No buy or low buy 2023

[TheOGCCL]

Starting a new thread for the new year. I really must do better. Pretty sure I am in need of nothing after my 2022 spending spree.

Ironically I think this board sets me off a bit.

I’m better with a blanket no spend but how dull. Still thinking about my ‘rules’, eg set a budget or an item limit.

I need to avoid the sales as many mistakes happen there.

All welcome who want to cut down for environmental or ethical or financial reasons, or simply the satisfaction of buying second hand, or the ease of getting dressed when you have less stuff.

I can recommend Lauren Bravo’s book How To Break Up With Fast Fashion.

Its a bit like eating meat, if we all collectively did it a bit less, the world would be a better place.

@CoraggioCara ill update on here how StyleBook goes! I’ve not had time to get started on it yet. I’ve been listing some bits on eBay and sorting other things to be donated to charity which has taken up a lot of time, but when that’s done hopefully it’ll be more manageable to add what I’ve got to StyleBook as I’ll have a tidier and smaller wardrobe!

I've just spent ages adding items to the Whering App. It's taking me a bit of fiddling around to get used to it....
I'm wondering whether it will cure my urge to shop, as I check certain sites every day for newness in spite of having lots of clothes. I think I've been buying the same types of clothes for years & I found myself really tempted yesterday to buy yet more cotton scoop neck t's & Brora thermals in the sales. However, I really don't need them. Plus I have a really small wardrobe & bursting bags of Cashmere in every jumper & scarf iteration ( my weakness).
So what do you all do to cure the urge to shop? I really enjoy looking at Instagram & I don't think this encourages me to spend more. It does mean I'm keeping abreast of current styles, so I don't want to stop doing it.
But is there a better way?

Cantonet the only way I've found is firstly have a walk in wardrobe (spare room, large cupboard, lots of shelves and drawers etc, however you can achieve it) so you actually have enough room and can see what you've got. This stops you buying duplicates. So have a rule you can only buy something if it's different to what you already have (unless you need replacements of course). Eventually you have everything you could possibly want so it's time to stop shopping.

Because you can see everything it makes it easier to shop your wardrobe. I'm finding that I get some clothes together in a designated "main" area for the new season but I'm bored of them within six weeks. Sometimes I exercise patience and wait for the next season, continuing to wear what I already pulled out. Other times I sort out some "new" clothes (from my wardrobe) to wear for the next six weeks. I think boredom is behind a lot of my shopping. I have so many clothes now I can create new outfits without going shopping.

I'm a bargain hunter too but what I've realized recently is this : there's always something I like for sale somewhere. This didn't used to be the case years ago and I'd buy "that'll do" clothes because I couldn't find anything I liked and needed new clothes. I got into the habit of buying anything I liked whenever I saw it to prevent that. With online shopping and fashion being more fluid there's no need to do that any more. I have to keep reminding myself!

I caved. Hugely.
I bought a coat I had my eye on since Xmas. Then two pairs of jeans ripped (due to being too small). I've already sewn them and this is the second time they ripped near the crotch so I bought two pairs of jeans. I don't like either of them but I need them so its not even a nice purchase, more a necessary one. I returned a pair of boots to Schuh and bought them again in a different colour as felt it would be a more sensible longterm purchase.

There was loads more I could have bought and I resisted but my credit card was almost paid back and is now down 500 again. The jeans, particularly have pained me to buy as I need to lose weight instead of buying bigger sizes. Also mortified I have literally 'burst' through three pairs of skinny jeans in the last few months.

Is there anyone who has used one of the wardrobe apps and found them to be super helpful when it comes to fresh outfit ideas? I’m tempted but am aware there’s a lot of effort involved in cataloging each item of clothing. I’m determined to ‘shop my wardrobe’ instead of adding to it going forward

I'd like to do this but have wardrobes of clothes and find the thought of it daunting. I'm really conscious that I have very similar type clothes that I buy over and over again. I can't see my clothes properly to put outfits together.

@Chasedbythechaser i had a big sort out of my wardrobe in the summer and sold a load of clothing on eBay. I only kept only the clothes that fitted well and which I love. I used the £ to fill in gaps, usually quite basic items to help pull outfits together. I really recommend it. My wardrobe is much smaller and I now need to push it further by experimenting with what I’ve got to come up with fresh combinations. Thought a wardrobe app might help

You and me both. Style book has stopped me purchasing a couple of items this January. I’m hoping as I load more onto it, it will help me more. I rarely have the opportunity to wear a dress in winter, but I have so many 😳

@Allthegoodnamestakken thanks for the nudge to have alterations done. I’ve lost a significant amount of weight in the past year and after seeing your post I contacted a dressmaker who is currently taking in ten of my favourite dresses.

An inspiring thread and joining in an effort to do better!

I love clothes but live nowhere near nice city shops so purchase a lot online. I have a wardrobe full of beautiful things and I need to enjoy wearing them rather than my hobby being browsing Selfridges/Outnet/Net-a-Porter.

I was doing better a few years ago but the habit has crept in again and a recent check of how much I have spent over the last few years has been a wake up call. My shopping is emotional and I need to make some changes.

Bought some new trousers, belts and jumpers in the sales in January but that’s it for me. Not setting a no buy or any specific target just using the tips on here and reminding myself why I am clicking that buy button!

I love my Allbirds… comfy and last well.

I am back in my home country after 4 weeks in UK.. went a bit ballistic in Waterstones!
Also bought 3 jerseys..2 from Cos which I love…a pair of UK made Doc Martens which I have wanted for years.
Bought bras in bravissimo..those brands horribly expensive here.
Going to try maximum 12 items over 12 months…although I actually need nothing at all

Still holding strong, 24 days in!

From 2022, I have a nice stash of beauty products, candles, fragrances and clothes. As well as a Pinterest wish list, I’ve curated a “shop my wardrobe” list with pins of the stuff I already own and how to use it. It’s nice to go through this list, instead of browsing for new stuff online.

I’m wearing dresses a lot in the winter, either with a turtleneck underneath or a jumper on top. Tights, thermal socks and boots.

I think that repeat buying similar things (especially if buying a better version) is actually really sensible. Those are the things that will work out well for cost per wear. For me, that’s generally a range of black T-shirts, black jumpers and similar style dresses. I also think if there’s something you wear a lot, it’s worth getting the same thing in a couple of colours. Makes it easier to get dressed and far more useful than the frivolous purchases that might seem more exciting but are less likely to prove to be wardrobe workhorses.

@indiansummer I would absolutely love a walk in dressing room. But I have 4 kids & they're the ones with the big wardrobes!
I did live overseas for a while & yes the massive wardrobe was very helpful to see what went with what. I must admit I didn't buy any less clothes though ☺️
I feel like I'm playing dress up paper dollies with the Whering app. I used to love those tabbed paper 👗👘 you could dress your dolly with.
I'm finding the cost per wear absolutely eye opening. Some of my cashmere I've hardly worn so the cost per wear is enormous. I tend to wear the navy & black cashmere the most. But I have pink, heather plum, green & burgundy ones too.I need to start utilising them. The app suggestions as to what to wear are interesting too. I never thought to wear my leopard print boots with khaki.
Or long heeled boots with wide cropped ginger coloured cords.

I had to go into our local town on Saturday to go to the bank and went armed with my Wish List.

I got two items off the list - some block heeled sandals and some ballet pumps, both of which were in the sale, along with a top in Matalan's sale to replace one I'd put in the charity shop.

Indulgence (if you could call it that) was some nightwear in Primark which was in the sale. I've tucked that away for my holiday.

I did see lots of bargains which normally I would have snapped up, but stuck to my list and it was quite liberating!

I caved and bought some cotton shirts for the summer, as well as the hairgrips and vests I needed. I'll use them to replace the polyester ones I already own which aren't so great for summer and are looking a little worn now. I do feel like it was unnecessary our purchasing, I could have made do with what I already had, but I'm pleased I stayed focused (once I'd decided to buy shirts) and didn't come away with a pile of random things which I so easily could have. I suppose slow progress is still progress. I feel as though my shopping habits are changing. It'll be interesting to see where I am in December.

Based on your comments, I looked at the Stylebook app but I don’t think it’s for me. I don’t have a lot of clothes (altho DH would disagree 😂) and I’m a SAHM for now, so don’t really need to have curated or ‘new’ outfits.

I guess I am fortunate that I can look at brand sites for inspiration and styling tips yet still resist the urge to buy. I’d love Stylebook to have more of the generic inspiration images that I could browse, but I read Wears My Money for her weekly outfit ideas and really CBA faffing about with Pinterest or Insta.

Anyhoo, I came on to say that I caved and bought something from Everything5Pounds, which I really didn’t need and only got cos it was so cheap. It was interesting for me to see how weird and kind of shameful and dirty I felt about the purchase - I had gone all of 2022 with only a handful of new-new bits, so a random clickbait buy is really odd for me. I felt kind of wrong, like the urgh I get when I eat junk food that wasn’t even worth the calories (#notalljunkfood!)

Was an interesting experiment, and the parcel is going straight back at my own cost. Now, I’m getting back on the 2023 wagon, lesson learned!

Well done being more mindful about purchases, everyone. I was tempted by some skincare (which I REALLY don't need), but haven't succumbed.

I also shopped my closet and found a couple of nice warm jumpers I'd forgotten about, so holding strong clothing wise, too. It helps that I'm very busy at work just now, so I don't have a lot of opportunity to browse or shop.

Quick update from me for the first few weeks of the year: I’ve managed to avoid the sales, and I’ve also cancelled a beauty subscription which I realised I didn’t really need anymore.
What I have done though is order a couple of good quality items that were missing from my wardrobe - I’m hoping they won’t all fit so I’ll have to return one of them but on the other hand, I’ll get tons of wear if they fit.
I’ve purposely kept this post vague as I find very detailed descriptions of other peoples purchases on this thread can trigger my shopping instincts 😅

I have deleted clothes shopping apps in bid to bin the browsing!

I’ve read a lot of this thread and find it very interesting. I’m trying to be more mindful about what I buy, and also buy for the life I have - not the life I wish I had.

I tend to browse sights like JL or Next or outdoor shops (live near the country) and add the items I like to a wish list. Gets a bit of a dopamine hit!

Mostly I don’t buy straight away - but review what I’ve added to the list and often delete items eg when I realise the shape or colour is wrong for me/ it’s made of 100% polyester/ it’s dry clean only.

Adding to the wish list is also useful- because you can see when the price has been reduced. Often means the actual clothing label has a sale on, and it can be worth looking at that site too. But only if you first warn yourself not to get carried away!

and also buy for the life I have - not the life I wish I had

This in spades. I'm retired now so have offloaded some obvious work stuff which has cleared a bit of space but the rest of my wardrobe has always been dual purpose for work/outside so I'm staying with that.

What I have to do is stop myself looking at evening wear. I haven't got the office parties to go to, and although we still cruise for holidays (hence needing stuff for dinner/formal) I have enough in my wardrobe without buying anything else (looking at you sequinned kimono in Mint Velvet sale). In addition, we've got a wedding to go to this year and I'm definitely shopping out of my own wardrobe for that.

This is all quite freeing isn't it? I can't think why I haven't done it before.....😉

I agree @NeedWineNow and the person who said buying for the life we have.

I sometimes spot a nice dressy blouse, dress or shoes, that would be perfect for 'some' event in the future, as yet unknown. Destined to join many other similar items in my wardrobe that never get worn and bought on similar whims.

I bought some extra gym leggings this week I should confess. Though they were an absolute bargain at £5.00 on Vinted. No more though!

I did sell some clothes on eBay - total £58.00 so I think that's not too bad.