That’s so funny about the organza tie bag Zaeobi! A fairly serious thread so a laugh is good. I don’t think cheap is necessarily best, but I do think there is overcharging too, so a discounted price on a better quality item is something I do hope for. I did once talk to the owner of my favourite shoe shop about that, I sort of apologised because I said I usually bought the shoes on sale. And he said look it’s OK, we need customers like you too, we do need to clear the stock. Which was sweet of him I thought !

Bijou and Sloper, thank you both. I like that you do lots of Excel Sloper! I think it’s the modern equivalent of my mother’s budgeting notebooks she used to do in the 1960s-80s! I haven’t done budgets but overall we are not huge spenders ( husband’s upbringing similar to mine) so we have tended to watch the spend in general and have surpluses. The times that we have been short of money ( when we had third child in particular) I have been very good at “tightening the belt” as it were.
And Bijou thank you for the compliments. I also am trying to remember that the most sustainable items are already in my wardrobe. I found I am reading the small number of fashion magazines I still have more in that way, as in what do I have similar to this, if I like a vibe.

Jenni, I greatly admire your organization and thoughtful approach. I like numbers, but for whatever reason have not had the wherewithal or diligence to keep track of my wardrobe. In retrospect, I had no clue how to create a wardrobe until I joined this forum and I am still learning.

In the 5 years before I started on the forum, in my mid 40’s, I realized I finally had some time and some money saved and that I could pay attention to myself, since I never had before. However, right about that time there were multiple painful losses....I went overboard. Shopping inappropriately quelled my emotional pain. I think you have always known me as someone with an extra large wardrobe, but that has definitely not been the case. I had a very small, not well fitting but functional wardrobe, mostly purchased from Eddie Bauer and Lands End, until my mid 40’s. It took around 5 years, with the help of this forum, to feel reasonably confident with my personal style. My purchasing decelerated over time as I gained that confidence. I have significantly decreased closet overload, but it is still a work in progress. My wardrobe remains moderately large. All this to say that your posts, (and Jenny’s) have been among the most motivating to me for reigning in my emotional purchases, regaining control, and getting things back in order. I do not have a numbers count or dollar amount for my purchases over the past three years, but the number of items I buy has decreased exponentially. My success in choosing items has increased. There are fewer failures, and very few regrets. My recent purchases would be easy to catalog if I choose to do so. I have purchased items to replace worn items, like new undies, or to fill gaps (yes I have some). I also am buying items from companies that use sustainable practices and materials whenever possible.

I sometimes feel like I'm wasting money on clothes (or other non essentials) too. I'll buy things if I don't have big car, home repair, medical, or vet expenses that month, but then some big thing hits the next month and I wish I saved the money!

@Jenni NZ Oh of course - just because cheap isn't necessarily better, doesn't mean more expensive is either! But I do think you're right that it's important to be discerning about quality. I've seen firsthand how items sold for £20 in the UK are then sold for less than £1 in PK if they have some tiny defect which doesn't actually affect the wearability (e.g. I have a pair of PJ's from a UK high street brand being resold in PK, where the hanging loops were sewn into the front & back seams instead of the side seams but they were still comfy). Those are the brands that are often marking up by a huge margin - hence why they can then afford to slash their prices so low in comparison when it comes to Boxing Day/ big sale seasons.

So whilst I do still shop the high street for some things (e.g. buying my underwear in bulk from Uniqlo, because I've had to make peace with the fact that it's difficult to find clothing in my size out here in particular, where I'm classified as a 2XL), I'm also not averse to still hunting for a good bargain (especially now that I know my way better around the secondhand situation here). I've found great items in natural fabrics for a song out here - sometimes having a sense of style that isn't common in your area can be a good thing, since no one else is interested in your HEWIs

Jenni - thanks for writing this post. Every time I feel like I'm alone in wearing my heart on my sleeve, and being honest about what drives me, I find you right there too.

I am not a record-keeper. It has been the bane of my existence forever. I declare it something I will "now get right" , set up the systems, and then lose the plot very quickly. I can barely keep my daytimer in order. Anyways, I am always very impressed with your consistency and ability to stick to your plan. You analyze a situation, make a plan, then work at it until it's where you want it to be. I suppose that makes you so suited for your profession as well.

Jenni, I'm back. And find your 10 years of wardrobe tracking paperwork impressive, earnest and endearing (I've been tracking my own wardrobe/budget on spreadsheets for 13 years - and included the Finds system later - and it's invaluable. I don't track wears, though).

I LOVED the sentimental way you used your inheritance. That's special and like a gift that keeps on giving.

I'm nodding along with Sal, Shevia and Bijou. Your wardrobe gives you great pleasure because it's sartorially where you want it, but also HOW, WHEN, WHERE and WHY you bought and passed on wardrobe items gels with your beliefs and values. VERY well done! My toes are tickled when people follow through responsibly and consistently on their goals and actions - and you are a great example of that!

(Yes, social media influencers can magnify wardrobe waste. It's a great shame).

Personally, I'm happy with my own sustainable and ethical wardrobe choices. I have my priorities, manage them well, and keep on at it. I also like to pass on items to people who can enjoy them in pristine condition sometimes - that sparks joy for me too.

My bigger thing is food waste. I cannot stand it. My parents grew up during WW2. Dad in Nazi occupied Netherlands, and Mum in Japanese occupied Indonesia. They had nothing during and after the war. Not wasting food was a huge thing in our home, and it stuck. I go to great lengths not to waste food in our home. I am perhaps even more meticulous and thoughtful with grocery shopping, grocery runs, cooking, and meal planning than I am with my style and wardrobe

Hey Suntiger, you might think about a savings cushion— at one point it helped me to set a budget, and transfer every dollar that came in over that budget to my savings account (at the same bank, so an easy transfer). The savings account dollars were out of sight out of mind unless I needed them, and earned a teeny bit more interest. Then I worked within my budget as much as I could.

Jenni, I'm awfully late to this thread but just want to join in the chorus here -- you have done such a wonderful job of keeping track and keeping yourself accountable -- not just financially -- but also emotionally. You've really considered what drives or drove your shopping, tried to reckon with inherited guilt, thought hard about your values and what brings you joy. And your really hard-working and fun wardrobe is the result!

Like Staysfit, I came to YLF from the opposite place -- I really had not purchased much of anything for more than 20 years, and all of what I'd bought was ill fitting Lands End or similar before I lost a lot of weight and found YLF. Then I went on a spending and wardrobe building spree! But now my purchasing numbers are falling to what I consider more reasonable and sustainable limits -- as Carla mentioned, that magic number 24 (or so) rings a bell. I tend to buy and retire the same number of items per year, whether that is 35 or 15, but it looks like a figure in the mid 20s is my most common place to land.

I started an Excel spreadsheet to track purchases in 1999, so by this point it's quite entertaining to look back at. Unfortunately the earlier descriptions tend to be vague, so I can't always identify/remember what it was I bought. But it is helpful to review and recall which purchases were successes, and which were mistakes.