Nine Outfits

I follow BuyMeOnce on various forms of social media. They curate both a UK and USA website of items built to last.  Clothing, bags, jewellery, kitchen ware, furniture, electrical -  you get the idea. Some of the items have lifetime guarantees, some offer a free repair service, some are made from recycled materials and some manufactured in the UK. No, they aren't cheap options, but if you get a lifetime guarantee or free repairs meaning you probably don't have to buy that item again - surely that's worth it.

Tara Button, the founder of the site, posted an article back in December that got me thinking - here's a little excerpt...

The more I found out about long-lasting products, the more I had my eyes opened to the horror of how damaging our buying habits are today. Since the 1930s, our spending has become more and more short term. Back then, the average person had nine outfits, and they’d repair and reuse them until they finally became rags to clean the oven with. Now we buy 59 pieces of clothing a year, and half of it ends up in landfill within 12 months. The pace of consumerism has made us all perpetually dissatisfied, increasingly lonely, debt ridden and anxious—not to mention the impact on the planet. 

Just 9 outfits - and look at me putting just in front of that, like I can't believe you could manage on 9 outfits.working in a clothes shop I am aware of the excess in my wardrobe. We have to wear current stock so have a uniform and discount allowance, but as items become unavailable we can't wear them anymore so I end up with a stash of clothes, some of which I have paid towards that I can no longer wear. Yes, some of it I keep but it isn't always to my taste and there's only so much too i a wardrobe. I've given stuff to firmed, and sent bag loads to the charity shops but I think this season I need to rethink.

This season I plan to shop smarter!! I don't want to be staring at a whole load of stuff again. If I'm going to spend my hard earned cash on it then it's got to be something I will continue to wear outside of work. I know I have a habit of shopping for the 'me I want to be' rather than the 'me I am'. (See the gorgeous pair of velvet trousers I bought before Christmas and haven't worn as an example) Yes, one day I may reach that dream point, but for now I need to be sensible and practical! I want to stop with the 'special occasion' items - less of the wearing 20% of the clothes 80% of the time. If I own it I want to be wearing it. Not sure I'll ever be a 9 outfits kinda girl but who knows where it might lead.

And yes - I post this out into the world so that you can hold me accountable (especially if you work with me and I'm getting my bank card out!)

Maybe you'll spot me shopping in those velvet trousers soon...

Here's a pic of my recently Son Mari'd t-shirt/pj drawer (post was looking a bit dull without a piccie!)