Lessens learned

Yes, that’s a deliberate pun – I DO know how to spell lessons!

Last year I gave up buying clothes, essentially. Read all the rules if you haven’t already…. I’ll give you a minute.

…..

Okay, now you’re up to date, I’ll let you know how it went.

Sad faces first:

1. I didn’t enjoy it much. I missed having new clothes.
2. I didn’t save much money, I just spent it on other stuff!
3. I cheated a little, and feel bad

Now happy faces:

1. I do feel a sense of achievement because despite cheating a little, I didn’t give up
2. I found other ways to get clothes (taking donations of gifts, going to clothes-swaps) that I will use in the future
3. I did get better at using my whole wardrobe
4. I did get better at waiting for things
5. I did have an emptier, more user-friendly and organised wardrobe
6. I did get better at shopping carefully (I spent a couple of gift vouchers and made sure they were purchases that worked hard for me!)

So, the cheating occurred in December. I had just had a colour & style consult with Natalie from Defined Image and I was looking forward to buying stuff that suited me. Mum dragged me out shopping after my birthday because she needed some things herself (bad idea). Long story short, I bought a few sale items. I was half good, though, and gave my purchases to Mum to take home with her – she delivered them after Christmas and I waited until 2013 to wear them. So I failed, but not COMPLETELY. Yes, yes, I know, I know 😉

This year, I have certainly spent money on clothes. I went nuts in the first week (shopping with Natalie) and have eased off since (mainly because I spent so much in January that I ran out!).

I have a list of items that I want to get, and will only shop for them and not browse and buy random things just because I want new things.

So I am now getting wear out of all items in my wardrobe (Natalie also did a wardrobe audit with me and we culled what didn’t work) and enjoying choosing outfits. THAT is a big win!

I won’t be doing it again, but I will use my lessons learned well 🙂

Here I am (in 'old' clothes), out on the town with my stylist and friend Natalie