Not buying it Day 21 & 22

Day 21

Tomorrow is the start of my 4th week of not buying it!

I'm wearing a skirt from H & M charity shopped; yellow jumper charity shopped, boots from the Re Use centre, scarf charity shopped and moto jacket,  a Christmas present from my daughter.

Earrings  from Sainsburys, necklace, charity shopped in Exmouth, bracelet and bangle charity shopped, as is the watch. The ring is one I bought for myself years ago.

(Pictures taken by 11 year old grandson!)


Week 4 - Day 22

I  am amazed at how long some of the bloggers hold on to their clothes! I keep reading on the style/fashion
blogs about garments that people have hung on to since the 1970s and 1980s! That's 40 and 30 years ago!

It got me thinking and I think the oldest thing I have in my wardrobe is a jacket I bought at a car boot sale about 12 years ago and a trench coat. The only reason I have kept them for so long is that I put them in the loft and forgot about them - this is the danger of putting things in the loft. Rooting around up there for my long boots some weeks back, I found the jacket and coat. They are an example of two extremes - the jacket was 50p and the trench, £100.00 from when I had a store card for Debenhams....

I don't know how people manage to keep their clothes for so long. I am in awe of that.  In my early adult life I was fashion conscious and got rid of out of fashion items. Then when I got married and had kids and didn't have much money to spend on clothes, I got rid of things I was fed up with. When I divorced and had more money to spend on clothes and began to buy from charity shops, I got rid of clothes when I fell out of love with them. Why? Why didn't I just put them in the loft instead? Why didn't I hang on to all my clothes?

The Biba cloche hat, geometric print culottes, and bell sleeved, brown silky top bought in 1969, when I first started working. The 1980s batwing white and red dress and the red peep toe shows bought in a French supermarket? The 1980s beautifully tailored navy blue blazer bought for me? The 1960s crochet dress. The  1970s multi coloured loon pants. The 1970s suede trousers with lacing up each leg. The blue wool knitted jacket....the list is endless, but then, the idea of holding on to clothes was not something I was consciously aware of.  In the past I also didn't have storage space so it was necessary to discard things to make room for new. But I am sorry I didn't keep some of my clothes even though nothing would fit me now and I do admire those who have - and who can still fit into them!!

Beads from Oxfam in Newport Pagnell £2.99 and earrings - yes you've guessed it - Sainsburys.

The shirt was £5.00 from Sue Ryder, knitted tunic  from Zara, charity shopped, leggings Sainsburys - last seen here and black leather boots from Zara, bought in British Red Cross shop for £12.00 2 years ago.

The oldest thing I'm wearing are the earrings which are about 3 years old!

Not Buying it - Days 19 and 20

Day 19

I've got even more reason to stop buying clothes. My daughter and I have decided to take the two youngest grandchildren to Spain in the summer. We've paid for it but have to have some spending money as well! Plus I am hoping to get to our mobile home in Donegal at Easter for about 9/10 days as well as going in the summer for about 4 to 5 weeks. That's two lots of ferries, lots of petrol, living expenses and more spending money! Some of it will be shared with other OH at Easter and in the summer but not all, so I need to tighten my purse strings and stop spending!

It was such a cold day today. I was at the food bank this morning and it's pretty chilly there most days as it's a warehouse. I knew today it would be freezing so I wore plenty of layers! I'm wearing a knitted tunic with a polo/roll neck that I bought in the Debenham's sale with my Debenham's voucher the Christmas before last. It's the only polo neck I own as they don't suit me - I've got a short neck as well as short arms and legs! I think polo necks look better on people with long necks.

These beads were bought  in the Children's Society for £2.99. They are pearls interspersed with chains and I really like them, but when they tangle, which is often - what a pain! Turquoise bangle and bracelet charity shopped. Turquoise ring purchased years ago.

The cardigan was also bought from the Children's Society. The jeggings are from Lidl and were only £6.00; I couldn't resist them. They are made of leather and ponte material, but I just don't get jeggings. I've had 3 other pairs and put them all in the charity shop bag as they all slide down to my hips and I end up with a saggy crotch! These are held up by an elasticated belt, over my thermal vest and under my tunic.

Boots from the Re Use Centre £2.50.

Day 20

I just wanted to show you this beautiful scarf my friend Natalie sent me. It arrived  out of the blue along with a pink silk drawstring bag containing a smaller pink bag. The scarf is so pretty with the two Japanese ladies on it.  I can use the bags to store jewellery and cosmetics when travelling. Thank you Natalie! I was going to wear it with today's outfit but it's been so cold again I needed something warmer. Never mind, I'll look forward to wearing it when the warmer weather comes.

I went walking with the Rambler's today. We did 7 miles and walked from Willington Dovecote towards Blunham, on to Moggerhanger Park and through the Park towards Willington again. It was a lovely walk but cold and luckily not too muddy. Last week we walked in Woburn and it was so muddy it was miserable! I fell over in the mud but apart from my pride being dented I was fine.

I should call this my Irish outfit! I bought the cat tunic in Donegal (3 euros) and the purple cardigan is part of a suit I bought in Carrick on Shannon in the summer for 8 euros. It has a matching skirt, which on me is a maxi. All these items were bought at Charity shops. I may have to trot out the suit if I get desperate for outfits....

I wore my plum coloured leggings (E bay) which I have worn before here, tucked into plain black leather riding type boots. I bought the boots about 5 years ago in the Clark's sale for £50.00 - half the original price. I wanted to wear my purple leggings but they are thinner and it was cold so I opted for the plum ones as they are thicker.

The scarf is charity shopped as are the purple earrings, the pink bangles and square silver ring. The ring used to have an orange stone in it but it fell out and I quite like it as a plain silver ring. I even have purple glasses to match!

Not Buying it - Day 16

 Day 16

Oops! I've only realised I hadn't posted this one.

I can't believe I'm on the third week of the challenge! Feeling quite proud of myself and so far no problems trying to find outfits.......

 I went to visit my son today so I wore this outfit. I bought this black jacket in Age UK for £7.00 a few months back. It's by David Emmanuel and goes with lots of things I have. It's not warm though but as I was only in and out of the car today, it didn't matter.

 The necklace was a Christmas present from my brother 2 years ago, the earrings are charity shopped and I'm wearing the bangle with the big blue stone I bought last week in the RSPCA charity shop. It matches my lapis lazuli ring so well!

I bought these skinny trousers from the British Red Cross for £1.99.  This picture was taken quite late in the evening and they had begun to bag a bit despite the bit of stretch in them! The top is from the La Redoute sale a few years back; the camisole underneath is charity shopped and the boyfriend cardigan is from Sainsburys, bought about 5 years ago. Boots are daughter's cast off's and currently one of my favourite boots.

I've been reading Books 1 and 2  of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan series and it's wonderful. I'm enjoying them so much. There are 2 left to read but I'm going to have get on with reading the three books I got from the library on Monday starting with 'The Glorious Heresies' by Lisa McInerney - I heard her being interviewed on the radio when I was in Donegal last May and have been after the book ever since. I got lucky on Monday as it was sitting on the 'new books' shelf.

Not Buying it Days 17 and 18

Day 17

I didn't have to go out today and as it was a Sunday it was the usual routine - housework and Sunday dinner with all the family. So, I had a sort of PJ day - about my third in ten years. I put a kaftan over my PJs and had a make up free day, too! So no pictures of Day 17's outfit. 

Day 18

I was at the Save the Children charity shop today where I volunteer from 9.30 to 1 pm. I am loving it and have been there for about 10 or 11 weeks now. I mostly sort the donations and our back room is not just at the back of the shop but across a courtyard; the need to be well wrapped is therefore important with all the toing and froing between shop and back room. I'm wearing La Redoute jeans charity shopped, the patterned jumper was my daughter's and was too large for her ,so she gave it to me and it fits! The white shirt was bought in an on line sale last winter and was £17.50 reduced from £70.00!

The boots were bought on line and I wish I had more pairs in different colours!

Earrings and pearl necklace charity shopped as was watch and bracelet.

I'm off to join in with Patti at 'Not Dead Yet Style' and see who else has turned up!

Not Buying it - Days 14 and 15

I know it might be appear a bit odd to entitle a post 'Not buying it' and then start with photos of of recent purchases, but bear with me. 

I always try to shop second hand. I have been looking for a pair of lamps for the tables on either side of our sofa for ages, so last Saturday I visited the British Heart Foundation furniture charity shop in town. I found these two matching lamps for £10.00 each.

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They are nice - don't you think? And what's more they are touch lamps, so you can go from dim, to bright, to extra bright with three small taps. Very clever. Can you guess which table is mine? Yes, it's the one with all the books on it. My TBRs (to be read) and the ones I dip in and out of such as the Quran, the Irish dictionary and the book of Irish slang.

Whilst I was in the same shop I also spotted this trio of pictures (£10.00) and as I was looking to fill a gap in my wall of pictures, these fitted perfectly. Very pleased with my purchases I was, and still am! No clothes, but goodies for the house instead. I did buy quite a few bangles that day as well.....

Day 14

I was going out in the early evening for a meal one of my two best friends, so I wore this. The leggings and the boots are from Sainsburys. The tunic was a Christmas present this year from lovely daughter and is from Next.

The chain, with what are wings I think, was bought in the Heart Foundation charity shop for £1.99. The earrings have a Celtic design and were bought many years ago for me by my ex mother in law. The green bangles are all charity shopped from a variety of shops.

 My lovely daughter also bought me this moto jacket - I have wanted one for a while now, so put it on my Christmas list and hey presto, daughter bought it for me. I know how lucky I am! The scarf was a Christmas present from the same best friend with whom I was going out for a meal.  Handbag charity shopped £2.75.

Because it was so cold today indoors I wore this brown fur gilet which I've had for about 4 years and bought from a charity shop for £3.99

Day 15

I'm wearing the plaid 

shirt I bought for 50p and  broke my pledge to Not Buy it! The pink cardigan is charity shopped. The skinnies are from Primarni and the boots another pair from the Tesco outlet shop and were £8.00.  I started out with black suede heeled ankle boots but it was too slippery underfoot and I needed something safer! I'm wearing pink bangles bought recently from charity shops - and I bought the pink earrings from one of those shops that sell everything but the kitchen sink!

Not Buying it - Days 12 and 13

Day 12

I wanted to show you how pretty these flowers look (don't know what they're called) in my Ironstone pitcher that I bought in Huntingdon a couple of weeks ago. The flowers are from Lidl and were £2.00. I love Lidl and have been a faithful customer for 12 years.

This is my outfit for day 12 and I don't like it very much.  I am trying to keep it real so I have posted it! You know when you have a picture in your mind of what something will look like, then once it's on it doesn't look right? I love this dress, but it doesn't suit me. I'm apple shaped and have quite big boobs, so high necks and extra bits on shoulders don't suit me. This dress/tunic has both! I bought it from a charity shop a couple of years back because I liked the colours - beiges, and brown with splashes of blue and orange. It has an interesting bottom half, in that it looks like pleats, but it's just strips of material overlapping - and it has an underskirt. 

I wore blue tights to pick up the blue in the dress and the top underneath it is navy blue from M & S but looks black in this photo. The scarf (charity shop in Co. Donegal) is not right either; although it has a lovely bright blue in it. It's also too long. I started out with a blue and white polka dotted scarf and I should have kept it on! Turquoise earrings are from E Bay and were 99p.

So, I have consigned the dress to the charity shop bag along with the black jeans I wore a few days back. This 'shopping my wardrobe' challenge is making me think about my clothes in a more critical way and get rid of some! That's got to be a good thing hasn't it?

Day 13

This dress/tunic is from Sainsburys and I've had it for about 4 years now, Originally bought in a charity shop I love the colours and the design. I tried it with the greeny-blue belt on the right but it looked better without - I don't have a waist any more and belting things doesn't usually work for me.

The leggings were bought from E Bay and the top is from Primarni. Earrings were bought on a charity shopping expedition to Northampton about 2 years ago and were 99p. The boots are from the Tesco outlet shop and cost £4.00.

I'll be keeping this dress as it has so many colours I can wear with it and it suits me better than yesterday's one. It's more suited to Spring like weather, though. It was very cold today and I wore an extra thick cardigan all day to keep warm.

Tomorrow will be 2 weeks into my 'not buying it challenge'. I'm feeling confident that I have enough resources (!) to last at least another 4 weeks so I hope I can!

Not Buying it - Days 10 and 11

Day 10

Here I am wearing the £1.00  green and blue cardigan I couldn't resist (oh - the shame)! I paired it with green skinny jeans from a charity shop and a blue top which I bought in Co. Sligo in the summer for 2 euros.

The boots are another pair of my daughter's cast off's - they have cut out sides so I have to make sure I have  plain black socks on when I wear them!

My necklace is from a charity shop, the earrings are from - where else? Sainsbury's! The cuff with the big blue stone was bought on Saturday from the RSPCA shop for £1.99. I've bought quite a few bangles over the past few days. I realised I didn't have some colours in bangles/bracelets and also I don't know why, but some of my bangles - one of which I've had for about 20 years - no longer fit! I couldn't actually get my hand through some of the bangles without some serious discomfort.  Surely my hands cant' have grown? Or maybe it's the joints getting bigger?  Anyway, by the time I'd sorted through my collection of bracelets and bangles to see what fitted and what didn't; I didn't have too many left!  The perfect excuse to look in the charity shops to replace them - and I didn't buy any clothes even after visiting 4 charity shops between Friday/Saturday. Feeling very smug....

Day 11

I bought this necklace from US on line retailers Sheinside - I love the colours and it should go with lots of outfits. It was £4.00. The earrings were bought in a charity shop for 99p ages ago and its the first time I've worn them.

This top was bought about two or three years ago in a charity shop; the jeans are M & S and are charity shopped. The top is from Primarni and the boots are my daughter's cast off's. They are extremely comfortable and as I volunteer on Mondays from 9.30 until 1 pm I'm on my feet for hours and need comfortable footwear.

The bracelets are part of the recent haul of bangles and bracelets. These are coral coloured, with one which is hard to describe, but I think it's the colour of Jasper - a reddish/pinkish brown?

You may have noticed that I've added a 'What I'm Reading in 2016' list to the right hand side. I'm an avid reader and have been since the age of 4. From June 2007 I've kept a list of all the books I've read, and what is interesting that I read less now I'm retired! That doesn't make sense in a way because I have the time, but of course since I've retired I've discovered blogs and blogging  (still reading, I know but I don't record it) and rediscovered crocheting. You can't read and crochet at the same time - at least I can't - what a shame! 

When I worked, I read most lunch hours and if there were quiet periods and I could get away with it (!) I read, so I did quite a bit of reading at work. I hope to get my reading levels up again this year; I averaged between 120 - 150 books a year when I was at work and in 2015 I only managed 57. Did a lot of crocheting though!

Currently, I'm reading the Neapolitan novels of Elena Ferrante - a set of 4 novels set in Naples about two women who are best friends. I got the set as Christmas presents and I'm on Book 2 at the moment and thoroughly enjoying them.