Do you make new year's resolutions? If so, do you stick to them? I've always found resolutions to be a little punishing, albeit beneficial—lose 10 pounds, stop smoking, cut carbs, exercise more—so I frame mine as goals and make sure they are things that will bring me joy. In the past, I've set a goal of two cultural events per month (which I've kept up with, and then some), supporting journalism by paying for subscriptions (still doing that), and lowering my carbon footprint (going strong with composting, menstrual cups, offsetting all my flights, meatless Monday, and bar soap only). Last year, in a fit of mid-pandemic helplessness, I set way too many goals for myself, most of which were neither pleasurable nor attainable, and—shocker—I did not accomplish most of them, which left me feeling somewhat useless and unhappy. So this year, I've pared it down to three big goals, which in the spirit of vulnerability (and accountability), I'm going to share here. One is to strengthen my friendships; the pandemic did a number on my social life, and I'm still recovering from that. The second—which is a little more relevant here—is to improve my relationship with money, because I'm realizing that I could be in a better financial position than I am. As part of that, I made a budget for the first time in my life (I'm using You Need A Budget) and whew, has that been a humbling and eye-opening experience. Which brings me to my third and hopefully most relevant goal: to invest wisely in beautiful things. Real talk: I have frequently bought things just to feature here on the blog, and those are not items that have truly brought me joy; instead, I end up reselling or donating them, which is better than throwing them away, but still, I'd rather have one nice sweater that I love and will wear for years versus 10 crappy sweaters that pill and I can only wear a few times before I'm utterly disgusted by them. So with that in mind, I've set a few parameters for myself for what I purchase (and wear) in 2023—let's be honest, this blog is called Cheryl Shops, and while I have no intention of stopping, I can at least be more conscious about what I buy. So here are my shopping guidelines for 2023.
Shop secondhand first
This was something I started doing in 2020, which was my carbon-footprint-lowering year, and while I do still buy things new, some of my all-time favorite pieces (and biggest bargains) have come from Vestaire Collective, The Real Real, Thred Up, and Poshmark, where I found this like-new Isabel Marant coat. I had been looking for a longer style, but this deal was too good to pass up. The amazing thing about all of these sites is that you can often find new-with-tags items that are still in stores; so not only is shopping secondhand better for the environment, it's better for your budget.*
*Note: the most environmentally- and budget-friendly thing to do is not shop at all, which leads me to...
Shop your closet
This is a term that I actually hate—it was everywhere during the recession of 2008, so I have bad associations with it—but the idea is a really helpful one. How many times have you bought something, only to bring it home and realize you already own something exactly like it? (As someone who once owned 12 pairs of nearly indistinguishable black pants, it's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me.) I was all ready to invest my hard-earned blogger money in this splurgy yet classic Totême sweater when I realized I already owned a dupe from Chicwish, originally featured in this honest review. I'd probably be happier with the real thing, but in the meantime, I'll gladly wear my knockoff—it's actually really nice quality, and it hasn't faded or pilled in the months that I've had it. And did I mention it's a tenth of the price of the original?
Shop the trends selectively
Once upon a time, I used to write two very thorough, meticulously sourced trend reports per year. I would also buy into most of those trends—cheap fast fashion, wear it for a few months, then donate or give it away—and if I could take back the money I've spent over the years, I'd probably have enough to buy myself an Hermès bag. That said, your wardrobe doesn't have to be strictly filled with the classics or, worse, be boring. You can buy into trends, but be honest with yourself about how you feel wearing them—are they really "you"? As I noted in this post, I've made a hard pass on most of the '90s-revival trends (cropped tops, creeper boots) but have fully embraced corduroy. These pants, for example, feel very "me" with their straight-leg cut, and in turn, I wear them constantly. (They're on sale at the moment and run TTS, in case you were wondering.)
Invest in what matters to you
I have been and always will be a shoe girl. And the older I get, the more I've realized I literally can't wear cheap shoes—if my feet aren't comfortable, I'm not comfortable. Of course, my wardrobe has shifted into lower heels and more casual styles in recent years—like these Isabel Marant Beth sneakers—but shoes are where I allow myself a well-earned splurge. I also tend to invest in bags—I bought this A.P.C. sac demi-lune in Paris in 2018 and have featured it heavily here since then—but not as frequently because, whew, bags are an expensive habit. Anyway, determine what matters most to you—it could be dresses or blazers or pants or jewelry or whatever is the cornerstone of your personal style—and spend wisely. You're worth it.
OUTFIT DETAILS: Isabel Marant Etoile coat via Poshmark (similar here) | Chicwish turtleneck sweater (c/o) | Banana Republic corduroy utility pant (on sale!) | A.P.C. sac demi-lune | Isabel Marant Beth sneakers
10 comments
2023 will be an exciting time for shopping! With the rise of e-commerce and new technologies, it will be easier than ever to find what you need. Look for stores that offer delivery, curbside pickup, and virtual shopping experiences https://www.helpwithdissertation.co.uk/online-research-proposal-help-uk/
It's amazing to see how far technology has come in such a short amount of time. Shopping in 2023 will be a much different experience than it is today, and I'm excited to see what new innovations emerge in the coming years!
I should shop my closet more as it happened to me more then once that I bought something I already had,similar then. But I am already looking forward to see the spring collections!
I think your trousers are super, love how you've styled them. Jacqui x
I love shopping secondhand, especially for my kids. It's better for the account balance and the environment!
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These are such good goals! I want to shop second hand more too, I only bought 2 things retail last year fashion-wise and I'd love to only shop second hand this year. I can never say no to a good impulse buy though, so I just want to ensure I shop second hand more than buying things new :)
Thank you for joining the Weekday Wear Link up!
These are great tips - and well done with last year's goals, very meaningful achievements. I like the idea of secondhand from places like Vestiare because charity shops continue to baffle me. I can never find anything! And to my shame, I have occasionally forgotten something in my wardrobe and bought a dupe..
It's incredible how far technology has come in such a short period of time. The shopping experience in 2023 will be very different from what it is now, and I'm excited to see what new developments occur in the coming years! but also receive the top-notch, certified cause and effect essay help at a low cost and with significant effects.
This post offers a great overview of how shopping is evolving in 2023. It's exciting to see the adoption of new technologies and trends that make our shopping experiences more convenient and efficient. I love the emphasis on sustainability in this article. It's encouraging to see more options for eco-conscious consumers, and I hope this trend continues to grow. Thanks for sharing this blog!
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