Wednesday 5 October 2016

The Buyer's Archive: September

Since February last year, inspired by Elise's Buyer's Archive project, I've been keeping a record of all my clothing purchases in an effort to track what works and what doesn't and - in theory - cut down on my spending. Check out the #buyersarchive hashtag on Twitter/Instagram to see posts from everyone taking part, which usually includes Elise, HazelKezzieDonnaLucy and Charlotte.
Last September, I bought four items for a total of just over £70. Of those four, I only regularly wear the boots; the denim skirt and collared top, meanwhile, have already gone to the great charity shop bag in the sky. This year, thanks to the unseasonably warm September skewing my shopping habits, I've managed to acquire practically an entire wardrobe of summer clothes... just when I need them least.

Grey crew neck t-shirt, ASOS £6
I actually bought this tee in August, I think, and then forgot about it in a drawer when I came to do last month's Buyer's Archive post. Oops. Anyway, there's not much to say: it's a grey t-shirt, I wear it a lot tucked into skirts. The end.

Polka dot midi skirt, vintage shop in Brighton £25
This is FAR more than I would ever usually spend on something secondhand and not true vintage, but come on... it's a polka dot midi skirt, could it be any more Janet? I've already worn it at least ten times, thanks to the unseasonably lovely September we had, so at price-per-wear it's turning into a bargain.

Fight Like A Grrrl t-shirt, Etsy £11.83
Because I am utterly crap at properly measuring myself and guessing what size I'll need, this t-shirt arrived from America FAR too big for me. This tutorial came to my rescue; a few minutes with the sewing machine later and it fits me far better.
Button front denim skirt, originally New Look but from a charity shop £2.99
I've been looking for a skirt like this for over two years now, so I pounced when I spotted it on a trip to Nottingham. It's just a tad too big at the waist for me, but I figure I can belt it.

Dark grey t-shirt, H&M £7.99
Like the ASOS tee, this is one I actually bought a month or two ago and then forgot to blog. As you can see from the photo, this t-shirt has already stretched out of shape quite a bit, which is annoying, as it'd been a handy top to throw on with skinny jeans on cooler days this summer.

Ditsy floral print midi skirt, originally Bon Marche but from a charity shop £2.99
Because I can no more resist a midi skirt in a charity shop than I can a glass of wine on a Friday night.


Chunky t-bar shoes, Deichmann £19.99
I ended up donating my previous pair of chunky T-bars because, even after two years of wear, they were still so painful. I'm hoping this pair are quicker to break in, because a chunky Mary Jane is my go-to shoe in winter.

Book print skirt, Cath Kidston £36 (with 10% student discount)
And finally, I eventually caved and bought this little beauty. I've been eyeing up this skirt since it first went on sale, and after my size sold out online I thought I'd have to forgo my dream. Imagine, then, my delight when I popped into the Nottingham store and they had one solitary size L left, and we discovered Thomas had a mere 3 days left on his NUS card with which to gain student discount.

All of which gives me a total for September of £112.76 for eight items. However, £13.99 of that was actually last month's spend, so the true total for is £98.77. Plus, I made £100 selling old clothes on eBay and Depop this past month, so I've actually ended up in credit to the tune of a whole £1.33. 

17 comments:

  1. Ooo yay! My favourite kind of posts! I really need to get my act together and get started on some, I havent for the last few months!

    I love your skirts! All of them but I have a soft spot for the cath kidston and the button down denim one

    Charlotte | www.shoestringchic.co.uk

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    1. Do - I love having a nose at what people have bought!

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  2. That Cath Kinston skirt is dreamy! How did you find depop? I have a lot of clothes to sell and unsure whether to use that or eBay.

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    1. I only managed to sell two bits through it, I think it has to be very sought-after brands (or frequently searched brands, perhaps) to work. I put everything on both eBay and Depop as there were no listing fees for either, and then whichever sold first I cancelled the other one (not great etiquette but needs must!)

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  3. Always impressed with your charity shop finds! I'm in search for the perfect autumn shoe for work... not yet found it!

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    1. I only ever seem to find skirts in charity shops but hey, that's fine - I like skirts!

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  4. Wow so those Mary Janes would have been on my feet 24/7 as a teen, feeling the first real 90's fashion pangs in a long time! SO glad you made the Fight like a girrrl shirt fit,that would have been a shame not to wear it! My wardrobe has been missing a good denim skirt for awhile now, great find!

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    1. They are my dream shoes - the Doc Marten Mary Janes are just a bit too chunky for my taste, these are a great approximation for a quarter of the price, and comfortable too!

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  5. Ooooo those shoes! They're beautiful! Loove your book skirt too :D

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    1. I wore the skirt to work today, it made me very happy :)

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  6. That Cath skirt is so pretty! I have a mushroom print Cath skirt I got a couple of years ago, I love her quirky prints.

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    1. Oh the mushroom print is so cute! I've been trying to find the bird print skirt for years; one day...

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  7. You're practically spend neutral! Some lovely bits here too, loving the book print skirt - can it be any more perfect for you?!

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    1. "Spend neutral" - I love it! If I can manage the same every month, I'll be happy (but I doubt it)

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  8. Ooooh I've been eyeing up that pencil skirt from Cath Kidston too, it's beaut. Also, if your Deichmann's don't do the job, I got some great T-Bars from Clarks. SO COMFY.

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  9. You've done super well on the ebay selling and depop- fab!
    I like your skirts- goood finds!x

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  10. I had the same problem with Clarks brogues and eventually admitted defeat when I found a new pair in BHS earlier this year. They're not as elegant but definitely much more comfortable. I hope your shoes work out! That sucks about the H&M tshirt too, I've always found theirs to be the best wearing tops :)

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