Do I really need more clothes? Should I need a new sweater this winter, thrift stores will by my supplier.Sunday, December 30, 2007
my decadent closet
Do I really need more clothes? Should I need a new sweater this winter, thrift stores will by my supplier.
Why buy second-hand?
My resolution is to only buy second-hand clothes for one year. I will not buy anything "new" unless it has been previously owned, in which case the clothing is still "new" to me, but "used" as far as retail standards are concerned.
The benefits of reaching this one-year goal are twofold: first, I will save myself a lot of money that I would have otherwise wasted on so-called bargain buys at the mall, or full-priced purchases of vanity. Secondly, this will be my way of recycling and truly shopping "green."
This is not, however, a revolutionary idea. The economy will not suffer from my lack of purchases and retail fashion will carry on as if I never existed. In reality, I am a product of my own times, reacting to the media hype about the greenhouse effect and learning to live on a tighter budget.
Yet the environment and economy were not what initially sparked this eccentric idea within me. It began a few weeks ago while I was cleaning my room, sorting my clothes off the floor as I chastised myself for not taking more care of my possessions. I found skirts that I never wear anymore, plus favorite shirts that are staples in my wardrobe. I thought about the clothes that I had bought within the past year and started to wonder how much money I spent on these new acquisitions.
Again, this is not remarkable. Most people feel guilty about their comfort, at least momentarily. I would also venture that a majority Americans purchase their clothing new, whether they shop at Wal-Mart or Macy's. In a way, I am your typical 20-something female that the clothing market wants to attract. I want to save money, yet look "with it," and shop guilt-free; I am targeted by the sales, the eco-friendly fabrics, and the ads featuring emo chicks with designer hoodies.
This blog will be my journal, as I document alternatives to the "typical" and find my clothes second-hand around the Milwaukee area. From second-hand, hand-me-downs, and to home-made, follow my progress as I try to reach this personal goal, not buying first-hand.
The benefits of reaching this one-year goal are twofold: first, I will save myself a lot of money that I would have otherwise wasted on so-called bargain buys at the mall, or full-priced purchases of vanity. Secondly, this will be my way of recycling and truly shopping "green."
This is not, however, a revolutionary idea. The economy will not suffer from my lack of purchases and retail fashion will carry on as if I never existed. In reality, I am a product of my own times, reacting to the media hype about the greenhouse effect and learning to live on a tighter budget.
Yet the environment and economy were not what initially sparked this eccentric idea within me. It began a few weeks ago while I was cleaning my room, sorting my clothes off the floor as I chastised myself for not taking more care of my possessions. I found skirts that I never wear anymore, plus favorite shirts that are staples in my wardrobe. I thought about the clothes that I had bought within the past year and started to wonder how much money I spent on these new acquisitions.
Again, this is not remarkable. Most people feel guilty about their comfort, at least momentarily. I would also venture that a majority Americans purchase their clothing new, whether they shop at Wal-Mart or Macy's. In a way, I am your typical 20-something female that the clothing market wants to attract. I want to save money, yet look "with it," and shop guilt-free; I am targeted by the sales, the eco-friendly fabrics, and the ads featuring emo chicks with designer hoodies.
This blog will be my journal, as I document alternatives to the "typical" and find my clothes second-hand around the Milwaukee area. From second-hand, hand-me-downs, and to home-made, follow my progress as I try to reach this personal goal, not buying first-hand.
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