A New Years Resolution

I’m not really sure what I’m getting myself into. All I know is that I have a problem with buying clothes and shoes. And not just any clothes, “fast fashion”.... clothes that are new, inexpensive, trendy, wear ‘em once-and-done. 

The definition of fast fashion is: inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends. I love fast fashion. Old Navy. Target. Lulu’s. Nordstrom. Zara. H&M, Amazon. I love it all. Moto jackets, graphic tees, stretchy jeans, tank tops, sweaters, leggings, flowy dresses .... I have enough fast fashion clothing in my closets and dressers to last me a year without duplicating a single outfit. 

I’ve come to realize that I waste so much money on clothing, most of which I never even wear. I recognize that this is a common issue, especially among women, which is why I’m addressing it. I constantly tell myself not to buy new things, yet I can’t seem to stop. 


https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1jcr4iw-4GMq_q3QpWSUa4L4tLiq7J-z_

(My NYE outfit last night consisted of a Zara mini-dress, a vintage wool cardigan with beaded detail that I got at Julie’s Upscale Resale, Frye suede boots, and vintage star earrings from Bargains Unlimited, all of which were already in my closet.)

My boyfriend Chris literally lol’ed at dinner last night when I informed him clothing is a huge cause of pollution (I’m the hippie, earth-loving half of this relationship)... but it’s true. So I did a little research for him and you. “One of the main contributors to the rapid production of pollution is the rapid production of clothes due to the rapid consumption of customers. When textile clothing ends up in landfills, the chemicals on the clothes, such as the dye, can cause environmental damage by leaching the chemicals into the ground” (Wikipedia).

“Fast fashion makes shopping for clothes more affordable, but it comes at an environmental cost. The fashion industry produces 10% of all humanity's carbon emissions, is the second-largest consumer of the world's water supply, and pollutes the oceans with microplastics” (Business Insider).

 In my defense, besides fast fashion, the hipster in me absolutely LOVES shopping at thrift stores. There’s nothing like finding high-end clothing at fast fashion’s cost. I’ve found like-new $100 shoes, $200 jeans, $300 coats, plus incredible high-end vintage pieces, for just a couple dollars. In fact, half my wardrobe is second-hand! Fun fact: I had a vintage clothing shop online for many years that I loved!
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1dOLdAdLLLNcl_iEKAi_uqJl8rtrV00od

(Belafonte Vintage began out of my retro camper when I lived in Austin. When I moved back to Wisconsin, I mostly sold my items online.)

So, to wrap this up, my New Years resolution is to refrain from buying any NEW clothing for one full year. That’s right — no Amazon yoga pants, no H&M blazers, no Target sweaters, no Lulu’s dresses, no DSW boots — for one whole year. I’m fairly certain I can accomplish this, as I work well with goals and limits.

The catch is that I can still buy second-hand clothing (which may or may not get out of hand), so this will be fun for me. I’m also going to try to get creative with my current wardrobe, which means going through all my clothes and reevaluating what I already own and love to wear. This blog will serve as my accountability to accomplish this year-long goal, as well as to share my amazing finds! 

So, as of today, I will (try my hardest) not to buy any new clothing for an entire year. For those wondering about the title of my blog, This Closet is Clothed, is a small play on words, “Clothed” basically meaning “closed.” Lord help me!

Wish me luck! xo LC

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