Find the background behind No-Shop January here and Week One’s update here!

Just after I published my first update, the two things I’d been dreading and anticipating in equal measures happened: the Annette cardigan from Molly Moorkamp opened for pre-order (for one week only!) and the Ann Mashburn winter sale started. So this was a tough week!

I always find that the Mashburn winter sale is a great time to stock up on things for both myself and my husband (for future gifts), so not shopping the sale this year–or rather, waiting to see if there’s anything I must have and A) use my gift card or B) use my one exception has been something I’ve considered a lot lately. But then the Molly Moorkamp cardigan is something I’ve been thinking about for over a year and I missed out on it three times…! so I also want to use my store credit there, but as it slightly goes over my limit, that would be my one exception for the month.

So what do I want to do?

I’m publishing this post on Friday morning. The Molly Moorkamp pre-order closes this afternoon, and I still haven’t made up my mind whether or not to take the plunge. I write about sweaters all the time, and I can honestly say I don’t have a cozy oversized cardigan like that one. And I’d wear it forever, because it is a beautiful, classic piece (and made in New York!) But I’m also very tempted to just try to finish out this month without shopping, and hope that there will be webstock in my size. Or I can order it and justify it because it meets all the criteria on my buying new clothes checklist, and it would ship just in time for my birthday.

As for the Mashburn sale, I’m waiting until it is lowered to 70% off, and if there’s anything I must have in my size, then I’ll take the plunge then. If not, it wasn’t meant to be!

If you are not shopping this month, how is your challenge going? And also–should I order the sweater?!?!?!