One Year Purchase Review: June 2016

Now's the time where I look back on my purchases from this month one year ago to see what kind of lessons I can apply to current day.

In June 2016, I seem to have been mainly concerned with getting my cool-summer-weather wardrobe together for an upcoming trip to Maine. I don't have immediate plans to travel this June, although I did just get back from a weekend in Provincetown, and I had similar wild hairs that I needed such and such an item before I went (a swimsuit, hiking boots, etc. - I was successful in getting the latter but not the former.)

I also spruced up my summer work wardrobe a little. I bought very little other than clothes.

Wool Hoodie: $100

A lightweight wool hoodie is the perfect thing for summer because it's warm when you want it to be warm, but it doesn't stifle you like a cotton jacket or flannel. It can also be folded into a purse when you don't need it. I wear a wool hoodie all the time in the summer, but I now wear a different instance. Somehow, last fall I ended up giving my wife this one and getting another one almost identical for myself. I think I lent it to her once and she wore it so much that I decided to just get another one "so we have two between us" (but I now think of this one as hers and the new one as mine.) So I guess retroactively this is spending for my wife's wardrobe?? But she never would have spent $100 on a hoodie for herself.

Worth It (for THE FAMILY)

Goodwill clothes: $11

I don't usually have a problem with my Goodwill clothing habit. A notable purchase this month was yet another hoodie - I was worried the wool hoodie wouldn't come in time for my vacation, so I got a backup. It was a pretty good basic cotton hoodie, but since I did get the wool one and wore that all time time, I ended up redonating the backup without wearing it much. Still, $5 or so for a clothing rental is fine with me.

Worth It (even though I don't have any of these clothes anymore)

Very Discounted Wool Sweaters (2): $60

These were on super-sale because they were the wrong season. (Something to keep in mind for this year: will I be tempted by off-season winter clothes?) One of these sweaters turned out to be great, one I wear a lot. One turned out to be just bad in expected ways - the fit was weirdly off, it was like a factory second. QA problems, I guess. The problem was that I didn't even try these on until fall. I just got them, assumed they'd fit because I knew the brand, and put them away for next winter. If I do buy off-season clothes for an upcoming season due to sales, I should still be sure to subject them to the same scrutiny I would if I were planning to wear them tomorrow.

Worth It: $30

Not Worth It: $30

Work Dresses (2): $46

I got these from ThredUp, so they were used and lower price. Again, this is a half-and-half situation. One of these dresses was an exact copy of a dress I wear all the time for work in the summer. This was a great purchase because it basically just doubled the amount of times I could wear my favorite dress. The other dress was from the same brand but it was a different model I just didn't look as good in, and it took me awhile to realize that I was never happy to wear it.

Worth it: $23

Not Worth It: $23

Chiffon Infinity Scarf: $12

I got this at an upscale used clothing store. At first I wasn't convinced I'd wear a decorative scarf (I've never figured out how), but I fell in love with it. It's a great way to accessorize a basic work dress, and it has a place outdoors too, even in summer: it keeps the sun off my neck.

Worth It! (and introduced me to the magic of the work scarf)

Flannel Scarf: $15

I guess I had in my head the idea that I needed a different type of scarf for casual/outdoor use than workplace use, but this one didn't end up getting worn.

Not Worth It

Slouchy Cotton/Tencel Top: $35

This shirt was comfy, which is why I kept it, but it didn't wear well. After a few washes it looked pilled and sloppy. Buying new clothes is a fool's game. (When they're not wool.)

Not Worth It

LL Bean Clutch: $16

I have an obsession with small bags to put inside larger bags. I think I still have this somewhere, but I don't use it often because it doesn't have any organizer pockets.

Not (Really) Worth It, Alas

Digital Media: $11

$6 worth of ebooks and $5 for a podcast special download.

Worth It I Guess Fine Probably

Craft Fair Necklace: $25

I don't have to worry about spending at the craft fair this year, since we already missed it. On the downside, it occurs to me that I didn't wear this necklace once in the year I've had it.

Not Worth It

Total Spend: $354

Total Worth It: $210 (59%)

Total Not Worth It: $144 (41%)

Wow, not a bad total spend… I think I've overspent that already in June 2017, sigh. The percentages could be better in terms of worth it. Like I said, I think my main problems were not being judgmental enough about new clothes. I did well with the used clothes that I got, and the one major purchase (the wool hoodie) which I did a fair amount of research on.