HAPPY NEW YEAR! Recently, I am watching and reading so many No or low buy year challenges. Ladies, especially if you are on a no buy, you are so strong- I admit I am a bit envy and admire you as well, because you are conscious and have enough, but I have to myself, even if I want to do I just cannot. Simply because of I have so many new things in my life, not just only I have clothes that are worn so I have to replace them, but also I have a great wish list.
Wishlist
So I rather set up some rules for 2022 for myself, to avoid overwhelming and overspending, my system called:
STYLISH FROM A 100.
I do believe that everyone can be stylish regardless of material situation. (Okay maybe a homeless cannot). #stylishfroma100
stylish
/ˈstʌɪlɪʃ/
adjective
fashionably elegant and sophisticated.
“you don’t have to be a designer to create a stylish look in your own small room”
GOOGLE
So what will be my boundaries?
My monthly budget is 100 EUR *
I do not need to spend it monthly, I can have a snowball effect and if I wish I can spend it in one as well.
Maximum number of items: 15, which means that the average price is 80 EUR each.
If I sell something the money can go towards my fashion sinking found.
My monthly budget all includes every fashion purchases: clothes, shoes, accessories and bags.
Try to purchase sustainably, check second-hand first and buy off from my wish list.
*100 EUR can be high depending on your budget, but I do believe that it is low enough to avoid overspending, but high as to achieve my fashion goals.
Update in every third month and I am going to make a new closet inventory.
I hope you all had nice holidays. I do not want to say “Thanks God 2020 is over” as I know 2021 will not be easy too, specially the upcoming 3 months. I do not want to be in the competition of who’s year was harder as 2020 was so hard for all of us in different manners. I rather wish to write down what I have learnt of this year:
Health is the number 1 priority! You have to take care of that, otherwise you cannot live a life you wish. In 2020, I was diagnosed with Insulin Resistance, so I have to take a serious diet forever. I am so proud of my result, as I took the diet and the exercises so gravely that after being on a 160g CH diet, my results dramatically improved so I do not need to take any medicines only keeping this lifestyle with vitamins.
Life matters! I know tons of healthcare workers fight against Covid around the World and they are real heroes. I am so thankful for them.
Money matters! I had the unsavoury opportunity to experience the life with a lot less money, it is depressing and sucks. Even thought my budgeting, which I am enjoying so much, I would see a much higher savings account, which would give us less worrying. I am still thanks for to have an underpaid job, because at least I have some income.
Less is more! It is reflecting to my low buy year, which I am so proud of becoming a better consumer. I have learnt what is spark of joy, who I can live with less and better quality items and I can afford much things (from less money) which I have just dreamt of.
Lifetime learning! I am so thankful, that finally I had the time to learn something new: the tour guide school, my low buy journey were all great experiences and now I want to know even more.
I am so thankful to had the opportunity for a great summer holiday in 2020.
Keeping my heathy lifestyle and focusing on things that are matters.
I know I do have to change my career to be able to get paid better: I might start some freelancer projects or get another job- I do like my current one, but it does not pay me well at the moment and it is nether challenging for me, due to the pandemic I cannot even see the opportunities for manager jobs inside the company:(.
Study something new.
Go on a holiday.
Continue budgeting and simplifying my lifestyle would be really great.
Well the rests are let me kept in secret. In my next post I am going to introduce my 2021 closet challenge, which I hope you will enjoy.
Well most of you are probably familiar with the Parisian clothing brand Sézane. I heard, read and watched so many good reviews on them, so I was dying and eying for their products for a while. I do think Morgan Sezalory and her team really creates beautiful and quality pieces, that are made to last so they believe in the whole fundamential of slow fashion and concious shopping. The prices are higher than fast fashion, but they are well priced if you compare them to other brands in this league. I was saving up quality pieces and finally they had a free shipping before Christmas, so I went ahead and placed an order from my wishlist. I have registrated and saved my favourites on their site for a while, but I decided to go for the ones I was most wanted.
Yeah, the biggest disadvantage of online shopping that you never really sure what you will get until it arrives to your home. I have find their website simply stunning and well organized (I have used their French one), easy to use and order. So I have placed my order on the 15th December, it is took them to prepair 3 days, I have received a shipping notification from DHL on the 18th and received the package today, so on the 21rst. I’m obsessed with the super cute packaging, which I tried to photograph …
solid touch of personalization, also a great marketing tool
Box inside with a prospect and gift cards
I have find the packaging really attentive and eco friendly, even the tags (see it below) draw your attention to the recycling, the materials they used (also recycled) and their return policy. Everything here made of recycled paper. 10/10
N°1
GASPARD
Gaspard is French for Sexy.
Our signature jumper is perfectly versatile. Reversible, it can be worn as a cardigan or as a jumper to reveal a sublime
glimpse of your back with its ‘joli décolletage.’
I was their number 1 essential knitwear the Gaspard in Ecru. I wanted to have a versitle, wearable and soft cardigan for a while due to its pearl bottoms I was looking for the nude or the ecru, but a few months ago I was decided and voted for the Ecru. I have choosed my usual size, S. I love to looking behind the label, I read on their site that is more than 70% from ntural fabric and it is made in Italy.
grandma like cardigan in ecru
Gaspard is really a classy, timeless piece of Sèzane, also lightweight, super soft but warm. Quite versatile as you can wear it vice versa, I even loved more the back with the bottoms. The length is perfect, till the hips, it is a bit off the shoulder, so slightly boxy on me, but the selves are long enough to a taller person like me. I would absolutely recommend to anyone.
N°10
PALOMA
Paloma is French for Perfection. Meet our silk top that goes with everything. Pair with smart trousers, jeans or a floral
skirt… it suits every season.
My other pick was an othr essential: a black silk camisole. I wanted to upgrade my old H&M top and replace the polyester with something nicer, silk. I was looking for a lot of basics v-neck camisoles, then I have find this tiny little twist on the Sézane one the openwork embroidery along the neckline, which make this basic piece so special. I have selected my usual size too: 36.
Embroidery and the tagembroidery without the tagLook on try
Maybe size 34 would be more fitted on me, but I would like to wear it tacked into high waisted skirts or trousers, so this will be more casual but yet chic. I have read a few comments complaining about the straps, long and tithe, for my height it is perfect. I love the embroidery on it, it is a delicate twist to a simple camisole. I did not look for shiny silk, so it has been carefully chosen for my wardrobe. Absolutely would recommend that one too. I am really satisfied with my order so cannot wait to have others from the brand Sèzane.
So, What are the others from them are on my wishlist? To tell you the truth, I am not sure when I will get to buy them as they are rather on the spurge side.
I was started to write that post right before Black Friday. Some people love it, others just have it and defining it as an evil enemy or the symbole of overconsumption. Let me tell you something intention shopping is really depends on you. Do the same as you would do on other days: plan- wait- think- act. Try to find the deal. If you are eyeing on something like I do with my wishlist, you will be able to decide the best deal.
If you have a list of your planned Christmas gifts, than it is a great time to go shopping… or just simply do some online one. By prioritazing your relatives you will not end up with a lot of clutter. You might have saved up for something that is the time to buy it.
What am I going to do?
I did 100 items decluttering November challenge, so I know what I have, checked my wishlist and decided that I will have to choose only one item for myself and further more this item will be one of my Christmas present. I am considering to buy a bag from Furla or Coccinelle, jeans, Veja sneakers or the Sezane pulover, depends on the deal. I will have to purchase my skincare items from La Roche Posay and my Pixi Glow Tonic. The rest will be gifts like persolized calendar from Cewe.
And guess what happend? I only purchased the 4 annual Cewe calendar, which we do every year. I was so overhelm by this whole on sale thing as most of the items I was looking for neither was on sale nor was in stock. So I decided to give up searching… I have to admit I was working and my mood recently is not about getting into crowded shopping malls at all. In the whole month I have purchased a book and repurchased my beloved skincare line from La Roche Posay.
So you might recognized that these are said to be not cruelty free products. Firstly they do their job much better than the alternatives which I have found. Secondly, there are clean products, so they will not irritate my skin. Finally, they are made in Europe, so even if they test in China these are coming from their French factories.
In November and December I was quite busy with some of my health issue, so I kept myself away from writting and posting. I have to admit on the top of the pandemic I am having an emotionally heavy period of my life, which I am not ready to post about now.
I can not believe that it is my 10th low buy haul (9th if we do not count my no buy September), so I was back to the track and had some nice things, but first let me write about my budgeting.
If you remember, I have written that 25% of your income should covers your fixed costs. To cut a long story short. Even that I am working full time, this month it was impossible due to our reduced salary since March, but I was still able to save and fit my expenses. Of course I am looking for a job quite a while…
Annoncement: I am working on my budgeting sheets, which will be launched soon and will be free and downloadable on my homepage, so stay turned! I am working on to improve the site too.
So about the haul: I have purchased so many drug store things as we were run out of a lot of cleaning and toiletries. I have ordered to heap up a bit of shower gels etc. as we had some sales going on, so in long term it will be better.
The Ordinary items were finally back in stock so I have repurchased my holy grails: 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil, Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG and Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. Some of them was empty, but they still had some items out of stock… and I did not wanted to get a 60 ml package too.
Wardrobe improvement: I have purchased a dream thing: Silk Shirt from Mango with a 20% off coupon so it was a great deal. Okay you can say: why it is fast fashion, well it is from their Selection, which is a more premium line with mulberry silk and I have already worn it a handful of time and I do not have money for a more expensive one at the moment, but I think it will last me for years as I usually give a good care of my items.
Mango
Silk Shirt
in Off White
100% silk Soft and shiny, silk is one of the most valuable naural fibres on the planet. REF:77035131
And I have taken my Chelsea boots to a cobbler, he repaired it nicely, so I hope it will last me at least till January. I have that boots for 5-6 years and it was the first time since I had to ask someone to repair them. It was not cheap as you can buy a faux leather pair from the price of the repairment, bt I am so proud of myself not makeing any other purchases.
So there was a really great initiative in this month by Oxfam’s Second Hand September:
Throwaway fashion is putting increasing pressure on our planet and its people – it’s unsustainable. Every week 13 million items of clothing ends up in UK landfill. And did you know it would take 13 years for one person to drink the water needed to make one cotton t-shirt and a pair of jeans? Choosing to shop second hand can help.
Join Second Hand September and pledge to shop only second hand for 30 days or more. You’ll give clothes a longer life by keeping them from landfill. And by shopping with Oxfam, you’ll be reinvesting your money into helping the poorest people on the planet earn a fair living and beat poverty.
I can truly agree their aims and commitment; however, I did not participate as I was decided to do a no buy September in my low buy year at the very beginning of 2020 so I wanted to keep my process going as it planned. I also think that the best second-hands are the ones which you already have in your wardrobe, so I decided to switch my autumn pieces on the 18th September and tried on everything, decluttered a bit, took the good ones to the charity shop. I think I can say I have shopped the rest of my wardrobe, which was so much fun: paired summer clothes with jackets, but suddenly the weather changed…
The biggest challenge was the wedding, which we were invited: I was so fed up with tights and also it was too cold to on repeat my navy dress without it and I did not want to change clothes too (I was not the bride, nor the bridesmaid so I felt impropriate to change), so I borrowed a jumpsuit from my sister. Story wise it was the first wedding, which we were invited since the pandemic, it was so strange wearing mask while dancing and the events spun faster as all had to finish by 11:00 PM.
Still without any “extra” spending, I was just hardly come out of my salary due to my budget system as I had to spend quite a lot of health exams. Yes, even if we have a state health care system it does not covers a lot… I will do update on it when I feel ready to share.
I was figured out to update my wishlist which you will always find on my main page as well. I have just started to improve my blog, so really hope that you will enjoy it more.
I know I am quite late writting this post, but it is because of our fantastic holiday, which I am going to post more later.
So on my own purchases were also mostly related to my holiday and I think I have so really good recommendation for you too.
Firstly about my Cultbeauty order: I have reordered two of my favourites the IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ in Light (yeah it is one shade lighter than my previous one as it will goes with my skin later on Autumn/Winter. Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara in travel size, which is the bets waterproof mascara that I have ever used I do not think I have to explain way, just say it was my bride mascara without any lashes. The last thing was to order the Versed Day dissolve Cleansing Balm, which I have to tried yet, but so disappointed with their packaging: big, double layer plastic holder for a tiny amount of products for 22 GBP… I hope at least the product will be good, but I will not cheat my Body Shop one with it anymore because of the packaging…
Than about my sunscreen issue- so once we went to a local lake and I used the same DM own marked sunscreen like last year, but they changed something: it smelled like alcohol OMG I had a serious allergic reaction, so thought it away after that. I wanted to buy a physical sunscreen, which I have choosen Bioderma Photoderm Minaral SPF 50, which is a zink- oxid based one. Also purchased their oil with SPF 30, it was the best smell ever and makes you tanned in the most beautiful bronzy way so higly recommend as well as their After Sun cream too to reach amazing bronzed skin like I have now.
The last haul pieces were from a local drug store: Ziaja Bronzing oil, which was recommended by one of my friends: cocoa butter spray, which I have used once daily with the SPF 50 as it has to put under a sunscreen to help the better bronzing for the skin and it is oily so much, it was not bad anyway. Trend It Up Waterproof eyeliner- it was a big no no: color do not play off and just not waterproof at all, okay it was cheap…
As it was my birthday month I got so gifts too and we finally received our new TV board, which is hand-made, wood and we ordered some persolized knobs on it.
So I have started my low buy journey this year, as the first half has been passed I just want to explain and list how I feel about it, what I have learnt or achived. If you are interested in the hauls and my budgeting from January to June all my hauls are linked here:
Save up money: if you set a budget and be strict to it you can save up so much money for other things which makes your life even better, likewise even I have a huge salary decrease I can go on a holiday and pay a course for myself without any debt or loan. Furthermore, together with my sweet hubby we have the opportunity to improve our home a bit all the time.
Love what you already have: I have never ever imagined how hard to use up an actual make up product and if you already have the best of the best why would you need more? A good, versatile wardrobe helps you to be ready in a few minutes and enjoy the items what you love. Let’s shop your wardrobe now.
Give away makes sparkle joy: do not force your friends or family members to hold our items what you really do not like and use. I rather suggest to say you can come and shop my wardrobe: collect what you do not use anymore- ask them if they what any of them- take the left to a charity shop. Declutter regularly.
Quality is over quantity: now you can buy less, but better quality things, which will last you longer. On secondhand sites you can even find gems, which you could have never ever afford yourself before. Less is more.
Become more educated: recently I have read a lot about sustainability, materials, lifestyle and I have learned a lot from these and all made my mindset change about shopping.
Do not send on what you can get for free: for me it was training- I enjoy yoga at home more than ever and improved much more than at a studio as I am not stressed out by seeing others, who do it for much more longer time… There are a lot of free trainings on youtube or just running which you can do so.
Write a wishlist: or just lists are really important to keep your focus even at a grocery store and to do not buy all these stuffs. Have goals what you wish to achive, keep a full image and be strict to it.
To sum up I became picky and thoughtful, in the meanwhile I realized less is more. Send more time with family and have experiences with them.
This is the end of anothermonth, a month when we were mostly locked down so we sent our money on a totally different way: more food and vitamins as we were at home a lot and had time to cook, also due to the Covid19 I had to focus on saving more money for the upcoming 3 months as my salary will be like 50% lower, which is pretty hard to every hospitality worker, but at least I have a job. Firstly I was pretty stressed out of the situation, but now I just let it go by settling a daily routine for myself and investing into my self by studying languages, hotel training (kind of boring so-so), sustainable fashion and business course.
So I was pretty much on the track, only sent 36% of my income on needs instead of the 50%, put 27% on saving account, but I can take even more on that, only send 9,9% on wants:).
Concerning to my wants I was sent some money on my husband’s Nicorette patches, because finally he started to quit smoking:), that is one thing that I am more than happy to support him. We have bought a couple of outdoor plants to the balconies- even more becoming a plant parent…
Skincare: new N.A.E. bio micellar water, I will see how is it work as I have not tired yet…
Makeup: I used to had this is black, now I was repurchased it in brown: the cheap favourite Trend it up No. 1 mascara
As I sent more time at home I realized I need a better mat than polifoam, so I was invest in a Manduka Yoga Mat, which due to arrive next till Tuesday.
So I was pretty much on a low buy side, of course I was looking for some sales or coupons online, but they was not on time at all (strictly according to my wishlist) and I wanted to buy a Sezane Gaspard cardigan secondhand and I constantly wrote to several people on Facebook Market place or Depop and noone answers???! that is crazy. I might need to try on Vestiare Collective, but sometimes people want to sell it for on an even higher than its new retail price,which is also crazy. I need to look for so more whites too.
This is myfinaloneof the tide up serie, I hope you had did the same while you should stay home to be safe. It did not took me a full day, but I still think I have to work on it so much: I would need some boxes that fits, new velvet hangers and of course the rest of the home decoration like plants, curtains and a rug. So home wishlist coming soon.
Firstly -I did my husband side: chest of drawers and the wardrobe and shift his clothes to Spring, but I did not decluttered anything – only a half pair of socks – as it is his own responsibility, so just asked him to do so 8-10 items.
Than I was worked on my own belongings: I have made my intentory I own 93 items without nighties, swimwear, underwear and loungewear, which can be much for a minimalist… I have figuered out my year arround basics and the seasonal items and for the first time I only decluttered a few, but I think I will have much more specially for the summer… but that can be a whole seperate post. I think I should check my clothes more frequentely an update according to the weather, so May again.
Then I made the other storages in the bedroom: under the bed and on the side of the bed and of course the window.
Annoncement: I am working on my budgeting sheets, which will be launched soon and will be free and downloadable on my homepage, so stay turned! I am working on to improve the site too.
Low buy lifestyle on bike 