It’s been almost a year since I resolved that I wouldn't buy anymore clothes because of the unbelievable amount of hand-me-downs and pants and tops from god-knows-where that had filled up my cupboard. So *realistically* how has it been going? I’ll answer that in a minute.
Let’s just rewind for a second before that.
I knew the first step after seeing the teetering piles of fabrics in my wardrobe was to sort through them, giving away the pieces I knew I would never wear or have outgrown. Fast forward to a couple of months ( Yes it took that much time with ample breaks to sort) for it to really sink in; the amount we just collect . Even after a giant donation box later, the piles towered on my shelves, looking as intimidating as ever. This only strengthened my resolve.
But I’m not immune to cravings so let's be real, I saw pretty outfits on Instagram and Pinterest everyday. I watched as my friends sampled clothes for brands and thrift stores and ordered cute tops and trendy jeans. It was not easy to see pieces I had been eyeing on thrift stores with half a hope of ordering them, being sold. Or seeing friends with an impeccable taste wearing drool-worthy ‘fits to college as effortlessly as the stylish usually do. So I found an escape, two escapes really- establishing a unique aesthetic I loved and DIY refashion.
I now describe my aesthetic and a fluid entity that shifts between boho, and indie with a strong influence from Indian art hoe. Fancy words removed, they have an abundance of flow, cotton-lent breathability and traditional block prints. Since I prioritize comfort, these work best and I am constantly finding inspiration on Pinterest for outfits from these aesthetics that I can actually wear out by simply mixing and matching with the pieces I have. It is a really liberating and creative experience for me. So now, when I look at my friends wearing soft girl or chic-minimalist outfits, I can praise their taste comfortably knowing what I love to associate with.
There are still times I really wish I had certain types of clothes though. Like the time I began to love this one dress I have and over wear it, until I decided I want more full length dresses and so I learnt how to stitch this from scratch. Another time, I pulled out a shirt that was very ill-fitting but I loved the colours so I made it into a bodycon dress for winter. And since I’d been wanting a jumpsuit forever, I revamped a pair of pants to make it into one. (If you made it this far, I will be posting pictures of these projects here, just for you ;) )
In short, this resolution hasn't been without its struggles. And while I couldn’t completely keep my paws off (yeah I've bought 3-4 pieces that I thought I really could not do without), it’s pushed me to be more creative with my solutions. If not for this resolve, I would have never gotten into stitching and realized what a vast amount of revamp and refashion videos exist across Youtube and the internet. And now, I’m addicted to it (yes there is such a thing as a good addiction after all!)
So if you want to take away anything at all- this is your sign. Make that resolution even if it seems hard, because you’ll never know what you'll learn along the way!
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