Surprise, I Have a Scarcity Mindset About Clothes

Share if you like this post!

Typically, a scarcity mindset prompts you to buy more, over consume, and struggle with decluttering as a way to cope with feeling like you don’t have enough resources. However, it also prompts you to not shop at all, which is where I land. The fear of spending money in case you can’t make more, this underlying reason is what I’m trying to figure out.

A Scarcity Mindset and Clothes

I’ve been a blogger for years.

Writing about fashion and beauty, providing recommendations, and styling tips I know the reader will find useful if they incorporate them into their everyday.

But I’ve never been one to overdo it. In fact, I’ve never taken many new outfit photos in comparison to the length of time I’ve been blogging for. This didn’t dawn on me until recently.

Why did so many other creators, bloggers, and influencers have these huge closets and I had, well, a lot less.

Why do I have no urge to shop for fashion the way other women my age do?

Sure, I love browsing new styles and brands, recommending what I believe to be quality products you will enjoy, but when it comes to buying them it feels like well, a struggle.

It’s impossible to keep up with the volume of products and styles we’re told we need each and every day, thanks to fast fashion and beauty marketing. Which has enabled overconsumption since marketing’s inception, but it seemingly feels more impactful recently.

So How Do I Consume Fashion

This post would make no sense if I didn’t add this as context.

I’ll never be one to post a haul or wear a new outfit every day, instead I practice conscious consumption and I’m more than okay with that.

But, here’s where I see the problem. Spending money on clothes without feeling dread is something I actively work on, breaking the lack mindset ever so slightly one purchase at a time.

I believe the feeling of dread stems from the lack of quality and transparency in fashion, this influences my purchasing behaviour as I don’t want to spend my hard earned money on crap, to put it lightly.

So here’s where it all started. I began building capsule wardrobes as a way to organize my small closet, and make sense of why I had so little. There was a community here in the capsule wardrobe world and I felt like I finally found my people.

I had wardrobe basics that I lived in, all the time, and recommended to readers.

Recently, I did a bit of a closet organize and noticed my clothes were all quite old, uninspired, and not in great shape. If your clothes are a reflection of how you feel about yourself, what does this say about me?

I knew I needed to make a change, in order to have a better relationship with clothes and fashion, and ultimately myself.

How Do You Break a Scarcity Mindset

I started to conduct research into why I felt and feel this scarcity mindset when it comes to buying clothes in particular, why don’t I feel this lack of desire to shop when it comes to food, electronics, experiences, or home decor?

I’m not a psychologist, and there are a lot of great articles you can read on what causes a scarcity mindset in fashion, which might pertain to you or not, but for me there are a few realizations that help to inform why I feel resistance when shopping for clothes.

So far, I’ve discovered it comes down to value and giving up resources (money) for a tangible thing I don’t see any value in.

What Are The Symptoms Of A Scarcity Mindset in Fashion

• Fear of ruining you clothes
• Fear of not having enough in your closet
• Holding onto items “just in case” you wear them one day
• Saving items for certain occasions

A Scarcity mindset in fashion stops us from enjoying our wardrobes, our outfits, and shopping for clothes.

So What Can I do About It

So far, I’ve begun focusing on brands, fabrics, styles, colours and fits I know suit me. Value is gained through confidence in what works, and what will make me feel a certain way. I’m also decluttering what doesn’t work for me and/or is not in great shape anymore.

Keeping in mind what feelings decluttering brings up.

It’s kind of like, you buy food for the feeling, or home decor to make your space feel more like home. I’m working to gain confidence and a feeling from clothes that make me value them, and what they contribute to my life versus what they take away from my life.

It’s a work in progress, but it’s a good start in creating an abundance mindset when it comes to my wardrobe, seeing value in the clothes I buy, and overall enjoying putting outfits together every day.