I went a year without shopping and this is what happened.

it all started with some big life changes; I resigned from my full time job and had foot surgery.  So naturally, with a closet full of clothes, I thought the right thing to do was to shop my own closet.

So one shopping-free month became two months, then three and so on. Once spring came along, I really started to get itch for something new, so I started browsing, hitting the stores and trying things on. But each time, I decided that I either had a better version at home or it just wasn’t quite perfect enough. I figured, I held off this long, let’s keep going. So I put it back and left the store.   

And this kept happening month after month. Each time, I was getting more particular about exactly what I wanted -  What I really needed to fill in the gaps in my closet, and if it wasn’t perfect, I held off.  I found myself wearing my favorite things again and again without ever getting tired of them. I tried some older ‘gems’ that I’d neglected and experimented styling them in new ways. I even started wearing sneakers with ‘going out’ outfits, mainly because of my foot surgery, but I was totally into the new look and I was on-trend. 

When I shared with my friends that I going on a year with no new purchases, they couldn’t believe it.   The crazy thing was that it was easier than I ever thought. I didn’t once feel like I was doing without.  It was the opposite. In the end, I honed my style based on how I was actually living and how I wanted to present myself at that time in my life.  

It turns out my first purchase was a pair of black leather mules that I live in and love.

Shop your closet. Be particular with purchases.  Less is most often so much more. 

xo, laura