My shopping guidelines for 2013
Illustration by me – click for the wallpaper edition (with a different text)
About a month ago I decided to make me some shopping guidelines for 2013:
1. As a general rule, I won’t buy any clothes or accessories from ordinary stores, only vintage/second hand shops.
2. No new nail polish purchases, except if I need to replace my base coat or fast-drying topcoat. A thinner is also allowed, so the polishes I own won’t get so thick I can’t use them.
3. When it comes to makeup, I’m only allowed to buy two new lipsticks this year. Excluding those, no new makeup unless I need to repurchase something of which I’ve run out.
4. When it comes to shoes, I know I’ll need new everyday shoes for spring/summer, so that’s allowed. But I can’t buy ballerina flats from H&M, they need to be of good quality and take good care of my feet.
5. No more bags, just to get my favourite one fixed so I can use it again (the shoulder strap broke last summer).
6. As for magazines, ELLE Collections is allowed, but nothing more, as I can read it all at work or online anyway.
7. Replacing knickers/tights/socks is okay, and I plan to invest in some new bras that actually fit me.
8. Buying fabric to sew things myself is okay, but only if I have a specific creation in mind and know I have time to sew it within a month. I’m investing in a quality sewing machine, which means if there’s a hole in my wardrobe I can (hopefully!) fill it by making something myself. In that way it will fit my requirements perfectly, and I won’t have to settle for something that isn’t right for me. This will also enable me to make adjustments to clothes I already own.
Why all these rules, you ask? Well, there are several reasons. Firstly, that I’m very much liking the idea of less stuff in general. Before I left Oslo for the holidays I decluttered the kitchen cabinets, my things in the bathroom (makeup and skin care), and my jewelry. It felt so good to get rid of the things I don’t really use! The goal isn’t to have as little stuff as possible, but simply not to have things I don’t need. I suspect the excellent book “The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide” by Francine Jay (who also has a blog about the subject, here) has a lot to do with it.
My second reason has to do with style. I have a theory that people who are the kind of stylish I want to be, don’t tend to have heaps and heaps of clothes crammed into several closets. I think it will be much easier to get dressed, and to only wear clothes that are perfect for me (both shape- and colour-wise) if my wardrobe isn’t full of impulse buys. Also, buying vintage/second hand, or making things myself, means the items will be more special, as they can’t be found in hundreds of shops all over the world.
Third, it will be good for both my economy and the environment. Every time I think about it, I find it slightly disturbing that what’s most normal is to buy completely new clothes, not second hand, considering how many second hand clothes there are out there. The amount of clothes that are rotting away or simply being burnt out there is staggering. Now, I’m not saying that every time you buy something new you’re doing a horrible thing, I just think the whole system is so out of balance that I want to change how I deal with it all.
I’m aware I probably will slip from time to time, and that’s okay, I won’t hate myself for it. What I’m really trying to do is change how I think (and feel!) about making purchases. It has to be said I’m not much of a shopaholic to begin with, so my guidelines probably won’t be as hard for me as they would be for someone who’s used to going shopping every week. Still, not being a shopaholic is no reason to rest on my laurels, right? Also, I feel that these guidelines are just enough of a challenge for me. Buying nothing for an entire year simply wouldn’t be realistic, especially considering my job.
I’d love to hear if you guys have any shopping “resolutions” for 2013, so feel free to share in the comments. Oh, and happy new year!
Tror jeg skal holde meg til mange av de samme reglene. Jeg har ikke store forbruket når det kommer til sminke, men nå har jeg det jeg trenger og kommer nok ikke til å kjøpe nytt før jeg går tom. Når det gjelder klær.. Vel, der kan jeg alltids bli bedre. Skal prøve å finne second hand jeg også. Men det er vanskelig, spesielt bukser. Men nå har jeg de buksene jeg trenger, så forhåpentligvis slipper jeg å kjøpe bukser i 2013.
Gode tips (kaller det tips, selv om det egentlig ikke var det direkte) som vanlig. Takk
Godt nytt år!
Vi kan vel alle bli bedre, tror jeg
Så gøy at du også prøver deg på noe av det samme, jeg skal krysse fingrene for at det funker bra for deg. Bukser er det vanskeligste i verden å finne, selv om jeg faktisk har funnet flere som passer meg i bruktbutikker enn i “vanlige” butikker. Det beste er, som du sier, å ikke trenge å kjøpe noen rett og slett 
Og godt nytt år til deg også.
So much inspiration in this post! I have also been decluttering my life lately, both my apartment and my closet. I’ve taken a ton of clothes in to a second hand shop that pays cash for your clothes, and am trying to only buy new items when they can fill a whole in my wardrobe. I have also stopped buying new makeup (except to replace what’s old/empty), purses (since I never use them anyway), and shoes (I have way too many I never wear).
While I wish I could add “only buy at second hand shops” to my list, I have this weird revulsion against wearing used clothes (to the point where I don’t even try on clothes at stores if it can be avoided). What can I say, I’m a germaphobic, and I just can’t make myself do it..
Good luck on keeping to your guidelines in 2013, and Happy New Year!:)
Wow, you’ve done a great job
And isn’t it interesting how getting rid of stuff makes you want to get rid of even _more_ stuff, not go shopping for new things? I’ve got The Major and Ultimate Closet Cleanout coming up (and yes, I will blog about it, of course), I’m so excited!
As for your thoughts about second hand clothes, you’re perfectly allowed to feel that way. We all have our… odd qualities, after all. I, for instance, cannot bear to wear wet socks, and wet towels on the bathroom floor give me the heebie-jeebies. But we make up for it in other ways, like being generally wonderful women, don’t we?
Thank you for your encouragement, and happy new year to you, too!
Hi Nina and Maria. How do you feel about this concept? For those who don’t feel confortable with second hand?
http://www.portrayy.com
Thank you for your posts
Love this concept! My closet/bedroom would certainly benefit.
Best of luck!
Thank you, Lydia!
I think my only shopping related resolution for 2013 will be to stop wasting money on little impulse buys that either just fall apart after I’ve worn it a few times or doesn’t even fit my body right. I’ll try to stick to this, but it won’t be easy.
Good luck with yours!
Ah, the impulse buys. They’re nasty little devils, aren’t they? So sneaky. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you! And thank you
I have to say that I wish that I had the restraint and control to be able to do everything that you have outlined in this post. I’d like to spend the year being a more thoughtful consumer, and creating less waste. I’ve heard of blogs where they declutter by getting rid of one thing every day for the year – so 365 things by the end of the year, something I might try! All the best of luck in your resolution x
One of my friends is doing this right now, except that she is doing 10 items a day, for a total 3650 things in a year! She’s already way ahead of schedule after the first month or so, and she makes it seem very easy:)
If I’m being completely honest with myself, I anticipate I’ll slip up at least once or twice, but, as you say, it’s the change of _attitude_ that’s most important. I love that decluttering system; it’s so simple and quick that truly anyone can do it
Bra innlegg! Selv har jeg egentlig ikke så mange klær, også kjøper jeg ikke så mye nytt, bruker heller penger på DVD-er, ser det ut som. Men liker det å ikke ha så veldig mye ting over alt! Jeg har flyttet tre ganger i år og det er først når man må pakke sammen alt at man virkelig merker hvor mye man har. Bør nok ta en oppryddning igjen!
Lykke til med å følge guidelinene dine
Flytting er forferdelig, men samtidig fantastisk, siden man virkelig innser hvor mange TING man eier. Lykke til med oppryddingen, og takk
Great shopping resolutions. I have yet to post any myself. Just blogging ones for now.
Your blogging ones sound great! Good luck with the shopping ones
These rules sound great !
I got inspired by “minimalist” thinking about two years ago, and I can honestly say it changed my life. I got rid of a lot of things progressively, and almost STOPPED buying anything at all. True that when you start caring about the quality of potential buys (not even to mention the fairtrade/organic factor !), I’d say 99% of what you see in shops is easily eliminated. You end up not even being tempted.
But….there’s a but…… the problem now is : now I’m too serious. I can’t indulge and find a little comfort and fun in new stuff any more.
That’s just it, isn’t it? Once you realize a thing or two about how things are made, and transported, and sold, and disposed of, the urge to buy most of them just… goes away. Many people think my shopping guidelines sound so radical, but it honestly isn’t _that_ hard. I spent ten minutes browsing in an H&M the other day while waiting for someone (not to buy anything, but just to stay up-to-date for work), and the whole thing just felt so wrong for me.
As for going too far the other way, I can easily see that happening! Actually, that kinda got me thinking of a blog post… *writes down the idea* Thank you for the inspiration! And stick around, there might be a useful post for you coming up
[...] ever-lovely Maria of Lost in a Spotless Mind blogged about her 2013 shopping guidelines the other day, and I thought I’d follow suit with a post of my own. I’m no stranger to [...]
Ugh, I’m so slow at commenting these days!
These resolutions seem perfect for you. You are so good at shopping second hand after all – not like me, who buys a bunch of stuff at Salvation Army only to give it back to them again after a few months of guilt over not wearing it. Second hand for me ALWAYS seem to be “Meh, close enough”. You, on the other hind, find these perfect things that you actually wear! I envy you
Also, I’m going to sabotage your bag resolution, but only by giving you one. As soon as I’ve bought my Minkoff (on the 21st if I manage those 21 days without candy) you-know-who is off to you in the mail!
Also #2 – I blogged my own guidelines. But you knew that. I’m comment-baiting. Shame on me.
Oh, we all are – I just replied to a comment I received a month ago! But better late an’ all that jazz, right?
I suppose I am rather experienced at shopping second hand, but I do have a big advantage there. Most of my best buys are older stuff, which was made when the silhouette-and-height was rather perfect for me. Makes it much easier to find great things, I think, so I’m lucky that way.
And my bag resolution won’t be ruined if someone gives me a gift (and what a gift! She’s so lovely!), only if I buy one myself
Oh, and comment-baiting is always welcome here, so don’t you dare be ashamed!
Wow, your rules are soo strict, hope you stick with them
I agree with your thoughts on buying too much clothes we don’t need, it can be overwhelming and create mess in your life. Also, I recently started feeling kinda guilty of buying from H&M or Zara because I don’t like the whole “fast fashion” idea and using cheap workers to produce clothes that will become dump after a month…
It’s a little funny, becuse to me the rules don’t seem very strickt! What I’ve realized so far is that the hardest part is not to enter any regular shops simply out of habit. You know, when you’ve got ten minutes until your bus/tram/subway leaves and there’s an H&M right nearby, or you see that a shop on your way home from work has just changed their window exhibition. Once I actually go inside a shop, I realize that I no longer want 99% of the stuff in there, I just want something to do, or the thrill of the chase, or something that makes me feel good – all of which I can get in other ways
I completely agree with you on the concept of “fast fashion”, by the way. I think parts of the idea are good: that how much money one’s got shouldn’t decide how one gets to dress, or that the selection isn’t too limited. It has all definitely gone too far, though, and I’m worried about the price we eventually will have to pay for out cheap habits. The good thing is that if everybody does a little bit more thinking, and changes their shopping habits at least a _little_, it can still affect things on a larger scale. The solution doesn’t have to be as dramatic as my “don’t give these shops any money for a whole year”-thing, but something as simple as thinking twice before making a purchase will ultimately be good for everyone!
I’m really glad to know that I’m not the only one striving to be more conscious about my own shopping habits. I’ve been pondering on this subject for a long time whilst reading all the info I can gather about fast fashion and their incredibly low prices thanks to the exploitation of vulnerable people and the whole environment. It’s simply so wrong but the final outcomes seems very alluring for the average fashion fan that doesn’t see any further from his/her nose. I’m devising some personal guidelines too in order to avoid buying unnecessary stuff that will fall apart or be discarded in a matter of weeks.
I think it’s also important to realize that buying goods is not giving us any real enjoyment apart from the occasional thrill that vanishes as soon as we arrive home.
One thing I did the first days of this year was to unfollow all those blogs that promote consumerism mindlessly, you know, the typical posts of “what I bought this week”, the outfits that never ever repeat one item, I was getting really sick of all that and I really wonder when did “quantity” triumphed over “quality”… food for thought.
Very interesting post
Isn’t it a complete mystery how the world can be so incredibly advanced and forward-thinking in some areas, yet some areas seem stuck in the middle ages? The more I think about it, the more awful I feel about it all. And yes, I know what you mean about those “buy this-blogs”, I just can’t read them. The other day I read a comment (on a “fashion” forum, but still) from a girl who had bought twenty four bags of stuff… in two days. I just can’t wrap my head around it.
I’m glad you found my post interesting, Chio! I thought the same about your comment; it’s fascinating to hear what different people are thinking about shopping/consumerism
great post, maria, you have a brilliant blog!
i’m thinking of changing my shopping habits too, and only buying from charity shops and upcycling to make them more stylish (as charity shop clothes tend to be a bit… meh.)
Thank you, Annie, I’m thrilled you like it! As for charity shop clothes, I also find that many of them need small alterations to work for me. Still, the difference a change of buttons can make… changing the details can often be enough to transform a garment completely
I love the idea of not having a lot of stuff. I don’t have as much as most people do anyway but I still manage to fill the space. I’m slowly working my way through all the beauty products I have without buying so by the end of the year I should have it all contained in one space!
Aah, beauty products. It’s so easy to let those slip by the shopping filter, isn’t it? Just before Christmas (2012) I went through all my makeup and got rid of half of it. Haven’t missed it yet! Good luck on your “non-buying-plan”, my dear
[...] my new 2013 guidelines for shopping in mind, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I shop for vintage or second hand items. I was [...]
[...] shopping guidelines for 2013 are still going strong, but I’ve had to allow the purchase of three wardrobe staples. One of [...]