The Shopping Ban / Frugal Fashion Thread

[FrugalFashionista]

Tentatively dipping my toes in here ---
Do you love clothes, shoes, accessories, and beauty products - perhaps a bit too much?
Have you self-prescribed a shopping ban, are you on a strict budget, or are you trying to learn to shop more mindfully for other reasons? Are you a budding recessionista, thriftionista, frugal fashionista - or would you like to become one?
Would you like to do this with like-minded people, still looking stylish and up to date?

This thread could be a place for mutual support, inspiration and creative tweaks (planning outfits from what you already have; charity shopping, swaps, repurposing).

My personal goal: no more clothes, shoe or beauty purchases in March.

I'll tell you more about why I am here in true 12-step tradition, but we need a few like-minded people first

I have spent the afternoon sorting out my wardrobe and ebay-ing a fair bit of it. I just got my colours done and have discovered that lots of my clothes are either grey or pink and in some cases, both (not a good look for an autumn) . So I have ebayed lots of grey stuff but would love to look at the swaps pinterest board too! I will email Issima.

My aim is to try and reduce the number of clothes items (especially jeans) that I don't wear because they give me a muffin top / aren't perfect / are just 'meh'. I have lots of clothes that I never wear and are good quality with lots of wear left.

I also want to develop a new attitude to shopping - previously I've had a 'magpie' approach (do I like it? is it bright and shiny? ok, then I'll buy it), but I figured that if I know I can choose from a fixed colour palette, then I won't feel like buying need so much because it all goes with everything already.

I also have an emotional approach to buying new things, and I need to fix that.

Loving the board.

I have a few list I had ear marked to list on eBay and have a pile still to photograph.

Will add some to the board.

Anyone interested in boden size 12 trousers?
And vintage coats?

This thread has really inspired me to do something with my wardrobe, its bursting at the seams but I tend to wear the same things over and over again. I am 43, still trying to find my 'style', buy lots of 'fast' and cheap fashion and need help !!
Have reserved 'Overdressed' at the library so I'm on my way !

Swapboard here!
People who have provided swaps or posted on this thread (or the other Frugal Fashion thread) can reserve items tonight. Reserve by commenting on Pinterest, the PM the seller for details. Happy swapping!

I've taken some I inspiration from a lady I work with, which I hope helps us all. Although her style isn't to my taste, she does well.....

1 she wears all her clothes, so it looks like she has loads. The rule of wearing 20% of your clothes 80% of the time certainly doesn't apply to her.

2 she chooses her clothes the night before work

3 she doesn't buy clothes on a whim. She told me she thinks about what it will go with before buying.

4 her clothes are never tatty - have never seen her in anything faded, I'll fitting, frayed etc. even her uggs are spotless.

Not exactly Mrs Frugal here (probably a bad influence in fact), but just dropping in to extol the virtues of eBay. After seeing all the leather skirt chat on here I had a quick browse, and a few hours later a horribly listed new Dior leather skirt is on its way. Price? £10. Other recent bargains include a £100 Matches voucher for under £30 and a pair of Goldsign jeans for £1.99. Honestly, you'd be amazed what crops up. It sounds basic, but search for anything you fancy, you might be surprised!

Actually I think I have picked up the best ever frugal tips from you Amber....

Stupid newbie question about Ebay: How do you know the stuff listed is real and not copies or similar?

I am actually quite frugal in my way! I'm bloody brilliant at sales shopping...

yes Amber you are excellent at the ebay bargains! I have bought lots off ebay before but prefer to charity shop, not sure why, think its because I have made some bad ebay buys as well as good ones ? helps to see it IRL

Yes that's it - Amber Queen of sales

Agree with sales. Very rare I will buy fullprice. Outnet etc are marvellous.

But, saying that, this year I am not even doing that.

Thanks so much for the terrific recap Lurking (scroll down for it, on next page currently)!!!

I'm planning a trip to the post office tomorrow and will take my swapboard items down by then (3 gone already and thanks for the p&p payments) so if anyone is interested claim them today. The board is up now and hope you'll find it useful! Swapboard here and lurkers can bid today too!

Love to see Amber and GirlsofSummer here and thanks for the great tips. And really loving the overall busy vibe - eBaying, swapping, sorting, organizing, planning, reading, thinking. This is the opposite of mindless consumerism, so happy to be doing this with you grin

Also love the fashion and social history thread.

And another great book - Deluxe - How luxury lost its luster by Dana Thomas. If you are a high end shopper, the book will save you ££££ --and may kill your it bag habit. For the more environmentally/sociologically oriented reader I recommend Pietra Rivoli's The travels of a t-shirt in the global economy and Leslie T Chang's Factory Girls. Both potentially life-changing fascinating reads.

Amazon must be doing well out of MN. Every time I look at the books recommended there's only a few left in stock!

QC that's a well-known sales strategy to make you click "buy". Airlines and fashion retailers do that too - people switch into panic purchase mode when they see that there is just 1 or few items left. That's why they are showing us that info! (Of couse keeping low stock makes sense for them for many other reasons too.) But I'm happy if all library copies are out - well done ladies

I'm one of those who fall for the sales technique and panic buy . Not frugal I know but someone mentioned somewhere that all copies of one of them are all out for use in south west libraries. Also by time I paid the fine as I'm invariably late returning things I may as well buy new then donate to charity.

I only ever pay full price on NaP/Matches when I worry something will sell out, and I'm usually vindicated in that it does, like my Tibi lobster sweater which sold out in my size worldwide. Pretty much anything else can be relied on to pop up in sales/on the Outnet/eBay eventually.

Not criticizing you QC and I fall for that line too all the time. But it's good to know that it is knowingly used to push people from 'consideration' mode to 'decision/action' mode
In our terms: from mindful to mindless mode.
That said, purchase of books is always allowed if you ask me

If we have anyone fluent in German on the thread I can recommend Alexander von Schönburg's Die Kunst des stilvollen Verarmens aka The Art of Stylish Poverty (available in many other languages too). It's an entertaining light read, could't find a translation, but a brief English synopsis here. (Link repaired. Please disregard the previous message.)

Am wearing a Boden top and Phase Eight cardigan today that have been languishing in my wardrobe for 2 years,worn only infrequently.
I love the cardi,its dark grey marl jersey but I never knew what to wear it with to zing it up a bit.
Found teal Boden top ,grey and teal Wallis necklace and grey and teal Mint Velvet scarf.Paired with straight leg dark jeans looks great,and all of it a few years old but hardly worn!

Georgina Well done its what its all about making use of what is already there

Really need a gold star emoticon !!!

Am wearing a Primark dress today

I've been thinking more about what and why I buy and going through credit card statements and it is interesting. I haven't tended to spend anywhere bear as much in the autumn or winter - a bit if topping up of stuff I wear regularly but I'm pretty happy with dress plus opaques/ pencil skirt, blouse, jacket, opaques etc.

In summer I spend a lot more. Partly because I find it much more difficult to be 'smart' and partly because I buy stuff I would never wear normally for a holiday (in Devon, so not exactly tropical!).

Does anyone else find done seasons easier than others? Also any tips for pasty pale legs and inept fake tan application?