Wednesday, 6 September 2023

What I Thrifted In August & How I've Worn My Opshop Finds

Just like back in July, I feel I have been shopping a lot in August too! I have been making more trips to the opshop, as we declutter at home and reorganise, to donate things we no longer need, and of course browsing leads to buying!



What I Bought:

  • thrifted black scoop neck H&M tee
  • thrifted peach and white floral print tiered sundress
  • thrifted red denim shorts
  • thrifted pastel pink and wooden bead necklace
  • thrifted chartreuse necklace


Some of these things were impulse buys - the dress and tee I thought were good basics I couldn't pass up! I definitely have a couple black tees already, and a few printed sundresses, but I could easily rationalise adding another when clothing is $1 each! I'm always on the lookout for more of these wooden statement necklaces too, I feel they work well with outfits in my wardrobe and it's nice to have lots of choice when I am picking a necklace to add to my outfit. As it's spring now in Brisbane I'll be wearing more necklaces than scarves so these will get a lot of wear.

The red shorts were actually something I'd been wanting for a while, couldn't believe when I stumbled across them in the opshop. I have a few pairs of denim shorts, but I'd like to have more than the classic blue wash so have been on a look out for red shorts for a while. I've actually been able to wear them in August too, although it's technically winter, it really started feeling like spring early in Brisbane.



How I've Worn It:







How I'm Tracking With My Spending Goals:

This month I had more success wearing all the things I bought twice, as the weather has been so warm. I set myself a goal of wearing everything I buy at least twice in the month I buy it, to make sure things really work for me and my wardrobe. And I easily achieved this this month. I think the blush necklace is the standout, being worn 4 times this month.

I have been buying a lot, although as it's mostly preloved opshop finds, I'm still well under my budget this year. I've been revamping my wardrobe a bit and selling old pieces at the markets so I'm more open to buying things and less strict when considering purchases. And also, honestly, I like browsing the racks at the opshop and once I find something it's hard to say no! More browsing time always leads to more buying for me.


There is the drop off in the 30 wears posts I used to do each month as with refreshing my wardrobe and buying so many new pieces, I haven't hit 30 wears as often. I know that things leaving my wardrobe are being put to use - on the racks at the opshop generating money for a worthy charity, or being sold to a happy customer at a market. They aren't just filling up space in landfill, just no longer pieces I reach for that are going onto new homes. I'm not giving up on my 30 wears goals! Just revaluating my wardrobe a little and making some changes that mean I have less pieces I've achieved 30 wears with, for the moment.



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Wednesday, 2 August 2023

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 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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