The (Prada wearing) devil is in the detail

Wow! So the reaction has been incredible. Lots of support and encouragement. Can't quite believe how many readers I've had already. I guess it is really happening, huh? *wails silently*
(What. on. earth. have. I. let. myself. in. for?) 

My mother can't quite believe I am going to do it. Of course, I have her to blame for being like this. I remember all too well helping her to hide illicit shopping bags after trips to Bishops shoe sale: "Don't tell your dad I bought all FOUR pairs. I'll expose him to them gradually over time..." 

She is fully supportive, albeit a little surprised that I still have got the habit. "I remember when you worked in Couples Fashion and spent all your earnings on clothes, but I thought you'd grown out of it in the last couple of years..." Well, no, mum, I haven't. I just moved to London so I have been able to hide it from you quite easily, although it is true that the cost of city life has made it more painful and more difficult.

My friends all seem rather excited, although the responses have varied from "You can do it!" or "I'm so proud of you" to "Everything in moderation, Maeve; Allow yourself something new every month..." or " It's going to be a tough year..." and "I think that's an amazing idea...*sudden look of sheer terror* You don't expect me to do it too do you?!" My closest girlfriends have already jokingly started calling it 'Maeve's Penance'.  Penance for what exactly? Years of over indulgent shopping probably. 

I even had one suggest I set up a JustGiving page and use this as an opportunity to raise some money for charity. This had crossed my mind but I suppose I would just feel a bit silly asking for sponsorship for 'not buying clothes' when others do incredible things like run marathons and climb mountains. Besides this challenge is not about doing something worthy. It's about my state of mind, about proving to myself that I don't need new stuff to feel good and about making use of the mountain of material that I've already got. So I suppose in my own way I will be climbing a mini cloth mountain! 

The questions I keep hearing are 'What are you going to do when you lose all your socks and ladder all your tights?' 'Are you including underwear?' 'What about accessories?' 

So I think it's important I set out some ground rules and a bit of a sensible plan if I am actually going to see this through. 

The Challenge: 

Between the 1st of April 2013 and the 1st of April 2014 I am not allowed to purchase anything I can wear. So, yes, that includes underwear(!) and outerwear, footwear *weep*, jewellery, bags, scarves, hats, headbands etc. (you get the idea) 

The Rules: 

1. No buying (obviously) 

2. I am allowed to accept clothing etc. as gifts but I am NOT allowed to REQUEST it. So no asking for that blue jumper from Topshop etc. but I am not going to turn down a kind and generous gift from a friend by saying 'I can't accept that because I'm doing this challenge... la la la la..." Gross! No. It is rude to turn away gifts and I couldn't put my mother through the torture of not being allowed to buy me pyjamas for Christmas, so gifting is fine. 

3. I can borrow. 

4. I can swap. 

5. I can accept peoples' cast-offs (after all one woman's tat is another woman's treasure). 

6. I can make/customise until my heart's content. I don't think this counts as cheating because the sense of accomplishment and achievement you get out of making something is a far cry from the horrible sense of guilt you feel handing over your Visa at the cash desk. Also it is unlikely that I will increase the size of my wardrobe very much this way - I just don't have the time or that much skill, if I'm honest. 

Preparation: 

Now, obviously I need to be sensible and organised about this (let's not forget that it is a failure to be sensible that got me here in the first place). Before April arrives I will need to have everything I need to keep me going for a full year. I am supposed to be a sensible, professional, working woman and need to make sure that I am not going to be going into work with holey clothes and shoes with no soles! 

Unfortunately despite the sheer size of my wardrobe it is somewhat lacking in the basics. Remember, I might have gone into to the shop because I needed a new pair of black trousers for work but I came out with a sequin top instead... Therefore I have made a list of sensible purchases that I am going to need to make in order to see this through. 

Now, before you say this list is cheating, think about it: I am doing this for A YEAR so I will need basics. Also, these are BORING items, not the sort of thing I get excited about whatsoever (In fact, all my life I have been so bored by the idea of buying jeans that I have actively avoided it. Now I wear stretchy jeggings, that I don't have to go through the torture of trying on, instead). I am not going to go and have a major shopping blowout, I am simply going to stockpile the basics (and, yes, Caroline, that may include some gin to get me through). 

The List: 

1. Underwear - enough knickers to see me through a year and a couple of good bras, including a new multi-way/backless one because mine broke recently. 

2. Socks 

3. Tights 

4. A good supply of leggings and jeggings. I live in these for work so I can't afford to get to November and have none that are still stretchy/don't have holes etc 

5. Vest/tank tops 

6. Slips - I have countless dresses and skirts of varying lengths that I don't wear because I need a slip! I always meant to buy some but they have always been too dull to make it to the top of my shopping list. So, if I am going to make the most out of my already existing wardrobe these will be a must. 

7. A good pair of flat black leather ankle boots - I live in these and unfortunately my latest pair bit the dust only last week. These will need to be hard wearing! I have had my eye on these for a while so might get them but I'll have be to sure because once the 1st comes there will be no going back! 

8. A black leather tote? Is this pushing it? I don't know if I can afford it before the 1st but I could really do with a new black bag. My current one really needs to be disposed of as it has gone green and funny looking after years of abuse and one disastrous trip around the washing machine following a muddy music festival. 

9. Some flat pumps for when we (eventually) get into warmer weather 

10. A pair of casual summer sandals as it's been a year or two since I did a replacement there. 


I think that's it! 

Have I forgotten anything?! The fear is staring to set in now. 

Let it begin:

Last night I had a night out at the theatre and I wanted to use it as an opportunity to kick start the idea of "shopping my wardrobe." So I really rooted through my stuff, looking for something that I have hardly worn to give a wee outing. I settled on a pretty midi length black lace dress that I bought over Christmas and have only worn once.  Of course, en route to the till, I convinced myself that I would wear it to death and that it was a necessary purchase. I talk some crap, even to myself. (You will soon discover that my wardrobe contains a ridiculous amount of black lace.)

Black lace midi dress, Primark
- you can see the ivory version on this page
Turtle neck black midi dress, Missguided
-similar from ASOS
I PROMISE I will get better at this photo taking malarky.

One of the reasons that I have hardly worn it is because the slip that it came with is mini length and I just can't seem to get myself to like that style of sheer midi over mini - it just stinks of effort. So I really needed a midi length black dress/slip to wear under it. Cue brainwave: Oh my God, remember that black midi dress you bought back in November and have never worn!? Yeah. Well it would be perfect. I know it has a turtle neck and it is March but it's snowing outside so it would be totally workable. That's a great idea! But where on earth is it?! 

This, ladies and gentleman, is one of the problems I face on a regular basis. I CAN'T FIND ANYTHING! I have so much stuff but I only wear a fraction of it because frankly I don't know where anything is! Ordinarily I would just give up and opt to wear something that's near the top of the pile but, last night I found myself thinking, if I'm going to take this challenge seriously, I suppose I had better make an effort. 

The Great Hunt For The Black Turtle Neck Midi took no less than 30 minutes, a few expletives, and work-out levels of perspiration. But it worked! I made a brand new outfit without buying anything new. Win! I'm think I might just be able to pull this off - bring it on!

But this might be a rather stressful year unless I sort out some sort of system for organising my clothes... *yawn*