This is Day 133 of the Green in 365 series!
Since we’re talking about our Bedrooms this month, one of the main things that we do in our bedrooms is get dressed. We store our clothing, shoes and accessories in our closets and dressers, and we choose the clothes that we will put on to present ourselves to the world every day.
Most people would admit that they have way more clothes in their closet then they actually wear on a regular basis, or even need. I know this is true for me! Especially with the changes that my body has gone through over the past 6 years of three pregnancies, post-partum, breastfeeding, losing the baby weight, holding onto the baby weight, etc.
Greening our closets means simplifying the clothes that we have, while also building a wardrobe of clothes we will actually wear, that flatter our bodies, and we can feel good about ourselves in.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not very good at the whole flattering wardrobe thing, though. There are a few things that hold me back, maybe you can relate to one or more of these.
1. I’m not naturally good at it.
You know those people who are naturally well put together and well-dressed on a regular basis? They look cute and nice without being overly trendy? It seems like it’s just in their genes, or jeans, and it’s not something that I am naturally gifted at.
2. I lack time to shop.
With three little ones, working from home, and other life responsibilities, I just don’t have a ton of time to spend searching for that perfect fitting pair of jeans, or the thrifted outfit that looks like it jumped right out of Pinterest. Builiding a wardrobe takes time, which is something I don’t have much extra of.
3. Our budget is tight.
We don’t have a lot of extra money for me to go shopping with and spend on clothes. I went to the mall on Sunday with my sister for some Mother’s Day away time, and I was shocked at how expensive clothing is now. (Clearly I haven’t been shopping at the mall in a LONG time!) And when we do have extra money, I’m very reluctant to spend it on myself. There’s always something else that seems more important than buying clothes for myself.
I’m sure there are lots of other obstacles that many of you face, there are others for me too, but these are the three biggest ones. But, I still believe that it is possible, and even important, to curate a closet of clothing that helps you to look and feel your best, while also being eco-conscious and budget friendly. We’ll be talking more about how we can do that the rest of this week.
But today, I want to ask you, what are the main obstacles you face in building a wardrobe that works for you?
Read the whole Building a Wardrobe the Works series:
Find all the Green in 365 posts.
__________________________________________
If you’d like to learn more about living green and living frugally I’d love to have you as a Live Renewed reader! You can subscribe, either by email or in a reader, to get the latest posts, ideas and inspiration for living frugally green. You can also connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest!
*Disclosure – There are affiliate links in this post. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I’ll receive a small commission. Thanks for supporting Live Renewed!
Please visit our Sponsors:
Jenuinely Pure – 100% natural and pure products for the body, face, home and baby.
Mighty Nest – Every product sold on Mighty Nest is free of harmful chemicals and handpicked for durability and design.
I can totally relate to those three reasons. I never cared about “fashion” and such for years. It wasn’t until recently that I thought that I should put more effort into my wardrobe. I can add two obstacles to that list.
1. I hate shopping – Always have (unless it’s for books) I think it’s because it’s so hard for me to find clothes that a) I like, b) fit me, and c) are modest.
2. After so long of not caring at all, I’ve got this strange mindset that people might look down on me if I start putting more effort into looking nice. I’m still working through this, but something that has helped me is the reminder that God made me with the potential to be beautiful. Does it bring more glory to Him to cover up that beauty with an unflattering wardrobe? No! So then, is there a way for me to dress to bring Him glory. The answer must be yes. Now I just need to learn how…
My biggest problem is feeling like I should make all of my clothes last forever! That can make me look frumpy, but where it’s really problematic is when I’m hanging onto clothes I rarely wear because “they’re still good.” I need to get better at parting with things that someone else could be wearing or that would get more use if I cut them up for rags!
That said, I do most of my clothes shopping at yard sales and thrift stores. It’s only for shoes, socks, underwear, jeans, and times when I feel a need for a specific item that isn’t turning up used, that I buy new. I find that used clothes give me the same satisfaction of having something new-to-me to wear, at a lower price and environmental impact, and then if the item is wearing out or I decide it’s just not comfortable, it’s easier for me to pass it on because I spent so little money on it. Actually, I still have some clothes I bought used up to 20 years ago and have worn regularly all that time…some things just hold up well! I wash all my laundry in cold water and line-dry, both of which help clothes last longer.
I do have trouble prioritizing shopping for clothes for myself now that I’m a mom. Sometimes my son is very distracting and won’t “let” me look at clothes, but more often it’s just that everything else seems more important and I don’t get around to clothes shopping. It doesn’t help that all the good clothing stores have relocated out of the neighborhoods where I live and work so that I can no longer shop for clothes on my way home!