Here’s the goal: For the next 90 days, the last 90 days of 2021, no new clothes. Or shoes. Or bags. Nothing in, nothing out.
For the next 90 days – I will not buy any new items for my wardrobe. I started 2021 with the goal of no new clothes for the year. I was inspired to set this “impossible goal” after listening to a podcast (very millenial of me) and, well I failed. Big time. So. I want to recommit to the goal for the last 90 days of 2021 (a la Rachel Hollis – IYKYK).
When considering an impossible goal, one has to ask why one wants to achieve said goal (hint it isn’t about the goal, it’s about the journey) and why it feels impossible. Why this goal? Mindless consumption crept back into my life in recent months in a way that needed to be examined and limited.
Why was this goal “impossible”? I am fully aware that I am awash in privilege and that for many in the world this “goal” is utterly ridiculous and pretentious. I get that. And yet, I know others like me struggle with this. So why is not buying stuff so HARD? Capitalism. Retail therapy. Social pressure. Social media…. the list goes on. Instead of cruising the websites of my fav sustainable, ethical brands, clicking “add to cart” to soothe my soul/create a semblance of control as the world and my life change and change and change, I’ll share here. All I have is my own experience and my own limited point of view. I am always trying to learn more and challenge the things I think that I know.
I have learned so much from so many in the past few years. About the treatment of the fellow humans who make our clothes, about the substantial environmental impact our clothes have and about the many incredible companies and humans working to make the whole process more sane, more humane, more cyclical. It’s important information that needs to be shared and I want to be a part of the ever growing movement toward less consumption, thoughtful consumption .
I want to share stories about what I wear because I care about what I wear. My clothes are intentional and the way my clothes are made is something has been of growing importance to me (and MANY others, I am for sure late to this party). It is well known amongst my friends that if you tell me you like my (insert clothing item here____) I will happily share the deets about the price, where I bought it, the kind of company it’s made by, the environmental benefits/considerations of the piece and company of origin. I might even have a discount code for you! I am fascinated by clothes, where they come from, how we use them to express ourselves or the season of our lives.
This has all been on my mind for a long time. I’ve come a long way and I have a lot more to learn. So, why now? Aside from the inspiration of Ms. Hollis and her last 90 day energy.
Movement is filling my lift right now. Moving to a new city, in a new state. Moving to an entirely new climate. Moving into a new career. Moving through post-pandemic life. Moving into marriage. So much is moving and shifting, I am deciding to keep one small piece of life very still, very much the same. Sharing stories about my impossible closet and how it adapts to the changes in my life is an act of accountability and an exercise in creativity. Both things I could use some more of in my life.
This is my journey of adjusting my closet to a new climate, a new career, a new season of life and the ultimate goal of fewer, better things (that’s definitely trademarked by Cuyana).
These are the stories of my impossible closet.
Here goes nothing!
Impossible Closet 