NO NEW CLOTHES FOR A YEAR
For those that don’t know – although I am pretty sure I have bored many of you with this quest…. On 1st January 2025, I embarked on a self-inflicted NO NEW CLOTHES FOR A YEAR rule.
That’s right…a whole year of not buying anything new – no tops, no trousers, no underwear, no shoes, nor boots, no coats, jackets or even jewellery. And the rule isn’t just new – it’s also second-hand clothing. Which means that Vinted and charity shop purchases were also off limits.
These rules mean I am not allowed to buy yet another pair of leggings that are practically the same as all the other pairs I’ve got and don’t get me started on black trousers… Flared, Baggy, Cropped, Linen, Jersey – yes, I’ve got a pair like that…and boots! Oh my Lord! I’m half tempted to go upstairs and count all my pairs of boots– but I dare not as I am sure I actually don’t want to know…
According to the latest research, the average person buys 53 new items of clothing a year. Sounds like a lot, but with ‘fast fashion’ the supply is dictated by the demand. That’s around one item a week. If you want to be on-trend and wearing the latest fashion (even if it doesn’t even suit you) you’re probably buying in excess of one item a week. I know I was!
Many of us have a sort of itch to buy a new top or a new pair of trousers, even though we probably have one almost exactly like it languishing in the wardrobe at home.
But that doesn’t matter as a new item of clothing makes us feel happy when we wear it for the first couple of times! Sadly, that feeling wears off…so the itch begins again. We go searching for the next pair of trousers, top, pair of shoes, handbag or whatever to give us that lovely ‘feeling’ again. And so, it goes on…
But even though I’ve been trying to be a bit more minimalist – it’s challenging! The shops are constantly FULL of new stuff and it’s really easy to talk yourself into why you need a new top/jeans/jacket or dress.
Last time I tried this quest (which has been every year for the last three at least), I have fallen off the wagon spectacularly somewhere between March and May. Last year I bought 12 pairs of Sweaty Betty leggings without noticing… I blame too much wine and the ease of online shopping. Or maybe it’s the cat’s fault.
Like so many of us, I have a large wardrobe, some boxes and the smaller wardrobe in the spare room all stuffed with clothes, shoes and boots that I just don’t seem to get around to wearing anymore for one reason or another.
OK, so some are too big, some are too small, some are hopelessly out of fashion (not that I care much) and one big contributing factor as to whether I am going to wear something or not, is the question, ‘If I wear it and wash it – does it need ironing?’ If the answer is yes, then it stays on the hanger and anything made of Lycra wins again. I find that I wear the same 20% of my wardrobe 80% of the time.
I’ve even spent the last two decades shopping for a lifestyle I no longer lead, considering that these days I’m most likely to be found wearing exercise kit, trainers or dance shoes!
Why would I need a smart tailored jacket to go with the knitted dress I bought last year, that goes with the pair of sparkly sandals, which still have the label attached to them? You tell me.
So – here we are entering NOVEMBER! I can’t actually believe I have lasted this long, if I am honest. But, by using a number of different strategies and self talking-to techniques, I have managed it.
I have stayed away from the shops, filled my virtual baskets with clothes and then hastily clicked off websites and even went as far as to unsubscribe from Boden, Phase Eight, Sweaty Betty and the like.
I even managed to go to Bluewater on several occasions and encourage friends to spend money, but I’ve come home empty handed. That’s NEVER happened before!
Not ONE ITEM of new clothing has been bought by me.
I’m feeling a bit virtuous too, as I like to think I’m contributing to sustainability and supporting the war on foreign child labour.
I am super proud of myself really.
However, this morning, the postman delivered three different clothing catalogues – one enticing me to spend my money on new active wear – as surely I don’t have enough of that, another showing several gorgeous party dresses for the festive season to wear to parties I’m not invited to and a shoe and boot catalogue with a pair of ‘must have’ winter boots – as surely I don’t have any of those either.
My in-box, even after all the unsubscribing, is also groaning with sparkly tops, sequinned jackets (got two of those) and winter wear, all with special discounts and Black Friday deals just for me…
Only eight weeks to go…
International Dance Teachers' Association