The Shopping Diaries: March & April
Over the past couple of years, I’ve really tried to work on my spending habits, which when you’ve been a serial emotional shopper like myself isn’t always the easiest thing in the world. I often write about the things that I’m hoping to invest in clothes wise but in general, I don’t speak about the things I’ve been buying all that much. Well, that is until now and today I’m going to divulge the details on what I’ve been buying and some of the thoughts that go into my purchases.
spotty zara dress £40
You’ve probably seen this dress from Zara all over the internet and in all fairness, it is all lovely. Trend or really hyped up pieces of clothing are something I try hard not to buy into as I very rarely keep them in my wardrobe for longer than a few months. But this one felt different and we all know I’m on serious a mission to make my fast fashion pieces last as long as possible so any flippant purchases aren't an option anymore. Polka dots are a timeless print alongside my beloved stripes so this is something that I’m hoping will be in my s/s wardrobe for a long time. My love for midi dresses has only grown stronger over the years as well as dresses with very little shape to them. For years, I stayed away from shapeless smock style dresses but now I cannot get enough of them and I’m so excited to be able to wear this once it’s warm enough to do so. The £40 price tag does seem very steep but I’ve noticed that seems to be the kind of standard price of a dress from the likes of Topshop or Zara these days.
sophie allport speedy dogs MUG £15
Mugs are something I’ve had to ban myself from purchasing as I’ve got quite the collection and should probably give away some before I purchase any more. But, something that I cannot deny myself buying is a whippet mug as well you know, I love those long-legged dogs. Sophie Allport is a brand that I’ve come somewhat obsessed with after seeing that they launched an entire collection called ‘speedy dogs’. And when I spotted that they had a stand at Crufts I couldn’t help but pick one up and it’s been my favourite mug for my lunchtime coffee ever since. I've been eyeing up a few more items in the collection as we need to replace the dog bed we have in our bedroom as it’s quite old and the cover cannot be washed which a big no-no for us. Even though Josie and Edie are pretty clean hounds over the years it’s got quite grubby and this one from the brand is so lovely.
primark sage linen dress £13
Like Zara, Primark is not a shop I find myself frequenting all that often but I was in there buying some new gym socks (my favourite ones come from there, they last years) and I spotted this dress. Linen dresses are something I seriously adore, they’re timeless and undeniably comfortable in the warmer months. They had this dress in cream and a sage colour which I picked up as I’m far too clumsy with food to be wearing anything cream. I will say, you definitely need to try this dress on because the sizing is a little weird around the boobs but other than that it's lovely. Paired with tan sandals and another purchase that I made I know this will be something I get a lot of wear from when it finally warms up. And it’s got every girl's favourite thing for a dress to have…POCKETS.
straw bag £15
I distinctly remember including straw or wicker bags in an anti-haul post either last year or the year before and it wasn't ever a case of not liking them. I’ve always loved how they look but worried that they wouldn’t be practical, especially the circle style as surely they’d just fall open and all your possessions would be on the floor? Turns out they open in almost an accordion style which makes them way more practical and I just love the way that they look. And even though they came back in a big way a couple of years ago they appear to be sticking around for a while longer hence why I made the purchase. Sometimes styles come back around and they either stick (like skinny jeans) or drift back out of style. My beloved vintage tan satchel bag that I’ve now had for 10 years is looking a little worn out so it could do with some of the weight being taken of it for the summer.
other purchases
2 Redhound for Dogs fleeces for Josie’s birthday.
3 pairs of no show underwear for Tesco (they’re always on 3 for 2)
Gym socks
on my current to buy list
NIKE FREE RUN TRAINERS
I’ve had my current pair of trainers from Nike for nearly 4 years and they’re definitely due to be replaced. And I know that I want another pair of Free Run Fly Knits as they’re undoubtedly the best trainers that I’ve ever run in, my feet are supported and I never ever struggle with shin splints which used to be a big issue for me. They're expensive but so worth the money for me.
REDHOUND FOR DOGS WAX COAT
You would think it would be silly to buy a dog coat in May but you never know in the UK. Redhound for Dogs make Josie and Edie’s fleece jumpers which I’m sure you’ll have probably seen them wearing over on their Instagram. I’ve wanted one of the Redhound wax jackets for a long time as they’re just so beautiful and they’d both look adorable in them.
