In March, I promised my husband I wouldn’t buy any more clothes until June. Limited shopping is one of the blessings and disciplines of doing a capsule wardrobe. I didn’t define a certain number of items this season; rather I severely limited my shopping down to 6 items: 1 utility jacket, 1 pair of white jeans, 1 pair of mid-colored jeans, 1 white t-shirt, 1 pair of flats, 1 pair of sandals. Everything purchased was on sale or bought via a gift card!
Here are 5 things I’ve learned on how to shop smarter and spend less!
ONE: Focus on what you have-your favs. Contentment. This is the biggest but most important lesson to embrace. If you’re not satisfied with your wardrobe, whatever stage it’s in, you will never be satisfied!
It’s a lot more challenging in certain seasons, like child bearing, when your body is constantly changing, but you can still learn to be happy with the few pieces that fit well. Learn to love, or fall in love again with those pieces that are just right for you. Appreciate them and use Pinterest to find new ways of wearing them-which brings me to point #2.
TWO: Sticking to a budget pushes your creativity. You will find new combinations you wouldn’t have thought of. Just the other day I had no idea how to wear my maxi skirt beyond a fitted tank. I got some advice and decided to try a looser tank (from last season), and bloused out a little. I threw on a scarf because I was going out for the night and wanted extra warmth.
Wouldn’t you know it, I got several compliments on the combo. In case you were wondering: open toed sandals that show off a lot of foot are the best footwear options for a maxi skirt. Don’t forget to paint those toes! If you must to do a closed toed shoe, make it a slim chic pointy one, like the currently trending d’orsay style.)
Lovee Banded Flat//Lydia Flat//Thea Sandal
THREE: There will always be a “just this last thing, then I’ll stop spending” temptation! If it’s not the perfect black $9.00 t-shirt dress at Costco, it will be the $16.00 striped shoes at Target. (I only succumbed to the shoes. I showed self-control on the black dress. If you knew specifically any of the two items I was referring to, fist bump me here.)
Don’t get sucked into that trap. Say no and hold your ground. Tell all your girlfriends. Give your credit card back to your husband. Better yet, write a blog and tell the whole world! Just do what you gotta do to keep that spending under control!!
FOUR: Use procrastination to your advantage. When I see something I really like or want, that I shouldn’t buy, I tell myself I’ll just wait and get it next season or next year, and it will be even better or trendier then! After awhile the desire for that garment wears off. Or it goes on my shopping list for the next season or year.
FIVE: Limit your options by defining your style and knowing your shape uniform. My profession requires me to spend a considerable amount of time researching (aka looking at large volumes of clothes).
BUT, because I know what few styles look good on me and what I love wearing, I can screen out a lot of “desire for more” because I know I don’t need it, I don’t look good in it, or it doesn’t work with what I already have, etc. I can appreciate it and think of how it could work for others.
There is a lot less temptation when you know 80% of what’s out there doesn’t work for you. Then you can focus on the 20% and avoid wasting a ton of time and money.
I hope these lessons I’ve learned in the last year of doing capsule wardrobes was helpful to you. I would love to get your feedback and hear what you think, so please do share by commenting below!!
Your breadwinners can send me their thank you notes to the following email address: shanabanana@gmail.com.
Today we are linked up with:
What I Wore with The Pleated Poppy
Whatcha Wearing Wednesday with The Mummy Chronicles
Style Me Wednesday with Shopping My Closet
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Great tips! I’ve definitely learned to shop smarter and spend less since becoming a stay-at-home mama. I’ve found that I am tempted less if I stay out of stores and do most of my shopping online.
Staying out of the stores is probably THE best way to keep from shopping! LOL. It all starts in your head. If you start feeling unsatisfied, or don’t have what you need you tend to browse…then the $$$ starts. LOL!
Good subject to address! So I am still confused about how you work the capsule. Does it mean each season you pack the unneeded clothes away and pull them out each year at that time? Or as mentioned above, do you allow yourself to buy a few new items each season and then use them until the next year keeping your staples that you use season to season? This would seem the best way to stay up with current styles and cuts. Or is your style timeless and therefore this is not necessary?
Great question! At the end of each season, I decide which items to keep for the next season, what items to pack away for the next year, and which items need to get trashed or donated. Every season I try to shop my closet before I make a list and hit the stores. Nor California has pretty mild climate so some items can be used for multiple seasons-as you probably remember from growing up. 😉 (My trench coat is an all season staple so that stays in my closet year round.)
Because I have a smaller amount of clothes (than probably most people) that I use per season, I am finding that I am wearing out my clothes a lot quicker than before. That is a good thing! I’m getting a lower cost per wear! Meaning: I wear out my clothes, holes, pills, dingy, stains, etc! Some things like tee shirts don’t really last more than a year or so if you wear them regularly like I do-every week. I don’t know if the two pairs of Old Navy jeans that I bought for spring will last more than a year because of how much I wear them. (At least once a week, often two times a week.) I only spend $20 on each so I have no problem shopping for new white jeans next spring. (I wouldn’t expect anything white to last more than a year or so because of stains, and its tendency to look dingy after so much wear–hence, I don’t spend a lot of money on white clothes.)
So for me, I do a decent amount of updating each season…mainly tops/tee’s because I wear them out so much. I also LOVE to wear white tops so those may last for 4-8 months especially in hot seasons, if longer…great!! Also, a wardrobe is a constantly changing and evolving entity as your lifestyle and tastes change. I like to keep my investment items in a classic style, because they tend to last longer, but if it’s really serving you well, you will eventually wear it out!! No shame in discarding an old, well used garment, even if you spent an arm and a leg for it–it served it’s purpose!
I also am on a tight budget so I’m not always able to buy the best quality. For example sweaters, I have mostly cheap sweaters that are starting to look dingy and a couple of investment (cashmere) pieces. I am slowly able to upgrade as I go along, but it can take awhile to build a high quality wardrobe. Even though my cashmere sweaters cost more, they will last longer so they end up being more cost efficient in the long run. But not all of us have the $$ to be able to afford the best quality in everything every season, so you just pick a couple of items each season and get the best you can buy with what you can afford. 🙂
Although I have a great working wardrobe, I don’t have all the items on my “style” wish list. I’m still looking/waiting for a black moto jacket, a chambray shirt dress, a black knit dress, etc…
Hope that helps.
xx-S
These are really great tips! The “one last thing” is totally my weakness. I’ll set my budget then something will go on sale or whatever and FOMO will get the best of me. And I also agree with having an accountability partner. The best I ever did on a shopping restriction plan was when I had a friend on it with me!
Gina || On the Daily Express
Thanks Gina, accountability really does it for me too!! So key!
Great tips! I always focus on what I really need and go to shopping when I need it!
http://www.luv4beautyblog.com
That’s so wise!!
These are all great tips! I use to shop really carelessly and bought more patterns and prints than basics which I learned the hard way. I’m building a new more less complicated wardrobe slowly but just need to follow these tips to avoid any bad temptations lol.
Thanks for sharing! My pitfall was to buy a ton of the same exact shirt in different colors-mainly stripped shorts. LOL.
Hahha when you have a favourite you need it in every colour and style no matter what!
Hi, I’ve had a tan bucket bag on my wish list for a while. Trouble is, I love leather bags (who doesn’t). Now I can either by a fairly nice, synthetic bag costing about 60 USD or the leather one that is about 150USD. I’m also still hunting for a between season jacket, a summer dress, and tan sandals. I guess I should go for the cheaper option of the bag, but I’m worried that I’ll regret it and buy the expensive one in the end!
Budget wise, I’m a mum of two very young girls, and work part time, and I have a bit of Xmas money left but it would in no way cover all the things I’ve mentioned.
What’s your view? I just keep reading on blogs that good quality accessories are worth it… But 150USD is a lot of money for me. (I’m based in the UK by the way).
When shopping I always start with the absolute essentials. What do you need that you would wear the most, that is the most versatile, and spans the most seasons? Which ones can you live without? If you think you would use the bucket bag everyday, all year round, for years to come, then get a leather one at the cheapest sale price. I used one big leather tote for 5 years starting from when my first born was an infant. Getting leather was worth it for me. You have to decide if the bucket bag will support your lifestyle as mum with young kids, otherwise wait until it does. 😉 If you are ok with the cheap one and plan to replace it in the future, that can be a good option. It just depends on your preference.
Good advice! I do tend to get sidetracked a bit as I just love clothes and styling-it’s a bit of an escape from being a mum and always putting everyone else’s needs first. I do need to have a think/the jacket is probably more urgent/necessary than the bag, although I do need a nice tan bag-I currently have a cheap one that does the job but is starting to look rather worn. Silly question but-how do you cope when you really need something (for me that’s the spring jacket) but just can’t find the ‘perfect’ one? Tough it out and wait, at the risk of wearing a very unfashionable outdoor functional coat (been doing that for two years). Buy an ‘OK’ cheaper coat? Lol… Big decisions…
Great question. The stage with young kids is the hardest. I get creative by hitting the thrift shops to find something to tide me over. I’ve found jackets and coats for $10. It took me 10 years before I finally bought a trench coat. LOL!
Hi,
Thanks for your reply, sounds like a good idea, I may try eBay. I meant to say also that I love your style and blog! How old are your kids?
Emma, Ebay sounds like a great idea if you can do free returns. I’m a really big of free returns for internet shopping. 🙂 My kids are 6, 4.5 and almost 3. 🙂 How old are your kids? xx-S
Hi! Yes the free returns is important. I tend to change my mind.
My girls are 3 and 1. And I’m planning on another soon. I must be mad, LOL!
You manage to have three kids AND be stylish! Kudos to you. I’m hoping it gets a bit easier once the infant stage is over ?
Hi Emma, it DEFINITELY gets easier after the infant stage. I noticed a huge difference when the youngest turned 2!! Hang in there. 😉