Do I Need New Clothes?
A few weeks ago, I couldn’t find anything to wear while getting ready for brunch. Nothing in my closet sparked that ‘joy’ Marie Kondo talks about. In an effort to find something, I riffled through a few different pieces, tried on a few tops and realized, it’s not exciting because there’s nothing new in it.
In the past few months, I’ve adopted a sustainable approach to shopping. Thrift for lightly worn items, wear what you have, donate what you’re not wearing and don’t shop for things you want, but things you need.
Now, since it feels like the world is opening back up again, I’ve been reaching into my closet more for things to wear, but I FEEL like I don’t have many options. I think it’s a mindset shift so I’m asking myself questions like:
- Why do I need to have new clothes in my closet?
- What feelings do new clothes bring?
- Will shopping sustainably not offer the same high I get when I buy brand new clothes?
- Where does this high even come from?
Building a wardrobe that’s more sustainable is a choice that I believe benefits the environment now and in the long run. It’s really sitting down and understanding the impacts of fast fashion like workers being paid low wages in hazardous factories to make, for example, a $5 shirt and clothes ending up in landfills that are not biodegradable, so these synthetic fabrics pile up and give off harmful chemicals that people have to breathe in.
And don’t get me wrong, I’ve shopped at the fast fashion stores so you’ll see these brands in my posts, but going forward, I’m working on being comfortable with wearing what I currently own, thrifting for second hand pieces, buying quality items that last long, and upcycling clothes (I started sewing so more on that soon!).
So, on this Earth Day, I encourage you to think about the clothes you buy and say to yourself, will I wear this $5 shirt for years to come or will it probably end up in a landfill next spring?
