Tips on how to 'wish list'

As a way to curb impulsive and unnecessary buying

That’s a tagline and a half! I’ve purposely worded it as ‘a way’ instead of ‘the way’ as there’s no one-size-fits-all method with which to magically vanquish our impulsive and unnecessary buying ways. Where I see the win is in setting an intention and, for me, this intention in a physical form is THE WISH LIST.

Now while I am no expert and reasonably new to the practice of keeping a wish list, what I have discovered in this short period of time is worth sharing. Are you ready? Keeping a wish list is one seriously powerful mindset altering tool! Really?! Can a humble list make such a big impact? Well, let me divulge what I’ve learnt so far about this practice, on my journey towards more sustainable style.

Let’s start with how the online world of style/ fashion/ shopping makes you feel. Do you ever come off IG or Pinterest having had a bit of a scroll and feel as though your thoughts are scattered, like you want everything but don’t know where to start, and as though you have nothing to wear but yet seem to have a wardrobe of clothes? I think we all do to a certain degree! We are constantly being bombarded by gorgeous people wearing gorgeous clothes who are working hard to ensure we want what they have. Which is fine, I get it - it’s a form of advertising and these people’s livelihood. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of it all. However, at this stage of my life and style journey, I want to be more conscious and selective about what I buy, about what I wear and how I consume. So here’s what I have found a wish list helps me to do, and hopefully it will do the same for you:

(1) Cut through the noise of online consumerism and encourages me to ask the following questions of myself:

• Can I really imagine adding this to my wardrobe and would it fit in?

• Does it fill an identified gap or do I already have similar?

• Does it fit with my lifestyle?

• Is it really my style? Try to think about your three words before answering this (mine are minimal, casual and street/ feminine, depending on my mood).

• Will I still love it in 6 months? This is a GREAT one from Chloe of Undone (see below).

  Will I Still Want This in 6 Months?

(2) Be more specific and more selective. Ok, so I’ve identified that I’d like to add a relaxed fit white tee to my wardrobe. Now I can start on the journey of selecting the right one for me. This might mean finding the right cut, the right weight of cotton, the right neckline (I like the neckline of a tee to sit above a sweatshirt neckline which is surprisingly hard to find - see what I mean about specific! 😆) and the right brand in terms of sustainable responsibility. Once it’s on the list, I can take my time to choose the right one for me, meaning that it will stay in my wardrobe and stand the test of time.

(3) Buys me (excuse the pun) more time. I sometimes feel a sense of panic or urgency to buy now as if I cannot manage another day without it and only now will do. But the magic of a wish list is that even the action of writing it down feels like it’s out - do you know what I mean? I see it as a waiting room for my wardrobe.

(4) And that time allows me to stop, consider and reflect. I like to park items on my wish list, some are there for months, some get removed and some stay, which is a clear reflection of a true wish list piece.

So that’s the aspiration, now down to the practice and maintenance. I started by keeping my wish list in my phone notes which was very unsatisfactory and felt a bit flimsy and non-committal. I then started using the Notion app after Anna of The Wardrobe Edit linked her wish list (fab wish list by the way!). This wish list format on this app includes various categories, such as season, size, shopping list and notes on sizing. However I felt as though there was a visual element missing to my list keeping, so, just this week, I graduated onto using the Indyx app. Don’t get me started on how amazing this app is! It genuinely brings me so much joy. You can catalogue your wardrobe on here (think Cher’s wardrobe in Clueless!), you can create outfits from your own wardrobe and you can track what you’re wearing using the calendar function. And up until researching for this blog post, I had no idea that there was a visual wish list function as well!! This works really well for me. You can snap your wish list item, add a shopping link, notes about sizing or colour for yourself and even who you saw it on first or how you have seen it styled. Here’s a quick sneak peak at my current wish list. Word of warning, I’m not planning to buy all of these items, definitely not in the short term and possibly not ever (husband breathes sigh of relief). Well maybe except for the Raey sweatshirt, which I bought from Matches with the intention of trying it and returning it, but the universe had other ideas, they went into administration and now I ‘have to’ keep it, though no fault of my own 😉 No, these are items which I’m really liking at the moment and are parked until they are removed, bought or that windfall, well eh, falls. Honestly, I look at this list every day 😆. I love to revisit it and to dream! I would REALLY urge you to start one, populate it as best you can and then give it a month to see if the practice works its magic on you too. Let me know how you go!

I really enjoy sharing outfits that have inspired me in the week and this week’s golden thread appears to be spring colours! 🌸 I love Charlotte Olivia in her pop of spring green (those trainers 😍), Sapna of Sheerluxe in her oversized all grey look topped with the insta-famous woven bag from Anthropologie in this gorgeous soft yellow colour (I also love that she’s sporting preloved jeans) and Chloe Hayward in this stunning shade of suede. Looks good enough to eat.

And finally, I’ve included what pieces have caught my eye during the week, and what might make it onto my wish list - can you guess?

& Other Stories cardigan

Again, I love the spring hue of this cardigan and what caught my eye was how they styled it. Definitely trying this with my similar Sezane Gaspard.

Sezane Milo in Natural Heritage

You might have noticed that I also have the Milo’s little brother Claude on my wish list also - can’t decide which is more beautiful and more practical. Just love this colour and such a classic bag with a chic french twist.

H&M twill skirt

I love the idea of this skirt styled with a simple black tank, black flip flops, a utility jacket in the same colour and a basket bag. Oh, for summer!

That’s all for this week. I hope you’ve a lovely week and catch up next weekend! Jenny x