Not buying clothes 2024

[Nonewclothes2024]

I need to stop buying clothes.
I have far too many.
I feel overwhelmed deciding what to wear every day.
I wear a uniform to work.
I have deleted all shopping apps.
I am unsubscribing from shop e mails.

Anyone else ?

This skirt turned out to be nice and wearable, but not right for the event. Still keeping it. But hoping to not buy anything until April when I may need to buy something actually for the event, and some summer clothes.

Have also decided not to buy online for a while, but only in shops, to cut down on mistakes. Everything looks different online but crap IRL, probably because they pin it on the models. And then I end up being too lazy to send back.

I’m starting to get really aware of the gaps in my wardrobe too. It’s made me think about what I actually need and would wear a lot.

Although the thought of trying to find the exact item I have in my head feels a bit overwhelming now too. I would’ve just bought any black blouse before but now I feel like I have to find THE black blouse. It doesn’t help that everything seems so poorly made and overpriced these days.

It’s been a while since I posted on this thread so I don’t know if we discussed wardrobe apps… I think we did. I’ve been logging my outfits daily on Stylebook which I’m hoping shines some light on my most worn / least worn items. I’ve also been thinking about mini capsule wardrobes which you create for a set period which I could incorporate some less worn items ( ie make myself wear them). It’s slightly inspired by an Instagram influencer Jennine Jacob who creates content about wearing what you already own - I find her a bit more inspiring than Use Less DK who is a tad boring for my taste. By capsule wardrobe I don’t mean “ one crisp white shirt…. One trench coat” it’s more about finding your personal style. Good distraction activities

Thanks for the insta suggestion @Divebar2021 already follow DK but got lost in my feed until now.

Well all things considered I'm not doing too bad. I went into Primark (don't shoot me!) last week whilst waiting for my mum and got a great stone coloured pleather jacket which will be brilliant for spring. Also got a padded jacket in the charity shop this week. These can replace at least 3 jackets in my wardrobe which can go - there's an indoor bootfair local to us so I'm going to take a stall and get rid of a few bits.

Well done everybody - some good progress here. I think it does help a lot to identify why you want to buy something new (vs. purchasing something that you need).

On that note, for my birthday DH bought me two new running tops and a pair of running shoes. It was far more than I would have spent, but they're all replacements for items that are 7+ years old. The shoes, especially, were needed. So although it's new rather than second-hand items, I don't feel too bad about it.

Not feeling tempted by anything else. I've been using the Whering app (I have android) and it's helping me to see what I wear, choose/consider new outfit combinations and realise that I have plenty of nice things already. It also saves me time deciding what to wear in the mornings. Wishing us all luck for spring!

I've been browsing a bit since my January purchases but I haven't seen much I'm interested in, even the items on my wishlist seem a bit blah now. However, I have worn my new items a lot, so I feel like I'm making better purchasing decisions. I'm also continuing to sell things that no longer suit me on Vinted.

There's one item that I keep eyeing up, and which I know I would wear, but it's in the category (tops) which I already have many of. My mom has a habit of justifying purchases with the "but I'll get lots of wear out of this" which would probably be true if she didn't have so many of each items and only one body to wear them on! She is in cold climate and keeps buying sweaters and other woollens, which yes, are useful, but you can't get "loads of wear" out of each item if you have 30 sweaters. You get to wear each one max once a month! I'm trying hard not to fall into this trap, and that's why I have a one in, one out rule. If I like the look of something (like this top) I have to look at my existing ones and decide if I like the new items enough to let something old go.

Confession, ordered something. Don't think I'm doing too badly as I have only bought 4 pairs socks since March 23rd 2023. This is a pair of trousers that I had my eye on this time last year but wouldn't have considered buying them as they were £260!!! I found them half price in the sale and couldn't resist trying them. DH still thinks £130 is outrageous for a pair of trousers, and I agree. But they are black, smart looking, 100% wool, machine washable and slightly cropped, so the length looks like it might work for my 5'3 height. If they're not right they will go back, but I searched for ages last year for trousers with this spec and these were the only ones I found, most are dry clean only which I didn't want.

@Netcam

£130 is a perfectly reasonable price to pay for nice trousers. Clothing costs really haven’t increased in the way they should over the years and we’ve become programmed to value quantity over quality. I bought a beautiful pair of navy trousers from Me & Em in the sale half price and they hang so beautifully. Look miles better than my £39 M&S trousers.

I still haven't bought anything. I'm itching to buy socks as mine all look so thread bear. But until I need them, I'm going to resist.

What's a normal number of socks? I keep thinking two weeks plus four to account for a two week holiday. But I rarely go away for two weeks anymore and I'm inclined to wash stuff as well while I'm away as the baggage allowance isn't as generous as it once was.

Maybe 10 pairs? Buy more if I ever do go on long holiday?

Uh-oh. I caved last week and bought:-

• a striped warm sort of cropped jumper
• a pale pink Primark cardigan
• a grey and black floral on sleeves Primark sweatshirt
• a blue open back Oliver Bonas jumper (in sale)

The first and last were in a sale. I’ll keep the first two iitems as I love them and they’re practical and suit and fit me. The last two though, I think I’ll return. I also bought 2 Tu pleated pattered skirts which I’m now erring on returning.

My mindset has changed now though. I’m losing or trying to lose weight so would like to look better. The Primark sweatshirt and others I was trying to look younger! 🫣 I should’ve brought my friend and her late teen/early 20s DD’s with me for advice!

Oh, I bought some lovely warm green glitter socks but they had a high wool content. In the same shop I bought another pair of socks, same brand but for SIL’s birthday which is end of this month.

I’m also looking long term at investment pieces. So spending more for things which last. Need more money for that though or dip into savings. Which is a lot of fashion these days even high end still so cheap and badly made?

Depends on the socks. I only wear wool mix socks like Smartwool and they last for years and can be work for several days without washing. I don't take that many on holiday and hand wash them. DH and I used to go on an annual 3 week backpacking adventure with a 5kg weight backpack each. We'd wear one pair of socks to travel and bring 2 spares and hand wash clothes in hotel rooms. Now we have a tiny micro caravan so we can bring more clothes, but it is tiny, so we still limit what we take with us and ration our socks.

Socks don't count in the no-buy!

Dyslexic I would get the socks, you do need them, yours are threadbare so bin them. I wear them after bathing in the evening so my slippers don't smell of feet. So 14 pairs for one week total and a few spare. Of the daytime ones I have summer socks, heavier ones for spring/autumn and really thick ones for winter. So I'd need minimum 7 pairs each of those too. The nighttime ones are the same all year round.

I've even managed to repair some socks and tights with visible mending method recently

Not sure if this counts, but I had some trousers taken up, which cost a tenner. I loved their look but they were just that little too long so that I never wore them. Hoping to get a lot of wear out of them now

I don’t think alterations or repairs to existing clothes count as you are using what you have, which is more environmentally friendly and less stressful than buying a new pair.

I agree with reservation. I ended up (in 2020 when I counted) with 61 pairs of socks because "socks didn't count"!. I often bought cute socks/added them to online orders to get to the minimum delivery amount for free shipping (because you always need socks, right?). I stopped totally, and have now studiously worn through them. I still have a pack of 4 which hasn't even been opened, but I'm down to less than 30 pairs. Ironically I had to buy trainer socks last summer as I only had a few of those (most are regular ankle socks) and they wore out. So yeah, keep checking in with yourself...on everything!

Still not bought anything 😊
I think socks are ok and underwear, but I do have enough. I'll also have to buy some work trousers and shoes.

I am shopping my wardrobe as previous posters have said. (Like another poster on another thread about clothes said, I have accumulated a lot of clothes because I haven't changed size throughout my adult life - looser/ tighter, yes, but not a size change.

I've found some gems that I had forgotten about, a few classic pieces that just need to be repaired (hems taken up, zips replaced) and I have gifted a few dresses and skirts, which I love and which still fit but are not my style anymore, to DD and her friends. For a weekend away I borrowed a beautiful designer dress from a friend. Curating and organising it all has given me as much satisfaction as buying new clothes - surprisingly.

I don't know if I'll hold out all year but I will certainly make a commitment to not buying anything brand new (except underwear and running shoes). I have more money left at the end of the month and a lot more time, as I'm not going shopping for hours.

• £18 tu dress
• £9 Morrisons dress

Payday tomorrow and I have so much more money left than usual 🤣

Same @Andnowshesatoddler .

I've done really well this month keeping expenses down. I've bought a bit but I've definitely reduced what's coming in which was my overall aim.

Thanks for this, makes me feel better. Trousers arrived and I'm keeping them as they are a rare find and fit me, along with a half price pair of wool gloves I'd added to the order, I tend to get through gloves and can never have enough. But that's it now for me until 2025, apart from some replacement trainers which I might need.

I've mainly kept away from the shops for the last two months. I've been doing an evening class to distract me. I've been getting online food shopping. I went to the big Tesco's yesterday and it was very easy not to buy anything. Probably that awkward in between season time but the range was terrible. Lots of baggy dresses in cold sludgey colours. So the shops are making it easier too. I do like Mango so need to keep away from there 😆.

I have bought a Nobody's Child top online which I'm deliberating over. My rules say two tops for the whole year so is this one good enough, that is the question.

I want to spend my money on a summer holiday instead.