Outfits lately and an update on my shopping hiatus

Hello internet. It’s me, Rebecca. I took the last month off of Instagram because I need to graduate. Turns out that if you delete the Instagram app you can write 100 pages in 5 weeks #woops #distracted

But I missed my outfit picture community! So here are some outfit pics I took while I was away, plus a few thoughts on the shopping hiatus I took in January.

I got this ruffle sweater secondhand in Phoenix. It turns out I really like this style, because it balances out my shape (I’m smaller on top than in the hips).

I lived in this sweater coat. I am perpetually cold, so having a wool blend item that looks appropriate for indoors but is extremely warm is ideal for me!

And I got a little fancy for the holidays, with the addition of these over the knee boots from Target. I haven’t had anything but ankle boots for 3-4 years now, and this was a great purchase to add a little interest to my winter wardrobe.

Then, I went on a January shopping hiatus. It worked pretty well…really well, actually, and was an exciting way to pad my savings account. I tend to spend about $150 a month on clothes. (PS there’s an interesting article going around about how much money you should budget for clothes–what do you think? I was surprised!).

Not shopping was difficult at first. I think shopping, like everything else in this world, can be a powerful habit. And a source of entertainment! I substituted online browsing with reading for fun–here’s what I read:

(PS: I’m currently reading Priestdaddy and it’s really good).

I also kept a list of everything I *almost* bought and how much it would have cost me. This really put things in perspective. Here’s what made the list:

-pajamas ($40–and right after I got a new pair for Christmas!)

-2 sweaters ($160–just say noooo)

-new ballet flats ($40–in the middle of winter??)

-a graduation dress ($130–this is just a mistake to do too early)

So, I am happy it’s February now and I can pick up a few items I’ve been eyeing. But I highly recommend trying a month of no shopping, it really puts the habit in perspective! Tell me what you did in January (here or on Instagram)!