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?

I've still not caved, but have been finding it really, really hard. I know I should just not look, but I've such an ingrained habit of daily visits to the Jigsaw and Whistles websites and I know I need to wean myself off this.

The internet is a dreadful thing for people with shopping addictions. Because, yes, fundamentally, I have to face it - it's definitely addiction. Shopping possibilities are so infinite and round the clock. I've tried to investigate banning sites, but apparently it's not a straightforward thing on an iPad. I'm going to give my debit card to my SO tomorrow to prevent pay day weakness. I'm going to try to operate on a cash only basis next month.

I've booked a walking trip to Austria in July, and will need to buy walking sandals, but that comes into my sports wear/ functional clothing rule. What I need to do is stop myself from buying three pairs in different colours to match different dresses/ shorts etc

artemist thank for further support re 'the wendy'. All the posts re that have helped me move forward with the issue and gain perspective.

Interestingly as someone ^ thread said - we do clothes as psychological armour. I also now realise how it can be quite easy to make and 'emotional purchse' which is entirely different to shopping for a nice dress for a special occasion and enjoying it for purely for wearing pleasure.

I have not caved in and bought anythiny but I spent a hell of lot of time yesterday online looking at clothes. I do need a pair of wells. We have two campsite holidays booked Feb/Apr. DD (2) also has outgrown her wells and needs new ones. We all have thick warm coats and showerproof jackets - I say this as by way of affirmation to myself, as I spent ages looking at them yesterday thinking, oooo wouldnt be nice if I got this/that and matching stuff up between the sites

novel I ve never examined my spending on clothes before, just as and when the odd splurge at bonus time or if going somewhere special. I've never considered it an addiction - I would say reckless and frivolous. I didn't realise you considered it an addiction, I mean when does a strong habit become an addiction.

I have wondered about payday too, so today I am going through

1. spreadsheet
2. food cupboards/toiletires see how much we have and that I really need to buy to write an accurate shopping list.
3. Bank statements - I am adding up what money has been spent on food/outings and petrol so I can see how much I've saved
4. Going through wardrobe to look at clothes I havnt worn in the last month - I can think of 2 day dresses, shirt, 2 pairs of boots - therefore I have 'new' clothes to rota for Feb IYWIM.

With all this information in mind it serves to remind me (hopefully) what a good job I've done not spending on many things, not just clothes. Using it to de-motivate me.

Sounds like you are all doing well!

Clothes, shoes and handbags are my main financial weakness so to me a year is totally unrealistic. I challenged myself not to buy anything in January and am very impressed with myself. At the weekend I returned a top that had shrunk and used the credit note to buy a tartan/check shirt and only had to put £9 towards it. Probably the lowest monthly clothes spend ever for me!

I've just checked my statements and apart from a coat for my dd and her birthday Pressy I haven't put anything on the card or bought any clothes in January - as log as I don't slip tomorrow, so I'm barricading myself in the house

Very reluctantly have had to buy slippers as my other ones have developed too many holes and are unrepairable. Hope you don't feel too disappointed in me? Determined that will be my only purchase. Feeling annoyed and frustrated that my freezing feet have let me and you down

macca - are you prepared to reveal how much your new slippers cost? we need this before we can pass judgement.....

After much debate I've spent £42 (reduced from £60) They are great quality and my £17 river island ones have died after 4 pitiful months Feeling less guilty but my main concern was telling you lot. Peer pressure!

Sorry but Ive never paid more than £5/6 from asda for slippers. I usually get some for Christmas

What's done is done. Put your lock back on your box.

Ive been thinking about what I will buy when I do start to spend again. I am seeing how my wardrobe does not work for me entirely. What I do/dont wear. Where the gaps are.

Im learning patience. I aim to buy carefully planned purchases. A few years back i had a thing about buying a 'classic capsule wardrobe' I ended up buying nothing of real value in terms use and quality. I abandonned that idea but I would like to revisit it later this year.

The lock is firmly back on the box. Sorry if you are annoyed,

macca I had some a couple of years ago that cost £35 reduced from £70 - they lasted at least 5 years, and actually were still fine (if a little tatty cosmetically) when my DM bought me a new pair of slipper-boots for xmas, I only got rid of them because we were moving house and I did a massive purge and couldn't justify keeping both pairs.

It's way better to buy something good quality and that you like a lot than a crappy cheap thing that you'll end up replacing anyway (or will end up breaking very soon).

Hi
I'd like to add to the slipper debate.
Slippers are my work shoes (work from home) so necessary imo.

This thread is great for supporting each other - I would have bought more than a bra this month if it weren't for you lot and I started doing this last year!

So THANKYOU all :)

What's allowed is a personal choice, macca you needed slippers. like I needed a new bra.

Which is different from before when I had to have this, that and the other (80% of which is now hanging in someone else's wardrobe) for me joining this thread is to keep on track and stop wasting money on rubbish .
If someone buys the odd thing that they need surely that's the point? They don't need to beat themselves up or worry about telling.

We are human. And a year is a long time- I lost track a few times last year but still improved iyswim.

To put it in perspective my 2012 annual spend = £1500 :(
2013 annual spend £460 :/
2014 £0 or as little as possible :)

Hope that didn't sound all lecturey twasn't meant that way x

No purchases here!

I just spotted overthinkers' question - sorry I didn't reply before! How did I do it last year. Well I had to do it as we took a £2k hit on our monthly income.

What really helped was spending a Saturday with my wardrobe mixing and matching things and then adding in accessories. I looked at why I didn't wear things and then what I could do about that. A couple of dresses looked mumsy because they were a little too long. I took them up and now wear them loads. I mixed up new colour combinations and used scarves to bring the look together. I ditched things that were old, stained etc and de bobbled a few sweaters with a razor. I started wearing dresses a lot more as I had loads. I found that if I put different clothes out the night before I'd wear them but if I didn't I'd just reach for jeans and a white t shirt. I now never go to bed without having laid my clothes, shoes and accessories out the night before. If I have time on Sunday evening I do it for a full week.

I also altered clothes that didn't entirely suit me. One dress is now a skirt as I loved the bottom of it but the top gaped (I pack an F cup). Another dress that was too short is now a top. Some knitted dresses that have shrunk a bit are now tunics and worn over jeans.

I also had to get over the ideas in my head. "I can't wear that dress as a tunic because everyone knows it was a dress and they'll think I'm ridiculous", "I can't wear a dress and heels on school run" etc. Yes I can!

Meh, what you lose in the slippers, you gain in the heating bill

Although I swear by Primarks pretend uggs for use as slippers. Much more robust than a regular slipper and more able to withstand a quick walk to the garage! Plus being a tightwad the £5 cost is a defiance bonus!

Bloomin autocorrect!

definate bonus obv

I'm just wondering if I should go through my next statement and credit card for 2013 to see exactly how much I spent on clothes

But I'm too frightened....

Macca I too have just had to get a pair of slippers! The toes-poking-through-the-hole is not a good look. I managed to find my usual Isotoner pair reduced from £14 to £5.88 on amazon so figured it was worth shelling out for a couple of pairs. Slippers are an essential in my book.
Novel I too am still looking at clothes websites but it's mainly Marks and Spencer and their stuff is so awful I don't want to buy it anyway. I think of it as aversion therapy. Could you find some other non-clothes related websites to visit instead? Also I am channelling some of my love of colour and design into doing creative stuff like card-making but I realise not everyone has the time/opportunity/wish to do this.

Sisukas, 'wonder web' is your friend

im here to lick Maccas slippers

ive failed im sorry ive let you all down. i went to buy dd's wellies from m n s as dgm sent her bday money

oh dear....i feel well all churned up.

i get the thread i do, i can see it is all wise and insightful but
it all faded in the shop.

i feel bad having to post this. check my last post planned measured purchases.

isorry i didnt say directly i bought some stuff