How I Survived One Year Without Buying New Clothes...

Image courtesy Amazon.com

Yes! You read that right! And yes I'm female!

At the start of 2012, while many people were making and announcing their resolutions I came across an article where someone had discussed doing something similar. I confess, that I don't recall reading the article in its entity, but I remember deciding that this was something I could, and would do.

I started to think about the significance and clothing, and how some people would not be caught dead in anything but the latest style and then I realized that in a sense I had been training for this period for a few years. Now don't get me wrong, I love getting new clothes just as much as the next girl, though I dislike shopping, more specifically trying on clothes at a store. But give me an internet connection, a credit card, and a few hours of free time and you'll see the damage I can do! At the moment I decided to embark on this journey I quickly ran to my cupboard and riffled through my things...



I realized that I had quite a few new things that I had not worn and so many things I only wore a few times, because they required ironing. (I am severely allergic to ironing and ironing boards.) Taking them to the dry cleaners would cost me an arm and leg, and I would have to remember to do that before I actually wanted to wear them. How wasteful is that?! There are people who cannot afford to put a shirt on their back and I'm here with all this stuff. Yet, every time I have to go out I (like most women I know) tell myself I have nothing to wear and run to the store... With all that in mind, my resolution was made! I would not buy any clothes for the year and every time I though about purchasing clothes I would say a prayer for all those who are without, and find a way to use what I already had. So how did I actually do it?

I defined my "style"...
Figuring out my style was crucial to this  process. What is the look I'm going for? Does it match my personality? When I wear "X" how does it make me feel? These were the burning questions as I went through and organized my closet. Ultimately, I defined my style as being classic... Sort of timeless. I rarely buy or feel that I need to wear the latest threads, but instead invest in good quality, versatile pieces. Instead of buying that $10 top that's "in-style" with the material that you know you'd be lucky to get 5 wears out of, I'd buy the $30 one ON SALE MOST TIMES! So I might get lucky and pay $10 or maybe $15 for it but have it last me about 5 years. As I cleaned out my closet, I focused on identify these pieces, the ones I felt best described me.

I eliminated most of my Graphic pieces...
I'm not big on graphic clothing, but on a college student budget these are typically the most affordable and sometimes free. You know those promo t-shirts you got from that company that gave away snacks on campus, or those breezy tees with the cute sayings? I had many of them! But I realized I didn't like the answer to "how does it make me feel" so I had to remove them. For 1 thing, graphic clothing often insights unwanted attention. If you're into people striking up random conversations based on what your clothes say, or reading what's marked across your chest or butt as you walk by, then more power to you.  Second, I was preparing to wear the contents of my closet more often in that year than ever before.  It's super easy for people to remember the girl that wore the glittery "Single" graphic t-shirt, than the girl that wore the blue top.  So I made the decision to keep a few for working out, and donated the rest.

While being memorable is often a good thing, it was important for me to control what people remember. At the time I was embarking on this little challenge, I was working to transition out of college student mode, and be taken seriously in the professional world. For me a small versatile closet needed to take me  from casual lime (hangout for my non WI folks) to professional networking event with minimal effort.

I only kept the pieces that fit well...
I was one of those overly self conscious people always tugging at my clothes. It was so bad that I had a few friends bring it to my attention, and I knew I had to get to the bottom of it. Being overly self aware is a real thing - Trust me! But it doesn't help if your clothes don't fit properly. I often got really nice clothes from my older cousin, things she could not fit any more or things she had that she knew she wasn't going to use. She also worked for a high-end clothing store which was awesome! When I didn't have a full-time job getting pieces from her saved me a ton. Also, at one point in college when I was interviewing for jobs and internships I got assistance from Dress for Success which was equally amazing, I had clothes in my closet I couldn't even afford!! Naturally, I wanted to keep all of it, but I had to face reality, not all of it fit me well. I was wearing it because it was nice and good quality from well known designers, but the truth is some of the clothes were a size too small or large. You know how West Indian parents like to say, "too big is a fit,"well this is not always the case. Some items like dress pants, I got my aunt to put darts in the waist so that it fit better, but others I had to donate. When you're planning on really putting your clothes to work you want to be comfortable in them. This goes for shoes also!

I went to task on my shoes ...
Wearing the correct shoe size, and a well made pair is super important, in life and if you want to give this challenge a go. Let me tell you, it ends up costing a lot more in orthopedic surgery when you don't spend the extra $20 - $30 to get a decent pair of shoes. More important, everyone knows a pair of shoes can take an outfit to new heights, good shoes also make the difference between waddling down the street and strutting. They are also major confidence boosters, and sadly many people judged you by them. But when you're planning to get creative with what's in your closet, a good stride can pull off ANY outfit. So I looked at each pair I owned and assessed the condition, if a pair of heels fit well and could be re-tipped or repaired I took them to a Shoemaker.  If they squeezed my toes or rubbed my heel the wrong way, I added them to the donation pile. I typically buy neutral (blacks and browns) or solid colored shoes. I guess I'm just plain like that, but they go with everything, and are perfect for a little thing I learned during this process, called color blocking with accessories.

Necklace and Neckline Chart found on Pinterest

I learned how to accessorize
Honestly, this is what sealed the deal. Accessorizing! If you don't need to do anything else to organize your closet, this is where it really counts! Have you seen charts like the one the right?

I found this one on a random google search, but I've had it saved in my phone for quite some time. It is so helpful in assisting me with coordinating outfits and accessories. It also saves a lot of time trying on and changing your mind.  Now don't get me wrong, this chart is no hard and fast rule - because believe me I know nothing about fashion "rules". But when you wake up at 6:30am and need to leave home by 7:00am (and you didn't put together an outfit the night before) this is a savior!! More than that, it also shows you the types of jewelry you might want to add to your closet. Look at the 2nd top in the first row of the chart, I would say it is pretty standard regardless of your size. Imagine each of the necklaces in this chart paired with that one top! You're welcome: 12 DIFFERENT outfits! and of course you can pair them with various bottoms: skirt,  jeans, slacks, leggings, shorts... You get my point? 

Example capsule plan found on pinterest.

Here is a sample capsule wardrobe that better explains. Further more, add necklaces to this outfits and you could potentially double the number of combinations you get out of those 12 pieces.

Jewelry was the only thing remotely close to clothing that I purchased for myself that entire year. I didn't go over board thought! I probably spent under $150.00 in jewelry that year, and also got some as gifts. but I relied on jewelry to help me replay what was already in my closet apart for the regular mixing, matching and layering.

I can't say how much I actually saved that year. I probably should have recorded every time I had an impulse to buy and what it would have cost. But nevertheless, giving up buying clothes, was a savings. The experience also taught me a lot about myself, and provided a means of getting in touch with what is most important in my life, while making the best of what I already have.

Have you done something similar? What was your experience like?