1. A low buy year
If we continue to desire perpetual economic expansion, endless population growth, more material stuff to buy and throw away, plastics in any form and purpose, and an environment that will never cease to provide the resources we want and accept the waste we dump into it, then we will fall back into the convenient and lazy mindset that technology and policy will fix the problem for us. But without systemic changes in our culture and values, we will never recover from the destructive path on which we are embarked.
Andrew J. Hoffman
“Year of peak emissions” has been a fantasy. We hope that this is the year where the emissions curve, that has been on a rise for decades, changes course and starts trending downward. “Peak meat” is another term that I am starting to hear. I think I have sort of reached my “peak stuff” in the year 2019. My apartment is full. My closet is full. My desk is full. My calendar is full. The consumeristic portion of my heart is full. It’s suffocating to think of wish lists and more stuff at this point. So what comes next ?
I have never ever succeeded at a shopping fast when it comes to clothes. A year without additions has been a fantasy that goes unfulfilled time after time. It’s too big a leap from where I am to aim at it and I always fall. In 2019, it’s the cold weather clothes that made me overshoot my target. I start off every year with a declaration of a perfect closet built and then go out to buy more. This year, I am going to aim for something achievable. A low buy year is what I really need. My rules are simple :
No more than 5 garment additions allowed for the year 2020. No shoes. Inner-wear replacements are okay.
2. A year of keep
Waste isnt waste, till we waste it.
I have decluttered a dozen garments this year. I no longer feel good after a purge. Over the years, I have bought excess and bailed myself out by decluttering. This cycle has its own rhythm.
Cull. Feel good about the empty space. Eventually fill the space with new things. Get overwhelmed. Repeat.
I can’t do this sort of thing anymore ! If I have the bandwidth to learn only one good habit this year, let it be the end of closet purges. Decluttering a good garment is an insult to the craftsman, in my opinion. I have purchased things in that past on a trial basis where the end goal was to declutter if it didn’t work out. Bad decisions take me further away from financial independence I want for myself. For the year 2020, I don’t want to make more subtractions or additions. I want calm waters and a peaceful state of mind.
3. A year for analytics.
“I wear them so much”.
“I wear it like my uniform”.
“I owned it for years”.
These words are used rather casually in the fashion community to green wash the consumerism. Do the numbers provide evidence of wear ? I would like to find out. I would like to record what I wear in an excel sheet that I will populate every day. We can analyze the data at the end of the year. This project is my truth serum.
4. A year of sartorial writing.
Style blogs can be very helpful. They turn your gaze on writing essays on clothes you love. They offer a space to learn about the craft that went into creating your garment. They offer a space to replace consumption with creativity. They offer the scope to showcase the skill that goes into use and upkeep of the garment. Where else can you write a story about the life of a garment ? Who else will listen to you rant about the lifecycle of your jeans ? Let my fashion gaze turn inward this year. Can blogging replace retail therapy ?
5. The return of the Little Blue Book.
Most of you guys found me through my old blog. It’s unfortunate that I had to delete it. I apologize for erasing all the thoughtful comments you contributed to the conversation. I apologize for erasing the guest posts you wrote for me and the time you put in. At the least, I would like to bring back some of the content that was written in the format of a book titled ‘The Little Blue Book’. It had essays on identifying quality of clothing , wisdom of Yohji Yamamotto, guest posts by women I adore, and some writings that I think are good reads. I hope to bring them back to this space.
6. Tailors and Cobblers over Retail.
From my clothing budget, I have given SO MUCH money to the big stores and NOTHING to the local craftspeople. I have a big pile of clothes that have holes to be fixed and alterations done. I have a pile of garments that need to be dyed blue. I have shoes that need a visit to the cobbler to stay healthy. I have a watch that needs repair. I want to do it myself but I can really use the help. It’s all overwhelming to DIY.
7. Make it last Sunday.
Block out 10 minutes from my Sunday calendar and use it to upkeep something. It could be conditioning of shoes, mending a garment, spot cleaning a stain, hand washing delicates, brushing the woolen outerwear, …. or caring for something for longevity. 10 minutes on a Sunday is what I am committing to.
8. Read good books
I have flipped through the books on street style photos for years. I have read many books on personal style and the Parisian woman. This year, I want to read a few books on the systemic and cultural changes it takes to facilitate sustainable fashion.
9. The finishing touches
I got the clothes. The next step in my journey to be better dressed is learning to make my clothes look presentable. My shirts are wrinkled. I have dog hair on everything. My shoes don’t shine. Some holes need mending. I walk around with wet hair. I could use the jewellry I own to style my outfits. I could wear a red lip. I could wear some foundation. I could paint my nails. I can take better care of my skin …. that last step / that last mile is missing in my outfits. If I can put a small amount of effort of grooming, it will all tie in better. Maybe I can make a little effort at it ?
10. One more step towards wearing a uniform
Fashion is my “almost only” area of consumerism that I have kept alive. There are so many garments I admired and wanted to wear, back in the day. The bags, the shoes, the coats, the dresses, the blouses, the pants, …. in a range of colors and shapes …. I wanted them all. I dreamed of a huge walk in closet in a mansion. There was constant temptation and ever increasing list of needs. I could paint myself as a victim at the snap of a finger and resort to retail therapy to cheer myself up. “I had nothing during my childhood. I need these shoes”. “I am working 60 hour weeks. I need these shoes.” “I am lonely. I need this dress.” “Mom is sick. I need this handbag.” “I am happy. I need to treat myself.” “I am a good wife. I need to reward myself this.” …… It looked like there was no way out. Then, something wonderful happened. For a blog post, I started collecting photographs of what my fav designers wear on an everyday basis. It turns out, they wear a uniform. How can folks who love fashion and live for fashion wear the same clothes ? That is when the path diverged. The craft and consumerism needn’t be intwined. A uniform was my way out of the abyss. I went from wanting everything to wearing the same clothes day after day. The greatest benefit : mental health. It’s like going on a vacation where you don’t have to think about cooking, cleaning, upkeep, laundry, work, hospital appointments, bills, repairs, ….. It’s like getting fresh air after living in a house of second hand smoke. It’s like coming up for air after searching underwater for something that doesn’t exist. It’s the silence after bad trashy loud music gets turned off. ….. That is what uniform dressing is when compared to a life of wanting more. This lifestyle has been more sustainable. I can save money. I can invest in things I know I will wear a lot. It has freed up my mind space. Year after year, there is less temptation. The wish lists are smaller. A uniform is my way out of the endless consumerism. I want to keep walking on this path.
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Inspiring reads :
I bought clothes and accessories too! I curtailed
My shopping because I am trying to pay bills, my
Mother passed away. I don’t get the same joy I did
From shopping since she has been gone. I periodically
purge my closet too. I give my clothes to people who
can use it. I recycle all plastic and glass, cardboard.
I too could step up the grooming . I have many tinted lip balms, yet my lips are chapped. I’m going to start wearing again. I stopped caring as much after my Mother left💔🙏.
Yes, wear your jewelry!
Grief has its own way of changing how we think and act. I lost my friend recently and the unfairness of me having what she cant have is very evident.
Grooming is a dynamic effort on a daily basis. Or does it ever become a habit that becomes second nature ?
I also use similar excuses to buy more too!
I live vicariously through Lauren’s Closet on
Moda Operandi and Net-a-Porter!
Your reflections help me see myself clearer. Thank you for that.
Words like this makes me want to write more. Thank you !
I’m looking forward to the return of the little blue book, that was indeed how I first discovered your writing. I’m curious why did you delete your old blig, if you don’t mind sharing.
The old blog became an issue at work. I had to take it down. I ran into some immigration paperwork renewal delays and my lawyers pointed to it as a possible cause for extra scrutiny. In the end, a pen name and a new blog seems like a wiser thing to do.
I’m sorry… would you mind not posting (or deleting) my comment above? For some reason my old photo is showing up with it. I thought I’d fixed the issue in my browser but apparently I didn’t. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. I am still, however, so glad to read your blog again.