Anyone interested in a "use it all up", "don't buy any new clothes this year" thread?

[Penthesileia]

This may come across as a rather anti-Style and Beauty thread...

For all kinds of reasons - we're a bit stretched financially this year; environmental & ethical; intellectual, etc - I've been thinking that this year, I ought to try to:

a) use up all the beauty products I've accumulated before buying new ones

b) try not to buy any new clothes (except necessities, such as tights, should I ladder them, etc.), as I own lots of nice clothes and, frankly, although I really adore shopping for new clothes and having nice new things to wear, I simply don't need them; plus, I've come to feel that I ought not to buy clothes that are not ethically sourced, if I can manage it, and this is quite difficult - so what's more environmentally friendly or ethical than not buying anything at all?

Anyway. I realise that this is rather self-indulgent, and it's a luxury of a kind to choose not to buy more stuff (I say this because I know that there are many on MN who don't have much to spend on themselves). However, I was hoping to find some like-minded souls who might like to support me in giving up my shopping addictions.

I know this is entirely vacuous and frivolous , but we could (occasionally) post what we're wearing, how we're accessorizing or innovating to make our old wardrobe feel new, etc. Obviously, this thread might appeal to people who are already thrifty (kudos!) and who might be able to give tips, etc.

So, is there anyone out there who wants to join my challenge?

well done fleecy

Fleecy - very cool looking outfit. I am going to steal that one!!

Morning all What are you wearing today? And did you manage to avoid any retail therapy over the last 24 hours?

Today's outfit is:

Navy blue tea dress with pink, teal & rust coloured butterfly pattern (ASOS)
Navy long sleeve tee (Top Shop)
Teal cardigan (Monsoon)
Navy leggings (Top Shop)
Brown boots (Toast)

BTW, I tried those Jonathon Aston bamboo/cotton mix tights that I bought a few days ago from TK Maxx. They are beautiful. Very warm & thick. It is lovely not to have that high shine you get with the more synthetic opaques. Definitely worth £3.99. The navy is gorgeously vibrant too.

Good morning tulpe
Love the sound of your dress.I am really into navy at thee moment,and am looking for a navy floral dress to take me into spring!
Is the dress from yumi at Asos??
Saw a similar one on Ebay a few months ago but lost out.
Today am wearing
Boden 'Winter' tunic in berry
Autograph grey merino tights
Autograph long grey wool cardigan
Grey cami
Berry necklace from Freedom
Sainsbury's teal/berry/silver scarf
Teal slouchy Oasis bag
Clarks berry colour patent Mary Jane's.
Am looking for some of those tights as well

GW I resisted navy for years because it my secondary school uniform was navy blue!! As it is now 23 years since I left school, I am finally over it!!

My dress is actually ASOS own brand. I will have a look to see if they still have it. It was from last year but they had it on there for ages.

GW can't see it at ASOS anymore but I found it in a size 10 on ebay. If you search for ASOS butterfly dress I found several on there

I liked yesterday's outfit so much, I'm doing a variation on the theme today

Same jeans, boots and scarf but with black rollneck today. Doesn't matter what I wear today as I've been to the hairdresser so feel all swishy and glossy now!

Normal bad hair day service to be resumed tomorrow.

GW you always make me want to wear teal. It's not something I have much of but it's such a gorgeous colour.

tulpe I have been watching some tea dresses on eBay but haven't bought any. I worry I'd look like an old lady but you obviously have the knack of wearing them in a cool way - what are your top tips?

Oh thankstulpe
Will keep watching for one.
I never think of Asos,tbh.
My eldest DD (20) uses it.
Thanks fleecy
I wear quite a bit of teal.
i usually wear purples,teals,greys I think,with the addition of green in the summer.
I used to wear alot of brown,but am slowly replacing with navy and grey as my standard colours I think!
Navy was a bit 'middle aged'(unlike me...) until a few years ago.My mum wore it alot...

Fleecy - I love wearing tea dresses But they are easy to get wrong. I try and layer mine over a long sleeve tee during the autumn/winter. Either black or coloured opaques/leggings and boots. In spring/summer, I lose the tee and wear with cardi (if cooler temp) and flip flops or ballet pumps (sometimes calf-length leggings if necessary). Length-wise, you need to go for either on or slightly above the knee. Anything too short will look mutton, ime and anything too long will be frumpy. Occasionally I wear with high heel mary-janes but not very often. Again, I think heels and tea dress can stray into frump territory if you aren't careful.

The best places to find them are Top Shop (but not the Kate Moss range which always seems to be too short), TK Maxx (search through the "Young Fashion" rails), ASOS, Warehouse and charity shops.

The charity shops/vintage store bought ones almost always need to be taken up as they will generally be that dodgy frumpy length! When I'm looking in there, I will try on anything I like the colour or fabric of, even if I think it may need altering (taking in, taking up etc). It's always great to find a "one-off" and will be so cheap in that kind of store that it is worth paying a little more to get it tailored for you (if you can't do so yourself).

I have quite a selection Of Warehouse dresses,they are just above/on the knee on me which as you say Tulpe is the perfect length.
I saw someone wearing one with black cardigan,black leggings and black patent boots recently and it looked great.

Okay, I bought something today. My black skinnies from Dorothy Perkins (urgh) were really too big for me, and I can't wear them. So I bought some black jeggings from Next ( urgh, apart from their jeggings )to replace them. I know I will wear them a lot. I already have two pairs of indigos ones, which I have been wearing virtually every day, and I loved the DP ones, but they just didn't fit.

Honestly, after wearing jeggings, my jeans feel SO uncomfortable. The elasticated waist is just fab. I don't know what I'm going to do when the weather is warmer though, because I think they can only be worn with boots, and long tunics or dresses obviously.

I've done well this week. No purchases at all (not even for DD). DP pointed out to me at the weekend how rubbish I'd been at sticking to my resolution (bought jeans and coat and a whole load of running gear because i've just started running). He was being a bit unfair because the coat was mainly with gift tokens and I couldn't have gone running without running shoes and a sports bra. But still, he's shamed me into doing better this week.

I'm impressed by how much colour some of you wear. I was thinking about this this morning after listening to a Woman's Hour podcast about wearing black. I'm wearing a black jumper dress with grey tights and black boots today. I've been told by some colleagues that they think I wear a lot of black. I never used to wear black. I used to wear a lot of colour. I don't think black particularly suits me so I'm not sure how I've ended up wearing so much of it.

Must make more effort to wear colour.

I've slipped into wearing a lot of black too... quite by accident really. It's getting very funereal really. When you look around and 95% of women are in black.

Anyway.. The end January is nigh and I feel we have all done very well! I have bought nothing except a good solid workhorse of a bra (skin tone and smooth for wearing under anything). DH has bought me a new reflective running jacket. DD has given me a White Stuff skirt from her old stock.

Am feeling strong as we head towards February, with Easter as my goal.

Ooh, do you run too lunar66? I've literally just started but I'm really enjoying it and getting quite into it.

I need to stop wearing so much black. I don't like it. It's drab and boring. I really love colour. I'm not sure how I drifted into wearing so much black.

Rosa... yes I run too. I'm a member of a running club and have been doing it for about 8 years now, give or take the odd or month off with various running injuries.

There is a pic on my profile of me finishing my very first 10k race 8 years ago

I don't wear enough colour either - although I wear too much charcoal rather than black. Speaking of which, today I'm wearing a black long-sleeve t-shirt with a charcoal knee-length chunky cap-sleeve cardi. Grazia would call it a coatigan, you know the sort of thing.

I have got a grey and pink scarf on for a bit of colour and will carry a raspberry patent bag when i go out later. And my jeans are mid, not dark, blue.

Feel I am clutching at straws here! Must wear colour!

I haven't bought anything IRL yet but am watching loads of things (and learning!) on eBay. There are a few things I'd like for spring so I thought if I kept an eye on things, I'd get an idea of what they're going for and can then plan ahead and get some bargains. Hopefully! My wish-list is much shorter than I thought it would be - because I'm getting so much mileage out of my existing wardrobe now and putting all these new outfits together.

It's getting quite addictive! But not addictive enough to stop me buying anything for spring!

tulpe - thank you so much for the tea dress tutorial, that's extremely helpful

i often think things look muttony on me but cant work out why

apart from my middle aged face of course

Oh yes, thanks tulpe - how rude of me! I am watching a couple on eBay so I may have a chance to put your wise words into practice soon.

I like the idea of them for in-between seasons when I don't want to wear a coat but don't want to freeze either. Yay!

oh great fashionistas, could i please request a similar tutorial on the subject of wide leg cotton / linen trousers (for summer)

how do i wear these without looking like middle aged frump? is it the court shoes and 20 denier "American tan" pop socks?

no seriously, please advise me [grovels]

Kristina I wear these alot,usually white or cream,with longer tunic over,long necklace,bangle.
Also wear white ones with navy or grey vest or tee,necklace,bangle.
Usually wear metallic flip flop type things or ballet pumps.
Not high fashion I know,but I like it,it is my 'failsafe' summer lok if not wearing a tea dress

oooh......I like wide leg cotton/linen trousers too For me, the key is to wear close fitting tops and only flat shoes - ballet flats or strappy flat leather sandals/flip flops.

Wide legs with vest tops and either waterfall cardis or 3/4 length sleeve fitted boat neck sweaters/cardis. (think Breton tops)

Tunic tops can look okay if you are 20 but I think for my age (39) I need to avoid the frump factor that loose top and loose trousers can evoke.

I do have some tunic tops (t-shirts and "shirts") that I love but rather than wear them with wide legs I wear them with a pair of straight leg cotton crops from Boden. They finish literally just above the ankle (so are flattering even to those be-cankled), are not skinny but not loose either, and finish a good mid-rise (so no muffin top and no risk of camel toe often caused by high waisted either).

BTW, we haven't had any "what are you wearing" details today

Dark Taupe mini dress, very "All Saints" - all layers and rouching (sp??) (Culture from TK Maxx)
Cream long sleeve tee (Top Shop)
Black leggings (Top Shop)
Bailey Button Uggs
Gold & Black bead necklace (Anthropologie)
Indigo Cardigown (Hush)

Also, in the interests of saving money.....You may have seen my thread a few days ago about cheaper Kerastase alternatives. I have been a fan of their products for ages. However, I tried L'Oreal Elseve Re-Nutrition with Royal Jelly last weekend and my hair has been transformed. My hair is usually fine, static-prone, dry and is now thick, shiny and luscious It looks fab, no need for any product either. I have also invested in a natural bristle paddle brush (made by Kent). Again, it makes a huge difference. I have never been able to brush my hair without ending up looking like Einstein. This brush/shampoo combo is fabulous and is a fraction of the price of Kerastase.

so flat shoes - can i wear converse type trainers? i have my eye on a pair of metallic flat flip flops as well ( IF I were shopping of course )

have LOTS of long statement necklaces so will enjoy getting them out of back of wardrobe

and tops and short cardis will be ok? all my waterfall ones are a bit longer and make me look dumpy with wide legs and flat shoes. i really miss the extra few inches from my winter look ( fly boots with heel and platform)

thnaks for tip about crop trousers tulpe. i agree that big top half needs fitted bottom half. i thouhgt i was too small at 5'5'' for crops but will reconsider. i do have LOVELY ankles ( last thing to go on a woman and unaffected by pregnancy, childbirth and breast feeding)

KristinaM - yes, short cardis are fine. I wear my white and navy wide leg trousers with a long-ish close fitting cami/vest (finishing top of hip bones rather than waist). and layer with a cropped, 3/4 sleeve cardi. I really like to mix "clashing" colours too. Think bright grass green & white striped vest with hot pink cropped cardi.

The waterfall cardi which I wear with my wide legs is an All Saints one which is very short at the back and drapes no further than bottom of hip bones at the front. But agree that you need to avoid any "flappy-ness" that might be agreeable in the winter

Re: crop trousers: I am only an inch taller than you (and sadly be-cankled) but I feel that as I am only a size 8 that I can get away with them as long as all items/layers keep me in proportion, iyswim.

Hello all.

I have been lurking for a while, and taking in all the tips. I'd like to join if that's ok?