Nat Locke: The bold proclamation I actually stuck to and what it taught me about my purchasing habits . . .

Résumé détaillé

I am nothing if not resolutely stubborn. And yet I am here to share something I actually saw through - I can’t believe it either.

At the beginning of the year, I made a bold proclamation: for the year of 2026, I would buy no more than two articles of clothing per month.

Now, I know that still sounds like a lot of clothes to some, but I made the mistake of adding up how much I spent on apparel in 2025 and let’s just say the number was big. Like, the GDP of a small island nation big. And I’m not even a designer label girl.

So here we are in November, and people still ask me how that particular resolution has gone. Naturally, they expect me to admit abject failure. But no. I am nothing if not resolutely stubborn. And I am here to tell you that I have actually stuck to it. I can’t believe it either.

I kept a detailed record of every garment I purchased, and while there were some months where I bought four items, there were others where I bought none and when I average it out across the year so far, I have the opportunity to purchase three more things this year. Yes, I’m technically BEHIND SCHEDULE.

Of course, there has been a very obvious consequence of my limited clothing consumption, namely that David Jones has entered administration. I can’t help but feel responsible. Sure, all the experts blamed a consumer shift away from bricks and mortar to online shopping, but I’m pretty certain the timing isn’t a coincidence. Sorry about that.

Another consequence has been the fact that I’ve actually trawled through the enormous pile of clothes that I already own and have rediscovered some lovely pieces. Quite frequently, someone has said to me “Oh, I love your top” (OK, once. Someone said it once) and I have gleefully responded “Oh, this old thing? I bought it four years ago.” I probably should have added “and I wore it once and chucked it in a drawer and haven’t looked at it since. Anyhoo. Thank you” because that would be more accurate.

Going through a low-spend period has actually made me examine my purchasing habits. Mostly, I have been very considered in my shopping.

And here’s the surprising turn of events…

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