All The Clothes I Bought In The First Half of 2019

It’s been about six months since my last clothing roundup, so I figured it was time for another update!

Everything I Bought

Mizuno Paradox 3 Running Shoes – $60 (Full Retail: $140)

Replacement running shoes. Unfortunately all of the original Paradox shoes have been sold out at all suppliers, so I decided to get one of the next versions, but still not the most recent so I could get a heavy discount. They’re comfortable to run in, but definitely have worn out faster than the originals. 😦

Superfeet Black Insoles – $50 (Full Retail $50)

Again, replacements. Always invest well in what separates you from the ground.

Vince Striped Linen Shirt – $22 (Full Retail: $135)

I really like the design of this shirt and the lightness of the linen. I’m excited to get a lot of use out of it this summer. The drape on this shirt is lovely, but I worry a little about the longevity– it’s a little thin.

Eileen Fisher Cotton & Linen Shirt – $26 (Full Retail: $168)

Similar to the above, I had a little bit of a linen splurge. The color is a bit greener than in the above photo. It feels really nice, but the garment is a bit too roomy. Even in an XS, I’m swimming in it.

Linenfox Linen Pants – $76 (Full Retail: $70)

Bought this based on a recommendation from Xin. Haven’t received this item yet since they take 4-6 weeks to make (and then to ship from Lithuania), but I am looking forward to wearing the same pair of wrinkly linen pants all through August/September. Luckily, that’s the worst time of year here for mugginess and heat (since all the seasons are pushed, like, two months back).

Total – $234

Full Retail – $563

Summary

While last year I had a goal stay under $350 for clothes, this year I’m willing to splurge a little bit more. Though, honestly, I spent $110 on what are really orthopedic expenses more than fashion, so I certainly don’t think $125 in truly discretionary clothes spending is going overboard at all.

I want to get espadrilles for the summer, because my leather Merrell Jungle Mocs are waaaay too hot when I walk a lot in the heat. I’d still like to get the La Collisione necklace from Alighieri, but it’s not top priority right now. Similarly, would like to fix up my leather jacket (small shoulder rip) and get the fancy watch my family gifted me for our wedding serviced so I can actually use it.

What clothes have you bought so far this year? Do you have a budget? What pieces do you have your eye on?

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All The Clothes I Bought In The Second Half of 2018

In the first half of the year, I mostly bought casual clothing and minor replacements in shoes and socks for my wardrobe. I kept up the same trend the last few months. Most of items I got were blue– easy, neutral, don’t want flashy right now. I doubt I’ll be buying anything in the next few weeks, mostly out of disinterest in anything except an Alighieri necklace, which I know I won’t be buying until next year at least.

Everything I Bought

Vince Color Block T Shirt – $33

I needed some casual T-shirts for work. I wanted something without logo branding, but a little funkier than the plain crew-neck shirts I have already.

Eileen Fisher Silk Blend Crew Neck Sweater $27

For when I’m leaning hard into menocore. I’ve never been much into loose, flowy garments, but this this sweater is so damn cozy and I actually kind of like the crunchy granola look I have wearing this with my tortoise shell glasses.

J Brand Jeans – $35

The same as the jeans I bought during my wardrobe overhaul last year. I like the way those have held up, but I needed another pair so it wasn’t on rotation literally every day.

Vince Paneled Shirt – $22

Another hip shirt with a wide waist and stomach, though less so than a tunic. I’m not sure how I feel about this one, though it feels like a good transitional item for when I’m pregnant (is that a thing I’m allowed to think about now?).

Total – $117

Grand Total for 2018 – $327

Summary

My goal at the beginning of the year was to stay under $350 for clothes, and I definitely did that! I’m not setting myself a budget for next year. Now that my husband and I have our monthly allowances, I feel less pressure to spend more/less in any particular budget category. Rather, as long as I stay in my range for total discretionary spending each month (~$600) then it’s fine.

Other than the La Collisione necklace from Alighieri, the only thing I have on my radar for next year is a summer shoe– something like TOMS canvas ones. And maternity clothing maybe? That’s still weird to say.

Oh, and I want to get a few pieces repaired early in the year. This includes my leather jacket, which somehow developed a small rip in the shoulder, cleaning my Merrells, replacing my insoles, and tuning up one of the old fancy watches I got as a wedding so I can wear it day to day.

What clothes did you buy in 2018? Do you have a budget for next year? What pieces do you have your eye on?

What Is Casual Dress Code Even

It looks like I’ve been getting a lot of traffic on my “Should I Think Less About FIRE?” post. It seems like it came from someone’s email newsletter, but I can’t tell from whom? In any case, thanks internet stranger! And welcome new readers!

I know I’m on break, but I had a couple quick things I wanted to talk about with regard to my new company’s casual dress code.

First of all, “casual” pretends it is not a dress code, but it totally is. It mirrors what I think a lot of us had as school dress codes. As far as I can tell, casual means that one can wear jeans and T shirts, but that things that are more skin-revealing (even tank tops or off-the-shoulder looks which are trendy right now) or bodycon are really out of place.

Even within the realm of T shirts and jeans, some tees are normal and others are out of place. Lightly patterned tees (stripes, dots, little dog prints, etc.) are fine, but emblazoned words and three wolf moon-esque shirts are not. Also, fit is extremely important. Especially if one is literally wearing tees and sweats, the right fit is the one thing keeping wearers from being seen as truly unkempt.

Second of all, my business casual-leaning wardrobe is really close to feeling out of place at my current work place. I’ve been defaulting to my silk shirts and jeans and I’m worried it’s causing people to see me as too dressy to be technical? Like sometimes people don’t bother telling me things I can completely understand because they are “subtle”, but like I would really appreciate people to just tell me in order to perform my job thank you very much. Maybe this is just in my head? A projection of imposter syndrome, perhaps?

In any case, I think I’d be well-served to add a couple more pairs of jeans to my rotation and some non-silk shirts. I don’t really want to just wear tees, personally. Feels too informal. Some minimalist cotton or linen blouses, I reckon, but no button-ups because even as a bust size B, those tend to pucker like whoa. Recommendations welcome!

Third of all, I have a $50 credit to Saks through a new Amex partnership via my Platinum card. I can burn the credit between now and the end of the calendar year. It’s enough to buy maybe a third of a garment? Not really sure how and whether I’ll end up using this.

Alright, back to my exponentially increasing to do list!

Does your workplace have a “casual” dress code? What does that even mean? Any minimalist cotton or linen tops you’d recommend?