I was shocked to read how much of our clothing ends up in the landfill. 75 pounds per person per year (2015 numbers–since the Marie Kondo phenomenon I bet it’s even worse today). All thanks to our desire for cheap fast fashion.
To the right is some of what one of my clients discarded after our closet clearing three years ago. She is very tall, so her main criteria for buying something was Color, style be damned. Does it fit? She took it all to Goodwill, but it’s very likely most of it got landfilled.
I’m doing my small part for the planet by buying no new clothes this year. Not even second-hand (my usual source). For a middle-class American woman, my wardrobe is already pretty small (small closet, small budget). Fortunately I dress mostly in separates, which gives me countless permutations and combinations. And because all my clothes are in my personal color palette, they mix and match nicely with me as the common denominator.
Here is the palette I’m working from (I’m what’s called a Rose-Tone Summer in the Caygill system of color analysis). You see me here using blush tones, my neutral gray-browns and grays, my formal neutral Eggplant (corduroys) and the light teal, which is one of my more dramatic colors.
Here is a selection of mirror selfies:
365 different looks! The second part of my challenge is to wear a different combination of pieces every day. Comfort is my first priority, unless the occasion is special (then I’ll even wear heels if I don’t have to walk far). That said, it’s important to me to look as attractive as possible as a woman my age can–much more than keeping up with or ahead of the latest fashion. Because it’s winter and I walk a lot, I do layers (turtlenecks, sweaters, jackets, scarves and vests.)
You can follow the #nonewclothes2020 fun on my Instagram feed or ColorStylePDX Facebook page. That’s where I share fun details about each outfit (history, why I chose it, how I might have tweaked it, etc). Many of my clothes I’ve had for a very long time and have found ways to update.
Meanwhile, if you’re looking to embark on a similar wardrobe experiment, it starts with your own palette. It’s truly an investment gift–one that continues to pay back in looking great and easy error-free shopping. Find lots more details on what a personal color analysis entails and pricing here.
COMING UP – Saturday mornings Feb 1-8, 2020! Learn how to use color and style yourself! My Going Gray Gracefully class at Clark College in Vancouver. It is a super fun and useful class. You can register here.