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?

Romanarama, no you're wrong about that- I did last on the no spending on myself until the sales, but was still on here enthusing about clothes and bags, some of which were then bought for me as Xmas and birthday gifts, such as the princesse tam tam dresses and oushka bag.

I also sold off a bunch of stuff on eBay. Consequently lots of cupboard space and credit card at zero. Am not half as spendy as my endless lustings over clothes might imply.

Oh, unless you count the Sainsburys apron I bought to protect my clothes?? Came with matching mitt!!

Hello everyone.

Wow! So many posts!

This is great: I'm such a weak-willed person, I know I can only do this if I have the force of MN on my side. I was only good at team-sports at school and university - only the sense of guilt at letting other people down got me through!

Interesting, though, that so many people have been feeling this way.

Anyway. I'm too embarrrassed to post my wardrobe - particularly my dresses - as there as so many.

Does anyone have any clever ideas about how - if indeed we collectively decide it's a fun idea - a swap might work? For dresses only? Party ones, for instance (kind of like a dress hire service?)?

PS. Am dead impressed and envious of people who are crafty and can, like, make and alter stuff. I would make it a new year's resolution to learn how, but I know I'd fail...

I did karate instead of home economics and sewing at school.

Right... am getting with the programme today. Wearing some lovely Zara trousers I bought ages ago, teamed with a lime green jumper that I have always felt a bit iffy about. Getting loads of positive comments re iffy jumper from work collegues, which is nice.

Hey lunar. Well done! I like the sound of lime green - would go well with purple, if you have anything in purple.

I think rotation is going to be key here. Not wearing the same thing many times a week and getting bored. I already tried the same last semester (am lecturer - go in 3 times a week) and endeavoured not to wear the same thing twice to work. I succeeded (which is both and ).

Was just thinking about the brown dress thing while I was ironing and thought I was being a bit of a hypocrite as I am perfectly happy to wear jeans every day so how is that any different?!

Dexter.. jeans take many forms though and are much more versatile than that brown dress. I don't think jeans are comparable.

I'm going to be braver tomorrow... there is a grey skirt shot through with glittery thread and lovely net petticoats hiding in back of wardrobe... i bought it in moment of madness at The Clothes Show Live 5 years ago and have never worn it.

I think jeans are kind of "invisible" clothes, in a way, dexter - it's what you wear with them that makes an outfit, whereas a dress can be an outfit on its own, IYSWIM. So I understand where you're coming from.

Unless those jeans are very gangsta, of course. My students wear some corkers.

I am at home today, so casual in jeans, James Perse long tee and Jigsaw cami, and gold sneakers [bling]. Am wearing some nice jewellery from my lovely DH though to make it more exciting. Except for large turquoise ring which I bought for myself and he (Italian - snob ) thinks is rather vulgar.

No I agree but I could still try and not wear jeans so much. I have plenty of other clothes.

That skirt sounds gorgeous, lunar.

I think sometimes I am just lazy and rather than look for a different outfit I just pick up jeans rather than a skirt or some trousers as it is so easy.

I don't even get a thrill out of wearing new clothes, not really. The thrill is in the actual shopping for me. The obsessing about an item, researching it, ordering it online, waiting for it, and the climax - the postman delivering it and me opening it up. Then the thrill is gone and onto the next thing.

It's an emotional thing for me, I used to comfort eat and was overweight. I lost a lot of weight and that seems to have passed now, now I comfort shop.

Hopefully I can now transfer my emotional outlet onto the thrill of saving money.

I'm in, just wish you lot had thought up this idea before I threw away 2 suitcases of clothes in the summer (not really thrown away - took to charity shop).

I do need a new swimsuit however as I am going to SA end Jan and I haven't got any swimwear that fits atm.

I'm considering donating everything in my wardrobe to the charity shop, apart from my new trousers...

I realised that my goal when I do buy clothes, is to find something I could happily wear every day, and feel like ME in, ie comfortable and not conspicuous and not too girly.

These trousers are also waterproof!!!

If you buy carefully, you can avoid any number of mistakes/cheap things that don't really fit or suit you.

I'm just not very good at it. Not yet anyway. I used to find charity shop stuff can be just as good as something from a shop, if you are lucky and find something really right for you. But I rarely have a chance to go in the decent charity shop here as we live across town now. I refuse to go in the pricey corporate horrible ones.

I think also when you do have small children it doesn't make sense to wear your posh stuff - I did the same as Smallstuff - kept my 'nice' things until I had finished breastfeeding, sadly it took a couple of years, and now am into 3rd year of it with ds2 so can't wait to start wearing things without boob access

But for now am happy in my extreme conditions hunting trousers.

Do you have a link for your new trousers FlightAttendant?

I'm a terrible shopper.

I have so many very similar things in my wardrobe yet I still buy more almost the same

I like long tops and leggings/jeans but I must have about 10 winter tunics and the same for spring/summer, probably more, yet I will still convince myself I need another.

I do

hold on...Here you go

I feel like Anna Friel in Land Girls. They are very wide.

You need to get yourself a pitchfork!

I'd like to join in too, please! Have been thinking, vaguely, along the same lines, but had not felt sufficiently motivated 'till I found this thread.

Clothes:

I have far more clothes than I need; getting into them is another issue. I've joined the 'lose 2 stones by March' thread, so with any luck new things will be liberated from the cupboards every week.

My current plan is to do an inventory, and make a list of the things I might possibly 'need' before the year is out. At some point a good pair of jeans will be required, but only when I've lost weight. I will also need my biennial pair of silver Birkies. And some sunglasses, as I broke mine at the end of last summer. Possibly new bras (weight-loss related).

Beauty:

Body and hair - I will use up everything I have.

Face - trickier, as prone to acne. Happy with what I'm using, so will stick with it and replace as necessary.

Oh dear, the postman just bought me a parcel from Esprit. Stuff I'd ordered before Christmas and forgotton about. A jumper dress and two tops. Lovely - but THAT IS IT.

Sunglasses, yes I will need to get some, mine are broken.

I have some stuff coming for my new lovely baby boy from Little Fashion Gallery, ordered before this thread. Agree it is the ordering , waiting and unwrapping which is most fun.

Luckily I have done it all now and can resist. My main problem at the moment is some beautiful stuff at SCP (furniture bits) that is on sale.

I wore out the knees in my favourite jeans crawling around on the kitchen floor with the boys (we have a non-slip extra tough vinyl - works well but not good on clothes) too - but really I think I could benefit from joining this thread.

(Actually was on the toast sale thread earlier but they sold out of the shirt i was eyeing up so thought that maybe it was a sign).

My one weakness is howies.com - I'm currently on a career break and at home with the boys every day and their clothes are just so perfect... (I'm an ex-snowboarder).