I always, I mean always, have new emails from all my favorite places. Barneys has a sale! Anthro has new styles! J.Crew has free shipping! Visit the Madewell jeans bar! Obviously these do not help me to stick to a no-purchase plan. So the question becomes~do I unsubscribe to their email blasts? The thought makes me cringe a little. True that fewer emails would be less temptation. I really like seeing the new styles and trends. Maybe I'll just start with a few vendors and see how it goes...
Would you unsubscribe?
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Today is the day!
For one year, beginning today, July 1, 2010, I will not purchase any new clothing or shoes for myself. This will be difficult.
Why this change?
I have a big closet. It's a pretty impressive size walk through with rods on both sides. And it is full. I have clothes in there from all the way back in high school (hello, mid 90s!) I've had to stop using plastic hangers and start using wire, store hangers (gotta love Limited hangers!) and Huggable hangers (yes I like them, and yes, they work pretty well). I bet there are several items that I have not worn since I moved into my place 5 years ago. I have work-out gear, casual wear, pajamas, formal dresses, work wear, 15+ suits, and lots of shoes (from Target all the way to the red-soled CL beauties). I bet I could wear a different outfit everyday for a year and never repeat, though that would be a different challenge altogether!
I've been contemplating this decision for a few monthes now. I was aware of my overgrown closet before that though. I was reading an organization magazine that said you should take all the hangers in the closet and face them the wrong way on the rod. When you wear something, you can then hang it the right way. After a given period of time, you are supposed to go through and evaluate all the clothes that you did not wear (hence, their hangers would still be facing the wrong way) and purge the majority of those items. I don't have to do this exercise. I already know that I don't wear even half of what is in my closet on a regular basis. Instead, I have my few go-to items that I wear in heavy rotation.
I do have a few exceptions that I have carved out for myself. Underwear, socks, nylons, and life changing event clothing are still allowed. What qualifies as a life changing event? My wedding, for one. It is true that I am not engaged yet, but my boyfriend is completely unpredicable so I figured I better plan just in case. On the off chance I end up being a bridesmaid or something, I suppose that is covered too, though I don't predict being a part of a wedding party anytime in the next year.
So, despite being a challenge, I predict that this will be a pretty rewarding experience. After all, we are living in a green era, and what could be more green than using what you already own? It will save me money, though I will miss all those fabulous sale finds from J.Crew, Limited, Macys, Anthro, rarely (but gloriously) Barneys, and several others. It should save me time reading email, because I can now delete all the great sale announcements from the previously mentioned stores of choice, though I may need to browse a few just for old times sake. I can't gain too much weight, because if I do, the clothes I own will no longer fit (and I refuse to classify weight gain as a life changing event!) The opposite is also true, but it's not like I'm going to starve myself down to a 6 anytime soon anyway! It will give me an opportunity to rediscover the items in my closet, and get rid of things I will never, ever wear. I can donate all my unwanted items to a thrift store, where someone else will hopefully purchase them and wear them. And, should I ever need to move into a space where I will be downsizing my closet size (married life, perhaps?), I will have few less things to move.
All in all, I am excited by the possibilities of the challenge.
Anyone with me?
For one year, beginning today, July 1, 2010, I will not purchase any new clothing or shoes for myself. This will be difficult.
Why this change?
I have a big closet. It's a pretty impressive size walk through with rods on both sides. And it is full. I have clothes in there from all the way back in high school (hello, mid 90s!) I've had to stop using plastic hangers and start using wire, store hangers (gotta love Limited hangers!) and Huggable hangers (yes I like them, and yes, they work pretty well). I bet there are several items that I have not worn since I moved into my place 5 years ago. I have work-out gear, casual wear, pajamas, formal dresses, work wear, 15+ suits, and lots of shoes (from Target all the way to the red-soled CL beauties). I bet I could wear a different outfit everyday for a year and never repeat, though that would be a different challenge altogether!
I've been contemplating this decision for a few monthes now. I was aware of my overgrown closet before that though. I was reading an organization magazine that said you should take all the hangers in the closet and face them the wrong way on the rod. When you wear something, you can then hang it the right way. After a given period of time, you are supposed to go through and evaluate all the clothes that you did not wear (hence, their hangers would still be facing the wrong way) and purge the majority of those items. I don't have to do this exercise. I already know that I don't wear even half of what is in my closet on a regular basis. Instead, I have my few go-to items that I wear in heavy rotation.
I do have a few exceptions that I have carved out for myself. Underwear, socks, nylons, and life changing event clothing are still allowed. What qualifies as a life changing event? My wedding, for one. It is true that I am not engaged yet, but my boyfriend is completely unpredicable so I figured I better plan just in case. On the off chance I end up being a bridesmaid or something, I suppose that is covered too, though I don't predict being a part of a wedding party anytime in the next year.
So, despite being a challenge, I predict that this will be a pretty rewarding experience. After all, we are living in a green era, and what could be more green than using what you already own? It will save me money, though I will miss all those fabulous sale finds from J.Crew, Limited, Macys, Anthro, rarely (but gloriously) Barneys, and several others. It should save me time reading email, because I can now delete all the great sale announcements from the previously mentioned stores of choice, though I may need to browse a few just for old times sake. I can't gain too much weight, because if I do, the clothes I own will no longer fit (and I refuse to classify weight gain as a life changing event!) The opposite is also true, but it's not like I'm going to starve myself down to a 6 anytime soon anyway! It will give me an opportunity to rediscover the items in my closet, and get rid of things I will never, ever wear. I can donate all my unwanted items to a thrift store, where someone else will hopefully purchase them and wear them. And, should I ever need to move into a space where I will be downsizing my closet size (married life, perhaps?), I will have few less things to move.
All in all, I am excited by the possibilities of the challenge.
Anyone with me?
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