Hi Harry, I’m really enjoying following your journey and your thoughts on your 365 no buy project. I’ve found it very refreshing and genuinely interesting to read about clothes and getting dressed without being pushed links to buy etc. ( see my final point)
For me I’m really interested in how to enjoy clothes without feeling guilty about contributing to the horrendous waste, over production, landfill, poor labour conditions etc. This isn’t trying to make anyone feel guilty but we can’t just ignore it either!
I think the important thing is to find ways of reducing one’s impact in the way that works for you- that leans into your own values/interests/approaches.
There are 3 adult females in my household. We all love clothes. We are all seriously concerned about climate change, the environment and our impact.
But we like shopping too!
And we each approach it differently.
One of us has absolutely masses of clothes and loves buying them. She loves shopping. But they are all secondhand or thrifted. She can walk into a charity shop and pull out perfect things where I can only see a pile of stressful jumble.
Her sister buys very little, usually online, mostly new, very carefully considered, - she does deep dive research on sustainability-and - for an average girl - her clothes are very few but fairly expensive.
I have gone for ‘buy 5’, but 10 months in - (excluding underwear)- have only bought 2 brand new items. However I have been leaning into my interests in making. So I have been dyeing a lot of thrifted (Vinted) items, changing up buttons etc which is also fun and if it doesn’t work out not much is lost and something has been learned! Since lockdown I’ve been trying to make more of my own clothes. I find something very mindful and satisfying about making something with my own hands ( also gets you off your phone!). But it’s not for everyone.
My point is that there are a lot of ways to consider one’s approach to buying, making and wearing clothes but the crucial thing is- as you say- is to be intentional . None of our approaches is morally superior to the other.
I do agree that a lot of discourse around this smacks of the patriarchy but it is true too that women are the biggest consumers in this space and we could therefore make a difference in challenging the mindless consumerism we are fed ( affiliate links and content creators I’m looking at you!) and do our own, personal , individual and intentional thing.
Thanks for all your sharing- I always look forward to reading 😊
Thanks for your comment Joanne, and love that you have been making your own pieces! That’s so cool. I find it a very tricky one to navigate at times, because I too am a content creator, and I also have a lot of friends who are amazing content creators and this is their job. When they don’t post newness people get mad, and when they do post newness people get mad, so a lot of the time it feels like you can’t win. I’ve also seen some great conversations from content creators politely reminding their audience just because I share something I’m wearing it doesn’t mean you have to buy it. The thing I get Dmd for the most is asking for a link when I don’t share one. Again it’s very nuanced and I can see everyone’s point of view. Of course the only thing we have control of is ourselves and our actions, including how we each shop. My main point was my dislike for the moral superiority I see thrown about a lot on the internet, more often than not from other women to other women. I’m grateful you’re here Joanne and that we can have these conversations. x
Such beautiful thoughts on the process and slowing down. Perhaps leaning into vintage could be a soft move forward? It's sustainable all around, supporting small business and you have to be so much more intentional with what you are looking for, spending time to find the right pieces that will suit your needs makes one really think about their purchases as well
A really thoughtful and interesting piece. Love your nuanced take on the things to be gained from a no-buy. Do you think a building-up-to-it-approach will have the same effects? Two weeks or a month, for example. Not sure I can outright commit to 12 months, although I’d like to!!
I look forward to hearing more about your no-buy and specific insights you had, Harriet.💕 I have done no-buys, and I definitely agree with the boost to my creativity. I’ve also done…a 12x30x30 challenge, a year of 30-item capsule wardrobes where each one was unique (I had Wild Cards each month). And a year of one-in-one-out, which was the most useful challenge I ever did. It taught me to upgrade-if I wanted that skirt, I had to let go of a skirt. And I did a year of secondhand only (the exceptions were gift cards), that shifted my spending habits almost entirely to consignment and thrift shopping.
The feeling coming off a wardrobe challenge is anticlimactic, for sure. What do I wear??? What do I buy???
You’re quickly becoming one of my favourite style writers. I very much appreciate your skill.💜
This was so insightful, this year I challenged myself to buy 24 pieces this year, which is A LOT, but unfortunately less than I purchased in the past. It's made me so much more mindful about what I'm bringing in, forced me to wear what I have, and then find the holes. I commend you for doing a whole year though, that's incredible!
How is it patriarchy? How is it just women? No. I think it’s wasteful and often exploitative of workers for anyone to buy excessive clothing — it’s regardless of gender. I’ve had the experience of going a couple of years without buying clothing out of poverty, and other years of buying just a bra or pair of shoes. It was actually fine. Not once did I have to leave the house naked.
Hi Harry, I’m really enjoying following your journey and your thoughts on your 365 no buy project. I’ve found it very refreshing and genuinely interesting to read about clothes and getting dressed without being pushed links to buy etc. ( see my final point)
For me I’m really interested in how to enjoy clothes without feeling guilty about contributing to the horrendous waste, over production, landfill, poor labour conditions etc. This isn’t trying to make anyone feel guilty but we can’t just ignore it either!
I think the important thing is to find ways of reducing one’s impact in the way that works for you- that leans into your own values/interests/approaches.
There are 3 adult females in my household. We all love clothes. We are all seriously concerned about climate change, the environment and our impact.
But we like shopping too!
And we each approach it differently.
One of us has absolutely masses of clothes and loves buying them. She loves shopping. But they are all secondhand or thrifted. She can walk into a charity shop and pull out perfect things where I can only see a pile of stressful jumble.
Her sister buys very little, usually online, mostly new, very carefully considered, - she does deep dive research on sustainability-and - for an average girl - her clothes are very few but fairly expensive.
I have gone for ‘buy 5’, but 10 months in - (excluding underwear)- have only bought 2 brand new items. However I have been leaning into my interests in making. So I have been dyeing a lot of thrifted (Vinted) items, changing up buttons etc which is also fun and if it doesn’t work out not much is lost and something has been learned! Since lockdown I’ve been trying to make more of my own clothes. I find something very mindful and satisfying about making something with my own hands ( also gets you off your phone!). But it’s not for everyone.
My point is that there are a lot of ways to consider one’s approach to buying, making and wearing clothes but the crucial thing is- as you say- is to be intentional . None of our approaches is morally superior to the other.
I do agree that a lot of discourse around this smacks of the patriarchy but it is true too that women are the biggest consumers in this space and we could therefore make a difference in challenging the mindless consumerism we are fed ( affiliate links and content creators I’m looking at you!) and do our own, personal , individual and intentional thing.
Thanks for all your sharing- I always look forward to reading 😊
Thanks for your comment Joanne, and love that you have been making your own pieces! That’s so cool. I find it a very tricky one to navigate at times, because I too am a content creator, and I also have a lot of friends who are amazing content creators and this is their job. When they don’t post newness people get mad, and when they do post newness people get mad, so a lot of the time it feels like you can’t win. I’ve also seen some great conversations from content creators politely reminding their audience just because I share something I’m wearing it doesn’t mean you have to buy it. The thing I get Dmd for the most is asking for a link when I don’t share one. Again it’s very nuanced and I can see everyone’s point of view. Of course the only thing we have control of is ourselves and our actions, including how we each shop. My main point was my dislike for the moral superiority I see thrown about a lot on the internet, more often than not from other women to other women. I’m grateful you’re here Joanne and that we can have these conversations. x
This is exactly how I feel as I’m ending month 10 of my no-buy year written so beautifully with no judgement or pedestals thank you!!
Thanks Tamara x
Such beautiful thoughts on the process and slowing down. Perhaps leaning into vintage could be a soft move forward? It's sustainable all around, supporting small business and you have to be so much more intentional with what you are looking for, spending time to find the right pieces that will suit your needs makes one really think about their purchases as well
Yes definitely! Thanks so much x
A really thoughtful and interesting piece. Love your nuanced take on the things to be gained from a no-buy. Do you think a building-up-to-it-approach will have the same effects? Two weeks or a month, for example. Not sure I can outright commit to 12 months, although I’d like to!!
Thanks so much Amanda. Totally! I believe a No buy for any length of time can be a game changer. X
I look forward to hearing more about your no-buy and specific insights you had, Harriet.💕 I have done no-buys, and I definitely agree with the boost to my creativity. I’ve also done…a 12x30x30 challenge, a year of 30-item capsule wardrobes where each one was unique (I had Wild Cards each month). And a year of one-in-one-out, which was the most useful challenge I ever did. It taught me to upgrade-if I wanted that skirt, I had to let go of a skirt. And I did a year of secondhand only (the exceptions were gift cards), that shifted my spending habits almost entirely to consignment and thrift shopping.
The feeling coming off a wardrobe challenge is anticlimactic, for sure. What do I wear??? What do I buy???
You’re quickly becoming one of my favourite style writers. I very much appreciate your skill.💜
Wow thank you so much Sheila! And love all the other challenges you’ve done, some great food for thought for when my no buy finishes x
This was so insightful, this year I challenged myself to buy 24 pieces this year, which is A LOT, but unfortunately less than I purchased in the past. It's made me so much more mindful about what I'm bringing in, forced me to wear what I have, and then find the holes. I commend you for doing a whole year though, that's incredible!
How is it patriarchy? How is it just women? No. I think it’s wasteful and often exploitative of workers for anyone to buy excessive clothing — it’s regardless of gender. I’ve had the experience of going a couple of years without buying clothing out of poverty, and other years of buying just a bra or pair of shoes. It was actually fine. Not once did I have to leave the house naked.