This Year

Oh boy, I've indulged in some serious retail therapy this month! As I'd bought eight items last month, and given that I'd sorted my spring capsule I didn't expect to buy much at all. I was wrong. This is going to be a long post.

I'd popped into town to go to the bank, but as I'd paid for two hours parking I decided to have a bit of a wander. Janet (I'm blaming you Janet) had brought my attention to some stretchy stripe tops available in Primark and I went in to see if my local store had some.

They did, I purchased two identical ones (£4.00 each). And of course whilst I was there I picked up a few other bits. I don't normally venture in to Primark, but I've had some of these stretchy tops before and they last ages, wash well, and hold their shape. Likewise the vest tops that I wear to sleep in. I've had most of my current vest tops for over two years and they were starting to look a little shabby. So as I purchased three new ones (totaling £8.50), I put three old ones into the rag bag.

I also picked up some summer staples - flip flops (90p), and some trainer socks (£3.50 for 5 pairs). And a cute pair of summer pumps (£4.00). They're quite similar to Toms Classic Alpargatas but as I want to replace my trusty red pair this year, and I quite fancy a blue pair too, I thought I'd get these to stop me buying a third pair of Toms in white. They'll look really lovely with summer dresses.

And to add to the shoe haul this month I found a lovely pair of sandals in Next (£20.00). In my mind we've skipped spring altogether and gone straight to summer, if only the weather would play along...


Whilst in town I spied a black dress in H&M (£17.99), I picked it up and put it back down and dismissed it as something I didn't need, but when I was still thinking about it two days later I decided to go back and try it on. Of course I loved it and bought it... along with a silver bag £12.99 (who doesn't need one of those?!), some sunglasses £5.99 (having scratched the two pairs I purchased last year), a glasses case £3.99 (because of the aforementioned scratches), and some earrings £3.99 (because they're pretty).

Then on my way back to the car park, through New Look (it's sort of a short cut), I picked up a cute necktie for £3.99.

The following weekend I meet up with Sophie and Kezzie for a charity shop rummage so more shopping was inevitable. We had a really successful day shopping. I purchased a scarf (£3.50), Laura Ashley midi skirt (£4.49), a Next dress (£5.00), and a Next top (£1.99). And a bag to carry everything in (£1.99). And twelve books, but as they're not included in my buyers archive I'll gloss over those.

The skirt is rather snug, either it's been cut on the small side or it's been labeled incorrectly. It says it's a 10, and as I'm normally an 8 I didn't think I'd have any trouble fitting into this, but I can only just do it up. Sitting in it will be a problem. I have put on a little extra weight recently so I might hang it somewhere I can see it everyday as an incentive to get on the running machine, and make some small changes to my diet - inspired by Vix and her 24" waist! If it doesn't slip on easily by the summer I'll pop it on ebay.

The white dress still had it's original label on but I didn't look at it properly, it's from the Next Tall range and so it doesn't sit on my body comfortably. This will be going back to the charity shop.

I picked up the coral spotty top as a replacement to an identical top I already own (I also have it in white and black), but the one I have has some small holes in so I needed to replace it, right?

That's a lot of retail therapy for one month!

Last Year


Grey t shirt  |  Charity shop  |  £1.50
I wore this a lot. It's one of those items that I think every wardrobe needs.


Ballet flats  |  £4.00
These seemed fine when I tried them in the shop, but when I got them home they were so tight! For £4.00 I couldn't be bothered to return them so I popped them in a charity bag.

Green wrap cardigan  |  Charity shop  |  £3.00
I bought this to go with a particular skirt and I wore it numerous times with different things, but I'm not loving it. It's destined to go back to the charity shop.

Del Ray trainers  |  TOMs  |  £34.19 (originally £59.99)
I love these. They're not overly sporty in appearance, and work with a number of items in my wardrobe, I think these will be around for years.

Next spotty top  |  British Heart Foundation  |  £4.29
I wore this a lot over the summer and it's back in my spring capsule this year. Yup, it's a black and white version of the coral one...

Poncho  |  Cancer Research UK  |  £4.00
I bought this because it was so cold I needed another layer, despite adding it to my capsule wardrobe it wasn't worn again, and has since been given back to charity. I have three other ponchos that rarely get worn, keeping a fourth seemed crazy.

Next maxi skirt  |  RSPCA  |  £3.00
This has been worn a lot until recently when I somehow managed to rip the hem and I'm yet to mend it.

Ankle boots  |  Amazon  |  £23.99
I bought these to replace a much loved pair of Chelsea boots, but they're not really filling the gap, they're OK but I'm never going to like them as much as the originals. I think perhaps I should've looked for something entirely different instead of trying to find an exact replacement.


M&S skirt  |  Cancer Research UK  |  £4.25
Love this, the colours really appealed to me even though they're not something I normally go for. I wore it between Christmas and new year to a family gathering.

Betty Jackson denim skirt  |  Oxfam  |  £5.99
I was determined to alter this but after deciding that it was way above my capabilities I decided to get it altered professionally, so far I've done nothing about it. After a year it's probably about time to give up on it and donate it.

Total for April: £110.81

Total so far for 2017: £229.26

Total at this time last year: £275.89

It seems that April is the month I get my shop on, perhaps next year I'll hide my bank card...? But, even after a mammoth spend this month I still haven't spent as much as last year. So that's something.

What have you been buying this month?