February comings and goings

Wow, I actually had quite a few items come in this month, but fear not, every single item was a 'love it' piece and I have been wearing them non-stop. 

Comings - 6

• Red Banana Republic sweater with side zip - I actually bought this for Chinese New Year since it's traditional to wear something red to celebrate and start the year off
• Navy Banana Republic sleeveless top - I love navy and find the color is a great base for me to build outfits around and this was super comfortable, a great length to act as a layering piece or on it's own, and also just really basic looking which I like
• Raspberry Banana Republic cardigan - love the color of this, and against navy, it just looks so good. A great pop of color to add to my wardrobe and a very easy cardigan to wear. 
• Pair of casual pants with zip detailing from Banana Republic - these are just super cool and I'm obsessed with zippers lately so these were great, and they were petite so the length was perfect to wear with flats and heels. Just fantastic and sooo comfortable to the point where I don't even feel like I'm wearing pants haha. 
• Gray sweatpants, also with zipper details, and yup, you guessed it, from Banana Republic - I was thrilled to find these and they up my lounge wear by 200%
• Orange satchel from Lauren by Ralph Lauren - I finally broke my bag ban and succumbed to this beauty. It was love at first sight and I've used it every day for work. I even go the extra mile to carry a separate tote to fit my laptop and other things in, just to carry her. 

Current budget left over for this year - approximately $700

February goings - 1

• I sold my Coach Poppy Madras bag to start my 'let go of 10 items' goal from my bag and wallet collection =)

From impulse, to staple piece

Even though I've improved a lot in making better wardrobe decisions, sometimes, I still make impulse purchases

Last year, I was having considerable success in downsizing my shoe count, when, I couldn't resist these shoes at Zara. 

When I bought them, it wasn't too much of an impulse - I rationalized the purchase. 

• Kitten heel - Great! Easy to get around in and dressier than flats; 
• Navy - even better, one of my chosen neutral colors; and 
• Different - I didn't own anything similar to this. 

It was a perfect purchase! Until they sat in my closet for an entire year.

I was beginning to beat myself up over having made this purchase. Despite my initial rationale, I knew deep-down I didn't need them and I knew had falsely convinced myself that I did - I just loved them too much to put them back down. 

I wore them a few times but wasn't super impressed by them, and in my closet they sat, until very recently - I think due to my recent clothing and color choices, they seem to go with everything! I've worn them regularly this last month and they're slowly making their way to the ranks of a staple piece! 

I'm so relieved, but I know that not all my impulses will turn into happy endings. It's a good reminder to myself that I may have to walk away from an impulse-looking purchase for at least a day to make sure I don't fall into that trap again.

My favourite wardrobe additions in 2015

I think out of all the additions that came into my closet in 2015, my favourites were my: 

• pre-loved Cole Haan Johanna ankle boots;
• Townshoe Loafers;
• Nine West taupe wedges;
• Marc by Marc Jacobs backpack;
• Coach leopard print double-zip wallet my husband gave me;
• Banana Republic ivory and leopard skinny belts;
• all my items from LOFT;
• Franco Sarto peep-to flats;
• Banana Republic cobalt drape pants;
• Banana Republic black and white color-block dress;
• Banana Republic light colored, striped, color-block sweater; and
• Banana Republic black sleeveless top (so simple, but so perfect)

My wardrobe count going into 2016

It's been well over a year since I started using the Stylebook App and it has definitely helped me to keep focused on my purchases and how often I'm using each item in my wardrobe. 

When I first started using the Stylebook App towards the end of 2014, my wardrobe consisted of:

124 tops (includes sleeveless, blouses, t-shirts, sweaters, sweatshirt/hoodies, blazers)

48 bottoms (includes jeans, shorts, trousers)

25 dresses

53 shoes

17 scarves 

68 bags (including clutches)

17 coats and jackets

32 pieces off active wear (tops, headbands, bottoms, runners)

After more than a year of purging and refining, these are my current numbers:

106 tops (includes sleeveless, blouses, t-shirts, sweaters, sweatshirt/hoodies, blazers)

54 bottoms (includes jeans, shorts, trousers)

31 dresses

51 shoes (I previously reported 46 pairs of shoes because I didn't count my one pair of sneakers for running, or a few pairs of shoes that were made specially for my Chinese wedding ceremony when I got married)

16 scarves 

65 bags (including clutches)

18 coats and jackets

22 pieces off active wear (tops, headbands, bottoms, runners)

Overall, I think I did pretty well - doing this for almost 2 years now I've definitely seen a shift from purging, to learning what works for me, to narrowing things that work really well for me and finally coming to a plateau where I feel comfortable with the items I have. 

The drop in numbers in my tops came from letting go of graphic-Ts, tops I had been holding on to in hopes to fit into them again in the future, and items that didn't fit as well anymore. Bottoms saw an increase as I slowly replaced wider legged trousers with slim fitted ones and also got some incredible deals on shorts and jeans; I also stocked up a bit on pencil skirts, my work staple. Dresses saw an increase mostly because I brought some that were at my parents home, into my current closet. 

Christmas comes early with a pair of Stuart Weitzman's

It's funny how things work out - despite letting go of 2 pairs of shoes in a week, I was given a pair of almost, brand-spanking new, Stuart Weitzman Geek Loafers in black patent leather.



Yes, I'm up one again in shoe count, but... who can resist? The best part is, I think they will be great to replace all the outfits I made with my Doc Marten loafers, and will be a fantastic everyday shoe since they are so incredibly comfortable!

2014 - a catalyst to stopping my frequent bag buying habit

For many, many years I tried to get my bag and wallet purchases under control - I made yearly resolutions and tried to limit the number of bags I purchase per year, but nothing worked.

In 2014, I was thisclose to having a no-purchase year of bags and wallets but caved mid-year and purchased 11 bags!

I was really disappointed with myself but turns out, these 11 bags filled important gaps in my bag collection. 

When I used to purchase bags, I went on simply what I liked and bought it. I didn't think about the function they played in my life, or their practicality. I love all my bags, but the 11 I bought last year, without knowing it, were useful to my daily life. 

Just a reminder, my bag purchases are not included in my budget for my wardrobe.

Why were these bags so important/special? 

Banana Republic clutch and crossbody, used 5 and 2 times respetively

Cole Haan large tote in pebbled leather, used 34 times

Cole Haan satchel in pebbled leather, used 44 times

Cole Haan tote, used 26 times 

Dooney & Bourke satchel and crossbody (another crossbody in 
violet not shown), used 15, 5, 7 times respectively

Dooney & Bourke satchel (nylon version not shown), 
used 25 times, and 43 times respectively

Dooney & Bourke satchel, used 16 times

When I tracked my bag usage, despite only owning them for 1.5 years, these bags were the ones I used the most since I got them. I use them on a regular basis because they are easy to use and their quality is fantastic. I don't have to worry about ruining them, or getting any scratches on them as they are super durable. The calf-hair bags have been my go-to for special events since they go with everything and with the price I paid for them, even if I were to use them recklessly wouldn't be too sad. 

The reason why I didn't use my other bags so much is because they were too expensive and I just cared too much about them. I care about these bags too but the price I paid, wouldn't cause me to cry. In total, I spent approximately $1,059, averaging less than $100 per bag! Since these 11 purchases, I have been able to spend 2015 purchase-free of bags! 

December, the month of reflection

I've been waiting for December 2015 to come along with great excitement! I have been diligently tracking my shopping purchases and trying to work within my wardrobe goals for 2 years, and can finally do a comparison between 2014 and 2015, and with 2 full years under my belt, feel I can finally get a better understanding of my budget and habits. 

Since I only started blogging towards the end of 2014, I'm going to go over 2014 in detail, and work my way up from there until the end of this year.

What I didn't do in 2014 was include my shoe purchases in my grand total of money spent, but I did keep track of them in a separate excel sheet specifically for shoes, so I was still able to determine what I spent on clothing that year. Unfortunately, I was't able to track the cost per wear for those shoes since I don't go into as much detail in their separate excel sheet as I do for my yearly budget sheet. (In 2015, I did include shoes into my full year's tracking.) 

My goal to purge and purchase better items had already begun in 2014 but I was mostly focused on purging rather than finding 'perfect pieces'. My purchases were less thought out in the 'wardrobe staple' department and more about filling in areas that needed replacing, or just things that I liked. The only well thought out pieces were my investment pieces.

In 2014, I didn't give myself a budget, but I also didn't go crazy - I would like to think I'm a pretty responsible shopper to being with, so not having a budget didn't affect me too much. In total, I spent $1028.78, for non-investment purchases, and $1,570 on 4 investment pieces (2 Burberry jackets/coats, and 2 Seiko watches), for a total of  $2,598.78. 

** For 2015, I made a conscious decision not to include any investment pieces into my regular wardrobe budget since they are intended to be long-lasting and very, very well thought out and calculated pieces. **

Spending $1,029 bought me a total of 33 items, including 4 pairs of shoes (including my ever so difficult to fit, knee-high boots), a winter coat that turned out to be one of my best purchases to-date (and an unexpected, very well-priced, investment piece), 3 items of gym wear, and an awesome black sheath dress. I also discovered that GAP boyfriend button-ups fit me very well and that I love their broken-in khakis, having bought 4 pairs. 

From those purchases, I have since donated 2 tops because I didn't like them any more, ended up wearing out my black sheath dress and a tunic, and ruined one of my favourite coloured khakis from a bleach accident (I've only recently bleached the entire pair of pants in an attempt to salvage them).

Since 2014, my cost per wear for each items has ended in single digits, with 6 items well under my $1 cost per wear threshold and approximately 10 items nearing that mark. The only item still in the double digits is my red Burberry quilted trench coat, but that was expected, and since I intend to have that for many, many years, am not too bothered by it.

Over all, my 2014 purchases helped me to: 

• find a great alternative to jeans by introducing me to khakis
• find a well-fitted button-up style
• finally find a pair of knee-high boots that fit me
• focus in on specific colors that are now my color palette of choice - gray, white/ivory, navy/blues, and black
• find an awesome cobalt wool coat that I absolutely love
• determine what kind of investment pieces I'm looking for and what areas of my wardrobe I'm willing to spend that kind of money on (coats, yes, definitely will lean towards paying investment prices; the watches were a one-time purchase and while they aren't in the price caliber as a Rolex, they meet my criteria of going with everything, are of solid quality, and are not pieces I intend to buy again until they break).

I found my perfect backpack!!!

For the entire year to-date I have not purchased a single bag or wallet - that has been a major goal of mine for years. This may hold my things, but it's not a bag! ;)

I was on the look out for a backpack this year, but had very specific criteria for it. I wanted it to be light weight, reasonably priced, good quality, water-resistant/repellent, stylish, and a good size for my height. And bonus, I love the dark hardware. 

I finally found it yesterday at Nordstrom. Not only was it on sale, but there was also an additional 25% off (I think it was due to Black Friday?). It was originally priced at $198, and I got it for approximately $85 including tax. 

I'm so excited to use it on the weekends and on my upcoming trips to Las Vegas and Korea. 

Marc by Marc Jacobs Printed Crosby Quilt Backpack

Measurements
Height: 16.5in / 42cm
Length: 15.25in / 39cm
Depth: 5in / 13cm

Not everything loved has to cost an arm and a leg

I am currently preparing myself to let go of two very beloved pieces from my wardrobe. They've both served me well and have helped to complete many outfits. While I generally feel OK with paying a little more for wardrobe staples in hopes they will last longer, it doesn't mean I don't appreciate the ones that I do find, at a low price point. That said, I wish these did cost more so that they would have had a chance to last me longer (I love good deals but there is some truth behind getting what you pay for).

First up, is my J. Crew tunic - I love this item because I have a  lot of trouble fitting into button-up tops. They are either too tight across the chest, too wide along the shoulder, or too loose or tight over-all. I was drawn to this because it fit throughout and because of the lack of buttons, it didn't have any parts prone to gaping open. From afar it looks OK. but upon closer inspection, you can tell that the material is slowly starting to pill and thin out, and the colors are starting to cross into each other; not to mention, at the cuffs, they have torn from the shirt - on both sides! Yes, I could sew them back in, but I'm not a master seamstress, and the cost to get it professionally done would probably cost more than the shirt itself. The cost of this shirt was USD $13.99, bought in December 2013 from the outlet store. I didn't get into a lot of detail in tracking my purchases until 2014 so I can't tell you the exact cost per wear, but I can tell you that I wore it enough times that my mom has told me that, that's all she sees me wearing. From memory, I can tell you I've worn it at least 5 times in the last couple of months, which for reference is already $2.80 per wear, and let's say I wore it a minimum of 5 times in 2014, that's already $1.40 per wear ... you see what I'm getting at.

 

Second on my list is one of my favourite dresses - my black sheath dress. I found this unexpectedly at Target in September 2014, originally CAD $29.99, on sale for CAD $14.99. It fit me perfectly and to my delight, even has pockets!! I was able to track my wear on this item and wore it 7 times in the remainder of 2014, and 12 times in 2015, to-date. My cost per wear on this is 79 cents! I love this dress but unfortunately the quality really isn't there - it is stretching out and attracting too much lint to de-lint and is pilling. I'm sad to let this go but I can't wear it to work having it look the way it does. In my opinion, with its pockets, this is the perfect style of a black sheath dress for me and doubt I will be able to find its replacement any time soon, if at all.

I love buying only favourites but it's really hard to let them go when the time comes because they were just that perfect for me. I've enjoyed wearing these pieces and will remember them fondly. Farewell.

Once you pop, you can't stop...

... or something like that.

Last month I went over my wardrobe budget and had decided to stop, however, I accompanied my friend to my go-to shop and came home with 5 new items =S

I went into the fitting room with 30+ items, in my chosen color palette, all with potential to be part of my carefully selected wardrobe, and whittled it down to 6. I carried 6 throughout the store while I waited another hour for my friend to finish, and eventually put down the vest that I had been debating over.

I didn't buy the vest because, as much as I had been wanting one all season, I couldn't come up with any outfits. One of my unspoken rules is that each item I bring in, must be able to go with at least 3 existing items I already own. It was difficult to let go since it was exactly what I was looking for, but I knew it was the best decision.

One of the tops I bought is this soft wash plaid button-up - I love the colors and can't wait to use it as a layering piece under sweaters and cardigans to show the contrasting plaid; it'll also be great paired with my gray pencils skirts and light gray GAP trousers, as well as jeans and cords. This will also be a replacement piece for my beloved J Crew plaid tunic that I purchased in late 2013 (I've worn it to death and am preparing myself to let it go)

Another top I purchased is this black sleeveless top with a zippered back because I didn't have one. I have been looking for one that is comfortable and not see-through. This is perfect for layering and to be tucked into pants and skirts. Love the dressy look and know it will go with any bottoms. I am complete in my search for dressy sleeveless tops in my color palette - navy, ivory, black, and gray.

I am now 20% over my budget for this year and I must take this seriously, and stop shopping. The only comfort I can give myself is that I finally found the perfect black sleeveless top for me. Moving forward, no excuses, and must exercise constraint and avoid temptation! 

October comings and goings

Goings - 3

• Collarless blazer - just don't really like the way it looks and fits on me any more
• Guinevere purple bolero - gave it to my friend as it was a little snug on me and looked better on her
• Esprit white and navy striped 3/4-sleeve sweater - it was big on me to begin with but has now stretched out even more

Comings - 17

• Cobalt colorblock drape pants from Banana Republic - got these for such a steal and I'm so in love with the color!
• a set of 3 pouches - I'll count as one item
• a coat from my mom for weekends and casual wear - it' s a good in between fall and winter coat until I am able to find one that I like enough to purchase. It's in a neutral color scheme and also has a hood for our never-ending Vancouver rain.
• 2 pairs of white jeans, pair of blue jeans, white linen pants, a black and gray patterned drape pant, a blue sheath dress, sweater, tshirt, and v-neck top for layering all from the Banana Republic outlet
• Slipped a last minute haul day into October - 2 ivory tops and 2 dresses from LOFT, and a navy quilted jacket from H&M for casual outings (something I had been missing since I donated a number of jackets)

For the rest of the year, I do not intend to add any more pieces to my wardrobe since I went a little over my 2015 budget with my last second haul at LOFT and jacket purchase at H&M. Hopefully, I see more 'goings' for the rest of the year to start out my 2016 goal with a bang! I'll talk more about that later ;)

My introduction to LOFT

I've heard many great things about LOFT and they finally opened their stores in British Columbia and I made my first purchase!

This year, I purged a lot of clothing and filled in some missing wardrobe staples. I'm starting to aim towards a more simplified and streamline wardrobe and having identified the staple colors I want to stick with (black, ivory/white, gray, and blue/navy), I am now on the look out for more staple pieces. 

I chose the following items and am very happy with them. I tried them on with my work staples - pencil skirt, slim fitted trousers, (and even my drape pants!) and they all looked great! The 2 dresses - well, I can never give up a well-fitted dress haha; the black and white striped one is going to eventually replace my black sheath dress which is going to have to go in the donate pile soon as it's getting a bit stretched out for me, and the flare dress, because I don't have anything like it, and it seems fun for both work and play.

Since this was my first time at LOFT, I tried on everything in all neighbouring sizes to find the right size for me. Their sizing seems to be all over the place compared to other stores I go to; they also seem to fit a little bigger than most places so I sized down for all my pieces except for the striped dress which I bought in a medium-petite. Usually I'm a small/medium in tops and range from 6-10 in dresses, but usually a solid 8. At LOFT, at least in this flare dress, I'm a 6P.

It's getting cooler now! Which means UGGs weather!

One of the best thing about cooler weather is that I get to break out my UGGs. For years I was against this trend, even when I lived in Toronto and walked every where, every day. I thought they were f-ugly to say the least and couldn't describe the distaste I felt for them. 

When I moved back to Vancouver, oddly, I felt colder than ever because of the damp weather and since I still commuted daily, I begrudgingly tried them, and the second my feet touched the soft woolly lining, I was in love. 

So much so, that I wrote a haiku about them. 

Just 'cuz I love them, I still think they're f'ugly - but perhaps in a cute way now ;)

My gray ones are wearing out but I was lucky enough that my mom gave me her brand new ones in tan =D 

Time to replace: my trend wardrobe staple, leopard flats with loafers

My leopard print flats were originally purchased in 2012 as an item of trend. I wasn't keen on animal prints at the time but somehow these shoes captured my eye and I decided to give them a try. The first time I wore them, I fell in love and reserved them only for indoor wear at my office. After a year, I began to wear them every where and they soon became an integral part of my wardrobe. 

Cole Haan leopard flats

Now, in 2015, they are looking sad; the heels are worn down and the sole is beginning to part from the shoe and I'm sure it is only a matter of time before there will be an actual hole in it. The calf-hair has rubbed off on a few areas, but over all, it still looks great from far away. Yes, I have still been wearing them - I can't help myself, I just love them too much not to, and I need them in my life. I've been looking for the next perfect pair to replace them and so far, have had no luck. 

On Saturday,  while on the search for a new pair, I magically found some pretty amazing shoes at the Shoe Company - Town Shoes Tapered Loafers, made in Italy, for $80, originally selling for $160 (online they are on sale for $111.98). 

Town Shoes Tapered Loafer, made in Italy

I tried them on and they felt like butter; I loved them immediately but felt bad because I just purchased some black flats, 5 days ago. Considering I found them for $80 and they are very different from other shoes I own, I decided to take them home to see how they would fit in my wardrobe, and return them if it didn't work. I replaced all my outfits that had my leopard flats with these shoes, and they looked amazing; some looked even better than with the leopard! 

Conclusion - They stay. But, they stay on the condition that they are now my new trend wardrobe staple - one-in one-out rule! 

And I am banned from buying any shoes this year, and next year!

My dear leopard flats - you have been absolutely amazing and have opened my eyes and wardrobe to a whole new world. I will never forget you. You showed me how animal prints can give an outfit some oomph without being overwhelming, and can help complete an outfit - I am ever so grateful. You'e also shown me that it's worth the wait to find the perfect pair, so for the time being, I am substituting you with something entirely different until I can find the perfect pair that has brought me so much joy, as you have.

For my next pair, I'd ideally like more of a pointed toe, and it would be great if it could also have gold hardware.

Time to replace: my every day flats

Every year or so I purchase a pair of flats that are my go-to shoes - I wear them every day to commute to and from work, turn to them when I cannot think of any other shoes to wear, and wear them through all 4 seasons. They get worn about 85% of the year. Depending on the quality of them, they usually last me a good 1-2 years before they start to wear down to the point where the heel and sole split apart; because I like them to last as long as they can, I don't mind spending a little more on them, and I normally buy them in black, or a subtle metallic finish. 

The last pair I purchased was in April 2014 and they were Cole Haan silver wedges with Nike cushion technology. These are great as they are a darker silver and gave me a little height with the wedge, but still giving me a lot of comfort. They began to show wear in the sole a couple of months ago, and I've been getting away with them even though there are scuff marks because of the color, so I have been on the look out for a new pair of flats. 

Cole Haan silver wedges

I didn't expect to find something so soon, but on Monday, I happened to stumble across a pair of black Marc by Marc Jacobs Balle logodisc flats - not only are they super comfy (my first pair of MbMj shoes), but they are a neutral color, have an almond toe, and I bought them for less than $62. YES, THAT'S RIGHT. 

Marc by Marc Jacobs Balle logodisc flats

They originally retail for $220. I came across these by complete chance - I finished a meeting early and decided to check out the local Hudson's Bay since they are having one of their sales; sale items were an additional 25% off. These shoe were not placed in the sale/clearance section but they were on sale for $110. I had 2 questions for the sales associate - (1) did they have these in a 6.5 since these are 6 (they fit, but I wanted to compare the two because I'm normally a 6.5, smallest) and (2) is there an additional 25% off. The SA I asked thought there was an additional 50% off while the SA standing next to her told her to double check the additional discount as they are MbMj shoes; the first SA went to the back to check for sizes and came out and told me that these are the only pair they had since it was a return from another store, and that she would still honour the additional 50% off. I wasn't sure how she decided that it was an extra 50% off, but I think it was the fastest I ever paid for anything!

Now, since I've found replacements for my every day flats, I can exercise the one-in one-out rule and let the Cole Haan wedges go. 

"When one door closes, another door opens... "

"... but we so often look so long and regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us." - Alexander Graham Bell

He's right. 

It took me a long time to let go of my Cole Haans (and to be honest, ever since they have been sitting in the donations bag, I have had to hold myself back from putting them back into my collection) but this weekend, I was able to justify bringing a new pair of shoes into my collection (one-in, one-out rule!) and have found new love and a new summer wardrobe staple.

Behold - my new Franco Sarto Venezia flats!!! 

 

I bought these on Saturday on a way to a party because the sandals I was wearing at the time were really cutting into me (the fate of that one will have to be decided at a later time) and I happen to be at the mall picking up some last minute things and thought I would just check to see if they have something more comfortable for a low price. I found these beauties for a great price - $39.99 and couldn't past them up. They are so comfortable and a great shade of gray (maybe taupe?) to be a definite wardrobe staple for me. I couldn't ask for more. 

This is my first venture into Franco Sarto shoes (I've heard great things before) and definitely would want to look into this as a go-to brand (I'm very brand loyal, if you haven't noticed already).

Refining my summer weekend wardrobe

Previous to 2 summers ago, my summer weekend wardrobe was a mess - nothing made sense, I hadn't done any updates to it, but I had a lot of stuff. It wasn't until I couldn't fit into them, did I start to think about what I really wanted. I took it as an opportunity to refine my wardrobe and instead of going crazy and buying every pretty thing in sight, I took my time, let go of almost everything that wasn't working, and spent very little money to test the waters. I bought a little bit of everything that I wanted to try and it helped me realize the following things:

• t-shirts and tank tops - while it's tempting to buy every color under the sun for the super low prices that seem to be popping up every where, quality differs greatly from brand to brand. Nowadays, especially with the paper thin trend, it's hard to find ones that aren't see through and stretch to no end, after a few wears (and putting them in the dryer to shrink them just put them out of proportion.) I rather spend a bit more money on these so that I don't have to layer on tank top underneath.
• shorts - I learned that I prefer a dress short, or khaki short, over denim, and if they are denim, prefer a dark wash and reasonable length. If I buy anything outside of that, I usually get tired of them after one season. I therefore purchased a few better quality dress shorts and a pair of khakis so that I don't have to replace them every season, and I spend very little money on denim shorts - I actually recently donated last year's purple denim shorts and am in no rush to fit into my dark wash denim shorts, which are an ultimate benchmark item.
• throw-over dresses - I LOVE these, and love the price - there are always fun new ones every year and I buy a couple and wear them to the ground. They are always items that get the best cost-per-wear. This year's will be my new H & M basic dresses and I love them so much that I hope these will hold up for a few seasons. If not, I think/hope it's safe to say that I can get them next year (my cousin bought the same one last year; although, I doubt I will be able to get the orange one again =() I don't spend a lot on these for several reasons: I have yet to find one of really good quality that is lightweight and that I think will actually wear well for several seasons to come, they are one of the few items in my wardrobe that may be a staple, but offer me too much variety for me to commit, and I tend to wear them for everything so the likelihood of them getting ruined is quite large (although has yet to happen) and I don't want to fret over something that's meant to be worn easily.
• pants - I don't like to wear them in the summer and seldom need to. If for whatever reason I must, I have my khakis from spring that work perfectly =) Alternatively, I turn towards my weekend skirts, which like the throw-over dresses, are a staple, but another item I try not to spend too much on for the same reasons.

Now, I have a good mix of things I need and every summer or two, can easily anticipate what needs to be replaced. I usually spend less than 10% of my wardrobe budget for my summer weekend items. Also, since we get summer only 4 months of the year, I try to keep my weekend wardrobe to a very minimum number of items. Same goes for the other seasons. It just makes closet real estate sense ;)

New favourite wardrobe staple!

Last week I decided to return a couple of items that I had purchased in February from H&M. After more than 2 months, they still had their tags on them, so staying true to my resolution, I knew they had to go. I took a small hit with their exchange policy - after 30 days, even with receipt, you receive store credit for the current selling price, but felt relieved that they were out of my closet.

I took a stroll through the store and came across their basic dresses (with pockets!) and purchased one in navy and one in orange. I also purchased a orange striped sweatshirt for $10 - I'm currently quite attracted to orange.

One of my best purchases EVER - immediately after I got home, I changed for dinner and I decided to wear the orange one. I love this thing. I didn't get a chance to dress it up too much as I was running late, but I have already worn this item 3 times since I purchased it, in totally different settings - dinner, taking an afternoon stroll, and going to a casual meeting on the weekend. 

an H &M Basic

Here are the 3 outfits I've made with it so far - 

Dinner, casual stroll, weekend

I've found my new go-to dress pant: GAP's true straight pants

Up until 2014, I bought all my dress pants from Banana Republic and I would choose cuts with a wider pant leg. The previous year, I purchased a few slimmer fitting pants for spring and summer to wear with sandals and flats and fell in love - they are much more figure flattering and more versatile in terms of what shoes I could pair them with - flats, sandals, heels, wedges, they all looked great and because I could get them at ankle length, they didn't require any hemming (which is a HUGE plus in my books).

As luck would have it, early in 2014, I had to replace a pair of black dress pants so I went on the look-out for a nice fitting, price friendly, replacement and found myself loving the GAP's true straight pants. There were no sales going on at the time but that day the GAP was offering $15 off their dress pants so I gave them a shot.

When I tried them on, they fit perfectly, and were sooo comfortable - I was tempted to purchase more in other 'boardroom' colors but as I'm working on minimalism, only purchased what I needed. Plus, I wanted to know how they would hold up for a period of time. I wore them regularly throughout the year and they have been great. No fading in color, holds up well during wash and wear, no sagging or shrinking, and the best part is I don't have to hem them if I purchase from their 'short (A/C)' fit.

One of the last items I purchased in December included a pair in light gray for a fantastic price - it was on sale for $33.99 with an additional half off; I really couldn't say no to that. I did go home and put a pair of super wide-leg dress pants into the donations pile. One-in, one-out is my general rule of thumb!

I would love to add a dark gray and navy pair but I still have those in a wider pant leg that work perfectly fine so I will leave them be for now and only replace them if I come across another fantastic deal, or my current ones need replacing, or I've lost weight.

New shoes! 3 pairs! Oops... OR, 3 pairs of perfect shoes

On Sunday I wandered into a Nine West boutique looking for some fun, colorful, sky-high heels (because you know, sometimes you just gotta have fun!) - of course I didn't find them. 

INSTEAD, I found 3 pairs of shoes that are perfect for my wardrobe and pieces I had been keeping my eye out on for a while (so I can't complain too much)

Ever since I discovered how much I love leopard print, I have been wanting a pair of pumps - these are so comfy and were a great price! My leopard flats are slowly deteriorating at the back of the heel so these will also slowly be replacements for them. I am also treating these as the fun, colorful, sky-high heels I couldn't find because they are just as fun =)

I always have a pair of black flats for work but since my last pair it's been a while since I've found one I really like so I just gave up. I found these with a tiny heel and almond toe and thought they were a perfect alternative - one of my goals is to try to be more girly with my shoes. Usually I wear really girly shoes for a few minutes at work and then change out of them, or for special occasions only - it's not because they hurt, it's just I'm always running around and in a rush and flats are just easier. Really hoping to change this habit.

I have been on the lookout for the perfect nude pump or wedge and although these aren't nude, I think they are the perfect neutral color for spring and summer. I have seen SO many

Pinterest inspirations with a light shoe and I am so happy to be able to 'complete' the look. 

All of these are perfect wardrobe staples and I can't wait to wear them! Unfortunately, they will have to wait until I return from my trip to snowy, very snowy, Nova Scotia to see my husband and in-laws. 

Can't wait to see my husband <3

Now, I have to let go of 3 pairs of shoes from my current collection to balance things out =S