My wife spent the past two years not buying new clothes, or donating things to offset any essential purchases. She buys almost exclusively from used/vintage clothing stores and at one point had a very small wardrobe.

(I think the term is "capsule wardrobe"?)

But I guess this stuff varies an awful lot depending on your occupation, and activities. She works in the medical field so she never wears her own clothes at work, for example. I suspect if you get a uniform of some kind, like that, then you don't need to worry quite so much about fashion..