Sunday 7: I wore it again

Hello!

Forgive me readers, for it’s been a few weeks.

Again.

{Insert all the roll eyes emojis here. And then some.}

This time, I have no excuse for my blogging break, no massive family stuff going on or this or that…

It’s been a few weeks simply because… I guess without the ‘touting’ of new wares, I just can’t imagine my blog will be that interesting to anyone.

I still have lots to say.

I always do.

I suppose I’ve lost my blogging way a bit, and I’m still finding my feet.

Anyway… so what am I going to be chewing your ear off about tonight?

My outfits this week.

Yup: what I’ve worn this week.

I decided to take on Jade @notbuyingnew‘s #iworeitagain challenge this week.

It’s a simple challenge where you carry over one piece (say a jumper) from one day – into the next, but ensuring it’s styled differently on the second day.

Jade describes it as a ‘chain reaction’ way of getting dressed on her Instagram and having taken the challenge on for the week, I’d very much agree with that description.

Let’s take a peek at what I wore, and I’m going to include the age of the piece, plus an approximate number of wears; I’m also posting the number of Instagram likes for each pic, really as a talking point towards the end of the blog.

Day 1 – Monday, 311 Instagram Likes:

First thing to mention is that I work Monday through to Thursday, so my daily outfits have gone from super casual jeans most days, to being that little bit smarter for work.

Starting shoes up, Monday’s outfit comprised of:

• Navy Brogued Chelsea Boots from Love Shoaholics which were sent to me as a gift in January this year, #9wears
• Navy H&M Suit trousers, one year old, #12wears
• H&M Cotton Striped Shirt, 2017, #7wears
• Camel cashmere sweater bought from eBay 6 weeks ago, #4wears
• Dark Navy wool blazer, Jack Wills, 2015, #30+wears
• H&M (acrylic) Beanie, 2015, #30+wears
• Bag, which I know you can’t see clearly, but it’s from Love Shoaholics which were sent to me as a gift in January this year but used #30+times because I use it most days for work, along side a smaller bag.

I decided it would be my eBay /Arket sweater which got carried over.

Day 2 – Tuesday, 209 Instagram Likes:

There’s not that much you can do with a jumper… in terms of styling, is there?

Leave it untucked, tuck it in, half tuck it, wear a visible layer under it (Polo top, shirt collars…) and I guess if you really wanted to, you could belt it?!

I generally favour a visible layer, worn underneath.

Starting shoes up, Tuesday’s outfit comprised of:

• Black Brogued Balla Lace-up Boots from Duo Boots, which were sent to me as a gift in September this year, #6wears
• Genevieve Sweeney Socks, part of my monthly sock-subscription, 2019 #5wears
• Falke micro-fishnet tights (which make my legs look purple-pink in this photo – they weren’t even cold, promise!) which are *so* old (like 2005 old!), #30+wears
• Second Female real leather skirt, bought for £20 at a sample sale, 2016, #6wears
• Plaid Shirt, originally from Fat Face, made it’s way to me via my niece about 4 years ago when she grew out of it, back when she was 14, #6wears
• Camel cashmere sweater bought from eBay 6 weeks ago, #4wears
• Camel Coat, Topshop Petites, 2017, #5wears
• H&M Beanie, 2017, #30+wears
• M&S Pleather bag, 2018, used #30+times

I decided to carry over the Plaid shirt into Tuesday.

Day 3 – Wednesday, 209 Instagram Likes:

Ah… my mardy-arsed resting face – I just can’t hide my disdain for the rain.

{ha! As if… it’s just my standard resting face!}

Again, I didn’t break any styling barriers here… as I say, I like layering shirts under sweaters.

Starting shoes up, Wednesday’s outfit comprised of:

• Brown Russell & Bromley Brogues (bought secondhand from eBay in 2015), #9wears
• Genevieve Sweeney Socks, part of my monthly sock-subscription, 2019 #15wears
• Navy Arket Pleated skirt from eBay, bought in September this year, worn #5times
• Plaid Shirt, originally from Fat Face, made it’s way to me via my niece about 4 years ago when she grew out of it, back when she was 14, #6wears
• Navy M&S acrylic half-sleeve crew-neck sweater, 2017, #18wears
• Mango Kids Teddy Jacket, 2017, #4wears
• Fonott Basket Bag, bought in October, first outing!

It was a no brainer that the pleated skirt would get carried over.

Day 4-Thursday, 298 Instagram Likes:

I should probably mention that I bought the same style, Crepe Twill Pleated skirt from Arket, in Ivory, early this year.

I found it massively useful for work and the Navy version came up on eBay for a bargain price, so is a welcome addition to my work wardrobe.

You can call it Crepe, or twill, but it’s ultimately polyester… which of course releases micro plastics with every wash.

I don’t wash this skirt much to be honest – not even the ivory version: more on that towards the end.

Back to my outfit, starting shoes up, Thursday’s outfit comprised of:

• Ivory western Boots, Topshop, 2018, #30wears
• Navy Arket Pleated skirt from eBay, bought in September this year, worn #5times
• Samesoe & Samsoe Knit, bought October 2018, #14wears
• Vintage 70s Leather Jacket, customised by Mrs Lang, April 2018, #7wears
• Newlook Beret, bought in a sale for a couple of quid summer 2018, #2wears
• Tan Pleather Topshop crossbody bag, 2018, used #30+ times

And it will come as no surprise that it was the Fairisle jumper which got carried over.

Day 5 – Friday, 194 Instagram Likes (Joint post with Saturday’s outfit):

It was very cold on Friday!

My day off and a perfect opportunity to dress down.

Starting shoes up, Friday’s outfit comprised of:

• Plastic (pleather?!) ASOS Hikers, bought Autumn 2018, #20wears
• Mango Cords, bought Autumn 2018, #4wears
• Samesoe & Samsoe Knit, bought October 2018, #14wears
• H&M Wool mix coat, bought January this year, #5wears
• Village England Bag, bought Autumnn 2018, used #16 times

And of course, I carried the cords over into Saturday.

Day 6 – Saturday, 194 Instagram Likes (Joint post with Friday’s outfit):

Spent the day mooching at home…I say mooching, but in reality, it was tackling the never ending housework, and just… well, house stuff.

My kind of Saturday – but for the chores!

Along side my carried over cords, I wore:

• White Veja trainers, bought Autumn 2016, which haven’t been worn anywhere near as much as you might think: approx #13wears
• Hello Hoodie from Hari and the Gang, sent to me as a gift, March 2018, #15wears

And no surprises for guessing…

Day 7 – Sunday, only posted this evening – unknown number of Instagram Likes:

… the Hello Hoodie got carried into another #basic weekend outfit:

• Donna Ida Jeannie Cigarette Jeans, 2017, #30+wears
• Grey Leopard Slipper Socks, The Alex Edit, received a few weeks ago as a gift, worn #12times already!

How did I find the #Iworeitagain challenge?

I didn’t really make the challenge difficult for myself by limiting what my ‘carried over’ piece could be worn with each day – my entire wardrobe was at my finger tips, which… as a mood-dresser, is a bit of a necessity.

However, when (more or less) half your outfit is already dictated to you, I found it challenging because I didn’t necessarily *want-want* to wear that piece, on that designated day…

… but in doing so… as in, wearing the same piece two days in a row, I found myself reaching for items in my wardrobe which perhaps get less wear than what I would ordinarily reach for, for work and at home.

As an example, this morning, I really, really fancied wearing my Pink Cord jumpsuit, unbelted – babygro style.

When I first bought the pink jumpsuit back in Spring, I wore it most weekends, two days in a row – because it’s warm and comfy… and given how chilly it is now, it would have been perfect for my slobbing around Sunday.

But, I made myself re-wear the hoodie this morning and of course, jeans & hoodie *are* very normal weekend attire for me… the pink cord jumpsuit was soon forgotten about… there’s always next weekend, after all!

Now if having half an outfit dictated to you each day is tricky if you’re not in the mood to wear it… it can also be a god-send when you’re tired and just can’t think *what* to wear.

In a nutshell, I found the whole exercise of ‘chain reaction’ dressing both helpful, and inspiring as well as a little tedious at times.

So why did I decide to take on the challenge?

I suppose in this day and age of the relentless frenzy on social media to be the *Very. First. To. Feature. An. Item.* which of course *You. Don’t. Have. To. Buy… I’m. Just. Inspiring. You.* I suppose I wanted to be sure that I really am over that… that feeling of *having* to wear an actual, 100% different outfit every, single, day.

Letting go of fast fashion has been liberating…

Rewearing the same old stuff, but re-styling the pieces, over and over has always brought me joy… and perhaps I hadn’t been as honest about posting this aspect of my outfits in the past… I’d bowed to the pressure to post something different daily.

I don’t feel that pressure anymore.

Perhaps these ‘rewearing’ posts don’t garner as many likes as the latest, greatest, new-in wares…

But let’s face it, Instagram has gone through its 9875th Algorithm change, and pretty much everyone’s accounts are in the same boat of dwindling numbers.

I’ve posted the number of Likes against each post, just so you can see that reality, on instagram that is… bites!

And for no other reason.

I question why I bother posting on Instagram… if I’m not showing anything new?

And of course, although swimming against the tide of fast fashion is hard (especially for a weak swimmer like me!) it *is* something I feel passionately about.

If I can help a handful of people slow down and *think* more, before they buy… then I feel like it’s worth posting.

I will continue to be ‘just me’ on instagram, dressing in the way I enjoy and like…

…if you’ve followed me since the beginning (March 2016…)  you’ll know, I’ve never done the hard sell thing nor ‘dressing for the gram’… what you see really is what you get.

The Psychology of New

Buying new clothing does, undoubtedly release a little adrenalin… a little buzz if you will.

But how long does that buzz even last?

Hours?

A couple of days?

Basically, not very long.

I haven’t been at this shopping sustainably malarky for very long at all.

And yet in a few short months I’ve managed to reset my mindset from the habitual response of clicking on a ‘buy’ button the very second I see something I think I *want* to the point now, where I realise, I only *think* I want this, that and the other.

When I pause for breathe, and scroll on past… so too does that *want* feeling fade.

I have bought two new items in the past five months: the first is the willow basket bag (as featured in Wednesday’s photo) – from a small, ethical brand who make a donation for a tree to be planted with every purchase.

I also bought a dress from Toast a few weeks back which… I haven’t worn yet because I *do* feel guilty about buying it.

Yes, it was a slow, considered purchase, not an impulse.

But in reality, I have plenty of clothes in my wardrobe already.

So it’s more that I am questioning my consumption full stop.

Just because an item is organic, doesn’t mean I have to buy it?!

Anyway – I will endeavour to wear the dress at some point this week.

Likewise, I’ve accepted a few gifts over the past 5 months.

But it is literally a fraction of what I’ve been offered.

And even then, I’m not feeling brilliant about accepting the few gifts I have accepted… I guess I need to reconcile these issues within myself, no one else can do that for me.

Anyway… back to #iworeitagain:

• the world isn’t going to end if you wear and post a photo of the same clothing, two days on the trot…
• In fact, you’re doing the planet a favour by washing your clothing less, and hopefully consuming less as well!
• Don’t dress for the gram, dress for yourself – always!
• Rome wasn’t built in a day, so baby steps all the way: if you’re a shopaholic, why not challenge yourself to small tiny steps: of not buying anything for a few days first, then slowly build that up?
• Do a Marie Kondo and dump the entire contents of your wardrobe on your bed… from ALL seasons: then count the number of skirts, dresses, trousers, jeans, jumpsuits, culottes, shorts… etc. and take stock: do you actually, actually really need anything new right now?
• We’ve entered the festive season… or in instagram terms: Sequin Season: if you already own sequins from previous years: wear them again this year… you don’t need any more plastic discs in your life!

I had planned to talk more on the psychology of getting dressed as well as the thinking behind *want* over needs…. and focus a bit on washing our clothing that bit less than you might already launder them.

But it felt a bit too much for one blogpost, so… I’ll save that for another time.

In the meantime, have I persuaded anyone to try Jade @notbuyingnew‘s #iworeitagain challenge?  Leave me a comment and let’s chat about it!

Thanks for reading,

B x

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