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The Wardrobe Project

A Year of Buying Less and Liking Yourself More

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About this listen

One year. A whole new perspective on style, spending and self-image.

Have you ever stared at a wardrobe full of clothes thinking "I have nothing to wear?" You're not alone. Millions of women are stuck in the frustrating cycle of shopping for the perfect outfit, only to find themselves overwhelmed and confused as to why no matter what they buy, they never look the way they want to. This expensive obsession drains our wallets and leaves us feeling empty, especially when we face new cost-of-living pressures.

Emma Edwards, financial behaviour specialist and founder of The Broke Generation, broke free from this cycle with a radical experiment: one full year without buying any clothes. No new clothes, no second-hand finds, not even rentals. In The Wardrobe Project, Emma shares her raw, honest journey of stepping away from what she calls the "hamster wheel" of spending. She confronts our culture of consumption and the impossible standards women are forced to chase, and reveals the empowering transformation that followed.

What you'll discover:

  • How to understand your buying habits and ways you might be outsourcing your identity to consumption
  • Real-world strategies for surviving weddings, work events, and "nothing to wear" days—all without buying something new
  • The link between body image and fashion consumption, through Emma's raw month-by-month insights into changing the way she saw herself
  • The unexpected power that lies within your existing wardrobe and how wearing what you can have can change everything
  • Practical techniques for saying no to impulse buying, whether you're in the store or shopping online
  • Ways to find confidence beyond the perfect outfit and rediscover what brings you joy

The Wardrobe Project is your guide to gently shifting your spending habits and finding confidence within yourself instead of searching for it on a rack. It might even tempt you to take on the no-buy challenge as you discover your inner brilliance, without the need to add to cart.

©2026 Emma Louise Edwards (P)2025 W. F. Howes ltd.
Art Beauty, Grooming & Style Editors Select Personal Development Personal Finance Personal Success Habits

Editorial Review

A year without new clothes?
I’ll admit it: I have a wardrobe issue. My clothes are everywhere—closets, drawers, under-bed storage containers, laundry baskets, piles next to the laundry baskets... I even have clothes stashed at my parents’ house. And yet, each morning, I still struggle to find something to wear. So, when I first stumbled on The Wardrobe Project by founder of The Broke Generation media platform Emma Edwards, I jumped at the chance to finally get my outfits under control—and maybe even save some money too. Framed through Edwards’s own experience of a “no-buy” year, this guide is the key to shutting down impulse buying, finding your inner strength, and rediscovering who you are without that brand-new sweater. This new year, I’ll be stopping the cycle of overconsumption in favor of wearing my confidence instead. —Rachael X., Audible Editor

All stars
Most relevant
Such food for thought! I will definitely take lots of ideas away from this book. Emma is great to listen to as well as inspiring! Everything she wrote about resonates with me and even though I’m not sure I could do it for 12 months, I will try my best to start with a shorter timeframe (3 months maybe!) and see how I go! Well done Emma for writing this book and I shall
definitely read your others now! Thank you!!

I could have written it myself!!

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Redshifted my mindset in the most humorous way. A must read. We need to remove the blinders stop the noise and embrace our true brilliance. I will definitely be starting my own wardrobe project this January. Thank you Emma for writing a book that I will revisit and reread again and again!

A must read for every woman

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I liked a lot about this book. I’ve read many minimalism and decluttering books without having much success in reducing the size of my wardrobe or curbing my spending on new clothes, mainly because they don’t address the reasons about why we feel the need to buy more when we can acknowledge we have enough . This book was a very honest review of the ups and downs of a no spend year and ways in which we can slow down and consider new additions to your wardrobe. The author discusses issues many women will have also encountered as seeing the contents of their wardrobe as a reflection of their value as a person. This book has made me realise that i can and should do a no spend myself. Previously I hesitated to commit as I felt I wouldn’t even last a month but now I don’t see it as depriving myself but rather liberating myself from the pressure to keep buy something new to keep myself feeling good. Highly recommend!

Refreshing !

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This book will definitely give you a new perspective on shopping. Excellent in helping you achieve saving goals. The author also has a very easy to listen to voice.

Mindset change

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This book basically says that you should accept yourself and stop buying for your fantasy self. I feel it could be condensed into an article as it's full of repetition and unnecessary examples. It also seems to be squarely aimed at the plus size consumer who shops because they aren't happy with the way they look. If that isn't you then you probably won't gain much from this book.

Repetitive

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