Self-imposed shopping ban - YouLookFab Forum

After my successful spree last weekend, I finally feel like I have enough in my wardrobe to get me through a variety of work situations and through the wildly changing weather (it was threatening to snow yesterday and is expected to be 80 on Friday!). Sure, I still have mostly black for the pants, but I now have appropriate tops to go with them and a lot that will mix-and-match well.

So I am imposing a shopping ban on myself for the next month. It's only a month because I am going to CT to visit my sister and mother, and the whole purpose of the trip is to go shopping together. (Sister has lost 85 pounds on the same diet I am on. We've been planning this reward for ourselves for months!) Also, I have a week-long conference/family visit trip to Tucson in early June, and I will need some more summery/casual dresses and summer clothes in general by then.

I actually do have an order coming in from Old Navy/Piperlime in a couple of days, of the summer casual type clothes I will need soon. I'm going to try all of them on and keep what I like -- and then the dangerous part will be returning what I don't like without trying/buying anything else! I also have a bag of returns to Ann Taylor Factory, but I think those can wait until the ban is lifted. I am pretty excited about the Piperlime order; I found a pair of out-of-season waterproof La Canadienne boots in plum red patent on final sale -- down from $235 to $70! (Of course I just read the "final sale" part, so now I am convinced I won't like them and I'll be stuck. LOL, way to be pessimistic!) Anyway, with the topsy-turvy weather, I might actually be able to wear them before I pack them away for next fall.

ANYWAY. Right. Shopping ban. I think it'll be good for me; I've gotten very tired of constantly shopping during my weight-loss journey anyway so a break away will be beneficial. Plus, it will force me to really put my small-closet changeover to work instead of being all talk and no action, and I think it will give me a chance to evaluate better what I do have and what I really need to fill in the gaps. I love YLF, but it can often be dangerous for my wallet; I end up wanting so many things that I don't use/need in my lifestyle. Work clothes are where I should be putting the bulk of my efforts, but watching all of you look for clamdiggers and leggings/tunics and walking flats and other on-the-go items is so tempting! I keep having to remind myself there are only 2 days in the weekend and 5 in the week, so that's how my closet should be balanced.

Wish me luck! I think I'm going to need it. *g*

17 years ago

Inge

(website)

Moderator

I'm convinced you're going to do great Kristen!
I've been admiring how focussed you are (weight loss, buying/finding clothes for your ever tinier self...) and how good you are at determining what is flattering on you (reading about your body shape revelation was so interesting!), putting together fabulous outfits etc. So there's no doubt in my mind that you'll be able to 'sit out' this shopping ban, even with all the YLF temptation (I hear you on that one;-) around you.

The plum red boots sound amazing. I want pictures!-)

And such fun shopping plans to look forward to! You and your sister must be SO excited!

hanna

Active Member

good luck kristen!

i have no doubt you'll stick to this ban successfully, because you're YOU, and not... me. ha. seriously though, your focus, as inge says, translates even through my laptop monitor, and as much of a temptation as ylf is (and it IS), we'll also be here to help you through it.

that said, i expect to see pictures of those boots. i've wanted LCs for so long i may well die of boot envy, but it'll be worth it...

shana

Veteran

Sounds like a good plan Kristen. I didn't get to post on your other thread but it looks like you have really picked up some great items recently. I did love that turquoise bag! It must be a challenge to limit yourself especially when you look so great in everything you try. But you seem to be going through your sizes fairly quickly. It makes sense to put a brake on it for awhile once you have enough to get you through this short spring transitional season. It will be summer before you know it.

Please post pictures of the La Canadienne's! I actually placed an order for some Aquatalia boots that were on super clearance recently. I liked them but didn't love them and since they were still around $150, I decided to return.

Lee Hovey

Kristen I just decided this weekend that I am going to put myself on a shopping ban as well... mostly as an experiment. I am going to be starting May1st, and go for a month. What about you?

bella

Good luck with the ban. It is not hard at all!

crwilson

I'm there with you. If the latest order I placed produces some wearable casual clothing for this summer, I'm done shopping for at least a month, if not longer. Or maybe I'll just put myself on a clothes shopping ban and allow myself to buy accessories, since I'm horrible at changing up clothes with just accessories and it would give me good practice.

Encore

You can do it Kristen! I tried ban at least three times but I found that I must NOT start my ban on the way to the mall to return something or already in the shop (duh). I need to just stay away from stores

I don't shop on line so that helps me. BUT...I think I saw the same boots yesterday and LOVE/want them!

Good luck and keep us posted.

Anonymous

Another one here with boot envy.
As one who recently went through the weight loss/new wardrobe thing, you are wise to take your time. It's hard when everything looks better than anything did before so be very picky and get only what you love and know you'll wear lots. My biggest mistake is to buy too soon for an upcoming season only to find what I've bought is too big when I am actually ready to wear it.
I loved my small wardrobe but now it's getting too large again due to things I see and read about on this site and want to try. Got to stay away from the stores.

Kristen

Heehee, I love that in a thread about a shopping ban, we all take a moment to discuss buying new boots. (I did get them tonight, and they're keepers. I will post photos in a new thread soon!

Whoops, forgot to finish my comment! Thanks for all the encouragement; I'm pretty sure that I can make it through okay, but then I've also realized this morning that I desperately need a bra fitting and a new bra, and I'm not sure I can hold out another 3 weeks. Hmmmm...

Kendra, the shopping ban is effective today and will last until my trip to CT May 16th. Not quite a month. By then I will need summer clothes so I won't go back to a ban, but maybe as the summer progresses I can try it again. Maybe.

Christine, I like the idea of only buying accessories, but at this point I think I'm stocked up. I have such a hard time saying no to scarves! That said, maybe this month will nudge me to using more of them than I have been. Hmmm.

Joy, I've also bought a few things during the trip down that I regretted getting too soon. A pretty pink-and-green twill wool jacket comes to mind...but I've been getting better at that now. I'm hoping the ban will stop me from buying summer things too soon, because I know I'll be in smaller pants before we get that warm. Heck, I'm hoping to be done losing by then! And it is really hard to not buy things that finally look good on me; I'm so glad I'm not the only one who's gone through that!

chewyspaghetti

Good Luck, Kristen!
It's really a hard thing having to constantly be looking for clothes. I need new bras again, too. I'm not banning myself from shopping, but I have decided that I have enough to get me through the spring/summer, so I am looking for fall/winter items only. "They" always say not to buy things too tight, but I know that if I don't they won't fit by the time that I need them, so I am. I am getting pretty good at guesstimating my future size now.

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