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?

oooh, also ...

a pair of cashmere wristwarmers i ordered before xmas on a £20 off offer (thus a bargainous £15) arrived today... do i need another pair? no i do not. Is it MiL's b'day next week? yes it is.

Sorted.

Good grief.. What is all this about jackets and wristwarmers and hoodies - tut tut.

Get a grip everyone and stand firm.

Is this a really terrible time of year to ebay? Am itching to get rid of stuff now

Hello! I saw this thread and was thinking of joining. But not until I bought a new dress that I really wanted from Zara - (white w black lace and black sequins over the top. Sounds vile but Is beautiful. SJP pictured wearing something similar (which means it is def gorgeous, as she is One of my fashion heroes). And also not until I bought those beautiful sigh worthy red satin heels from Hobbs. All in the sales!! Now that I have those, am on a clothes, shoes and beauty buying hiatus. Have said to DH no more till April, so that's as long as I can commit. But maybe I will get into this and stretch it out for the rest of the year. My wardrobe is a bit like Fleecy's so certainly have enough clothes and shoes to last me. And I want to, for all the reasons everyone else has listed. And because I do not want to not be able to. Deep breaths, can't believe I am doing this!

tatty, i was wondering the same thing ... but I've got boots and cashmere to offload so if i don't do it soon .....

Message withdrawn

LTEC - will you link to your boots when you Ebay them as I think you have huge feet like me!

LOL JaJas - yes, this thread could turn out disastrously if all we do is enable one another to buy yet more stuff!

At the moment, I'm just using this thread as a daily reminder of my "resolution".

I'm aiming to get out of January first of all...

I was trying to resist this thread as thought it was going to be a dull guilt - fest - but I can see that most of my old S&B muckers are here and from what I can gather most of you are still buying (in the sales at least)!!!

I do buy far far too much, I am actually too scared to tally up what I have done in the last week, I fear I have gone a little bananas. However, in my defence, most of what I buy does end up going back once I come to my senses. For me the rush is in the browsing/looking/buying/clicking/waiting for the parcel. Am often quite happy to send it back once I've bought it!!!

My real problem though is that I am incapable of resisting a "bargain". Am actually incredibly tight when it comes to shelling out say £70 on a full-price top but as soon as it's a £90 reduced from £160 I'm like a moth to a flame.
The amount DHL has got from me in the last year doesn't bear thinking about either.

So, I'm not going to say I'm in....but I am thinking about it. I may try and do February

Jaja's - the £24 All Saints dress arrived today. Tis a little strange but DH liked it - TBH I wouldn't have paid £90 but is ok at that price. Did yours fit?

I have not bought anything since this thread began. Which admittedly was only three days ago, but still!

Not missing it yet. By September I imagine I'll be tearing my hair out.

Hey there! What a good idea, have been a bit excessive in dec and already been buying this year in sales, will have to discount first 5 days of year!

Am size 6 or 8 and 5 ft 3 in.

Could be fun ( and challenging )!

Right... I'm snowed in today so no work clothes to have to think about. However, I have just received an email from Bravissimo.

Am I allowed to buy a bra? In my defence, it is a good solid nude coloured, smooth cupped one for wearing under t-shirts etc. Not a silly frilly desirable one

I think bras are allowed Lunar. Especially if it's a practical one rather than a frilly one
I'm starting my no new clothes resolution today (having given in and bought the dress I'd been coveting from Boden yesterday ).
I've already decided that clothes for DD, necessities like tights, socks, practical undies, and thermals are all allowed.

I'm not a hoarder. I always use up my beauty products before buying new ones as I cannot bear having multiple tubes/bottles/mascaras open simultaneously.

I don't have masses of clothes, either - I tend to use them up in one season by wearing them intensively. I'd rather have a few new things each year than lots of old ones.

So this thread doesn't really apply to me. However, the kind of sentiment expressed in the OP always rings a warning bell with me because I know that if ever I start thinking that I am not going to buy myself new clothes or beauty products for the foreseeable future, I am a little depressed. Is that the case, OP?

A few people have mentioned doing a wardrobe inventory. I think that's such a good idea. I don't know when I'll find the time to do it and I think it could be depressing (as I'll have to face up to the true extent of my shopaholism!....and I'll realise how many cashmere jumpers the moths have eaten ) but it would definitely make me think twice about buying yet more stuff.

This thread has certainly struck a chord with me! I'm not sure I can go cold turkey however I will resolve not to buy anything unless it is replacing something, sort of on a one in one out basis. The only things I have bought this year are a tunic and ballet flats from the Boden sale which I haven't received yet but will most likely be returned.

I am going to do a huge cull this afternoon!Snow forces me to stay home so am going to bite the bullet

Anna, you are definitely right. I find it quite hard to let go of clothes, but really, it would be better to accept that you buy clothes for a certain year and that they do wear out. I would also like to look rationally at my wardrobe and think, what do I actually need to pull this together (for example I could really do with some smart slim leg work trousers), buying the best I can find of that item and replacing it only when I need to.

It sounds so obvious doesn't it, but I am always buying things in the hope that it will be the thing that is my favourite for years.

Most of the time I have no problem not buying stuff but as soon as I start thinking about it it gets more difficult. Therefore I'm not actually sure this thread will work, already I have clicked on links to stores I never even knew existed and googled items of clothing that I previously had no idea about.

And when you start thinking you can't buy anything the panic buying starts "I'm going to need a new cardigan and some boots. I'll just buy them now so they are out of the way nd then I won't need to spend anything else." Except you will. Or you will if you are like me!

Also describing outfits is dangerous because others will start thinking ooh if only I had a waterfall cardigan or some patent boots then I'd be able to create so many more looks with my existing clothes.

It's a great idea and I will be trying not to buy but I think maybe the thread will make me want to shop more not less

I binned recycled 12 huge black sacks of my DP's clothing in my first cull of his wardrobe - he never used to throw anything away and had all his clothes that he had ever had in his adult life filling every cm of drawer and hanging space in our apartment . We have done lots of subsequent culls and he now basically has nothing he doesn't wear and he is a million times better dressed than he used to be, before I got my hands on him!

Personally I find it really hard to be well dressed (or to dress my family well) if we have too many clothes - it all becomes unmanageable and I don't know what we have anymore.

I am failing quite miserably at this 'no more clothes' lark

I got seduced by Boden's extra reductions and ordered a couple of belts (needed) and the Urban Mac in Black (not needed)!

I've also ordered some new trainers for when I can get back to running at the end of the month. I do need those but it's still an expense and I'm sure if I really wanted too I could have gone on with the old ones I have.

Must try harder!