New Year’s Resolution Update

I am not sure how it is already the middle of April but here we are, well into Spring, and into the 4th month of 2018. That also means I am about a third of the way into my New Year’s Resolution and I figured it’s a good time for an update.

If you didn’t catch my New Year’s Resolution post, you can read it here, but basically I decided that I can only purchase 1 item of clothing a month (excluding the clothing at my work, Novella Royale). I also said I couldn’t buy any shoes or makeup, but that didn’t exactly happen after the boots I bought in February, so I amended it to be one non NR wardrobe item a month.

So…how has it been going? Well let’s just say that I have done pretty well up until now. January, I added a pair of grey Madewell jeans to my wardrobe. Practical, stylish and something I wore several times right away. I even made it through all of February without buying anything, but when the Amuse X Matisse collection dropped on March 1st I couldn’t resist the black and white slip on boots I saw so I counted them for the previous month. I sort of broke the rules then by getting another pair of boots, but it was still my single purchase and I was happy to start wearing them right away. My march item kind of found me more than I found it, but when you get the chance to have custom fitted Levi’s made perfectly for your body, you don’t pass it up. You can read about that here.

So I made it through January, February, and March. Three months, three items. Good to go.

That was until it was this last week.

My problem with buying has been, and continues to be, that once I find something I love my mentality is to get it in as many versions as possible. Those boots come in ivory, black and snakeskin? I want all three. That top is super flattering? What other patterns does it come in? I love how easy this lipstick is to put on…let’s get every color. You get the idea.

So when I set out to limit my shopping and get more use out of my favorite items (that I already have) I was hopeful that sticking to one purchase a month would be enough to scratch my spending itch and also let me utilize my existing closet.

And it was working pretty well until it was time to shop for Easter Baskets. At the end of March, I was shopping with my Aunt to get the annual Easter Baskets my grandma gifts to all of her grandchildren.

Included in each basket are a new beach towel, swimsuit, pair of sandals and a coverup. I happily shopped for my cousins suits and coverups, and scratched the shopping itch by shopping for others but I also knew I would be getting to pick out my items too, and that they didn’t count as my purchase because they were a gift. A bit of a loophole I accepted in February when I got one of my desired items for Valentine’s Day from Nana as well.

I ordered my swim suit, a pair of shorts for my coverup, got new rainbows in my basket and was excited to open them all up on Easter. Well, the swimsuit was way too cheeky and not long enough for my torso, my shorts were too short and I realized I didn’t really need another pair of rainbows since I had finally broken in my pair from last year.

I took my items back and received store credit. Enter the other loophole that has sort of knocked me off my “no shopping” wagon.

I now had exchanged a handful of items, so I reasoned that I could pick out items to replace them. I used my store credit to get different shorts and a different swim suit and still had some leftover so I got a top. It was an even trade. Then I remembered I had some gift cards I hadn’t used from Free People a few months ago. If I used store credit I wasn’t spending any of my money so it didn’t count. Right?

Let’s just say that my old habits kind of creeped back up this month and I have definitely exceeded my one item purchase only three weeks into the month.

Before everyone says “I told ya so” or laughs knowing I couldn’t do it, I plan to get back on track in May. It’s not like most people haven’t stopped going to the gym a few times or messed up on their New Year’s Resolution diets, so let’s consider this a hiccup.

Here are the items I gave in on and the April purchases I made:

1. Serpentine Boots

In my defense… these PSKaufman boots have been on my mind (and in my screenshots) for a long time and there was a 25% off sale when I was finally contemplating making the splurge. So my weakness for sales came back and I added both the Ivory and Black serpentine boots to my shoe collection.

2. Brown Suede Booties

Matisse suckered me in too. I had eyed these boots many months ago, pre-resolution, and they were sold out of my size. Then they went on sale so I looked, out of curiosity, and they had ONE pair left and it was magically in a 10. Sure, that’s a bit bigger than the 9 or 9.5 I would order, but nothing some thick socks can’t fix.

3. Denim

I used my Free People Gift Cards to order a few pair of Levi’s to try on, but once they arrived I realized they weren’t as good as my custom pair or as comfortable as other styles I have…so these will be going back but I’m keeping a pair of 501s with a button fly

4. This Flirty Blouse

This blouse is the same style as the red polka dot one I got for Valentine’s Day and I love the flattering cut that cinches around the waist and shows off your cleavage in a tasteful way.

5. Glossier Lidstar Duo

Lastly, I ordered some of the Glossier Lidstar liquid shadows I have been enviously eyeing on one of my coworkers. She happens to be a rep so I couldn’t resist ordering through her link. Btw, if any of you have been wanting to try Glossier or are regular consumers, order through this link and you can get 20% off your first order and support a good friend of mine!

Plus, I got 20% off. Win, win.

Or… cheater, cheater. But May brings a fresh start and if I am good I will skip the purchase all together. Stay tuned! I hope everyone else’s resolutions are going better than mine!