25 things to do instead of buying new clothes in 2025

(that are still kind of like buying new clothes)

Dec 29, 2024

Last week I published a post declaring my intention to purchase no more than 6 new clothing items in 2025, along with my reasons for doing so. At the end of that post I teased a list of replacement activities—things to do instead of shopping that might get closer to what you really want when you feel that urge to acquire something new. Here, as promised, is that list.

Note: These are mostly things that are somewhat shopping-adjacent, because sometimes doing yoga or volunteering at a food pantry just doesn’t scratch the itch, even if these are obviously better uses of your time.

Use Indyx (or another virtual closet app—Indyx is my favorite) to plan outfits using items you already have. Plan all your outfits for a whole month! Realize that you might be wearing your favorite things only a couple of times in an entire month because you already have so many favorite things!
There is so much fun to be had (for free) with Indyx!
(This is my #1 tip for a reason: it is the best true replacement for shopping. I’m currently breastfeeding and spend a lot of time browsing/scrolling whilst trapped under a baby. In my case, outfit planning from the comfort of my rocking chair is easier to sub for shopping than any other alternate activity.)
Reorganize and declutter your closet. Get some clarity on what you actually love & wear by selling or donating stuff you’re not reaching for.
OR just reorganize according to some aesthetic principle (by color? material? pattern?) to see new items next to each other and inspire your outfit brain.
Declutter some other area of your living space, or a virtual space.
Conversely: if you need a shot of novelty, pull something out of your sell/donate pile and see if you can rediscover your attraction to it. Pull something from the closet of your partner/friend/family member.
Keep a running wish list of items you want—a spreadsheet, a Notion page, a Freeform page, etc. I like having actual background-removed images of the coveted item in Freeform or Indyx so I can play around with it, visualizing it in different outfits and seeing how well it integrates with my other stuff. Sometimes adding it to the list is enough to get it out of your system. Tell yourself when the time is right to buy something, if this thing is at the top of your list, you can get it. And if it’s not at the top, maybe you don’t need it.
Plan a formal shopping “trip” in your closet every month. Pull out things you’re excited to wear and spend an hour or two trying them on together. Make a huge mess. Maybe take mirror selfies for your own reference when you need an outfit idea. Or film something for Tiktok/Instagram if you do that kind of thing.
Outfit thoughts from my most recent closet shopping trip
Try to recreate 5 or 10 Pinterest outfits with stuff from your own closet. (I also like to do this virtually in Indyx because it feels like less effort. If I like the Indyx recreation I’ll plug it into my calendar and wear it.)
OR, once you find a Pinterest photo that speaks to you, ask yourself if the outfit really is the part of the photo that you’re drawn to. Maybe the real allure of the image comes from the subject’s confidence, the photo’s backdrop, or the vibe generally? Make plans to do something that chases the vibe instead of the outfit. Meet a friend for coffee, go to a karaoke bar, throw a party, plan a trip, go on a hike, pursue a creative opportunity, etc.
Maybe what you really want is just better photos? Practice taking photos.
Create an outfit challenge for yourself. Get dressed according to a random color scheme generator! Wear a skirt every day for a week! Wear the same skirt every day for a week!
My current camera roll, awash in color schemes that excite me
Challenge yourself to a week of wearing little-worn items from your closet.
If you’re craving inspiration, scroll the profile of one specific person whose style really resonates with you, rather than just scrolling your feed. This always helps me zero in on what elements I really like in an outfit and makes gets me excited to get dressed. It also proves to me that many of my favorite style personalities are wearing the same pieces over and over again—it’s fun to see these pop up in different outfits, and it reminds me that style is created through repetition, not novelty.
Seek inspiration from offline sources. Old magazines, movies, documentaries—media that isn’t (usually) trying to sell you something.
Revisit outfits you’ve worn & loved & documented in past years. Change up just one element, compare, and see which version you like better.
Explore your taste in something other than fashion. Find a new artist you love or spend some time with a favorite album you haven’t listened to in a while. Read something by a favorite writer. Make yourself something good to eat. This has the effect of making me feel more like myself.
Spend time on some other aspect of your appearance that isn’t clothing related. Do your nails, experiment with hair or makeup, etc.
DIY a clothing item that is boring you or isn’t working in some way. My DIY of choice is always dyeing with Rit. White garments obviously are the best candidates for dye, but you can strategically dye over other colors as well. This is so so fun to me.
Recent dye projects I'm proud of: blue linen bomber, green cardigan, mustard trousers, and beige-y wide leg jeans (actually used color remover for these, didn't expect this result but I love it)
If making alterations is beyond the scope of your talents, invest time/money in getting something you already own altered so that you’ll get more wear out of it. I have yet to do this but want to try it in 2025!
Redirect your energy to some other creative hobby. For me, usually, it’s writing. Consider also: home improvements or redesign; drawing or painting; sewing or knitting; a craft. Surely you’ve pinned something you always meant to try but haven’t yet.
If you create fashion content in any form, try making content out of the stuff didn’t buy. Do a roundup of what you recently thought about buying but didn’t, or didn’t yet. Give your reasons for holding off on it. (There is someone I follow who does this on TikTok but I don’t remember who? I personally love seeing this stuff.)
Make a plan to spend the money you will save from shopping less on something you really care about.
Go to the library. New stuff for free!!
See if you can help someone else shop who trusts your taste and may need new clothing more than you do. Make a virtual shopping list for them (use new and secondhand sources!) and see how you fare as a personal stylist.
Review previous wishlist items to show yourself that many of the things you once desperately wanted are things you never think of now. This will certainly happen to everything you desperately want now, if given time.
Do you have a shopping replacement you recommend? Please add it in the comments <3