On November 2, 2021, my friend Lou messaged me with a challenge: "Amy and I are not buying any new clothes for a year…" My immediate reply was, "Definitely!" This might not be what people who know me would expect. As a child, I once invited a girl to my birthday party just because I had seen her in a beautiful dress. My love for fashion has continued into adulthood.
However, I am also aware of the significant issues in the fashion industry: it's highly polluting. There's also the problem of waste, with the West often dumping(丢弃) unwanted clothing in other regions.
So, when the invitation appeared, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to reset my relationship with clothes.
The year pushed me to embrace better habits. I've always enjoyed looking for second-hand items, but when my only pair of trainers broke in an unfixable way, I urgently needed a replacement. The Vinted app helped me find one almost as quickly as buying new.
I put more effort into making clothes. You quickly realize the labor involved once you start making shorts by yourself. Besides, removing the ease of buying new pushed me towards fixing instead, though a low point was taking a much-loved pair of shoes to a cobbler(修鞋匠), only to be told it'd be "cheaper to buy new".
Even though the year is officially over, I'm hoping to carry on with what I've learned. I'm trying to consume less overall, with a one in, one out' rule with clothes. I've been noting down what clothes I wear each day, and whether I get 30 wears out of it (said to be the amount of times necessary to balance out the carbon emissions(排放) created to make a piece of clothing).
These approaches are what work. for me. But there are loads of different ways to do a fashion challenge. How useful, challenging, or appealing an approach sounds will vary from individual to individual. Whatever you do, roping in friends is recommended. They keep you motivated; they can also share ideas, and possibly clothes!
