Making a slow buy is something I’m really excited to talk about, because it really shows me that my habits are improving. But I’m also learning that talking about shopping addiction while still making purchases is going to be a real challenge for me! It feels like freakin’ Confession around here.

So let me talk you through my process for these boots. (And two other pair that I got this month. Cue gasping.) Not to justify them, but to show you how I choose to acquire new things in a thought way. Because it’s going to happen.

Fortress of Inca

I haven’t purchased any new boots in 3-ish years, though I have purchased a few pair secondhand. I kept “caramel heeled booties” on my shopping list for I don’t even know how long. When these ones from responsible brand Fortress of Inca were released, I definitely fell in love – but the price point had me shook.

So I checked my inventory and decided to sell off some of my other shoes — ones that maybe seemed out of style, or were not being worn much due to discomfort or impracticality. I waited until the weather was right… and, after my #noshopnov challenge, they had sold out. It gave me a little pit in my stomach, but I had to accept they were not meant to be.

A few weeks later, I noticed Zappos had restocked a couple pair. I had a $10 rewards credit, and — after a sizing mishap — I finally ended up with the right ones (sized up half). Talk about a slow buy! I wore them around the house for a full week to make sure they were comfy and that I could come up with some outfits ideas. And now? Totally content with my purchase, and hopefully they’ll carry me through several years of boot seasons!

Nisolo

The two other pair I bought were from Nisolo, a brand I have long admired. They had a huge holiday BOGO sale that definitely peaked my interest. However, there was only one pair included in the sale that I really loved and would fill a gap in my wardrobe. I kept thinking, if they add the heeled chelsea boot to the sale, I will jump on it. And wouldn’t you know, a couple weeks later, they did! So I ended up with both of these beauties.

If we talk about Jaana of the past, she would have bought something in the BOGO sale just for the sake of it being on sale. Missing out on the pair of boots she really liked. Definitely regretting her purchases. Maybe even never worn the shoes. She would’ve impulsively bought many “caramel heeled booties” along the way and not had the money to buy the ones she really, really loved. Slow buy was not a term that existed in her mind!

So she is learning. And Jaana of the present is proud of how far she’s come.

What’s the last slow buy you made that you’re really excited about?

loves,
jaana