NO more spending on clothes

I have decided to challenge myself for 2023 by doing No Spend January and not buy anymore clothes. I need to have another sort through, because I do have items that I haven’t worn yet.

Of course there is going to be temptation, because of sales. Many retailers will be getting rid of their Christmas stock, but I have plenty and so having a sort through I don’t need anymore.

I do need more underwear, but I see these as an essential item, but not going to spend a fortune and going to get rid of some pairs first before I buy replacements. Any clothes that are in good condition I will donate, because it stops landfill, and someone else’s junk is another persons pleasure.

I would like to have thousands tops and cardigans especially and jumpers, but I know this will make me feel bogged down, and life isn’t about how much you have, or having a huge closet but how they make you feel and can they go with many items I already have and will last me for a long time. I don’t tend to buy a lot of summer clothes because how long summer actually lasts, and been a long time since I have been on holiday during this period, and really do you need a load of shorts? Do you need a load of t-shirts?

Some I know may say yes, because you love to buy new clothes, but how many will you actually where all of the time?

I do film on my Youtube channels videos of what I like to wear, check it out The Typical London Gal Carrie Holmes.

I will report on how it goes and why not join me, and if you like these blogs then remember you can follow me and then you will be notified of my blogs on this site and never miss one.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Typical London Gal

Wardrobe full of sparkles

I love this time of year to wear sparkles, but not just for Christmas but for other occasions too, and going through my wardrobe I still have items that are sparkly not worn so my fashion goal is to wear them.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

I don’t really go out these days and so Christmas is the best time for me to wear them, unless next I have a holiday where I can wear them for an evening, and going to wear one of my sparkling tops on Christmas day and make a bit of an effort rather than wearing leggins and jumper which has become my daily attire.

Plus also not suitable for playing football with my son or rugby.

The other thing is finding the right underwear and I find underwired bra’s really uncomfortable so I use elasticated bra’s. So will be having a look to see if I can get one and wear underneath and still have some sort of support.

I do have jumper though that are sparkle and I wear them a lot but for Christmas I do want to wear the items that are sparkling to wear something different. I am all about getting the most out of clothes, and this how I am going to do that.

I have just decided that I am going to film a Christmas of what I wore, as I really do enjoy this type of content and helps me again to wear all the clothes I have and enjoy the clothes I have in my wardrobe.

So, do you like sparkles? You can leave a comment below and what way are you getting the most out of your wardrobe? I would like to know.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Typical London Gal

Wearing what I have got and plans for my wardrobe

I am trying my hardest to not buy anymore clothes, but saw some deals on Groupon and bought a tracksuit, leggins and a jumper. That for me is it but if I could ask for anything for Christmas it would be a pair of jeans.

Photo by Kai Pilger on Pexels.com

If I don’t receive these then I am going to wait to see if I can get some if there are January sales anywhere, as Christmas for me is a chilled day and letting the worries go for one day, but I will make an effort for the festive season I am just going to concentrate on clothes I have got and have items I still haven’t worn.

Next Friday I am going to have a good clear out, because there are items that I have worn lot that I need to let go and have shoes I haven’t worn, and so before I buy anything more clothes going to minimise my wardrobe and go through what items I could do with.

I have started a new habit that I am sorting my clothes and have everything I plan to wear in the week in my small wardrobe in my bedroom on Sundays, for the week ahead and take note of what I choose on Notion to help me select them.

So far this has helped a lot.

I’d like to hear to how you organize your clothes. Please leave a comment below.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Typical London Gal

Getting the most out of your clothes

I have gone through a change and going through my wardrobe realised I don’t need anymore and so I waiting for a tracksuit to come and that is going to be it for my clothes and feel good with the pieces I have got.

When it comes to having a good wardrobe think about what you do each day. I tend to go to casual most days as my son loves to play football or rugby, and so there is no point in wearing clothes that are more dressy in case they get dirty and don’t stretch.

I am never super scruffy, they have to be comfortable and get a few days use out of them and if I only wear an item once then I don’t put in the wash I will put it back into my wardrobe or I will wear it for continuous days.

I have now decided that each Sunday I will set up my clothes I wish to wear for the week, and what I don’t stays in there. I know we may not have the luxury in doing so, but if you do it is worth it and I feel so less worried about what to wear, and doing this has made me see I don’t need anymore.

Having a Capsule wardrobe is good, because you can have fun with it. It can be colourful, but it depends on your style.

I love colour, light colours and dark and that they wash well. I would like to wear tailored clothes, and do have items, but saving these for when I go out somewhere and when my son doesn’t want to play sports.

I want to put together a new fashion vision on Pinterest and good place to look at different styles and here is one I have created before and how you can do the same.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Typical London Gal

Good Basics Help build a wardrobe

What are basics?

They are plain tops, tracksuits without prints and must haves to layer and on their own in the summer. I at the moment wearing a black plain V-top and a fleece. These clothes give me comfort but still like to have some sort of style.

It’s a must that I have a set of basics that I can wear for different weathers and always have something to wear. I vision what an item may look like, and what it will go with that I already have in my wardrobe, and is this my style or not.

I will often wear them as a night clothes too and I love clothes like that. Thinking of that, does this sound like I am lazy? Well I can be, but I like to get the most out of the clothes and versatile for me is to love and enjoy what I wear and have different items to make a good capsule wardrobes and with Basics you can down or up, and just need to a pair of boots that can be worn casually or for going out in and dress up.

Anything that can be worn all year round and for any purpose is worth investing and I am not really into wearing plain tops all of the time, but great for adding when I just need to put something on and can wear when playing football or rugby with my son and doesn’t matter if they get dirty.

The best places are stores like H&M, Amazon, TU Sainsbury’s and even online stores like Freemans or Very.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

7 ways you can Save Money on Fashion

Hello and thank you for visiting if you are new to this blog site. Today I am talking about Saving money on fashion.

Photo by Ksenia Chernaya on Pexels.com
  1. Save for the item and set a budget of how much you are willing to spend on that item
  2. Avoid store cards, from experience they can run up a lot of debt and so if I don’t have the money I don’t buy it, and points/loyalty cards are better
  3. If you have clothes that no longer fit that are in good condition then why not sell items or pay for them to be repaired
  4. Wait for sales, a lot of retailers start to change their fashion certain parts of the year like as soon as it begins to get nearer September they will have a sale on summer items and start setting up items for Autumn
  5. Invest in clothes that can be worn all year around, this why I set up this blog because I like to invest in clothes that last a long time and be worn all year round
  6. Create wish lists and I keep things, when shopping online in the basket and see if I can get the same item on the high street for less and if I can’t find the items, I will check online and save for when I can invest on that particular list
  7. Go through what you want in your wardrobe and go through items you want to let go of and build a capsule wardrobe. I know many people give this tip, but for me I buy what will go with what I already have and have plenty of outfits that go together

It is all about being happy about what you wear and how it makes you feel when you put it on, and so taking time to invest in a good wardrobe is how you can save and budget and nothing goes to waste.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Typical London Gal

New In H&M Autumn and Winter Fashion

Yes H&M have their Autumn and Winter fashion out, not sure and seen some good pieces, like long sleeved tailored shirts, knitted wear and I was hoping they were having a sale on some of the fashion from summer, but I am going to keep checking.

I did a haul video featuring a couple of T-Shirts from H&M, check it out here: https://youtu.be/aECm8xphzPQ

This sweatshirt is great item and I love these types, because they can last a long time and never go out of style. I invested in a few of their fleeces and jumpers, because they are good quality and for the price is totally worth it. This one above is currently £12.99, just bare in mind the prices can change. I am not sponsored, I just really love their fashion.

Here is another jumper that i’d like to invest in, because it looks good quality and I love the collar and can be worn with many things, such as leggings and a high knee boots, jeans and a pair of smart black trousers. I love hoops and this one is £24.99, and will last a long time.

Here is a pair of Boots that I have discovered and be brilliant with the sweatshirt and jumper above and smartens the outfit up. Casual/Smart.

I love these types of Boots because they are brilliant for all weathers and a good long lasting piece and I need some new boots and so I will checking out their footwear. These currently £34.99.

Then there are these Boots and are a bit more money compared to the ones above but again a pair worth investing as they can last a lifetime, just remember to get them mended, and use boots holders to help them stay in shape. They are £99.99.

Then there is this short cardigans and my go to item in the winter. I like to have a few cardigans because they are so easy to wear and will be buying a new one and this one again good for the whole year and will last a lot of Autumn’s and Winters.

This is £17.99.

So they do have a lot of good pieces and I will visit again and try and do a new shop with me. I will let you know if I do.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Typical London Gal

Fashion Diary/Finding the right bag

Hello and welcome! In this blog I talk about bags, because like my obsession with notebooks, clothes and shoes, and Youtube, etc etc, I love a bag.

For me they are essential item, as I do carry bits with me that are important like my house keys, phone, a notebook and so need a bag that is deep and structured with pockets or just deep enough to carry a lot.

So where to buy?

Well today I looked in TK Maxx and they do a load of bags that I could live in the store and have so many different styles. They are pricey but from experience are good quality.

This one is priced at £49.99, but this price can change. I am not sponsored by any of the retailers I mentioned. The stores I choose is of personal choice.

I love Amazon, they have so many retailers to buy from and have a grey Rucksack from them and love it to bits and bought it about 4 years ago and still good quality.

This is the exact one I have and not surprised it is still available, as it is so worth it. Currently this is priced at £20.39. It has so many inside pockets and use it when I take my son on trips to London and if I manage to get away this summer this rucksack i have will come with me.

I have two rucksacks like this and would be a place I’d go to when buying a bag and know they are of good quality, and not had any issues so far, and the relationship with Amazon, which they don’t know about it for 20 years, can’t really remember, but love it and is the go to place if you can’t find what you want on the high street.

The other place is Avon. I have not bought a bag for while but I will checking them out because I would always buy a bag from them and do plan to do a haul very soon. Then their is Wish, they are platform that have many bags and other products and had to take off their APP, because I became obsessed but do have some really good designs and different kinds.

It’s all about what you want to get out of it, and how it serves you.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Typical London Gal.

Fashion Diary/New Finds on the High Street

Hello! So to kick off I am going to begin with H&M I bought a new pair of Animal print pumps and been wanting a pair and in browsing in the store, this is the one in Centrecourt Wimbledon, and had to buy them and were £17.99. So soft and comfortable that I fear wearing because they have a nice trim on them and feel so good on your feet.

They also had a white sleeveless button shirts. I always invest because they can be worn all year round, and my go to because they are just a staple piece I love to have, because they just easy to wear and great investment. They can worn with a Cami top underneath with the shirt open, you can tie them up at the front and then in the winter a cardigan with a vest top underneath, and I just my favourite type of clothing.

They also had a some lovely animal print shirts that I was a bit weary of wearing as them big quiet shirt but since thinking about it, I could make it work and is a versatile piece.

Online this top is on sale for £10 originally £17.99 but run out of stock so very popular the great thing is I can save it in my wish list and have selected them to notify me when they are back in stock. Just remember this could be different in the stores, and so going to see if they are still there on sale in my local H&M and am planning to go up in Oxford Street as they may have more items, and different pieces if I do I will let you know.

I have been in search of a new bag and checked Oliver Bonas in Wimbledon and they have some really nice bags. They are quite high in price, but worth investing and I love treating myself in store because their dresses and accessories are lovely and love my Scarf and T-Shirt I bought from them and lovely material.

I love colour and is priced £49.50, which is high but I don’t mind if it is good quality.

They also had some nice dresses and they do maxi style which I’d love to buy but end up being too long, but they do short dresses too and love the colours of their clothes and would love to treat myself to one of the their dresses.

This is a lovely style and looks like it is made with light material. It is £69.50 but again can be a item you wear in the colder months, with a pair of skin colour tights, with a pair of ballet style shoes and in the summer sandals or even with a white or pink trainer.

I love wearing colourful clothes including dresses. Just bear in mind that the items in store aren’t always the same in the stores. If you see it invest because of how quickly they change their stock around.

So let me know what you have found on the high street then leave a comment below of what are your staple items you like you wear, that can be worn all year round, as I love recommendations. I am due to go to TKMaxx as I love their skincare items aswell as their fashion and using some at the minute, which I have shared on my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUDFIqjVKLy7NhtcR6Hy0Tg and notebooks, because they do nice bags too and have a good range, so going to see which one I will buy from Oliver Bonas or TKMaxx and will update you.

If you’d like to be kept up to date with this blogs then remember to follow and you will be alerted everytime new blog is posted.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Fashion Diary/sales and special offers

Today i paid a visit to New Look and bought a pair of shoes and having a style this I have had before they will be super comfortable. I don’t shop often in New Look, when I lived in Bognor Regis, where there was a new look too, I’d be in there everyday.

Now being someone who loves a T-Shirt they did have a deal where you could by two t-shirts for £16, but I prefer H&M, as I like the material better. I also bought a T-Shirt which I did plan to get in Oliver Bonas and it so lovely and was a bit pricey but being someone who doesn’t buy a lot of items in that store because of the price of their clothes, it was a nice treat. Stores will be getting ready for the Autumn again, and so they will be having sales soon on their summer products.

It is good to keep on monitoring the stores you love because I always check their sales and if it is worth it. I do budget, and write a list a of items I would like to have and I will save my money in doing so. I am notice the price of items going up and so it is getting in whilst it a low for that store.

H&M have a membership scheme which I been saying no too, and thought I had already done that but I hadn’t but it is worth it if you shop in there often. Yet I don’t want to make it an excuse to keep going in there. Yet if it saves more money in doing the membership it could be worth it. I will report back.

With Newlook I did have a store card but no longer because it got me in debt, and got tempted everytime I would pass the store. You do have to be careful with store cards because it becomes too tempting, and not needed. Now I don’t have one and will not own one again, I do feel a sense of relief.

Price doesn’t always match quality and so do your maths and how long and often will you will wear it. I haven’t checked out TU Sainsbury’s so I will check them out probably next week, and take a look.

It is officially the summer and time to go through our summer clothes if you haven’t already, and have a good sort out. I rotate my clothes and wear everything I own.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X