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 ?

I remember buying this book ages ago. It did help at the time but so long since I read it & I’ve fallen off the wagon.
I think it’s true that I shop to fill some inner need, at the time it helped me realise that the hole was grief having in quick succession lost my mum very suddenly & unexpectedly, my best friend to cancer & four of my dogs all in one year. I’d best read it again as I can’t pinpoint any current reason apart from just enjoying the thrill of the chase & a bargain 🙄
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Buy-Not-Why-Overshop-Stop-ebook/dp/B00DC6Q32I/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

I’ve been good at returning duds. Only keeping things I will wear now and through the year. Trying to decide on a sale dress on M&S. I have a voucher and it’s half price but I don’t have an occasion to wear it. I’d be better off with some new bras that I do need because my size has changed wouldn’t I?

But if it’s a voucher it’s not like spending your own money is it, so a last treat before the famine?

Or I could save it for when I’m hungry 😆

I use vouchers for most of my clothing

I have looked again at some of the very few items I bought in the sales after Christmas. I bought six dresses. One was double size as both seemed to fit. I'm sending two back, one is the double size. The other I just don't love enough. I'm going use those returns to negate my new socks. The dress is nice enough but I don't love it, and I don't need it. Makes room for something wondrous I hope. I just need to keep thinking out as for me it's storage space.

I now try to shop in an actual shop now because of my habit of ordering online and being all excited about it until it arrived and I just put it in the wardrobe unopened.

If you like the buzz of buying online, I used to fill up my basket, then logging off. I'd have forgotten it by the next day. Occasionally if I get a urge to buy something I could genuinely do with, I look on Vinted and favourite a few then see if I still want it over the next few days.

I am too, shopping is not only a thing to do but actually gave me a high. I don't think I did it suddenly, I think I just started to realise it was all a bit pointless ie when I was like do I really need 4 different mid length skirts with flowers etc

I knew I had a problem with shopping when the amount of clothes I have no longer felt like an enjoyable thing and instead started feeling stressful. I own more clothes than storage space currently so that's something I'm going to also tackle this year.

I read somewhere that people end up ordering more food when it's via a screen and not directly through an employee who might be perceived to judge. I think the same happens to me with online clothes shopping. I often add extra things to my basket thinking I'll get free delivery or it's convenient or just because... I doubt I'd ever do that in an actual shop though and go and pay for a pile of clothes and some socks and maybe a necklace added in for good measure... 😳

I had a year when I barely bought any clothes. It was after lockdown when I put on a bit of weight and I decided that I wasn't going to invest in clothes until I lost it again.

What I found was that I tended to shop more for other things instead - beauty products and bags mostly, but also footwear, homeware and jewellery!

Yes and there were some really good bargains

Yes. Two wardrobes and two storage boxes. These will be heavily edited and Vinted.

I've packed a big bag to send to Thrift+ tomorrow. Not sure how much money I'll end up making from them but wanted to try it in addition to donating to charity.

Week 1 of no shopping done. 😊

I had a bit of a revelation moment when a very environmentally friendly and frugal friend said to me when I told her I was looking for new boots, "you only have one pair of feet". There's something about the simplicity of that statement that really spoke to me. We buy all this stuff but can only wear one outfit at a time.

It’s a storage space problem with me as much as just the thrill of something new. I’m finding that it’s so difficult just to get to lots of my stuff that I end up wearing the same things again & again…..stupid.

I'm feeling incredibly poorly recently and have gone a bit to pot on this already need to do some try ons and returns and then declare the damage.

Yes, I need to do this too.
I buy a lot of clothes second hand, locally, and am not doing that either - yes £4 for a top isn't expensive, but it's a top I don't actually need or want, and I have plenty. My mum also got me a nice jumper, top and trousers for Christmas and apparently she also has some leggings to send me, so I have got something different to start the new year with. I feel like it's almost a claustrophobic feeling having too many clothes tbh! The one thing I might allow myself to get is a new swimming costume and/or underwear if needed, and I might get a few things when we go away in the summer (we live somewhere with little choice and we do sometimes stock up when we are in a bigger city - e.g. In Inverness in September I stocked up on thermals and pants!
Good luck everyone, remember that while we are aiming to reduce what we buy/not buy at all, a small blip does not have to turn into a big shopping spree!

Week one done ✅

@Perhapsanorhertimewouldbebetter claustrophobic, exactly. I also end up buying an outfit ( not just an item) wearing it constantly, then onto the next thing, instead of using what I already own.
There's obviously some psychological aspect to it, I do have ADHD, and that accounts for some of the issues I think.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

I keep browsing for clothes but so far I’ve resisted all temptation. It’s actually been nice to wear clothes in my wardrobe and realise that I do have nice outfits and don’t actually need anything new.

@Nonewclothes2024 that's kind of you, thank you x

was doing well but my black lace ups the sole is coming apart so will need new shoes this is a replacement I do not have many shoes as have dodgy ankles and need stiff supportive shoes. I dread shoe shopping it is not a treat there will probably be a thousand different styles but only perhaps 2 that fit!!!

I have so many clothes and shoes,boots and trainers .
I work from home so the majority is casual stuff, I do have some workwear for when I go to the office and am in the middle of dying some wash faded trousers to extend their life a bit.
I love a charity shop and Vinted bargain but I guess it’s not a bargain unless you need it ,plus I have had some right junkers off Vinted lately so will be sticking to selling not buying.
Following along for tips !