The challenge is simple. To reject a lifestyle addicted to New and return to a life of Make and Make Do. I’m talking clothes. I love them and I want them but the cost is starting to become too much to bear. Not the financial cost – fast fashion can be cheap – but the environmental and human price that is paid for our obsession with the latest look has just now become too much for me.
So it’s time to change my ways. This is not strictly about denial. Buying nothing would be brave but very boring. And I want to have fun. But my challenge for the year is to create a fashion conscious, environmentally conscious and ethically conscious wardrobe – and to love what I wear every day.
The Rules:
Second hand:
No new energy or resource gets wasted in the process and I get something new to me. So that’s charity shops, boot fairs, vintage markets, ebay, swapping and stealing from my sister.
Locally made:
Expensive and so not to be done too often – but when I can’t find something I really need second hand , if I want something copied or decide to invest in a classic tailored piece. The material used has to be bought second hand but paying someone to make something for me will not only give me something made to measure and unique but will directly give a local person some cash for their time, creativity and skill.
Each Day:
I put together a new outfit from all my old stuff, photograph it, price it and put it up.
the end of the new 
Anna
February 23, 2011
I recently read “Green is the new black” by Tamsin Blanchard and your mission echoes what she believes, a very interesting book.
I have been charity shopping for years, and completely recognise what you say about feeling like you have won something when you find some ‘treasure’ ( the same feeling that results in unhealthy eBay bidding i must say)….. I actually found a Mulberry handbag in The British Heart Foundation just the other day!
What are your views on buying clothes in charity shops from famously unethical chains like Gap and Primark for example?
Love ‘the end of the new’…. lets hope you turn away more and more people from high street shops.
Not New
February 23, 2011
Thanks Anna. I’ve never got so lucky as a Mulberry!
But on the Primark, Gap thing. I think it’s totally fine to buy any brands second hand. I think the reason not to buy those brands new is because you are giving a company with dodgy ethics and practices your money, increasing their profit and power in the market place and also increasing the demand for their stuff. But buying any brand second hand just keeps that piece of clothing out of landfill. I guess you can’t blame a nice dress for its birth – once it’s been bought the damaged is done and it’s just best to make the most of it. So I suppose the best thing we can do for the environment is to keep wearing the stuff that’s already circulation – whatever the brand – rather than buy new. I’ advice against a second hand hoody with GAP on the front. But then that’s because I wouldn’t want to advertise for them and also because it’d look rubbish.
Stick up a picture of the Mulberry. I’d love to see it.
Take care,
notajogger
April 14, 2011
This is brilliant – I don’t envy you your daily efforts, but I think you’ve made a fantastic decision to step away from the high street. You won’t regret it. I made a resolution last year (for 10:10) to stop buying new clothes and other than underwear (no, I couldn’t find an alternative, sorry) and running shoes (ditto) I’ve only bought one new item since December 2009. I may have slightly cheated with presents people have given me however…
Anyway the point of my comment was to say that after 6 months I stopped lusting after things and the pleasure I got from vintage/second hand purchases truly outweighed the pain of not being able to go into Whistles. Bravo!
Not New
April 14, 2011
Thank you so much.
And well done to you! I totally agree that the joy of finding very good second hand or vintage is so much more of a thrill than buying new but I am still having pangs for New now and then… so thanks for the encouragement. I’m totally confident about knickers now that I’ve found a few hand made beauties that use vintage or ‘waste’ fabric but am still slightly anxious about bras and tights… not running out yet but will do soon…
Still I am 100 % committed to keeping on keeping on. But thanks for the boost.