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?

thinker - refusing to shorten your name to ashamed I agree with being more organised. Because there are simply not enough hours in my day I'm rather forcing my hand with the wear something different everyday challenge.

I have favorites that come out time and time again at the expense of other nice outfits so I am going to force myself to wear different combinations and would like to last three months, that may be a challenge given that I have a professional job with which comes a dress code and I have a penchant for dress suits rather than trouser/skirts so can't mix it up with a different top.

I have roped a woman I work with into the no spend challenge and she's also interested in the unique daily outfit so at least there will be someone in RL to get amused by some of my less repeatable selections!

Thats a great challange - Im going to count up my oufits today. Im going to categorise them into everyday casual and shopping/lunch date.

I think a unique outfit counts as just a different look - I love shift dresses:

One black shift dress - vary

Shoes/boots
Jacket or cardigan
Scarfs or statement neckless or long pendant
Colour of tights - grey/wine/black/patterned (subtle)

Vary colour and make up and if hair is worn up or down can also create different looks but still wearinghte same garment.

HTH - think I have work clothes envy - the nearest I get to it all is one of two wrap dresses (which I love as they wash and hang no need for ironing!)

I would love to do this but it is so hard. I don't think I could do it for year but maybe 'til Spring.

I buy clothes because they make me feel good about myself. I will try and wear what I have got (which is plenty) and follow this thread. Thanks

My sale packages have arived - ones ordered before I found this inspirational thread.

There was a pair of gloves for me and a scarf. I will return the scarf, the colours are not nice and I dont need it I will keep the gloves as they are quality brown leather to match my coat. This is my last new item for a long while.

The stuff that arrived for the kids was all needed shoes, trainers and two spring coats. Jumpers for next winter. So all good in quality but saved some money too. These will be the las until summer for DD. DS should be fine until Sept.

Technically it is December - but the thread works - I really found myself carefulyl apprasing the items.

Yes I have ordered stuff from M&S and Boden but I will not necessarily keep it all. I find I spend money when I am not working which is over christmas. Back at work next week so hopefully a bit more distracted.

I am going to buy some new glasses though which are probably more important.

Are we allowed to charity shop on this thread and offset of ebay sales?

I'm trying to be happy with what I've got. So I really want a new coat and boots, but actually the ones I have are absolutely fine. They are warm, waterproof and in good condition, just perhaps not as stylish or beautiful as I'd like. I have debt to repay and this is coming first in 2014. Once that's gone, I can enjoy a wardrobe update.

alemci I'm hitting the charity shops later - really need some jumpers, and will try that before the Sales!

Very sensible Lonely

alemci sounds like your taking sensible steps - why not set a definate date to work towards?

could do, thing is I don't really need any clothes but it is so easy to be tempted. I like tops particularly.

I will try not to buy clothes this year. I rarely spend much anyway due to our tight budget. It may do me good. Thankfully I avoid 'on trend' clothes and stick to classics. Despite having a 6 week old, I am back in my non maternity clothes.

I usually only spend roughly £20-30 on one itemclothes each month. I can save the money instead. Being on ML should make it easier.

Macca - I apologise. I was obviously in a strop when I posted last night .

I have 'found' a couple of new combos to wear over the next few days. I bought a pair of denim jeggings from Matalan a month ago and have yet to wear them as they are so different from my usual bootcut jeans. I am planning to wear them on New Years Day (new start and all that!) with a top that I forgot that I had. I am also putting £1 a day into a pot when I have not bought any clothes that day, as I reckon I can spend £30 to £40 a month on clothes. That way I can see the money build up.

Just found this thread. I had to really minimise clothes spending this year as we did a big family relocation and lifestyle change and lost over £2k per month in income. I'd always spent fairly freely on clothes so it wasn't too big a shock to not buy any.

Things that helped me were:

Planning outfits - much easier to be creative with accessories, colour combos and mixing and matching tops and bottoms if you're not on the last minute before school run. If I had time on Sunday nights I planned outfits for the week and hung them in my wardrobe complete with the right accessories, tights and underwear. Makes for nicer mornings too!

Putting accessories where they can be seen - I cleared a shelf at eye level in my wardrobe for scarves and found I used more if them than when they were in a drawer. I hung pendants on a hanger in the wardrobe for the same reason.

If I didn't wear something I tried to work out why. Often it was length for me as I'm short. The gap between nice and mumsy is an inch or two. I shortened a few items and wore them more. Other things I've dyed. My husband bought me a beautiful linen skirt but it was vile pale purple. I dyed it brown and now wear it loads.

Spend wisely when you do. Purchases this year have been considered quality basics which go with numerous things in my wardrobe.

Our income has picked up a little but I'm not going back to old habits. I shall join you all and not buy clothes this year too!

hello helen all great advice there.

Right, I have just bought the last thing that I hope to buy for the next twelve months (desperately needed work trousers that fit). I was tempted to buy two pairs but realistically if I stick to my diet for a month I'll have several more pairs that fit!

Me too Blueandwhite - last order just in.

Thinking ahead to Summer have ordered a pair of navy chinos (as have lots of navy and white Tops). Have also ordered a navy cashmere crew neck, which is a classic staple I can wear with so many things..... And that's it... Cold turkey commences.

Going to spend time this afternoon unsubscribing to emails and then get my wardrobe organised for the year

Thanks, Macca for a great thread. I'm really looking forward to reading about everyone's journey in the year ahead and looking forward to the support and motivation we can all share.

Two pairs of work trousers have arrived yesterday so that's it for me! Will also be unsubscribing from the millions of e-mails inviting me to spend money. Will be needing everyone's support as gaining insight into how shopping makes me feel excited, and anticipating what I will find in a shop.

And also Happy New Years to you all

Ive made some changes:

DH has agreed not buy anything he was very shocked when I asked him to tell me why he was almost overdrawn we are both dong dry Jan, no meals out. But also no clothes for the year.

DH bought me a Radley bag which I love (first one) and he took the trouble to find out and go and buy it. But this am I have took delivery of a brown leather satchel from M&S reduced from £79 to £39 (order befoer this thread) so I am keeping that BUT taking back the bag and purse worth £170. He has never spent that much ever! But I can still appreciated the effort even if I dont keep it.

This is part of a wider overhaul but one upshot is I am due a huge refund on energy bill and will use this to pay off Next account (evil) and I AM GOING TO CLOSE IT - that will stop a lot of idle wine infused purchases!

Techbically I am a student and SAHM so im happy to downsize my 'ideas' for a while but he big motivator is saving for a new house. I will keep looking at them double fronted jobs....and dream about Laura Ashley curtains instead...

A great idea for a challenge! I've been doing this since 2011 and have signed up to this pledge here www.facebook.com/saynotonew to make it official this year!

Ooh! May I join in please? I bought a lot of clothes and bags this year after not doing much for years (am a SAHM so find it hard to justify nice clothes). They make me feel great AND are good quality so will last for ages if I take care of them but I know I absolutely do not need anything new. I really, really absolutely don't. The only exception I'll make is running clothes/shoes as I do that 5 days/week and have been wearing and washing the same two sets for the last three years so they are coming up for needing replacing.

I have a goal of doing some serious saving this year. We are moving overseas next month, DH will have a new job and if we are sensible we can do some massive catching up in the savings department. The sticky part is that we're moving to Dubai which is the profligate-spending and mega-mall capital of the world . I will have my work cut-out for me but I'm determined to build up a proper nest egg as we've got three children to put through post-secondary and I'd like to one day be mortgage-free.

My downfall is online shopping (I hate malls, luckily) so I've unsubscribed from all e-mails and stopped reading my favourite fashion blogs etc. I'm also going to make an effort to keep up with my ironing and delicate laundry so that I can actually see and use what I have, instead of ignoring the baskets for months.

I'm feeling inspired by all of your stories, whether your goals are paying off debt, saving or simply getting off the consumer train .

I like andro's idea if putting a pound a a day into a pot. Think I'm going to pinch that idea!

I've also not completed the purchase of a couple of items I'd been browsing online this afternoon. Emptied the basket - unheard of for me!