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.

@Netcam we can always look fabulous and express ourselves through our clothes 🙂

@Netcam as a mature woman I'm not so sure whether it's running out of time, so much as the fact that I really love clothes, colours & textures. I'm 59 but I tend to dress younger than my age. I've read somewhere that having children late ( 3 in my 40's) keeps you younger for longer. Not sure whether that's true ...
Oh no, I thought renting clothes was better for the environment. I've been encouraging Dd2 to rent for her school leavers ball.

Thanks @LivingDeadGirlUK. I never think of hiring, but have added it into the heading of my notes on what I buy this year so that should remind me if an event comes up.

I don't thinkI'd want to rent things often, but I have definitely been guilty in the past of buying a suitable wedding guest outfit then hardly ever wearing it again so renting as a one off is probably better than buying

That's certainly true of wedding hats I have bought.

Hmmm I'm going to say this was probably said by a clothes shop with a vested interest :P

If someone is going to buy, for example, a dress for a wedding then they will need to either travel to buy it from a shop or order a delivery, so its no different to ordering something to rent.

Also what's better, 20 people going out and buying an individual dress (with the associated manufacturing footprint) that they only wear once for an occasion, or a single dress being sent to 20 different people and washed, which lets be honest most of us do after an event like a wedding anyway even if we bought a dress.

The occasion wear market is huge for women because we are fed the rhetoric that we need something new for every event, can't wear the same thing twice etc. There are going to be a lot of fashion companies wanting to smear the credentials of renting.

Yes when I'm back at work I'm going to go down this route for the various black tie events I need to attend. It's a no brainer really, all the men in my company rent a tux for each one.

I used to just wear the same navy lace dress to each one after my dress purchases were getting a bit ridiculous but now I've put on weight (which is probably as bad for the environment as it is for me given I needed a load of new clothes!) I'm going to look into renting going forward.

@AnnieSnap, agree about dry cleaning. I think it is probably better to have a few nice, timeless outfits that you can wash yourself and wear occasionally for special occasions over the years. When I got married for the 2nd time in October, my criteria for a dress was washable, made of natural fabrics and something I would wear again for future special occasions. I ended up with a long, hand washable, silk cream floral tea dress. Ironically I generally hate floral dresses and long dresses, but this one seemed to suit me and the occasion and I would definitely wear it again for events like weddings, graduations etc.

Yes, when I have dabbled in clothing apps there have always been outfits that look like they would work on paper but didn't work in reality.

I only started counting my purchases last year, and I think my yearly totals probably vary wildly.

I certainly felt like I'd bought hardly anything last year but actually bought about 20 items, mostly climate related, to keep either warm or cool or dry or hats to shade my face.

I'm finding I really love plenty of hanger swishing wardrobe space, but it's a false economy to get rid of stuff I'd have to buy again if the need arose, so I'm having a sort of running seasonal capsule, but everything I own is in the spare wardrobe so it's not hard to reach if needed. I do not have a count, but I suspect it's over 200.

Much as I resent the storage space I'd rather keep hold of ballgowns and winter coats than have to buy them again.

I'm not sure of the wisdom of this but I've hung onto a drawerful of absolutely scruffy old stuff that is only fit for creosoting fences in because then I won't ruin anything else when I do have to creosote fences

The danger time for me is coming up, I always get the urge for COLOUR when the sun's out so if my old summer stuff looks a bit dingy or boring when I unearth it I'll want to buy a cheesecloth shirt with lemons on or whatever speaks of summer to me this year.

I've read the same about renting @AnnieSnap. I don't think I'd do it a lot, but I might try it for a one off.

In my husband's family there's a lady who has worn the same outfit to every family wedding for fifty years. That's pretty amazing isn't it? An eco warrior before we even had a name for such a thing.

Lovely dress @Netcam

Occasion wear is one where I'd definitely look at getting rentals - I can't imagine renting somehow having a larger carbon footprint than buying. Most people who buy occasion wear might buy ten frocks to try on to get one and the deliveries and pickups are certainly not carbon-neutral either, plus lots of returns end up in landfill. Plus a lot of "owned" occasion wear still needs to be dry cleaned (if it actually is worn more than once or twice)

This is one of the Hannah Louise Poston vids where she reflects on her no-buy and what drives her purchasing. It really resonated with me

Those Star Trek uniforms are definitely polyester though aren't they? Terrible for the environment

I dunno if I can do it, but I'm having a go in the "every little helps" kind of spirit. It must help that I've already got lots of clothes.

I think my husband can manage it with ease because he just tends to replace things every few years.

Last year he only bought socks I think.

I would wear my wedding dress to another person's wedding. It's the only vaguely posh dress I have, it is the most expensive clothing item I have ever bought in my life, costing £366! The next most expensive item is a practical, waterproof, wool lined and padded coat costing £210. I have shoes that go with the dress that I can't imagine I'll wear very often so they should last well. And I would like the opportunity to wear it again. My family and friends are quite laid back about this kind of thing. So it has become my posh dress for special events. I can even layer wool thermals underneath if it's cold. So I can't imagine myself buying another special event dress.

It’s actually a response to an independent paper. It seems it depends on the company model. There is a lot of green washing around it and the rental model has a way to go before we can be confident about its sustainable credentials.
https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/jul/06/renting-clothes-is-less-green-than-throwing-them-away?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Sounds like we are quite similar in that respect. I had my children at 34 and 36, so not quite as late as you. I like clothes, colours and textures too and love the feel of wool and silk, I hate synthetics. I also tend to like to wear nice clothes at home and go out walking our local country paths a lot, where it's often muddy. I'm not really a dress up and go out kind of person, more a meet a friend for coffee and a walk. So I don't really need to dress up, but I feel much nicer in myself if I like my clothes. I also like the fact that wool needs washing much less, my merino summer t-shirts and dresses can be worn several days before a wash even when it's hot and sticky and they don't smell after multiple wears, unlike cotton or synthetics. This means doing less laundry, which must be good for the environment.

Looking lovely there @Netcam 🙂 @verdantverdure Very impressed with that family member 👏👏

@Netcam Can I ask where do you buy merino wool t-shirts and dresses from, I like the sound of them, I now only wear cashmere or merino wool jumpers as I feel the cold, and don't like synthetic fabrics.

Most of my merino t-shirts are Icebreaker, collected in the sales over the years in different colours, I would never pay full price as they are so expensive. I like the Icebreaker tech lite fabric for their t-shirts. I have also bought some from Smartwool, Dilling, Edz and there are various other companies that make them. I have thicker long sleeve tops too, I like the Dilling ones and also Smartwool thermal 250 ones. Alpine Trek is a good place to look, even though they are based in Europe, shipping and returns are free. My favourite summer dress is Icebreaker Yanni tank dress which I have bought in various colours over the years. They unfortunately seem to have discontinued it this year and have other offerings which would look like sacks on my petite frame, so at least that is a no buy for me for dresses this year. So I'm rather glad I bought one in a different colour in the end of summer sales each year at half price.

I did resolve not to get anything new in the short term, apart from toiletries and perfume which I did need, but I am allowing myself a couple of charity shop purchases this morning - red M&S jumper, 100% cotton - £2.00 and M&S widelegged jersey trousers in navy -£5.50. Both items looked brand new.

I'm quite chuffed!

Hi everyone, I am new to this thread but I would love to join.

I try to buy well and buy less, in terms of clothes, but I feel like I am addicted to shopping. I have really tried this year to cut back, and I was doing okay but then but last week as a 'treat' for myself I spent £95 on a cardigan because it was in the sale. I don't really have £95 to spend on cardigans at the moment, and I have always been very eco-conscious and so purchasing new clothes doesn't sit right with me ethically. But Depop and Vinted are addictive too. And I just love clothes, I really do.

And it's not just clothes- literally any excuse- we need new curtains, and a storage unit for toys- I was like - YES- research time! Stuff coming in the post- the sense of a new thing!

I have been quite anxious and depressed for the last year, and the shopping gives me a quick boost. I am currently on an antidepressant that is working quite well for me, but the desire to shop is still there. I'm going to need to start saving more money for a life event that will really benefit me and my family, and so it needs to stop. I have enough clothes. I have enough!

I wanted to ask- what do people do when they really want to buy new clothes?How do you metaphorically sit on your hands? Do you treat it like an intrusive thought, do you fill a shopping basket online and then leave the website? Help!

I have a list I put the thing on. Complete with pictures. @Whathappenedto

It's quite heartening good look back at things I previously would've bought and think. "I'm glad I didn't break my no buy for that!"

Late to the party, but I’m doing low buy this year. I’m aiming for a maximum of 9 new things, although I’m going to make an exception for replacement exercise gear because Health. I’m not going to restrict myself on cosmetics/toiletries- I’m already pretty much in the habit of only replacing existing purchases I’ve used up, I don’t really experiment much any more.
So far I’m on target- only purchases this year have been:

• bright pink Converse high tops. Not needed, tbh, but I got such a hankering for them, and they’ll mean I can wear proper socks not just trainer liners for longer. And I love them and they’re making me really happy.
• navy cord trucker/bomber-type jacket from Superdry. Fills a “casual summer coat” gap I’ve been trying and only partially managing to fill for years. And it’s beautiful quality- lovely solid cord, lined in cotton- and really quite warm, which you do often need for most of the year up North.

I don’t have my eye on much else, tbh. I’ll probably need to replace my favourite tan sandals, as I just managed to gouge a chunk out of the sole on holiday. I was thinking about a pair of high waist, wide legged cropped jeans in a light wash- but they were given the dreaded “so last year” label by Midlife Chic last week, so maybe not. I’m mostly just looking forward to getting my favourite summer stuff from last year out again.

I've just pulled several pairs of wide cropped jeans out from the depths of my wardrobe. They seem to have very much come back in for summer. There are lots online - from M&S to Other Stories. They did go out of fashion a couple of years ago apparently, as my teens stopped wearing them. I, however carried on ..

@verdantverdure love it. That's such a good idea.

I'm finding it helps.

My scrolling is getting less as I delete the shipping apps abd unsubscribe from the shopping emails.

I'm treating consumerism behaviours like a bad habit bordering on an addiction so abstaining works best for me.

It helps that like most people I already have "enough".

I’ve just ordered a new swimsuit from Boden, with a 20% discount and a £20 credit from me returning some items of clothes to them for recycling (we can send up to 5 adult items per year and give £4 per item back - a bit less for kids items). Anyway, it’s an £83 swimsuit for £44 and I’ll wear it to death, so I feel fine about this purchase.