Building My Living Wardrobe: The Suede Loafers I Chose Instead

Hello, my Darlings!

I have been searching for a pair of loafers for my autumn wardrobe for quite some time.

I knew exactly what I wanted: something classic, preferably leather, and a pair that would not feel dated by next autumn. I found several beautiful options along the way—along with several beautiful price tags.

And while I believe there are pieces worth saving for, I am also learning that building my Living Wardrobe cannot come at the expense of the rest of my life.

So, I kept looking.

Finding Inspiration for My Autumn Shoes

When I first started looking for a shoe for autumn, I did what many of us probably do: I went to Pinterest for inspiration.

I knew I wanted something that would work with the direction my wardrobe is beginning to take—classic, feminine, comfortable, and a little influenced by the traditional pieces I seem to return to year after year.

I no longer wear heeled boots very often, so flats make much more sense for my everyday life.

That is where loafers came in.

I realized they could give me much of the polished autumn look I wanted without requiring me to wear a boot every day.

The original pair I fell in love with was a beautiful dress penny loafer in a deep burgundy. They were classic and understated and looked like the kind of shoe I could imagine wearing for many autumns to come.

The only problem?

They were around $150.

Dressing for the Life I Actually Live

As beautiful as they were, I had to think about how my wardrobe fits into my real life.

I work in retail, which means I spend a lot of time on my feet. Now that the holiday season has officially begun, some of those shifts are becoming longer and busier.

Comfort is not optional for me.

I need a shoe I can walk in, stand in, and work in for hours while still feeling as though I am dressing like myself.

That is another reason loafers made so much sense.

They give me the classic look I love while still offering the flexibility I need for work, errands, and ordinary days.

The burgundy loafers checked almost every box.

But there was one box they did not check at the moment: my budget.

A Living Wardrobe Has to Fit My Budget, Too

One of the things I am trying to learn while building my Living Wardrobe is how to separate appreciating something from believing I have to own it immediately.

There are going to be beautiful pieces I love that simply are not right for my honest                                                                             budget at that particular moment.

That does not mean I can never have them.

It may simply mean not right now.

So instead of stretching my budget for the original loafers, I decided to see if I could find something comparable.

Eventually, I did.

I found a pair of genuine-suede loafers with the classic shape I had been searching for. More importantly, they worked with both my wardrobe and my budget.

Actually, I found two pairs.

One is a rich chocolate brown, and the other is a soft tan.

And, my Darlings, I paid $25 for each pair.

For the price of one much more expensive shoe, I was able to bring home two colors that I know I can work into my autumn wardrobe in different ways.

No, they are not the burgundy loafers I originally wanted.

But the burgundy pair can wait.

Learning to Buy Without Regret

This purchase also made me think about something much bigger than shoes.

I do not always find it easy to purchase things for myself.

I can come up with every reason why I should wait, why I do not need something, or why the money could be used somewhere else. And being thoughtful with money is important to me.

But I am also learning that there is a difference between being responsible and constantly putting myself last.

Balance is somewhere in the middle.

I want to be able to make a purchase, know that it fits comfortably within my budget, and enjoy it without immediately experiencing buyer’s remorse.

That may actually be one of the most important lessons my Living Wardrobe is teaching me.

I am not only learning how to dress.

I am learning how to choose.

Maybe the More Affordable Pair Is the Better Choice

Originally, part of me wondered whether choosing the less expensive loafers somehow went against the idea of building a Living Wardrobe.

Shouldn’t I save for the $150 pair?

Wouldn’t the more expensive shoe be the better investment?

Maybe.

But I am beginning to think the answer is not always that simple.

For me, choosing genuine-suede loafers that I could comfortably afford may actually be more aligned with what I want my Living Wardrobe to represent.

I do not want this wardrobe to be built around labels, price tags, or the idea that everything has to be an investment piece.

I want it to be built around clothes and shoes that serve my actual life.

Pieces I enjoy wearing.

Pieces I take care of.

Pieces I can afford without creating stress somewhere else in my life.

That feels much more sustainable to me.

Taking Care of What I Already Have

Will these $25 loafers last forever?

Probably not.

But I also do not think inexpensive automatically has to mean disposable.

Because they are genuine suede, I want to learn how to properly protect, clean, and store them so that I can get as much wear from them as possible.

Taking care of what I own is becoming another part of this Living Wardrobe experiment.

If I spent my hard-earned money on something—even if it was $25—I want to value it.

I want to brush the suede, store the shoes properly, protect them from the weather, and repair them if a small repair will give them another season of wear.

Perhaps part of building a thoughtful wardrobe is not only learning what to buy.

Maybe it is also learning how to keep what we already have.

Building My Wardrobe One Piece at a Time

Would I still like the $150 burgundy loafers one day?

Absolutely.

I can picture them with a skirt, tights, a cardigan, and many of the autumn pieces I eventually want to add to my wardrobe.

But I do not feel as though I missed out by choosing these instead.

Right now, my chocolate and tan loafers fit the life I am living.

And that is what I want the Living Wardrobe to be about.

Not creating the perfect wardrobe overnight.

Not spending money simply because something has been called an investment.

And certainly not putting other financial responsibilities aside for the sake of creating an image.

I want to slowly build a collection of pieces that work for my life, my style, my budget, and the woman I am becoming.

Sometimes that may mean saving for the beautiful $150 shoes.

And sometimes it may mean finding two lovely pairs for $25 each and happily walking away.

Both can have a place in a Living Wardrobe.

Have you ever found a more affordable version of something you originally planned to save for? And did you end up loving it just as much?

Until next time,

Xo,
Georgiana