Your post made me think how our (not that real”) need to “prepare” for major (and minor) events creates so much stress in our lives, so much urgent and stressful shopping which to tell the truth doesn’t always lead to buying something of value…
I just love this project so much! I don’t buy a ton of clothes but have been frustrated for years over not having clothes I actually like(most likely because I am influenced by what I see and trying to buy things that are not my style nor practical for my life), and I have lost my patience with having to re-buy clothes after a season because of the poor quality of fast fashion. Getting off insta has helped me fine tune what I actually want to wear- I feel like I finally understand the uniform concept after assessing what I do reach for. Still, trying to work with what I have and buy pieces that will last without falling down another consumerist trap(visiting too many thrift stores for vintage or overspending on what may be a forever piece) is hard! I struggle with how much mental space this takes.
Hi Heidi, it is so hard not to fall into the trap of buying more in anyway shape or form - especially when you love clothes. I think that’s why I am enjoying taking time off shopping. ❤️
You’ve a great way with words and express yourself elegantly and eloquently. Your posts have inspired me to start my similar, one year long no buy from today. In the past I would have felt deprived of something doing such a thing, but now it’s mostly curiousity rather than a sense of deprivation. I have a big tax bill to pay in January which is a clear driver to this but it will be interesting to see where things are in 6 months when the pressure’ll hopefully be less.
Please continue to write and share your progress and reflections. All the best!
Thank you. what a lovely comment. I have gained so much from this experience, I hope/know you will too. Not buying is hard at first, then somehow not at all. The money and time we all spend is often wasted. I love fashion, and know that love will continue.
I've started a group chat for all subscribers who are taking on different challenges to share and support each other too. No matter how you feel over these next 12 months, know you are not alone, and you will come out the other side changed. Even if the process is hard.
I will keep writing and sharing - you being here, is one of the many reasons why this project exists. Thank you. x
Thank you Tabea, you have made my day. A lot of my motivation for time off shopping is to level up my personal style… become more effortless and more memorable. I can’t wait to see what it’s like after a year of nothing new. ❤️
I enjoyed reading your three scenarios - they made it very concrete how not shopping for new clothes is affecting you directly. I particularly picked up on the middle one, where your unusual bags were complimented - I wonder if because you couldn't focus your clothes-creativity on anything looking for anything new, your clothes-brain was free to look around for a creative solution with the bags? And also, now you have proved that knowledge that you have the appropriate clothes for any situation, you can't unknow that.
One of the things I'm struggling with a little in my own current no-buy is that buying can feel pro-active (in an expensive, often ultimately useless way), and doing nothing can be hard.
Probably Louise. I don’t know when fashion stopped being about creativity and started being about shopping?! Or when shopping started to feel like a proactive think to be doing? xx
I was inspired to reduce my consumption to 26 items this year. Setting parameters has slowed me down to a point where I can interrogate if I truly ‘need’ something, understand the fabric composition and quality, and prioritise items within my values (e.g., Made in Australia, where possible).
Your journey is truly inspiring, and while I could take a month off shopping, I am not sure I could take a year. I’m highly aware of the time I waste looking at clothes though, so I do hope I’ll get there.
Thanks for sharing your personal insights and learnings with us🤍
hi Liz! I'm a big fan of your work and I've been following your journey since last year. I'm thankful for the work you do and the way it has opened up many minds, including my own!
your reflections are such a pleasure to read. I'm wondering — we often dress to express ourselves, our identities, our feelings, our beliefs... and yet something like identity (and all it encompasses) is so malleable and susceptible to change (in ways good and bad). I'm curious to know what you have learnt about your identity or sense of self through your no-shop journey. does your set number of clothes restrict your sense of self or accommodate it? has this journey shaped your identity, or has it been this way all along? have you changed or just "grown into" yourself? what about your clothes? I'm aware that there are many assumptions behind my questions and that my simple questions require longer answers — will be here to listen whenever and however your thoughts may come xx
Hi Sarah, thank you so much for being here, your kind words and this amazing question about identity. In truth it’s not something I have thought about in connection with taking time off shopping - the beginning of this challenge has been so underwhelming, which is amazing and also strange. I will enjoy taking time off this week and will dedicate a post to responding to your questions. It’s funny often the questions that seem simple are the most revealing, especially when I’m blank to begin with. I’m sure I will enjoy doing this. ❤️
Thank you for sharing this! Your writing has really resonated as I contemplate going on a similar journey. Would you be open to sharing your journal prompts or how you journaled? I’ve been trying to start for a while but fall off the wagon every month… and suspect there’s stuff I need to work through first!
Hi Xue, thank you for your comment. I’m so glad it resonates, I had a sneaking suspicion I was not and am not alone. Yes. I have started to share the prompts online via my project website. There is currently Q&A #1 available digitally, to answer as many times as you like. I’m also working through my journals and have another 5 sets of questions in the works, including what I asked myself that first month. The month that I realised I valued newness over everything else.
As they are finished, I’ll release them and share them here. Let me know if you would like a direct link to Q&A #1 in the meantime. x
Instructions for Q&A’s: Providing a safe space for self-reflection, honesty, and curiosity has proven to change individual and collective behaviour.
Participate by answering questions in our digital Q&A series as often as you like. Answering the same question on different days frequently results in other thoughts and reflections.
Allow yourself time to respond honestly, leaning into the complex feelings and understanding you are not alone. Our relationship with clothes is individual, nuanced, complex and complicated.
The most straightforward question to answer is not often the most rewarding.
*To record your Q&A responses, simply screen shot and revisit.
Your post made me think how our (not that real”) need to “prepare” for major (and minor) events creates so much stress in our lives, so much urgent and stressful shopping which to tell the truth doesn’t always lead to buying something of value…
I’m also guilting of keeping something for a future need - an imaginary purpose that once saw me have 10 pairs of converse in my wardrobe. 🫠
Just because it’s taking a while doesn’t mean it’s not happening. I tell myself on repeat.
…Liz Sunshine
I just love this project so much! I don’t buy a ton of clothes but have been frustrated for years over not having clothes I actually like(most likely because I am influenced by what I see and trying to buy things that are not my style nor practical for my life), and I have lost my patience with having to re-buy clothes after a season because of the poor quality of fast fashion. Getting off insta has helped me fine tune what I actually want to wear- I feel like I finally understand the uniform concept after assessing what I do reach for. Still, trying to work with what I have and buy pieces that will last without falling down another consumerist trap(visiting too many thrift stores for vintage or overspending on what may be a forever piece) is hard! I struggle with how much mental space this takes.
Hi Heidi, it is so hard not to fall into the trap of buying more in anyway shape or form - especially when you love clothes. I think that’s why I am enjoying taking time off shopping. ❤️
You’ve a great way with words and express yourself elegantly and eloquently. Your posts have inspired me to start my similar, one year long no buy from today. In the past I would have felt deprived of something doing such a thing, but now it’s mostly curiousity rather than a sense of deprivation. I have a big tax bill to pay in January which is a clear driver to this but it will be interesting to see where things are in 6 months when the pressure’ll hopefully be less.
Please continue to write and share your progress and reflections. All the best!
Thank you. what a lovely comment. I have gained so much from this experience, I hope/know you will too. Not buying is hard at first, then somehow not at all. The money and time we all spend is often wasted. I love fashion, and know that love will continue.
I've started a group chat for all subscribers who are taking on different challenges to share and support each other too. No matter how you feel over these next 12 months, know you are not alone, and you will come out the other side changed. Even if the process is hard.
I will keep writing and sharing - you being here, is one of the many reasons why this project exists. Thank you. x
Just a quick note to say I’m thinking of you and hope you are off to a good start. Buying less clothes can be really hard - I’m here if you need.❤️
and you look so cool while doing it! inspiring!
Thank you Tabea, you have made my day. A lot of my motivation for time off shopping is to level up my personal style… become more effortless and more memorable. I can’t wait to see what it’s like after a year of nothing new. ❤️
I enjoyed reading your three scenarios - they made it very concrete how not shopping for new clothes is affecting you directly. I particularly picked up on the middle one, where your unusual bags were complimented - I wonder if because you couldn't focus your clothes-creativity on anything looking for anything new, your clothes-brain was free to look around for a creative solution with the bags? And also, now you have proved that knowledge that you have the appropriate clothes for any situation, you can't unknow that.
One of the things I'm struggling with a little in my own current no-buy is that buying can feel pro-active (in an expensive, often ultimately useless way), and doing nothing can be hard.
Probably Louise. I don’t know when fashion stopped being about creativity and started being about shopping?! Or when shopping started to feel like a proactive think to be doing? xx
I was inspired to reduce my consumption to 26 items this year. Setting parameters has slowed me down to a point where I can interrogate if I truly ‘need’ something, understand the fabric composition and quality, and prioritise items within my values (e.g., Made in Australia, where possible).
Your journey is truly inspiring, and while I could take a month off shopping, I am not sure I could take a year. I’m highly aware of the time I waste looking at clothes though, so I do hope I’ll get there.
Thanks for sharing your personal insights and learnings with us🤍
hi Liz! I'm a big fan of your work and I've been following your journey since last year. I'm thankful for the work you do and the way it has opened up many minds, including my own!
your reflections are such a pleasure to read. I'm wondering — we often dress to express ourselves, our identities, our feelings, our beliefs... and yet something like identity (and all it encompasses) is so malleable and susceptible to change (in ways good and bad). I'm curious to know what you have learnt about your identity or sense of self through your no-shop journey. does your set number of clothes restrict your sense of self or accommodate it? has this journey shaped your identity, or has it been this way all along? have you changed or just "grown into" yourself? what about your clothes? I'm aware that there are many assumptions behind my questions and that my simple questions require longer answers — will be here to listen whenever and however your thoughts may come xx
Hi Sarah, working on a response to this question now. It's such a good question. Thank you.
The piece should be published Sunday. x
Hi Sarah, thank you so much for being here, your kind words and this amazing question about identity. In truth it’s not something I have thought about in connection with taking time off shopping - the beginning of this challenge has been so underwhelming, which is amazing and also strange. I will enjoy taking time off this week and will dedicate a post to responding to your questions. It’s funny often the questions that seem simple are the most revealing, especially when I’m blank to begin with. I’m sure I will enjoy doing this. ❤️
Thank you for sharing this! Your writing has really resonated as I contemplate going on a similar journey. Would you be open to sharing your journal prompts or how you journaled? I’ve been trying to start for a while but fall off the wagon every month… and suspect there’s stuff I need to work through first!
Hi Xue, thank you for your comment. I’m so glad it resonates, I had a sneaking suspicion I was not and am not alone. Yes. I have started to share the prompts online via my project website. There is currently Q&A #1 available digitally, to answer as many times as you like. I’m also working through my journals and have another 5 sets of questions in the works, including what I asked myself that first month. The month that I realised I valued newness over everything else.
As they are finished, I’ll release them and share them here. Let me know if you would like a direct link to Q&A #1 in the meantime. x
Thank you so much! Yes I would appreciate a direct link if that’s ok? Apologies, I couldn’t find the project website
https://ourrelationshipwithclothes.typeform.com/Q-A-1-24
- the full website is just ourrelationshipwithclothes.com
Also give yourself time and space, kindness and empathy - repairing your relationship won’t happen overnight. ❤️
Instructions for Q&A’s: Providing a safe space for self-reflection, honesty, and curiosity has proven to change individual and collective behaviour.
Participate by answering questions in our digital Q&A series as often as you like. Answering the same question on different days frequently results in other thoughts and reflections.
Allow yourself time to respond honestly, leaning into the complex feelings and understanding you are not alone. Our relationship with clothes is individual, nuanced, complex and complicated.
The most straightforward question to answer is not often the most rewarding.
*To record your Q&A responses, simply screen shot and revisit.
Thank you so much!
Small thing - you might want to change the age categories so certain ages (eg 30, 40 etc) don’t appear twice. Maybe 20-29, 30-39, etc?
Thank you. Will do. ❤️
Hi Xue, inspired by your response and suggestion here, I have actually removed the demographic all together. Would love to know your thoughts… same questions, but much shorter. Does this feel better? https://ourrelationshipwithclothes.typeform.com/Q-A-1-24?typeform-source=www.ourrelationshipwithclothes.com
And if not, how could I make it a more useful/usable tool for you. x
Hello! Thank you for considering my input. I’m not sure if it’s the wrong link. I see the age question as the third page?
100% the wrong link. 🫠
https://ourrelationshipwithclothes.typeform.com/digitial-q-a-1?typeform-source=www.ourrelationshipwithclothes.com
hi Liz! can't wait!!! thank you for considering my question so deeply 💓