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?

[SilverSixpence]

I think I need to join this thread too as we're planning to save for a house and have other big expenses coming up... Although I do need a pair of jeans as the Topshop ones I bought are miles too long (unless turned up, in which case I look like a 3 year old according to DH!).

I resisted the Toast sale too.

I have loads of toiletries and tons of makeup, so definitely no more of that. I have a nearly full Cleanse and Polish, some lovely Rose Boots Bath Oil and yummy Orange Blossom shower gel so have no regrets.

Just remembered that I need some Hand Food by Soap and Glory though. Will try and resist the Oushka handbag though . LetThemEatCake did you get the Wigmore? was it massive? which colour did you get - I fancy the plum but have a purple coat so it might be a bit much altogether.

(remembers that this is a stop shopping thread)

[Fleecy]

Lots of people on here now - clearly a good idea OP!

I ended up browsing all the sales online last night but didn't order anything. Felt very virtous but it is only 4 Jan!

[bluesuedepews]

I took a jumper dress back to M&S today, and didn't stop to look at anything else . I bought DD some socks but I cleared out her drawers and the poor child was left with about 3 socks.

I haven't bought that much since buying a uniform except earrings .

[PhaseolusLunatus]

Ok - this is harder than I thought: I have just bought another colour of my absolute favourite jumper of all time on ebay (Buy It Now)

They are very hard to come by, and I know it will last for years, (ahh - the justifications, they trip off the tongue, ) but - it was the very last thing.

[Lulumama]

i have failed already. ooooops

took some stuff back to matalan and ended up buying a few bits

one cropped orange cardi £2
one long waterfall cardi £6
one white linen tunic £4 ( my fave white linen disintegrated though in the summer)
one teal sweater £4

it will all go with stuff i have, and marry up other bits, so it's not too bad, and it was all cheap, and we took 4 bags of stuff to teh charity shop. so it sort of evens out?

[bluesuedepews]

lulu that's awful







whispers {What's the linen tunic like?}

[Lulumama]

it;s lovely,ties at teh back so not too shapeless, nice buttons.

but I Am A Failure.

I shall not enjoy it.

[LetThemEatCake]

what do you say we do a thread at end of every month - a 'fess up thread - "In January I bought..."? Might help to keep things in check??

[LetThemEatCake]

SilverSixpence - no, exchanged the plum Oakley for the plum Phoenix in the end, haven't got it yet ... thought thw Wigmore too similar in shape to the Wigmore, silly to have both!

[PhaseolusLunatus]

That sounds like a good plan LTEC!

[Fleecy]

Ooh yes - I aim to buy nothing in Jan apart from tights. So we'll see if that's gone to plan at the end of the month.

My leggings have a hole in them but it's near the waistband so I figure I could just patch them up and I won't need new ones. Here's hoping...

[geordieminx]

Good day here, was out and about, picked up some slippers, to match new pj's/dressing gown, then decided that I did not NEED another pair of slippers - I have 2 pairs plus 4 pairs of bedsocks.

[tiredoftherain]

Well I've not bought anything today. That's progress for me!! (My gorgeous new KG Serena boots did arrive though, ordered before Xmas so that might not count. Boots count stands at 17 pairs including 5 pairs of Uggs, some LK Bennett, Jones and KG. Probable worth of thousands. It has to stop..

[MrsSeanBean]

I took some items back to Monsoon today for a refund (which had been bought before Christmas) and ended up buying a long chunky cardigan which was identical to one I already had (except a bit chunkier).

This was despite me being determined not to buy anything else! I somehow got 'distracted' though. The urge is very strong, and/or the retailers very clever.

Anyhow, I got DH to return it for me (didn't trust myself, in case I spotted something else!) So I succeeded eventually.

Interesting that someone mentioned comfort eating vs. comfort shopping on this thread.

I found that when I was at my smallest I didn't feel the need to shop or buy as much. Pretty much anything looked ok and there were no 'bad' days (oh happy times). However, I was a stick then, probably unhealthily so - but maybe when you do have a few extra pounds you are always on the quest for the perfect garment which (you kid yourself) will be more forgiving??

[fin42]

I bought a bangle in Monsoon but it was a like-for-like replacement of a favourite one that I lost last week. Did manage to resist the sale rails although fell at the last hurdle and bought a pair of reduced earrings, cunningly placed on the counter, that will match a necklace that I own already,so therefore means I will get more wear out of the necklace.(vows to try harder)

[MrsSeanBean]

Fin42 - you always see that 'perfect' item when you have just resolved to buy nothing! I find the best way to avoid buying is to avoid entering a shop! Thus anything I do buy this year will be online.

[Feelingoptimistic]

I am not going to go completely cold turkey for the whole of 2010, but I am going to not buy anything more this winter, and then spend less and a lot more wisely. In particular, I plan to buy only things I absolutely need (e.g. new tights) or things that I absolutely love.

[Doyouthinktheysaurus]

I bought some candles yesterday.

I think I may be compensating for my lack of clothes shopping by buying other, not strictly necessary things

I shall avoid the shops today. 'Tis the only way.

[Mybox]

Good idea to not buy anything. I've just had dd so don't fit anything apart from my preg clothes & one non preg skirt. I'm hoping to get by on these until I do fit more than one usual skirt but may have to get another one (especially when it gets warmer!)

[minko]

I'm loving this thread now - it's getting like a confessional!

Well I'm proud of myself. I didn't buy a skirt yesterday even though it looked very nice on (yes, I tried it on, but I remained strong!) and it was reduced to only £15. I thought I'd leave the shop and 'think about it'. Worked a treat, I'd forgotten about it after 5 minutes.

Did however buy stuff for the kids, which might have been compensation for not buying for me...

[RamblingRosa]

I really want/need to do this too. I'm a confirmed shopaholic and I'm guilty of buying muyself "little treats" all the time. Working in central London doesn't help because it's so easy to nip to the shops in a lunch break.

I'm not sure I've got the willpower though. I told DP that I was doing it yesterday and he laughed. I've now seen a dress I was after in the Boden sale has been further reduced. Would it be wrong to buy the dress and then start my resolution after that?

[Penthesileia]

I agree that the comfort shopping/comfort eating, "little treats" (as Rosa says), link is quite interesting; I think it's probably a combination of some kind of self-comforting, inner psychological pressure, combined with, and encouraged by, the pressures of a consumerist society that requires women especially to buy buy buy all the time. That's one of the reasons I'm trying to cut down: I felt, well, patronised by the idea that I should be changing my wardrobe 4 times a year, whereas, on the whole, (most) men are not put under the same inner/outer pressure. Plus, the idea that I was making myself poorer as a result was annoying too...

Someone earlier (Flight Attendant?) mentioned that shops are so full of things. I've also noticed that, whereas 15 years ago shops would have 2 ranges - their S/S stuff and their A/W stuff, I now find that shops change their stock more like 6 times a year, so you're constantly being bombarded with new, "must-have" stuff. So it's even harder, if you're a weak-willed type, to avoid them: even if you don't like one range, another will be out in no time...

[PhaseolusLunatus]

Well I had to allow myself a final fling, RR - it's tough, but we can do it!

[RamblingRosa]

Phew! So a final fling is allowed (conveniently forgetting the £££s already spent in the last few weeks in Jan sales . Maybe I'll buy the dress and then start my resolution after that and accept that my DP will mock me forever

[RamblingRosa]

Not sure about the comfort eating link. That's not my downfall. It's more just that horrible consumerist trap of believing that I need just that one more thing and then my wardrobe will be complete. Or thinking I'll feel happier/prettier/better about myself if I have the perfect dress/shoes/skirt...

I think it's fine to enjoy nice clothes and make up but the problem comes when you end up buying more and more of the same old thing and never wearing half of it. I'm especially bad with cosmetics. It's that quick cheap fix. I'll just buy a £5 lipstick in Boots in my lunchbreak to cheer myself up (even though I've got a drawer overflowing with similar lipsticks that I never use!).

I still really want to buy that Boden dress though....