Everyone loves a sale. And, people who sew particularly love a pattern sale. If you aren't aware patterns are pricey. Butterwick, McCalls, Simplicity can cost around $17. Vogue patterns can cost twice that much.
Joann's is the local fabric store. The only fabric store in Fort Lauderdale. They have sales every week, or so it seems. So, if you time it well, you can get what you want at a discounted price. This Sunday they had Simplicity patterns on sale for $1. Who can resist that?
Even though that is a bargain price I wasn't going to buy a whole bunch of patterns just because they were on sale. I flipped through the catalogue and wrote down the numbers of the patterns I was interested in. Then I went to the drawers and pulled out each pattern, took a better look and decided if I really wanted that style, and I did not already have something like it. I filtered the stack down to five patterns. I was a bit iffy about one of them - I like the cut out on the back but didn't care for the rest of the dress - but since it was only $1 I included it.
At the checkout my bill was $5.30 (with tax). Joann's lists the savings on the sale...$82.00 can you believe it! Now that's something to smile about.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
New Technical Shirts
The Disney Goofy Challenge takes place on the second weekend in January each year. For those of you who don't know the challenge is to run a half marathon on Saturday and a full marathon on Sunday.
Last year I decided I wanted to do it, so I signed up (paid a lot of money to register for this one!) and started training. As part of my registration package I received a long-sleeved technical t-shirt for each race, plus one for running both races, i.e. three shirts. Except for the fact that they don't provide women's sizes, so the 'small' is a 'large' on me, they are pretty nice and very useful. I really like the Goofy shirt.
Last year I decided I wanted to do it, so I signed up (paid a lot of money to register for this one!) and started training. As part of my registration package I received a long-sleeved technical t-shirt for each race, plus one for running both races, i.e. three shirts. Except for the fact that they don't provide women's sizes, so the 'small' is a 'large' on me, they are pretty nice and very useful. I really like the Goofy shirt.
New Running Shoes
I usually buy 3-4 pairs of running shoes each year, depending on the amount of running I do. Typically, a pair of shoes will last 300-500 miles, depending on weight of runner, style of running, running surface, etc.
My favorite shoe, and the one I've been wearing almost since I started running three years ago, is Brooks Adrenaline. For me, I can put on a brand new pair and run 10+ miles without any problems.
Well-made, quality running shoes start around $100 and go up, so I'm always aware of any sales so that I can save myself 20% or more. Sometimes there is a Brooks day at my local running store and other times I just wait for the January sales, Thanksgiving sales, Labor day sales,.... I also receive e-mail flyers from Running Warehouse and, since I know which shoe brand, make and size, I'm happy to purchase online. Plus they have free shipping and free returns!
Last weekend I completed the Disney Goofy Challenge - that's where you run a half marathon on Saturday and a full marathon on Sunday. I definitely needed new shoes after the training runs and the actual races. Lucky for me a received an email from Running Warehouse with a 40% off shoe sale...including Brooks Adrenaline. I ordered the shoes and they arrived while I was in Orlando, which was fine because I returned home to a package waiting for me with a lovely new pair of running shoes inside. A wonderful way to celebrate my Goofy Challenge accomplishment.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Another Birthday Gift
Monsoon - Tulip Dress
My mum arrived from England yesterday for a visit. She came bearing a birthday gift for me, the above Tulip dress from Monsoon, UK. Knowing I had decided to go on a clothes diet she thought she would give me a dress so that I still had something new to wear this year. I always enjoy getting clothes from England. I think that it makes me feel a connection to 'home'. Plus, I have an item of clothing you can't buy from a store in the US, so it feels special and unique, at least in my little world.
Thank you, mum.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Birthday gift
Last night I went to a birthday party that started out for a friend whose birthday is on January 4th, but ended up being a party for six people whose birthdays ranged from December 23rd thru January 11th. I was one of the birthday people.
I received a gift from the hostess, part of which were three tank tops in pink, purple and white. So, more additions to my closet.
I received a gift from the hostess, part of which were three tank tops in pink, purple and white. So, more additions to my closet.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
New Purchases!!!
Buying clothes on January 2nd after deciding to go on a clothes diet is just like eating a whole cheesecake two days after deciding to eat low fat food. Not a good start?
Here's what happened: I was in Walmart picking up some salad items for my mum, who is arriving tomorrow for a long visit. I also needed a sieve. To get to the kitchen supplies I had to walk past the clothes section (Walmart knows our weaknesses and make sure they are front and center). I happen to see a long-sleeved white t-shirt for $7. I had wanted...and I would say 'needed'...a white long-sleeved t-shirt for some time. I tend to wear them under short-sleeved t-shirts in cold weather, but have mainly pinks and purples. The only neutral color I have is black. I thought for the price that this was something I couldn't pass up and bought a white and grey one.
Feeling a few pangs of guilt over my purchases after having committed to slim down my wardrobe I decided that I would throw out two t-shirts in exchange for the new ones. This didn't take me long - out went a plain short-sleeved brown V-neck tee and a green scoop-neck tee. I hadn't worn either one since...I can't remember when. Off to charity they will go.
Here's what happened: I was in Walmart picking up some salad items for my mum, who is arriving tomorrow for a long visit. I also needed a sieve. To get to the kitchen supplies I had to walk past the clothes section (Walmart knows our weaknesses and make sure they are front and center). I happen to see a long-sleeved white t-shirt for $7. I had wanted...and I would say 'needed'...a white long-sleeved t-shirt for some time. I tend to wear them under short-sleeved t-shirts in cold weather, but have mainly pinks and purples. The only neutral color I have is black. I thought for the price that this was something I couldn't pass up and bought a white and grey one.
Feeling a few pangs of guilt over my purchases after having committed to slim down my wardrobe I decided that I would throw out two t-shirts in exchange for the new ones. This didn't take me long - out went a plain short-sleeved brown V-neck tee and a green scoop-neck tee. I hadn't worn either one since...I can't remember when. Off to charity they will go.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
The Clothes Diet
The Clothes Diet has come about after I started decluttering my house (and that's a whole other story). In regard to my wardrobe the decluttering process revealed a few things.
1. I held onto clothes for sentimental reasons. Often it was because I had been complemented when wearing the item in question.
2. I held onto clothes because I think that I will wear them but they really don't go with anything else and so the clothing stays in a drawer or on a hangar unworn.
3. I had a few pieces of clothes that I had bought and never worn. I assume I liked it in the store but for some reason didn't like it so much when I got home.
4. I would buy individual items that I liked, without much thought to what I had in my wardrobe and whether the item would work with what I had.
5. I wanted variety in my wardrobe so I would shop fairly regularly but because of budget constraints I bought inexpensive pieces. The better the quality the better the fit.
6. My wardrobe seemed like a mish-mash of styles, which made it difficult to put outfits together.
I am still in the process of filtering and removing items I no longer wear. Anyone who has ever done this knows that you can't just do it over a weekend. I have a system in place to track everything I wear in the next year. If I have not worn a particular item of clothing within the year (formal dresses exempt) then I will give it to Goodwill. That takes care of cleaning up my current wardrobe.
And then, The Clothes Diet. One of the basics of decluttering is making sure you don't bring things back into the spaces you have created. In this case, don't get rid of old and/or unworn clothes just to go out and buy new ones. My long term goal is to figure out my style and own fewer pieces, items of quality that I absolutely love and will wear again and again. To help me with that I thought it would make sense to take a hiatus from purchasing new clothes.
So, for the month of January, 2011, I will not purchase any new clothes or shoes. To some this is not difficult, to others it might seem impossible. I'm probably somewhere in the middle. I'm pretty sure I can do it with some forethought and control. If however, I do have to have a new piece of clothing there has to be a damn good reason...
1. I held onto clothes for sentimental reasons. Often it was because I had been complemented when wearing the item in question.
2. I held onto clothes because I think that I will wear them but they really don't go with anything else and so the clothing stays in a drawer or on a hangar unworn.
3. I had a few pieces of clothes that I had bought and never worn. I assume I liked it in the store but for some reason didn't like it so much when I got home.
4. I would buy individual items that I liked, without much thought to what I had in my wardrobe and whether the item would work with what I had.
5. I wanted variety in my wardrobe so I would shop fairly regularly but because of budget constraints I bought inexpensive pieces. The better the quality the better the fit.
6. My wardrobe seemed like a mish-mash of styles, which made it difficult to put outfits together.
I am still in the process of filtering and removing items I no longer wear. Anyone who has ever done this knows that you can't just do it over a weekend. I have a system in place to track everything I wear in the next year. If I have not worn a particular item of clothing within the year (formal dresses exempt) then I will give it to Goodwill. That takes care of cleaning up my current wardrobe.
And then, The Clothes Diet. One of the basics of decluttering is making sure you don't bring things back into the spaces you have created. In this case, don't get rid of old and/or unworn clothes just to go out and buy new ones. My long term goal is to figure out my style and own fewer pieces, items of quality that I absolutely love and will wear again and again. To help me with that I thought it would make sense to take a hiatus from purchasing new clothes.
So, for the month of January, 2011, I will not purchase any new clothes or shoes. To some this is not difficult, to others it might seem impossible. I'm probably somewhere in the middle. I'm pretty sure I can do it with some forethought and control. If however, I do have to have a new piece of clothing there has to be a damn good reason...
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