This week end I finally did something I've been working on for a couple of years now...
Since I am a minimalist I've worked on buying less clothes... and I've had my ups and down.... Many blog posts here on that...
BUT... where I stand now is this:
I have much less clothes then 8 years ago... I possibly never had that little clothes in my adult life.
All the clothes I own I wear on a regular basis - some more often then others but wear them all!
I also have no more "orphans" items - items that do not go with anything else - in working on my wardrobe, I chose the color I love and came up with pieces that mix and match quite easily...
I still think that I have more clothes then I could get by with... but I really do love clothes... and all the ones I kept reflect my style, fit in my lifestyle and really fit me well! I do not see the point of getting rid of them... and after all, using up all those clothes will help me not having to buy some for years to come technically!
And this is where I run into a problem... because I love to buy clothes... especially this year's clothes as the all seem to be my style!
Thing is, I want to really work on my debt... and for that reason, I have included no budget for clothing per say... Everything is accounted for in my budget and there is no room for clothes for me as there is no need really... therefore I have to find "solutions" to the few items I would like to add to my wardrobe: a plaid shirt, a burgundy cardigan and a beige huge comfy scarf! I found a solution for that... I sold a winter jacket I am no longer wearing - hence I can buy the items - using my 40$ per month allowance to cover what is missing! And still work on my debt!
The other thing that is bothering me, is this documentary on my "to watch" list on Netflix that talks about the truth about clothing... I know it must not be pretty... I am not yet ready to watch it - and I feel selfish for it.... but I know I will watch it eventually! Knowing myself, I know it will trigger a huge shopping strike!
I have been concerned on and off about the clothing industry for a few years now... and for that reason, I have been trying to buy second-hand clothes... but it never really work out... for many reasons! One is I truly could never really find something that I loved and that fit me. OK, you may say I did not really try hard enough and maybe I didn't but I did look around and try on a few items... no luck I guess! I was told, by friends, who do buy them, that you have to go often and not think of anything specific but just browse and keep an open mind! Second reason, is that I was not raised that way. In my childhood, we use to give clothes we no longer wanted or no longer fit us to "poor" people... therefore somehow I equated second-hand clothes to being poor in my head. Now I am not rich... and far from it... we are just above poverty as per our income in the country we live - but I am not complaining... this is something we chose to do - to do work we love! Our minimalist lifestyle allows us to do that... but it comes with a price! I only work 20h a week and at a salary just a little above minimum wage... therefore I am not comfortable spending crazy amount of money on clothes - plus, there is no need for it! Where it is more difficult is that we use to have an income 4 times what we have now... and buying clothes was a hobby -that created debt.. I know! So, now I have to overcome the fact that second-hand clothes are not only for poor people (as I know wealthy people who buy them too) AND the fact that I am indeed poor now (by choice but still)!
All that to say that this week end, I spend 21,24$ on 3 items (I had a 15% discount on that so initially they were 24,36$).
I found Roots pyjama bottoms for 3,99$, a corduroy skirt for 4,99$ , and a velvet embroidered jacket for 12,99$. They all fit well, are within my style... used my allowance for it! I have now officially break the cycle... and I am confident I could go back there and buy more stuff if I needed to!
I also feel good about it not only because I saved $ but because it is a better choice for the environment too! We buy and throw away so many clothes every years in America that it doesn't make sense anymore! When I decided to minimize my wardrobe I decided to wear my clothes until they "die" on me... this will save the landfills... I also decided to give or sell what ever I no longer want when it is still wearable...saving the landfills some more... and decided to bring to H&M unusable clothes as they recycle the fabric... landfills people.... and now if I can buy more second-hand, this means not using as much new material!!! And using my creativity to mix and match and sometimes "modify" items I find to make them a better fit for my life!
Now, what about you? Do you buy second hand clothes? What are your reason for it?
Be who you are... DREAM your life... LIVE your dream...
namaste
love&peace,
nath
xox
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