Written by Stylebook Editor – published on Stylebook Blog & App
Could you resist shopping for an entire year? Holding off on buying a second pair of boots could help you save money for retirement, a house or vacation. In order to make it to your goal, you may find that you need to do more with the clothes you already own. Maria Von Losch, San Diego stylist andTV host, refrained from making any purchases for 365 days – and she wore a cute outfit every day. We talked to her about how she did it and asked her for tips so we could try 30 days of no shopping for ourselves.
SB: Why did you start your “365 no shopping” challenge?
MVL: I really had no choice. I spent all my savings on shopping because I was in shock from my husband deciding that he no longer wanted to be married, out of the blue. I also thought it would be a great way to revisit all the pieces in my closet that I’ve ignored for years. I decided to blog about it daily to keep accountable, share my story and inspire other women.
SB: What were some challenges and how did you overcome them?
MVL: Some of the challenges I faced were keeping on trend for each season, taking my outfit photo & blogging everyday and trying to date/have a relationship while having to explain why I had to blog every night and said guy might have to take my outfit pics. That didn’t go over with some guys.
SB: Did you have a large wardrobe when you started?
MVL: Fortunately, I did and I have pieces in my styling studio that I use on models for photoshoots. Luckily I’m the same size, except shoes.
SB: Were you afraid your clothes would wear out? Did you learn any good laundry tips to keep them going?
MVL: The only pieces I was afraid would wear thin were my favorite t-shirts and tanks. All my nicer pieces and ready-to-wear, I typically don’t wash after wearing just once (unless I’ve completely perspired in it). I’m a big fan of washing delicates by hand and either hang- or flat-drying.
SB: How did you deal with days where you felt you had nothing to wear? How did you get inspired again?
MVL: Some days I truly didn’t have it in me, so I kept it real and shot myself in a few PJ’s. Oh, I also used my mannequin Margot for one outfit because I had been crying all day (this was early into my challenge). To keep motivated and inspired, I would do a series of How to Wear [insert piece] 5 different ways.
SB: Did you learn any new styling tricks during your challenge?
MVL: I learned how to make a scarf into a turban and a top various different ways. Tucking shirts was a great one, I learned so many different ways to make a t-shirt or button down look great with a specific tuck technique.
SB: Did you ever feel behind the times since you couldn’t purchase any new trends? How did you deal with that?
MVL: CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THIS INTERVIEW
30-DAY NO SHOPPING CHALLENGE
Now it’s your turn! Try not shopping for a month and see how many new outfit combinations you can come up with, using the clothes you already own. Then, show us your outfits and tell us about your progress on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #30DaysNoShopping
