Are you spending money intentionally when it comes to your wardrobe? In January, I committed to a “No spend ’19” in terms of clothing: I set the intention to spend nothing at all on clothes this year. Half way through the year, it’s time for a little update… spoiler alert, I’ve bought some clothes – 2 items to be exact. And some shoes. But that’s ok. I’m completely comfortable with that, because I’ve learnt such a lot about myself over the last 6 months.
1. I buy clothes when I’m stressed
This was an interesting revelation. I had quite easily spent nothing on clothes for 4 months, and then a stressful couple of weeks ensued and suddenly I found myself back on Asos browsing. I wasn’t even looking for anything in particular. A cycle started of buying things, receiving them knowing I wasn’t going to keep any of it, and then heading to the post office to return it all. We’ve all done it. It’s a waste of time, a waste of resources, and the plastic involved makes me feel very guilty. Now that I’ve recognised this, it’s easier to stop myself scrolling through several hundred dresses and go for a stress-relieving walk on the beach instead.
2. I wear only a tiny portion of what’s in my wardrobe
Since I started this challenge I’ve cleared out so much from my wardrobe. I feel particularly smug about selling some bits on eBay, but most has gone to the charity shop. Marie Kondo recommends getting every last thing out of your wardrobe – and wherever else you’ve squeezed a few dresses in – and trying everything on. Honestly, I find this quite an energy drain so I prefer to do it by type of clothing: skirts one day, tshirts another day, socks another day. I guarantee you’ll find several items that either don’t fit or you don’t even like. I’m in no way anywhere near a capsule wardrobe, but it is much easier to decide what to wear these days, and there’s less guilt about all the clothes that I don’t wear.
3. My mindset has completely changed
I don’t think I’ll ever go back to buying clothes on a whim. Those purchases in the past have never served me well, and some things have even gone to the charity shop with labels still on. I want clothes that fit with my personal style (not fashion trends, not friends’ styles, not what I “should” be wearing at my age), that are good quality and will last a while, that go with other items already in my wardrobe, and ideally that don’t harm the environment (currently difficult but doable). I’m now much more open to intentionally spending more on things I really love; gone are the days of buying £3.99 tshirts from H&M.
So, are YOU spending money intentionally?
I’d love to hear whether you think you could go for a year without buying clothes. If not, what do you think would be the most difficult thing about it? Are you spending money intentionally at the moment, or are your finances subject to your whims?
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