everything I was tempted by during my no-buy March
and how I talked myself out of (almost all of) it
I’m always a little late to the zeitgeist (I like to think that I’m just being intentional and considered), which is why I chose to participate in my own “no-buy March” instead of a no-buy January.* I have a tendency to underestimate the ever-accruing total of low-cost eBay and Poshmark purchases—one $20 shirt may not be significant, but four or five of them are. And while I’ve gained flexibility and time over the last year from changing jobs, I now have all of the freelancer concerns like fluctuating income, health insurance, etc, that weren’t issues in my previous position. I hoped to use March as a trial period for greatly cutting my clothing purchases (secondhand or not) for the rest of the year/until I feel more stable.
So! I won’t be linking (most of) these items! (I don’t use affiliate links anyway, but I’m adding in a little friction for the reader in case you are also tempted as I was.) I do think it’s nice to see pictures rather than a wall of text, so I’ve included multiple images, but tried to include as few attractive product shots as possible. There’s also an alternative action below each item (some useful, some self-referentially snarky.)
Here is everything I wanted to buy this month:
A new candle
Why: I’ve made it to the bottom of a couple candles recently (and had the glass jar break on another one while the candle was still lit!)
In reality: I’m not “out of candles.” I’ve got another few months of regular burning left on several different ones.
Assignment: Get on r/luxurycandles and learn about melt pools (good), tunneling (bad), and wick trimming (good) to make the candles you have last longer. If you are in NYC, there are apparently multiple places you can go to make your own candle—maybe do this with a friend and make it into a hangout instead of a quick online purchase! (Lanterne Lab looks like the place I would enjoy the most.)Uniqlo cotton wide pants
Why: Saw them on Laura Reilly in her newsletter Magasin—I really like the silhouette, and they’re one of the rare items in that newsletter that I could afford!
In reality: The silhouette is interesting but not groundbreaking, and I have a similar pair from Muji that I need to dig out for the summer. I can always rent some pants later in the year if I feel like I need to expand my summer pants selection. (Remind me I said this in July.)
Assignment: Go to the Target in Atlantic Terminal and walk right past the Uniqlo without even “just going in for a look.”
Image from civilbeat.org A new Baggu reusable bag
Why: Marketing email. So basic, but it drew me in.
In reality: I have so many Baggus and other reusable totes that I could grocery shop for the Cheaper by the Dozen family and still not pay a penny in plastic bag fees.
Assignment: Organize all of the reusable totes and bags you own. Unsubscribe from Baggu emails.A pair of loose denim shorts
Why: Have been trying to wear my Tommy Hilfiger cutoff shorts more often, but they’re too big unless I belt them, and cinching them in like that creates a lot of bulk at the waistband.
In reality: This is not a glaring hole in my wardrobe, but I do anticipate still being interested in finding a pair that fit better a few months from now. This feels like a reasonable item to keep on my wishlist.
Assignment: Sort through your summer clothing and see if there’s anything you can pair with tights/a sweater/warmer items to wear now.
Okay, I would absolutely wear one of these, though. Something from the Nets merch store
Why: This only lasted a moment, but it was enough to get me looking at price tags in the merch store after a basketball game.
In reality: I’m not a diehard Nets fan—I just love going to games at Barclays Center because it’s so close by. But also… the Nets merch sucks so hard lol. Someone get those guys some art direction! I have never worked in branding or anything remotely adjacent but even I know that multiple logos dilute brand identity.
Assignment: Ask your parents if they have any vintage sports merch. It’s always better! Or google “bad graphic design.”
Garnet Hill sweater vest
Why: I bought this one in red on eBay earlier this year, then discovered it was still on sale from the retailer in another color. Fell into the trap of “I love this in [x color], so now I need it in [totally different color.]”
In reality: I’m trying not to buy brand-new clothes, and there are only so many sweater vests a girl can own.
Assignment: Look at the styling from Garnet Hill and imagine you could only wear it exactly like that if you bought it.
Vintage Jelly Belly silk scarf
Why: This came up in the search results on Etsy while I was looking for a blue silk scarf for an upcoming post. I was a member of the Jelly Belly Taste Bud Club (RIP) for many years, and am really feeling called to buy this item.
In reality: I can appreciate something without owning it! It is enough to know that a strange silk scarf emblazoned with fruit and branded jelly beans exists in the world—it doesn’t need to live in my closet.
Assignment: Okay, if you do think you truly need this scarf, you should buy it. I’m gonna link it. But think really hard about why you want it! It should go to a good home.
Agolde jeans on the RealReal
Why: Just because they were on sale when I was looking through my ‘Obsessions’
In reality: I just don’t need another pair of jeans! Especially ones I can’t return.
Assignment: Ask yourself if ‘final sale’ is the smartest way to purchase a pair of pants you have never tried on.Lauren Manoogian coat from a Paris Fashion Week Magasin post
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Why: Because it’s gorgeous and cozy, and I saw it on a blustery winter day.
In reality: I think I actually just want to be the kind of person who can impulse-buy a Lauren Manoogian coat. I may never be that kind of person. And that’s okay! I have many winter coats that I love.
Assignment: Unsubscribe from a newsletter if it makes you feel bad! (In this case, I won’t be doing that. I really enjoy Magasin—I think Laura Reilly is a great writer, and I admire her transparency about cost and spending habits. I also don’t see her newsletter as a cash grab of mindless affiliate links—she knows what she’s talking about, and there’s effort and thoughtfulness in every post. But if it feels bad to read about shopping from the perspective of someone who is in a very different income bracket, just unsubscribe!) And read this banger from
Viv Chen (left) and Kendall Flavin (right) A button-down in cerulean blue with white stripes
and over the last few weeks, I saw someone wearing one in real life. Feels like a springier, less office-wear vibes color palette for a striped collared shirt.
Why: After seeing them on
In reality: My closet is full of striped button-down shirts. I think what feels too formal about them is the silhouette (most are more close-fitting rather than roomy.)
Assignment: To make even a close-fitting button-down feel more casual, you can try: wearing it over a t-shirt or tank top, leaving it untucked, leaving the bottom button (or bottom two) undone, and wearing with baggier light-wash jeans and sandals.Chunky heart/padlock necklace
(fun fact: we originally met on Tumblr and became IRL friends in 2011! maybe I will be getting dinner with one of you in 2035 😬) and couldn’t stop looking at her necklace (an upstate thrifting/vintage store purchase, I believe.)
Why: I had dinner with
In reality: I don’t have many necklaces, but have recently been trying out a few via Rent the Runway. I’m starting to figure out what I like (more choker than full necklace length, both chunky and delicate), and if I still want something similar to hers in a few months, maybe I’ll start searching on Etsy or eBay.
Assignment: Don’t start looking at Etsy or eBay yet. Trust that there are enough vintage necklaces in the world that you will find what you want when and if you want it.
A wool or cashmere dickey
Why: Rented this Holzweiler dickey from Rent the Runway
In reality: I think I like the idea of a dickey better than the specific one I rented. (I like the shape, but I don’t like the blend of nylon in the wool, and I think the color will grey too easily over time.) I’ll use this one to figure out how I might actually incorporate it into my wardrobe, and maybe next winter I’ll look for a new one in pure cashmere or wool. [Edited to add: I have already returned this item. So yes, definitely glad I didn’t buy it.]
Assignment: Remember that spring (prime dickey weather) is about two weeks long and then we are stuck in an interminable summer until October!!
Image via Etsy (link below) Charm necklace
Why: My sister made one at a store in Philly with a friend and every time we FaceTime I notice myself coveting it.
In reality: Maybe I am slowly entering a necklace era! Noted. Will continue to rent, and maybe a charm necklace is something I can *slowly* start to build if I come across any vintage charms.
Assignment: This is absolutely shopping, which does go against the philosophy of this post, but—what if you found a lot (like, “an article or set of articles for sale at an auction” type of lot, not “a large number or amount” type of lot) of vintage charms on Etsy, bought a couple vintage chains, and had a charm necklace / bracelet party with a few friends? Okay, I might do that sometime this year.
Image via Eater 
Economy Candy baseball cap
Why: Made a pilgrimage there with a friend who had never been before (if you are in NYC, cannot recommend it enough—cheap marzipan and space ice cream galore!)
In reality: Reader, I bought the baseball cap. And I don’t regret it. I’ve wanted a piece of Economy Candy merch for a while, and this was a meaningful visit (my friend is moving back to London shortly, and I got to introduce her to space ice cream, one of the greatest American inventions, before she leaves!) As you may know, I try to live by the always buy the t-shirt philosophy, and it has served me well, both memory- and wardrobe-wise. This felt intentional, and markedly different from the endless scroll of a Poshmark search and the dopamine hit of an accepted offer.
Assignment: GO TO ECONOMY CANDY.
Buying this would not mean I “saved” $465. It would mean I spent $60. Rhode dress from Rent the Runway
Why: I rented this dress for a wedding earlier this year and loved it—it fit my body really well, and was the perfect choice for this particular wedding (winter wedding, the dress worked with tights, etc.) I’m going to another wedding next month and decided to look at the Rhode dresses to see if it came in a more summery pattern. I panicked when I didn’t see this particular dress for rental (even though I wasn’t looking for it this time!) and found it in the clearance section (activating the “now or never” panic.)
In reality: This dress was perfect for the wedding I just attended. It is not a good fit for the wedding I’m attending next month, or the one I’m attending in July, and I don’t know when I would wear it next. I also usually like to dance at weddings, and this dress, while comfortable, would definitely limit that. I will enjoy the fact that I looked great at that January wedding, and remind myself that this is not the only dress that will ever look good on me!
Assignment: Go through your closet and try on every formal dress and jumpsuit. Bet you have something for a spring wedding.Let me know if this was helpful or illuminating (and let me know if you try out Lanterne Lab, buy the jelly bean scarf, or go to Economy Candy!) I think I’m going to continue the no-buy into April. Anyone else doing a no-buy month (or year)?
<3 E
*For some thoughtful content around various shopping ‘challenges,’ including ‘no-buys,’ read this from
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I love your "always buy the t-shirt" philosophy! Economy Candy (though I haven't been in years) is a true NYC cultural institution of awesomeness. PS sounds silly but one of my top style/shopping lessons is also "I can appreciate it without owning it myself" — such a small but impactful thing to remember!
Today kicks off no-buy April for me! I’ll be doing the assignment of trying on summer clothes and for an added bonus, consigning what no longer “sparks joy” at a local shop.