2020 Year-End Shopping Reflections Revisited

Now that NYC is almost fully reopen and I'm back in the office at least a few days each week, I'm slowly returning to being able to more accurately evaluate my 2020 purchases based on what I actually like to wear when I don't spend essentially all my time at home, in the interest of public health and COVID safety. In that light, I'm starting to find that, maybe... I wasn't making the best shopping decisions for my wardrobe last year. 

I was aware of this possibility when I wrote my original year-end shopping reflections post for 2020. I refrained from doing my usual analysis to classify my purchases as good, middling, or unwise choices using red, yellow, or green dots - like I've done for 2019 and the period from 2015 through most of 2018 - because I knew I wouldn't be able to do any real analysis before I was able to move freely out in the world again. I couldn't meaningfully "road test" any of my new clothes or accessories or think about their actual functionality for my life outside the home if I wasn't really going anywhere except for a once-monthly trip to the grocery store. 

But now things are getting back to normal here in NYC: I'm going back to the office most weekdays, and K and I are comfortable with dining indoors at restaurants again, including with friends from other households. We're also comfortable with traveling to visit friends or family without quarantining beforehand. (The vast majority of our friends and family and even my close work colleagues do not have young children under 12 in their households, or any other household members who cannot receive the vaccine, which probably makes it much easier for us to just jump straight back in to something resembling "normal" pre-pandemic life with remarkable speed.) 

With all that, I feel like I'm now able to start evaluating my purchases from my usual perspective, taking into account my personal style preferences and actual day-to-day lifestyle in "normal" times. 

June Shopping Reflections

This was another shopping-heavy month for me, though I'm still a bit under my $170/month budget for the year so far. Because of the pay cut I'll be taking when I start my clerkship, I'm actually hoping to stay solidly under budget in future months, but we'll see what happens. 

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I wasn't expecting to make another purchase at Grana (referral link: you get 10% off your first order and I get $20 in store credit if you make a purchase) quite this soon, but I ended up received some store credit when readers signed up (thank you so much!) and I thought the navy silk tops would be a nice addition to my work wardrobe. As I mention in my review of the silk raglan tee, the product measurements on Grana's website are generally accurate. I prefer the look of my "true size" raglan tee over the sized up ones I bought last month.  My other purchases were mostly summer clothing. I also made that off-budget work shoe purchase I mentioned last month.

I don't have much shopping planned for July, outside of picking up a black slip (maybe this one from Free People or this one) to wear under that Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress (similar, but I purchased mine on consignment from TheRealReal) I bought last year. I might do a review of that classic item sometime in the next few weeks, but my general impression is this: I might be a bit too busty for the DvF silk jersey wrap dresses despite sizing way up, so I always need at least a black camisole under mine. I also recently found that there was more than a moderate danger of wardrobe malfunction with the dress's skirt as well, hence my current search for a full slip. I might also be contemplating a jewelry purchase that I'll share later this week. It isn't that ring from Envero Jewelry on Etsy, but another "made in the USA" piece from a woman-owned business. The next post in my "Transitioning to the Workplace" series will go live next Tuesday. 

Fashion - (TOTAL: $109.37)

• Grana: $39.00 + $49.00 = $88.00 - $40.00 (referral credit) = $48.00 
• Grana Silk Raglan Tee, navy, S - I love this cropped, more casual design, see my review. Note, however, that this top is a bit boxy and doesn't tuck in that well, so one of Grana's new silk tees might be better for many work wardrobes. 
• Grana Silk Classic Shirt, navy, S - While the product measurements for this are accurate, I find that the design of this one runs a slightly higher risk of gapping at the chest than the silk collarless shirt, despite somewhat similar measurements for size S. 
• J. Crew Factory Striped Flounce Skirt - $25.67 - I reviewed this here. This is a nice and light all-cotton skirt with a cotton lining and it was a good way for me to experiment with the a-line midi skirt look. Do note that it's actually navy and white, not black and white, which makes J. Crew Factory's description misleading!
• Lou & Grey Summer Kimono Cardigan - $35.70 - I purchased this linen and cotton blend cardigan because I needed another summer-weight cardigan for work. I also tried a cotton-viscose-silk blended Loft open cardigan, and while that was light enough for summer, I preferred the flowy look of this. One annoying detail: the allegedly removable waist tie is actually sewn in and not adjustable, so it dangles awkwardly when this cardigan is worn open. I'd think about cutting it off, but I also like wearing this cardigan closed.
• Cole Haan Catalina Wedge - off budget - These are on sale most places, I ordered them for around $119 on Amazon only to realize that Nordstrom Rack still had my size for a fair bit cheaper after I already started wearing them. They run a half-size large, i.e. I'm a size 7.5 for almost every shoe, but I'm a 7 here. I find these extremely comfortable and they took no time to break in, unlike some of the comfier-looking Cole Haan flats I owned in the past. I actually have a heinous time breaking in Cole Haan round toe shoes, and I can't figure out why because they aren't especially narrow.

Beauty - (TOTAL: $32.66)

• Hada Labo Gokyujun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion - $12.62 - I've lost track of how many times I've refilled this product because its been a staple in my skincare routine for ages. It isn't a miracle product, but it's a very reliable moisturizing toner that is good for adding an extra moisture boost to almost any skincare routine. 
• Timeless 20% C + E + Ferulic Acid Serum - $15.04 - I typically use the Paula's Choice C15 Vitamin C serum, which has been good for my skin and helps with fading dark spots left over after acne heals up, but it sure is expensive! That $48 bottle only lasts me about five months of daily use in the morning. I've tried the Korean O.S.T. C20, which is cheaper, but broke me out. This Timeless C + E + Ferulic Acid Serum is a dupe for the ultra-ultra-pricey Skinceuticals C + E Ferulic Serum. Because the Timeless serum is quite concentrated, both the friend who recommended this product to me and I found that our skin had a hard time adjusting. My friend started out using this daily and had a huge breakout that disappeared as soon as she stopped, though she's no longer getting any adverse effects when using it every other day. I've been having some bad skin days due to work stress and I can't tell if testing out this Timeless serum every morning is a contributing factor. 
• CosRx Acne Pimple Master Patch - $5.00 - I reviewed this product and explained how I use hydrocolloid bandages as part of my acne-fighting routine here. It's a staple product for me, and I find that it sticks better and is thus more useful than the Nexcare version that is more commonly found. Note, however, that both kinds only stick well on clean, dry skin with no other products applied. It might also be more cost-effective to purchase standard hydrocolloid "blister bandages" and cut them to size, but I need these pretty rarely so I'm fine with buying the CosRx or Nexcare ones once every few months. 

Linking up with Franish and the Budgeting Bloggers this month, as usual. Please do go and check out what everyone else bought!

January Shopping Reflections

At present, I don't set a monthly, quarterly, or even a yearly shopping budget for myself. Although I can anticipate the funds that I will have access to throughout the year, it is difficult for me to predict some of the large travel and interview-related expenses that might or might not emerge and reduce the amount I can spend on shopping. While I do quite obsessively track my expenditures and overall budget, I am not quite ready to commit to specific amounts when it comes to my fashion expenditures. Instead, I think it is more useful to be thoughtful about my purchases and to do my best to buy only the things that I truly need or will use. Or at least, that is the goal. 

I did not do that well in January based on the rules of my shopping fast. I might be giving myself too much freedom to buy things that "I could wear to work in the fall." That accounts for the burgundy jacket, the waterfall cardigan, and the dress (though in practice, even after getting it hemmed, I must admit that the dress is probably too much even for my future office's fairly permissive business casual dress code). 

My purchases for January were as follows:

Fashion - (TOTAL: $227.87)

• Uniqlo Heattech Gloves in Navy - $7.90 - These were a definite "need" because I needed a pair of touchscreen-compatible gloves. 
• Uniqlo Heattech Gloves in Red - $7.90 - These were a "need" once I lost the navy pair on the first day that I wore them. Oops.
• Uniqlo Knit Beanie - $12.90 - These were a "need" because I had not previously owned a winter hat that covered my ears and my down jacket has a fussy hood that won't stay up. 
• Uniqlo Heattech Socks - $9.90 - These were a "need" because I didn't own any trouser-type socks. Sadly, these might not have been the best choice as they're a bit too thick and my boots are all on the edge of not being spacious enough to accommodate.
• Uniqlo Sweatpants - $9.90 - These were a replacement of my previous pair. 
• Lou and Grey Ombre Waterfall Cardigan - $15.88 - This was neither planned nor a "need" or replacement. It doesn't fit in the rules of my shopping fast, though I quite like the cardigan and it will be a useful (if slightly redundant) part of both my casual and work wardrobes going forward.
• Loft Twill Jacket - $42.50 - Similar situation as with the Lou and Grey cardigan... 
• Anthropologie Baikal Dress - $76.00 - I even mentioned this one as a likely mistake in my shopping fast post. The one I ordered ended up being too small and too long, but when I went to make the return, I tried the dress on in my size. It is quite lovely, and I have a serious weakness for pretty prints, bright colors, and dresses that fit. Strictly speaking, this dress will end up costing more when I include the shipping costs I paid on the one I returned in addition to the tailoring costs to hem it. 
• Sam Edelman Trina Sandals - $44.99 - This was a replacement for a pair of the same style in a different color. My other pair is on its last legs.

Skincare:

• Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid - I decided to take advantage of a sale. It is a "need," though it is perhaps a few months before I originally planned to replace it.
• Hada Labo Lotion - I was not supposed to replace this item so soon, but I made the mistake of buying another product that broke me out and needed to replace it.
• Hada Labo Emulsion - Same situation as above. 

The only clear lesson from this month is that I should definitely not buy things online from Anthropologie anymore, at least until the point in time where they decide to offer free shipping as a general practice. From trying out that dress and that skirt, I find their sizing very unpredictable. There are other lessons too, about how I approach shopping for my work wardrobe, if at all, but I will have to give that question some more thought. Finally, I should be a bit more careful about replacing skincare products in my routine and about not losing things like gloves and hats. 

I linked with Franish's Budgeting Bloggers here. Hopefully my approach (where my shopping is constrained by the ebb and flow of my overall budget for the semester, though I don't stick a firm number on it in advance) is alright!