New Year’s Non-Resolutions

The Busy Neighbour here, dropping in for ML while she gets ready to tackle 2011. Back to work after an amazing vacation that consisted of jogging pants, eggnog, South Park re-reruns and sleeping in past 5am. I am not one for New Year’s Resolutions because of the limited capacity in my brain to remember an already long to-do list. However, I have a few sartorial things I am going to try and implement in 2011:

via

Stop buying only black and dark grey.

I had an a-ha moment over the holidays when looking through my laundry pile, the whole mountain was black and dark grey, minus one hot pink running shirt. Enough confusing my co-workers with my funeral attire, time for some color.

Buy for my body.

I manage to regularly purchase clothing that doesn’t fit. Offender number one: one pair of $80 pants that could almost pass for MC hammer pants they’re so big and atrocious in the bum area. Offender number two: one pair of $50 gym pants that are way too short, but can’t quite pass for capris. I don’t want to buy too tight and have love handles, and I don’t want to buy too big and look frumpy – so I always get the wrong size! This year I vow to spend more time trying things on to find the perfect size, and if the perfect size isn’t there – it wasn’t meant to be. Only will I buy something that needs to be tailored if the price is worth it – should I really take a $30 shirt to the tailor to make it fit me? Are those sale dress pants worth it if hemming will cost $15?

MC Hammer I ain’t!

Take my time buying shoes.

The significant other recently told me I have too many shoes. The sad part is that most of them are shoes I bought on a whim or in a hurry that fit horribly, make my feet hurt and are just plain fugly. Everyday when I am get home from work I’m greeted by at least ten pairs of worn-once shoes that cost me anywhere from $20-100 that I will never wear again. Waste of money (and I certainly don’t have money in abundance), bad for the environment and generally unnecessary.

via

Buy one, give one!

This is my favourite thing on the list. I attended roughly five clothing swaps last year and at each one gave away at least one large garbage bag stuffed to the brim with clothing, bags, shoes and scarves. I have too many clothes and there are people in the world far less fortunate than me. I am not a crazy shopper, but somehow manage to accumulate things quickly. New shopping plan: I can’t buy a single item (besides undies) unless something goes in the charity bag. For every item I buy, the same amount has to go to the charity bag!

So here Twenty Yorkers, is my list of New Year’s non-resolutions. Health and happiness to you all in the New Year! Slainte Mhath!