Why I'm Only Buying 10 Items of Clothing This Year
We’re almost at the end of Q1 and what better time to check in on some of the goals we made earlier this year. Amongst a deluge of resolutions promising more time at the gym, more time spent with family, less spicy margs and finally finding an apartment you jive with, I decided on Jan. 1, that I would finally dealing with my shopping habits.
I work in fashion, so I, of course, have an affinity for fashion. I love reading about it in magazines, window shopping in SoHo and, through my job, I’m fortunate enough to meet the designers behind my favourite labels and attend their shows during fashion week. Clothes also consume my entire life: I always have clothes to wash, to fold, to put away, to give away, to mend, and to sell. Yet, I’m always wondering how I have nothing to wear.
So earlier this year, I decided that I would only buy 10 new items of clothing. And while that may not sound extreme enough, it is for me.
My decision was mostly informed by the amount of mental space I would free up if I had a strict limit on what I could and not buy. As a Gen-Zer, I am also very passionate about sustainability and how we can limit the effects of the climate crisis. The fashion industry is a major polluter: Apparel and footwear production is responsible for anywhere between 4 and 8.6 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions — this figure is greater than the aviation industry as well as the emissions of Germany and the UK combined. Additionally, fashion’s entire supply chain needs a lot of work — from protections against forced labour, to supporting the creation of more sustainable materials and even the rights workers, including the people who make the clothes and the folks that model them on the runway and in ads. Globally, we are consuming more fashion and paying less for it.
The Fashion Workers Rights rally I covered last spring.
Since fashion is such a major polluter, this also means that the fashion industry has a huge opportunity to change our climate reality and future. According to a 2022 report by the Hot or Cool Institute, everyone would need to reduce their clothing consumption to five items annually in order for us to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius, bar changes elsewhere. Personal sacrifices are great, but legislation would do the heavy lifting should we commit ourselves (and our governments!) to change. There are proposed laws making their way through New York’s legislative bodies, primarily the Fashion Act and Fashion Workers Act, that would tax the fashion industry for its environmental harms and introduce incentives for a cleaner supply chain. This would be a game-changer should they pass the State Senate and be signed into law.
So how did I land at 10? That’s my personal limit. Last year, I purchased 24 new articles of clothing — a graduation dress, work clothes for my first job, fun shoes that I knew would last me a long time, plus other frivolous impulse purchases I’m too ashamed to write here. Five seemed too difficult and while 10 is low, it is more feasible.
So here are the rules:
You cannot purchase from any fast fashion retailer
Fast fashion is about convenience and this challenge is meant to inconvenience you. Additionally, fast fashion’s supply chain is a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions. You are trying to get out of the mentality that fashion should be fast and cheap.
Second-hand retail is okay, but don’t go crazy
While second-hand items have a lower carbon footprint than brand spanking new pieces, you also don’t want to go overboard. Consumption is consumption, no matter how you slice it.
Just because it is a big event doesn’t mean you need a new wardrobe
In my industry, I am constantly invited to events where I have to put my best foot forward, including fashion week. And there is nothing more comical yet embarrassing than when the street style photographers lower their cameras when you pass by. I’m always stumped for what to wear. In these occasions, renting clothes through sites like Rent the Runway or Nuuly or your friend’s closet is a game changer. You suddenly have access to a whole new wardrobe without having to own every item. For a fashion week event, I was fortunate enough to pull a dress from a label I love, which I promptly returned, but I felt super chic for the evening.
Just because you are buying less, doesn't mean you need to buy boring
Advice about going sustainable never fails to mention investing in season-less items or items you will go back to year after year. While this is sound advice, examples of this often include a sturdy coat, or a white t-shirt — basics. If you’re a fashion girlie like me, you know that being more sustainable doesn’t mean you need to be buying beige. One of my purchases this year was pair of cream Margiela slingback tabis — out of the ordinary yes, but this will be a staple for me.
Do you actually like it or did you see it on TikTok?
There has been a lot of talk about personal style lately, especially with the influx of TikTok fashion trends which get more ridiculous by the hour. Mandy Lee, a trend analyst, started a trend of her own earlier this year: the 75-hard style challenge. You are meant to document your outfit every day and you’re not allowed to purchase any new items. This is all in the hopes that you find your personal style, what you gravitate towards and what’s worth spending money on. While I’m not following the 75 Hard Style Challenge, this whole 10 items thing is helping me identify gaps in my closet and items that no longer fit my style identity.
You’re probably wondering, “Yola, how many items of clothing have you purchased already?” The answer is 4. I feel like I panicked bought the first three items when I started this challenge, but it’s been very slow ever since. I’ve either bought things I’ve always had an eye on, or a closet staple like a sweater. I’ll give another update at the end of Q2.
One more thing: the column is expanding.
Starting next month, you’ll be able to find podcast episodes of me interviewing my favourite designers, retailers and stylish people on your feed. If you’ve been following my work for a while, you’ll know that my interest in journalism began with audio and I had a podcast (sobremesa) my freshman year of college. You can find those (embarrassing) episodes and more below!
