Refining shopping #s for 2020?

rachylou

Veteran

I’m contemplating buying only basics next year. I feel very happy, like I could go a long time with what I’ve got.

...Haha! I fool myself. Unlikely to happen. I love a good trend.

4 years ago

slim cat

Veteran

I need to rebuild modern-classic capsule: something that would be used for interviews ( if I'll go looking for a better job ) and the same time worn as separate pieces mixed with casual things that I have already. I thought that couple jackets and one pair of pants would be a starting point.
I'd love to find couple statement items for fun/special occasion like asymmetrical top and unusual in design but comfy shoes ( I know that's too much to wish for ). We'll see what will happen in the next 6-8 months.

4 years ago

Anonymous

My hopes/intentions are to avoid buying new shoes. I just have more than I need. And need to really enjoy what I have more, rather than pining after so many.

4 years ago

Anonymous

Well , since you asked ....I have been toying with the idea of a no-buy year for 2020 for myself . Clothes , bags , shoes - everything except underwear . I’m not sure yet - but it’s been in my mind for a few weeks now . I tend to be an all-or-nothing type , so this isn’t as crazy as it sounds . More to follow on this one

4 years ago

Bonnie

Veteran

I'm considering doing a one in one out year. I always mean to do this but so far have failed to stick with it. I also really need to replace hot weather clothing with cold weather clothing because we have very few days over 75F high where I live. Most days are in the 60F and I'm running cold these days.

4 years ago

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I am proud of myself for 2019- I am well under the 30 I promised myself I would not go over. I continue to refine. 2 pairs of my most loved and worn black booties are dying so I will be in the market for maybe a slightly more polished pair of black shoes?
Might continue to build the olive capsule? Or the bronze? Not sick of them yet. Olive has been going since 2013 but bronze mainly since 2018. I’d like to reduce wardrobe size from current about 170 to about 150 so that means an even tighter purchase number. Should maybe aim for 20 which may be too tight- I need to do lots of outfit labs and remixing stuff I already own if so.

4 years ago

Runcarla

Veteran

I’m not going to worry about #’s of items, but I am going to use the same idea of a budgeted amount of dollars based on a percentage of my take home $ (pension income). I’m still doing the thinking around my 2020 goals and need the next 6 weeks to refine those. As I’ve posted on other threads, I’m thinking of ‘no buying black’ and purposefully adding some trends to keep things current. My high hot weather capsule is still a little thin - so that needs work.

4 years ago

Style Fan

Veteran

I haven't made any plans for 2020. I will try to keep to the budget that I set about 5 years ago. So far it has worked out well for me. I need to review my wardrobe to decide what I will be adding.

4 years ago

Kathie

Veteran

I enjoy purchasing a couple items each season that encapsulate one of the trends in Angie’s reports. I’m also looking for 1-2 more pieces of outerwear, specifically a cocoon style coat in a shade of blue, and maybe a long puffer. I need to refresh summer dresses, so will be looking for 3-5, across a range of formality levels. And, I’d like to find 1-2 fall/winter blazers or toppers in fun colors or with interesting cuts, and (finally) buy a pair of fashion sneakers, since I don’t have any. This year I added or replaced a lot of essentials- rib knit tops, belts, in particular- so, I think my total numbers will be down next year (closer to 20, rather than 30), but budget might be similar, given that I’m willing to consider higher price points for dresses, jackets, and outerwear.

4 years ago

nemosmom

Veteran

Funny you ask - I have been looking at my numbers and notes for this year in anticipation of next year. Thanks to the abundance of earthtones everywhere, I went WAY (way, way, WAY) over my estimated item count this year, but thanks to some thrifting, managed to stay within my dollar budget.

I haven't put any numbers together yet. I need to do a wardrobe review of what I have, and take the month of December to identify holes, re-group, and make a plan. I know I need to address my skirts: de-orphan or pass on the ones in my closet, and put a moratorium on adding any more. My summer capsule needs serious attention, and I will likely want to review the state of my basics (underpinnings) before the end of spring.

4 years ago

Helena

Veteran

I am giving this alot of thought right now, so these thoughts are preliminary, but for me it's something like: don't be so spinny with my goals and ideas (and thus purchases); leverage Angie's basic/essential/completer structure for planning, as well as her recommended items (especially if her reco is for one of my essentials); use trends to chart a direction for my wardrobe (e.g. move away from skinnies towards different pant silhouettes) rather than feeling frustrated that I'm now "wrong" and need to be "right"; stop making well-structured capsule plans that work great on paper but result in mediocre purchases to fill theoretical gaps that don't actual exist in my real life

4 years ago

Anonymous

Thanks all! I'll get back to everyone when workday is over, but good to see everyone's thoughts.

4 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm already thinking about my Spring wardrobe and style, and new word and colour

I want to make next year an EXTRA special shopping and style year because of a milestone birthday. I don't like talking about it before the new year though. It makes it less special and meaningful for me. So I will wait to share.

4 years ago

Anonymous

Agreeing with Angie. I want to make 2020 extra special. I'm not sure what that translates into in real life, but it is my goal.

4 years ago

Susie

Veteran

My fall and winter wardrobe is in great shape. Oh how I wish I could wear boots, jackets and sweaters year round!

Summer dressing is more challenging, especially casual wear. I don’t know specifics yet but items for spring/summer is where I need to focus my purchases.

4 years ago

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

You inspired me to crunch some numbers. I have purchased 20 items so far this year, and suspect it will end up closer to 25-ish by the end of December. My goal was 31.

Given the size of my wardrobe, I think I need to be cycling out a third of it each year, just due to wear and tear and yes, mistakes. My goal is to use that natural churn to keep my wardrobe up to date and interesting, while still getting maximum wear out of the things I own.

I'm not going to count gear or sleepwear this time around. And since bags and accessories don't need replacing as often, I'll exclude those from calculations, as well. I'll count outerwear, because I know that needs updating. That leaves me with 76 clothing items. A third of that is 25.

Pretty interesting that that's more or less what I ended up with this year, but next year will feel a bit more exciting, since I won't be counting gear and sleepwear. Also, I won't be aiming to fall BELOW 25 items. I really want to be as close to on the nose as possible to keep things fresh without going overboard.

4 years ago

Runcarla

Veteran

What Angie said! I’m pondering my new COLOUR and new WORD for 2020 as well as treating myself extra kindly since I have a milestone birthday. I’ll wait for Angie’s blog and forum prompts before committing. There is still lots of work to do!

4 years ago

SarahD8

Veteran

Great thread, suntiger! I have enjoyed reading everyone's responses.

Here is what I've been thinking:

Overall parameters:
-I am not worrying about item numbers. I continue to shop mostly secondhand online and while I am happy with that strategy in many ways it comes with some inevitable trial and error.
-I am going to think more about whether to impose a $ budget (and what its parameters should be).

Item categories and clothing-related goals:
-Sleepwear, gear/exercise bottoms, and several summer categories (day dresses, tops, and non-skirt bottoms) will need replenishing.
-Build a capsule of non-neutral bottoms.
-Also build a capsule of non-skinny pants.
-Think about creating/filling in the gaps of color complements, especially burgundy, plum, and teal.
-Allow myself to purchase jewelry/accessories in a deliberate manner.

More general goals:
-Buy the most important thing (i.e., advances my wardrobe goals), not the quirky and cheap thing. (This is another pitfall of Ebay/online secondhand shopping that I'm working to overcome.)
-Thoroughly evaluate the possibilities of each new item as it comes into my wardrobe. (Outfit labs, here I come!)
-BE PATIENT. (Self explanatory. Angie would add: HAVE FUN. Ok, ok, I'll do that too!)
-Keep up with maintenance, repairs, alterations so that I don't have a bunch of items that I own but aren't "really" available for wearing. (Oh, I set this goal every year and am so bad at sticking to it!)

4 years ago

LaPed

Veteran

SarahD8, "Buy the most important thing, not the quirky and cheap thing" is spot-on. When I first found YLF cheap and quirky was my number one weakness. Now I find I have to be careful not to let the pendulum swing too far in the other direction -- all dark neutrals, all the time.

4 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Carla and Sterling, HIGH FIVE. Milestone birthdays and an extra special style year - here we come!

4 years ago

MsMaven

Veteran

I haven't begun to think that far ahead. What, 6 weeks?

The last couple of years I've added lots of color to my mostly neutral wardrobe. I think I'm ready to return to neutral for more expensive pieces. If DH does retire, we'll probably reign in our spending, but--he's been saying he's going to retire again (2nd time, 3rd time) for several years.

Life has changed quite a bit. We no longer go to charity balls, nor take clients out to fancy restaurants. Everything has gotten to be more casual. Also, after experimenting with prints, I realize a better quality neutral dress will serve me better than several bright colored prints. Sad to say, I need something appropriate for a funeral ready at hand. And it looks like big weddings are over until the next generation grows up.

Thank you suntiger! You've got me thinking and how much better it would be if I planned for what is ahead rather than looking back at what I needed in the past.

4 years ago

Anonymous

Rachy- just basics? You could aim for that but then all the trends you love will show up like a herd of unicorns- and we're a bunch of enablers
Slim Cat- always a good idea to keep the modern classic/interview and the fun stuff fresh! And fun comfy shoes do exist!
Jenna-yes to enjoying what you have! If all your current shoes fit well and are comfy, great!
Lisa- as long as your essentials are in good condition and enough of the things you bought this year are working well, it's certainly doable. But see comment to Rachy!
Bonnie- brr I think a one in one out would work well for a climate transition, though if you get rid of all the hot weather stuff you'll get a hot spell!
Jenni- yes to olive and bronze! What's your goal for reducing? To free space? To refresh your wardrobe? Are you "splitting wears" between similar pieces but like one of them more?
To be continued....

4 years ago

Anonymous

Carla and Style Fan- I tried a money budget, but my income/expenses are too variable, so went the # route- which reins in the $ by default! Looking forward to seeing your new directions for the new year!
Kathie- sounds like a good plan! Outerwear in winter and dresses in summer seem the highest impact items. I've been debating whether replacements and refresh/trend/ wildcards need to be thought of seperately.
Nemosmom- earthtones are dangerous aren't they! #fomo Yes to a big wardrobe review and skirt deorphaning session.
Torontogirl-I'm guilty of the theoretical gap purchases too! And moving towards trends slowly, one little capsule at a time, is a much easier way to go than a big silouette overhaul.
Angie and Sterling-looking forward to your extra special shopping years- and word and color

4 years ago

Anonymous

Susie- I'll happily trade you all my boots, jackets, and sweaters for a year round summer! Do you have summer pieces you like now, or a cold weather formula that can be adapted to hot weather?
Jenn- a third is about my replacement rate too. Sounds like a good idea to have a purchase minimum? How about a statement/windcard minimum?
Carla- happy impending milestone birthday, and now I'm trying to think of 2020 word and color too!
SarahD8 and LaPed- I'm guilty of the fun/easy things, and the practical dark neutral flipside too! It's definitely a balance. Yes to outfit labs, patience (hard), fun, and wardrobe maintenance.
Ms Maven- well, it's 6 weeks ahead cause I maxed my shopping limit (if the new things work out)! Yes to having nice neutral pieces, but also the bright happy ones too!

4 years ago

Gretchen

Veteran

I'm still thinking, but part of what I want to focus on heading into winter/spring is mixing-matching my wardrobe, and seeing what completers or accessories might bring in new options. So maybe less focus on basics and essentials.

I also want to continue with adding color and pattern in my purchases, so maybe a ban on Navy unless it's got a unique value? (Although I think that was a NY resolution last year as well....)

Good to start thinking now so I can be ready to put it into place in January!

4 years ago

Sal

Veteran

Interesting. I have been adding more second hand pieces this year which has led to larger numbers of additions. And they are often impulse buys so not necessarily a gap. In saying that I like them all and wear them. So I think I will have a limit on new pieces and be more relaxed with thrifting pieces.

I want to focus on winter or cool transitional items. I will want jeans, knitwear and essential pants for me.

4 years ago

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