobe, so that even if I haven't reached my 30 wear goal with some pieces, I'm creating a wardrobe full of things I love to wear and letting those that don't work for me go on to new homes. And it's so much fun seeing who your pieces go home with when you have a market stall!

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What I Bought In April And How I've Worn It: Thrift Haul

After not buying anything in the first two months of the year, I've been adding a lot of items to my wardrobe recently, with quite a few purchases in March, and now a little thrift haul in April!

Here's what I bought in April:

• thrifted Cotton On maroon wanderlust floral border cover up
• thrifted Cotton On navy zig zag cover up
• thrifted Dotti black cocoon cape cardigan
• thrifted metallic clay bead necklace
• thrifted flat peach statement bead necklace
• thrifted flat navy statement bead necklace

Despite picking up a LOT of necklaces in March, I was once again drawn to the accessories section of the opshop this month and picked up a few more necklaces! I couldn't resist these 3 necklaces, having and wearing similar pieces in my wardrobe so often already.

The cover ups and the cosy cardigan were such good finds at just $1 each. I picked up quite a few different cover ups as I browsed the racks, and put all but these back. I did pick up a few back in March last month too, but I'd been overhauling the kimono section of my wardrobe so I felt I had room for these pieces. Plus I already own the blue version of the floral border print one, had to get the maroon one too as soon as I saw it!

I had a stall at the Glad Rags Markets at Bulimba to sell a few things from my wardrobe and for a friend in April too. It was really fun but I was so busy with my stall and focusing on reducing what I took home, that I didn't get to browse the other stalls as I'd hoped to, so surprisingly no purchases there. I did have a lot of fun shopping at a previous market though! I've got a stall lined up again for later in May so we will see if I find time to take a look at what others are selling and come home with any wardrobe additions then. 😉

How I've Worn It:

With autumn weather arriving, these cover ups have come in perfect for the cooler mornings. I've even managed to wear the cosy black cocoon knit twice. I set myself a goal of wearing everything I buy twice in the month I wear it, to make sure it all works for me and my wardrobe, as everything I bought this month did. Even managed to get 3 wears from the navy flat bead necklace too, can see that becoming a staple in my wardrobe!

Yearly Fashion Spend To Date:

Continuing to stick with my wardrobe goals of shopping second hand more this year, and trying to buy less, I've only spent $61 on fashion this year so far. Really pleased with the progress, even though it feels like I'm adding a lot of the same things to my wardrobe (mostly different cover ups and necklaces) I feel I'm really buying things that work for me and my current style.

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What I Bought In March & How I've Worn It: Target Sale and Opshop Finds

First haul of the year. Nearly made it 3 months without shopping, without even trying! After my December opshop haul I hadn't seen anything I had to have as I was enjoying wearing all my thrifted pieces from December, as well as the new things I got for Christmas. But then I stumbled across the Target end of summer clearance sale, and had some time at the opshops, so I bought quite a few things this month!

What I Bought In March:

• Target animal print ruffle hem mini skirt
• Target classic denim skirt in white 

• thrifted wood and marble bead thrifted necklace with white string
• thrifted gold and pastel blue beaded necklace with grey string
• thrifted multi strand multi colour disc bead necklace with tassels
• thrifted wooden geometric bead necklace
• thrifted yellow beaded statement pendant long necklace
• thrifted wooden yellow tassel necklace
• thrifted silver and turquoise multi strand necklace

• thrifted no label black and white leopard print cardigan
• thrifted Kmart blue and pink palm print cover up
• thrifted no label tropical print tassel cover up

Quite a large haul for my first haul of the year! With the exception of the white denim skirt, which I've been thinking about getting for a while, everything was an impulse buy. That explains all the necklaces!

I had fun browsing the Target end of summer sale with my mum and sister at the start of March. I only picked up two things to try on, both of them skirts, and I decided to buy them both. I thrifted a black denim version of the white skirt from the opshop a of couple years ago and love it, so thought it was worth the splurge on the white one in the Target sale. The leopard print skirt looked really cute and when I tried it on I just had to have it! Perfect for autumn here in Brisbane, I'm also looking forward to when it will eventually cool down and I will get to layer it.

The opshop finds were lucky finds! I'd been browsing their $1 book sale for books for the kids, and while I had a little extra time I checked out the clothes and accessories for myself too. Found one of the kimonos on the scarf rail! I loved the colours and the tassels and I pulled it out to take a closer look when I realised it was a kimono. Whenever I see a kimono in an opshop I add it straight to the basket! The cardigan I couldn't pass up either, although I know it will be a while before it's cool enough to wear it.

The necklaces were a little bit of a crazy buy! To be honest I actually put quite a few back, and just ended up taking these 7 home. Still so many to buy at once.

How I've Worn It:

I have a personal goal of wearing everything I buy at least twice in the month I buy it. It didn't work to curb my purchases this time, but my inability to wear everything twice this month has made me realise that yes, maybe 7 necklaces is too many to buy in one go. At just $2 each though, I couldn't resist!

The cardigan I have not worn, as I expected, as it's just not been cool enough, it's been a hot autumn here in Brisbane. I know it will get more wear when the weather cools though, and I've been looking for a printed cardigan for a while.

The kimonos I was sure I'd get two wears from - I do love a good kimono! I have been in the office much more than expected though, and had a few special events this month I'd pre-planned outfits for I wanted to wear, so I didn't meet my wear twice goal with both kimonos, although I do have plans to hit 2 wears with them this weekend.

The white denim skirt, being worn 3 times this month, was definitely the most worn buy of March!

Yearly Fashion Spend for 2023 So Far:

Since I hadn't bought anything in January or February, the March spend is the only amount added to my yearly spend so far in 2023. The skirts from target were 50% off, and the necklaces were $2 each, so my total comes to $52 spent on fashion so far this year.

And in keeping with my fashion goals for 2023, the majority of my purchases this year have been pre-loved, thanks to that awesomely productive opshopping time!

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What I Bought in 2022, and Fashion Resolutions For 2023

Just like last year and the year before, I'm looking back at all my fashion related purchases over the past 12 months. Seeing if I came under the spending goal I set myself in 2021, and how much I've been wearing all of the things I bought.

What I Bought & How Often I Wore It

It's always my goal to wear things twice in the month I purchase them. This stops me having items taking up space in my wardrobe unworn for weeks, and ensures I'm buying practical pieces that work for my current lifestyle. I don't always achieve that goal. Once again this year I went to the pre-Christmas sale at the opshop where I filled a bag of toys, clothes, books and games for just $10. It meant I had a lot of great value clothing items added to my wardrobe at under $1 each, but also sadly no time to wear them all with just a week and a half left in December! Giving myself a pass for that though, I know I will get a lot of wear from these pieces in the new year, just as I did with the pieces I picked up last year.

Opshop and Preloved Buys:

• thrifted no brand navy grid print scarf - worn 3 times
• thrifted Eb&Ive black wooden bead multi strand statement necklace - worn 5 times
• thrifted Ghanda midi slink skirt in green mini blossom - worn 4 times
• thrifted Kmart pastel soft culotte shorts in floral print - worn 3 times

• Chloe Marcie medium shoulder bag in nut - worn 22 times
• Mica Bag - Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB side zip tote in pale lilac hand painted by Sheila - worn 9 times

• Rebecca Minkoff yellow mini 5 zip - worn 8 times
• Rebecca Minkoff olive mini Darren  - worn 6 times

• thrifted Forever 21 wine ribbed knit jumper - 0 wears
• thrifted Kmart dusty rose cami - worn once
• thrifted Kmart black and white embellished cover up - worn once
• thrifted Kmart rust button up linen blend skirt - worn once
• thrifted Kmart fuchsia linen blend shorts - worn once
• thrifted Kmart cumin linen blend pull on shorts - 0 wears
• thrifted No label chambray tie strap cami - worn once
• thrifted Cotton On orange and white stripe The One crew neck tee - worn once

Things Bought New:

• Silver chain handbag strap - worn 3 times
• Kmart long sleeve black tie neck dress in floral wisteria print - worn 4 times

The least worn were those late December opshop finds, naturally. Just not enough days left in December to wear them all when I bought them! I'm pleased to see I wore everything else a good number of times, and of course the Chloe Marcie bag was my most worn purchase of the year, which was fitting as it was such a big splurge!

Fashion Spend For 2022 - Under Budget!

This year was an interesting one, in terms of things I bought I don't think I've ever added so few items to my wardrobe in a year before! I only bought 18 things. All of them were preloved buys expect for 2. The floral Kmart dress I picked up in the store clearance sale, and I bought a new handbag strap as well. Everything else was an opshop (thrift store) find or a preloved find online. I'm really pleased I shopped second hand so much this year, it was one of my goals!

Although I didn't buy a lot I did have a few splurges in there, meaning that I spent more this year than last year. In 2021, I bought 26 items, and spent $580.63.

This year, I bought 18 items and spent $943.84.  Under my $,1000 budget and 36 item goal I set last year! And if you exclude the massive over $800 splurge on the Chloe Marcie bag, it would have been a very low spend year instead. Definitely felt like treating myself though, even if that one item took up most of my budget.

Fashion Resolutions for 2023

Much like last year, I have the same goals for my fashion spend in the year ahead:

• Spend Less - $1,000 limit, but always trying to see how little I need to buy, and working on reducing impulse buys.

• Shop Second Hand More - it would be good to have an entire year of nothing more than preloved additions to my wardrobe, although I'm certainly not going to turn down a retail sale bargain if I see it! Just like this year, having the majority of my fashion purchases being pre-loved will achieve this goal.

• Buy Less - I bought under 20 items this year, would be good not to buy more than 20 next year!

Have you set yourself any goals or resolutions for your spending on fashion in the year ahead?

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What I Bought In February: Opshop Haul

I managed to get a lot more opshopping done in February than I usually would! The start of the school year was delayed by 2 weeks in Queensland because of high Covid cases so instead of coming back from the summer holidays in January the kids started school in February. It meant I ended up with a few kid free days while all the opshops around were open after their summer breaks. Perfect opportunity for some good, lengthy opshop browsing!

Unfortunately there was a bit of a laundry incident with my first opshopping day haul - a scarf I'd thrifted leaked colour onto everything in the wash. So I did buy a few things more than I'm sharing here. As they got damaged when the colour ran and I couldn't restore them despite trying two different colour run removers, I added them to my bag for the H&M fabric recycling project instead. I'm not including them in my fashion budget for the year as they didn't get worn, and are no longer wearable pieces after my laundry disaster!

Here's what I did buy in February and didn't destroy!

• thrifted no brand navy grid print scarf $6
• thrifted Eb&Ive black wooden bead multi strand statement necklace $5
• thrifted Ghanda midi slink skirt in green mini blossom $1
• thrifted Kmart pastel soft culotte shorts in floral print $1

A pretty modest haul given all of the opshops I visited over a few days, but while I saw a lot of pretty things I am trying to focus just on buying pieces that I can wear a lot of different ways and that will work in my wardrobe. Even if the preloved prices are so attractive! While the clothing pieces were just $1 each, the accessories were more expensive and the scarf and necklace account for more than half of the $13 I spent.

How I've Worn It:

I have a rule I set myself after doing a wardrobe clear out pre-kids and realising I had so many unworn, still with tags on pieces in my wardrobe. Everything I buy I have to wear twice in the month I buy it. The obvious piece that didn't meet this rule is the scarf - being a winter piece, I'm not going to be able to wear it in summer. I'm giving myself a pass there as I wear a lot of blue scarves and I know I will be reaching for this more when the weather cools. I still think it was a good buy even if I haven't been able to wear it yet. And thankfully this blue scarf didn't cause the colour run!

I'm pleased I manage to hit my wear twice goals with all the other things I bought though - although February was a short month it was easy to work these pieces into my current wardrobe. The shorts and necklace were sure winners, as I already have the same pieces in other colours in my wardrobe already! The midi skirt was a bit of a departure from my usual styles and I admit I struggled a little with finding ways to wear it and didn't love both outfits, but it's good to try different things and I'm hoping I can continue to get a lot of wear from it.

How I'm Tracking With My Budget:

As I didn't make any fashion purchases in January, not even in the January sales, I've only spent $13 this year so far, on the haul above. A good start to the year, especially as I don't see myself having a lot of opportunities for shopping in the near future, as I've started back at work 5 days a week for the first time in years! After I returned to work from maternity leave with my eldest I went part time and I've been part time ever since, until this year.

---

Note: 

I missed the opportunity to add to the post that went up on Monday as it was pre-scheduled - but I'm adding to this post now. South East Queensland (and parts of NSW) were inundated with water over the weekend. Some areas got 80% of their annual rainfall in 2-3 days. If you can, please consider donating to the flood relief effort. https://www.redcross.org.au/floodsappeal/

We avoided flood impacts but we were flooded in. We are luckier than many of our neighbours, their homes went under, just 200 meters away from us.

Currently flooded in but thankful to be safe and dry still 💙#brisbane #qldfloods pic.twitter.com/83emVuHnDa

— Mica (@AwayFromTheBlue) February 26, 2022

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