To wonder how to curb buying clothes?

[malificent7]

I love clothes...i can't afford to buy designer etc but i do love a new ( or second hand) outfit.
As a child i didn't have the fancy designer clothes but later i have developed my own style. I see them as a fun way to express myself and feel good about myself.
Trouble is, i am concerned about fast fashion and also i want to save money.
Yet i cannot get the cute denim dress or Nike Airforce trainers out of my head.
I try not to get too many impulse buys

( although this does occassionally happen.)
Why can i not be happy with the wardrobe i have? I guess i need to stick to more classic pieces that don't date but i love to experiment.

Watching as I’m exactly the same - wardrobe OVERFLOWING and hate lol the stuff I buy.

Sounds like restricting yourself to the huge and varied second hand markets (particularly if it's for charity) would solve your money and moral issues with your creativity still challenged as well. You could browse new clothes with NO way of paying for anything on you. Then you can gather ideas and inspiration and if you really must have something you see, you can have a cooling off period while you go home for your money.

I think you need to tweak your decision making process when buying. So start with Kondo and ask does this spark joy? Also look at how easy it is to wash or not. Will I wear this x times to give good value? Do I have a suitable occasion to wear this to?

I would also suggest that you budget for your clothes so pick a percentage and put that much of your paycheck to one side.

I would try to buy quality rather than quantity. If you want to experiment then try renting, charity shops or making or embelleshing items yourself a la sewing bee.

Ask yourself why you cant get the cute denim dress or trainers out of your head. Is it because they spark joy because of how they look or is it because you want something new? Do you think others will admire?

WATCHINGGGGG 👀

Ah, same here! I did a massive sort out of everything I own, realised I had a ton of lovely things i’d forgotten about so did the whole ‘shop my wardrobe’ thing for a month. Absolutely nothing new entered the house and it actually felt pretty good.

Now i’m a bit more disciplined than before and manage to wait for a few weeks before I go to buy anything I have my eye on. Then I really know it’s because I need or really want it.

Have a period of time set where you will only buy underwear, say for a year.

I’m the same! I adore clothes. I buy lovely things and wear them a lot, but still do get a few things from Zara etc, but a lot less. I do a turnover often and sell frequently to make space / money for the next round.
I’ve just accepted this is my thing :)

You just have to stop buying clothes for some time,and refrain from looking in fashion shops,and fashion stuff on the net etc. You really don't need all the stuff you buy. Clothes buying can be an addiction,,and one that I used to have.. I alter and revamp some clothes now, I haven't got a sewing machine,and am not a dress maker,but its easy to cut up and alter things.

Work out why you want the things and what void you're trying to fill through shopping.

If shops didn't exist, what would you do instead?

Another massive wardrobe owner here 😳😳 January 2018 I mad a New Years resolution not to buy any clothes shoes or handbags. Apart from a few knickers and bras I have mostly kept it up.
I unsubscribed from all of the tempting store emails and don’t go shopping :D

If I go into town I stick to my small shopping list and then picnic and feed the ducks and swans instead it’s nice 🦢🦆

I find that the best way is to buy things that you can wear in multiple situations and for multiple seasons - if it's the latest must have this year, next year you won't want to wear it. Spend more on well classic pieces. Charity shops are great but still only buy because it's something that you really want rather than it being cheap. Finally look at what you own, do you (like me) have some lovely skirts with no appropriate tops or vice versa? Concentrate on filling in gaps to fulfill your shopping desire.

So i am not alone then! It is just such an easy way to boost confidence.

What is not helping me now is targeted ads on Insta.

Truly they are the devils work.

One way I’ve managed to slightly curb spending is by not using amazon to buy books and use the library instead.

I know, I know, it’s a far out idea.

• Delete any bookmarks you have saved of things you want to buy!
• Don't go on clothing websites, even to browse, for the timebeing.
• Have one month where you buy nothing as a goal, as a kind of break.

Can I ask: why should you curb it? Do you have money problems? Because, the way I see it, if you can afford it, then go, friend. Do you wear the things you bought, or they just sit there?

I used to buy clothes monthly as a compensation for having to work. I know, sounds odd, but it was true. I wore everything (got slightly more expensive range of high street, say not Next but John Lewis brands). I don't need it now as the cause for treating myself this way disappeared, but I have a great wardrobe which will last years. (I was never a person for following trends, I only bought what I liked from what was available)

I am the same but mainly with children’s clothing. They just have an absolutely ridiculous amount, my DH always jokes that baby DS has more clothes than us put together (it’s probably true ).

I recommend deleting any shopping apps from your phone and if you can, try unsubscribing from emails. I always find myself swayed by the discount emails, they don’t help.

My friend did a year challenge where she didn’t buy one piece of clothing for the full year. She got through it and that was her advice, she also unfollowed clothing stores on Instagram.

I buy all my clothes from charity shops. It’s amazing what you can find. All my clothes are high end brands like Hush, Toast, etc and I’ve even managed to find some new with tags.

I feel less guilty about my clothes buying and it’s such fab feeling when I find a bargain!

Can I ask: why should you curb it? Do you have money problems? Because, the way I see it, if you can afford it, then go, friend.

The fashion industry is the second most polluting in the world. Insane amounts of water, energy and chemicals - not to mention slave labour - are used in its production.

The sea is full of microplastics, a significant amount of which is from us washing our plastic clothes (polyester, viscose etc) which releases microscopic fibres. Apparently we all have a credit card's worth of plastic inside us from ingesting water and seafood.

Our love for fast fashion means that shops like Zara, H&M etc race to produce a huge number of poorly made or ill thought out "lines" inspired by what magazines and influencers tell us is in fashion, and this means thousands of tonnes of never-bought, let alone worn, clothes are sent to landfill every year.

By buying into the fashion cycle sold to us by glossy mags and now Instagrammers (ie getting sucked into feeling what you already own is inadequate or that you can't be seen wearing the same dress three times by the same friends or that your clothes are "last season" or whatever) you are enabling this.

If that's not enough to make you think twice about buying something new when you've already got a wardrobe full of perfectly good clothes, then OP - can I gently suggest that new clothes will only buy you confidence momentarily, and as soon as it no longer feels new and shiny and gorgeous you'll need your next "fix". Much much better for you and the planet to invest in inner confidence.