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SYC Check In

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

So..... whose still in and who has fallen away? If you had a slip- are you picking back up or stepping down?
This week, after I finished grocery shopping I had a few bucks left. I decided to take those to the Thrift Store and I found a really nice Anne Klein blazer. I still have to post pics of it, because I'm not sure how to wear it yet. It was nice that I found such a nice item that fits really well and is within my budget.

Shopping

14 replies

Latest reply was from Lisa

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I should clarify I'm SYBudget, not Closet so I hope I'm not jumping in incorrectly on this thread. I was spending up my budget pretty freely there for a while but have 'calmed down' some and have about $35 left for the rest of the month.
I did notice that I am still tending to nickel and dime my purchases, when the idea for the 2 month budget was to allow me to mentally be okay with larger ticket items. Guess I'm not there yet. I do have my eye on a cute jacket over $100 and some boots at almost $200 - either of which I could theoretically spend Mar/April budget on. Will I be ready to take that leap in my next 2 month budget cycle? I hope so. I don't want to spend more just for the sake of spending, but I can't stay locked into the bargain hunter mentality for every purhcase, either.
Either way, I do like being able to see what the money has gone to with the keeping track each month.

catgirl

Veteran

I fell off and hauled myself back on. DH's Valentine's gift is helping me get through February (my worst month because it's still only mid-winter!). I am making progress with my closet in little fits and starts as far as purging, repairing and organizing. I have not kept track of money "not spent", but when I start buying again, I am going to set a clear and definite budget so I can use that to exert some self-control.

MsMary

Veteran

I fell off a little bit -- I have been NEEDING a striped sailor-type top and found the perfect one on eBay, so I went ahead and got it and am very pleased. Again, I figure SYC is not about missing out on items you KNOW are wardrobe priorities. (Here it is: http://www.jcrew.com/womens_ca...../24484.jsp . Squee!! Turns out I paid just $2 less on eBay than I would have if I'd snagged it at retail, but at least I found one.) But I'm back on now.

I also ordered two pair of tan shoes and one pair of cognac boots and they are all going back because none of them is perfect enough to justify breaking SYC. I'm still on the lookout for the perfect tan pumps, but I've decided they will have to be purchased in person rather than online, because it's all about the color.

In budget news, I revamped my clothing budget after I dropped out of school, and have tripled my monthly clothing budget! V. fun! That means I will be able to spend pretty much what I was spending in the last part of last year, but now I will actually have it in the budget instead of scraping it up from behind the sofa cushions. LOL It also means that after SYC is over, I'm giving myself permission to look at some higher-end retailers than I've been used to patronizing, which is fun. (Not talking anything too extreme, but, say, J Crew in addition to AT Loft.)

All in all, it was an okay SYC week, I'd say.

Isabel

Veteran

Mo !!! I totally love your SYB theme. It is sooo appropriate and centrist. It will hopefully become a lifelong strategy for me. It made me realize how I binge : I either go for months with buying nothing or I go nuts a couple of times a year and end up with regrets.

Thank you !

MaryK, I really like your approach too.

Kim

Veteran

I'm still hanging in there. Picked up some more gear (dri fit long underwear) for more comfortable running, and that's it. I wend shopping with my sister and my SIL yesterday and was happy when *they* bought the accessories I loved! (I'll be shopping their closets for those! LOL)

Things are going well so far. I took Una's friends advice (the pastor who wrote the shopping article) and shopped for my kids this week. I bought them each a nice article of clothing from the clearance racks at Winners, and so far 2 out of the three of them love what I got them. That felt really great!

Plan on holding out until March 31, but then I'll be picking up a few things for spring/summer.

Scarlet

Veteran

Well, I am out of SYC and onto SYBudget I would say. But I did last more than a month!!! I have always kept a budget, but this time it is stricter (practicing for the eventuality of other financial commitments, like, say, little tykes or something). I did buy those jeans, and I think I will get the things I posted about over the weekend, not to mention a scarf and a tank top. I do feel that these are all highly useful items that fill holes in or update my wardrobe for the new season. I feel like through YLF I am learning to be more strategic and that makes me happy. Also, to clarify, my budget is over the year. The month to month thing doesn't really work for me because I love spring and fall shopping. Sometimes great things pop up in the after-season sales, but I find I am so much more likely to make a mistake on a sale item.

Last summer I had such a hard time putting myself together in the heat that I definitely need to solve that wardrobe issue, so that is on my mind as I wait for more spring collections. Fortunately spring/summer clothes and shoes tend to be much cheaper.

Marley

Veteran

I'm still in - and haven't fallen off even once! I do have a $150. gift certificate from J. Crew however (from my mother-inlaw) and I am wondering if I used it that that would officially knock me off of SYC? I've never shopped at J.Crew before though, so I'm not feeling a strong "pull" to go there and buy something!
The feeling that keeps coming up for me while SYCing is "peaceful." I just don't have to go on all of the shopping websites and look and compare and obsess and order and then return and re-order, etc. - or go to the malls and walk up and down the hallways planning and plotting the sales and keeping track of return policies, etc. Ahhhhh . . . such a relief!

Another great benefit for me is that I am having much more time to be creative - and that simply feeds my soul. I am practicing it with the way I dress and the way that I spend my free time. The Sart challenge has been a great one for me because it is just plain fun! I look forward to finding an outfit in my closet everyday that can be part of my Sart interpretation and it is giving me an outlet for having fun with fashion - which is different than when I shop - shopping is more of an outlet for dealing with anxiety - (when I stifle my creative juices, I become anxious!)

I also have gained a much better appreciation for the clothes/shoes/handbags and other accessories in my wardrobe. Many of them had been neglected for months because I had forgotten about them and/or I was just too "busy" shopping the next thing that I'd become obsessed about! (A very crazy-making cycle!)

Finally, I have not transferred my buying habits onto anything else - so I have more money in my pocket, and when I go to pay the bills each month, I don't get a stomach ache realizing how much I've frittered away on my wardrobe! Yeah!

catgirl

Veteran

Marley, you are my HERO. Your post is so wonderful to read, and your attitude inspires me all over again.

I don't think using a gift certificate counts as breaking SYC. But hoarding it for a bit might be fun too, just in case you start to crack!

MsMary

Veteran

I definitely think GC's are exempt from SYC!

And yes, Marley is the QUEEN of SYC!!!

Kate

Veteran

I'm still in! I sold a couple things to Buffalo Exchange last night, and looked around to see if there was anything I wanted to get with my profit. There wasn't, so I'm $15 richer! I also made a quick stop at Target today, and decided to check out the clothes to test my will. I actually ended up trying a couple things on, but didn't buy anything. It really helps to think about how so much stuff out there is ok, but not perfect, and I really should only be buying things that are perfect. They're the only ones worth potentially breaking SYC for, and the only things I should be buying even when I'm done with SYC.

Mellllls

Veteran

I still haven't bought anything since Jan. 1. I did receive a cardigan as a gift last week. I also have done some shopping at Nordstrom and Ann Taylor Loft. Didn't see anything tempting at Nordstrom but there were some good stuff at Loft. I tried on but didn't purchase, thought I'd think about it a little more.

crwilson

Veteran

I'm still in, and I think I might stay in at least until the end of the month. As Marley said, what I mostly feel now is peace. I've been saving items that I like in a wishlist, but there's just nothing that I feel like I HAVE to buy, even though there are actually some pretty big gaps in my closet due to fluctuating weight. But somehow I just don't care as much as I did, and it's a lot less stressful.

Megan

I had one little slip up- a pair of cognac Frye boots on ebay that were exactly what I've been looking for. I sent my auction sniper for $130 and walked away. I ended up winning the auction for $73.11!

They arrived last week and I am blissfully happy with them. I did find that I really appreciated getting them (even though it's too hot to wear them here yet) and I'm so glad that I didn't miss out- they really are PERFECT.

I'll post pics soon but here's the link to check them out (mine are the cognac)

http://www.zappos.com/frye-carson-tall-outside-zip

Am back on the wagon now.

Lisa

Veteran

I fell off the wagon twice in Jan, but compared to my past habits, that's a big difference. I used the bulk of this extra time not shopping to cook at home more, start listing my clothing items and purging. I am coupling SYC with a 3 month wear everything twice challenge (at least of my cold weather clothes). I am creating a small specific list of items for spring/summer I knew were holes last year and keeping an eye out for the items but no extras. I will admit, it was quite satisfying when I broke SYC the first time, for a much wanted black blazer and NOTHING else. Too often, I purchase extra items just because "I'm already here in the store." Also creating a spreadsheet helped me realize I had way too many clothes for colder months and the list format is helping me streamline, as is noting how often I am wearing something. I may just get all my clothes into one closet yet!