Mansur Gavriel bucket bag (in black/ballerina), Acne Studios jensen boots (in grain leather)
So I’m three months into the Five Piece French Wardrobe Challenge, and as difficult as I’m finding it to stay away from the shops, I’ve found that actually sticking to my wishlist has really been helping to keep me in check.
You may recall that I made a quick list of my five back in January and so far I’ve snagged 2 items from the list (and a couple of everyday basics, but those don’t count, remember?), and one which was a calculated impulse buy (I’m pretty certain there’s yet to be a season where I haven’t bought a piece from Karen Walker). Being limited to only five ‘special’ pieces over six months means that I’ve had to give so much more thought to the purchases that I actually make. My list has definitely helped to keep things in perspective, and made me much more focused the few times that I’ve actually gone shopping or had a wee browse online. If you’re interested in seeing what I actually picked up, I’ve put together a video on my Youtube channel which you can view here. Alternatively, I’ve posted about the items here and here.
I’ve been keeping a second wishlist running – the basics which my wardrobe is missing – as there’s nothing like an unintended shopping hiatus to help you realize what pieces you’re missing, or that you wish you had for everyday. I usually keep this list in my phone so I can refer to it if I need to, and it includes things like a boxy white short sleeved shirt, faded black denim shorts and a monogrammed black leather card wallet. They might sound like the simplest of items, but somehow they always manage to be the most difficult to find (which is why it’s always so satisfying when you finally do!).
At the other end of the scale, I have my beauty wishlist, which is admittedly a little out of control. Mostly it’s products that I’ve been itching to try, lipsticks in every shade imaginable, and skincare which is oh-so-hard to get a hold of in Australia. But there’s definitely a time and a place, and I’ve been trying to take a measured approach to new beauty purchases given the explosion of new products I found myself with at the start of the year.
You might be thinking, ‘Well, doesn’t that take the fun out of shopping?’, and honestly, the answer is a bit of a catch-22. On the one hand, I know exactly what I’m looking for, but on the other, I feel pangs of guilt if I even consider deviating from that list. Not to mention that if you are quite specific about what you’re looking for (which I often am), the search can quickly turn from exciting to very frustrating quite quickly. That being said, when you find that piece, it is just so much more fulfilling than the impulse buy you’ve already forgotten about, because a lot of thought and consideration has gone into the purchase.
So I guess what I’m wondering is, do you keep a wishlist?
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