I AM NOT GOING TO BUY ANY NEW CLOTHES FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR!
...I know right?! Pretty dramatic. It all started last year when I was reading more and more about the 'Slow Fashion' movement. Essentially this is the movement which argues that our current clothing situation is pretty terrible; cheaply made and easily accessible clothes are bad for working conditions, the environment and more often than not, mean that we are prioritising something other than quality. Although I did read a lot about all this I sort of didn't take it in. I read it and then walked away.
UNTIL! I took up sewing properly again. This year my sewing machine has been smoking and I've well and truly caught the sewing bug again. It was only when I gave myself the challenge to perfectly make and finish a dress (lining, pockets, hidden zip, french seams and all) that I really started thinking about how clothing is made. I spent days sewing that thing up and yet on the highstreet I could go out and get a dress for a tenner. Those two things just didn't add up to me. It seemed both horrifically unfair to those who construct the garments but also pretty unnecessary. I love making clothes and it'll make the world a better place and so why not make more?
When I was thinking about my slow fashion goals I approached the situation with a pros and cons list.
PROS OF SLOW FASHION
I love making clothes. If I can't buy clothes I will make more clothes.
Clothes I make fit me a lot better and make me feel more like myself rather than someone who's failing at being a 'conventional' shape/look/style. +bodyconfidence
It's a lot better for the environment and I love the environment. It's where squirrels live.
I don't love the whole materialism thing. Lately (probably due to increased work/uni/life stress) the whole less-is-more approach is working for me. I'm enjoying a more stripped back and considered form of materialism. Don't get me wrong, I love things, but I think it's probably better to have a smaller carefully selected, well made wardrobe than one which is bursting at the seams with primark junk.
I'm sure there will be items I really miss/ find I'm terrible at making. I'm hoping this year will really teach me what I should buy and what I should make.
I'll save money, yay!
CONS OF SLOW FASHION
Urgh, shopping is so much easier! Making a dress takes me days and yet walking into town takes minutes. The times where I have been closest the caving in has been when there's an event or a party and I just want to go and get something new to wear. But I guess that just highlights why I am doing this. It's pretty disposable to get something for a night out and I shouldn't need that buying-buzz to enjoy going out prep.
I'm pretty bad at sewing with jersey and t-shirting. I've tried it before and I just don't have a knack yet. I'm well aware that not everything can be sewn out of cotton so I guess I will have to try eventually but arggh.
If I can't buy clothes I'll have less clothes....yeeeeaah. This is true. But hopefully I'll have better clothes.
That kind of settled it for me. I think the pros outweigh the cons by far.
I've been doing my slow fashion year since January and so far so good! I've been sewing a lot more and have saved money from not buying clothes. I'll be posting soon about the new clothes I've made so stay tuned!
