A #20in2020 Challenge Check In Pt. 2
We’re now half way through the 20 in 2020 Challenge, hosted by Dawn, and I thought it’s time for another check in. You can read my first check in here, in which I break down everything I bought and kept in the first three months of the year. This time around, I wanted to look at the items I’ve purchased, which ones I kept and talk you through my reasoning for each. I’m also changing my approach to this challenge a bit as I reflect on ‘gifting’ from brands. So let’s get into it!
Outfit Details: Uniqlo U Tee (similar) | Old Zara Jean (similar) | Mejuri Earrings (similar).
Flatlay: SOCCO Design Bag | Uniqlo Cardigan (similar) | Orejas Tee | Levi’s Jeans | Tkees Nude Sandals
What I’ve Bought (& Kept)
This spring has been really slow as far as shopping goes, mostly because we’ve had much bigger issues to worry about and luckily retail therapy does not really factor into my coping mechanisms (too much) anymore. I did however have a few items on my wishlist that I managed to snag in the past three months.
Re/Done Stove Pipe Jeans | To be perfectly honest, these were not on my wishlist per say but I was looking around for a basic pair of mid-wash jeans to round out my denim collection. This brand has been on my radar and one day I found these super discounted and took the plunge. This was one of those purchases that just really made sense for me and I’m SO happy I did it! And I did a review of the Re/Done Stove Pipe Jeans too if you’re interested and want to watch.
Everlane Oversized Blazer | (purchased secondhand via Poshmark). This blazer has been on my wishlist for a while but because of the price tag and more recent press around the brand, I knew I wanted to buy it secondhand. I’ve been searching on and off for a little over a year now and I finally found the right size and price on Poshmark last month. It’s the perfect oversized fit for me, larger in some areas and more fitted in the shoulders and arms. I often buy secondhand outerwear pieces in the Spring/Summer, as I’ve found it’s the best time to find off-season investment pieces. While I haven’t worn it just yet, I’m looking forward to all the cooler weather outfits that I can make with this versatile piece.
Modern Citizen Mini Dress | This is my most recent purchase and something I knew I wanted for the summer. I absolutely love the oversized, balloon sleeve, tiered dress silhouette made popular by designer Cecilie Bahnsen and I had saved a bunch of images of Brittany Bathgate wearing similar styles to my Summer Capsule Pinterest board. I saw some pieces from Arket, H&M and Cos that I loved and looked to buy secondhand (rather than support a fast fashion brand) to no avail. There wasn’t a specific dress I had in mind but rather a silhouette and when I found this tiered mini dress from sustainable brand, Modern Citizen I knew instantly that it fit the bill for me. Expect a summer dress roundup coming soon!
What Went Back
Washed Black Levi’s Wedgie Jeans | I’ve had a pair of washed black jeans on my capsule wardrobe wishlist since last fall and have just not found the right pair. As you may know, I’m a big fan of the Levi’s Wedgie Jeans and I know my sizing so ordering online is no problem. I found a pair in the Ssense sale this spring and snagged them thinking they would be perfect. While the fit and quality was great as expected, the color ended up being lighter than I wanted (more of a dark gray) so they had to go back. I’ve linked them in case you’re looking for something similar.
Gifted Items & Changing My Approach
Going into this challenge in January, I wasn’t being gifted clothing items at all really so I hadn’t taken into account how it would affect the overall challenge for me. Initially I decided not to include gifted items into the challenge count that I share with you all but to keep track of it separately. Now after tracking my number of gifted items in comparison to what I’ve bought, it’s become obvious that it’s too big of a factor to ignore. While my spending has cut down drastically due to everything that’s happened in 2020 both personally and publicly, I still have to take into account how gifted items has really allowed me to do that as well.
If I include the number of gifted clothing items I received this year so far, I have already surpassed the 20 item limit. Because of this, I am changing my approach to this challenge. I plan to continue tracking my number of purchased items as it’s something I’ve found extremely insightful for my own capsule wardrobe and shopping habits. And I am still planning to try to limit my purchased clothing items to 20 (or fewer) this year, but I don’t feel as though I’m really going to be “completing” this challenge in the same way as before.
I can’t wait to reflect more on this at the end of the 20 in 2020 challenge because I can already tell it has changed my relation to clothes and shopping. I feel it’s a really useful practice and I plan to continue it after this year and integrate it permanently into my capsule wardrobe practices! Are you participating in the 20 in 2020 challenge? Let me know how it’s going for you in the comments below!
