It started with shoes. I like shoes. Thankfully I a very picky, so definitely my closet doesn’t have a ton of shoes, but the shoes I have carefully chosen. As in, shoes are not an impulse buy for me. I have a pair of blue suede Elizabeth & James fall booties. I purchased them, finally in around 2015. After first finding them in 2010. They were expensive (to my budget) and of a specific style. I wanted those booties SO BADLY.
Still took me years to pull the trigger. To make sure the style wasn’t too out there to ever be in style again. To wait for the past-season price drop. To ensure I still wanted to drop that kind of money on shoes.
Today I caught the spring and summer shoe bug. The last couple of years I have obsessed with Sanuk Sling sandals. So comfy and so me and my style, cute without being overly structured or fussy.
I used to have a pair of super comfy Mary Janes, a style I adore. Feminine and a lil upscale, yet very comfortable and secure. I felt like it was time again to buy a pair, but I had to do complete a task first, something I recommend anyone do when looking to shop for a few key pieces for the next season.
Inventory
Yeah, inventory work CAN suck. I did not do a full wardrobe pull and switch, as I still have need for my winter clothes. We are expecting snow next week and honestly, likely more cold and winter precipitation beyond that.
You can do a full wardrobe pull and inventory at the same time, in fact, I recommend getting it done at once, if that style of organization works best for you.
Unfortunately for me, the summer shoes I want are likely going to be a harder to find in the size and color I want if I wait until the season switch late in April. So I pulled about fifteen key summer pieces I would wear most often, mostly dresses, and pulled out my summer shoes and sandals. Played matchy matchy adult Barbie, to see what I actually needed for the upcoming warm weather.
I had a pair of steel gray Mary Janes waiting impatiently for my monied return in one of the 329 tabs I have open on my computer. Additionally, I had more casual day dresses than I thought. Unfortunately, I have not morphed into the svelte healthy person I was sure I would be by now either. Inventory is realism.
Within 20 minutes, I knew which items needed to come off my shopping lists. No grey shoes needed. Keep the dressier outfit on the list, scratch most of the casual dresses. It helps that I genuinely do not have a ton of clothing and footwear, and that all were stored where I expected them to be. The hunting expedition may perhaps be at the end of April. Please no lol. I hope my past self was organized.
Inventory is a budget blessing. I absolutely cannot afford everything I had my eyes on. Nor half of what I had my eyes on. A quick inventory and I was hitting a lot of X’s, happily.
I am so glad that is done. I’ll be purchasing two pairs of black footwear, and two dresses, one dressy and one casual.
Thanks for reading! ~C.Elisabeth