The Completely Crazy 2013 Clothes Challenge

trishx

trishx wrote: »

Right, I don't think I've really been trying very hard with this challenge so I'm going to attempt a no spend* March :eek:

*I have a handful of eBay saved searches for items I have owned previously and loved but which either I've lost, wore out, or I want the same in a different colour / size. Some of these never come up and I could probably bid quite high for them if they did, others come up all the time and I have a max price which I would pay for them. I am going to consider these "fair game" but I'm not allowed to make any whim purchases. Slightly non-commitive definition of "no spend" but hopefully it will do the trick.

Well, so much for my big declaration - today I went shopping.

It started off within my constraints above. I ordered a dress online in the Christmas sales last year, it was originally £200, I paid £100 but in the end I decided I still couldn't justify it so returned it. Part of the reason was, what really appealed to me was the way it was styled in the photo online, with a brown / orange floral pu$$y bow blouse underneath (it's a v neck) - that blouse was sold out already at the time (I had one in 3 sizes too big in my basket but it disappeared as I went to check out ). I've had the dress in my ebay saved searches for months and I'd never seen one come up at all, until last week, one came up and it was in my size! I won it but upon trying it on again I decided I did really need a blouse to go underneath, I tried on everything which might have been suitable in my wardrobe, scoured the internet and then finally headed for the shops.

To cut a long story short(er) I got a blouse from River Island - it's ok but not perfect. It was £20 and I have had a £20 RI gift voucher for over 3 years so I didn't feel too guilty about buying it.

Trouble is, I also got a bag - TKMaxx had obviously just had a delivery of Nica bags and there was a mustard satchel that caught my eye. I haven't bought a handbag since the four of the same Mulberry handbag blip last January and the practicalities of a larger bag with shoulder strap for my upcoming trips..... well, you get the idea.

So:

Dress from ebay = £22.00
Blouse from River Island = £20.00 (although this was a voucher I'm still counting it).
Nica bag = £19.99

£197.58 / £500

Oh but I have also continued with my "restyling" exercise. I had two cropped jackets which never got any wear.

One was black boucle material, I bought it in 2008, it had three big covered buttons at the top and the rest of it was open (a swing coat I think it's called). I tried it on and noted that the sleeves were ridiculously long on me and I wasn't really a fan of the flare and the buttons made it look childish. So, I took the sleeves up (3 inches!), removed the buttons and sewed poppers all the way up it. It's a completely different jacket, it even looks quite Chanel stylee, I may add some trim to it.

The other jacket, I've had since 2005 and is full on brown / yellow herringbone tweed, I actually got it out for fancy dress and I was astonished that I could still do it up. Again the sleeves were far too long (they also had a slight bell to them which made the effect worse) so I took them up (only 1.5 inches this time as there were cuff buttons). I really quite like it again, I wore it out yesterday with a denim skirt and boots, I'm not sure it's a look I can pull off though - it's a bit "two Ralph Lauren brats short of a Chelsea tractor".

Anyway - those are my adventures to date. Well done everyone who got the little jumping jacks! :j

miss_empty_piggy

Almost broke the seal of my spending pot on a blue jacket for £2.95 from a local CS. It's really nice and I probably would wear it, but am afraid that if I break the seal I will just go on a spree and I really don't want to do that. x

elly68

ahh well £21 spend to declare although hoodie, leggins and top so happy with the spend .so96/400.interestingly though most spent on me and dd ,think its because the boys got lots for xmas .Did do thr drycleaning for hubby as he wears suits and its now £20 for 2 suits gone are the days of 3 items for a tenner.

SmarterNotHarder

Just popping in to decalre a spend!!

I spent £24.99 on a pair of brown walking trainers to replace my knackered pair as put in the list in my first post! Yay me!!

so Total spend is now #50 £32.99/240

citizenkitten

lotti379 wrote: »

I had a no spend January!!

Well done Lotti! good to see your first month was a flying success!

mad_scientist wrote: »

Congrats on buying your wedding dress citizenkitten :j

Could I be a pest and declare a belated No Spend Jan and Feb? I would have declared before if I knew there were happy little jumping chappies to be got I am aiming for another in March too.

Yay jumping chappies for you!! and thanks, I had a dress in mind but the price I didnt LOL! so exit swiftly and went and got something different.

debbiedeejay wrote: »

Well done citizenkitten on buying your wedding dress! Big congratulations:T

Yes I am up for a Mini mad March challenge! I don't think I shall be buying but you never know definitely need to check buttons on a couple of pairs of work trousers and I think one of the zips has bust too - can do most repairs but hate doing zips.

YAY a fellow Mini Marcher!
I am doing well 13 days in, over a 3rd of the way in and NO SPENDS TO DECLARE!! How about you?? the cold weather is really helping me not go anywhere.

miss empty piggy i was quite reluctant at first to wedding dress shop as I normally know what will suit me and just go and buy it, but this.... this was a minefield of uncertainty, but after a few goes I really enjoyed it. thanks

Trishx - well done on restyling those jackets, sound tres chic! I love the sound of the tweed jacket but then I LOVE TWEED! so scratchy and wam lol

002 still at 214.73/500

EchoDelta

Hi everyone!

2013 is the year of frugal living for me! I have been lurking this thread for a while and would now like to take the plunge and join please if I may.

I haven't bought any clothes for me so far this year (giant new leaf turned over since January!) and thinking about it I really shouldn't need anything for ages. I could really do with a new pair of wellies (current pair tight on calves so I slit them down the back and they're just a bit crap really - although they do keep water out so I should probably just live with it!) and I very much hope to need some maternity wear before the end of the year.

So I will endeavour to stick to a budget of £100 until the end of the year. To include footwear, clothes, undies, accessories - the whole shebang.

*gulp*

thrifty-hayley

Hi just checking in to declare a £48 spend on a jumper, a long top/dress for when the weather gets a little warmer... if it does lol and some bras/underwear. Still think I'm doing quite well, new total £62/£500 :j

FlacosFloozie

After a no spend Feb I have to declare my first spends of the year. All in the sale and all things I need and hopefully should be good quality and last... can you tell I'm justifying :rotfl:

Right £ 25 on pair of trousers for work £25 on chunky knit warm cardie £20 on 2 patterned long sleeve tops.

Total £70/250

mcculloch29

I haven't spent anything on me but it's transferred. I decided that my DGC HAD to have new clothes at Easter...! Just 3 items and 2 reduced, microfleece pyjamas for DGD in Primarni, £3 from £7. A T-shirt for DGS, £2 from £4 and a pair of shorts that weren't reduced, £4... This is all in sharp contrast to the Primarni bags that used to cross the threshold more or less on a weekly basis (for me!).

medsdemon

Whoops.. was dropped in town early before work on friday and needed tights so nipped into M*rkies and they had a sale on so obviously had a browse through the rails and found 3 things I liked after trying stuff on.. a stripy light knit sweater dress perfect for wearing now for £14.50, a cardie I've been hankering after for ages with a feather print that has full length sleeves for £19.50 and a sweater in soft grey to wear with almost anything for £12.50.. plus tights for £3.

They are all things I will wear to death I know and plain enough to jazz up with accessories and go with things I already have in my wardrobe. In fact I've worn the sweater and the dress already:D so I'm not feeling guilty.

Now I will need to buy a couple of new Primarni Tees for summer, some flat pumps as my last years are worn out after wearing them every day all through last summer, a new summery colour handbag, as my bags are pretty dog-eared but am thinking about making a couple of fabric ones but need to find fabric cheap in a bright summery colour. and then my shopping will consist of buying just accessories to jazz up and update my clothes. (scarves, bold necklaces etc!!).*whispers* I would like a wee light jacket, maybe a blazer or chanel style one but I will hunt CS''s and I will make it my mission:rotfl:

Total updated to: £99.60 for 041