First in a series looking back on posts from year one of BITNF! I’ll pick an easy one to start—clothes—since I’ve been reporting yearly on how these expenses fit into my simpler-living budget. This post revisits:
- the intentional closet (October 2014)
- simpler wardrobe: 6-month update (April 2015)
- not made in the usa (August 2014)
In spring 2014, I overhauled all my clothing and loosely followed Courtney Carver’s rules for a capsule wardrobe. Nine years later, I’ve dropped the discipline of counting the number of items, but I’ve never gone back to spontaneous shopping sprees, loading up on cheap fast fashion, or settling for the wrong size / coloUr just because the item was on sale. I still don’t need furniture (i.e. a chest of drawers), I keep things in bins in the closets. And the closets remain airy because putting a lot of thought behind every purchase has become a habit:
- Choosing quality over quantity.
- Thinking long-term for new items.
- Picking classic items, not trends.
- Shopping for something specific, not spontaneously.
- Taking care of items.
- Buying used clothing.
- Donating frequently.
- With new items, trying to shop Fair Trade as much as possible. Compared to nine years ago, I think that there’s more visibility into the issues with fast fashion and that more companies are committed to fair trade / sustainability.
Keeping a minimized closet provides a greater appreciation for what I actively choose to keep. It’s easier to manage. It’s easier to get dressed. And, as expected, being retired / not working at an office now has made it easier to spend less on clothes.
But revisiting these early posts has reminded me of particular items and so I’m challenging myself to:
- Invest in a good pair of jeans. My one pair of expensive dark-wash Eileen Fisher jeans came home with me in 2017 but, because they were the only pair of jeans I had at the time, they soon became thread-bare. I’ll buy another classic pair of good quality jeans to wear to events but use my $5 used-clothing finds (like the pair that fit well and look good but make a farty sound when I walk) for everyday.
- Invest in rain boots. In the simpler wardrobe: 6-month update post, I wrote about wanting a pair of expensive rain boots. Well, I didn’t get that pair. Back in Nova Scotia, I ordered a much cheaper pair online that were made-in-Canada (good) but that were not as tall as I wanted and never fit great. I settled. I wore them occasionally around the rural property but donated them this year. Now living with more frequent extreme rain events, it’s time to unsettle and get the expensive pair that will do me out.
- Find dress shoes and buy (or make) a dress. I wish I’d bought a duplicate of my go-to little black dress I had out west that was (believe it or not) REI brand. That knit dress fit me perfectly, looked dressy, and made me feel fabulous. After A LOT of wear (weddings, concerts, dates, parties, charity auctions) and starting to look shabby, it got donated (now that I’m sewing again, I wish I had kept it so I could make a pattern from it).
The 2023 Clothing / Gear Report Total Expense for July 2022 to June 2023 was~$1100. Main callouts can be put in three buckets:
#1 REI Brand (of course)
- A pair of soft-shell pants for winter. My older pair (which I will still use) is also from REI and, after a lot of online research (and returning a pair to MEC), I haven’t found anything else comparable for outdoor activities in snow.
- For bike season, a biking jacket and high-visibility biking vest.
- A Flash Pack (small backpack) to replace an old REI Flash Pack (donated).
- Note: It’s great to see that REI is becoming more invested in fair-trade and sustainability in its house brand
#2 Footwear (per usual)
- House slippers and winter boots from a vegan retailer in Calgary, Alberta. I still delight in getting a handwritten thank you note when I order online from small businesses.
- My 7th pair of Altra sneakers I’ve designated for indoor gym use only. Since I need to buy a new pair every year and because they are so darn expensive (~$200), I watch online and buy when they go on sale. Note: This is an item where I’m not picky about the coloUr.
- A pair of “dressier” flip-flops. I bought these last summer because I needed something to wear to an event. I supported a local small business (good) BUT these were way over-priced and not as comfortable as I’m used to.
#3 Tourist T’s OK this category is unusual for me. I bought three cotton t-shirts (I prefer long-sleeve) to bring back memories of trips to:
- Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia (September 2022).
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee (April 2023).
- Rose Café, Drummondville, Quebec (one of my favoUrite stops on my October roadtrips between Nova Scotia and Ontario).
When I wrote the intentional closet, I had just turned 50 years old. For me, there’s something about being almost 60 that helps make this (and many other things) no-nonsense. By now, I know what styles and coloUrs work for me … I’m more comfortable dressing conservatively. I’m not comfortable if it’s too femme. I don’t care about the latest fashion. I choose classic items that won’t embarrass me if I see a photo of myself 5 years from now. I buy duplicates of items I like. I replace items with same items. I’m brand loyal. I realized years ago that I prefer to shop for clothing on my own when I will not feel rushed or make decisions based on someone else’s opinion. Since I’m not comfortable in tight tights or short shorts at my fitness classes, I recently bought two pairs of men’s shorts (a little extra fabric in the front but at least they reach my knees).
There is a local vintage shop where I’ve been moving things along over the past year. Mom had kept some special dresses of mine from the 1970’s and 80’s that she had sewn and I was wondering how to get them into the right hands. They just didn’t feel like Value Village drop offs. When the vintage shop started selling clothing, I knew where to take those dresses. It’s time for my puffy-pink-moire-taffeta-prom-dress-with-cummerbund to spark joy* for a younger generation.
*Marie Kondo’s expression re only surrounding yourself with items you love.
References and related links:
- REI: Recreational Equipment Inc.
- MEC: Mountain Equipment Co-op.
- Courtney Carver’s Project 333 capsule wardrobe
- the intentional closet (post #12)
- simpler wardrobe: 6-month update (post #36)
- not made in the usa (post #5)
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