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

Daimbar yy to No Skinnies Week Too tired today but might think of some suggestions tomorrow

Issimma I've thought about 333 and July-Aug would be a perfect time for me as I will be away and packed-up anyway: 222 would make even more sense.

Violet I hope that when I get this 1st World problem sorted out I will get time and energy for the-rest-of-the-world problems

Scarlet loving your capsule wardrobe!

Returning to Recovering Shopaholic - she seems to be going through a lot of processes that sound really familiar.

She has lots of excellent tips. I'm listing a few that I find inspiring:

• she takes stock: she tracks money spent and items worn

• she 'does the math' - calculates an optimal number of clothes for her lifestyle

• she takes stock of time spent thinking about purchases, shopping, returning and exchanging etc

• she evaluates whether an item is frequently worn ("an all star" = worn at least eight times per year) or a "benchwarmer" (cluttering up space, not being worn)

• she talks about being a serial returner

• she sets various goals- not a total shopping ban, just more responsible shopping patterns

• she explores the underlying issues - boredom, low self-esteem, peer pressure, body image problems etc.

• she understands that she needs new activities and interests to replace her obsession with shopping

• she avoids tempting links

I'll definitely do some counting and tracking and will start to identify my wardrobe 'benchwarmers' and 'all-stars'.

Outfit of the day (before embarking on No Skinnies Week ):

Refound denim blue floral skinny jeans (cheap disposable trendy item from last year - almost recycled, glad I didn't)
Repaired 3.99 H&M white vest
Cream poly-viscose loose-knit 3/4 sleeve sweater
Repaired nude feather gilet (2 years old, was in tatters before repairs)
Plain hematite ring (ca 5 years old, hematite is truly bargainous but looks quite expensive - take note if you love gunmetal)
Chunky COS steel bracelet (daily dose of zen)
Oatmeal sheepskin houseboots for warmth and balancing proportions

Outfit consists of my best neutrals and has some varity in textures - very comfy around the house. Loving it!

Makeup: fantastic neutral makeup featuring my refound 10-year-old Revlon 3.99 eye shadow palette. Lighter shade on brows, darker used as an eyeliner. Plus my best lipstick shade on lips. Minimalist, but it works!

Please praise me :-) I have emptied EVERYTHING out of the wardrobe and spent the last two hours trying EVERYTHING on. All that was too small because of my mahoosive weight gain (3 stones off last Spring and back on since then) is now bagged up. Proper eating started last Monday so I do feel better in myself.
I now have approximately 25 different tops-that's fine, casual for home and more coverup ones for school. 1 pair of jeans-sigh 1 pair of cropped trousers (white-I swear they only get worn when I am on another continent) and two pairs of leggings to wear under my lovely tea dresses for school (leggings-1 knee length and 1 ankle length), four tea dresses, and one maxi dress, oh, and two pairs of black linen trousers for school. That's it.
(Plus running clothes and umpteen brand new pairs of trainers stuffed in at the bottom-must start that again tomorrow too)
I have painted my nails, scrubbed my face with flake away and moisturised.
I am having a sit down now!

have some Mumof3men

Wow mum of 3men
I did a similar clearout last year and have enjoyed the results every day since!

Did a quick Polyvore of bottoms for No Skinnies Week - have worn most of those combinations in the past weeks and most of them work outdoors too (the coat is waterproof and the first pair of boots are wellies).

I didn't add the tops but add two blazers, two jackets, a few cardigans, a couple of sweaters, a feather gilet, a chambray shirt, a silk blouse, a navy peacoat, a coat dress or two, a pair of sheepskin houseboots, one or two scarves and some rings and bracelets and you have my spring/transitional wardrobe. It's about 35 items in total (not counting underwear and tights), so really my version of capsule dressing.

Actually upgrading to [buwink]

Apart from absolute necessities such as new bras for my newly discovered size and a pair of jeans, I haven't bought anything in what feels like ages. I have loads to wear though, I've been pulling forgotten gems out of the wardrobe and mixing and matching things I'd never have considered before. Seems I always had plenty to wear, I just needed to look at what I had with fresh eyes.

frugalfashionista I will join you - the week of no skinnies starts tomorrow! Eek. Will try and get organised and post outfits.

Today I'm wearing mid blue skinnies from Dorothy perkins, a red chunky cardy from johnnie b over a black long sleeved thermal from m&s, black clarks biker boots and my guilty 'slip' fat face gilet. Ive actually worn it a lot already and like and feel food in it so don't feel so guilty now!

I have been basking in my tidiness and going upstairs and gazing at my tidy wardrobe and have decided that the bag of too small stuff (huge huge double big laundry bag-hangs head in shame)will not be looked at now until two stones have been lost.
(Seeing as it contains my cropped black school trousers I HAVE to do this)

No skinnies?

I don't think I could do that.

Tried on about 3 outfits today before settling on old denim shirt gap cord legging and next biker boots

All sale bargains

Have not worn skinnies much recently,slim flares or 'baby bootcuts' much better on me.
Also straight leg jeans or slim leg trousers in navy or black.

Erm, what are skinnies?
Are they skinny fit jeans?
I have a pair of 3/4 length jeans that are only a bit too loose, do they count?
As I am very a bit short, I wear them as full length jeans anyway.
Happy Easter, it's now technically "summertime".

I've not been wearing skinnier for the last week or so and it's been a relief in a way. I think it might be because I've been wearing them so relentlessly all winter.

Off on holiday today and I thought I'd struggle with packing as it's hand luggage only (I refuse to pay £40 to check in a bag). But it's been surprisingly easy, mainly I think because this thread has encouraged me to be more creative with what I've got. It's also made me realise that when/if summer comes, I'll have enough to wear. As people have said on other summer threads, it's rarely that warm for that long to need clothes that are specifically for summer.

frugal I sent you a message on your gmail address, not sure if you've had a chance to pick it up yet.

Skinny-Free Week kick-off:
Skirted Coatdress
Short pleated leather skirt
Black H&M nursing tee
Chunky Marni for H&M resin bracelet
Simple hematite ring
Gray cotton opaques (darned )
Tall black boots

Now lounging in the same outfit, minus coat and boots, wearing an ancient terracotta bolero cardigan and jeweled dark gray flats.

One of the good things about the shopping ban is that just like OneLittleLady I've discovered forgotten gems and worn much more varied outfits and silhouettes than I normally do.

Chablis I'm doing a No Skinnies Week because skinnies have been the mainstream choice for so long that they have started to feel a bit banal, cookie-cutter and 'stuck in a rut'. When I'm dressing on autopilot, I tend to pick skinnies, a longline sweater and flats/boots. Not my most flattering shape and v dull so am really happy to explore other options. (But loved the refound floral skinnies yesterday.)

Georgina both straight-legs and slim ultralong bootcuts are very fashionable here, am going on a trip later this week and will pack a pair of both. No skinnies.

QoW have e-mailed you!

Mumto3 isn't it lovely how much more appealing an organized wardrobe feels? I sorted out my jewelry a short while ago and now that everything is in it's place it's much easier to put on something nice in a rush.

What are you ladies wearing today?

Black fine knit cardigan (old and also a gift from my sister)
Plack ditsy print wrap style dress (another old sale bargain)
Dark teal/green opaques (they match one of the colours in the dress print)
Black riding boots (a full price purchase but worth it as they fit my huge calves)

Short (mid-thigh) dark navy mini skirt in velvety cotton
Long line blue vest
Long sleeved dark blue marl scoop neck tee
Elbow-length dark navy and blue marl (kind of space dye pattern) tee
Woolly blue tights
Blue bead bracelet, sapphire earrings, chunky white & yellow gold ring, wedding ring
Slouchy tan suede boots

That's a whole lot of blue, isn't it, but earlier it was all covered up by a very attractive boiler suit

Today to make Easter Sunday lunch

Black skinny jeans
Next black t shirt
Boden sulphur coloured jumper
All sale

And slippers for comfort

Doing DIY at PILs today, not stylish at all!
Roll neck jumper, t shirt, vest, boyfriend jeans. All old except the jeans which I got in November.

Day off - on a clothes repair binge (will explain in more detail later).
Super simple outfit:

Black short-sleeved mercerized cotton turleneck (benchwarmer, have had it for years and not worn much)
Pale blue slim bootcuts (old)
Sky blue mock ostrich ballerinas (last year)
A bright wooden pearl necklace made by my daughter

During the shopping ban I've had time to read a local style guide that is very clear about perfecting the proportions of an outfit. It has millimeter- precise prescriptions for flattering various body shapes and balancing one's proportions. I followed the advice on necklace length (optimal length is measuring the distance from the tip of your chin to your hairline and repeat-measuring the same distance down from your chin - the necklace should be placed there). Following this piece of advice a simple wooden pearl necklace looks like couture My face is a long oval and most necklaces are a bit short, looking too prim and uptight. I saw a woman at a party looking amazing in a simple black turtleneck and an opera-length Chanel costume jewelry necklace - so chic and simple - definitely need to experiment with longer lengths.

And bootcuts are perfect for my body (testing the style book prescriptions). They hide the fact that I'm actually a bit pear-shaped, create the illusion of endless legs (I'm wearing flats!!!) and a wasp waist (I'm straight up and down and have no waist!!!).

Woollen dress and leggings today.
I altered the dress because it hung like a sack, I took the waist in and hemmed the bell sleeves to plain cuffs, it looks like a different dress, and it shows my waist very nicely.
I'd quite like winter to end so I can reduce the number of layers soon.

Frugal that's was really interesting, about necklace lenght! Could you share some more interesting stuff from that guide please?

And good job SpareTime!

Frugal - where are you based? it sounds wonderfully prescriptive!!!

Not far from the new Pope... People here are religious about proportions and hemlines and extremely groomed and tailored

Will do a recap later. What body shapes are you interested in?

heh - and the new pope seems to have been reading this thread too!

Body shapes - do you mean types like apple and pear? I'd like to suggest my own body type but I don't know what it is! Pear or X-shape perhaps.
And some general stuff?