I really like fashion. I don’t dress up every day—that’s just not realistic for me—but my outfits lean bold and I like trying new things…and buying new things. As a struggling actor with four float jobs, I knew I needed to get control over one of my biggest financial weaknesses: clothes. So, just for the month of February, I made it a rule not to buy myself any new clothes.
However, there were exceptions. Socks, underwear, winter boots, hair accessories, glasses, belts, swimsuits—those were all fair game. I allowed these exceptions because I already knew at the beginning of the month that I’d need new glasses, new socks, and waterproof winter boots. In disallowing new clothes, I actually found it easier to focus on these things that had been at the top of my to-buy list for months. In addition to those, I just moved and needed to buy housewares. I also needed to get replacements of some of my staple makeup pieces and skincare products. Geez…skincare products alone are enough to bankrupt a person.
Over the course of the month, it was actually easier than I expected to not buy clothes. I’d pop into vintage shops on the way home and browse clothing websites, as usual, but just didn’t buy anything. If I found something I really loved, I’d instead just appreciate it for a bit, then put it back. I actually felt freed of the internal tug-of-war between wanting an item and wanting to save money. Unexpectedly, my “challenge” made life a little easier.
Every so often throughout the month, when getting dressed or doing laundry, I’d find myself wishing I had one item or another to add to my wardrobe. If an item was wished for enough times, I’d add it to a shopping list for when my challenge was over. I noticed I’ve been wearing jeans a lot more than I used to, but I don’t have many pairs, so a pair of jeans got put on the list. I also noticed I was having to do laundry more often because I was running out of nice trousers during the week, so I added trousers to the list. I have a pair of shoes that I absolutely love the look of and want to wear with casual clothes for a slightly more dressed-up look, and I wore them several times last summer…but they hurt so bad. I added a pair of comfortable Mary Janes/ballet flats to my list to replace them, because I think I’d wear a pair regularly if they didn’t hurt. I’ve used a pair of flip flops for years and it was time to get rid of them, but I know I’ll use the next pair I get just as much.
On top of all that, my boyfriend helped me go through my entire wardrobe this weekend and we came up with two huge boxes of clothes to sell, donate, or toss out. A lot of those were clothes that I loved but didn’t fit, or had been worn out, or wasn’t in a colour I liked to wear. I intend to find replacements for those, so I added some of them to the list as well. We organized everything that was left, and it got a lot easier for me to see what I already had. (Previously, due to a move and a lack of hangers, my clothes were all in bins.) Several good jeans, for example, so I removed jeans from my list.
Because the items on this list are things I’ll probably wear often (based on how much I’ve wished for them this month), I can shop intentionally. I plan to invest in solid items that will last. This is in contrast to my previous habit of really wanting something in the moment and getting the cheapest version of it I could find for the instant gratification, only to find they don’t last or wear well—like the shoes.
I think it’s safe to say this challenge was a success. In fact, it worked so well that I’m considering doing it every other month for the rest of the year, and alternating with months where I don’t allow myself to buy outerwear, shoes, & accessories. I’ll just have to wait for April to buy the shoes on my list, but with this weather, I’m in no hurry. I know a lot of people don’t buy clothes very often, and if that’s you, maybe you can still try this challenge for other categories. In any case, I enjoyed this challenge. Do you think you would?
Feature Photo by Nick de Partee on Unsplash
Precarious Writer 