I feel like I've been on a shopping frenzy for the last 4 months. This all started last summer when I lost about 20 lbs. and much of what little I had in my closet stopped fitting entirely. As I started to buy I got nervous: Sure, I was buying the smaller sizes I had been dreaming about, but I knew that despite this I still didn't look "right." And I still struggled to put together proper outfits much of the time. So I began to lurk on YLF. Then in February I took the plunge, joined, and began posting outfits. What an amazing help this has been. I may never become a true died-in-the-wool fashionista, but you guys have made me so much better at just being presentable and having some fun. I really didn't want to put a price tag on this effort. I've underspent for so many years, I figured I was due some catch-up funds. (Please don't forward this to my husband...LOL). Well, my cinderella phase is winding down. On my birthday in early May I officially become a regular girl with a regular wardrobe and I will have to adhere to a regular budget like everyone else. Today I tallied it all up and its not so scary as I might have imagined.

To help me organize my efforts, I divided my wardrobe into 15 categories of items. This helps me not ignore certain categories and overbuy in others. What I hope to do is look at these categories for each coming season and try to identify any obvious gaps. These are the categories that work for me: 1) Outerwear, 2) Jackets, 3)Skirts, 4) Shorts, Slacks, and everything in between, 5) Jeans (because I LOVE jeans), 6) Woven Tops, 7) Knit Tops, 8) Cashmere Sweaters (because I think of these as 20-year collectibles), 9) Misc. Sweaters (because everything that is not cashmere seems to wear out faster...), 10) Day Dresses, 11) Cocktail (anything so shiny or delicate I wouldn't want to walk downtown in the bright light of noon in it...), 12) Flats, 13) Heels, 14) Boots and 15) Bags.

So, since January first I have bought 35 items. Mostly woven tops and some new shorts and slacks. Also some shoes. I loves me my shoes... The only category I haven't shopped for is cashmere; it just wasn't a priority considering the sad state of my wardrobe. I'm leaving that for next fall. I've thrifted about 1/3 of the items, which helps immensely with price. I had previously sort of given up on thrifting because it seemed so overwhelming and just another place to make even worse choices. YLF has really helped with that because I always thrift now with key shapes, silhouettes, colors, etc. in mind. The majority of my pieces came from bona fide discounters like Ross, Marshalls, etc. or outlet mall alternatives. This helped me round out my wardrobe in the short term; I can choose whether or not to continue that kind of shopping once my pace slows down. I am proud to say that on 2 occasions I walked into a regular chain store (I think of these as mid-tier retailers - Gap, ATLoft, Banana Republic) and plunked down the full price for an item I really knew would be perfect for my wardrobe. And I learned that they offer their customers an amazing array of coupons, special shopping days, etc. once you start going to them which ultimately rival the price of the discounters.

So what did I spend? Drum roll please... $659.50, not including taxes and shipping. And even though my shopping tally was 35, I only ended up with about 57 articles of clothing because I have continued to purge lingering baddies from my closet along the way. I think I went from 20 to about 27 pairs of shoes. Twenty was actually kind of low for me.

I have a few more items to add this month. I think the final number spent might grow by another $150-200 between now and my birthday. But it will still be under $1000 and I feel like a whole new person when I try to get dressed each day.

Thank you to everyone who has offered me helpful suggestions, candid feedback, even moral support. I am so grateful to have received this help. L