A quarter of the way into 2022, and halfway through my low buy. Similar to February, the month didn’t quite pan out the way I’d anticipated, at least where new purchases are concerned. As usual, this post will be complementing my video update which I shared on my YouTube channel HERE.
Wearing Dissh twisted top (similar here); Arket cardigan (similar here); Theory leather leggings (old but love these); By Far mules; Phillip Lim mini pashli bag; Mejuri chain necklace
Perhaps the one thing I really found myself picking up on, was the habit of browsing. Up until this point, I’ve done a little window shopping, but not much at all. The end of March however, I found myself scrolling aimlessly. Spending time looking at things I had no intention of buying; which I suppose could be considered a win in of itself. Though past experience tells me that what starts out as a bit of harmless window shopping, later manifests in an eruption of purchases (even the considered ones!).
GIVING ME JOY THIS MONTH
Continuing to “read”. I’ve been listening to Pachinko on Audible and am over halfway through at this point. It’s been such an enjoyable listen, and there are some really strong overarching themes; duty, honour, pride, and tradition underpin the setting across Korea and Japan, during the early to mid 1900s. Hoping to finish it soon so I can then devour the mini-series, which looks just as beautiful as the visuals suggested by Min Jin Lee’s writing.
Also, home decor. We’re still waiting on our DA approval from the council; an often glazed over point in the renovation process, and a bit of an anticlimactic one at that. Truth be told, given there were no complaints during the appeals period, we’d hoped to have our build date by now (something else to anticipate). That said, we’ve fixated more on other elements which will end up relating to the renovation.
Our floor plan will almost double in size, and there’s a few items which are in dire need of being replaced. So far, we’ve settled on a new sofa for both the downstairs and upstairs lounge areas, along with a new bed (as our current one will become a spare). We’ve also been scoping out desk chairs as we’re currently using some Philippe Starck ghost chair replicas, and hope to find something with a bit more support and a swivel base. Light fixtures have been selected, and one of the final elements on my list has been sourcing some artworks. We’ve got our eyes on a few different local and international artists, and hope to either purchase or commission some art pieces which will reflect the overall feeling of our space (and add some vibrancy!).
HOW I SPENT MY BUDGET
This might come as a bit of a surprise, but I didn’t spend a cent of my budget this month. Which in of itself feels gratifying. I’d started it out thinking I’d purchase a nylon trench coat from Camilla & Marc. An item that I’d tried on in February and felt this compulsion to buy almost immediately. I held off purely as I’d exhausted my item quota for February, and I knew buying it would also put me over-budget.
Instead, I decided to sit on it; my 30 day shopping rule has never steered me wrong, and I thought it might be better to seek out other alternatives. Perhaps find something a little more affordable. I currently have my eye on this nylon trench from Nilby P; it looks like it’s more of a structured nylon than the C&M one, and perhaps more practical too with the neckline.
One of the other items I was exploring purchasing was a raincoat. We’ve had unprecedented levels of rain here in NSW, and the dreary weather is set to continue for the foreseeable. Pragmatism seems to be playing heavily into how I’m shopping right now, and this is arguably one of the most practical purchases I could make. I’m thinking a little try on session at home with a few options might be the way to go, but I’ve been eying up Rains, Karen Walker and J Crew as initial options. Any recommendations are welcome!
GIFTING I RECEIVED
The transitional seasons generally tend to be more gifting heavy than the rest of the year. As a result, slightly more than anticipated arrived this month; let’s chat through it…
The Upside | March kicked off with a little surprise lounge set from The Upside. I don’t often wear loud colours, but I’m finding myself drawn to it more than ever; maybe it reflects a craving of newness but also vibrancy in my outfits. I received this striped tee and matching trousers in the colour of the season; apple green. Such a fun set and I’ve been wearing it quite a bit around the house!
Everlane | A couple of new basics, which are just as good as anticipated; these stretchy spaghetti strap cropped camisoles in white and black. These are a great building block piece, and I’m excited to wear them with high-waisted jeans and an oversized cardigan, especially now that temps are starting to fall here in Sydney.
APM Monaco | I’m a sucker for anything that revolves around constellations and astrology, so jumped at the chance to add a couple of pieces from APM Monaco’s new collection to my jewellery stash. I picked out some beautiful dangly earrings which I’m planning to wear in an asymmetrical way; something I hope to highlight once I’ve had a second lobe piercing in each ear. I picked out these ones, and these too.
Boden | Another surprise delivery this month, a gingham shirt from Boden in light baby blue hue. I’ve not had a chance to style this up yet, but I thought it’d be a lot of fun to play with – especially for some upcoming styling videos where I’d like to thoroughly talk through colour and how to supplement your basics with key or statement pieces.
dermaviduals | If you follow me on Instagram, then you may have seen that I did a little bit of work with dermaviduals in the month of March. This was following a consultation and initial trial of a customised skincare routine in February. More than two months’ later, and I’m continuing to exclusively use and adore their products. It’s really helped address and remedy one of my biggest skincare concerns; redness caused by dermatitis around my mouth.
Maintenance has generally been my primary goal until recently. As long as I wasn’t getting a flare up from the products I had on rotation, that was good enough for me. But, as I get older, I also wanted to feel really confident in the skin I’m in. And part of what this meant for me was being completely happy with the evenness of my skin tone; enough so that I’d be comfortable going bare-faced a lot of the time. Since introducing these products to my routine, my redness has faded, my skin is bright and clear, and it appears that the slight texture I had around my chin has also reduced.
W Concept | Final gifting I received were some selects from W Concept for April. Hands down one of my favourite places to browse, for their incredible range of Korean designers; many of which I’ve often found myself looking to when seeking out inspiration for my own closet. My two favourites both so happen to be trousers; a pair of black linen wide leg trousers from Facade Pattern, and this tapered style from Urago.
THOUGHTS ON SHOPPING PRE-LOVED
I wanted to wrap up this post with some thoughts on shopping pre-loved. When I started out this low buy, I had two main goals (aside from saving/limiting my purchases); one was to shop from more Australian-based designers, and the other was to try and explore pre-loved options where possible.
Now, I’m not new to shopping pre-loved. It’s something you’ll have heard me discuss often. My first experience with the second hand marketplace was two decades ago. I’ve been hooked ever since. At first it was purely a way for me to stretch my budget and purchase higher quality pieces than I could afford retail (while still indulging in my love of fashion). Something that remains true to this day. It’s often supplemented by my desire to track down old season items I “missed” out on.
So I have a little confession to make. One of the other reasons I wanted to do a low buy? As 2021 came to a close, I’d let my secondhand shopping habit spiral out of control. The Real Real is a weakness of mine, and I’ve managed to score some incredible bargains from there over the years. One of the enticing factors being that if you’re patient (or lucky), you can easily find yourself adding multiple items from designers (in great condition), and spending what consequently feels like a nominal amount given the quality and quantity. A lot of the time, I’ll find a designer item which retailed for upwards of $400 USD for $30 USD on sale. And that can be a real trigger, especially if it’s a piece I’d longed for hot off the runway.
It started to feel like I was indulging in the pre-loved economy, the same way some people might indulge in fast fashion and trends. Not exactly what I’d had in mind. And it had me wondering, how others who tend to exclusively buy pre-loved/thrifted clothing monitor and meter their purchases. A lot of what you come across is “luck of the draw”, and the singularity of an item can make a purchase more tempting. A scarcity effect if you will, something which I’m just connecting now. This was a huge driver behind many of the impulse buys I made in my early twenties.
With all that said, I still want to try and indulge in pre-loved purchases this year, but hoping to do so with more restraint. Clearly my love of fashion (and endless past desires) have gotten the better of me here!
Are you doing a low buy or a no buy? Curious to know how your month went! Let me know in the comments xx
