Crikey! I'm not very good at this blogging malarky, am I? I think my last post was in February! Just as we were preparing for Spring. We are now preparing for Winter, though the sun is shining on this gorgeous October day, so it seems hard to imagine Winter at the moment.

So much has happened since my last post, but luckily no clothes or shoes shopping has occurred! Though it has been pretty damn hard at times I can tell you. To counter this, I have learnt to sew and have made a few bits and pieces to fill the (imaginery) void in my wardrobe. My favourite items are my lovely wrap skirt (Tilly & the Buttons pattern) and my pussy bow shirt (Sew Simple).

As I have mentioned before I think one of my triggers for shopping is when I am feeling low or stressed.

So let me tell you about our holiday to the beautiful island of Majorca. This was our first visit to the island and one we were very much looking forward to after the fun and games of GCSE's, and it wasn't even me sitting them! On day two of the holiday we thought we'd take a little trip to the market of Pollenca. We did make it to Pollenca - briefly! Within a couple of hours, we found ourselves in Los Espositos hospital in Palma as Mike's eye, we discovered had a tear in the retina. No problem, the Doctor opened up the whole eye department for him (on a Sunday) and lasered his eye, told him to rest and come back on Tuesday. On the Tuesday it was discovered that it wasn't just a tear, it was a detached retina and needed an urgent operation to save the sight in the eye. With the operation booked for the Thursday, all ideas of a relaxing holiday exploring the island disappeared as after the operation Mike had to sit face pointing down for 7-10 days whilst also recovering from the op.  Strangely my desire to go and buy some clothes began in earnest and I discovered there are some lovely shops in Majorca! But I stuck to my challenge and gave Mike a beer, with a straw!

Once back in Blighty we enjoyed the wonderful summer sunshine, counting down the days to GCSE result day! And what a day it was, our Sam did fantastically and made us very proud. He has since moved onto the Sixth form to study, Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Business! I wish I could say his maths skills came from me!

As part of my plans to raise lots of money for JDRF this year, myself and two other Type 1 Mums (Beckie and Becky) decided to organise a charity ball. The date, venue and name were quickly decided upon and we began some serious organising! The Sapphire Ball took place a couple of weeks ago at the Chester Grosvenor Hotel and was a huge success raising £7000 for JDRF! Everyone had a ball; eating, drinking, dancing and crossing their fingers in the hope of winning the beautiful Boodles sapphire (set into a ring or pendant) we had as the sparkling star prize! And guess what, I didn't buy a new frock! In fact I was my blog title: 'something old' my outfit,  'nothing new' obviously!!, 'something borrowed' the amazing 'Be Boodles' jewellery I borrowed for the evening and 'something blue' a sapphire ring borrowed from Sarah!

As I draw close to the end of my 'not buying clothes and shoes' challenge - only 44 days to go, I am currently 65 days into another challenge: To give up the booze! I have actually found this pretty easy and am really enjoying my new found sobriety. I will of course have a drink on my big birthday (not long to go now!) but it may be a few glasses of 'NoSecco' rather than Prosecco!

44 DAYS!!!! I am a planner by nature, so what was the URL for the Boden website again............

Kate xx

PS. For all those who didn't believe I could do this, there is still time to sponsor me in my challenge! Here is the link:
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kate-mason50

It is now the 8th February and I am surviving! Not just my challenge, but this cold, damp and muddy weather! Brrrrrr!

As for my challenge, every catalogue that comes through the door goes straight into the recycling and every email or social media post is unfollowed before I even look at it! 

If I could sum up how I am feeling in two words it would be that I am now a 'mindful consumer' of all things, not just clothes and shoes. For instance, I really, really had an urge to have an online browse at a shopping site - any shopping site, it didn't matter! I think I missed the simple art of mooching and not necessarily purchasing. I ended up on the Coach handbag site where I saw a lovely bag in the sale, and I repeat IN THE SALE! Handbags are fair game in this challenge (and this one was £350 down to £140), so I thought maybe I would think about it for  little while and return to purchase it in a few days. So that is what I did for a few days to make sure I really did need this handbag!  I didn't buy it and I don't regret not buying it. I didn't actually need it, even though there was a little part of me saying 'you haven't got a navy blue handbag!' and this one is sooooo lovely!

I was very proud of myself for resisting and it has paid off. For the first time since I can remember I ended January in credit! I think the positive impact on my bank balance will become a real driving factor for me in this challenge as I become more mindful about what I need and what I purchase going forward and see a positive effect on my finances as a result.

January was also the month that I committed to learning to sew! I have joined my sister in law Iona and her friend Caroline for sewing lessons with the lovely Alison. In readiness for my first lesson, I got the old sewing machine out and had a little play with some scraps of fabric I had tucked away in the attic and produced some very useful key rings. I was chuffed to bits with the results, so made one for my friend Sarah who also loved it! My aim is to make a few and sell them at my forthcoming Clothes Swapping party in April with the proceeds going to JDRF. 

Last night I finished reading 'The Year of Less' by Cait Flanders, which was a lovely story about Cait's journey undertaking numerous challenges like getting rid of debt, quitting drinking, but it was mainly about surviving a year only purchasing essentials and things on her 'allowed' list. Much of it resonated with me such as feeling the need to shop when I am feeling low. Though I haven't quite managed to quit the drinking as well yet! One step at a time Kate.......! 

I am passing this book onto my 'No new clothes or shoes for a year'  buddy Sam to read next and then to an old school friend Sarah who has also vowed to stop mindless consumerism for a year as well. If you fancy a read, give me a shout and I will pass it onto you next.

Talking of my challenge buddy Sam, we had a very enjoyable walk along the River Dee last week chatting about our challenge and how we are finding it. Like me, Sam has found it to be quite empowering and a revelation as to how much time and money was wasted shopping. She also has an 'I can't believe you are really doing this!' Husband!  I will ask Sam to do a guest blog at some stage to give you her perspective on it all.

I also found that I shouldn't underestimate the power of my story on other people. At a recent course as part of the awkward introductions, we had to say who we were, what our company did and give one interesting fact about ourselves. So I told them I was 2 months into a 12 month self imposed clothes and shoes shopping ban. One of the girls on the course almost had palpitations at the thought of it! However, by the end of the two days and after the usual Husband 'you could never manage that' chat, she has decided to join me on this adventure and not buy any new clothes or shoes for a year! I don't think she will manage handbags though!!! Good luck Faye!

So here we are in February already, with Spring and all the joys it brings just around the corner. I can't wait! Hopefully you will see me sporting a summer skirt that I made myself next time you see me!

Wish me luck!

K xx

Well, it has been a long time since my last post. I can't believe how quickly time has flown.
Since my last post I have very sadly lost a good friend to cancer, had a quiet Christmas with the family and friends and lived through my son's mock GCSE's (thankfully the results were very good!) and all that time I did not buy or even look at any clothes!!!!
So I am now 54 days into my 365 day challenge and so far it is going well and I managed to avoid the January sales!
I have realised that I love to browse shopping sites when I am feeling low or sad. This was quite a revelation as I had to do other things to avoid looking at the Boden or John Lewis sale = my ironing pile dramatically reducing and the dog getting lots of walks!
But the main thing I have done in this time is look, I mean really look at my wardrobe. There are dresses in there that I have not worn in ages (or ever!) so I decided to think a little outside the box and try my hand at upcycling. The results were (eventually) brilliant!
I had a lovely Boden Limited Edition silk dress that I never wore as it finished at the wrong place on my dodgy shaped knees, so I decided to make it into a skirt. So far so good.
Scissors out, and a few snips later and it looked like a lovely skirt, but then I stupidly cut off the top of the internal zip - big mistake! I then unthinking pulled up said zipper and (oops) there it goes.
​So now I had a lovely skirt with a broken zip. My dear husband managed to fix it, until I tried the skirt on and 'pop' - broken zip again!
Thank goodness for my lovely, kind friend Sarah who took the skirt off to a seamstress who fixed said zip, tidied up my dodgy sewing and returned with a gorgeous silk skirt!
Shame I then shrank the lovely cashmere jumper (seen here) at the weekend. Is that called downcycling.....!

So day 1 is over!
I survived!
Which is amazing considering I was in Liverpool One with my Mum and sister. It was a strange feeling walking around John Lewis and not being able to look at all the lovely sparkly gorgeous dresses and tops.  Though I did see a beautiful pair of high heels that I would have loved, but I know there will always be a beautiful pair of high heels that I love.............
So I saved £110!
It is an interesting feeling, I have been shopping many times when I have money to spend and can't find anything I would like to buy and other times when I need to buy something urgently for an event and can't find a thing, no matter how many shops I visit. Today felt like I could find lots, had the money, but couldn't make the purchase! 
The Liz Earle and Clarins counters did benefit though as I could find lots there and was allowed to buy!
Though I know that replacing clothes purchasing with cosmetics purchasing is not the idea, but I did need that Clarins lipstick in shade 30!
Honest!
Today I loved the fact that I chatted to some of the shop staff about my challenge and they were very impressed, though a little shocked about what I was embarking on. The support from total strangers was encouraging, particularly from the lovely American girl in Utility.
After a yummy lunch at Mowgli with the trio of Aunties and bumping into some fellow Bunbury girls, I headed home. And guess what was waiting for me.
Only one of those lovely spotty Boden parcels.
My first dilemma! Do I send it back, even though it was a jumper I ordered over a week ago (with a 30% discount) or do I keep it. So husband dearest made the decision for me. It was a purchase made before the challenge, so it was a keeper - phew! 
Day 1 complete.
I know I can do this.
And with my first saving already heading to the JDRF pot, I will hopefully raise lots!
Bring it on......
  

So today was the day when I had to put my Boden habit on hold.
For the last 15 years I have had a regular stream of spotty Boden parcels delivered to my door, much to the dismay of my long suffering husband.
Boden has clothed me for so many important life events, from christenings to weddings, 40ths and now 50ths! Posh lunches, laid back lunches and Sunday brunches.
And day to day! Who can beat a Breton striped Boden top and a pair of skinny jeans.
So Au revoir Johnny Boden for the next 12 months. You have been by my side for a long time and now I have to learn to live without you and to be inventive with all the lovely Boden  goodies I already have in my wardrobe.
Watch this space for lots of outiits - mostly involving Breton tops!

The 30th November 2017  is the last day of being allowed to purchase new clothes and shoes!
Gulp! I can't believe I have set myself such a difficult challenge! Mike is convinced that cycling 100 miles would be easier for me!
I love buying clothes, I love the excitement of a stylish shopping bag containing a lovely new dress/jumper/pair of shoes (delete as appropriate) or even an order arriving by courier (he comes that often that he knows my dog so well, he brings her a treat!).
I couldn't let the day pass without a little purchase though could I. Nothing massive, but something useful!
A pair of yoga pants!
I work in the small Cheshire village of Tattenhall and joy of joy a gorgeous yoga/pilates boutique opened last month.  Shakti Shanti is a stylish range of workout gear and whilst there buying a gift voucher for my sister, I couldn't resist on my last day. Could I!
So tomorrow is that start of my challenge and guess what I am doing! I am going shopping with my Mum and my Sister in Liverpool One! Wish me luck......