It's that time of year when I look back and conjure up some percentages relating to this year's clothing purchases. In a previous post I shared every item I purchased in 2017, this is the annual breakdown.

Overall I spent £663.03, which is over my £600 budget but it's still eighty quid less than last year, and my lowest spend since I started a tally in 2012. I'm chalking this up as a success, especially when I think about the fact I spent £1,250.86 in 2015, and £1751.00 in 2012!

How many items did I buy?
83 items in total - 40 new and 43 pre-loved. This is my third highest number of purchases, but because I purchased more pre-loved items it's my lowest spend.

What percentage of items purchased were pre-loved?
For the first time I purchased more pre-loved than new - 52%

What percentage of items purchased are still owned?
85% which is the same as last year - the highest since records began.

Total of discarded items
£88.14 - this figure makes me all the more determined to sell the items I'll never wear, perhaps I can make a good chunk of this back?

What percentage of items purchased remain unworn?
19% - this seems a little high but some of the items in this are maternity bits that I didn't get to wear, and some are new purchases that just haven't been worn yet, but most definitely will.


What was the most expensive item?
My green skirt at £25.60, was the most expensive, and definitely my most worn item. I was really surprised by this, this seems like such a small amount, last year my most expensive item was £95.00, followed by a cardigan at £40.00.


What was most expensive pre-loved item?
My bargain £24.99 burgundy boots! This might be my most expensive pre-loved item but it's still a bargain price for leather boots in really good condition.

What was the cheapest of both categories?
New flip flops for 90p, that I wore all summer long, and 99p for a pre-loved maxi skirt from ebay.

I buy a lot of pre-loved items but discard quite a high number of them. This is because I got out of habit of trying things on in charity shops, and made too many ebay purchases that I had no option of returning, so I'm stuck with items that don't fit or I don't like. You don't get this problem with a new purchase, but it won't put me off buying pre-loved.


What were my clothes related resolutions for 2017?

For 2017 I wanted my spending to be lower than 2016, which it was.

I wanted to wear items purchased in 2016 that I hadn't worn.
This had some success. I had eight items on the 'Unworn' list. One item was donated, one still needs altering, three items were added to capsules and worn a number of times, and three items still need to be worn (or donated / sold). Although one of these items is a dress that makes me smile so I'm pretty sure that even if I don't wear it, it'll remain in my wardrobe. I will wear it, one day. Probably.

Have another ban on buying PJs.
I didn't buy any PJ bottoms but I did have the need for a few new vest tops. I bought three and put some old ones, that I'd had for years, in the rag bag.

I need to alter items in a more timely manner
I have altered / mended a few things during 2017, but there are still way too many items needing my attention. I've put 'Mend' on my winter to-do list. Although I'm doubtful that it'll have the desired effect.

Sell the things I no longer want, or that don't fit.
I didn't sell a single thing. I always say I'm going to sell things but it all ends up in a pile in the spare room and gets forgotten.


My 2018 Resolutions (at the risk of sounding like a broken record)

Reduce the number of clothes I buy overall
Buy more pre-loved clothes than new
Reduce my overall spend again, I'll try for £600 and see if I can make it this year!
Alter / mend all items that need it
Sell all the things that don't fit or I no longer wear. Anything not sold by the summer will be donated to charity.
Reduce the percentage that I buy and then donate / sell / pass on.

I think that having a seasonal capsule wardrobe and taking part in A Buyer's Archive has made me more aware of the amount I spend, and what kind of clothes I like to wear. Over the years I've stopped buying things that I like but don't fit in my wardrobe. If I can't think of three ways to wear something I don't buy it.

Now, if I can just break those other annoying habits...

Do you keep a tally of your spending?

Links to previous years - 2012   |  2013  |  2014  |  2015  |  2016

Here's every item of clothing, and accessories I purchased in 2017. It looks like a lot doesn't it? And I'm surprised to say I bought more this year than last, even though I spent less.

I haven't yet stopped buying items in charity shops without trying them on, and I've made a few ebay purchases that didn't fit, and couldn't be returned, so I still have a number of items that haven't been worn, and won't ever be. But they hang around in my wardrobe because I say I'm going to get them all on listed ebay, but it doesn't happen. This seems to be a recurring theme in these round up posts. Some habits die hard.

I did occasionally make an impulse purchase, but these are at a minimum now, when I buy something I always ask myself if it fits in with my current capsule wardrobe, if the answer is 'no', it doesn't get purchased. If I don't think I'll wear something 30 times, it doesn't get purchased. Luckily the items that I felt I simply 'had to have' (the green skirt, the California tee, the burgundy boots, the stripy jumper) fitted my capsule with ease.

I'd say that there is a pretty even split between things being worn a lot, things been worn occasionally, and things that have never being worn and are destined for ebay. Only three items have been donated so far. The rest will be donated when I get fed up of looking at the pile and realise that I'll never get them listed.

The question is - am I happy with my purchases? I am, yes. I bought some things that weren't right, for whatever reason, but for the most part I feel I bought some lovely items. Things that I feel I'll wear again and again.

For 2018, I'm wondering if I can I manage a spending ban every other month? Would this just make me spend more during the 'can spend' months? January, BTW, is already can-spend month!

You can see my all my monthly Buyer's Archive posts here.

Each month I'm posting my clothing and accessory purchases in A Buyer's Archive, inspired by Elise, to keep track of what I'm buying and spending, and to compare with that of last year.

THIS YEAR

When I looked at the items in my capsule wardrobe in mid November, I felt truly uninspired. Once I'd removed all the maternity clothes from the capsule I was left with my usual colour palette of predominantly navy, grey, and beige and it left me feeling flat. I wanted colour, and lots of it! So I indulged in some online shopping and I bought all the colours of the rainbow. It cheered me up to wear some colour, and I needed my spirits lifted. Clothes can be more than just garments to keep us covered and warm.


I was over the moon with my first purchase of the month - burgundy knee high boots, £24.99, pre-loved from ebay, originally from Topshop. I just adore them.

An ASOS order saw a pink jumper (£20.80 in the sale), and a colourful stripy jumper (£25.00) added to my wardrobe.

A small trip around the charity shops in Felixstowe mid month had me heading home with a not very colourful, but gorgeously soft grey and white scarf for £3.75.

A quick charity shop rummage in Ipswich offered up a gorgeous green Zara jumper (£3.99), and a grey pleated M&S midi skirt (£3.25).

I picked up a tapestry skirt for £9.00, and a statement necklace for £7.00, in a few Instagram sales. And whilst doing a few last bits of last minute Christmas shopping I came home with a pair of burgundy tights (£3.00), to wear with my new boots, and another scarf (£18.00) for myself.

But it doesn't end there!

An ebay search offered up a black mini skirt, won for £4.20, that matched the one I had in my mind's eye when I wrote my shopping list at the beginning of the year. I also bought a light blue pre loved Topshop midi skirt that took my fancy, I had some Nectar vouchers to use so this ended costing me just £3.00. I'm still waiting for this to arrive...

That's a lot of clothes shopping for one month, certainly more than I anticipated. But when you crave colour and have none what are you to do?


LAST YEAR

I made just two purchases in December '16. Two shirts, one ex-stock and one pre-loved, and both have been worn a number of times, and will continue to be worn.


The short sleeved shirt was £12.80 from ebay and the other was from Rachel the Hat in one of her Instagram sales for £9.00. Both excellent purchases I think.


Total for December: £125.98

Overall total for 2017: £663.03

Total at this time last year:  £742.39

Obviously my spending this month takes me over my budget of £600, but I am still under my total of last year, so I'm taking it as a win anyway.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! I hope 2018 brings love, fun, and positivity (and lots of gorgeous charity shop finds).
xx

Last year I compiled a shopping list of things that I felt were missing from my wardrobe, I posted the list in early February. Having remembered I'd done so, I was interested to see how many things I'd ticked off.

In no particular order the items were;

Slouchy jeans
I found a pair in a charity shop in August, they're pre loved Oasis jeans and I picked them up for a bargain £2.00. They're not exactly what I had in mind but they are lovely, very comfy, and I wear them a lot.

Black knee boots
I put this to the back of my mind until recently, I've ordered a few pairs, only to return them. I've got an ill-fitting pair I won't be keeping from ebay, but I have another pair on my ebay watch list that I'm hopeful about. And I feel I should mention the burgundy boots I found, just because they're so pretty!

Ankle boots
I saw many I liked but in the end I didn't feel the need to purchase any, the boots I have sufficed.

Bright jumper
I wanted pink, and this one (pictured above) was perfect. It's a recent purchase but one I think will be worn a lot.

White shirt
I wanted a semi fitted shirt in a soft fabric with a rounded hem. I kept my eyes open in charity shops but I didn't find one.

Basic white t-shirt
A white version of the black t-shirt I purchased last summer would've been perfect. I should've bought it when I posted the list because they still sold them then, but not anymore. What I like about it is that it has a rounded hem, which is not something that I've seen any where else.

Black jacket / Statement jacket / Grey jacket
No to all.

Floaty floral skirt
I didn't buy a floral skirt but I did buy a green skirt that I adore!

Black mini skirt
My original post said - Not tiny mini, mid thigh mini to wear in the cooler months, probably a tweedy or textured fabric - and it just so happens I currently have one on my ebay watch list.

Floaty maxi or midi dress
I did buy a maxi dress but I didn't wear it in the end. I bought it in February and by the time the nice weather came around I'd gone off it. It hangs in my wardrobe waiting to be put on ebay.

Smart trousers 
I've seen a pair I like...

Of course I bought a lot more besides but I think I did OK ticking things off the list, I still keep an eye open for the remaining items when I'm out on a charity shop rummage. One day these things will appear, they always do eventually.

Each month I'm posting my clothing and accessory purchases in A Buyer's Archive, inspired by Elise, to keep track of what I'm buying and spending, and to compare with that of last year.

THIS YEAR

I made a few maternity purchases in early November. A denim dress, which I thought would look great with a long sleeved striped t-shirt underneath (£3.70), and a motif t-shirt (£4.00), both pre-loved from ebay. They've been folded up and stored away until I can decide what I want to do with them.

I also won some Clarks boots, very similar to those pictured, for £21.00, but they're a wide fit (I didn't read the description properly), so they're going back on ebay.

Then I bought some pants, three pairs for £14.00 from Next. Not exciting, but essential. I liked the colour combination of these, I don't wear white pants and generally every pack includes a white pair, which is annoying.

So not much in the way of purchases for what feels like a higher spend than usual.

LAST YEAR


I bought three items, a grey t-shirt from ASOS, £17.00. And one in pale neon orange, £7.00. And a neckerchief I found in a charity shop, £1.99.

I still have the t-shirts, the grey one needs mending but the orange one has been worn a number of times, both have been put away until the spring. The neckerchief didn't get worn much so went to a carboot sale in the summer, I think I sold it for a pound.


Total for November: £42.70

Total so far for 2017: £536.55

Total at this time last year:  £720.59

I'm still on target for my £600 budget, but I have been doing a bit of online browsing and there are a number of things that have caught my eye. Can I resist?

What have you been buying this month?

Each month I'm posting my clothing and accessory purchases in A Buyer's Archive, inspired by Elise, to keep track of what I'm buying and spending, and to compare with that of last year.

Autumn has arrived, so my attention has been turned to jumpers and all things warm.

October is when Sophie and I get together for a tour of the charity shops, this time rummaging around in Bury St Edmunds. I purchased a gingham shirt. It was brand new, still with the tags on from Primark. I picked it up in Cancer Research for £4.00 and it's been worn four times already.

Blue jeans £12.00. I always look out for jeans when in charity shops, I rarely find any so when I do, I buy them (even if I bought a pair only a few months ago). When it comes to jeans I wear them until they fall apart, which is when I can't possibly patch them up any more, so I have no qualms about multiple denim purchases.


Christmassy jumper, £5.00 charity shop, originally from Next. I liked that this was vaguely a Christmas jumper (the patterns on the sleeves make it so in my mind), but most of all it has super long sleeves, which makes it so warm and cosy, but, as Sophie pointed out, not so good for doing the washing up. I think all jumpers should have sleeves this long, and did you notice the little pockets?

Then another pair of jeans found their way into my wardrobe, this time via ebay. They're Topshop Baxter jeans, £40.00 if purchased new, but I paid just £8.00. They fit like a dream and they obviously haven't been worn much by the previous owner as they're still black, not the grey/black that jeans turn when washed a lot. They're a good replacement for my black jeans that suddenly, and annoyingly, lost all their stretch.


LAST YEAR


In October last year I spent £163.00, which must've been the biggest monthly spend of the year. I bought a coat for £95.00 which would explain it. I'd been looking for a new winter coat for a few years, and being oddly fussy about coats, I hadn't found one. Although it was way over my budget, I decided to go ahead and buy it. I felt better about the purchase when I realised that my old winter coat had been kicking around for about 12 years.

The loafers have been neglected somewhat, so much so that I could sell them as 'VGC' on ebay. The California tee was worn a lot in the summer but twisted so much in the wash it was unwearable.

The black dress was worn a few times last autumn / winter but when I looked at it this year I just thought 'meh', so it went back to the charity shop. The polka dot dress has a seriously wonky hem and is in the mend pile. It's been there a while!

The cardigan was purchased on my shopping trip with Sophie last year. Originally from Monsoon, it's kept it shape and not bobbled at all. It's been a firm favourite in the winter months.

The pom pom necklace was worn a lot over the summer last year, but only occasionally this summer. And the earrings haven't been worn at all. I shouldn't bother buying earrings, I rarely remove the diamond studs that Andy gave me for my birthday, not long after we'd started dating. Do you have jewellery that never comes off?


Total for October: £29.00

Total so far for 2017: £456.88

Total at this time last year: £694.60

What have you been buying this month?

Each month I'm posting my clothing and accessory purchases in A Buyer's Archive, inspired by Elise, to keep track of what I'm buying and spending, and to compare with that of last year.

THIS YEAR

Only a few purchases this month, two new items, and one pre-loved. My new purchases are wardrobe staples and I have no doubt that they will be worn time and time again. The navy jumper, £16.00 (worn in the picture above), was a replacement for one I've been wearing regularly for two years.


I bought this navy jumper two years ago because I knew it would be a versatile piece. It's been in every capsule I've had and has been worn both casually and dressed up countless times, a few of which you can see in the above montage. My new one isn't an exact match but it's close enough. I bought a grey one, also £16.00, knowing that it would slot into my wardrobe with ease.

I now ask myself if I'll wear something 30 times or more before making a new purchase, and with these two jumpers the answer was most certainly 'yes'. I've had them only a few weeks and I've worn the navy one half a dozen times already, the grey one twice.

My pre-loved item is a super cute White Stuff shirt with embroidered hearts, found in a charity shop 'Everything-a-Pound' sale. With a vest underneath, jeans, boots and a woolly scarf it's going to be prefect for the coming season.

I'm turning my thoughts to cosy jumpers and thick socks now that autumn is well on it's way, I'm really going to miss the warmer days and lighter evenings. I don't feel like we had a proper summer this year, but you can always depend on the cold weather to materialise!

LAST YEAR
I only spent £4.75 in September last year. I purchased two charity shop items - a £3 coin purse that I'm still using, and a bracelet for £1.25 that has been worn a lot.

Total for September: £33.00

Total so far for 2017: £427.88

Total at this time last year: £531.60

I'm still under last year's spend, and £170 under budget for this year with three months to go - can you believe there are only three months of the year left?!

Check out the #buyersarchive hashtag to see posts from everyone taking part.

An entire month without blogging. Where did August go exactly? I'm sure some of it slipped away early and without permission...

Anyway, each month I'm posting my clothing and accessory purchases in A Buyer's Archive, inspired by Elise, to keep track of what I'm buying and spending, and to compare with that of last year.

This year

I kinda forgot about my Fast Fashion Fast and fell head first into H&M and New Look. Oops.

H&M California t shirt £8.99, H&M sunnies £6.99, New Look bra £6.99, New Look t shirt £6.00.

When I saw the California tee I had to have it to replace the Primark one I'd had to reluctantly part with earlier this season. The sunnies are replacements for a pair that broke recently. In the New Look sale and I found a triangle bra with a back fastening - hurrah! wide shoulders make over the head bras a nightmare - and this pink tee whispered to me on my way to the checkout.

And of course there was some charity shop action...

Hobbs skirt £6.00, Oasis jeans £2.00, Tu top £2.49.

I'm yet to wear the skirt, but the jeans, which were brand new, have been worn a lot. The top has been out on the hotter days we've had - not that there have been many of those sadly! Signs look good for an Indian summer though...

August has seen more additions to my wardrobe than I thought I'd have but I like really everything, and I didn't spend that much...

Last year



Zara dungarees  |  pre loved via ebay  |  £13.00
Loved them last year, have worn them only once so far this year.


Scarf  |  £4.00
The open weave kept snagging on random things. It didn't last long.

Miss Selfridge short dungarees   |  pre loved via ebay  |  £7.21
These don't fit well, so they went in the charity bag.

Slippers  |  George   |  £4.00
Still about, still being worn occasionally.

Pants (not pictured)  |  3 pairs for £10.00
You can never have too many pairs of pants.

Total for August: £39.46

Total so far for 2017: £394.88

Total at this time last year: £526.85

I'm still below my total at the same time last year, and to stay within my £600 budget I'll have to be careful with spending over the next few months. Four months - £50 per month max!

Check out the #buyersarchive hashtag to see posts from everyone taking part.

Each month I'm posting my clothing and accessory purchases in A Buyer's Archive, inspired by Elise, to keep track of what I'm buying and spending, and to compare with that of last year.

This year


I had another little charity shop jaunt. I decided that my gingham top, purchased last month from ebay, didn't fit well and I can only be honest and say I didn't have the inclination to alter it, so I'm putting it back on ebay. I found this Next striped top (£4.79) to replace it in my summer capsule, but I'm not sure it works now that I've got it home.

I also said goodbye to my Primark California t-shirt, bought for £2 in Cancer Research. I washed it three times before it became so misshapen that I could no longer wear it. I even tied it in a knot at the waist to disguise the wonky hem for a few wears, I haven't done that for years, possibly decades! To replace it I bought a cute blue shirt (£3.25) originally from H&M.

Then I found a lovely long sleeved floral shirt, originally from Oasis, for £3.25, which has been tucked away for autumn.

A few weeks later I somehow (?) found myself wandering around Next on the first day of the sale, I'd wondered if a skirt I'd tried on a while ago would be in the reduced. It was! From £60.00 to £25.00, I grabbed it, paid, and was back in my car before I could change my mind. With no occasion to wear it I decided to find any excuse to get it on my body, first up I wore it to Tesco - just because. Then I wore it to a friend's for dinner. I have a meal out coming up next month so I can wear it for that too. Can you tell I'm trying to justify my purchase here? If you love it, wear it, right?


Within the last few days I added a new bag to my collection. I'd been looking out for a small leather bag, and when I visited the Yoshi website and saw this one I didn't have to think twice (I blame Laura). It was originally £65.00, down to £30.00 with a 20% discount, making it just £24.00, how could I not?

Last year


H&M dress, top left, £16.78 and ASOS dress, top middle, £18.00, both pre-loved from ebay.

These dresses were a result of some slightly drunken ebay bids. I didn't need either of them but I purchased them for a wedding, for which the rose one was worn. I can't swear to it but I think the fact that they both had pockets fueled my desire to make them mine.  I almost wore the second dress recently, but didn't. I'm not getting rid of it though, it's too pretty. Perhaps I'll pop it on next time I go to Tesco?



Poncho  |  ASOS  |  £20.00
Purchased in case of a downpour at Latitude but for the second year running we had glorious weather. Instead it was worn for sitting and watching an outdoor performance of The Tempest in the rain, which was incredibly apt and only served to add to the experience in my mind.

Bracelets  |  H&M  |  £3.99 and £4.99
The silver one I still have and often wear it, the other was given away.

Bikini  |  Debenhams  |  £26.00
Purchased for the possibility of swimming in the lake at Latitude. This still hasn't been worn.

Ombre Poncho  |  Tu  |  £12.00
Worn a few times but I do believe it's been given to charity, but I might have to check my wardrobe for confirmation.

Sunglasses  |  H&M  |  £7.00
Snapped beyond repair and chucked into the recycling.

Sandals   |  £16.00
I haven't worn them yet this year, and it's unlikely that I will given the purchase of a much nicer, more comfortable pair in April. These are destined for the charity bag.

Festival hat  |  Latitude  |  £10.00
Sold at a carboot sale for a quid. I have three hats and I only ever wear them once a year at most.

Total for July: £60.29

Total so far for 2017: £392.39

Total at this time last year: £489.64

I did spend more this month than I anticipated but I think I've purchased some great items, that'll get worn and be enjoyed a lot. Maybe August will be less spendy?

Check out the #buyersarchive hashtag to see posts from everyone taking part.

Each month I'm posting my clothing and accessory purchases, inspired by Elise, to keep track of what I'm buying and spending, and to compare with that of last year.

This Year

I hit up ebay early in the month and purchased some yellow shorts (£3.70). I can't wear yellow around my face as it washes me out but I when I saw these I decided to take a punt. And y'know what? I kinda like them.

Of course just buying one pair of shorts wasn't enough, and I found these denim shorts (£1.99) winging their way to me after I was the only person to bid. Originally from M&S they're really nice, I like a longer length so these are pretty perfect.

This Monsoon gypsy top (£3.70) caught my eye. I thought it would be cotton but it's a jersey fabric so I'm not sure about it... it might find itself back on ebay.

My only new purchase of the month (purchased before signing up to the Fast Fashion Fast) was this epic ASOS skirt (£25.60 with 20% discount). I fell in love with the colour, the fullness and the pockets. It's now the object of a #30Wears mini challenge, as a result it's already been worn a lot, and the pockets well used. Although with a full bottle of water in each pocket I did feel like a donkey with panniers. But I do love a pocket.

My most boring purchase of the month was a two pack of hosiery (£4.00). I needed some to wear with a knee length skirt to a fancy pants restaurant we were heading to, bare legs weren't appropriate, so it was a last minute dash to Asda.

Then I had another ebay spree (the Fast Fashion Fast only prohibits high street shopping, not pre-loved). I purchased a Hobbs top for £17.17. I wouldn't normally spend so much on a pre-loved item but when I looked at my summer capsule I thought it could be a versatile piece so I placed a bid and hoped it would fit well.

Then I became enamored with the floral print on this wrap top, I was the only bidder so it was mine for £3.50. Sadly this feels awkward to wear so it won't be staying in my wardrobe.

My next purchase was a pre-loved shirt dress for £4.49, swiftly followed by a pre-loved French Connection skirt for £3.00. I adore them both, just look at those prints!

After adding a number of colourless items to my wardrobe last month, I think I've upped the colour quota nicely.

Last Year

Light Brown Heels  |  New Look  |  £24.99
I wore these out to dinner, and to a wedding. For their second outing I wore them for 14 hours, and have, ahem, a vague recollection of dancing (like no one was watching) at the end of the evening, with no hint of a blister. Win!

Bardot top  |  ASOS  |  £18.00
Loved this with my dunagrees, but I haven't worn it yet this year.

And I bought some pants. Three pairs for a tenner. Perfect for wearing under lighter clothes and an absolute essential for summer.

Total for June: £67.15

Total so far for 2017: £332.10

Total at this time last year: £354.88

Once again I feel like I've purchased a lot but all of these things are in my capsule wardrobe for summer, and I'm still below my total for this time last year. Half way through the year I'm just over the half way point of my £600 budget, so with some careful spending in the next six months I should come in below target with ease.

Check out the #buyersarchive hashtag to see posts from everyone taking part.

This year

After last month's attack of the spends I thought I'd be more restrained with my spending this month, but it seems I haven't finished just yet.

Firstly, I picked up a fascinator for £6.00 and a pair of shorts, £2.50, in my local charity shop, not that I need either.

Then I decided I wanted a lace crop (but not too cropped) top to wear with the high waisted midi skirt I purchased last month. A quick look on ebay, a sneaky last minute bid, and this BNWT Topshop lace top was mine for £6.00.

I then wanted a cardigan for a funeral, for which we have been asked to wear colour. This turned out to be rather tricky as you don’t want to be too colourful, and there is a real possibility that you can look like you’re going to a wedding (especially as my most colourful items have been purchased specifically for weddings). In the end I settled on a patterned knee length skirt but I needed an appropriate top. So I purchased a cardigan from New Look that I know I’ll wear again, £9.99.

Next up I purchased 2 vest tops, £11.20 - 20% off in Miss Selfridge, to wear under the cardigan and the lace top. Talk about a cascade of spending.

Last Year


Asymmetric Knotted Sweater  |  Zara  |  £19.99
I have a love/hate relationship with this. Sometimes it's the exact thing, other times it just annoys me. Is this normal?

T-shirt bra   |  Asda  |  £4.00
Not pretty but practical and necessary. And worn a lot.

Fatface top | Mind charity shop | £3.00
This lost it's shape after a few washes, and so has been relegated to the 'stuff I sleep in' drawer.

Wrap top | ASOS | £26.00
I decided after I'd worn this a few times that I actually rather disliked it. It's long gone.


Necklace | Next | £14.00
Love this!


Crew neck jumper | ASOS | £16.00
I really rather like this. But haven't put it in a capsule for a while. 

T-shirt | Topshop | £14.00
An essential. I love the curved hem, it's really flattering.

Total for May: £35.69

Total so far for 2017: £264.95

Total at this time last year: £301.89

Looking at my purchases it's clear that May isn't a month in which I add much colour to my wardrobe.

Anyway, my total is still under what I'd spent at this time last year, and maybe now I've satisfied my spending itch I can have a more frugal month in June... we'll see - the arrival of summer always seems to make me crave new clothes.

Thanks to Elise for the inspiration and for organising the #buyersarchive hashtag.

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? 

After a frugal February I expected to make quite a few purchases this month and I was right. I kinda went a little overboard with my spending.

This year

Maxi skirt  |  pre loved via ebay  |  £0.99
I can imagine wearing this, with the hem skimming the sand of a far away beach. It'll probably skim no more than the streets of mid Suffolk this year, perhaps the pebbly beach of Felixstowe, but I can live in hope! It needs mending (the seller didn't mention a rip), and probably taking up and it's super long, but I'm looking forward to wearing it.

New Look heart shirt  |  £4.00  |  F&F floral top  |  £3.00  |  local charity shop 
Looking ahead to my capsule wardrobe change over I wanted to add a few prints for spring. A little rummage in my local charity shop offered up these two tops. I love the little hearts!


New Look Shirt dress  |  pre loved via ebay  |  £6.50
I have a black shirt dress that I love, it's easy to wear so when I spied this floral version on ebay I couldn't resist - it's perfect for spring.


T-shirt £4.00  |  Dress £24.99  |  Dress £9.00  |  all New Look
New Look had a sale, what was I supposed to do? 


ASOS boyfriend jeans  |  pre loved via ebay  |  £9.99
Too much of a bargain to pass up, they still had the tags on (originally £30.00). The seller purchased them last year but had never worn them. 

The prospect of warmer weather clearly sent me into a bit of a buying frenzy!

Last year

In March last year I spent £78.19.


T-shirt Bras  |  New Look via ASOS  |  £7.99
Standard stuff, worn a lot. Not much else to say.

Skirt  |  clothes swap  |  Free!
I love this skirt. After altering it I wore it a lot in the spring.

Long cardigan  |  H&M  |   £14.99
Worn once or twice but I went off it after a short while. I'm going to try it in my spring capsule and if it doesn't get worn it'll be popped in the charity bag.

New Look Sunglasses |  New Look via ASOS  |  £12.99
Worn a lot, and will be again when the sun comes out.

Bras  |  Next  |  £20.00
I wore the black one once but soon realised that it wasn't a good or comfortable fit. They both went to the charity shop.

Dorothy Perkins dress  |  £0.99 and New Look dress  |   £1.24  |  both via ebay
Neither of these stayed in my possession for very long. The one on the left didn't fit well. The other was rather more colourful than the ebay photo led me to believe, both were given to charity within days.

Black heels |  New Look  |  £19.99
Thankfully these are much more comfortable than the ones I purchased earlier in the year. I've only worn them an few times but they're comfortable and a good staple to have.

Some good purchases last year in the New Look bras, sunglasses, and heels. The clothes swap skirt was definitely a winner. But once again I feel I wasted money. I'm hoping that this won't be such a common theme when I look back at this year's purchases next year.

Total for March: £62.47

Total so far for 2017: £118.45

Total at this time last year: £182.68

What have you been buying this month?

Look out for the #buyersarchive hashtag on Twitter to see others taking part. 

I found myself idly scrolling though the ASOS sale. I had no intention of buying anything, I was just wasting time, waiting for Andy to finish a phone call so we could continue watching season six of The West Wing for the tenth time. And then I saw this dress. I had a maxi dress, a floral one, on my shopping list but I kinda fell in love with this.


Dress  |  £18.00  |  ASOS
Did you notice the pockets? It was originally £50.00 but was reduced to £18.00, I had £10 in vouchers to use so a cheeky £8.00 later this was mine! It'll definitely be making an appearance in my spring capsule. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some warm weather, failing that it works well with the denim jacket I purchased last month.

In February last year I purchased a very odd collection of items, and it's safe to say that these were never worn as an ensemble!



Beaded clutch bag  |  £6.49  |  ebay auction
Purchased for a ball, taken to the ball, almost taken to a wedding in July, left in the wardrobe ever since.

Slippers  |  £10.00  |  Next
Worn all year round until I could no longer ignore the the fact I'd worn through the sole on both feet. My Mum gave me a similar pair for Christmas with a more robust sole so they might last even longer...

Bikini  |  £30.00  |  Next
Worn once - under a robe for a spa day. The only other person to see this was the massage therapist, and even then she only saw the bottoms. To be fair there was the possibility of using the Jacuzzi so I did need one to wear one but I now realise I could've managed with the slightly tatty tankini I already owned. £30.00 wasted.

Total for February: £8.00

Total so far for 2017: £55.98

Total at this time last year: £104.49

Inspired by Elise, I'm posting my clothing and accessory purchases each month in A Buyer's Archive, to keep track of what I'm buying and spending, and to compare with that of last year.

Look out for the #buyersarchive hashtag to see others taking part. 

Over the course of last year I compiled a list of things that I felt were missing from my wardrobe. This was most definitely helped along by having a capsule wardrobe, which highlighted some gaps. As a result I purchased a pair of black court shoes, a basic grey tee, a black t shirt, a new winter coat last year, and most recently a denim jacket with long sleeves.

I'm slowly but surely whittling down my wardrobe to be one that my dreams are made of, and I think the addition of a few specific items will complete it.

I'm going on a mission to find as many of these items as I can, with luck by the end of the year I'll have found most of them, and I'm hoping that having this list will help stop any purchases I later regret.

In no particular order the items are;

Slouchy jeans
Slightly distressed looking, boyfriend or lose skinny, turns up maybe? I hate shopping for jeans but the perfect pair is out there...

Black knee boots
Mid heel, smart. I have some I love but they're not particularly comfortable after years of wear, I want to find another pair, and will happily invest a little more than I usually do now that I know how much I'll wear them.

Ankle boots
Small heel, leather, semi smart, Chelsea boot or brogue style, possibly burgundy. I ordered a few pairs last year but all they were all returned, I haven't given up hope of finding the perfect pair though.

Bright jumper
Pink or coral, chunky knit, round collar, raglan sleeves. This thought came on a particularly grey day, I wanted to inject some colour, and once the thought was there it didn't go away. It brought to mind this pin from my Looks I Love Pinterest board. I think it'll be a nice change from my normal muted hues.

White shirt
Semi fitted, soft fabric, rounded hem. I can't believe I don't own one!

Basic white t-shirt
A white version of the black t-shirt I purchased in the summer would be perfect.

Black jacketSemi fitted, smart, lightweight - something to wear in the evenings to go out - you know, out out.

Statement jacket
Something unusual, simple in shape and style but in an interesting material, perhaps with some sort of embellishment.

Grey jacket
Slouchy, comfy to wear in lieu of a cardigan.

Floaty floral skirt
I'm thinking a maxi, light fabric with muted toned flowers.

Black mini skirt
Not tiny mini, mid thigh mini to wear in the cooler months, probably a tweedy or textured fabric.

Floaty maxi or midi dress
Something with a cap sleeve, v neck, loose fitting

Smart trousers 
With a high waist, a wide leg. If I can't find a black pair a navy pinstripe or tweed will do.

I have images in my mind of how all of these items should look, which of course will make it much harder to find something that fits the bill, but hunting for the right things is half the fun of clothes shopping.

Do you have a list like this?

This year I'm joining A Buyer's Archive again with Elise, to keep track of my spending on clothes and accessories. I took part in 2016 too.

This Year 

I'm all set for winter clothes, but I did buy myself a cardigan that tickled my fancy in the Sainsbury's sale - half price at £14.00 (how could I not?), and a bra from Next £22.00, it's the first non wired bra I've worn since I was about 14 and it's unbelievably comfy.

I then purchased a cute polka dot neckerchief from ebay, £4.99, and whilst there I spotted this denim jacket for £6.99 - something that I've been keeping an eye out for - and couldn't resist.

Last Year

Looking back to January 2016 I didn't buy much, but still managed to spend £58.00.



Long navy cardigan  |  £8.00
This was worn a lot over the year, it was in 3 of my capsules last year, and is currently in my winter capsule so it was definitely worth it's £8.00 price tag.

Sports bra  |  £4.00
Purchased for pilates, so this wasn't worn at all after the first few months of the year...

... moving swiftly on ...

Black heels  |  £6.00
Comfy in the shop, uncomfortable when I got them home. I couldn't be bothered to return them so I took them to a clothes swap in February, where I found a white midi skirt that became a firm favourite last year.

Next cream wrap cardigan  |  £40.00
I loved how this looked in my mind, but when I realised in reality it looked more like a bath robe, I put it away. It didn't come out of the wardrobe again until I listed it on ebay in December and sold it for a paltry 99p. I love getting an ebay bargain, but feel a bit miffed if I'm on the other end of it.

It feels like I wasted £50.00 last January. This year, I've already worn my Tu cardigan a lot, and as I say, the bra is super comfy, the neckerchief super cute and has been worn twice, and the jacket is exactly what I was looking for, so I think these will all turn out to be worth their pricetag.

I am hoping to spend less on clothes and accessories again this year, and this is an OK start. I'm not sure if I'm going to set myself an overall budget (I have been pondering £600) or to just aim for less than 2016.

Total for January £47.98

Total so far for 2017: £47.98

Total at this time last year: £58.00

What have you been buying this month?

Look out for the #buyersarchive hashtag to see others taking part.