December Shopping Reflections

Whew, I feel back on track with a more "normal" level of shopping than in the last few months. Looking back, it wasn't just the quantity of items, but also the total price tags that felt shocking, after I'd spent most of a year sticking to a tighter shopping budget while clerking. It all felt rather off balance, even if, for the most part (the J.Crew Factory suit, the Cole Haan flats, the Wolford Pure 50 tights, and the replacement Longchamp Neo tote especially), the bigger-ticket items were work-related, to fulfill a "need" for that bland, business-formal look that one sometimes needs as a fairly junior attorney. I had, alas, sized myself out of the blazers in my previous set of black suit separates. 

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This month's main task was finding a new pair of thick, mostly-cotton leggings for winter, which was more difficult than it sounds. Neither the J.Crew pair, nor the Old Navy (both of which are almost sold out) were quite what I wanted. The J.Crew pair was a little thin and the Old Navy pair a little too long (though this was true of my American Apparel ones), and still not as thick as I wanted. I ended up keeping both, as I couldn't decide which pair would be better. Then I took a closer look at my old American Apparel winter leggings and noticed that the hole wasn't due to fabric being worn thin. It had just ripped rip right at the seam, which I think means that I can repair it easily and extend its life a while longer. So I currently have three pairs of leggings in my winter wardrobe rotation, which may be for the best, as I'm currently without a pair of jeans. 

Fashion - (TOTAL: $60.07)

• Old Navy Heavy-Knit Jersey Leggings - $14.99 - Only very limited sizes still in stock. These are only okay, not quite as thick as I was hoping, and a little long. They have a thick waistband (kind of like the Brass Ponte Pants do), which I generally don't prefer, though it's not uncomfortable. I'm a few wears and one wash in, and there is a little pilling on the inner thigh. 
• J.Crew Signature Leggings - $23.70 - Only very limited sizes still in stock. These are a little thinner than the Old Navy ones. They're a better, just-right length on me. As I mentioned last month, I was very picky about wanting mostly-cotton, thicker leggings, and after a lot of searching, the Old Navy and J.Crew ones seemed like the only ones that could potentially fit that criteria, though neither is as thick as what I had in mind.
• Falke Matte 50 Tights - $21.38 - I got these during a recent Bloomingdales sale on Luxe's recommendation. They run a little smaller than Wolford, so be cautious of the size chart, I'm a S for Wolford, and a M for Falke. These have, like the Wolford Pure 50s, been great so far, with no issues and a waistband that stays put during the day, though I'm only a few washes in. These feel softer and stretchier than the Wolfords, but both feel equally comfortable on. 

In the next few weeks, I'll be writing up my year-end budget and shopping roundups and my plans for next year, on the shopping and fashion budgeting front. Any good purchases this month, or things you're eyeing for the post-Christmas sale season? I don't think I'm in the market for anything. I have enough scarves, sweaters, coats, etc.