On the first Monday of every month, we take on a ‘mission’ – a shift or habit or inspiration – to work on together. There’s strength (and support) in numbers! On the last Thursday of the month, we reconvene to see how far we’ve come.
#9
I’ve written quite a bit in the past about my idea of ‘Ethical Sartorialism‘. A huge component of the ES lifestyle involves buying almost exclusively secondhand – a seemingly daunting task to many style mavens. But now I’m putting the challenge to all of you!
Pretty straightforward: no buying new textiles. No new clothes! Stay out of the mall! Avoid the big box store!
If it sounds difficult, here’s some inspiration –
1) The Year Of Living Thriftily is a blog by an uber-fashionista who vowed to shop exclusively secondhand for an entire year. She’s got a great sense of humor and there’s lots of fun fashion pics, too.
2) The Uniform Project tracks one girl as she wears ONE dress for an entire year. An interesting exploration of abundance, and this chick has mad style.
So if you’re not shopping at your old retail standbys, where will you get that blazer you need for work or the perfect cocktail dress for your new hot date? Well, you’ll have to be a bit more resourceful. But thrift stores and secondhand boutiques are awesome, often undiscovered, treasure troves! I suggest you get to know your local spots and try to visit often.
You can also do a lot of secondhand shopping online, from Amazon to Ebay to Etsy, these sites offer great opportunities (especially if you’re into vintage).
And what about me? Are you wondering how I’ll participate if I already live this way?
Well let me tell you, if you think thrifting is hard, try maternity thrifting! I’m big and pregnant now and it’s a challenge keeping myself styled. I’m also in full-on baby prep mode, which unfortunately means a lot of consumption – from baby clothes and blankies to bibs and burp rags. I’ve got a lot of stuff to accumulate here!
So, I’ll be working doubly hard to make certain I stick to my principles. All the baby textiles I purchase will be secondhand. That’s my challenge this month.
And what about you, my wonderfully well-dressed friends? Are you with me? Do you choose to accept this mission?
BONZAI!
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http://www.lostinoversettelse,blogspot.com Kirstin
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http://twitter.com/erosan EroSan
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Staar
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http://www.renegadeyogi.com/ Eric Normand
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http://www.creativeanomalie.com sarah
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http://www.creativeanomalie.com sarah
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Laura O
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Laura Burris
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Katie
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http://makeway4ducklings.blogspot.com bashtree
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Laura Louise
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Tenise Rae
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daoine o’
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Josey
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http://hollowstar.com/blog Janine
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Tabitha
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Ginger Baker
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http://thegreengeek05.wordpress.com Courtney
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http://theamberlily.com/ Lily
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http://www.creativeanomalie.com sarah
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http://salekdarling.livejournal.com/ Salekdarling
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Annie
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MathTutor
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Kelly
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Annelise