5 things I didn't buy this summer

and why!

I keep a note in my phone titled “things i want” and drop links in there whenever I start to get a shopping bug. I try to be mindful (very demure) about the clothing I buy, I when I make a purchase, I run it through a little matrix in my head:

• Is this ethically made or secondhand?

• Is this high quality? (well-made, natural fibers, etc)

• Is this something I can adapt for multiple seasons?

• Does this fill a gap in my wardrobe?

• Does this delight me?

An item doesn’t necessarily need to clear every single one of these criteria—I’m not perfect!!!—but sitting on my wants for a little longer is a great way for me to let my desires marinate and figure out if I really want to bring the item into my life.

Since we’re nearing the end of summer, I wanted to share some of the things I didn’t buy from my “things i want” list, and why.

Bonnie Shorts from Decade ($208)

Why I wanted it: I was intrigued by these because they are apparently designed for people with thick thighs in mind. I was really loving the longer denim shorts thing early this summer, but I knew that my hips/butt/thighs wouldn’t agree with the classic 501 cutoff vibe.

Why I didn’t buy it: I didn’t feel like spending $200 on a pair of denim shorts that I couldn’t try on first. Denim is one of those high risk items, like bathing suits, where you really can’t know how it’ll turn out. I ended up wearing a pair of Abercrombie shorts I already had from last summer (I’m wearing them as I write this!), and they give a similar enough effect for me.

Funky black flats - Rosalind flats from Alohas ($170) or Wioletta Shoes from Vagabond ($150)

Why I wanted it: I’ve been thrilled to see ballet flats’ emergence back into the trendspheres in the last year or two. I was wearing them as recently as 2017, so it hasn’t been very long since I put them away. I used to love these Nine West flats — I think I had three pairs of them over my college/post-grad years. These funky takes were a fun adaptation of the classic flat shape and I thought they’d be fun additions to basic outfits.

Why I didn’t buy it: I have a pair of red Mary Janes that I frankly don’t wear often enough because the truth is I have extremely sweaty feet. Flats are just not the ideal shoe for me in the summer time—I either need socks, or room to breathe!!!

Lexxola Jordy sunglasses ($200)

Why I wanted it: I got very interested getting a pair of orange-y tinted sunglasses after seeing this picture of Christine Mai Nguyen, one of my favorite youtubers. I started getting Lexxola ads targeted at me on Instagram constantly, and eventually added them to my running wishlist.

Why I didn’t buy it: The main reason is that I need my sunglasses to be prescription if I’m going to wear them while driving. The secondary reason is that I don’t trust myself to have a second nice pair of sunglasses. I’m sorry to admit it, but I got these sunglasses from Amazon as part of a pre-trip stock up order of wet wipes and power adapters, and they’re actually really cute.

Gap denim wrap mini skort ($44.99)

Why I wanted it: I got it in my head that it would be really, extremely cute to run around this summer in a little mini skort like this. I want to be someone who feels comfortable in mini skirts but they are simply too short for comfort. I love that this one doesn’t hide that it’s a skort at all—there’s something very childlike about it that made it feel fun and playful and easy.

Why I didn’t buy it: I wanted to be able to try them on before I bought them, and I never got the chance! Also, I found this pair of White House Black Market shorts (here’s a size 0 pair on ebay!) at the thrift store and they fill a similar wardrobe gap for me.

Donni Rib Kick Flare pants ($184)

Why I wanted it: I love a kick flare and I thought these would be extremely cute with flats for the transition into fall. I particularly like the pintuck detail along the front — it makes it look a little more intentional than just yoga pants. I thought they’d be perfect traveling pants because they feel like leggings but look like pants.

Why I didn’t buy it: Everlane makes a version that looks very similar, so I found them secondhand for a fraction of the price! I think I paid about $40 for them.