Off to New Adventures...

With our move to my home country, Switzerland, there will be a bit of a re-organisation and re-focussing of FairEnough. It's been over a year since I started my challenge to only buy fair trade or second-hand clothes for a year. Looking back, I can hardly believe it. I thought I would struggle more with abstaining from the High Street, but on the contrary, I felt free and almost relieved. By completely removing myself from this environment, I freed up so much head-space and time to focus on other things. Writing FairEnough, finding out about fair trade and sustainable ventures, and visiting new places and meeting all these creative people has been such a rewarding experience...

Having said that, my commitment may prove difficult to maintain... There are a few things (bras for instance), I've just not been able to buy or afford... And, even though Switzerland is world-renowned for energy efficiency and recycling, they do not have the same charity-shop culture here as they do in Ireland. This will make shopping fair trade and second-hand not only more difficult but also infinitely more expensive. And there is another tiny issue, now that FairEnough is based in the international home of chocolate: that of language! 

So I've been doing a lot of thinking and I've decided that, despite the added difficulties, I do not want to give up on FairEnough. I will still try and shop as ethically and environmentally friendly as I can, but I will have to make a 'normal' purchase every now and again. I may not post as frequently, but I will continue to show-case fair trade and eco brands, sustainable design and share my tips and hints for an ethical lifestyle with you. And now - if the post demands - I will do so in German and English! To keep the blog relevant for my dear readers on the emerald isle and abroad, I will try and maintain an international focus, with particular reference to Switzerland. 

Lastly, all that remains for me to say at this point is a big Thank You to all my lovely readers. Thank you so much for sharing this journey with me, for encouraging me, inspiring me and most of all, thank you so much for reading! Your interest and commitment has truly baffled me and it has been my biggest source of encouragement. I do hope you will continue travel with FairEnough as we embark on new, Swiss adventures!

Lots of Love

Sarah

Und jetzt noch auf Deutsch!

Da mein Mann und ich nun wieder in der Schweiz wohnen, wirds auch bei FairEnough ein paar Änderungen geben - angefangen natürlich mit der Sprache. FairEnough wird von nun an für gewisse Posts zweisprachig verfasst!

Im Oktober 2012 habe ich mit entschlossen ein Jahr lang nur fair trade oder second-hand Kleider zu kaufen. Wenn ich so zurück denke, kann ich kaum glauben, dass seither wirklich schon mehr als ein Jahr vergangen ist! Ich dachte eigentlich, ich würde mehr Probleme damit haben, mich von den Kleiderläden fern zu halten... aber im Gegenteil: ich fühle mich befreit und entspannt! Der Shopping-Enzug erlaubte es mir, viel Zeit in andere Dinge zu investieren. Für FairEnough zu schreiben, über fair trade und nachhaltige Projekte zu recherchieren und all diese kreativen und aussergewöhnlichen Menschen zu treffen war für mein Leben sehr bereichernd.

Ich sehe aber auch ein, dass es in der Schweiz mit meiner Challenge wohl ein bisschen schwierig werden könnte. Zum einen gibt es Dinge, die ich aus finanziellen und anderen Gründen, im letzten Jahr einfach gar nicht gekauft habe... zum anderen ist die second-hand Ladenkultur in der Schweiz bei weitem nicht so ausgeprägt wie in Irland.

Was ist also zu tun? Eines ist klar: Ich will FairEnough auf keinen Fall aufgeben. Ich werde weiterhin versuchen so umweltfreundlich und fair einzukaufen wie möglich, werde aber meine "Regeln" ein wenig lockern und ab und zu auch mal etwas "normales" kaufen. Natürlich werde ich weiterhin - wenn auch nicht ganz so regelmässig - meine fair trade Funde sowie Tipps und Tricks für einen umweltfreundlicheren Lifestyle mit euch teilen. 

Zum Schluss möchte ich diese Gelegenheit nutzen um euch, meinen lieben Lesern, von Herzen Danke zu sagen. Danke viel mals, dass ihr mit mir auf diese Reise gekommen seid. Euer Interesse und Engagement war immer eine grosse Ermutigung für mich. Danke fürs Lesen und ich hoffe, dass ihr FairEnough auch auf den neuen Schweizer Abenteuern begleiten werdet.

Alles Liebe und uf Widerluege!

Sarah

By the way: Do you know what the image at the top depicts? Have a guess!

de → en

Of course ,

de → en

Thank you

interjection: Thank you!, Thanks!, Ta!

Sharing the Love

This week I'm sharing my love and passion for fair trade and ethical fashion over on Oxfam's fashion blog! I was very excited to be interviewed by the Monsoon Accessorize Trust on my challenge and my views on the fashion industry... Head on over to the amazing Oxfam blog for a little read!
For all you fair trade fashion fanatics: I suggest you keep an eye out for their other posts... and check out the great work of the Monsoon Accessorize Trust as well!

The Craft to Inspire

Jim Melin inspiring us all

Last Friday, the second talk in the series of 5-9 talks brought together a bunch of committed crafters and artists, who spend the few free hours of their busy days making and creating beautiful things and an audience, excited to hear about how they do it. And that's what the 5-9 talks, co-organized by ReFound Belfast and FairEnough Blog, are all about; inspiring people. Isn't it true that we often don't achieve the really amazing things during working hours, but afterwards, once we get home, once we can do what we really want? I'm sure many of you have a 5-9 passion of your own. So last Friday, the very talented craftspeople Sue Cathcart, Alison Lowry and Jim Melin showed us how and why they sacrifice so much of their free time for their art.

Derry Walls by Mr. Papers

Besides being an outreach officer for the Ulster Museum, Sue Cathcart is the face behind the eccentric Mr. Papers who appears on lots of hilarious and distinctly Northern Irish Greeting Cards. Made out of old pages of the Belfast Telegraph, Mr. Papers cards are - like most of Sue's craft - wholly recycled. Sue doesn't just make cards though, she can fashion almost anything from paper, including beautiful statues and figurines. Head over to Mr. Papers' website to find out more!

Triptych of Life

Next up was Alison Lowry, who, next to raising three kids, somehow finds time to make the most stunning glass art. Alison is inspired by her Irish heritage and the female craft of lace-making and sowing that runs in her family. In her piece Triptych of Life, she manages to capture the fragility and delicacy of an Irish lace christening gown in rigid glass. Alison shared a great deal about her techniques in creating these pieces and she also teaches classes where you can try your hand at making beautiful glass pieces or learn about pate de verre.

a wall made out of pallets by Jim Melin

Lastly, Jim Melin took us on a tour de force of his incredibly varied and inspiring work. Employed as a teacher during the day, Jim uses his free time to literally make everything out of anything! A mural out of bottle tops, a wall out of old pallets, a tree out of books... you name it, he's probably made it. Jim doesn't see rubbish as rubbish... he sees endless possibilities. He also can't stick to one art form... most recently, he's even tried his hand at welding. You can buy his rustic and beautifully industrial furniture pieces at ReFound Belfast.




I think it's not an exaggeration to say that we all left with lots of ideas blooming in our mind, inspired by having heard people talk about their passion... I have to say, I can't wait for the next one...

Wear it Seven Ways

 Kate Middleton has been both applauded and chided for wearing the same dresses twice. 'Really?' You may think, 'That actually makes head-lines?' Well apparently it does...  Judging by the endless list of 'celebrity repeat fashion offenders' I found when I googled the topic, there are millions of snap-happy fashionistas out there hungrily waiting to pounce on any star who is stupid enough to show up anywhere wearing the same thing a second time. My goodness - the faux pas... the world will probably end...

Well go you Kate Middleton I say! I hope you wear your expensive gorgeous dresses a million times! Despite feeling ever so superior to all the fashion-slaves out there, the headlines did get me thinking about my own wardrobe choices... How many times have I convince myself that I simply MUST buy something new because I 'just' don't have exactly that top in exactly that shade of grey, or that I absolutely need a new bag to go with this new dress and match my new shoes... Over my year of shopping ethically and sustainably, I've felt challenged to think about sustainability in a more holistic way. I've come to realise that sustainability entails more than just buying second-hand or organic. It it also about versatility and redefining 'need'. Truth is, I don't need 75% of the clothes in my wardrobe. If I lost them today, I could still go on living tomorrow. Maybe rather than always buying something new, we could take a more creative approach to our own wardrobe. To inspire us all to do this, I've set myself a week-long challenge to wear one piece of clothing seven different ways utilizing the clothes I already have. Here are some of the ideas I came up with...

The item of clothing I chose to do my experiment with was this lovely black and white floral printed blouse... I agree the first outfit is a bit of a given... Combined with my fairtrade black cotton skirt from Annie Greenabelle, a black blazer, tights and some heels, this turns into a neat business look. I wore this to work, but would also wear it to a job interview or formal occasion.



To achieve a more summery, girly look I introduced some bold colour. I love this blue pleated skirt I got at a swap shop. Having some uni-coloured items in your wardrobe is always a good idea and makes combining outfits so much easier! Still formal enough to wear to work, this outfit is also totally comfortable - perfect for that after-work drink.



For looks two and five the idea was to wear the top over and under clothes I wouldn't usually wear it with. So in the first one, I've put it on over a dark grey beach dress. Arranged in this way, it turned an otherwise very casual dress into a more formal look. Similarly I love how putting the blouse on under my black Peopletree maxi dress and combining it with a neat little yellow belt and satchel completely changes the feel of that dress. Good-by beach, hello office!

Now this top is not one I would usually wear out... but  the challenge was seven days, seven ways and one day was Saturday. So I combined the top with a second-hand sequins skirt and my vintage silver heels... And - despite what I had first thought - I happily wore this outfit on a night out. Totally disco-ready!

Last but not least, there's always the option to go casual. Wearing the blouse with my mint jeans and throwing on a little denim jacket made for a super comfy casual weekend outfit. 

I actually had so much fun doing this little challenge, and it's made me see my wardrobe with new eyes! I felt really happy about all the clothes I own, when previously I often felt unsatisfied and bored with them. I also made the choice to approach future buys with more caution. Thinking about what I already own and investing in high quality pieces that work well with my other clothes, rather than buying on a whim or being influenced by a sale...

We'll see how long that lasts :).

Many thanks also to the lovely Claire Dalton for taking all the beautiful pictures. You're a star.

Why Not Change?

On the 24th of April, the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh collapsed costing the lives of over 1100 garment workers, mainly women from rural areas. The incident is the worst disaster ever to have occurred in the global garment industry. News of the tragedy travelling around the world lead to a media frenzy and as global attention focused on the substandard and dangerous working conditions in factories in the fashion industry, big retail brands were quick to issue statements and promise change. But have not such promises been made before? Visit the website of any given highstreet fashion label and you will most likely find a section on 'sustainability', 'corporate responsibility' or 'ethical trading' where the company pledges its support for a better world in beautifully worded promises about company values and videos show happy workers stating how much they love working for this particular company. Why then can something like the Rana Plaza happen? Or should we ask why do we keep letting it happen?

Picture from the wreck of the Rana Plaza (from National Post)

Although the largest so far, Rana Plaza is only one event in a chain of disasters that have taken place in garment factories and sweatshops over the past few years. Only six months ago, over 100 people died in a fire at Tazreen Fashions in Ashulia near Dhaka and seven years ago 64 workers were killed in a similar building collapse. It is estimated that since 2005 at least 1,800 people have died in fires, stampedes, building collapses and other incidents in garment factories in Bangladesh. But once the river of media coverage dries up, how easy is it to forget any of this ever happened? Holding that £5 H&M t-shirt in our hands at check-out, do we ever remember? I cannot help but wonder, if a similar incident had happened in a UK factory, what would the consequences have been?

The garment industry in Bangladesh accounts for 80% of the country's exports and provides employment for roughly four million people. This makes for a complex situation and as everyone is busy playing the blame-game, I fear that very little again will change.

What can I do?
So rather than pointing fingers and finding scapegoats, maybe we had better thought about what we can do to help change happen. Here are a few suggestions:

Sign a Petition
Since the internet, petitions appealing to authorities, companies or industries for change have grown exponentially in size and number. A petition is an easy way to put pressure on an organisation to achieve change. You simply sign on with your name and email to demonstrate your support. There are even websites, like change.org, that are specifically tailored towards creating and sharing petitions.
And apparently, they work!
The petition by the charity War on Want to get UK retailers to take responsibility for the Bangladesh disaster was signed by over 80,000 people and on the 16th of May over 30 companies signed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, among them H&M, Primark and Marks & Spencer.

The accord commits the retailers to ensure and financially contribute to the building safety in the factories used by them. You can still sign the petition here.
I recently also signed the 1% Let's Fix Fashion campaign by UK ethical fashion blog Ms Wanda's Wardrobe. The campaign asks big fashion retailers to invest at least 1% into solving problems in their supply chain, making working conditions save, more ethical and environmentally friendly. 1% doesn't seem like a lot when you consider how much companies such as these must spend on marketing.


Get involved with a Charity
There are numerous charities out there fighting for change and justice. Find one in your local area and get involved with it, or support a big international organisation. For instance you could volunteer in your local Oxfam shop or get involved with the Fairtrade Foundation, War on Want or Action Aid (to name but a few). Charities always need support, and you can donate your money, time or simply your voice to their cause. To make it more fun, why not be creative about it? You can turn pretty much anything into a fundraiser, so why not a zombie march on Halloween, a glamorous tea party in the park or a local fashion show?

Shout loudly
Thanks to the internet, you can not only sign petitions, but actually contact companies directly. Nobody likes bad press, so why not tweet or facebook some of these retailers asking them to change and showing them that their consumers care? War on Want has made good use of this strategy, organizing people to harass  companies en masse using social media. If this is a bit too aggressive for you, then why not talk to family and friends about these issues and get them to think about it. Who knows, they may well feel the same and you may be able to support each other...

Buy differently and use differently
It is a fact that the garment industry employs millions of people and some argue that boycotting these products would destroy their livelihood. However, garment workers are often payed less than a living wage and are perpetually kept poor. So, if we never buy differently, how are things ever going to change?
Fair trade and ethical clothing brands provide great alternative options to highstreet fast fashion. Check out my links page to find a list of just a few or snoop around some of my old posts...
Other than buying more ethically, maybe it is time we had changed our attitude to fashion and clothes as a whole. Rather than 'just' buying something because its cheap, letting it drown in the depths of our wardrobe once we no longer like it, or throwing it out when it has lost its shape, why not think twice about the next item of clothing we buy? Think about how huge the effect could be if we were to revamp or restyle our old clothes rather than always buying new ones. Maybe it is time we started valuing the quality of a piece of clothing over its bargain price and invest in items that will last and come to define a part of our lives.

Vintage Home Pop Up

It was a dreary and rainy weekend so what better to do than attend the cozy Kitchen Sink Saturday, a vintage home pop up sale organized by Uncle Shelby Vintage and interior design & marketing company Project Two. A home pop up is pretty much what it says on the tin. For a day or afternoon, you turn your house into a boutique/ jewellers/ haberdashers/ food market, but unlike being the highstreet; you get to make up all the rules!
So I headed on over to 6 Bladon Court in Stranmillis and standing in front of the door, I have to say, I did feel a little nervous. Walking into a complete stranger's house is weirdly exciting and unnerving at the same time. But the lovely hostesses and the relaxed atmosphere soon made me feel at ease.

Caitlin, the face behind Uncle Shelby Vintage, is currently trying to set up her own business selling vintage clothes. During the day, Caitlin works in PR, but at night she turns into a vintage-maniac, spending her hours doing anything and everything to make her dream happen. As with every emerging business, money is tight. A home pop up is a great and cheap way for Caitlin to display her collection, get to know her customers and give them the chance to see and try on her stock. Caitlin hand-picks all the vintage clothes she sells, assuring high quality, and sources them from all over the world. It was so much fun browsing through her beautiful selection in this unique environment.

My favourite of the bunch had to be this gorgeous 70's print dress. I love the lace overlay at the top! It would make the perfect outfit for any garden party or summer wedding.

For the event, Caitlin teamed up with Catherine and Patricia, the creative goddesses behind Project Two. Once again I was reminded of how much power there is in collaborating with people. Project Two contributed toward the design of the event and sold some interior goodies, such as plush cushions, carpets and luxury curtains, and the combination worked really well.

Taking place in Patricia's gorgeous house (I left with a serious case of house-jealousy), the atmosphere was great. There was music, welcome drinks and tasty snacks. The fun thing about a home pop up is that you can really make it your own and treat your customers to a novelty shopping experience.

So if you are thinking about setting up a shop of your own, why not try a home pop up first? It may be a great way for you to dip your toe in the water!

If you missed the event, don't worry, Uncle Shelby Vintage is now also available online and you can follow Caitlin on facebook on twitter to stay tuned for the next home pop up!

A Little Daydreaming...

I have caught myself daydreaming a lot lately, thinking about the future and dreaming about opening my own little shop, selling fair trade and sustainable clothing and accessories somewhere in Switzerland... you know, just as a back-up, in case the whole heritage and museums career does not work out...

I'm imagining something along the lines of a charity shop, but in a boutique style with a really beautiful design and a curated selection of clothing. See, there are plenty of charity shops here, but they don't exist like that in Switzerland. There are vintage shops and second hand furniture stores, but barely any second-hand clothes shops and the whole charity-shop concept just isn't around.

It could be a little shop somewhere in the historic downtown of Zurich, selling a range of vintage, second-hand and fair trade garments as well as accessories with part of the proceeds going to charity. I catch myself dreaming about what it would look like... For instance, I love these romantic shop-exteriors. I am infatuated with the pale mint greens or light blues at the moment!

Pictures from: top: Shy Violet, bottom left: Pinterest, bottom right: Fade

What do you think? The interior could be in the same whimsical style. Something along the lines of this, maybe, with lots of whites and greys and period furniture...

Pic on the right from  Shy Violet

Or it could look more rustic and industrial. I love the industrial look of this AllSaints store in Chicago.

pictures from glamshops

To make the shopping an even more enjoyable and relaxing activity, there would be a little cafe in the shop. Maybe something to match that rustic, Victorian feel... with lots of chunky wooden furniture, a retro coffee-machine and an antique cash register...

pictures from Pinterest

Oh and of course, there would have to be books! Walls full of books to inspire people... My customers could sit with a cup of coffee and read and feel good about themselves and all their ethical and sustainable purchases. We could run events aswell in the space, exhibitions of local artists and designers, talks, wine tastings and cookery classes, poetry readings, film screenings...

pic from pinterest

But along with clothes and books and coffee there would naturally have to be cake. We could not go without cake, surely.

Carly Cakes

These dreamy creations are made by my very talented friend Carly. I think they would fit wonderfully into my hypothetical dream shop...

As you can tell I'm getting just a little bit carried away here... There's value in dreaming though,  and who knows? Maybe my career really won't work out..  The more I think about it, the more I'm left wondering whether that would truly be such a bad thing.

Can you see it, my dream shop? Would you make any additions? Do you have dreams of your own you'd like to share?

With Kindness in Mind

Kendall Benton with rescue cat Teddy

I'm very excited to be sharing this week's blog with you. For my first ever blog interview, I'm talking to Kendall Benton, creator of Kindness by Design, an awesome blog that champions fair and ethical design. Read all about Kendall's work and be inspired by Kindness!


Sarah: Kendall thanks so much for agreeing to be interviewed for my blog... Could you tell me a little more about yourself?

Kendall: Thanks so much for having me Sarah! I grew up as an only child in the Far North Queensland region of Australia, right between the rain forest and the Great Barrier Reef. After graduating high school I moved south to study at the University of Sydney, majoring in Environmental Politics and Archaeology, which was such candy for my brain! I started working for WWF-Australia while writing my honours thesis on tiger conservation and continued to work there for more than ten years! My roles with WWF have taken me all around Australia and my partner (who also worked for WWF at the time) and I were based in the Fiji Islands for three years working for WWF-South Pacific. About a year ago we moved back to Australia and I now work as for myself as an environmental consultant, Co-Founder and Director of Strategy for ScienceRewired, as well as Creator of Kindness by Design. I adore reading, writing, scuba diving, and playing with our little one-eyed rescue cat Teddy, who we brought to Australia from Fiji.  Teddy has an extremely well-developed vocabulary, so we have many an enlightening chat.

Sarah: What's your favourite thing in the world?

Kendall: Kindness!!! In all its forms.

Actually I always struggle with “name your favourite x” questions. Even in primary school when I was asked what my favourite colour was I would answer “multi-colour”. I love so many things (including love). I have many many favourites!

Sarah: What's your least favourite?

Kendall: Cruelty. It makes me feel physically and emotionally ill. The world needs to utterly reject it.

Sarah: Tell me a little more about Kindness by Design, what is the blog about?

Kendall: Kindness by Design – both the blog and associated social media accounts – is my platform for championing ethical and sustainable designers, brands and retailers. My goal is to show how amazing, stylish and fashion-forward ethical products can be! I am also committed to helping emerging designers and brands to reach a wider audience.

Sarah: You have been writing Kindness by Design for over two years now, why did you start it? What are you hoping Kindness by Design to become?

Kendall: The name “Kindness by Design” has a two-fold meaning for me: one is of course about designing items that are created in kind ways i.e. socially and environmentally ethical; and the second meaning is about deliberately choosing to live your life with kindness at the core. I truly believe in the power positive messages and I want Kindness by Design to be somewhere that people can go to feel empowered by the good being done in the world. I hope for Kindness by Design to become a catalyst contributing to the greater good. I want to continue to connect with and support designers both on and offline. I also would love to use my experience in working on issues such as: sustainable livelihoods, marine protection, threatened species conservation, climate change adaptation, and fresh water ecosystems to help create a better fashion future.

Sarah: What was your best "Kindness by Design blog moment"?

Kendall: Oh another “best” question! I’ve been very fortunate to have met some astounding people thanks to Kindness by Design. One of the best moments was being the Official Blogger for Fiji Fashion Week 2011. It was such a great experience getting to go behind the scenes and helping to promote a fledgling but overwhelmingly talented pool of designers. In October 2012 Kindness by Design was named by the International Fashion and Beauty Bloggers Organization as one of their 50International Bloggers to Watch & Learn From which was such an amazing surprise! And in January 2013 I was honoured when Kindness by Design was accepted into the Ethical Fashion Forum’s Fellowship 500. 

Sarah: What do you find most difficult?

Kendall: Working for yourself and starting projects from scratch is so exciting and incredibly rewarding from a creative standpoint. However, it’s also a really hard slog and you don’t have the benefits you get when you’re part of an established organisation. It’s been a real learning curve!

Sarah: Do you think a revolution in the fashion industry towards a more sustainable and ethical business model is possible? Have you seen signs of this happening?

Kendall: I’ve absolutely seen an increase in the depth and breadth of ethical fashion options and green-minded businesses. However, it still appears that fast fashion is firmly entrenched within the industry. I do think it’s possible for a sustainable fashion revolution to succeed but it won’t happen without support from designers, retailers, policy makers and consumers. Everyone has a part to play in creating a fair and ethical standard of doing business.

Sarah: What do you think would that look like?

Kendall: Every business would adhere to strict social and environmental guidelines and legislation while ensuring that their entire supply chain was transparent. Ideally all businesses would be certified Fair Trade, use cruelty-free, recycled and certified organic materials, operate in a zero-waste and carbon neutral environment, and somehow benefit the wider community.

Sarah: As you have been doing this for a while, you must have encountered a lot of great ethical and eco-friendly design initiatives, could you highlight your two for us?

Kendall: Oh my goodness. I am head over heels for all of the designers and brands featured on Kindness by Design! Two amazing initiatives include:

    Peace Cords by ARZU STUDIO HOPE are bracelets hand-woven by women in Afghanistan from authentic U.S. military parachute cord and fatigue or dress uniform buttons. This amazing fair trade fashion initiative has created employment for over 1,000 Afghans (95% of whom are women) and is providing the wider community with access to education and healthcare. Find out more here. 

Peace Cords bracelets

          

      Hearts is an ethical fashion brand founded on the idea that conscious minds create change. Their vision is to “create a legacy through which people understand that they need not sacrifice quality of life for beauty, and that true beauty emerges when we hold the vision of the highest good of all”. Their online store is amazing and allows you to shop via a number of categories including: materials; world causes; process; style; and how the product gives back to the community.

ethical fashion by heats

Sarah: Alright, last question: what are the top three things people can do to make this world a better place?

      Kendall: 

      1. Be kind to YOU! It might sound saccharine but I am learning that it’s a vital step in making the world a better place.

      2. Practice empathy as much as possible towards both humans and other living creatures. It’s an old adage but a vital one – treat others as you would wish to be treated.

      3. See something or someone that inspires you? Share it with the world…or at least with your loved ones. Spread the good stuff around :D.

I     Is there anyone that you find particularly inspiring? Who is it? Share it with us!

The Girl who did not shop

Today my little sister, the beautiful Andrea, is sharing her story on my blog. Find out more about the unusual choice she's made and be inspired by her commitment and endurance.

Hi there! The first week in 2013 is already coming to an end, and I hope you're all still successfully holding on to your New Years' resolutions. This year I did not add any resolutions to my list, because a while ago I made a decision which is pretty much using up all the willpower I was blessed with, and that's not all that much to start with. Exactly six months ago this little shopaholic decided to take a break and live without shopping for an entire year. So no buying clothes, shoes or purses... and unbelievably enough I am still going strong. I have made it through some crazy shopping-withdrawals and honestly, I just feel free.

“You’re not buying any clothes for an entire year? But… why?” That’s usually the reaction I get when I explain my lack of interest in a shopping trip or why I keep wearing my dad’s old jumpers. Well I guess it’s time I explained myself. Last June I packed my backpack with mosquito spray, malaria tablets and a few of my oldest clothes and headed to Mozambique, Africa, to help out in an orphanage for two months.

I was intrigued and fascinated by the sheer beauty of the colourful, vibrant country, the people and the culture. However, I was also struck by the stark poverty. The stories of the kids in the orphanage broke my heart. Being surrounded by people living in garbage dumps and children, dressed in rags, playing in the dirt, compliments on my “pretty clothes” filled me with shame. I felt awkward thinking about my two closets full of nice, new and rather unnecessary clothes at home. 

So after returning home in August, I promised myself not to go shopping for an entire year, and that all the money I saved that way would go to Africa to support the orphanage. I realised that I don’t need a new pair of shoes to make me happy. I have more than I could ever need.

The start was kind of exhilarating, I felt purposeful and optimistic. It was in the second month that things started to get tougher. One of my good friends was getting married and I naively agreed to a full blown shopping-spree with my girlfriends to assist them in buying dresses. Spending an entire day stuck in little boutiques and shops, surrounded by fabulous dresses, skirts, high heels with a wallet that was for once not entirely empty was no piece of cake! A trip to Stockholm with my friends (where everyone somehow seems to be wearing clothes straight out of a fashion show) didn’t make things easier either, but I've made it this far and it’s actually getting easier over time! I find myself with so much more free time and a clear head. Whenever I do get the urge to run into a shop I tell myself that I have been blessed with so much, and I do not need to define myself through my clothes. I have also gotten much more creative in choosing my outfits, reusing my dad’s old jumpers, flannel shirts, and everything else I can find in our attic (good thing retro is in, huh?).

I am truly glad I decided to fast from shopping this year, and crazily enough I’m enjoying myself. Don’t get me wrong, I still love clothes, and I don’t think shopping is a bad thing, but it should not define you or dominate your life. We live in a consumer culture, which constantly screams at us that we need more, when we already have so much. Meanwhile a vast majority of the world still lives in poverty. As a girl, and a Christian, I found it freeing to step out of the consumer machine and put my life back in perspective.

Funnily enough, the friends who were most surprised by my decision have now decided to join me, and so far three of my closest friends are fasting from clothes with me. We are having a great time supporting each other and sharing our hilarious no-shopping struggles! So to all of you either sick of going clothes-shopping or intrigued by the idea of making a difference in this world: JOIN ME!!! I promise it’s worth it! 

love,

Andrea

Have you made any similar New Years resolutions? Do you want to change the world for the better? Share your thoughts and stories with us!