Making 2022 the year of enjoying the clothes I already own (and not constantly buying something new)

[nordica]

The thought occurred to me the other day to reframe "a no-buy" year and make 2022 a year of enjoying my clothes. I've done the not buying anything challenge once successfully (for about 8 months) and once unsuccessfully. This feels more positive as the focus isn't on not doing something but doing something good (psychologically easier and more effective).

Recently I've been feeling a little sad about all the lovely clothes I have that don't get worn as much simply because I own too many, and there's only 7 days a week to wear them.

So this is what I'm going to do. The first step is ignoring all those Boxing day sale emails in my inbox and doing some tidying up to plan outfits out of what I have already.

Anyone planning something similar?

I am! I've just posted similar in the Princessing thread, and I'm currently going through my emails unsubscribing to as many places as I can.

I tried to do similar last year but still allowed myself to buy secondhand clothes, but because I mostly do that anyway it didn't make much difference. What did was having a wardrobe app called 30 Wears which was great, but then it stopped working?

If anybody knows a similar one for Android (where we can photograph our clothes and list them, then record what we wear each day) that would be amazing 😀

I'm in!!! For all of the reason you give OP.

@SocksAndTheCity I use the Your Closet app on Android. It's not the best wardrobe app but I have used it consistently this year and find it great for planning outfits. It also shows you the least worn list and highest cost per wear which really focus the mind.

I bought a lot of clothes in 2021. More than in previous years. It's time to stop buying and enjoy what I have. Combine the clothes differently. Notice and appreciate them.

I bought way too much in 2021 too. I have a terrible habit of sometimes thinking "ooh I love this skirt, must buy a similar shape in three other colours" but of course all that means is I end up with more things I then don't have the time to wear, instead of enjoying the first one.

Part of my problem is that I'm about two sizes bigger now than I was four-five years ago so a lot of my old favourites don't currently fit. Going to address that as well and hopefully that means I can re-discover some clothes I haven't been able to wear recently.

Planning to also continue a clear out and donate and sell things I definitely don't love. No point wearing something just because I own it if there are many other things I love more and actually want to wear more.

I like this (and the positive framing), I will join you. I have wardrobes full of beautiful clothes which I love (I tried Marie Kondo-ing in the hope of freeing up space and basically everything sparked joy, unfortunately).

Yet somehow I still get the urge to buy new beautiful things! I am covered for every possible occasion, from a summer hike to a winter city sight-seeing trip to an important presentation at work to a night at the opera.

I wonder if posting daily outfits (here or on another thread) would help me articulate and remember why I love my clothes. Or whether that would just seem like a faff!

I’m going to try and do this also. Similarly, put on a bit of weight recently, so going to try and buy nicer, healthier food, rather than bigger clothes.

My only exception is a wedding I’ve got in April, where I plan to treat myself new a new outfit, and it’s my reason for wanting to loose weight (I find having a goal is my best incentive).

I tried this in the beginning 2020, I have brought a lot less in the last two covid years, I have kept a diary for the last 20 years listing every item I buy in a year, and last year and this year I've brought half the amount of clothing I usually buy, I'm trying to buy better but less, , but went a bit mad in the Christmas eve, Christmas day sales, I'm sure at least half will go back, I will try to buy less starting in January.

Thank you so much @CoraggioCara - that app looks really great! I'm away over Christmas but will be cracking on with the inventorying as soon as I get back.

Part of my problem is that I don't always need to go out every day, and even when I do it's often not for long (10-15 minutes to nip out for topup shops/to the Post Office) so I can feel like it's a bit pointless bothering to even put anything clean on, let alone anything nice. It is really not pointless (and isn't even if I'm not going out at all) .

I’m in! I’ve spent a lot on upgrading my wardrobe over the past 18 months and finally got it to a point where I can dress in decent quality clothes most days, but I genuinely don’t need anything else now (especially as I wfh and the school run literally makes up about 95% of my social interaction ). I’ve started trying to shop more second hand anyway, but I’m short on space so need to find a way to appreciate and wear what I have rather than always searching for the next high. Unsubscribing from emails and deleting apps has been my first step, and I’m not on SM so hopefully that’s one less bad influence! I tried the Closet app, uploaded pics of everything, etc, but tbh I couldn’t really be arsed to keep it up every day so I don’t think apps are for me!

I'm in - I have so many lovely clothes of excellent quality (I'm a sucker for a good quality item) but end up seduced into thinking I have nothing. I will check out the closet app.

I'm in too!

Was just browsing the sales and then thought much the same as you; I have lovely clothes in my wardrobe, so why not wear them instead of looking for new things?

Can't swear I'll do a no buy year or even a month, but I'm sure I could massively curtail my shopping habit

I'm hoping to clear some space too, although I did a couple of good getting-rid sessions last year and even sold some on eBay and then bought more clothes. I have been shopping for the life I want rather than the life I have (as I read on another thread), so now I am going to dress for the life I want too! 😀

As an aside, for anybody whose charity shop isn't taking donations, I sent a mountain of stuff to Shelter via their free postal donation service if it's any help england.shelter.org.uk/support_us/shops/donate_to_a_shelter_shop/sort_and_send

Yes, I'm going to do this from January 1 for a year. I'm going to put it on Instagram to make myself stick to it. I've got enough clothes and I like all of them so I don't need to buy any more.

@CaptainMal and @SocksAndTheCity i realised I wasn't wearing my nice clothes in lockdown and made a special effort to wear them. Not every day but lots more days. On the days when I don't see many people, I'd send my mum a selfie. Bless her, she'd usually send me some nice feedback.

I'm planning on doing the same.

I've been thinking this for a while but it was only when I'd ordered quite a few new dresses, tops, skirts etc a few weeks ago, looking for a Christmas Day outfit, and when they arrived none of them were nice/fitted properly/looked the same as on the website (too heavy, thick elastic waistband or some other detail not apparent on a photo). So I went back through my own clothes and found a perfectly lovely dress I bought 2 years ago and had never worn. It fit perfectly. I could have saved myself all the bother of looking online and ordering/doing returns, all I had to do was shop my own clothes. It's obvious but somehow I just don't do it enough (it was only panic that none of the new ordered things were right that made me look at what I already had). It was a good lesson and I'm going to do it more.

But I've put on a stone in lockdown so I'll need to lose that before I can wear half my things I was lucky with the Christmas dress that it fit so well but that's not the same for all my other clothes.

I would love to do this too! I know my problem will be Summer as I never feel like I have enough clothes that are modest enough and look flattering.

I hate getting my arms and legs out. No idea why though!! I’m only 35 and I want to finally feel confident!

I’ve put on quite a bit of weight recently but am still squeezing into my clothes.

So in New Year, I’ll run it off and start sorting my clothes out!! I’ll try and update every week with either a “no spend week” or “2nd hand spend”

It shouldn’t be too difficult for me as the only shops nearby are Primark and New look and I hate both (both too flappy around my chest)

I’m 35 and a size 8!

I definitely want to do this too!

I have a lot of lovely clothes that I recently rediscovered, after a delayed house move meant I was living with an enforced capsule wardrobe. It’s so good to have all my stuff back, but I default to the capsule wardrobe items out of habit

One issue I have is that I am living the toddler years so every day is kneeling / crawling / being mauled and wiped-on, so my gorgeous suede skirt, smart wool trousers and silk shirts are put to the back of the cupboard for a while. Need to be creative with the bits I have, so I am looking for some inspiration here!

I’m planning on only buying clothes if replacing ones that no longer fit. Tomorrow I am planning on decluttering the stuff that no longer fits.

I like the idea of this! I'm not sure if I can commit to buying nothing new but I'm wondering about setting a (low) monthly budget and actually sticking to it. I have so many clothes and love most of them - I did quite a bit of decluttering this year but was still left with many things which sparked joy!

Like a PP I am still in the toddler years which does limit how much wear I can get out of some clothes. The other issue is WFH. But by the end of the year, the toddler will be heading towards being a preschooler and who knows where we will be with the hybrid working thing.

I have so many work clothes I would love to wear again. I went to an in person work conference a few weeks ago and I could have dressed for it 5 times over, I have so many work clothes which aren't getting worn, it is a shame

I have had Covid in December and isolated in my room for 10 days. Once I felt better I got bored so I pulled everything out of each drawer in turn and sorted all of my stuff. I now know exactly what I have and where it is. I then had a little splurge on the Hobbs sale to add some interest to my work wardrobe. So, I am doing no spend in 2022.

I did this before in 2020... made it to April then my head was turned with all the NHS discounts online. I am going for it again now and this time I will wear my carefully organised earrings, belts and pendants to look more pulled together.

I have too many summer dresses, my favourite season, thinking I would be waufing around in them, in reality they hardly get worn with our shit summers.

I only have a few summer dresses and then some shorts and linen trousers. I think I can make do with that. However, my problem seems to be that I sweat so much on a hot day that I sometimes change halfway through the day . How sexy do I sound 🤣?

I really like the idea of thinking about enjoying the clothes I have and wearing them more. I've been whittling down what's in my wardrobe and getting rid of things which I don't wear, as having more choice (but things I don't love) somehow makes me feel like I have less?!?

I've tried doing a no buy month/ year before but it doesn't work for me. As soon as I feel I can't do something, it just makes me want to more! I've been trying to think more analytically about what I look for to buy though, because it's usually the boring things that I'm missing - like a plain top for example - that mean I don't wear other things that I love. And I'm also buying fewer but better - I recently bought a beautiful jumper (to replace one which had seen better days) which was more than I would usually spend but I've already worn it so much and I'd rather have that one jumper than three others.

So overall I'm aiming to shop much more mindfully, based on gaps in my wardrobe, and only buy things I really love. And as I reduce my wardrobe only to things I love, I'm already finding I want to buy less.

Joining

I think I need to include not buying second hand as well. It's easy to buy way too much.

Some of you will enjoy this thread for ideas on maintenance and making the most of wardrobe

Secondhand / vintage / charity / ethical and slow fashion chat http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/styleandd_beauty/4403025-secondhand-vintage-charity-ethical-and-slow-fashion-chat

@madamceladon

Joining

I think I need to include not buying second hand as well. It's easy to buy way too much.

I'm not buying secondhand. I got into a bloody awful ebay habit a few years ago when I said I was only buying secondhand! A lot of things weren't quite right either and ended up being sold on or donated.

I'm planning a very low buy year instead this year. Anything I do buy has to be perfect and preferably as sustainable as possible.