July Wardrobe Report
What I bought, returned, and tried on this month
Hi again, readers!
I’m back after a longer break than expected. I certainly wasn’t planning to do two wardrobe reports back-to-back, so excuse the lack of diversity in my content this summer. I know, the biggest cliché, but July flew by so fast, especially with my oldest being home most of the time for the first time this summer, so life simply got in the way.
I’ll probably stay a bit quiet until she returns to school the first week of September, but hopefully I can find a little more time to write in August.
For now, let’s just do our usual wardrobe report of the month, with what I bought, returned, and tried on.
Let’s get into it!
What I Bought This Month
If you read my last report, I had been doing really “well” since mid-May. I wasn’t really shopping or even thinking about it, which is very rare for someone who loves clothes as much as I do. And then we got our first heatwave, which led to me only wanting to wear an easy mini dress, which I didn’t own.
So, I went shopping in person in the city, and then one thing led to another. Not in a way that I bought a million things, but more in a way that I wanted to buy a million things. And ever since, I’ve been fully back in shopping mode. Thankfully, I’m still very picky about what actually makes it into my wardrobe! I ended up buying three new things this month, which is more than I said I wanted to, but I’ll get back to that thought at the end.
Good thing is, the first thing I got was exactly what I wanted: an easy summer dress. The front is nylon and the back is cotton, so I’m not sure it qualifies as the best material for summer for most people. But for me, it meant I wouldn’t have to be precious with it since the nylon already gives the front a slightly wrinkled look, and the fabric is thick enough to hold its shape without clinging to me. It’s also my favorite silhouette: a mini with an A-line shape. And it has pockets!
It actually looks quite similar to an Everlane dress that I’ve had for probably 10 years now (the one I put away in storage at the beginning of the season because the size doesn’t work for me right now), so it’ll be its official replacement.
The only downside is that it’s very short on me (I’m 5’8”), like right at the limit of what I’m comfortable wearing. I always wear shorts under mini dresses, but I actually had to buy new ones because my usual pair was too long. I, of course, didn’t know that when I was in the store, or it might have affected my decision. But I decided to roll with it because I liked the dress enough, and my new (shorter) shorts are thin cotton and better suited to warm weather anyway.
2- Zara Red Slides
To prove how crazy happy I was to be shopping, I was brave enough to venture into Zara at the peak of their sale, which, to me, is probably the worst shopping experience you can get. I managed to find the last pair of these red sandals, which was a miracle considering the state of the store (and I was there maybe thirty minutes after opening, so do they just not clean the store during the sale?).
Anyway, the reasoning behind this purchase is that I don’t think I’ve worn anything other than sandals since the beginning of June, and all my sandals except for one pair are flip-flops, so I was craving a new shape.
I love the simplicity of these and the color. My love for red isn’t new, but now I’m getting pickier about it being the right red for me, and this one is. And I know buying something just because of the price is never a good reason, but they were so cheap that it still felt like a no-brainer to inject a bit of fun into my wardrobe. I’ve worn them quite a lot already, so it was a good decision.
Ahhh, I saved the best for last. I blame Amelia Gregory for this one because she shared it in one of her posts, and I was immediately obsessed with it. It wasn’t available in Canada yet, but when I went into the store to return something, they had just received it… and they only had one. I haven’t seen it available online, and it’s now sold out and not even showing up on the canadian website anymore, which is weird.
But I’m so glad I was able to get my hands on it. It’s definitely not something I’ll wear every week, and I know that. But I just had to have it. The material is a blend of silk and linen, so it’s lightweight, incredibly soft, and feels perfect against the skin. The silhouette is perfect too. I plan to wear it with a pair of straight-leg jeans, like below.
What I Returned
In my mission to find a new pair of sandals, I ordered these from Massimo Dutti, which I had been eyeing since the beginning of the season. It was before I found the Zara pair in the sale, and when I compared the two, I knew the Zara ones were the winner for me.
The small heel is what I liked about them in the first place, but when I tried them on, they just didn’t feel like me for some reason? I knew I wouldn’t reach for them in my day-to-day life, and this is the life I’m buying stuff for, so…
I liked the idea of this top, and I was with my mom when I ordered it, so I was honestly a bit influenced by how much she loved it. By the time I received it, though, I wasn’t as excited about it anymore. It was fine, but not special enough for me to keep. When I compared it to my kimono, it was easy to say no to this one.
3- Zara butter yellow cardigan
In the same order, I added this cardigan that also seemed like a good idea on paper. 100% cotton, a fun color to pair with my new red slides, and a simple style. When I tried it on, however, it just didn’t feel interesting enough to me. Sure, it looks okay, but also so plain, no? I think I prefer my basics to have some kind of interesting detail, and this one just didn’t.
What I Tried On
The color of these flats was sooo good in person, and they also happened to look perfect with the outfit I was wearing that day, which made it even harder for me to say no. But I knew they would somehow end up being hard for me to style. I owned butter yellow flats a few years ago that I ended up reselling for that exact reason, so even if it’s not exactly the same color, I doubt the outcome would be much different.
When I compare them to the sandals I returned that were a similar color, I know I’d prefer having this color in a sandal rather than a flat.
This looked like another good contender for the “easy summer dress” I was looking for, but I unfortunately didn’t like the neckline on me. I’m also not a fan of this length, which is short, but not quite short enough to be flattering on my proportions, if that makes sense.
I love the brand Soeur so much, and the Simons downtown store carries a few pieces, which I’m always happy to try. This top was sooo pretty. I loved the color, the drape, and the longer length. However, it requires wearing a strapless bra, which is a personal no for me. I learned that one the hard way, and it was a bit heartbreaking in this case, but I’m glad I resisted and followed my rule.
A few thoughts
I’ve been reflecting on the rules I impose on myself ever since going back into a shopping mode, and I think I want to cut myself some slack. I put a lot of pressure on myself when it comes to shopping and clothes: I should want to shop less, buy less, buy better, not make any shopping mistakes, find better “hobbies.” Then I feel like I have something to be proud of when I don’t shop, and like I’m doing something bad when I do. But… why?
I don’t spend more money on clothes than my budget allows. I don’t buy things I don’t wear. I trust my instincts when it comes to adding something to my wardrobe. I already ask myself a million questions before buying. Shopping makes me really happy. I LOVE it. Going downtown on a sunny day, even if it’s just to window shop and try a few things on, is literally my definition of a perfect me day. I was really happy not shopping for two months because I wasn’t feeling it, and that’s okay. We all need to touch grass sometimes. But feeling it and just having fun should be okay too, you know?
So going forward, I want to try to change my mindset about it. I still want to buy less and buy better. Of course, that’s always my number one goal. But no more “I don’t want to shop, and I can only buy one thing this month.” This mindset doesn’t do me any good. I’m actually better at buying only one thing a month and shopping less when I don’t have a number in my head to obsess over.
I just want to let go of the guilt I often feel about loving clothes and shopping as much as I do.
What about you? What is your relationship with shopping, or with loving fashion and getting dressed in general? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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The kimono top looks so good and it sounds like absolute fate that you found it! 💗
Your thoughts resonate with me a lot. I am also trying for many years to buy better and fewer things. At the beginning at this year I set uo a goal for one item/ month and in March I already give us as I feld guild and make me feel bad. 🤗