By Imogen Berrington
No shopping for clothes for a month, is this even possible?
Fast fashion has led to us viewing fashion as disposable and unlimited, but this is at the expense of people and our planet. The concept of the ‘no-buy’ month may be the answer to this unsustainability in fashion. However, going a whole month without updating your wardrobe is a lot easier said than done, here are our three top tips for completing a fashion no-buy month.
The first tip is to remove all temptations. This means that you should delete online shopping apps from your phone, unsubscribe from fashion brands emails, and let your friends and family know you are committing to this no-buy month, so they don’t encourage you and hold you accountable. By removing these apps, emails and possible shopping trips with your girlfriends, you can’t be tempted to add anything to your basket.
The second tip to follow when facing the no-buy month is to try to mend and look after the clothes that I’m sure are already stacked up in your wardrobe. By loving your pre-owned clothes, you can make them last years longer; this is a rule that applies outside of the no-buy month but can also be very handy during it too. If your favourite T-shirt gets a hole in it sew it up, if a dress no longer fits right take it to the tailors to adjust and, if you’ve ripped your oldest pair of jeans, DIY them. Now you’re not spending time shopping, spend it learning to sew.
The third and final tip is to not put too much pressure on yourself. During this no-buy month, remember that everyone makes mistakes and putting pressure on yourself may lead to you resenting the whole no-buy concept. Be kind to yourself and know that this is a process that you chose to do. If you do end up slipping up and buying something, rather than feeling guilty reflect on it and let it go. Enjoy what you have just bought, rewear it and love it to make it last longer.
There it is, the three tips to help you give a no-buy month a try.
