Can you tell me what’s the oldest piece of clothing in your wardrobe? Do you have pieces you’ve owned for years, but can’t part with? I still have my wedding dress and formal dress – which must be the oldest dresses I have in my wardrobe.
Can I admit, that lately I have been convicted of the effects of fast fashion.
And when I survey my wardrobe, I can see the effects of fast fashion because most of the items have been acquired in the last few years, post children.
I love fast fashion. I love its affordability (at times) and the fact I can get a new outfit to wear easily. But at what cost?
I shared my conviction with a business woman and she was quick to remind me that my feelings were warranted, but when I share outfits from local boutiques, I’m helping another business prosper, while also offering affordable clothing options that won’t break a family’s budget. If you read this blog, I gather you enjoy reading about fashion, or want to be inspired too.
But I also don’t want to fuel the need to constantly buy new things. Hence why I repeat a lot of my outfits on Instagram. I can’t afford to be buying new clothes all the time, and I’m sure you probably can’t either.
When I look at the clothes in my wardrobe, most items are a couple of years old. The main reason for my new purchases have been because my size and shape have changed after 3 kids. Pre-kids I was a size 12, post kids and 3 years later, I’m a border line 14-16. Most times a 16 because I like my clothes to be a bit roomy.
But when I look beyond my lifestyle changes, there are still pieces that I have worn, pre-children, that I love wearing time and time again. There are also a lot of new pieces that I hope to keep in my wardrobe until they start to look drab.
This dress from New Zealand is one of them. Despite it being 10 years old, and having worn it pre-kids, during pregnancy and post kids, it’s been a great dress to have in my wardrobe. The flowing fabric and belted waist means I can cinch the dress in to suit whatever size I am.
I want to have more dresses like this that I wear time and time again. Clothes that I love to wear which prevent me from heading to the shops to buy more. Every time I wear this dress, I’m reminded to think a bit more about how I ‘consume’ my clothes and how I want to get better at buying clothes that will work with me and stay in my wardrobe longer than a season.
The other thought that I’ve had about my clothes is creating memories in them. I can remember where I bought that dress in New Zealand and some of the places I’ve worn it and the comments I’ve received from wearing it. Strong memories with clothes can allow us to get reflective of the past and can give them sentimental value. This can prevent us from looking for more pieces to fill our wardrobe, because we learn to be grateful for what we have.
Right now, I don’t think I need any more new clothes. I think the gaps have been filled. Which is a crazy statement to make on a fashion blog when I do enjoy modelling new clothes. But it’s a good place to be.
Some of my oldest clothes, are classics that haven’t dated and I enjoy wearing them time and time again. My thought process has been one where I have begun to think more about my purchasing habits and ensure my wardrobe isn’t constantly churning through clothes. Take for example this skirt I wore on the weekend. I think the last time I wore it was last summer. Sometimes we can forget the amazing pieces we own already!