I kept a record, month by month, of my clothing and accessory purchases for 2012 (you can see all items here). Taking part in Frugal February made me wonder how much I spent and I was interested to see what I buy and what I wear and use. I'd say it was a typical year of spending although taking part in Frugal February and Only Once August stopped my spending temporarily.

M spending was as follows - Jan £181, Feb was frugal, March £272, April £50, May £86, June £180, July £293, August was Only Once, Sept £309, October £178, November £128, December £74.

Which is a total of ...



Wowzer! I purchased a total of 138 items of which 42% are pre loved, 9.4% no longer belong to me (mostly donated to charity) and 33.3% have been worn / used once or not at all (yet) but this does include a lot of recent purchases, and, just so you know, I'm not counting my ritual of 'wear around the house immediately after purchase' as 'being worn'.
Percentages courtesy of this neat little website, maths is not a strong point for me.

The most expensive one
Kurt Geiger shoes, half price at £105.00. Sadly these are in the 33.3% of 'unworns' but I will remedy this and be back to share the photos.



The most worn one
Simple above the knuckle ring from The Bohemian Collection (previously known as Wired Jewellery). This rarely leaves my finger, silly, simple little thing.



The one I wish I hadn't bought
Stupid, dumb, silly hat. It looks huge on my head, I'm never going to wear it!



The best of the pre loved
It's hard to pick just one item, but at the moment this bag is getting a lot of love. It's Monsoon but I won it in an eBay auction in September for £13.93



The one I was most surprised by
When the peplum trend first emerged it made me shudder. I couldn't think of anything worse than something that flared out over the hips. But I tried it and liked it, once again reminding myself to never say never.



The one I wish I still had
This H&M cardigan just seemed to work with everything. Why don't I have it anymore? It got kittened, thanks to Tinker and her penchant for digging in her tiny, pin sharp claws, I ended up with a big hole on the right shoulder. Shame.



Have you ever kept a tally of your purchases? I've really enjoyed keeping a record and looking back over what I have, what I love and what I no longer own.

What would you do with £1,700 if you couldn't buy clothes?

Love

Day 30. Back to work after five days off, it's always a struggle but when it's cold and windy it's even harder to get motivated (I'm wearing boots and a scarf in August for goodness sake!).

I chose this skirt as I've only worn it once before but looking at these pictures I'm not sure that I like it. I mean, I like it but I'm not sure it suits me.

It's neither a maxi or a midi but somewhere in-between, without heels it makes me look oddly proportioned.

It looked much better with heeled boots (here) so maybe it will have to be a winter skirt? I'm just not sure… what do you reckon?



Day 31. The last day. I wanted to go out with a bang and wear something utterly spectacular (no idea what that would have been) but the printroom called for my attention once again and I was back in jeans and a t-shirt.

I think that I'm going to unofficially continue this challenge. There are skirts that I didn't get the chance to wear thanks to a mixture of work and weather. Can you all please cross your fingers for a few more days of sunshine before it leaves us for months - appreciate it.

Love

Day 26. My marvellous maxi. I've had this dress since April and it's only the second time I've worn it, it's pre-loved from eBay and I adore it! I wore the highest wedges I own so that it didn't drag on the floor (although it still did a bit). It was perfect for having supper with OH's parents, not so perfect for sitting in a tractor (next to someone) drilling oil seed rape, which is how I ended the evening. As you do.



Day 27. Time for Inspiration Monday. The jacket is new to me, something I picked up from a clothes swap that I organised in July so I think of this as free. I'm trying to figure out if it's raining (it was) - talk about changeable weather, the sun was shining brightly when I set up my tripod. Rubbish flippin' weather.
P.S - the shoes...



Day 28. The sun decided to shine today, for a while at least. This is another dress that sat waiting to be mended for an absolute age. I added a coral t-shirt underneath as it does sit a little too low at the front. I liked it so much that I've decided that to sew in a contrast colour at the neckline, it'll make this easier to wear. So back in the 'to be altered' pile it goes.



Day 29. My birthday and probably the most rushed, least considered outfit of the challenge! I had such a hectic day. My Mum came over in the morning with her boyfriend to wish me a happy day. They turned up earlier than I expected and was still in my lightweight, ever-so-slightly see through PJs when they turned into the driveway. I panic dressed in 20 seconds - still I'm impressed that I grabbed tops that I hadn't worn this month yet! I like the casual nature of the outfit and the colour contrast of the top and shoes but I wish I'd had time to put together something a little nicer. I had supper with my Dad in the evening before seeing a film and somehow, what with one thing an another, I didn't find a spare moment to change. I'm sure he doesn't mind being seen with such a scruff...

Only a few days left to post. It's been fun. Did you join in? How did you find it?

Love

Day 25 of Only Once August and I wore a dress purchased from ASOS Marketplace in July.

When I put it on I had no idea what the finished outfit would be. Thanks to an unexpected change in the weather the first item I added was a pair a black footless tights. I pondered black ballet pumps and discounted them on account of the rain that was tip-tapping on my window at that precise moment.

I decided on a pair of boots that have been put into, and subsequently rescued from, the charity bag on several occasions (in all honesty they have been rescued more times than they have been worn!).

The baby doll style and floral pattern of the dress felt a little girlish so the boots toughen things up a bit. I'd already decided on minimal make up - no eyeshadow, no blush - as a 'full face' also felt too girly. It was for this reason that I kept my hair down and unfussy too.

I considered jewellery, put some on, took it off again, tried something else. In the end I settled on a beaded bracelet and two leather Pandora bracelets, one with charms.

My bag, although pink, was big and slouchy enough not to look twee and picked out a colour in the pattern of the dress, breaking up the density of the black.

Some days I know what I am going to wear, right down to the last detail, before I even get out of bed. But this outfit took a while.

Do you have days like this?
How do you go about putting an outfit together?

After all the umming and ahhing I decided that I liked the finished result, although I felt it lacked one thing - a classic leather strap watch. I indulged in some online browsing - just browsing though, my spending ban was still in place. And here is what I found...



This isn't the first time that I've felt the need for a watch such as this, which is a pretty good indication that it would be a good investment buy.


Love

Day 23 & 24

I have to say that work, and the requirement for practical clothes, has turned my challenge into something rather boring. My plan was to wear the dresses and skirts that are ordinarily only worn a few times a year. But as you can see jeans and t-shirts have been the order of the day. That said I haven't worn anything twice yet (apart from a slight slip up on day 10).

However, I have extended the long weekend and will not be going back to work until Thursday so I can flounce around in pretty things to my hearts content until then.

I hope you all have a fabulous bank holiday weekend. What do you have planned?

Love

Day 16 A complete 'rarely worn' outfit today, white linen trousers, t shirt (the same t shirt in a, slightly, different colour was worn on day 11), bag from Stylist Pick (LOVE this), clogs from Next almost 2 years ago.



Day 17 Today was inspired by Alex, who spent a week joining in the challenge, go see her boxer pic - I love it! I knew I had a long day at work ahead (8.15am - 23.00pm as it turned out), I was helping in the print room. After yesterday's heeled, white lined trousered impracticality, I needed something for work of a manual nature (it involved bubble wrap so I was happy to get involved). The hoodie isn't worn a lot but I do like it, the trainers are my only purchase from a trip to New York. Can I say it again? ...from a trip to New York. One day I'll go back and visit Central park in the sun, the Guggenheim, Tiffany's (again) and possibly indulge in a little more shopping than last time. I'd love to have a mosey around a flea market and trawl a few charity shops.



Day 18 Saturday and a hot one! I think that I look a little bit like a Zoom lolly in this maxi skirt. It's a recent charity shop find and this is only it's second wearing. The necklace is at least two years old, a bit of a favourite but not something that goes with everything...



Day 19 I had to mend this before I could wear it, it has a tiered skirt and every time I step on the hem - a common problem I find with maxi dresses - I tear one or a number of the seams. The shrug is from eBay, purchased in April, this will be it's third time out (I feel like the lottery announcer - Number 48, second time out this month, the bonus ball on Wednesday). The necklace was one of my first purchases from ASOS Marketplace, it's really cute but I can't get it to sit straight...



Day 20 Back to work. I felt that I had no choice but to opt for jeans and a t shirt today, I knew I would be working between the studio and the print room so it had to be practical and easy to move in. Neither get worn on a regular basis, I had begun to wonder if this is because I have too many clothes but I do tend to stick to the same few items and wear them over and over so this can't possibly be the case. Phew!



Day 21 I love this shot of Tinker, something has obviously just caught her attention. If I had to caption this it'd be "WTF?". This shirt dress is another item that doesn't get worn as much as it should.



Day 22 Another day working in the print room so a totally uninspired outfit... roll on the weekend!

Only nine days of Only Once August to go. I hoping for more sun as I have some skirts that need wearing...

Love

Only Once August - half way through the month and all is well, I've managed to stick to my spending ban. Hurrah!


Day 9 This shirt has been around for a while but I haven't worn it recently. I felt the need for something easy to wear today, I knew it was going to be a long day so I wanted to be comfortable. I scrunch dried my hair to try to counteract the humidity, I desperately need a hair cut! I think Socks steals the show here, he's just so damn cute! And, yes, I did send ages rubbing his tummy :)



Day 10 I felt so girlie all day today, I wore flowers and pink and put my hair in, what my Mum always called, a hiccup - half up, half down. The skirt is a rarely worn item but I realised I've worn the cardy already this month, I wore it for as long as it took my to take the photos on Day 4 and then I got too hot and took it off. I can get away with that can't I? I'd genuinely forgotten that I'd worn it.



Day 11 I had a don't-know-what-to-wear day today. I tried on so many things only to take them off again. I had a busy day planned so I decided to go classic jeans and tee combo - when in doubt I revert to tried and tested outfits. The jeans have to be the most worn item in my wardrobe (the hole in the thigh was made when I stuck my jeans to my leg with superglue - not on purpose obviously) but the tee was purchased last year in readiness for this Summer, I think it's the third time I've worn it (which says something about the summer we've had!). The bag is a pre-loved purchase from eBay, sadly it's on its last legs as the strap is slowly stretching and will eventually snap. I don't think it's repairable but I will try.



Day 12 This green cardy was an impulse buy last year but one I keep coming back to every so often - here and here). The skirt was purchased along side the orange one worn on Day 2, only worn a few times. I was off to see a clairvoyant show so I felt a little arm party was in order - yep I was channeling a stereotypical fortune teller look. It was fascinating. I've had a few one-to-one sessions with a clairvoyant medium and this evening prompted me to book another session. It's soon - I'll keep you posted!



Day 13 Not my finest look but I got up late so I didn't have the luxury of time. The stripe top I wear a lot but the trousers are only one their fourth wear. Day 13 - a bad omen for a so-so outfit?



Day 14 I totally forgot about Everybody, Everywear today, the theme was monochromatic, but think I managed to wing it with this outfit. The dress was a January purchase, I've worn it once or twice since then, it's nice, simple. I think it's one of those things that gets over looked simply because I have a lot of clothes.



Day 15 Another red, white and blue day! This top hasn't been worn much and I don't think it'll be worn again after today. The seams have twisted and the hem is now uneven, so unless anyone knows of any neat tricks to straighten seams, it's heading for the charity bag. Shame, I love the colour and it's great for layering.

As well as shopping my wardrobe I have also been using makeup that I don't normally use (you know the stuff that gets put in a drawer and forgotten), it helps shift the focus from my spending ban. More on that in another post.

Hope your week is going well so far. Only two days until the weekend! Do you have nay exciting plans?

Love

Day two of Only Once August...
I've only worn this top once before because it's a recent purchase, it's the skirt that's been in my wardrobe for a while. I must have purchased it within the last year but I have no recollection of when. It's probably the side split that keeps me from wearing it - who wants to have a thigh high split when its windy and raining? Today was the first time out for the bag too - it was a bargain in the White Stuff sale - £32 reduced to £19. I bought it as a beach bag but as I have no plan to visit a beach anytime soon (more's the pity) I decided to use it day-to-day.



Day three's top is a rarely worn rather than a never worn and until recently this was the closest thing in my wardrobe had to pattern. I love this top, I really don't know why I don't wear it more...



Day four - a two outfit day. I helped out on a stand at a local music festival raising money for a charity I'm involved in. Please excuse the hair across my face, I thought Tink looked too cute not to use this picture.


In the evening I went to a friend's Birthday party. I opted for a little evening sparkle with some sequins, I've definitely not worn this so far this year. I took along a few party essentials - a gift, cardigan (for when the evening turned cold - my Mum would be so proud) and a bottle of Amaretto. What more could I need? I had the worst luck taking these photos so I decided to use the out takes, I hope they give you a laugh, here I am flicking my hair, trying - and failing - to stop my hair getting stuck to my lipgloss and talking to the boy cat, Socks.



Day five - a lazy day in my favourite shorts. In between the rain I pottered in the garden with Tink. It was all about comfort and I have to admit the shades helped with my delicate head (see previous day and bottle of Amaretto).



Day six - Monday was Two Birds Monday Inspiration. Lack of planning meant I had to wear a different dress to the one I really wanted. Will this teach me a lesson? Probably not.



Day seven - wearing the dress that I really wanted to wear yesterday. I figured out why it I hung it up wrinkled - it's a pig to iron and creased within minutes of putting it on. I love it though and it's huge pockets, the belt really shows them off and gives me somewhere to tuck the end of the belt in too!



Day eight - it has become apparent that my rarely worn items seem to be dresses. I do find it so easy just to pull on a pair of jeans in the morning. I bought this dress last year in the sale - just £7.00. I'm also using my gorgeous Custard Designs bag, it doesn't get used nearly as much as it should! And whilst I love my bird cage umbrella, I do wish it got a lot less use. Drizzle is the worst!

Are you taking part in Only Once August? How are you getting on?

Love

I'm really pleased that my Only Once August challenge didn't stop me taking part in Two Birds Inspiration Monday this week. I tried a belt with this tunic dress but it just didn't work and I wanted to forgo the footless tights but the weather just isn't good enough for bare legs.

I have a dress, in a similar colour, that would be a better match for Katie's dress but it desperately needed ironing and I had no time before heading out to work this morning. Note to self - plan your outfit the night before and stop the last minute morning rush!

I'll post an Only Once August update on Wednesday.

See all the other interpretations here.

Love