I try to use the holy heck out of everything I own, to save me money and keep things out of the waste stream. I really do not like our planned obsolescence mentality.

Recently I used up a straw hat for gardening, and then tossed the remains in my compost. That felt good. I also have a few pairs of pants that are almost useless, with the fabric shattering and all. One of them is what i call my happy pants - it's full of smiley faces. I have to hand wash it and line dry it now. It might become shorts soon, or i might turn the better pieces into patches. What's left can become cleaning rags or as a weed barrier type mulch in my yard.

I also try to repair things before discarding them to buy others - many purses, shoes, belts and jackets can be repaired by professionals. Leather items are especially good to repair and keep using!

Are you using any of your own stuff to death? DO you ever repair anything? What do you think about this idea?

Jilly, I wear most things until they fall apart and can't be repaired. Recently, I bought a bunch of new clothes. My husband is so grateful, since he likes me to look stylish and put together. He encourages me to buy clothes!! I really hadn't bought any for about three years.

Sounds like you are making good choices, Connie! LOL on your husband.

My concession to staying stylish is to buy most of my clothes used, from vintage stores, or from swap parties and the like. I try to stick to picking up really well made clothes that I can wear to death.

Here is the article I wrote on collecting a quality wardrobe from used clothes - How to get a great inexpensive wardrobe.

If there are things that I want that are very trendy (like arm warmers, for example), I don't mind buying new accessories to style up my collection of good used clothing basics.

I have a tendency to wear out shoes and purses. With me, I find a pair of shoes or a bag that I like, and I wear them to death. If possible, I take my leather bags to a cobbler for repairs. That is one excellent reason to always have a nice leather purse!

Or leather shoes. Most of my shoes are not leather so when they wear out (ie - make holes in the toe box or something), I trash them. I do have leather sandals, but they are well made and i have not worn any of those out yet.

I tend to be hard on my things, but i don't mind wearing them to death - it makes me feel good, like I used up every drop of something and gave it a good life.

Jilly, that is a good article with great tips. Thank you.

I rarely iron anything and do as you suggested in one tip. I wear my clothes to the point where some things are only presentable to me inside my home. I do buy something new once in awhile, but shop at inexpensive stores, thrift shops, garage sales. Occasionally I will buy a really nice dress for when I am invited to the Governor's Ball (right! LOL)

One can often find some very nice pieces of clothing at garage sales for next to nothing. I repair clothing till there is no way to repair it anymore then use it for rags or in a quilt -- sometimes I have made rag dolls and their outfits from ole shirts, dresses, etc.

Being frugal can be fun if one has imagination. One great idea is to use old clothing by cutting it in patches or strips then sewing them together in long strips. Eventually one will have enough strips to make a Navajo style skirt from those strips of patches.

LOL, Phyllis! i totally laughed at the Governor's ball comment. heh. Yes, I save my fine vintage dresses for those occasions. One can never have enough Chanel for those.

I LOVE the idea of rag dolls and their clothing from nice or beloved pieces that are no longer wearable. And of course, nothing says safe and cozy like a quilt made from scraps you have memories associated with.

I completely agree on frugal being fun with imagination. It turns being less affluent (by society's standards) into an exciting "Make it work" moment, to quote the divine Tim Gunn. It tests our creativity and develops our confidence in making a full life in a simple mindset.

It's very wabi-sabi.

Okay I want to see a photo of one of those skirts. That sounds gorgeous! The Navajo here only wear jeans... lol.

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Jilly, this is the style I was thinking of. It is a 3 tier skirt. They are lovely and so fun to wear with boots or sandals.

wabi-sabi?

Nice. I SOOO want one, or three. They look comfortable and sturdy for all kinds of activities. I'd probably hike in them. I have been seen hiking in dresses before.

Do you have any? Did you make them or buy them?

Wabi-sabi is an Asian style of architecture and decorating that uses natural components, and natural imperfections, to make something beautiful in it's simplicity/textures/inherent subtle color variations. I try to keep the idea of imperfection and impermanence in mind as i create something that only improves as it wears. Or at least that is the idea in my POV.

It's a concept I find immensely beautiful.

Being a plus size gal, I find it very difficult to find gently used clothing in thrift stores. I almost always buy my clothes brand new. I do wear them until they are worn out or extremely out of date. Anything that has life left in it that I'm not going to wear, I donate to Goodwill. Everything else gets thrown away (I live in a townhouse with an HOA so composting isn't an option). A lot of times I do take the buttons off items that I'm going to toss because buttons are always reusable.

I do buy things like shoes and purses at thrift stores. Recently I bought a pair of Liz Claiborne sandals for $6 at Goodwill. They are seriously super cute, too

Phyllis, those Navaho skirts look great! I'd love one. They must be so comfy.

I wear out things too until there are holes and no more use out of them. I recently wore out a pair of booty slippers until the soles were flapping on them. My sneakers are on their way out too.