Sometimes shoe inserts and/or foot add-ons like bunion or toe sleeves can save shoes.

I’ve also found that a five or ten pound weight loss do wonders with making tight shoulders and upper arms fit on ill-advised sales blinder purchases. Sadly, those same 5-10 pounds also make other favorites not fit, but I’m holding onto them because statistically weight loss doesn’t stay off for more than a couple of years.

Donna, a good point about potential ways to save unworn shoes. I am glad that I am not the only one who experiences weight fluctuations.

Most of my clothes are thrifted, so if something doesn't "work" for me I am happy to re-donate it to be sold again by my favorite charity. It may be sophistry but that way I feel as if I am giving twice. Once when I bought it and then when it's sold again. As I live in a small town, I often see my second time around donations on the racks. I don't feel as much guilt about making a fashion mistake if I know that some good can come out of a bad decision.

Rejoiceandbe - that is great. I often donate my gently used items to Dressed for Success, so I know that those items are being appreciated and not ending up in landfill.

Thought I would follow up Bijou. I wore my disliked cream mock neck top another 4 times which made # 30 wears and donated it in the “clothing bin” today. It is still in excellent condition.
It was one where even searching hard for what I thought was the right thing didn’t work out in the end. I would never have guessed that I would prefer to wear the black one underneath the cream jumper. I thought I wanted the colour to be the same from neck to waist. Sigh.
At least I suppose I am making fewer mistakes as the years go by. I have avoided extra purchases a couple of times recently by realising I could do something similar to what I pictured in my head using something I already own. I wonder if picturing an outfit in my head is part of the problem??

Jenni, I think we all make mistakes from time to time. I try my best not to, but it is hard at times. The idea in your head is interesting as that is a problem for me too. Thinking that something would work perfectly for me, only to find it does not and often vice versatile - being sceptical about a purchase, only to find it becomes a workhorse.

I missed this when it first went up.

The key for me, I think, is to accept that the item is not what I thought it was, and to figure out what it actually is/what role it fills.

Last Christmas, my big request was for an optic white fisher sweater. I've had various stark white toppers in the past, and felt there was a real hole in my wardrobe. What I received is a fuzzy cream-colored Northface zip-up. It is a very nice jacket, and not cheap. But it also cannot make the outfits I had in mind. I started just reaching for it whenever I needed something to ward off the chill in our cool spring/early summer. Eventually I got the hang of it. Haven't had any homers with it so far, but it does now feel like "mine".

I'm not very sentimental nor am I attached to clothes in any way . Yes I feel guilty at times for the amount I have and how much I also give away , but all I can do is try to be better. I refuse to wear things that make me feel bad about myself - weight, figure "flaws" etc and also refuse to wear anything itchy or uncomfortable, Those are the things that I end up giving away. Style mistakes are different - and I rely on my gut feel to guide my decision. If I'm embarrassed to go out of the house in it, off it goes. Like I said, I'm quite mercenary .