Friday, 13 January 2023

What I Bought in December - Massive Opshop Haul!

I've previously shared my annual fashion spend and what I bought in 2022, but really wanted to make a post sharing my December purchases.

As usual, I'd finished my Christmas present shopping before December, so was ignoring all the pre-Christmas sales. Until I got the notification that my local opshop was finishing out the closing days of the year before Christmas with a "fill a bag for $10" sale.

This time it wasn't just clothes, it was anything in the store that you could fit into a bag, and you paid $10. If it didn't fit in the bag, it was just $1. The kids and I had a great time shopping - toys, puzzles, games and books for them, and a few new items of clothing for me!


What I Thrifted In December:



  • thrifted Kmart black and white embellished cover up
  • thrifted Kmart dusty rose cami (left out of video accidentally!)
  • thrifted No label chambray tie strap cami
  • thrifted Cotton On orange and white stripe The One crew neck tee
  • thrifted Forever 21 wine ribbed knit jumper
  • thrifted Valleygirl navy jersey blazer
  • thrifted Kmart rust button up linen blend skirt 2020
  • thrifted Kmart fuchsia linen blend shorts 2020
  • thrifted Kmart mustard linen blend pull on shorts

This whole haul was just $10! Everything works out to less than a dollar if you consider the things the kids got as well which I didn't include in the video. Such bargains!

I always aim to wear everything I buy within the month I buy it. It's something I started doing after having too many unworn pieces in my wardrobe during a clean out. It works pretty well and slows down my impulse buying, but I definitely threw that goal out when buying these pieces - I wasn't going to have enough days left in December to wear everything I bought, but I knew they'd get a lot of wear in 2023.


The only seasonal appropriate piece I haven't worn twice yet is the dusty rose cami - but January has been a bit of an unexpected one and I'll hopefully get to wear it tomorrow. The blazer and wine knit I will be able to enjoy when the weather cools.



Here's how I've worn it all so far:





I of course got a few things added to my wardrobe as Christmas presents too, like this dress, and this bag, so I'm excited for all the new outfit combinations I'll be able to wear for 2023! It's helped me ignore all the January sales, got so many new outfits I want to try from the pieces in my own wardrobe.





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Thursday, 29 December 2022

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 in 2022 fashion spend for the year style blogger awayfromblue


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
  • 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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Friday, 2 December 2022

30 Ways To Wear: Navy and White Striped Tee

This navy stripe v-neck tee has definitely proved its worth in my wardrobe, and it's time to do a 30 ways to wear post showing all the ways I've worn it over the years.


30 Ways To Wear: Navy White Stripe V-neck Tee




I bought this tee on sale at the Iconic all the way back in 2014, for just $20.21. With a stripe tee and tees in general being such a staple for me, I'm surprised it's taken me 6 years to get this tee up to 30 wears! I suspect that perhaps it's because I just have too many tees, particularly striped ones, in my wardrobe, but this one is a real favourite.


Cost Per Wear


At 30 wears, the cost per wear is 67 cents, which is great value, particularly as this tee doesn't show any signs of how old it is. it's quite a thick material, perfect for layer up in winter, and I really like wearing it with cardigans. Here are the 30 ways I've worn it so far, and I'll definitely increase that number of wears in future, it's a keeper!


Navy Stripe Tee With Shorts


Nothing more classic for warm weather than a simple striped tee and shorts outfit! It's easy to alyer up a little like I have in the first three outfits too, with the vest, scarf and cardigan, for when the weather is slightly cooler.



Navy Stripe Tee and Jeans


This outfit formula is in direct competition with the one above - as while shorts and tee is a staple in sunny Queensland, for colder climates jeans and a tee would be the most classic! I've mixed it up a little bit with these 3 outfits, pairing the navy stripes with colourful denim instead of basic blue.


Navy Stripe Tee and Bright Accessories


The neutral navy and white stripes on this tee really do go with anything - and are a perfect base for a pop of colour, from a bag, scarf (or even a bag and scarf!) or a bright cardigan like that mustard one. It's so easy to add more colour to a neutral outfit with accessories.


Navy Stripe Tee in Winter


This tee is a bit cosier and thicker than some of my other stripe tees, so it's perfect in winter! The stripes look great layered up for a bit of print mixing with a scarf, and of course being neutral stripes, any block colour cardigan works great on top too.


Navy Stripe Tee and Skirt


You know from the outfits above that denim and striped tees are a classic. This striped tee works with other skirts too. Like ruffle skirts and even a pencil skirt (and a baby bump!). There really is no style of skirt that doesn't work.


Navy Stripe Tee and Maxi Skirts


Of course, I had to call out maxi skirts, my most love skirt length separately, as I love the easy combination of a striped tee and a maxi skirt. While I'm partial to that ochre one as I think the orange looks great with navy, the tee works well with others in my wardrobe too.