Make a Wish: Wish Lists and Shopping

I love shopping, but I've started to do it differently in the last several months. Instead of going in broadly, I have started making a wish list.

Why Make a Wist List?

Because it keeps you focused! Having a wish list in mind helps keep me within my budget for clothing and helps keep me from making impulse buys of things I will never use but like to look at. It focuses not only my shopping - when I'm on the hunt for something I can, at times, be single-minded - but my budgeting as well. Do I really need that new black dress? I'd rather spend that money on the thing I've been searching for over the last several months.

Bookish Beauty's Wish List

My wish list at the end of the summer was as follows:

• Green Gingham Skirt
• Plaid Skirt or Sun Dress in Green or Red
• Wool Coat
• Brown Mary Jane Shoes
• Ouji Pants in Brown or Black
• Brown Vest

The pieces in italics are items meant to replace other items that no longer fit properly thanks to weight loss. The piece that is crossed out is the one that I have already managed to find. The list is short and catered almost entirely to the items that will work directly into my wardrobe as it is and into the requirements of my life.

I've tried to keep my list down to things that I could feasibly wear to work. That means nothing costumey and, as tempted as I am by rococo-style OPs, I think that's probably the best way to go about things. The goal here is to get a wardrobe I will wear on a day to day basis, not one stocked with pretty things that gather dust in my closet.

What about you? Are you a focused shopper? If so, what are you on the hunt for right now?