I thought that it was time for a quick update on my pledge. You may remember that back at the start of March, I wrote THIS post…. where I pledged to buy only used clothes, or to make my own, for 6 months. Well, we are now 5 months in, and I am still going strong. I was actually surprised to find how much mindless browsing among the racks had become part of a habit… and that when I couldn’t buy anything, and forced myself not to look, eventually, I have even lost the desire to look.
Additionally, I have been re-assessing my wardrobe and realised how much I have that I don’t wear. So on the weekend, I sorted out a bag of clothes to send to the op-shop. I hope to keep adding to this bag over the next few weeks.
My pledge may end at the end of this month, but I certainly won’t be racing back to the nearest shop to make up for lost time. I have had a great chance to think about my “retail therapy” habits, which has extended to repeating the mantra, “enjoy without owning” as I walk past aisles of temptation. I am actually really excited about adding more handmade clothes to my wardrobe over the next few months. I have bought a Craftsy Class on designing a-line skirts to fit you, and think that would be a great way to add some variety to my wardrobe for the warmer months.
Fashion is moving faster and faster in today’s commercial world, and there is much that is not attractive. I think that this “pause” in spending has given me a great chance to look at my wardrobe, my personal style and my needs, and I can develop a range of clothes that fit and flatter, are comfortable to wear and make me feel great, without having to burrow to find them in an ever increasing mountain.
Although I won’t be extending my pledge, I have forever changed my attitude to my clothing. If you haven’t tried a challenge like this before, I can definitely recommend it, both for the impact it will make on the planet, on your budget, and on your own mindset as well.
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gladys in the garden
Well done. What a great challenge. Were you able to buy fabric or did you have to make do?
Cassandra
Thank you 🙂 I did allow myself to purchase fabric, but I do love finding odd pieces at the op shop and making something out of them. I also have inherited my mother’s sizeable fabric stash, which I am supposed to be sorting through and using. So a mixture of vintage, new and thrifted. I would love to be getting more sewing done at the moment, but the machine is a migraine trigger for some reason (maybe the light or the motion?) and I’m just not getting the time in like I want, so I’ve been knitting instead. One has to be even more imaginative using up scraps and stray balls of wool!