As the year 2018 begins, I mentioned being more intentional with everything, and that includes shopping. Dun dun dun! It is a scary thought at first, but breaking it down makes it less overwhelming. In this era, there are so many fabulous ways to do this.
First, you can shop your own closet. Obviously, this is the cleanest way because you're not buying anything. Major kudos to my friends, Maria (who did a 365 Closet Challenge) and Mica (who did a 6 months no shopping diet). I am SO INSPIRED by those women, and you can read about their stories for inspiration as well.
Second, you can shop sustainably via retailers that sell pre-owned goods. This gives new life to clothing that's already been made. Third, you can shop consciously via brands that are responsible, transparent, and/or ethically manufactured. You know that your money is going somewhere good.
I'm going to focus on the second way today. With sustainable shopping, everyone benefits. The one selling the clothing makes a percentage, and you purchase at a discounted rate. It's a win-win for everyone. As mentioned previously, it gives previously loved (or even new with tags) clothing another chance.
There are quite a few fabulous places that I like to do my sustainable shopping. Online, my favorite retailers are The Real Real and Luxury Garage Sale. In person, I love to visit Clothes Circuit and Vintage Martini (and Luxury Garage Sale also has a location in Dallas.) Before the kids, I did a lot of estate sale shopping and visited Feminine Fashions. (Just an FYI, I haven't been to Feminine Fashion in years so I don't know about their current pieces.) MANY of my designer pieces have been found at a consignment boutique.
Do you know about my love for Clothes Circuit? It started years ago when I discovered them in Dallas, and my initial post about them is here. It pains me a little bit every time I step foot into the door because I KNOW I will be leaving with SOMETHING even if I go with the intention of just looking. They really have such a fantastic selection of designer AND non-designer (aka everyday clothes like Ann Taylor, Gap, etc.) clothes, shoes, bags, and accessories.
Here are a few favorites that I've picked up at Clothes Circuit in the past (in blog posts) - Missoni dress, Gucci clogs, YSL Mini Muse Bag, Ulla Johnson dress, Dolce & Gabbana dress, Louis Vuitton sweater, Marni clogs, and Band of Outsiders dress to just name a few. I don't know if you can tell how much I LUURRVVEE that place! Ha!
This last time that I went in to shop for "research" on this blog post, I left with 3 items more than I wanted to but couldn't pass them up. First, you see the beautiful Barbara Bui sweater above which happened to be new with tags. I paid less than 30% of retail for it. Second, I found a vintage Yves Saint Laurent silk cropped blazer for about $100. It was designed when Tom Ford was the creative director. Swoon! ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS. FOR AN YVES SAINT LAURENT. OMG!!! Third, there was a cashmere Ralph Lauren sweater that HAD to go home with me (also less than $100). Last, I found a pair of Chanel booties on my way to the register (darn you glass cases by the register) that were my size and oh so cool. Those were more of an investment piece but still a fraction of the original cost. BTW, all of these pictures are on my facebook page just so you can get a visual.
So now that you've seen all of my wins from Clothes Circuit, I want to share some tips on how to shop consignment!
- Give yourself plenty of time to go through racks (at least an hour) especially if you are looking for something specific or to just peruse. (I can run in and out of Clothes Circuit pretty quickly because they are organized well.)
- Buy brands that you know and love. However, this is the time to try something new if you've been dying to find a specific designer. (That's why I purchased this Ulla Johnson dress!)
- Make a budget and stick with it. This sounds silly, but it's easy to get carried away because of the amazing prices and you'll leave with four black tops (or like me above and walking out with more than you planned)! A couple of questions that you can ask yourself is, "Would I buy this at regular price?" and "Do I want to wear this tomorrow?"
- Ask about specials . Most consignment shops have specials that are posted to their blogs or emailed to their loyal customers.
- If you REALLY like something, then you should probably get it . Chances are it won't be there next time. This has happened to me on multiple occasions when I've questioned taking home an Isabel Marant piece with me. It MAY be there if it's a higher ticket item like a designer handbag, but you just never know!
- Some of my friends have mentioned getting the heebie-jeebies when they think about wearing something pre-loved. Dry-clean or wash it and no more germs! Also, remember that some clothing can be found new with tags.
For 2018, I'm making a choice to do more intentional shopping. I've failed the Five Piece French Wardrobe too many times so I'm not even going there. I really loved trying it with the eco-friendly update but still failed! So, I'm just trying to be better!
I'd love to hear your thoughts on shopping sustainably. Let me know of your favorite finds (or retailers). BTW, If you post something on Facebook or Instagram, then tag me so I can share too! That's the fun part!! I LOVE seeing what everyone else can find too! Maybe, we can start doing a #ShopSustainable link up party!!
Also, let me know if you want to learn more about the other ways of shopping your closet and/or shopping consciously.
BTW, I've updated my SHOP section and added a "SHOP Conscious Clothing" page where I share my favorite brands, retailers, and boutique that are either responsibly made, transparent with manufacturing, or sustainable shopping.
P.S. You might like this post "How to Shop Designer Pieces Like a Pro"!
Happy Monday! I'm trying to get caught up today. It was truly a Monday and I woke up SO LATE!! However, I decided to not stress, just do what I could do, and basically fake it till I made it. Thank you Five Minute Journal! There's a section where you write how you are feeling for the day, and I wrote that I was feeling calm and efficient! LOL! Sure... but it actually kind of worked!
I'm reminding myself to practice self-care because I can't take care of others if I don't take care of myself first. So, I went to a personal trainer for the first time EVER. Now that I'm over 40, I'm TOTALLY feeling it in my joints when I work out. Hello age! I don't want to injure myself again, and Mr. S suggested it. I did a quick recap on Instastories. The kids were super cute this morning, and I felt major mom guilt dropping them off at school especially since I had forgotten their blankets for nap time. Luckily, the classrooms have extras for #momfail likes that! I had to remind myself AGAIN that I was doing something positive while they were at school... self-care and groceries FTW (for the win)!
GET THE LOOK
sweater BARBARA BUI c/o Clothes Circuit {similar here or for less}
turtleneck WHBM {old, similar}
jeans GAP {old, newer version}
booties CHANEL via Clothes Circuit {love these casual suede}
boy bag CHANEL { pre-owned, look for less}
sunglasses DIOR { look for less}
Thank you so much for stopping by and supporting SOS! I truly appreciate it! Rxoxo