I don’t know about you, but the way I consume my daily email (particularly newsletters and digests) and social media is by scrolling through and opening the links that intrigue me in new tabs to visit later.
Last week, I had three tabs open and was struck by a theme. The pages I opened were:
- Madewell in Residence x Ohkii Studio Bandana
- ‘The Best Thing You Can Do Is Not Buy More Stuff,’ Says ‘Secondhand’ Expert
- We Combed Every Inch Of Amazon For The 29 Best Affordable Dresses
And I had to laugh. Here I was, about to listen to a piece about how we’re buying–and also donating–so much stuff that thrift stores can’t keep up, while simultaneously getting ready to dig into a round-up of the fast fashion dresses available on Amazon and contemplating purchasing a (very pretty) scarf (that I don’t need) on sale.
Since June, I have been living under a “no new clothes” personal policy. The rules are that I can buy secondhand/pre-owned, with exceptions for shoes, underwear, and some running gear (though lots of quality running gear can be found secondhand). Up until the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend, I had made exactly two exceptions with no regrets.
Then the biggest shopping weekend of the year hit and I felt myself getting swept up in the usual excitement of time-sensitive deals. I made another couple exceptions, but truly: it could have been much worse. And I’m obviously still feeling the buzz of contentment from consumerism with every shopping-related tab I open, but I’m also seeing more and more content about sustainable fashion, which is reminding me not to go crazy and to choose any exceptions wisely.
A couple days after the incongruous tab-opening incident, I was pleased to notice that I opened one email that offered a credit on an item on my Amazon wishlist, The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good, as well as a Good On You newsletter with a list of the “Best Ethical Outfits for the Festive Season” (among other ethical fashion articles). Things are looking up already.
I have a feeling that buying less and more wisely (particularly when it comes to clothing) is going to be a theme in my life (and consequently my blog). Please share your sustainable fashion tips in the comments and stay tuned for more on this topic!
2 Replies to “Buy less stuff”