"How I gave up retail therapy and learned to love mending"

Link to The Guardian

"In January 2012, Rebecca Smithers gave up buying clothes for 12 months, saved £1,200 – and transformed her life: 

"My friends' jaws dropped as I told them of my shocking new year's resolution. To save money, and rein in my often thoughtless and unnecessary spending, I decided not to buy any new clothes for a year. No hosiery, no underwear, no shoes or boots or handbags, not even 'pre-loved' or secondhand items from charity shops.

... I took the abuse on the chin. Yes, I am interested in fashion and admit that over the years I have acquired a lot of clothes. My late mother was a fashion historian and avid knitter, which means I have inherited some prized vintage clothing, such as beaded dresses from the 1920s and frocks from the 1960s, as well as intricate hand-knits that Sarah Lund would envy.

And although I've never been a slave to designer labels and current fashions, I'm the first to admit that a little retail therapy was always a tonic. But enough was enough. I wanted to stop acquiring more, and enjoy what I already had – maybe even trim it back a bit."