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I’m a firm believer in the power of retail therapy. I’m having a bad day? Suddenly, my debit card is out and my laptop’s open to some God-knows-what website. I know it’s wrong, and I should be putting my money in a high-yield savings account or something, but whatever. My silly little purchases every now and again don’t hurt anyone (other than my bank account)! To hold myself accountable and possibly lead you to your next frivolous buy, I’ll be listing and rating a few of my most recent impulse purchases!
ITEM: “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
RATING: 100/10
To be honest, I bought this book because I’m sort of a sheep. I kept getting TikToks about it and after about video #5, I finally caved, and I’m so glad I did! This book is probably one of my favorite reads of all time. The storytelling is phenomenal and compelling. If you keep getting TikToks about it, let this be your sign to pick it up because you literally won’t be able to put it down.
ITEM: HappyValleyCustoms UF Sweatpants*
RATING: 10/10
I grabbed these sweats during an aimless scroll through Etsy. Sort of unrelated, but the supplier is literally the sweetest girl ever. I had a few issues with shipping and a lost package, and she remade my order and gave me a coupon for my next purchase! As for the sweats themselves, they’re BUTTERY soft and adorable – so soft and adorable that I’m ordering another pair of pants from her.Â
*She no longer makes the exact sweats that I bought, so I linked her shop’s homepage because her other stuff is super cute, too!
ITEM: Aerie Chunky Hoop Earrings
RATING: 10/10
Okay, so this wasn’t an online impulse buy, but I make the rules so it’s making the list. I’ve been on the hunt for gold hoops that are small enough to wear casually, but large enough to dress up a chill outfit, and these are perfect. Plus, the backings don’t hurt my ears (which is an issue I usually run into with department store earrings), so double perf!
ITEM: SMOOTHEZ Plunge Cami
RATING: 9/10
I bought two of these tanks in December because there was a BOGO going on, and if you’re like me, BOGOs are justification for buying stuff you don’t need. Even though I have a million tank tops, I find myself reaching for these pretty often. They’re super soft and lightweight – perfect for the spring and summertime. My only complaint with these is after a couple of washes, the upper back started pilling.Â
ITEM: #1 Florida Gators Jordan Brand Game Jersey – Royal Blue
RATING: 8/10
Okay, I know that this is pretty hefty for a “silly little purchase,” but hear me out. It was on sale for $70 when I bought it, and I’m definitely gonna get my money’s worth of wearing it to tailgates for the next two years. Nothing wrong with the jersey at all, I docked a couple points because $70 is not a frivolous purchase. #accountability
ITEM: Ema Camo Twill Pocket Pant
RANKING: 7/10
I think this is probably the dumbest buy on this list. I solely bought these pants because I saw a TikTok that said that athleisure shouldn’t be the only clothes you own, and I felt called OUT. I’ve worn these pants exactly once since buying them and they’re fine, nothing to write home about. Someone who, you know, actually likes wearing pants would probably really like these, but they’re just not for me.
ITEM: Florida X Upside HoodieÂ
RATING: 7/10
I got this hoodie for myself while shopping for Christmas presents for my little brother. It’s super cute, and I get asked about it all the time, but the printing isn’t the best quality. It looks like it was done on a Cricut machine. It was on sale for $45 when I bought it, and honestly, there’s no way I’d pay more than that.
ITEM: Gymshark Adapt Fleck Seamless Shorts
RATING: 2/10
I soooo badly wanted to like these shorts. I’m a huge fan of Gymshark’s leggings, so I assumed that I would love their shorts, too. I was so wrong. These shorts are super unflattering; the ends have a weird seam that cuts into my thighs, and the waist is super tight, too, even though I ordered the same size that I did for my leggings that fit like a glove.Â
Unfortunately for my bank account, I could go one for about two more pages of purchases that I’ve made this school year. However, I think I’ve made my point, so I’m going to stop here. Although I’m the last person who should be giving advice on this, I think impulsive purchases are fine within reason. In the grand scheme of things, one cute thing here and there isn’t a big deal… until it is. As long as your impulses fall within your means, a little retail therapy might be just what the doctor ordered (the doctor being me, of course).