Adhering Badly to the No-Shopping Statute

I am supposed to be saving to remodel my condo and throw a fun wedding reception. So why can I not I keep myself out of the stores!? Mother's Day was spent at the mall, because the winds were too high and dangerous for the original plan of a lovely walk in the historic, amazingly-landscaped Mt. Auburn Cemetery (tree limbs crashing down on my head are not my idea of a relaxing afternoon). I did spend far more than I should have but a) my tax return just came and b) I am practicing the one-in, two-or-three-out rule and paring my wardrobe down to a smaller number of items I adore rather than many that are just OK. A rundown of my spree (pardon the cell phone pics):

EXPRESS: (This is one store where I head straight for the clearance rack and pause only to fondle the expensive loveliness on the regular displays). In place of two black skirts that were never quite perfectly flattering (one from Raspberry Beret, one unknown), I purchased a sleek, structured pencil skirt in a soft, stretchy light black denim fabric, half off, for $29.99. I also snagged a cute watercolor-print cardigan there for $19.99.

(With previously owned light blue cami)

OLD NAVY: I suppose I didn't need another pair of jeans, but most of the ones that currently fit me are of too light a wash in which to leave the house (I'd rather not talk about the stacks of Rubbermaid containers with sizes 8, 10, etc. inside which taunt me from my basement storage). So, being sadly unable to find my length on the sale rack, sprang for the full-cost "Sweetheart" cut jeans in a nice dark wash for $29.50. They'll work with anything, obviously, but I'm a big fan of how they look with the new sweater (more on the shoes shortly!):



I also snagged a cobalt blue henley tee because I somehow have, like, no blue clothes. What?! I love blue! How did this happen?! Oh, right, I was busy being drawn to purple, pink and turquoise... Here are the jeans with it, and my new flower clip from Etsy, and my Rampage jeweled ballet flats (a year or two old).


FAMOUS FOOTWEAR: My 20% off rewards coupon came in the mail recently, so I scurried to the clearance section and scored these incredible Madden Girl platform peep-toes for about $16 (also pictured above):

I can now give away all of my other purple pumps, and die happy.

...and it's espadrille season again so I also bought some cushy Naturalizer wedge ones in a pretty metallic-and-bright stripe pattern with a bow, $27. They go quite nicely with that blue henley and a floaty crepe skirt I found at Goodwill a while back:




MARSHALLS: Just one minor purchase here- a $15 leopard pencil skirt in stretch twill:

(with previously owned black short-sleeved sweater)

Leopard is hot again for fall, according to the powers that be (I've seen mentions of mixed leopard, too- as in two or more mismatched pieces?). It's bombshell, it's punk rock, and it's classic all at the same time, and never really goes "out" per se (I certainly wouldn't buy it just because it's "in"). Some people don't think of animal print as a neutral, but it can be; paired with just about any color, it works, unlike most patterns. Witness:

(with aubergine silk button-down by Dana Buchman, Goodwill Fall '09)



(with hot pink sateen Talbots blazer, Goodwill Winter '10)

(with teal silk ruffle-front Victoria's Secret blouse, Winter '10)

See?!
(Oh, and those cute little flats are canvas, American Eagle from Payless, $12.99 last week)

I definitely have a shopping problem. But I'm trying to tame it and only buy things I adore and those that fill holes in my wardrobe while getting rid of plenty of the old stuff that doesn't follow those rules-- the duplicates, the too-revealing-for-work, and the just-not-flattering are gone! Have you endeavored to make any changes in your closet recently?

Happy outfit-planning!