SYC Week 15: List Your Items! - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

SYC Week 15: List Your Items!

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Hello and welcome - I think we have some new SYCers this week, don't we? If everyone new could say hello and why they're doing the challenge at this point, that would be great. I've kind of lost track of who's in and who's out.

This week I'd love it if the SYCers would list everything they've purchased since Aug. 1. No excuses, no rationalizations, no coupon explanations: What have you bought? How many items? Here's mine:

1. Sweater
2. Blouse
3. Dress

What's yours?

General

27 replies

Latest reply was from Theresa

Queen Mum

Veteran

sputter, cough, stammer...
I'll have to go take inventory but I'll have to come back to do that. Gotta get to the gym.

Laura

(website)

Veteran

LOL Kim! It's an interesting exercise, isn't it? Especially when you are not allowed to explain away purchases! This is not designed to make anyone feel bad - believe me, I wanted SO badly to issue explanations for #1 and #2 and only count #3 so I am right there with you.

RoseandJoan

Veteran

As an official YLF cheerleader I just wanted to state, that you are all fantastic and I will not judge!

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

Laura, didn't you also buy a suit skirt for reasons not to be explained?

Patience

Veteran

Okay, I've joined SYC since 1 Oct but I'm trying not to be too hard on myself. I joined because I'm in the process of working on our budget and I'd like to redistribute funds to other projects. I also feel like I'd like to change my style energy focus from 60% hunt, 40% wear to more like 75% wear and 25% hunt. I've been finding that the hunt is more of a burden than it should be.
So my items:
OTK boots
short red coat

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Ha ha! Now it's come to listing off the bat! Just goes to show how hard this really is. I joined in week 10, I believe. I found out immediately I needed some basics.

#1 black boatneck top
#2 black leggings
#3 crop cotton khaki moto jacket

coming soon via eBay:

#4 cap sleeve vest/jacket
#5 J brand black ankle zip skinnies

I have come clean!!!

Laura

(website)

Veteran

MPJ, You are correct! I had forgotten that suit skirt. I am up to 4 items.

Mo, no need to list the price, just count the items.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Oh, ooops! I'll fix that right now . . .

Queen Mum

Veteran

okay I'm back from paying penance for my sins in cycling class.

Not counting what I have returned, I have purchased....

2 scarves
oxfords
cardigan
vest (waistcoat)
necklace
earrings (not 100% sure I'm keeping)

Now I know how my kids feel.. "But mom, I can explain.. but mom, can I just say one thing?.... but moooooom........."

judy

Veteran

Ok, so since Aug 1st I've bought:

One silk tunic for $38.00

A chunky cardigan for $68.00.

Socks, (3 pairs!) $5.00.

Big whopping total: $111.00.

Since my SYC was more motivated by money, I've included the prices!

Jonesy

Veteran

I started September 1st; by about mid-October, I hadn't purchased anything, but sort of switched my goal to moderating my purchasing for the remainder of the challenge. So, here's my list:

1. black jacket
2. two t-shirts
3. chestnut booties
4. long cardigan sweater
5. patterned silk blouse
6. gray tunic tank top
7. rhinestone necklace

Everything was on deep discount, and this is actually minimal purchasing for me, so I feel like I've accomplished something :).

Anonymous

Since August 1:
1. denim shirt
2. leather pencil skirt
3. MizMooz blk&wt oxfords
4. Halogen Valor boots

# 2 and #4 are not definite purchases yet and still under consideration as to whether or not they fit my style. SYC has made me very choosy.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I don't understand: if you've purchased something, doesn't that make you not SYC anymore? I'm not trying to give anyone a hard time, I just thought that was the deal.

I thought about joining at the beginning but didn't, and am wondering now if I should join in, at least until Christmas.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Laura (rhubarb) I was wondering the same thing before I jumped on. Some of us had our own caveats. For me, it was certain items I knew I needed, for others it was the one in, one out rule. I think the gist (as I saw it) is to make do with what you have as best you can rather than shopping for instant 'solutions'. Of course, that's my take and I only just joined. I held on okay and then saw the glaring holes that needed immediate fixing. So I fixed 'em!

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Rhubarbgirl, if a dieter loses half a stone and then eats a cream cake, is the diet over? Or is just a lesson learned? To drastically change your shopping habits over five months takes real dedication, nobody is perfect but from what I have read everyone participating has learned from the experience and will carry these lessons forward.

PalmFronds

Gasping as I write this...I fell off the SYC wagon early October and since then had decided to instead use Angie's one-in one-out closet control method.

SO if I list what I bought while on SYC and following it:
Underwear
Patterned tights
Black leather jacket--this was part of my original SYC "allowed"

SINCE falling off the wagon, I shall do my penance here like Queenie, shame shame shame:
4, yes 4, pairs of shoes
jean leggings
Dressy silk tunic
3 blouses
1 skirt
Sleepwear

Horrifying, isn't it?

Hang in there SYC group! I am sticking with my new closet control plan, and truly it is working pretty well after that initial haul. Now I am afraid to buy anything because I don't know what to get rid of anymore!

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Julie, you put that very well. Thanks

Today's exercise is more about being self-aware than feeling crappy about having bought stuff. I was shocked to find I bought four things. I really felt like I'd only bought one thing (the LBD), since I agonized over it. I'd totally rationalized the other items in my mind.

But on average, I am buying a little more than one item a month. Is that a realistic pace year-round? Maybe it is, if you don't count undergarments and accessories. Adding 12 killer items a year to a wardrobe that's already complete might not be a bad goal. I will be thinking about that some more as SYC winds down. I wonder how many pieces Angie adds a year? Probably not much more than that, I bet.

Any thoughts from anyone else on their list?

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for explaining, Mo and RoseandJoan, like I said I wasn't trying to give anyone a hard time, just understand what the challenge actually entailed. Believe me, I know the dieting analogy from experience back and forward. Everybody gets motivated differently; I tend to 'cheat' unless I make hard and fast rules for myself but then again sometimes I binge when I'm trying to be too hard-line, too - and I'm talking about shopping as well as eating (and a lot of other things besides).

Theresa

(website)

Veteran

Hey Girls!

I'm still in - with the occasional perfect purchases.

So, since Sept 1st (when I joined), I have bought:

At the Aussie YLF meet:

2 pairs of shoes
2 scarves
1 top
1 vest

In general shopping
1 dress
2 tops

And I can honestly say that these things have all been worn so much more than all my pre-SYC purchases... I have a spreadsheet that I started on July 1, to track my clothing/accessory spending, and have highlighted items depending upon whether they are Mistakes, Great Basics, Favourite pieces... Not one piece bought since SCY is a red mistake!!

Actually, I'm just doing a little tally... since July 1 I have bought a total of 31 items - 3 are red mistakes, 5 favourites, and 17 great basics. The other 6 pieces are pieces that I haven't worked out where they sit just yet. But since Sept 1 & SYC, I have bought 9 pieces, and none were mistakes, 4 favourites, and 5 great basics. So I think that's pretty darned good really - especially as pre-ylf and pre-scy, my mistakes were a much greater %!

(and can you tell I'm a nerd who likes to look at statistics and charts etc LOL).

ETA I just realised of my 5 favourites, 4 of them were purchased post-SYC!!! That says an awful lot about my changed shopping habits if you ask me!

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

Julie, I LOVE the simile about it being like losing weight. So well said!

I know it was hard to do, but I am glad to see a plain list of what you guys have bought in the last 15 weeks. I was the one who suggested to Laura to ask; I read how you guys are doing every week, and I've noticed there's been a lot of talk recently about things you did buy. Lots and lots of talk.

But when you put up a list, no explanations just a list, it REALLY isn't a lot that you've bought at all! That put it into perspective for me. So thank you!

You guys are doing great. Hang in there!

Tanya

Veteran

I have also started on September first, and haven't bought anything till the end of October when I got my black booties. So far I have managed to resist all the other temptations.

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Well Tanya, you are quietly putting us all to shame

Just kidding. We are all doing great!

Tanya

Veteran

Oh, you are doing more than great Laura, and I am currently on the verge of crossing over to the dark side ( see my gift card thread :).

Laura

(website)

Veteran

LOL!!

Moderation in all things, right?

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Today when the mail came and the army green cap sleeve jacket came, the BF remarked 'what's this?". I replied by saying I'd been good for about a month and he laughed about a WHOLE month. I tried to explain that now I see where I need to fill holes, and that shirt lengths have changed, etc. but he just smiled I do think after this little run, I may be good to go until Christmas [fingers crossed].

MNsara

Veteran

I started late and entered SYC with a different set of restrictions for myself as I was totally unable to think through my needs for the rest of 2010. I have given myself permission to exchange pre-SYC purchases for better options (i.e. NAS scarves for other Nordstrom's scarves).

Aside from that, I have picked up:

2 scarves from ATL
2 sweaters from ATL
another Haolgen seamed knit skirt (the first was so awesome!)
a dress
a casual tunic top
Express tights (did these count?)
a thrifted 100% camelhair *boyfriend* coat (new term for this classic style)

SYC does make me look at new things *very* critically and that's a good thing

I'm still sorting through some purchases from August and early September!! (The 180-day Macy's return policy and generous Nordstrom return policy are a mixed blessing I guess if I haven't worn these things yet, I should probably just (take a deep breath and) let go. Life will go on just fine.

Theresa

(website)

Veteran

Girls I'm really impressed with how we think things through so differently now - and our changed philosophy.

I'm personally so very grateful for this experience as it has helped me tremendously with my budget. Yes, I may be spending more per individual item, but even an occasional more expensive piece is less than several regular cheaper useless pieces.

And as I face the quote from the mechanic for my car (see my "what's happening with the world" thread), I feel like I am far better equipped to deal with a dramatic loss of my day to day cash to cover this expense, and I feel like I'm taking the lessons learned here through to other areas of my life.

So, Laura, THANK YOU!