I took a little break after Christmas to 'recover' from the Holidays and it just took a little longer than planned. I have been a bit sick, busy with work and dealing with some personal issues. But I think I have things more or less under control and my motivation to blog is back.
I don't really have any true New Year resolutions, I never believed in them, and I don't have a shopping list. In fact, I have very little desire to shop and I haven't even check any of my usual shopping destinations (online or B&M) for several weeks. Of course, I still like to dress and put outfits together, but I am really determined to shop my closet more. In fact, one thing I have been busy with during my blog absence, was organizing my closets. I did this in the beginning of the last year, when I was doing Project 333, but by December my closets looked like a clothing bomb explosion site.
I did not do any purging this time, but since I have 3 closets in my bedroom, I put everything I wear in two of them and left the rest in the third one. There are some of my summer clothes there, but most of it is the stuff that just never seems to tempt me anymore.
Of course, all this organizing made me realize (again) that I have way more than I need and that all this incessant shopping is pointless. There was a time in my life when I needed to refresh my look and add some variety to the way I dress, but I am now past this point. I don't want shopping to be my main pastime or the only way to express myself. My main goal is to change the direction of my shopping. I don't want any website to dictate what I should buy. I want it to come from me. If I realize that I am really missing something, I will look for it. There is nothing wrong in being inspired by another blog or website but it should also come from being uninspired by my own closet not by a constant, frantic look for the next new thing that I find so all-consuming, exhausting and unsatisfying.
Since I am sticking to my plan, there is nothing new in this outfit. I am wearing Brora sweater (seen here), Blythe silk blouse (reviewed here), midrise toothpick cords (reviewed here), J.Crew necklace and Glenbrae boots and Banana Republic messenger bag. My hair was not really so messy that day, it was just very windy and it just would not stay in place...
Today my younger daughter and the photographer for this blog is turning 10! Happy Birthday A!!! She picked sushi for our dinner tonight, I cannot wait myself. We will celebrate as a family tonight but we are also doing a bowling party later this month for all A's friends.
A is sharing her birthday with the lovely WMM and I hope she will grow up to be such a sunny, optimistic soul and will never get over the habit of being a little girl!
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That's all folks!
Are you planning to shop your closet more this year?
Do you shop based on actual gaps in your closet or are you driven by websites/magazines inspirations?
Please share, it would be no fun without you!!!
Such a wise post ajc, there has to be an end to incessant shopping, it's a black hole for the soul. Happy Birthday to your daughter!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with many things here! My last year's resolution was to make a list of things my closet was really lacking (like basic essentials - not trendy items) and I just focused on them. It was a fantastic way to figure things out. This year, I don't feel as tempted for new things and only have a few items on my list of missing items which are actually things to replace - ex: my brown boots are falling apart at the heel so I've bought some new ones during a new year's sale :) I totally agree impulse shopping and need-to-have-it-cause-its-new can be completely exhausting!
ReplyDeleteFabulous post - this will make for great discussion! HBD to A :)
Tasia
Happy Birthday to your little girl, she shares her day with our WMM which is very special, yay!
ReplyDeleteI have missed your posts and hope you are well. I completely share your ideas for this year. I went through my closets last week but I did not purge like I would have in the past, then I just would have an excuse to buy more stuff. Instead I'm working on rehabilitating the things I have to make them more comfortable/better-fitting. I'm excited about this project and it is a relief to not be looking for the next thing.
Have a great birthday dinner tonight with your little girl!
ajc I sent you an email, I thought I'd let you know as I am thinking you don't check that account very often!
Deletexo!
Happy Birthday to your little one:). Enjoy the celebration!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to your daughter! I think this is a smart post ajc, and I share a lot of your feelings. In doing all my packing/clearing out, I got a refresher of everything I have and love and will be doing mostly remixing. Several years ago, when I started my blog, I was needing a major overhaul to my closet, and now I find that I have what I need, and have pruned it down to items that fit, flatter, and are (mostly) quality. When I'm doing my online and in-store perusals and try-ons, I can nearly always say "cute, but I have great black pants already." That said, I know I won't be cutting out shopping completely, as I need refreshers now and again. And it's still fun to review! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your daugher, ajc! They just grow up too fast don't they? My second oldest son turned 9 last Thursday, and it seems like just yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital. I hope you all have a wonderful day of celebrating! :)
ReplyDeleteCelebrate today with your 10 yr old-- such a great age, before the early teens start.
ReplyDeleteIt is a good feeling to have your pallet together; you will make adjustments, of course, but you seem to have reached Enough.
Welcome back -- I've missed you!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to your little one. Entering the double digits -- I remember being very nostalgic for "childhood" on my 10th! Enjoy your sushi -- I love how children are exposed to so many different kinds of foods these days!
I am also in the clothing-bomb-explosion state. So bad that I cannot even bear to start reorganizing! But I must start. You are lucky lucky lucky to have THREE closets in your bedroom! Our house is modern architecture and the architect was a very strong advocate for "clean lines" so the closet is a big square with just the hanging bars around the perimeter. Now really, what good is that??? One of our biggest mistakes was not redoing the closet before we moved in...
Glad to have you back. :) Happy New Year!
ajc......I have made a similiar resolution. I'm not buying any item of clothing, no purses or shoes, accessories and no jewelry this year. None. Ok...now everyone can pick their jaws up off the ground! HEE! I have a sick amount of clothing, shoes and purses and a jewelry collection worthy of a queen. I look at it all and feel ill some days. I need to put my energies and money into something else. When I made the decision I felt instantly relieved of all the stalking, buying, trying, returning,etc. etc. I feel free.
ReplyDeleteaww happy birthday to your darling daughter!
ReplyDeleteyour outfit is so cute, and does bring the philosophy of shopping your closet to heart. i always go through this in phases and am currently in it now. hopefully it sticks longer! i hope you had a wonderful holiday and i can't wait to see what you have in store for us!! xox P
Hey AJC - I was just popping over to wish your daughter a happy birthday and thank you for the kind shout-out - a nice surprise! I just wish she was here as my official photographer, as she always makes you look like a fashion model (oh sure, she has all of your good looks to work with, but I think it is her talent, also! :-)
ReplyDeleteAs always, you are right on. I have bought nothing so far this month, except for one Brora sweater which is a birthday gift to me from my husband. The incessant shopping was wearing me down and in the end, like all bad habits, either doesn't fill an emotional hole or is just a waste of time. I am done my purge, and am now, like you, rehabilitating the rest. I am having fun. What I have noticed, and I will probably do a post on this, was that over-shopping was triggered by real stress and fatigue. As I begin to rest and re-connect with my own life, I feel so much more content and less susceptible to the desire to be or have something just because someone else has it...
Give A a big hug for me! Barry is making my frosting for the cake even as we speak! I do love a good birthday!
Welcome back! I was starting to be worried by your silence, glad that you are OK and in a peaceful place. I have missed you! Happy birthday to the photographer!
ReplyDeleteTHAT is a cute outfit. and you are preaching to the choir here.
ReplyDeletei feel like my blog has suddenly taken over my life and i want my life back!
wish your 10yr old a very happy birthday from me wouldya? xoxo
So happy to see this post. Missed you and I'm glad you had a much needed rest. The first picture of you is stunning and from what I gather everyone is stopping to think about their purchases. Only bought one item in Dec. and Jan.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful birthday tonight with your family.
It is nice to see you back posting! I hope you had a good break. Happy birthday to your photographer! I really like this outfit.
ReplyDeleteI'll buy something because I like it or because it fills a hole in my closet. I think I can be a stress-induced impulsive shopper, but I am good at correcting my mistakes by returns. I don't end up with terrible mistakes, but sometimes with too much redundancy (not exact items, but too many long sleeved tees, plaid shirts, that kind of thing) or clothes that don't fit my lifestyle. My goal this year is to sell on eBay what doesn't fit my lifestyle or what just doesn't fit, also what I don't wear enough. I'd also like to do a better job putting outfits together with what I have. I'll still buy some things, though.
Happy Birthday to your precious one, A! I hope the dinner was good. I support whatever you do and hope you just keep posting, regardless. :)
ReplyDeletewelcome back, I missed you! I'm in catch-up mode over here.. There's something so disheartening about un-decorating. I decided to leave some of the outdoor lights in place so that I can turn them on when I need to feel festive. Sine this decision affects only my terrace, which can't be seen from the street, I don't have to worry about looking like the home of the crazy lady in Riverhead who is famous for taking her tree down. In July.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for Birthday wishes!!! We had fantastic night, ate tremendous amount of sushi and played Sorry for 2.5 hours. That game would just never end and both my daughters and my older daughter's boyfriend get so competitive, it was crazy. lol.
ReplyDeleteIt is good to be back and to hear from you all, seems like so many of us try to curb our shopping or just make it more sensible and satisfying in the end. We have to support each other! I find that reading, watching good movies and reconnecting with friends does wonders for my impulse buying habits...
Thank you so much for your kind words, I promise to try to respond to all your comments individually. I am still in catch up mode but it is getting better.
Hi! Found your blog by looking for reviews of J.Crew Harper boots this morning. Love your blog, and your new year resolution speaks the minds of so many bloggers, including mine! Hope you keep it up. Greatly inspired.
ReplyDelete