

Happy New Year folks!
My husband and I started off the year right by squaring away our family budget. As dull as it may sound, I personally find there to be freedom within the confines as I know where all our money is going in order to enable us to work towards our goals and more importantly – how much I can spend on clothing for the year!
According to this Who What Wear article, financial advisors consider that you should spend no more than five per cent of your take home pay on clothing. For example, if your monthly take-home pay is $5,000, you should be spending no more than around $250 per month and if your monthly take-home pay is $10,000, you should be spending no more than around $500 per month. (Sorry for the unprompted reality check…)
To kick off the year, I’ve set myself a few simple style goals. Setting these goals enables me to get more bang for buck out of my wardrobe, and keeps me on the straight and narrow with my allocated clothing budget for the year.

SHOP THE LOOK
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Take a considered approach
The pieces that are still going strong in my wardrobe are the classics that were purchased after much research, planning and deliberation. Whether they were high-end, high street, staples or special occasion wears, wise choices on the fabric, fit and construction can make for an extended life of these pieces. Particular items that come to mind are denim, suiting and knitwear that will stand the test of time if you have an eye to the future.
I’ll be looking again to shopping my favourites including Scanlan Theodore and The Frankie Shop (preferably on sale!). That doesn’t mean I won’t be looking to the high street (ie. H&M, Marks & Spencer or Zara) for my fill on basics, but it just means that I’ll be focusing more on quality so they last.

Keep it natural
I’ll be continuing my focus to shop pieces made from natural fabrics – such as silk, cotton and wool. Along with the environmental impacts, I prefer how they feel against my skin and find they last a lot longer than pieces I have previously owned comprised of polyester and other synthetic fibres.
Keep it minimal
My approach to this goal is to maintain the course I have set for myself by steering away from trends and maintaining a minimal and neutral colour palette. This approach has served me well, particularly with workwear, with my tailored navy pieces still going strong after several years.
I love how bold patterns and prints can add such a point of interest to an outfit. However once worn, I find I have to wait some time before re-wearing it as it was so distinctive. While neutrals may not make that much of an impact, I’m faced with little dilemma when looking to repeat items, or even entire outfits!
I can see lots of neutrals on the horizon for 2020 and beyond!

I’d love to hear of any style goals or resolutions that you’ve made for the year and whether any of mine align with yours.
Thanks for stopping by!
Great post! I really need to steer myself away from those impulse purchases..
Author
Thank you! And tell me about it – impulse purchasing can be really hard to avoid sometimes!