November 3, 2015 by Debbie Roes

January through June 2015 Purchase Analysis

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that I’m big on tracking, numbers, and statistics related to my wardrobe and shopping (see how I do my tracking here). I think that tracking can be highly beneficial for recovering shopaholics, as well as anyone who wants to shop smarter and better utilize the wardrobe pieces they own. I’ve been tracking how much I spend, what I wear, and how often I wear it since the beginning of 2011, and last year I added photos and an outfit journal to the mix. Using these types of analysis can help us make fewer buying mistakes over time.

It can be helpful to periodically review and analyze our purchases.

Another thing that I find helpful is to review my purchases and see how they have worked out for me. In today’s post, I’m going to look at the items I brought into my closet from January through June of this year and see whether my new items have become wardrobe workhorses or closet benchwarmers.

It’s a bit too early to look at the pieces I purchased during July through October, as I don’t yet know whether those buys were smart or ill-advised. For one reason, many of those items are for fall (looking at you, Nordstrom Anniversary Sale purchases), and the cooler weather hasn’t even started yet where I live. I will address what I’ve bought during the second half of the year in one of my end of the year wrap-up posts (check out what I called my best and worst purchases for 2014 – I don’t agree with all of those assessments now!).

Continue reading →

October 29, 2015 by Debbie Roes

October 2015 “Grab Bag” of Useful Links

Thanks to all those who offered more suggestions for “shopping support structures” to help encourage mindful and wise shopping. We’ve accumulated such a wealth of ideas that I’m sure you’ll find a few tips that will work for you if you take the time to read the post and the comments. There’s still time to add your suggestions to the mix if you have not already done so.

It’s coming up on the end of October, so it’s time for me to share my latest “grab bag” of useful links (see previous editions here). Included below are links to articles I think you’ll enjoy on the subjects of shopping and shopping psychology, wardrobe management, style, and personal development. I’m also sharing a few previous “Recovering Shopaholic” posts that you may have missed the first time around (or may choose to revisit now).

Shelter Island and the San Diego Bay at twilight, my favorite time of day.

Continue reading →

October 26, 2015 by Debbie Roes

How Shopping Support Structures Can Help Us Shop More Wisely

I was apprehensive about posting my most recent accountability update, as I definitely purchased far too many new clothes during August and September. However, the comments I received on that post were very supportive, encouraging, and helpful. Although I could use many of these comments as launching pads for new blog posts, there was one in particular that stood out for me.

What tips and tricks do you use to help you shop more wisely?

Wise Words from Ellie…

A commenter named Ellie wrote the following:

“How can you start using your analytical approach before making purchases and maybe model for us a process of managing our shopping? I remember Jill Chivers said that setting up support structures for success was crucial in going through a shopping ban (see her guest post here). I am wondering what the support structures for success are for shopping with a purpose.”

Continue reading →

October 23, 2015 by Debbie Roes

Cool Weather Wardrobe Planning – Part Two

In my last post, I outlined a six step process for planning and putting together a seasonal wardrobe. The first four steps of this process should be done before you ever set foot in any brick-and-mortar shop or enter an e-commerce store. If you take the time to do some planning before buying anything new, you’ll have a much better chance of making the right choices and being happy with what you purchase. In addition, your wardrobe will be more workable for your actual lifestyle rather than for a past, fantasy, or hypothetical one.

Since the seasons are transitioning from warm to cool where I live (we really only get two seasons here – summer and “not summer”), I thought this would be the perfect time for me to put my method to the test with my own wardrobe. So over the course of the past few days, I went through steps one through four. In today’s post, I will recap my process and share what I learned and my plans for moving forward with my cool weather wardrobe.

These outfits are typical of what I wear during the “cool” weather season…

Continue reading →

October 20, 2015 by Debbie Roes

Cool Weather Wardrobe Planning 2015 – Part One

Within the next couple of weeks, the cool weather season is going to start for me. I know that many of you have been pulling out your warmer clothes for weeks now, but the seasons are a bit “off” where I live. Our summers don’t typically start until sometime in July and they generally last until late October or early November. As such, I don’t even think much about my cool weather wardrobe until right about now. I say “cool” instead of cold because anyone who has ever been to San Diego knows that the temperatures never really drop that low here…

In today’s post, I’m going to share the process I’ve outlined for reviewing my cool weather wardrobe and planning for any updates I need (this process can be used for any season). In between today’s post and my next post, I will follow this process and report back on my findings. I’m going to “walk my talk” and put my method to the test. I hope that perhaps a few of you will do so as well so we’ll have more input on how well this works. I’m definitely open to changes to make things easier and more successful, so your suggestions are welcomed as well.