How to not buy any new clothes in 2020

Frances Cook in a Portmans dress found in the Salvation Army store for $15, and Zier flats found on TradeMe for $12. Photo / Ben Reed

I've set myself a challenge this year — buying only secondhand clothes. Except for underwear. Because, come on.

There are two main reasons, the first being money.

I'm a big believer that budgeting needs two things; to be honest about what makes you happy, and to be honest about your big weaknesses.

My vanity is a weakness. I like having a pretty frock or new heels.

This can lead to spending too much on something that is far from a necessity. But if I try to give it up completely, I'll just be miserable and end up breaking the budget.

This is what gives budgeting a bad rap.

The other reason for the challenge is how wasteful clothes are. Fashion is the second biggest polluter after oil, so bad that if you hop on a plane the clothes in your suitcase are arguably worse for the planet than your share of the plane ride.

So how do you keep silly weaknesses in your life in a smart way, so that you can have the indulgences that brighten your day without sacrificing your future goals?

You think outside the box, and only wear the things that other people have decided they don't want any more.

When I put up a brief Instagram post about starting this challenge, I didn't think much of it. I'm Cooking the Looks, I chortled, riffing off my personal finance podcast Cooking the Books. Then I put my phone down and went to make dinner. But soon I was flooded with messages, and people sharing the post with friends, saying they wanted to join.

Not long after that a few radio stations called, wanting to talk to me about it on air. "Oh dear," I thought. "No going back now."

So now that I have publicly set myself a challenge, have I been tempted to cheat? Just the once, and not for the reasons you might think.

I'm heading to South America this year, a bucket list trip that includes a five-day trek to Machu Picchu.
Whenever I've needed something specific before, the internet has been my friend. So I jumped on Trade Me and put in some specific search criteria. "Zip hiking pants", "merino singlet", and "waterproof jacket".

To my relief, there were multiple options in my size. All of it under $30.

Everything else has proved easy so far. Charity shops like the Salvation Army or Red Cross are full of quality finds, especially if you can get out of the big cities.

Of course, I put this challenge out on the internet, so I've also copped criticism from some areas.

There are those that say secondhand clothes are for low income people, and the rest of us are taking something they need.

That's not true. Surprisingly, only one in five clothing items in secondhand shops are sold. The rest hang around for ages before being sent to landfill. So you're spoiled with options.

Designer recycle can also be a good option if you have a fancy event, or you just like your labels. I found a wrap dress that's perfect for work on the last chance rack for $18, and have been racking up the compliments on it ever since. It's first world problems, but many budgeting issues are.

If you want to join me, jump in on the #CookingTheLooks2020 hashtag. I'll cheer along your thrifty finds.