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?

I agree Bonsoir,
I would love to acheive the perfect capsule wardrobe however in reality my wardrobe is full of mismatched impulse buys.

I got a great head start about seven years ago when all my winter clothes were stolen! I haven't looked back since

My clothes have an exit policy. The wardrobe - to the Muji storage under the bed - to old Liberty bag in the wardrobe - to the charity bin.

And even though moving o/s a few times has taught me to be ruthless, the above can take ages.

Having said that over last month I have been saved by a skirt I bought at age 23 today due to bf'ding clothing restrictions.

All your clothes stolen - ouch!

Well I can't do the buy no new clothes as have very few spring/summer clothes as have been pregnant/bf for years (or it feels like it).

But like Bonsoir I don't hoard - in fact did my regular wardrobe cull over the holiday period.

So will be planning purchases carefully. I am definitely not buying any cheap rubbish/impulse buys though - fewer better buys is the way forward.

Yes, we have an exit strategy for old clothing in this household as well - from personal wardrobe to black bin bag in communal dressing room to black bin bag in cellar to recycling.

A bit dependent on my own zeal and the frequency of collection of recycling (charities come by the apartment blocks every six months or so).

DD's clothes are passed on to relatives.

Ok I'm going to do a big sort, just leave the good stuff.

Yes, all my clothes were stolen in winter 2003, and then one year later I got pregnant with DD. I basically had nothing left clothes-wise after having her! But then I got very thin indeed, so wouldn't have fitted into pre-pregnancy clothes anyway (and wouldn't have wanted to wear the more formal clothes from my past either). So basically I have got into completely different habits and I really like it!

How awful Bonsoir.
Last year I went from a size 14 to a 10 so had to replace alot of my clothes unfortunately I didn't learn from my previous mistakes and have to admit that I got a bit carried away with shopping towards the end of the year

If you slimmed down to a size 10, it is perfectly understandable that you had a new-found joy in dressing and enhancing your reflection in the mirror .

Just to clarify I meant how awful your clothes being stolen, not having new habits!

2003 was the worst year of my life by a long shot and having my clothes stolen was a fairly minor blip compared to everything else that went on! So it didn't register too much.

I'm also at home snowbound today and feel in the mood for a clothing and accessory cull. What criteria do we reckon are the best for deciding on what should stay and what sould go?

Oh, hello Bonsoir. You're not wrong that I'm emerging from the side of the winter black dog that seasonally pursues me... (you intuitive thing, you!), but I was thinking about this long before posting, and before the holidays (since November really, if I reflect). So I don't think that it's a depressive thing (though am not going to insist, as I'm sure you'll only say I'm in denial! ).

No, I really do feel that I ought to get my house in order, so to speak.

I'm not sure if I'll really go cold-turkey all year; but I fully intend to stop just buying things before truly reflecting on whether I need them, and whether I'm comfortable about where the item came from, and just why it is that I'm buying something.

The beauty products thing is just plain common sense though: I have, at last count, about 5 different high-end moisturisers cluttering my bathroom! No reason why I shouldn't endeavour to use them before buying yet another...

god oyu are all mad
it wont last

I read somewhere, MrsSeanBean, that if you hadn't worn an item for 2 years (unless that was for a particular reason, e.g. weight gain), then you should cull it.

However, at the moment, I'm not sure if I would necessarily apply the same rationale to my own wardrobe, as there are things I've forgotten about, rather than lost interest in, IYSWIM.

Last time I did a cull (hmmm - 3 years ago, maybe?), I laid things out and tried to visualise myself in them; and to think about whether it made me feel good to wear it. I realised that I was holding on to lots of "useful" clothes that weren't terribly flattering - hence I was reluctant to wear them, despite their supposed usefulness. So they went too.

LOL Maggie. Hmm, well, I'll give it a good shot. Haven't bought any clothes since late November, I think... So I'm doing ok so far. It's the sales that give me the fear, but I'm avoiding at the moment...

As long as it is just a touch of SAD and no more, I'll let you off .

Beauty products are easier to get on top of than clothes (especially now they have those handy little 12M/6M etc use-up-by-after-opening-signs which means you can bin them with a clear conscience), so probably a good idea to start there.

If you have superfluous facial moisturiser, you can always use it up on other body parts if binning it seems just too awful.

Well, they are all unopened, so no binning yet - I think? Plus it would pain my miserly Scottish heart to throw out ££££ worth of Elemis, Clarins, CdelaM, etc... Must just plough through - and resist the shiny packaging of new stuff.

Ha - I also have several untouched bottles of body lotion, so no additional moisturising needed there.

Sigh.

The weight loss/gain issue can be tricky.

I guess we would never keep larger clothes in the hope we would be needing them again, but if I go up a size and have something I love, and which looks amazing, in the smaller size, I tend to hang onto it. I fluctuate quite a bit

Penthe - you have hidden sides to you! You always seem a sensible sort, and then you reveal a bathroom cabinet heaving with unopened high-end cosmetics!

WRT the 12m/6m sign, I've a tube of Beauty Flash Balm which I bought under a year ago (12m the limit on that one) which I'm now desperately using as a mask, because - and here comes the baffling, shameful confession - I knew even before I bought it that it:

a) doesn't do anything for me - I don't "get" BFB as a product;

b) is irrelevant to me as a primer as I don't wear makeup

so why the hell did I still buy it? God only knows.

Same goes for the reams of hair conditioners which do nothing for me, yet which I persist in buying.

God, I'm an intelligent person, so why do I do it? Weird.

x-posted with you there, Bonsoir! Slow typer as am working on something else.

Snort @ sensible. All an act, obviously.

Shameful, non?

Worse, really, is that - fundamentally - I have good skin. Some weeks, when I'm having a bad one, I just wash my face in the shower and that's it. And I don't look any different than when I do use all my lotions and potions.

I think it's something to do with the "souci de soi" side of it which compels me...

BFB is one of those products I always feel i should buy whilst wandering around airport duty free shops. I don't understand myself sometimes

Yes, very weird for an intelligent woman like you!

Hmm. Carry on posting - it might be therapeutic