So how, when, what did I do?
Well, initially I think I went it bit ‘gung-ho’ and thought I could change years of bad behaviour and shopping habits pretty much overnight. I started in January. Was it a New Years Resolution? No. I don’t personally believe in them as I feel if you really want to make a change you could do it any time. The reason I started in January was that I had bought so many clothes pre-Christmas, it was ridiculous. Also, around April last year, I bought 2 pairs of Veja trainers. I’d done a lot of research on this brand who were the first fully sustainable sneaker brand with ethical credentials that would make anyone rethink how they shopped. Listen to their story over on their website. It’s an incredibly powerful piece that started started the ball rolling in my mind to start rethinking about how I shopped. I know what you’re thinking ‘she didn’t make any changes until 8 months later’ but as I mentioned earlier, a leopard doesn’t change its spots overnight!
So in January I literally stopped shopping. Not going to lie, I was miserable. It was a total lifestyle change and it became apparent I tried too much too soon.
However, during a 2 month period of ’no spend’ it was kind of remarkable’ how that small period affected me without me even realising. I remember going into the city to have a ‘mooch’ around, with the fullest of intentions of buying what I liked as I had been really good for 2 months. A bit of a treat. A reward for all my good behaviour you might say. Turns out, my conscience had other ideas. Whilst perusing I started thinking about what I already had in my wardrobe and I remember looking at other pieces to see if they had any longevity to them. What pieces did I not have? One of things that happened immediately was that trend pieces stuck out like a sore thumb and they were an absolute no from the get go. Having been on Instagram and posting my outfit looks for over a year, I’d gotten to the point where, if I’d seen a picture of someone wearing a pair of ‘pleather’ trousers, I’d seen a million. And it felt like it a million people had bought these. Will they ever be a classic piece? No. Do they look like a fire hazard? Yes. Do they resemble a binbag? Also yes.
Like anything, if you want to do anything you will. If you want to make a change you will. I’m an adult. I know the difference between right and wrong. I’m also a mother. Why on earth was I playing a part in harming a world my son will be growing up in and existing in after I have gone. What am I teaching him? Surely along with his teachers, I also have a responsibility to him to teach him values, morals, to show him, that I care, that mummy doesn’t always shop and buy things as it’s wrong. In every way, it’s wrong. I know that may sound over dramatic but it’s my truth, as I see it.
What I have learnt, is that it’s a slow process, where you evolve over time, making little changes causes you to make bigger ones right?
In the next part of this series, I’m going to discuss the impact of social media, in particular, the power an app and it’s users can wield.