Do you buy clothes because you WANT to have them but do not strictly need?

[AguaMinerale]

I have been rethinking / restocking my wardrobe over the last few years and, excluding a couple of impulsive purchase fails, I have all my basics covered and a few extra bits for variety. But I also have a long, evolving list of items I just fancy. While I will get wear out of all of them, they are expensive non-essential items and I feel guilty even wanting them. Can anyone relate and what do you do?

Yes, all the time. Probably got a ridiculous amount of clothes and shoes (to some people), and I don’t care because I enjoy them, defo don’t feel guilty, that’s bonkers. I earn my money, if I want shoes I’ll have them.

Yes all the time but it’s an issue really because I have way too much

Hell yes.

Yes. I don't have loads of clothes, but I have far more than the bare essentials. No guilt, I like clothes and how they make me feel

Another hell, yes.

Yes definitely. I haven't really changed size in adulthood, so there's no way I NEED anything.
I try to make sure I'm not buying one hit wonders and nothing polyester.

Yes. But I have too much, so I’ve started to put things into my basket then leave it two days while I cool off.
I was briefly on a Facebook group for people getting rid of toast clothes and it blew my mind the number of things that were being sold on having never been worn or only worn once or twice. So clearly there are loads of people doing it.

No, not me. I used to love clothes, studied fashion at university and worked in the industry for over a decade. Now I’m happy to have a chest of drawers of nice tops and essentials. A cupboard of about 10 skirts and 25 dresses and I’m happy. No urge to overhaul or buy loads more. It doesn’t bring me joy like it used to

I just…buy them. I doubt I need the vast majority of the items in my wardrobe but I like clothes and they make me happy. I don’t really angst over it; so long as I can afford it and I want it, I generally buy it.

No not anymore.As you get older l think all the 'l must have that ' evaporates and you just start thinking it's clutter and a waste of money tbh .

Of course. If I only owned clothes I strictly needed i would have 2 pairs of knickers, one to wear and one to be washed. And one pair of trousers, one jumper and one tshirt etc etc.
I want a choice.
And I like clothes.
I don’t feel guilty, I don’t over-buy stuff and don’t have a wardrobe with 72 pairs of jeans and 400 dresses and so on.
I have a range of clothes for a range of occasions, same as most people I guess.
I’ve just bought a really pretty dress that I’m planning on wearing on a few holidays this year. Probably won’t get much of an outing at home unless we get an amazing summer because it’s definitely a ‘holiday dress’. But I love it and I impulse bought it!

Surely 25 dresses is more than you ‘need’ though? Not saying it’s wrong (I have a similar number), but it’s definitely more than I strictly need!

Absolutely!

Oh you’re right. It’s definitely more than I need. And maybe it isn’t even 25. I wonder if it’s more like 12-16.

I think I’m just comparing to my mum who is a massive shopaholic and not comparing to an average person

I've started to use Vinted, so at least I don't feel too guilty about the amount of money I spend. I also try to sell bits to make up for it, but I always seem to have something that I need to find to make an outfit work! Currently I 'need' a green puffer jacket and some black lace up boots. Once I've got those, I expect there will be something else. 😂

Yes 99% of my clothes are wants.
I have far too much, it’s quite overwhelming.

Yes! But/and clothing is my one splurge. I have one wardrobe, full of beautiful things that I love to wear. But need? No, I have more than I need.

I can relate but I've done a massive declutter and I'm terrified of going back to the place of having too much stuff and not enough space so I resist or donate something else. I can't go back to 20+ pairs of jeans just because I like them 😵‍💫 I always reach for the same stuff though.

Isn't that what most people do? The last few years I stopped buying clothes as I noticed everything I owned was the same!

I have limited storage space, so i operate a one in, one out policy.
I buy pretty much all my clothing from Vinted anyway and have some lovely blouses which I won’t part with

I agree. I used to buy clothes I didn't need, but have made an effort to make more considered purchases and the habit has been broken.
I decided I would only buy natural fibres which rules out buying things in most high street shops, and I only buy from company's where I have researched their ethical credentials.
It's appalling what we have become in terms of wastage and turning a blind eye to the environmental and human costs.

The clothes donation banks around here are all stuffed full and then people just leave piles of clothes on the ground to get ruined - but out of sight, out if mind for them. So much of what we donate to charity isn't worth selling because it's crappy fast fashion, so it's shipped off to pollute beaches in Africa. But those of us in the privileged west feel we have done something charitable.

I have slowed down; about a year ago, I was trying to check something, so I looked back at my past purchases on Outnet, ShopBop, Net-a-Porter, etc., and I was horrified at how much I'd bought and then subsequently rehomed or not worn. Seeing it all in one place at one time was definitely eye-opening. It also made me realise how I repeat buy the same mistakes. I love a black day dress, but I'm forever buying ones that aren't quite right and then discarding them. Equally, I'm always on the hunt for the perfect pair of jeans - I have bought so many that didn't turn out well.
So, whilst I can happily spend hours trawling through clothes online and see a thousand things I love and want (and still far too much time wasted on black day dresses and jeans), I am much more considered about whether I ultimately buy anything.

Oh, I have waaaaay more then I need! Probably the result of discovering Vinted right after major weight loss.
I tend to follow the ' one in, one out rule' though.
I also have a two maximum rule as well, so I'm only allowed to keep two of something in a particular shape and colour. I love patterns and prints though so for example, two dark blue jumpers with different patterns/prints gives me choices without going overboard.

The environmental element of clothes shopping concerns me but I do tend to wear most of my clothes until they fall apart.

If I bought no more clothes for the rest of my life I'd still have more than I need. I also have far more books than I need and I don't feel guilty about that either.

I agree there are environmental issues to consider but I also think that clothes are about far more than keeping your warm, dry and decent and, while I'm no anthropologist, I suspect that the urge to adorn oneself is a fundamental human impulse common to most, if not all cultures throughout history.