#20in2020 Challenge Check In
We’re now three months into the #20in2020 challenge - the one where I limit my clothing purchases to 20 for the year - so I thought I’d do a little check in with you all to let you know what I’ve bought thus far; the good, the bad, and the vinyl. Because of the many unforeseen circumstances at the beginning of the year (is it really only April?!), I’ve actually found it surprisingly easy to avoid shopping. I’ve bought slightly less than I had planned to at this point, for reasons that I will get into later on. So if you’re curious to know what’s made the cut, read on!
What I’ve Bought (& Kept)
It’s been so interesting to track my purchases for the year. It’s made me think about each purchase more carefully. Back before I had actually decided to start the challenge, Kyle and I made a trip to Uniqlo to pick up some winter basics. I bought the following items:
While I’m not keeping track of cost per wear, I can definitely say I’ve worn all three of these pieces nonstop since I bought them in January. Also in January, I finally found a secondhand piece that I’d been on the hunt for several months, and that’s this vinyl trench coat from the Alexa Chung x M&S collection. This is pretty typical of me, sticking with basics and wardrobe staples and then buying one totally impractical, kinda out there piece that I’m just crazy about.
Other Purchases & What Went Back
I set a few parameters at the start of this challenge, one being that I would not include pajamas or loungewear. And literally days before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, I was preparing to board a flight to London. The thought of spending 13+ hours in jeans made me cringe so I panic bought a pair of sweatpants from Target. Obviously this is not the type of well thought out purchase I would like to have made. But after two weeks in self-isolation I’m so happy I bought those sweatpants, just not for the reason I thought I would be. Such is life, right?
One thing I’ve had on my wishlist is a pair of washed black straight leg jeans. Recently, I took advantage of a $50 denim promo at Everlane and tried out the Super Straight Jeans. Unfortunately, I had the same problem that I’ve had in the past of not being able to work out my proper sizing. Knowing my track record with Everlane’s denim, along with recent press, I’ve decided to send them back and look elsewhere for my denim fix.
Gifted Items
Another parameter I set at the beginning of this challenge is that I would not include gifted clothing items. Why? Well I decided on this mostly because of my motivation for taking on this challenge - not to limit the total number of items in my closet (which is relatively small in my opinion) but to curb my overall spending. Obviously, I realize that I’m in a privileged position to be gifted items and I want to acknowledge that yes, it is much easier to curb spending when you’re receiving gifts. But receiving these pieces is part of what allows me to make blogging my business so it’s not something I’m willing to limit at this time.
I am tracking gifted items in a sort of unofficial count and will take that into consideration when reflecting on the outcome of the challenge. As Dawn (the creator behind #20in2020) mentioned, the point isn’t to shame yourself but to become more aware of what you’re consuming and I believe that’s still possible for me in this way.
So those are my #20in2020 purchases thus far. I like the idea of doing quarterly updates for you, as a way to hold myself accountable throughout the year. And maybe you’ll join me in tracking your clothing purchases too, whether you have a set number in mind at the end or not. Are you participating in the challenge this year? If so, how are you doing? Let me know in the comments. Thanks so much for reading! xx Jessica
