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Toward the end of last year, I noticed a little trend on the clock app of influencers posting income-transparent content, sharing what they’d earned month by month. Salary transparency needs to be more of a thing, IMHO. I thought it would be a fun idea to own up to my lululemon expenditures as an “influencer” in 2023. As I mentioned in a recent post about how I’ve been feeling in regards to the influencer/retail-centric content creation space… it’s very easy to get caught up in FOMO.
I really appreciated these creators’ transparency and willingness to share, so why shouldn’t I keep it real on what I’m spending, especially when I’m creating content that revolves around… spending?
FOMO leads to a purchase here, a purchase there, but with lululemon prices… they add up fast. If you make a decent income it’s probably not going to put you into significant debt, but if you’re living paycheck to paycheck, frequent purchases can most certainly can cut into some of your long-term financial goals in order to get the latest Scuba. This is usually a Scuba, which you will film an unboxing video of, and wear 5 times before the next “it” color of the season is released 3 weeks later. Unless you have an audience tens of thousands deep, an internet flex ain’t paying the bills.
I don’t know everything but I do know I’ve been fangirling over lululemon over a decade. I have spent thousands of dollars of the years, but at least I’ve got self awareness about how the “OMG GOTTA HAVE” and then “ok so maybe I don’t” roller coaster operates. Somehow, still willingly ride the damn thing. Egg on my face.
It’s pretty easy to ignore the bottom line when it’s digital (Monopoly money, yay!), so in an effort to bring more awareness and to call myself out on my shopping habits… here’s how much I’ve dropped at lululemon in Q1 of 2023:
$1558.94 USD
KATY, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU BUY… and have you worn it yet? Would you buy it again?
January 2023: $373.52
The January damage was all done in one shot at a store trip in Red Deer, AB. Retail therapy was the name of the game that day, and the lululemon Studio discount plus Canadian exchange rate “discount” really did me a solid. I continuously wore all items in this haul throughout the winter.
NO REGERTS. No ragrets, either. Green Jasper and Pomegranate had an absolute chokehold on me over the winter months.
February 2023: $615.44
In the words of a wise Deadpool… what the fuck knuckles is this? Since I’ve been tracking spending since 2015, February has averaged the lowest month for me, clocking in at an average of $244. Both 2017 and 2022 clocked $0. Apparently I hauled. Here’s what:
First, the keepers. I’ve been easing back into online ordering (the week+ wait leaves a sour taste in my mouth), and I actually placed my first WMTM order in eons. Lots of basic blacks at the beginning of the month, attempting to give basics like the Align Bra, Like a Cloud Bra Long Line and Underease shorties a try. Ultimately, my preferences warmed up toward the end of the month.
Second Thoughts (aka I kept them but am on the fence): the Like a Cloud Long Line kind of digs into my armpits after a while, so I’ve been shying away from it. The Align Bra is a bit tight, but the C/D cup is too loose. Didn’t return, but don’t plan to buy more of either of these in the near future.
As for the shortie underwear, they’re good to wear around the house on their own, to me they feel like a bit too much fabric to actually wear under a pair of pants. However, they could come in clutch this summer under sundresses.
Now, for the rejects. I was stoked for the blue Chargefeel Low, but they didn’t live up to aesthetic expectation upon arrival. They were much more medium blue than deep blue IRL, use the slider below to see for yourself. They were a “like”, but not love. After a couple days on the fence, they went back.
Meanwhile, my Wunder Train Cropped Long Sleeve Shirt from WMTM arrived with a stain on it, front and center. No thank you. Liked it but didn’t love enough to try and get a replacement. It went back and contributed to the purchase of some of the keepers above.
March 2023: $569.98
KEEPERS: Welp at this rate I know I could afford a fancy car if I wanted it, but instead… I continue to go hard on outfits. Haven’t gotten around to making a TikTok about the March grab yet, but here’s what came home:
As you can tell, spring has come through, big time. While boring as plain Cheerios, the only black item I managed to get was the Quick Dry Short-Sleeve Polo Shirt. lululemon polos historically fit my shoulders terribly, so I tried it on for “research”… which led to a very pleasant surprise and a new boring hot weather work shirt for me.
Poolside is pretty much the only color that could have gotten me to buy another Scuba Oversized Half Zip, so I caved. Not looking to deepen the roster any further at this point, despite how tempting Lip Gloss looks.
re: the InvisiWear Mid-Rise Bikini Underwear – Obviously can’t return, but it’s not my favorite. The fabric and construction feels much sturdier than the Light as Air (RIP it’s been 7+ years), and has more give and breathability than the Namastay Put. But… the rise is higher than I’d prefer, and there’s a reinforced waistband that digs right into my hips, giving me a muffin top. I’ll put them under jeans, but not thinner tights. Glad I tried, but they’re rating a 6.5/10 for me.
The Mesh-Back Train Bra is the only March piece I haven’t run through the ringer yet. It’s tight in my TTS, but I’ve also been dealing with weight gain. I’m optimistic as I get back into running again it will be a summer staple.
THE REJECTS: I also got the maldives green Align High-Rise Mini Flare, but as mentioned in my mini review, they didn’t feel right, so they went back. Too bad, because I loved the color.
So there you have it. Three whole (nice) car payments worth of new lululemon in Q1 of 2023. One day it will be warm enough to rock those Relaxed-Fit Super-High-Rise Cargo Shorts in person. Just you wait.
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