2020 was the year of comfy clothes. The fancy blouses only got used for the occasional Zoom meeting or drinks. Since I’m using a wardrobe app (Cladwell) in order to make sure I wear all of my wardrobe, it’s been quite a challenge to keep the fancy parts of my wardrobe in rotation. In the end, I resolved to just put the high heels in storage, there was no use for them during 2020.
2020 was also my fourth year of no clothes shopping. Like last year, I made a handful of exceptions in terms of (sustainable) underwear, in particular nylon stockings from Swedish Stockings. Although this brand is more sustainable than regular ones, the stockings still tear and require regular purchases every year. A very clever business model as customers always have to come back for new ones.
In total, my wardrobe went minus 13 items and I’m now at 528 items in my wardrobe (shoes excluded). Still a lot after four years without significant wardrobe shopping. When I committed to not shopping I had a little more than 540 items. So why is my wardrobe still so big? One explanation, as the reader might know, is that I only part with clothes in sustainable ways. For example did I sell two blouses on commission and I recycled torn stockings with the Swedish Stockings recycling program. Despite the best of intentions, quite a few items still ended up in the trash (which in Sweden is burnt and turned into energy). In total, 28 items left the wardrobe (less than last two years). 15 items interestingly entered the wardrobe, out of which 8 were results of my handicraft practices (sewing and knitting). I have been more productive than usual. I blame Corona for making handicraft at home so attractive (who else knits during Zoom meetings?).
Like last years, I have also kept track of the time and money I have spent on mending clothes. This year the time spent mending reached the record breaking 8,5h (in total, over the whole year). It is still less than an hour a month. I probably could do even more mending, if I had to. I spent a total of 5000 SEK at the dry cleaner and on shoe repair last year. Between 4-6000 SEK a year seems to be my normal. Of course, I would like to reduce the use of dry cleaning in particular because of the environmental impact.
At this pace, I will wear out my wardrobe in ca 40 years, at the age of 77 (much better than 90!). Clearly, there is a strong cumulative effect and the rate at which I am wearing out my clothes is increasing quite a bit. In a way, good news.
I still think that quitting clothes shopping is one of my best decisions. The time saved, the creativity of having to do with what you have and finding new combinations from what is already there. In addition, since I am a knitter and sew the occasional skirt, I do get some fresh wardrobe input, just at a very much slower pace. Buying fabric, finding a pattern and then sewing the item can take me a few years. Knitting a sweater takes me at least half a year. It is all good, since I do not really need more clothes. So I am very much looking forward to a fifth year without shopping.