Can I survive a year without buying clothes?

[MaccaPaccaismyNemesis]

I like shopping, especially pretty day dresses, and I have spent much of 2013 building up a decent amount of clothes after bring pregnant and eating cake changed my shape though I have lost my preg weight now. (Only 2 years later!) .

I was having a look through the other day, and I think I could save a fortune if I made myself not shop for clothes or shoes in 2014. It could help financially to pay back the overdraft etc, and maybe just maybe I could save some money. I can definitely dress well for the year, but will people notice that I'm sporting the same clothes?

Would anyone like to join me in my quest to not shop in 2014?

"As you can't any wear it"? Think the shock of knowing I can't buy any more clothes is affecting my brain!!

Ooooo wherabouts in Africa Toad? We'll let you off the Hippo (given that I bought half the carved animals in Africa when I was last there oh and a crate of assorted wooden weapons )

Hahahha I know what you mean, I'm a sucker for wooden "carved stuff"

Don't really want to out myself any further if that's ok... But suffice to say cannot wait to get home and have a proper cup of tea!

One good thing about being out here is that I can't even online shop as there would be no-one to collect them at home. So I'm being very well behaved

Ish !

I've just checked the official rules. Carved wooden animals from far-flung locations definitely OK. You might regret not buying a wooden hippopotamus when you get home and then would have to go all the way back to get one, thereby racking up further expenses and air pollution.

I went to my husband's Christmas party (they always do it in January) last night. Instead of buying something new I rummaged around in my closet and invented a new outfit from old stuff.

I like your logic maca!

And congrats on your closet recycling!

Further delving in the sewing pile has yielded a pair of gorgeous yoga trousers. I vaguely recollect buying them a year ago but they had been dumped in the pile waiting to be turned up. Sewing pile has also yielded a pair of lovely trousers for DH.

I have also found some brown jersey fabric and a dress pattern. MN jury is making clothes allowed?

Making clothes fab surely!

I've been on the middle class uniform thread today and need to get orf it as they are referencing all sorts of lovely places to buy clothes from .... I can see how easy it would be to fall off the wagon...

Hello
Going to get started with the decorating this week.

Been to couple of shops with dd but nothing even tempted me.
I'm realising that last year was the hardest, this year seems easier compared but it is only twelve days in!

Don't have the shopping pangs that I used to have for many years,
not since about October. (which means it took me 9 months)

I hope I'm not just kidding myself.

Making clothes is definitely allowed helen

and then making them to order for your fellow mn-ers and sending them to us

I've not bought any clothes since 26th Dec because I had emergency surgery on NYE and have been unable to and I am considering joining you mad lovely people but I'm scared!!

Maybe I could try until end of Feb and see...

Ok still not bought anything and Ive stopped myself from looking too.

Trying to cull wardrobe opinions please:

3 x cocktail dresses in a size smaller than I can fit into and I am not likely to go to any events in the foreseeable (even if I've lost the weight)

3 X summer maxi dresses - one is tight one is big and not good for my shape and one is ok and comfortable. So I think two need to go but one is new only worn a couple of times and the other was bought for my Bday and is lovely

I could list lots more but these in particular are a sticking point. If I lost the weight by they end of the year say would I want to go and buy new stuff anyway - probably

I feel quite strongly about parting with clothes if I have not had wear out of them or reason why they were bought, its some form of guilt. There is also an element of fear I would say that i might regret.

At the end of the day they are just pieces of material that peform a function to keep up covered/warm. But we all know how a well fitting dress can mae you feel.

Hi ashamedoverthinker,

I got rid of the things that didn't fit at the time of doing the cull. I was happy with my size when I did this so wasn't thinking I'll keep it for when I'm this size, lost that weight etc.

What's the point of having clothes hanging in your wardrobe that don't fit? (took me ages to work that one out - I hung on to stuff that had cost me loads too)

I would sell them or donate them then you have got a wardrobe with clothes in which you will get your wear out of, instead of full of clutter.
I did all of the guilt stuff too-waste of time and in the end I learnt to be ruthless and don't miss any of it (they are just clothes) and am determined not to waste money on stuff I don't need ever again.
Hope that helps x

Well done everyone.

I am also being good -no clothes spending so far.

I have discovered 3 pairs of nearly new bootleg cords in cream,taupe and brown.I have had them for years but don't wear them because I don't know what to wear with them .Is it possible to make brownish cord look stylish or is there no hope?
Would love some advice please

Are alterations allowed? I have a dress which needs taking up and a skirt which needs taking in, but I would have to pay for them both... would that be cheating?!

imp brown cords... maybe cream top? coral top? Hard to say without seeing the exact shade. Do you actually like them? I made a huge pile today of all the clothes I don't wear to go through, try on and get rid of any that don't fit/don't go with anything I own etc

Anyone discovering clothes they'd forgotten about? Wearing a jumper today I'd entirely forgot about

Also, clearly sleep deprived as that sentence made little sense

Artemisa definitely allowed to have alterations done if it means wearing the item more. I had two dresses taken in before Christmas and actually wear them now!

Macca/Shopping that sentence made perfect sense to me .

overthinker - I think I would get rid of the clothes that you never wear, you might regret it but probably not!

I went into a big shopping centre yesterday and only spent my book vouchers and exchanged an electric blanket in John Lewis. That might not sound much but I cannot remember the last time I didn't buy unnecessary stuff when at the shops - I usually only go near them once or twice a year.

No on-line shopping either, I've never lasted this long! Thank you ladies .

I really need to do this also .. i have bought just so much stuff since losing weight and I do also need to go cold turkey on Mumsnet style and beauty .
Also (mainly because of S&B) I have a credit card to pay off and a great desire to retire in a few years time .

So far this year I have bought one thing.. on ebay (a secondhand bag , but my old one is pretty shabby..) But had the thought of not buying anything more this year before I found you.

So far this week so good for clothes for me and I even tried t throw out some clothes at the weekend but only got to about 6 grubby T shirts.

Have had to order a pair of school shoes for my son though as he can home the other day with a big hole in one which I had never noticed. Hopefully though unless he grow these should see him through to the summer.

Have also sent some things back to Lands End for a refund as they were Christmas presents.

We are halfway through January . Has anyone fallen off the wagon? Not been tempted yet, though I still need to sort out my wardrobe.....

Can I join, please?

I need to lose weight and then I have lots of lovely clothes.

I do need to buy bras and stockings but should be ok on everything else. Except possibly shirts for work. In due course.

Thanks for replies fox and Belize*. I havnt actually done it but in my head I have (if that makes sense). It is so useful to check in with others. We often talk to other women about whats in fashion, what we've seen etc but generally not about the emotina attachments to clothes.

This thread continues to enlighten me and has been very helpful. I'm in awe of people who can actually alter clothes. I can't

Well Clarks sent me an email and it had the pair of boots I wanted at half price, I clicked through and was very tempted but I did not. I seriously cannot justify them even if I wasnt doing this thread.

So still not purchases here thanks to the support from this thread. We have just comitted to a severe budget so this should stop me also. I have found booking mini breaks helps to keep one going .

I havtn discovered new clothes like forgotton ones - more like lost in the laundry ones. I'm now getting on top of the laundry and I do not have space to store all of the families clothes so it remains in the ever shifting piles of jumblesque arrangment, some in boxes, some in baskets

Buy yey to NSD and NSDoC!

Fuckity.. the Jigsaw dress I really wanted for Christmas and didn't get is in the sale.. and half price and so I bought it .. so that's a secondhand bag and a dress and its only the 15th of January .. I am crap at this .