In My Room is about my existential thoughts, you guessed it — in my room! Here, I share my ideas and questions about identity, personal style, relationships, and mental health. I’m taking these thoughts and putting them online so that maybe someone somewhere in their room feels a little less lonely on their journey, too.
Hi friends,
I’m back with another roundup of some of my recent outfits. I’ll cut to the chase — I didn’t successfully complete my “no-buy” challenge. However, I’m really proud of the huuuge decrease in my shopping/spending compared to previous months.
The first purchase I made which set me off track was a pair of second-hand loafers on Poshmark (pictured below) on March 12th. I’m including the date to show that I have some self-control and didn’t break the challenge right away. Loafers have been trendy the last few years, but aside from that, they’re a pretty classic shoe that can easily replace a sneaker when you want to look a little more dressed up. I’ve been going back and forth since 2022 on which ones to get and when I came across this particular pair, it seemed like the perfect option: real leather; second-hand; not too chunky, not too flat; and only $21.75. I’m still trying to break them in but so far I love them and I’m happy with my decision.
So after making that purchase, I decided that maybe I should just focus on not buying any clothes for the month. The other things I ended up buying were a pair of oval sunglasses (another timeless piece) from Madewell (on sale + 1/2 birthday discount = $44.86), a handmade basket bag off Etsy for spring and summer that I have also been in search of for over a year ($70.15), and a pair of silver hoop earrings which I have also been wanting for a while now ($21.74).
Again, I’m proud of myself for not going too bonkers with the spending and I noticed that even when I gave myself the freedom to buy non-clothing items, I still really put thought into what I was going to buy and if it was worth it in the long run.
As I was reaching the end of the thirty days, I came across a vintage Prada trench coat on eBay on March 29th. Now, I’m not super into designer stuff, but there’s something about Prada that I really like visually for its minimalistic style, so when I came across this coat, I was stoked. I know I could’ve waited a few days and then made the purchase but it seemed silly when I knew that I was going to buy it anyway. Like most of the items mentioned before, I’ve been in search of the perfect trench coat for a while, so I went for it and sent the buyer an offer that they accepted.
If I look at this as a “low-buy” challenge then I did really fucking well, so let’s just go ahead and call it that. So what did I learn from the last 30 days of this challenge? That I shouldn’t feel guilty for purchasing things that I like and I should still be mindful and careful with what I choose to buy. I want my closet to be full of things I love and that I’m excited to wear and for that to happen I need to be very selective.
Do I think I can actually do a 30-day no-buy challenge? Absolutely. I don’t think it would be useful though (unless I needed to completely stop any unnecessary spending) because I would just wait for those 30 days to be up to buy all the things I held back from. Instead, I feel that by giving myself a proper balance, I was able to add to my closet with intention and minimally. That’s the kind of habit I want to implement into my life, not a challenge that will restrict me just for me to go back to my previous ways of spending.
I have a wish list in my Notes app of stuff I want to buy (clothes, shoes, bags, accessories) and I’ve decided that each month I get to choose one item from that list to buy. I think by limiting my options I’ll have to choose carefully. I’ll also be more excited about that one thing as opposed to the temporary dopamine rush of impulsively shopping. I’ll make sure to let you all know how it goes!
Now, on to the ‘fits.
DAY 1
This day, my little Leila got spayed, so I had to wake up super early and chose comfort over everything else.
Cashmere sweater: ThredUp, turtleneck: ThredUp, bag: J. Crew, baseball cap: Urban Outfitters, Adidas: NordstromRack
DAY 2
I pretty much live in this baseball cap hehe. I don’t remember what exactly I did this day tbh. I’d probably wear this to run errands or if I had to quickly leave the house. Also, I exchanged my clogs for these lighter ones and I love this cool-tone color so much more.
Cardigan: ThredUp, t-shirt: Cotton On, jeans: ThredUp, clogs: Quince, canvas tote: Dagne Dover
DAY 3
My aunt was in town, so we went out to eat and this is what I wore. I absolutely adore this sweater I recently got. The jeans are a little too straight-leg for me, but I’m still trying to wear them until I find other dark grey ones to replace them.
Sweater: Crossroads, jeans: Levi’s. mary jane flats: Vivaia, bag: eBay, sunglasses: Ray-Ban
DAY 4
Another casual outfit. I have to say I like the mary jane flats a lot better with socks. My mom thinks they look silly.
Jacket: eBay, long sleeve: Cotton On, mary jane flats: Vivaia, bag: J. Crew, sunglasses: Ray-Ban
DAY 5
We went out to eat with my aunt again! This has quickly become my go-to outfit when I want to look more dressed up; I’ve just been swapping out the sweater. I feel so confident and chic and like a total baddie. Please do me a favor and zoom into Leila’s face in the back.
Jacket: ThredUp, sweater: ThredUp, dress: ThredUp, tights: Amazon, boots: hand-me-down, bag: Prada
DAY 6
This was on a Sunday. I last minute went to the Cabazon outlets with my siblings and cousin and didn’t buy a single thing :’) I never thought to pair this sweater with these pants and I’m obsessed. Not crazy about the black bag; I think it’ll look so cute with my new basket bag once it arrives. I almsot got rid of these pants too because they felt too office-y. Glad I didn’t!
Pants: ThredUp, sweater: Poshmark, shoes: Reebok, sunglasses: Ray-Ban, bag: Prada
DAY 7
Okay, I’m obsessed with this and can’t wait to wear it again. These are the loafers I bought. They’re actually little boy shoes. Laini Ozark on YouTube has them, so I decided to search them up online. They’re called the Sperry Top Sider Colton loafers if anyone is curious. Perks of having small feet. Leila being a traviesa as usual.
Denim jacket: ThredUp, dress: ThredUp, loafers: Poshmark, bag: eBay
Please comment below and let me know which outfit is your favorite <3
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Outfits on day 3, 5, & 7 obsessed!!