90/10 Socially Conscious Style Challenge: Update #4
With the holidays just passing, I’m guessing you had more cash outflow than normal. At least I did. But, as expected, the cash outlays were primarily for others. My shopping has been rather sparse the last quarter. Thank goodness, because my bank account knows I spent plenty on everyone else.
The 90/10 SCSC Shopping Update
If you read my last 90/10 SCSC Update, you know I got a little aggressive with my spending in the previous quarter. So I suppose I’m making up for lost dollars this quarter by holding on to a few extra for myself.
Scrolling through my trusty “ledger” in Google docs that, as an accountant, I appropriately call an “inventory” (accounting nerds, you get that dumb joke), I realized I only bought the following things:
- Earrings ~ Nisolo, via their Kickstarter ($40)
- Camel Flats ~ Seeko Designs ($66.50)
- Dress – M.M.LaFleur ($108)
All three items meet my socially conscious style guidelines. Nisolo and Seeko Designs both produce fair trade, ethically responsible products and are included in my list of socially conscious brands, a great resource for you! The M.M. LaFleur dress is made in New York City. Despite prior quarters seeing high volumes of secondhand purchases, I never felt the itch to thrift.
As a reminder, through my challenge, I strive to purchase 90% of my new (or new-to-me) clothing and accessories through socially responsible channels. You can read more about the challenge and all the updates, if you so desire.
I calculate my percentage based on number of pieces, not price. Sometimes, fairly and consciously made pieces cost more. I’m willing to spend a little more for better quality products and more respectable production practices. If I based my challenge on price, cheap, crappy clothes would have an inherent advantage, which is exactly the opposite of my intention.
That being said, here are the results.
- Prior to this update: Socially Conscious Pieces = 53; Total Pieces = 61 –> 86.9%
- Challenge to date: Socially Conscious Pieces = 56; Total Pieces = 64 –> 87.5%
I’ve still got some work to do, but I’m heading in the right direction. I also don’t want to buy new pieces I don’t need just to bump the percentage in the right direction. My “failures” of prior quarters are behind me, so I can only focus on making fewer, better purchases going forward. And, of course, I should learn quickly from past mistakes.
Workout Clothes Excluded
I also received several items of workout clothing as gifts for the holidays, which I did not include above. More than just a New Year’s Resolution, I’m back on the fitness band wagon and have been for a few months.
It feels awesome! But I hadn’t purchased much of anything for working out since before my first son was born. I turned over nearly all of my fitness gear. I now have a spiffy new collection of (mostly) socially conscious workout apparel from companies like Beyond Yoga, Rebel Affair, Albion Fit, and Lululemon. All but the Rebel Affair pants were gifts from family, who knew I was in the market for some fresh garments to make extra sweaty (gross… but true).
Major Closet Declutter
The lack of shopping happened, in large part, because I craved a desire to minimize my wardrobe. It started feeling overwhelming and full of pieces I never wore. I can’t stand clutter, so something had to go. Those “somethings” ended up being nearly half of my wardrobe, and my sisters and mom snatched up most of it before it had a chance to make it’s way to thredUP.
One sister spent so much time digging through the 3 large, overstuffed duffle bags of clothes I brought home over the holidays to share with them, that her husband said to me “Thanks for the absurd amount of clothes you have. I got to watch your sister try on things for hours. (insert eye roll)” You’re welcome dear brother-in-law! Your wife just got a load of new clothes entirely for free.
To solidify that this lesser amount of clothes is my ‘new norm,’ I also cleared out nearly all the extra hangers I had as a result of letting go of so many clothes. I really don’t want to replace the clothes, so the hangers no longer served any purpose.
My new, cleaner closet feels great. The floor has no piles. Everything has a place. And even M has made a few comments on how nice and spacious it looks.
Do you have any decluttering, closet clean out plans for the new year? It’s certainly a hot topic this time of year. Are you joining in on the ‘more minimalist’ momentum?
Turtleneck – Eddie Bauer | Blazer – JCrew Factory | Faux Leather Jacket – Target | Pants – JCrew (via thredUP) | Ankle Boots – Saks Fifth Ave Black Label
Sounds like you need to spoil yourself with some new items Jen, especially as you now have all that extra room in your closet!
And, if you amortise them, it’s not really that much money over the time you will wear them 🙂
Is there a place where you shared all your rules for an item to ne socially conscious? I was wondering where second hand items fell on that spectrum. I want to get my numbers way down. I’ve been cutting myself a lot of slack but the fact that much 5/7 days of the week I’m in scrubs now, I need to give it up and get even more real with myself.
Meghan,
That’s a really good question. I’ve defined bits and pieces in various posts but haven’t really written a piece to explain everything (which is long overdue)! In my very first post about my challenge, I shared a brief summary of what fell into my definition. (Here’s the first part: https://www.honestlymodern.com/a-9010-commitment-to-consciously/).
I definitely include secondhand in socially responsible. That helps keeps products out of landfills and limits the new production that can have bad environmental and social impacts, depending on how the clothes are produced.
I will get a better post done to summarize all this and be sure to share as soon as it’s ready. Thanks for giving me the kick int butt to get it done. 🙂
Jen