Saying No To New

Why I’m rewearing my wardrobe and you should too

I love the fashion I see on Instagram. I love seeing how everyone puts outfits together and yes, I love seeing the new clothes. But I also hate the pressure it can pile on to always have the latest looks.

I’ve always been confident with clothes, but its taken me until my thirties to say no to new. When I was younger I needed a new outfit every weekend and the thought of being seen in anything twice was far worse than any credit card debt. Skip ahead 15 or so years and I’ve just worn the same dress to a wedding that I’ve already worn to two others. Did I have any less of a good time? Hell no!

Since I got into the Instagram fashion game I must admit the temptation to top up my wardrobe has been fierce. I’d never been a fan of statement sleeves until they were running wild on my grid. Suddenly I was hitting every app I had to find the perfect puff sleeved top. I found a few but held back on the urge to splurge. It would look great on my grid and the few times I wore it, but how long until the satisfaction wears off and ‘new in’ starts knocking again?

You won’t find tons of latest trends on my Instagram and I won’t be making it onto any high street retailer’s socials any time soon; they’re not going to make sales on a dress from two seasons ago. The lure of the lust have isn’t healthy and shops have a lot to answer for when it comes to society’s obsession with how we all look. Before the ink is barely dried on your receipt they’re redressing the mannequins and sending out the e-shots imploring you to crack on with their latest collection. It’s tough to put the blockers on that kind of temptation.

I’m not saying I don’t buy anything new; of course I do. I just try to stick to a few rules so I’m not spending for the sake of it. I also consider window shopping a legitimate pastime and easily get my kicks just trying on without ever whipping out the contactless. 

What I want to see happen is a move towards sustainable styling. Yes, sustainable shopping is the buzz word but there’s still an emphasis on having to buy to get that buzz. I want women to start feeling confident in styling the clothes they’ve got and empowered by a couple of wardrobe updates not a whole new haul. Young girls in particular get fast fashion thrown in their faces so is it any wonder their self confidence shows the creases? Influencers should be showing us how to dress well with what they’ve already got. Retailers could redress summer’s must have with their brand new winter boots to show us all that your wardrobe can work just as hard as your wallet. They won’t, because business is built on money in the bank and the bottom line is wages need paying for the world to turn. 

Maybe we need a return to swap shops or to see a revival of the high street seamstress. Perhaps a turn towards instore stylists who are there to help you invest in key pieces and complement what you’ve already got. There’s got to be a revenue stream that lets us love fashion without constantly clamouring for the next big thing, and a way for influencers to inspire confidence not just encourage spending. In the meantime, I’ll just be here doing my little blog and wearing stuff from my wardrobe over on Instagram.