Author Topic: No Clothes Shopping in 2014  (Read 177404 times)

Paulie

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #200 on: January 11, 2014, 12:01:37 PM »
I just bought some paint for 2 pair of pants that have stains that won't go out anymore. So I'm hoping to gain 2 extra pair with only a 10$ investment. Not sure if it will work though, I'll update the progress! (this doesn't count as buying clothes right?)

Paint seems odd. Wouldn't a dark coloured dye make more sense?

Ah, sorry, dye is what I meant (english is not my native language)

MicroRN

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #201 on: January 11, 2014, 04:28:32 PM »
I'm in.  I have tons of clothes (even more if I lose a little weight).  Fortunately I don't need to dress up for work, and I rarely dress up otherwise.  I have a nice little black dress and assorted black shoes and boots to cover most weather, a couple pairs of nice slacks, one excellent quality wool blazer, and a bright red skirt suit appropriate for many dressy functions.  With those, various scarves and jewelry, I can manage just about anything except a truly formal event.

I'm going to make an exception for undergarments, scrubs if necessary, and a pair of shoes for work.  Work shoes generally need to be replaced once a year, and I'll be coming due around the summer.  I should be fine on scrubs, but I'm keeping the option open.  However, no trendy $50 scrub sets.  If I absolutely need them, I'll pick up the bare basic sets or make them myself.  I'm mostly fine on undergarments, but may need a couple new bras as the current ones wear out. 

The one other thing I may need is a formal dress, but  I think we'll be missing the Navy and Sub balls this year, and the only wedding I know of is going to be a casual summer one.  If I do need one, I should just make it.  I have ridiculous stocks of fabric, including some gorgeous velvet.  I could whip up a basic dress with a pattern and a few notions.  As long as is goes with black heels, I'll be set.     

oldtoyota

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #202 on: January 18, 2014, 07:53:20 PM »
Doc said I need polarized sunglasses. Good news it that I never needed regular glasses in the first place, and so I don't have to buy new regular glasses this year!

The bad news is that those polarized glasses I bought in December have grown painful to wear. They pinch, and it took me a bit to catch on to what was happening. So, I bought another pair of polarized glasses today on sale for $8.50.

I will see if the place that sold me the painful glasses will take them back. They have amazing customer service...or maybe I can sell them on ebay (where I recently sold some shoes!) to make it come out to around zero.

Other than that, I am going strong. I have everything I need, and I am enjoying what I have a lot. =-)




Anatidae V

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #203 on: January 18, 2014, 08:30:43 PM »
Doc said I need polarized sunglasses. Good news it that I never needed regular glasses in the first place, and so I don't have to buy new regular glasses this year!

The bad news is that those polarized glasses I bought in December have grown painful to wear. They pinch, and it took me a bit to catch on to what was happening. So, I bought another pair of polarized glasses today on sale.

Wow, my sunnies cost $35! Well done. I looked up different levels of sunglasses quality, and couldn't work out where mine fitted... But they're cancer council approved, so that's good enough for me for now.

horsepoor

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #204 on: January 19, 2014, 10:25:38 AM »
I'm in on this, too.  I recently went through my wardrobe and pruned out anything I wasn't wearing, and stuff that had gotten too baggy since losing weight.  I've been a bit too enthusiastic about buying new clothes since shrinking down from a size 16 to size 8 over the last few years, but now I have more than enough of pretty much everything, so am on a clothes shopping diet this year.

Exceptions $120ish net budget:
Replace bras if/when they give out - Hopefully $0
Replace running shoes when they hit their sunset date - $60
High quality compression running shorts splurge - $60
Any money I get from the clothes I took to consignment can be spent frivolously on clothing - net $0

LibraTraci

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #205 on: January 19, 2014, 04:37:55 PM »
I love this challenge and want in!  (On a side note, can I just say I'm so thrilled to find some kindred spirits?  Just found the forums maybe two months ago.)  :)

I really like the Project 333 concept -- it is true in my experience that if you look good, you don't need a whole lotta variety.  It doesn't matter if you rotate through the same eight tops -- people just notice that you look good.

For inspiration on having a limited wardrobe:  someone on this forum pointed out that Suze Orman has one pair of earrings total in her wardrobe.  (Google some pics of her -- she really does have only one pair, and they look great on her.)  Isn't that amazing?   

Empire Business

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #206 on: January 19, 2014, 05:01:04 PM »
I can easily join this, but my exception will be replacement of items that are legit destroyed.  I am especially hard on shoes thanks to walking everywhere.  My everyday winter pair right now already has a couple of small holes.

A tip for the tights wearers!  If your hair is long enough for bands to be helpful, take the non destroyed parts of the tights legs and cut into 2-3" bands.  No great loss of tights without some small gain of scrunchies.  (IMO they look classier than the commercial poofy scrunchies too.)  The cut ends will roll and not show, no one will notice your repurposing.

oldtoyota

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #207 on: January 19, 2014, 07:35:35 PM »
Doc said I need polarized sunglasses. Good news it that I never needed regular glasses in the first place, and so I don't have to buy new regular glasses this year!

The bad news is that those polarized glasses I bought in December have grown painful to wear. They pinch, and it took me a bit to catch on to what was happening. So, I bought another pair of polarized glasses today on sale.

Wow, my sunnies cost $35! Well done. I looked up different levels of sunglasses quality, and couldn't work out where mine fitted... But they're cancer council approved, so that's good enough for me for now.

Yow! The regular price was $15, and I thought *that* was a lot.


oldtoyota

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #208 on: January 19, 2014, 07:36:25 PM »


A tip for the tights wearers!  If your hair is long enough for bands to be helpful, take the non destroyed parts of the tights legs and cut into 2-3" bands.  No great loss of tights without some small gain of scrunchies.  (IMO they look classier than the commercial poofy scrunchies too.)  The cut ends will roll and not show, no one will notice your repurposing.

Great idea. Thanks!

Melody

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #209 on: January 20, 2014, 03:45:14 AM »
Awesome tip! Hair ties are so pricey for what they are and I seem to be loosing them/breaking them often!

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #210 on: January 20, 2014, 11:46:46 PM »
Bought a hat today! (Should really go back and check if that was on my allowed list). I'm pretty happy with it, $35, broad stiff brim so it won't flop in my eyes, black so it goes with everything, and I even took along a far more stylish colleague to help me pick it out so I know that it actually looks okay.

Nobody seems to wear hats in Perth but goddamit, it's 40 degrees and I'll burn in five minutes if I don't wear one. So I've decided that I don't care if I look like a dag.

I'm resisting buying more black flats, which definitely were on my allowed list. Trying to make do with what I have and remind myself that I still own more shoes than any person should. I think I only want to go buy more because of the ingrained anxiety around not having the right shoes to wear to work, caused by continually wearing out my black flats without lining up a suitable replacement. I own three pairs right now, so I should hang on until I'm down to one. And then maybe force myself to shell out on a decent pair (Frye?) so I can just get the sole replaced every year or so but keep the shoes.

Anatidae V

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #211 on: January 21, 2014, 01:02:38 AM »
Bought a hat today! (Should really go back and check if that was on my allowed list). I'm pretty happy with it, $35, broad stiff brim so it won't flop in my eyes, black so it goes with everything, and I even took along a far more stylish colleague to help me pick it out so I know that it actually looks okay.

Nobody seems to wear hats in Perth but goddamit, it's 40 degrees and I'll burn in five minutes if I don't wear one. So I've decided that I don't care if I look like a dag.

I'm resisting buying more black flats, which definitely were on my allowed list. Trying to make do with what I have and remind myself that I still own more shoes than any person should. I think I only want to go buy more because of the ingrained anxiety around not having the right shoes to wear to work, caused by continually wearing out my black flats without lining up a suitable replacement. I own three pairs right now, so I should hang on until I'm down to one. And then maybe force myself to shell out on a decent pair (Frye?) so I can just get the sole replaced every year or so but keep the shoes.
I have been wearing a stylish (as determined by me, so probably not actually) broad-brimmed straw hat around Perth! I need a string to stop it flying off my head, though.
I am also considering buying Frye shoes, but need to look into their policy for returning shoes that don't fit first. Or see if anyone in Perth sells 'em, so I can try them out. My other option is Merrel/barefoot type shoes, which I think might be more comfy, but I can't imagine getting them for anything other than casual wear (I'm thinking just their sandals, not actual "barefoot" shoes...)

My first thing to do, though, is wash my stinky flats (yellow. erm, kinda work suitable) and see if I can get more wear out of at least 1 pair that way.

oldtoyota

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #212 on: January 21, 2014, 11:45:09 AM »
I had a conundrum. The place where I bought clothes in December gave me a $25 coupon. I thought about ignoring it because I don't want to break my no-clothes-buying streak. Then, I saw they sell non-clothing items, so I might buy a household item for a family's birthday gift. It feels weird though.

Something I noticed while on the store's website is that I once again had no desire to buy clothes. That was nice to learn. =-)

smalllife

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #213 on: January 21, 2014, 12:16:17 PM »
I might make another exception . . . .

I had a semi-formal dress that got me through college, but when I broke it out for a holiday party this year I realized it's not quite public appropriate anymore.  Body shape changes, higher standards (in the classy department), and all of that.  This leaves me with nothing above sundress for weddings and work functions.   I do have a LBD, but it's more cutsey than dressy with thick fabric that is suffocating in the summer.  So I am contemplating getting a cocktail dress. 

I feel that I'm justifying a purchase, but at the same time I know that it is something that would be needed this year and be useful to have on hand in general.  That and the dress I've had my eye on for two years came out in a lighter fabric at a lower price (when I knew a replacement was in the works, I went to see if it was still available).  Is this in the spirit of the gauntlet?  Probably not.  Am I still going to get it?  Yep. 

So gauntlet broken before January is over . . but fancy occasions covered and the old dress triggered another donation run through of the closet so I'll mark that as a wash.

oldtoyota

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #214 on: January 21, 2014, 06:15:49 PM »
I might make another exception . . . .

I had a semi-formal dress that got me through college, but when I broke it out for a holiday party this year I realized it's not quite public appropriate anymore.  Body shape changes, higher standards (in the classy department), and all of that.  This leaves me with nothing above sundress for weddings and work functions.   I do have a LBD, but it's more cutsey than dressy with thick fabric that is suffocating in the summer.  So I am contemplating getting a cocktail dress. 

I feel that I'm justifying a purchase, but at the same time I know that it is something that would be needed this year and be useful to have on hand in general.  That and the dress I've had my eye on for two years came out in a lighter fabric at a lower price (when I knew a replacement was in the works, I went to see if it was still available).  Is this in the spirit of the gauntlet?  Probably not.  Am I still going to get it?  Yep. 

So gauntlet broken before January is over . . but fancy occasions covered and the old dress triggered another donation run through of the closet so I'll mark that as a wash.

A few ideas...

1. If you have no pressing need right now, you could postpone the purchase. Maybe your next invitation will end up being in the summer and casual. Then, you could wear one of the sundresses.

2. On this board, I saw a link to a website on which a woman discussed her "use cases" for different outfits. I liked this approach and used it in December when I prepared not to buy clothing for 2014. I had a few holes that I thought needed filling (dealing with freezing office so needing layers that look nice, for instance).

#2 won't help you avoid the dress purchase, yet it might be useful in the future.



« Last Edit: January 22, 2014, 09:55:43 AM by oldtoyota »

smalllife

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #215 on: January 22, 2014, 05:37:22 AM »
A few ideas...

1. If you have no pressing need right now, you could postpone the purchase. Maybe your next invitation will end up being in the summer and casual. Then, you could wear one of the sundresses.

2. On this board, I saw a link to a website on which a woman discussed her "use cases" for different outfits. I liked this approach and used it in December when I prepared not to buy clothing for 2014. I had a few holes that I thought needed filling (dealing with freezing office so needing layers that look nice, for instance).

#2 won't help you not get the dress, yet it might be useful in the future.

While I can postpone a few months, I will need to do semi-formal at least twice this year.  It's not in the cards for another month or two as I run a tight budget with savings cranked up.

I do like the use cases idea and I've taken that into consideration for pretty much every other piece of clothing.   I dress up just for fun and will likely wear this dress to work, albeit dressed down a bit.  Colors are in line with my general palette so it won't be out of place.  (I still feel like I'm justifying, but that's probably mostly because I didn't see my old dress failing). 

CommonCents

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #216 on: January 22, 2014, 08:08:05 AM »
A few ideas...

1. If you have no pressing need right now, you could postpone the purchase. Maybe your next invitation will end up being in the summer and casual. Then, you could wear one of the sundresses.

2. On this board, I saw a link to a website on which a woman discussed her "use cases" for different outfits. I liked this approach and used it in December when I prepared not to buy clothing for 2014. I had a few holes that I thought needed filling (dealing with freezing office so needing layers that look nice, for instance).

#2 won't help you not get the dress, yet it might be useful in the future.

While I can postpone a few months, I will need to do semi-formal at least twice this year.  It's not in the cards for another month or two as I run a tight budget with savings cranked up.

I do like the use cases idea and I've taken that into consideration for pretty much every other piece of clothing.   I dress up just for fun and will likely wear this dress to work, albeit dressed down a bit.  Colors are in line with my general palette so it won't be out of place.  (I still feel like I'm justifying, but that's probably mostly because I didn't see my old dress failing).

Another option is to see if you can sell enough of your other clothes to make it a net-zero purchase.

ashley

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #217 on: January 24, 2014, 11:19:36 PM »
I've already failed at this. I bought two pairs of corduroy pants on clearance at Target for $7.50 each. They fit well and I couldn't pass them up.

To compensate, I'm giving away at least two unused articles of clothing. Hopefully more.

horsepoor

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #218 on: January 25, 2014, 10:21:47 AM »
It's so hard to pass up that kind of bargain!  Net zero isn't bad, though.

I've just about made it a month.  I think it was about December 26th that I ordered a bunch of fancy wool socks 75% off from Sierra Trading Post.  Haven't bought anything since then except for some inexpensive insoles for my boots, but I'm not counting those.  Staying away from the stores, and staying on task with shopping lists when I do need something is keeping any temptations at bay, with the side benefit of having more free time.

oldtoyota

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #219 on: January 25, 2014, 10:27:00 AM »
Still going strong over here! Also, got my grocery bill down to a "normal" level. This month is good.

Gray Matter

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #220 on: January 25, 2014, 10:41:34 AM »
This is harder than I thought it would be.  Not because I shop much or buy a lot of clothes, but I have discovered that I am in the habit of always being on the "look-out" for something that fits and isn't too expensive and looks decent on me.  That is because I am short and wide and the vast majority of clothes don't fit or look good on me.  I can't just decide I need some particular item of clothing and be guaranteed I'll be able to find it.  Thus the constant scanning.

BUT, I have enough clothes, and though some of them will eventually need to be replaced, I'm not in danger of having to go nekked in the next year, so I'm still committed.

sekritdino

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #221 on: January 25, 2014, 09:28:10 PM »
Just curious since so many people mention them as exceptions: how long do the representative Mustachian women in this thread wear their bras before replacing them? And how many bras do you own? :S

I'm probably going on 9 years for the one I'm wearing now. I have one other too-tight, strapless option that I've had for maybe 5 years.

I keep telling myself I *should* get a new bra, but I probably won't until mine falls apart.

I usually buy two new bras a year and rotate between them every few days. I start on the farthest out hooks and as the elastic stretches out naturally over time, I move in to the smaller and smaller hooks. Doing that with two bras lets them both last about a year before needing to be replaced. But if you're on NINE YEARS with one bra, you NEED TO BUY A NEW ONE RIGHT NOW! That cannot be giving you the support you need anymore!

golfer44

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #222 on: January 26, 2014, 07:30:34 AM »
Still going strong over here! Also, got my grocery bill down to a "normal" level. This month is good.

Ditto!

oldtoyota

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #223 on: January 26, 2014, 06:06:56 PM »
This is harder than I thought it would be.  Not because I shop much or buy a lot of clothes, but I have discovered that I am in the habit of always being on the "look-out" for something that fits and isn't too expensive and looks decent on me. 

Are you going to the mall or stores or shopping online? I am curious how you are on the lookout if you stay away from stores? And I also wondered if stores were sending you emails that are taking you to their websites?

When I am not in a store, my desires go waaaay down.


jrhampt

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #224 on: January 27, 2014, 12:32:14 PM »
I have failed.  Got some long johns at campmor (I think underwear was one of my exceptions, so this part wasn't so bad) and added an athletic shirt (on sale, but still) to get order up enough for free shipping.  And I also cheated by ordering a couple of dresses in December as a last hurrah.  Dresses didn't fit, so I returned them and then justified buying a pair of boots instead with the return credits. 

Melody

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #225 on: January 27, 2014, 04:00:46 PM »
Doing ok so far, but the natural attrition rate has been realy bad, so i am not sure if i can last the year.for now  just taking it one day at a time and hoping some of the items i am struggling without will come my way either as a gift or hand me down.

NinetyFour

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #226 on: January 27, 2014, 04:08:47 PM »
I have really no trouble buying new clothes.  I hate shopping anyway.  And I already have too many clothes.

I said earlier (near the beginning of this thread) that there are a couple things I might have to get this year.  I think I have to add a pair of shoes to that list.  I have been walking about 5 miles per work day for the last couple of weeks, and have begun to wonder how long this pair of shoes will last.  I have climbed many mountains with them during the last couple of summers.  When hiking season start up again in June, I may buy a new pair.  (I'm actually fairly disappointed that this pair didn't last longer.)

Gray Matter

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #227 on: January 28, 2014, 06:00:16 AM »
This is harder than I thought it would be.  Not because I shop much or buy a lot of clothes, but I have discovered that I am in the habit of always being on the "look-out" for something that fits and isn't too expensive and looks decent on me. 

Are you going to the mall or stores or shopping online? I am curious how you are on the lookout if you stay away from stores? And I also wondered if stores were sending you emails that are taking you to their websites?

When I am not in a store, my desires go waaaay down.

Not on-line.  Never on-line.  I probably have to try on 20 items of clothing before I find one that fits, so on-line shopping in a nightmare (plus, there are far more interesting things to do on-line, like hanging out here!).  It's more if I happen to be out with a friend and she wants to stop somewhere.  Or, sometimes at work I'll get the urge to shop during lunch. 

But now that I think about it, I think it's more the "break with a destination" that is appealing to me, not the actual shopping (honestly, I don't really like shopping).  So I just need to think of other reasons to step away from my desk that involve an end goal (wandering aimlessly isn't appealing to me, though that probably means I need to!).  But the library is only a few blocks away from work, and I've been meaning to go to the library more, so perhaps I should do something like that.  In fact, I will, today!

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #228 on: January 28, 2014, 06:41:19 AM »
I had a conundrum. The place where I bought clothes in December gave me a $25 coupon.

This happened to me at the Gap, so I broke my streak and bought a black pencil skirt (which I've wanted for a few months).  With a discount and the coupon, I ended up spending about $15, but I've made about $200 selling old clothing on ebay this month, so I'm not terribly concerned.  I might even use the rest of my ebay money for wardrobe maintenance as summer approaches. 

oldtoyota

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #229 on: January 28, 2014, 06:56:19 AM »
I have been walking about 5 miles per work day for the last couple of weeks, and have begun to wonder how long this pair of shoes will last.  I have climbed many mountains with them during the last couple of summers.  When hiking season start up again in June, I may buy a new pair.  (I'm actually fairly disappointed that this pair didn't last longer.)

I find that Merrills last a long time. I also walk a lot to and from work and go through shoes pretty quickly. However, the Merrills really hang in there.

I bought a pair of shoes to replace my walking shoes back in my break in December, so I'm set for 2014. The brand is European and starts with an "R." It's supposed to be high quality, but I have not had the shoes long enough to know if that is true. Hope this helps!


oldtoyota

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #230 on: January 28, 2014, 06:59:27 AM »
I had a conundrum. The place where I bought clothes in December gave me a $25 coupon.

This happened to me at the Gap, so I broke my streak and bought a black pencil skirt (which I've wanted for a few months).  With a discount and the coupon, I ended up spending about $15, but I've made about $200 selling old clothing on ebay this month, so I'm not terribly concerned.  I might even use the rest of my ebay money for wardrobe maintenance as summer approaches.

Sounds like a good solution for you!

The store, Modcloth, sells non-clothing items. So, I ended up using the coupon to get something I might either give away as a gift or keep for us. It's a household item, so it all worked out. =-)

I would love to get some long johns because it's really cold. However, I am going to make do with what I've got instead.

I am wearing three layers on top, two layers on my legs (long socks might count as three), and a hat. And I am inside. Brrrr... I have a pair of socks on, a pair of sock slippers, and a pair of shoes....Still, brrrr.....





NinetyFour

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #231 on: January 28, 2014, 07:10:30 AM »
I have failed.  Got some long johns at campmor (I think underwear was one of my exceptions, so this part wasn't so bad) and added an athletic shirt (on sale, but still) to get order up enough for free shipping.  And I also cheated by ordering a couple of dresses in December as a last hurrah.  Dresses didn't fit, so I returned them and then justified buying a pair of boots instead with the return credits. 

Wow--I'm really surprised, jrhampt.  I had always assumed you were a man--but now I'm shocked to find that you are a cross dressing man!!

;-)

NinetyFour

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #232 on: January 28, 2014, 07:19:04 AM »


I find that Merrills last a long time. I also walk a lot to and from work and go through shoes pretty quickly. However, the Merrills really hang in there.

I bought a pair of shoes to replace my walking shoes back in my break in December, so I'm set for 2014. The brand is European and starts with an "R." It's supposed to be high quality, but I have not had the shoes long enough to know if that is true. Hope this helps!



Yes, that does help.  Thanks.  The shoes need to be durable enough for mountain climbing as well as walking.  I bet Merrill has some that are.

Outside Magazine has really good things to say about these:

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/footwear/hiking-shoes/Terrex-Fast-X-GTX.html

I'm not very excited about paying $165 for them, though!

CommonCents

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #233 on: January 28, 2014, 08:11:28 AM »
I had a conundrum. The place where I bought clothes in December gave me a $25 coupon.

This happened to me at the Gap, so I broke my streak and bought a black pencil skirt (which I've wanted for a few months).  With a discount and the coupon, I ended up spending about $15, but I've made about $200 selling old clothing on ebay this month, so I'm not terribly concerned.  I might even use the rest of my ebay money for wardrobe maintenance as summer approaches.

I've been donating old clothing.  $200 sounds great.  What are your tricks?  Are there any types of clothing that are better to sell (besides tags on...)?

jrhampt

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #234 on: January 28, 2014, 08:30:37 AM »
I have failed.  Got some long johns at campmor (I think underwear was one of my exceptions, so this part wasn't so bad) and added an athletic shirt (on sale, but still) to get order up enough for free shipping.  And I also cheated by ordering a couple of dresses in December as a last hurrah.  Dresses didn't fit, so I returned them and then justified buying a pair of boots instead with the return credits. 

Wow--I'm really surprised, jrhampt.  I had always assumed you were a man--but now I'm shocked to find that you are a cross dressing man!!

;-)

hahaha!!  No, I'm a woman with a serious weakness for buying new dresses.  I usually try to keep my posts/pronouns somewhat gender neutral, though, so good to know I have succeeded.

NinetyFour

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #235 on: January 28, 2014, 08:46:31 AM »
Sorry to have blown your cover!!

amyable

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #236 on: January 28, 2014, 05:47:56 PM »
This happened to me at the Gap, so I broke my streak and bought a black pencil skirt (which I've wanted for a few months).  With a discount and the coupon, I ended up spending about $15, but I've made about $200 selling old clothing on ebay this month, so I'm not terribly concerned.  I might even use the rest of my ebay money for wardrobe maintenance as summer approaches.

I've been donating old clothing.  $200 sounds great.  What are your tricks?  Are there any types of clothing that are better to sell (besides tags on...)?

I buy mostly J.Crew on deep sale off-season.  I don't know why, but in my experience J.Crew sells really well on eBay--even used.  I've tried similar brands (Banana Republic, Loft, etc.), but I do not get the same results.  No clue why? 

I've downsized my wardrobe pretty recently, and I'm hoping soon I'll be doing more "wearing out" and less getting tired of something and selling it.  :-)

marblejane

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #237 on: January 28, 2014, 11:40:58 PM »
 

I've downsized my wardrobe pretty recently, and I'm hoping soon I'll be doing more "wearing out" and less getting tired of something and selling it.  :-)

Haha, yes! I was weirdly proud a few months ago when I came home and realized that I had worn through the seat of my wool work pants thanks to downsizing my wardrobe and biking to work (luckily, the lining preserved my modesty).

brooklynmoney

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #238 on: January 30, 2014, 08:48:45 PM »
I know it's not a good sign that I didn't even make it one month and broke down, (and I don't even like clothes shopping), but I got a wool dress I can wear to work and out at night for $30 at Aritzia! They have the BEST end of season sales!!!!

oldtoyota

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #239 on: February 03, 2014, 02:50:13 PM »
I wish I'd made a use case for clothing for rain. Did not think of that!

My waterproof shoes are not really waterproof, and I walked to work in two puddles inside my shoes. My socks are still wet 8+ hours later. Ugh.

I might be able to get through the wet season by wearing a pair of semi-dressy Merrill boots that are waterproof. They are not really rain boots and are a little too nice and expensive for me to want to get them wet. Decisions. Decisions!

CommonCents

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #240 on: February 03, 2014, 03:03:30 PM »
I wish I'd made a use case for clothing for rain. Did not think of that!

My waterproof shoes are not really waterproof, and I walked to work in two puddles inside my shoes. My socks are still wet 8+ hours later. Ugh.

I might be able to get through the wet season by wearing a pair of semi-dressy Merrill boots that are waterproof. They are not really rain boots and are a little too nice and expensive for me to want to get them wet. Decisions. Decisions!

Solution: Bring a pair of socks to work to change into.  It doesn't help the part where you walk wet, but it will at least mean you aren't in misery hours later, because cold feet IS miserable!

nikki

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #241 on: February 05, 2014, 06:30:56 PM »
Just curious since so many people mention them as exceptions: how long do the representative Mustachian women in this thread wear their bras before replacing them? And how many bras do you own? :S

I'm probably going on 9 years for the one I'm wearing now. I have one other too-tight, strapless option that I've had for maybe 5 years.

I keep telling myself I *should* get a new bra, but I probably won't until mine falls apart.

I usually buy two new bras a year and rotate between them every few days. I start on the farthest out hooks and as the elastic stretches out naturally over time, I move in to the smaller and smaller hooks. Doing that with two bras lets them both last about a year before needing to be replaced. But if you're on NINE YEARS with one bra, you NEED TO BUY A NEW ONE RIGHT NOW! That cannot be giving you the support you need anymore!

My tiny Bs don't need much support. I feel like I just wear bras because that's what people do, and also to prevent my nipples from poking all around :-p

But I did buy a new one! Going strong.

Here's my update on Texas shopping. If you'll remember, I was grumpily preparing to find a suit and some shoes suitable for work. My grandmother paid for these items as my Christmas present, and I'm proud to say that it cost her even less than she expected ($300 was her target) because she used gift cards she got free from Horseshoe Casino. Once I heard she had Sears gift cards, I knew that's where I'd find my suit! And I *did*. I got a grey jacket, matching grey pants, and another pair of the same pants in black. They're cheap, but seemingly well-made and fit me nicely. Bonus: the jacket was 50% off, so only $30. Double bonus: everything is MACHINE WASHABLE!

Unfortunately, I couldn't find button-up shirts that I liked. Everything seemed so flimsy, see-through, or poorly cut. Or even low-cut, which I can't wear to work because I have a large chest piece (tattoo) I have to cover by buttoning up all the way, nerd style. We looked at a few other stores, including New York and Company, and didn't find squat.

Double unfortunately, the shoes I had my heart set on for almost a year simply didn't fit well. I tried on dozens of pairs of dress shoes at several stores and couldn't find anything that fit well or looked work appropriate... except for a pair of combat boots from Target. I initially was drawn to the boots because they're cute and fit my non-work style, but as my options for work shoes were dwindling down, I realized they could serve double duty and work at work. The biggest obstacle was finding the boot in black 11 (I know--I have giant feet. Makes it SO MUCH HARDER to find anything). I couldn't order them online, and the website said they were out of stock at most stores and in stock at a store they weren't. We checked every Target we passed, and one night we found them, but one of the zippers was off track. My boyfriend worked with the zipper a while in the store and we concluded they might be repairable, but I wasn't willing to pay full price for damaged shoes. Target only offered 10% off, so we passed. I was pretty bummed. BUT THEN!!! the day before I left, my mom and I magically found them at another Target after dropping my boyfriend off at the airport. We celebrated with empanadas, rosquitas, masitas, a cream puff, and coffee at a neighboring bakery. Huzzah!

I'm wearing the black pants and boots now, and must say that it looks sharp and totally work appropriate. Much better than the clunky loafers I was wearing before :S  I'm so happy things turned out well!

ALSO: I shopped my former wardrobe. When I moved to Korea, I stuffed as much as I could fit into my suitcases, but left many clothes behind. Most of what I left behind didn't hide my tattoos and therefore isn't work appropriate, but since it's been a couple years I decided to update my non-work wardrobe, too. Thankfully, I had a couple pairs of size 12 pants; I've lost weight since moving and all the pants I had in Korea were unflattering 14s. I ended up returning to Korea with an additional few more shirts, a couple pairs of jeans, socks, a smart wool coat (looks so good!), and a pair of sneakers.

TLDR; In Texas, I acquired:

Jacket and 2 pairs of slacks: $70, but covered with grandmother's free gift card
Boots: $40, but paid for by grandmother
Shirts, jeans, sneakers, socks, wool coat: $0, from own wardrobe
« Last Edit: February 05, 2014, 06:35:16 PM by nikki »

HappierAtHome

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #242 on: February 05, 2014, 07:31:08 PM »
My tiny Bs don't need much support. I feel like I just wear bras because that's what people do, and also to prevent my nipples from poking all around :-p

When I was an A cup I basically never wore a bra. I'd often wear a tight singlet under my tee shirt if I wanted a more rounded, less nippley look.

However, I was also a very perky and attractive teenager at the time, so it's possible I looked like an idiot and nobody ever told me. Also possible that the slow sag would have made that impossible by now even if I was still an A.

Anatidae V

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #243 on: February 05, 2014, 07:47:38 PM »
It took me 4 years of university to go from wearing no bra to wearing one all the time, and another 2 to discover really comfortable bras. I wear a size 12c when I need easier movement, and a 10D when I want more support... And nothing when I don't feel like it (around the house, maybe to the shops when wearing a jumper over the top). These comfy ones haven't worn out yet, but I'd guess their life at 2-3 years worn 1-2 times per week each.

nikki

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #244 on: February 06, 2014, 01:37:38 AM »
I completely forgot the most "valuable" acquisition during my Texas trip: a designer Dooney & Bourke purse worth $150.

I asked my grandmother if I could look through her old purses and pick out a nice black one since I've been using a Hello Kitty tote bag as a purse for months, and she pulled this one out (covered in dust). She won it in a raffle at her weight loss club with I think $20 worth of tickets and never used it because it's too small for her (so why'd she try to win the raffle?!).

I feel a little silly carrying around such an expensive purse, but knowing that I didn't pay for it and my grandmother didn't pay the actual price makes me feel a little better about it. I think a better course would have been to try to sell the damn thing and just use the cheap black bag I found, but oh well...

What would you have done?

horsepoor

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #245 on: February 06, 2014, 06:40:34 AM »
Keep it an enjoy it.  Those D&B bags last forever, so think of it as preventing waste from running through cheap bags over the long run.

I've been carrying a Coach bag (bought used on Ebay) for almost 5 years.  I abuse the crap out of it, and it just gets better with age.

lifejoy

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #246 on: February 07, 2014, 06:52:07 AM »
Just wanted to mention that I've been going strong! Thanks for the inspiration :)

golfer44

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #247 on: February 07, 2014, 07:46:49 AM »
What would you have done?

Honestly, I'd have been a little more grateful. I could be off base here, but wow.

nikki

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #248 on: February 07, 2014, 07:19:49 PM »
What would you have done?

Honestly, I'd have been a little more grateful. I could be off base here, but wow.

You could be off base :)

Prairie Gal

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Re: No Clothes Shopping in 2014
« Reply #249 on: February 07, 2014, 08:03:11 PM »
I am still in as well. Glanced longingly at the summer clothes yesterday, but averted my eyes and kept on walking. lol.