February 2025 Clothing Purchases

It's been a much better front on spending this month and consequently, there were only a few clothing purchases during February.

The first item I bought was this polka dot ruffle skirt from my favourite charity shop. It is originally from M&S, but cost me just £2. I like the polka dots and the burgundy colour of this skirt, but I am in two minds about the length. I did think I might shorten it to the length of the upper ruffle, which would make it longer at the back than the front, but when I tried it on again I decided not to rush into this, as maybe I like the original length.  The jury is still out on this one, but I like the skirt, it's cute and it was a steal for £2 and could easily be worn year round. I was thinking with chunky boots and a big sweater in winter and with a vest or t-shirt in the summer.

The second item I bought was this super cute handmade dress from a local charity shop. It was reduced to £3 on the sale rail and I just couldn't resist it. It is a little snug and possibly a little short, but I'm working on the former and tights will aide with the latter issue. I really liked the style of dress. The collar and rolled back sleeves are flattering as is the slight flare of the skirt and the print is adorable. I've provided a close up of this, as it's difficult to see in the full length photo. It had a lot of ends of cotton hanging from it, as if it's never quite been finished or worn, so I cut them all off and hopefully I'll actually wear it at some point as it deserves to be worn, it's very well made.

The final item that I bought from another local charity shop was this black vest sweater. It's a good long length and is quite loose and can be worn over dresses/jeans/skirts. It's very versatile, especially as we come into slightly warmer weather. It was a bit pilled, but I did some depilling when I got it home. It also had slits up the sides, which I didn't like, so I've sewn the slits closed as I find it more flattering worn that way. It cost £7, which is a bit more expensive, but if it becomes something I wear a lot it will be worth it.

One way that I have already worn it is over this dress, that I previously bought at a charity shop a few months ago. This dress was a maxi length and didn't look quite right on me so I've shortened it (possibly a little too much), but it is much more wearable now. The vest sweater covers the shirred top of the dress which I don't find too flattering and makes the dress more wearable.

The only other items of clothing I have bought this month were some gym socks. I've tended to wear trainer socks for the gym, but I'm much preferring a longer sock for both gym and running these days, so I'm slowly changing over to longer socks. I bought a pack of 3, two white, one black for £4.50 at Primark and I really like them.

Thankfully, a lot less clothing has come into the house this month, my wardrobe is probably grateful for it, although whilst decluttering a few weeks ago, I did bring some things out of storage to start wearing again. I'm hoping to continue in this vein this year and make good use of what I already have.