Toying with the idea of not buying any new clothes/shoes/accessories in 2021

[TableNiner]

I spend a lot of my time looking for new clothes, ordering clothes and returning clothes. I have more than enough to last a year and wonder if I should challenge myself, just feels very daunting. I would save a lot of time, money and environmental impact. Has anyone done this or do you think you could?

Yes, let's use this thread to support and inspire each other
Two things are important to think about
One, why I am doing this - what would be the benefits
And two, what could be a hindrance

I've just stumbled in here a day after having news of an imminent house repair that's going to be thousands and the knowledge that while this has to be done, I may as well do a full rewire too at the same time to lessen the disruption. Also thousands. So I have to save a lot of money and the best way for me is to quit buying clothes. So my benefit is an almost new house.
Hindrance, I love buying clothes. I will however need some underwear soon. But apart from that I have wardrobes bulging with all the clothes I probably couldn't wear in a year, plus footwear for at least a year.
Sigh. I have to do this or be paying a credit card bill for years.

Yes i would love to get some work done on my house too. 🐖 €€€

m.youtube.com/watch?v=I-tqYuqhd2Q

This is a Small Wardrobe talking about a “ low buy” year.

I'm in. It's starting to look like a hoarder home here.

Also in. I’ve been doing this since the end of November anyway because I had a sort of epiphany about my ridiculous spending. It was out of control, I’d do it out of boredom I think but if I’m honest i’d got into a bit of a mess financially which I’m embarrassed about.
Anyway, I’ve done well, avoided January sales because I’ve had to simply ban myself from going on clothes websites. All apps deleted of my phone.
I’m aiming to not buy clothing at all in 2021.

Another for the 'no buying clothes' thread please. I have so many clothes and spend most of my time in shorts and tops. I have enough pairs of knickers/socks/tights to last me through the next 10 years, stupid really.

If someone needs extra inspiration, you can take a pledge to ignore the sales here:
www.jointhegreenwave.org/fashion/crowdaction/Slow-Sales-Season-UK

I enjoyed that video @Divebar , especially like the idea of wearing your best clothes for a week (instead of saving everything for a mythical future occasion)

I'm in!
I literally need to start wearing what I have and mixing up how I wear it.
I also have far to much make up, skincare and perfume.

I also plan on selling a few bits on eBay.

@Ponks

I do agree with the sentiment although I can’t quite bring myself to wear my best clothes to just sit in the house ( Jaeger tuxedo jacket anyone? 😂). Although it does highlight how many evening clothes I have versus how often I go to formal evening occasions ( even in a normal year). I shall certainly step up my game and pick out some favourite pieces and try and style them more casually....for an exciting trip to Waitrose. I do like the idea of the 30 wear app to actually see what are the items I reach for the most.

Well, I caved I have bought a purse.
In my defence, it was preloved and something I've been after since way before the 'no spend' notion.
I also delayed buying it for a whole week which nearly killed me to make sure.
I currently have a massive purse that only fits in my biggest bags so when I use my small bags, it doesn't fit so I just shove my bank card in, loose, meaning I have lost it a couple of times.
Oh hell, yes I'm justifying it! But it was also a purse worth £180+ and I got it for about £40 so I'm happy.
Back to day one for me.

Funnily enough, I need a new purse too. My one is also huge and I’m trying to purge a lot of the unwanted cards and crap in there. I think might have a smaller one lurking in one of my drawers of crap, so I guess this will be the motivation I need to dig through them.

That Small Wardrobe YouTube above was good, it feels like a meditation. And she talks about having her style. I have loads of styles not one. Maybe that's where I'm going wrong.

That Small Wardrobe YouTube above was good, it feels like a meditation. And she talks about having her style. I have loads of styles not one. Maybe that's where I'm going wrong

I know what you mean... sometimes I want to be one thing and another day something else. In the case of A Small Wardrobe she also gave up her day job as an art teacher to do You Tube-ing so she doesn’t have that divide in home / work that I might have. I think I can do a lot better though finding outfits in my own wardrobe.

A parcel turned up today, I forgot I ordered shoes before the news of my house repair. So apart from new knickers in the next few months I need absolutely nothing else. I can do this, I have to do this, new roofs dont get done without money.

I've made it through January up to now and intend to keep going. I'm working on the basis of what I don't see I can't want - so no looking at emails from fashion companies, delete unread. No looking at links posted on S&B either. It's not that I want everything in the emails or on the links, it's that I go looking round the rest of the site.

No makeup or skincare either, except for well and truly stocking up on something I'd hate to be without but which is being discontinued. I reckon that's a legit reason.

To those who are saying they need to ignore sales emails, you can also unsubscribe from receiving them. Just scroll down to end of the email, there should be an unsubscribe not, click on it, sometimes you are taken to the website to confirm /give a reason but I have found it does work. If you don't know about offers you will be less tempted to spend.

i'm in, no new clothes all year for me.also have started c25k again so hopefully some of my old stuff might fit me again

I haven’t bought any new clothes since August (and then it was just a new pair of jeans and two vest tops). I am definitely in. I have enough stuff, particularly since nobody is going out at the moment.

I do need a new bra but other than that I can’t think of any reason for buying more stuff at the moment.

In 2018 I bought only second-hand clothes and shoes (which in those days basically meant charity shops for me - I have since started using eBay). I allowed myself accessories. It went pretty well, in fact in July of that year I found what I call The Ultimate Dress, a really simple black jersey faux-wrap dress which I wear all the time and also copes very well with my slight size fluctuations, and I was so happy with it I decided not to by any clothes at all for the second half of the year! And apart from a few essential underwear replacements, I didn't.

This year I was thinking of doing the same thing again, but ... in the last year or so I have discovered my dream brand (Made In Italy). I love the shape of their clothes on me, they're not prohibitively expensive, the items I buy are generally durable natural fibres like cotton and linen, and the local stockist is a small independent shop I would like to support. I'd be really sad if they went under as a result of all the recent opening and closing. So I've decided on a half-and-half approach this year. I'll buy only second-hand except for a few carefully chosen MII items that will last years and work well with what I have already (no impulse buys in colours I never normally wear!)

Day 50 of not buying any clothes. Shopping sites have lost their magic now, I used to browse them constantly but now they don't feel appealing at all. It all just seems so boring.
I'm buying this to keep my jumpers looking good though: www.amazon.co.uk/Remover-Clothes-Rechargeable-Powerful-Debobbler/dp/B08FDN1V8X?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Hi, I've been debating about joining and keep reading your posts. I'm going to try to go as long as possible without buying any clothes, I'm not sure if I can go a full year I think that might make me fall off the wagon. I haven't bought any clothes in January so far. I put some sale items in my basket at the start of the month that I really wanted, but I took the advice of someone on here who said wait 24 hours, the next I decided that they weren't must have items. I have so many clothes, especially dresses,
I do still wear clothes that I've had for years and mix outfits up etc. I'm doing it for environmental reasons but also when all this is over I really want a holiday, we've never been on a holiday just the 5 of us, without friends or the in laws so that's going to keep me going.

I need to do this, and actually was talking to my mum about no buying this year! i did well in the sales. I said I wanted some crop tops (I wear instead of bras) that I got reduced and some Christmas leggings from a brand I like (reduced and I stuck to those and the 2 pairs I've had on my wishlist forever and finally got reduced!!)
I've been looking at DMs but I have 1 pair, I don't really need another pair!

I'm going for a 2 out 1 in method, so if I want a new pair of leggings I have to sell 2 pairs.

My problem is I have too many clothes and can't possibly wear them all, plus I buy things I want to love and do look nice but I never have anywhere to wear them! Im a leggings, tshirt and hoodie girl which suits my going to parks/beaches and lounging with my girls. I love 50s dresses with petticoats unfortunately these are not practical for everyday life and in a normal year only go out somewhere I could wear them a maximum of 5/6 times, I dont need the 10+ dresses and 3 petticoats I own!!! I also find something I love and buy loads- eg lucy locket leggings I must have about 30+ pairs and printed tshirts i was at around 70 at last count 😱

Going to download the 30 wears app linked above to see what I actually wear!! And have a good clearout of my wardrobe, im sure there's some stuff in there i don't wear.

I thought I would do well at this at the end of last year... got sucked into some cosy clothes as it was so cold...

Would like to try again.

I've ordered some dark indigo jeans and undies from M & S but that is it. Have just been having a sort out of my wardrobe and have found 3 pairs of jeans and a raft of other stuff I can now get into thanks to Slimming World so am holding off on anything now unless it's essential toiletries. Shoes/trainers etc can wait until the shops open again and I can go and try on.