No Longer a Hoarder

Took the opportunity to go through my closet while I was on Maternity Leave, and I got rid of 7 large boxes of clothing. Just thinking about it brings a feeling of weightlessness. I had so much shit that I didn’t need. The goal was to finally be rid of the excess baggage and simplify my wardrobe to a few pieces that I can rotate. Like these jeans for example, I think I wear them once a week at this point. They are so comfortable and they work with just about everything.

Until recently, I hadn’t paid too much attention to fashion, but ever since going back to work I have been lured back into the abyss.  To be fair, I go willingly because fashion is something I adore, but I also had to be conscious of reforming old habits. Those pesky sale notifications that continuously crop up with the most beautifully put together ensemble, the continuous stream of new fashion shows, the influencers, they all do a great job of tempting me to SPEND, SPEND, SPEND. At first, I bought a few things that I told myself I “needed” but I caught myself falling back into the “accumulation” trap and cut myself off before winding up in the same place I had just left. Other that using my common sense, I don’t have a fail-safe way of making sure that I don’t end up with wads of clothing that I don’t need yet again. Nevertheless, I have tasked myself with answering these question before buying an item. Why do you need this item?, How does it fit into your current wardrobe?, Can it be substituted with something you already have? How much wear will you get out of it and lastly, are you purchasing it because it’s a trendy or brand name item?

Take for example this bag, i’ve noticed that BOX bags are a huge hit this season. I thought… “these bags are so cute, and they work perfectly with my new ‘simplified look’, especially since i’ve been lugging around a breast pump, OY.” It would be an easy way to avoid carrying two medium/large bags, while still maintaining my style.  The only downfall was the crazy price tag. Was it worth the investment? I decided that it wasn’t, but I found this emerald green bag for a tiny fraction of the price and I really wanted to spice it up so I got my initials embroidered onto it. The end result was a win-win for me, I got the look that I wanted and I didn’t feel like I broke any of my rules in obtaining this new item. Feel free to share any tricks-of-the-trade that might work to keep you from shopping, I would love to hear them.  Below are a few photos of how I styled the look.

Jeans: H&M, Hat: Urban Outfitters, Shoes: Prada, Top: Nasty Gal

Until Next Time…