Image Credit : Emergence: Cynthia MacAdams
There is an old adage : “women shop for clothes, men replace clothes”
I say “hyper consumers shop for clothes, responsible consumers replace clothes”
Break the mould.
I recently purchased a blue dress. Why did I get it ? No particular reason. I had liked it and wanted it for a year. It’s very expensive but I found it for a good price (60$) on the second hand market. The second hand shop added a further discount and it was the trigger I needed. It’s only one thing and too small to matter right ? To offset the one incoming, I dug out one garment to let go – a pink t-shirt that I never wear. Whats wrong with it ? Nothing ! This is the classic cull & buy trap. The cycle of desire followed by dissatisfaction. After all these years of reading about sustainability and practicing minimalism, I am still stuck in the cycle. The magnitude is much smaller, but I am still a consumer who buys recreationally. My husband on the other hand never shops for clothes. When his clothes show signs of wear, he downgrades them to yard wear / at home wear / sleep wear. He finally replaces them when I start complaining about how shabby they look. The old stereotype is true in our household. I am that woman. He is that man. Perhaps I can make more of an effort to break the mould ?