Why I will probably never stop buying clothes

Anyone who knows me knows that I love my clothes (almost as much as my food)!

When I first got a part time job at 14, all my income was spent in Topshop. This was then later divided between alcohol and Topshop, but for a while it was mainly Topshop. When I was in 6th form and I got my first car, I would spend my free periods driving down the motorway to Bicester Outlet Village, stocking up on Tommy Hilfiger Polos and LK Bennett heels. I then, almost unsurprisingly, went on to study fashion in London and spent most of my student loan on outfits for nights out – one can never be seen in the same outfit twice!

I would spend my free periods driving down the motorway to Bicester Outlet Village, stocking up on Tommy Hilfiger Polos and LK Bennett heels.

Since joining the working world, I have grown to understand the value of money (well, kinda) and, with the constant flat moving which comes with London life, appreciate that I probably don’t need five wardrobes full of clothes – this actually isn’t an exaggeration, I could probably fill seven or maybe eight. I’ve also worked out that I now spend about 70% of my life in ‘work clothes’ so the need for 100s of party dresses has dramatically reduced.

My parents are moving house this year and, as I am now fairly settled in London and look unlikely to move back home again (but we’ve said that before…), have decided that ‘my room’ will also be the ‘guest room’. Therefore, I have been told quite clearly that I need to have a ‘good clear out’.

Charity shops can ‘rag’ almost everything, this recycles the material so there is no need for land fill, and they get a couple of pound for each bag, too.

Following Leanne’s advice, I have sorted my clothes into keep, eBay, and charity shop piles. Note that there isn’t a ‘bin’ pile – this is because charity shops can ‘rag’ almost everything, this recycles the material so there is no need for land fill, and they get a couple of pound for each bag, too. Listing items on eBay was a slow process and selling isn’t as quick as I had hoped, but I’m persevering – getting super excited each time one sells. ‘One more down!’, I tell myself, and send my mum an excited text. I’m even putting the money I make into a separate account which I am enjoying seeing build up.

However, despite all these good intentions and actions, I am still buying clothes. I am writing this blog on the train home from Liverpool where I went to view a venue for work. On my walk back to the station, I passed a Cancer Research shop. I popped in and came out with a Topshop dress (£4.95), Forever 21 top (£2.95), and a Kisaiya sports bra (£3.75, new with tags on), and I don’t even feel bad!

I have learnt to appreciate that I probably don’t need five wardrobes full of clothes – this actually isn’t an exaggeration.

So, why do I keep spending? Partly, and there’s no way to get around this, I am a shopaholic. I just love buying things. They are pretty and they make me happy, this is bad but true.

Another reason is because, although I still have almost the entire contents of the wardrobe of my 18 year old self, my life has changed a lot since then. I don’t go out clubbing much, but when I do it’s nice to have outfits to choose from. Instead, I go to the gym much more so I’m slowly building up a good collection of gym kit. When I graduated I had a large wardrobe of casual clothes – good for weekend but not so good for work. Around 80% of what I buy now are ‘work clothes’ but I work in quite a casual office so black jeans count in this!

I am a shopaholic. I just love buying things. They are pretty and they make me happy.

Like most people, my weight fluctuates. I have a lot of clothes that fit when I’m ‘skinny me’ or ‘fatter me’ but I buy for ‘current me’. When I got back from Burkina Faso last summer, I had put on a lot of weight and barely any of my clothes fitted me, so I bought some new stuff. I’m optimistic that I’m going to get back to my skinny self but until then the ‘skinny clothes’ are in the back of the wardrobe.

Finally, fashions change! I wouldn’t call myself a huge fashion follower, but in my collection of 20+ pairs of jeans, at least seven of these are flared from way back before skinny jeans became a thing. Luckily flares are now back in, so I can wear them again – thank goodness I saved them.