from the vault: rewear your clothes
(Originally posted in October 2020)
Where did we come up with this idea that we have to always be wearing something different? For every event, every work day, every social media post? And what is having a different outfit every day meant to say about us? That we can afford an endless stream of new clothes? That we never do laundry? That our clothing is disposable - one wear and it’s done? From the impression I get from other cultures, this is mostly an American construct, which makes sense - the goal of consumer capitalism is to make us think we need new stuff all the time. I feel like this is one of the easier perspective shifts we can do which results in a vastly easier time getting dressed.
It’s simple. If you have an outfit you like, rewear it often and DGAF about who notices.
I promise you, other people will not notice. If they do, and judge you for it, they’re wrong. You’re right. You’re the one wearing the clothes you own in a sustainable way and not trying to impress anyone with the number of cheap outfits you can purchase. So they will notice that you have worn clothes you OWN more than once. Great! Maybe it’ll get them to shift their perspective too. We need to normalize this. (edited to add: I think this is especially important at this time of year and for other special occasions. It’s ok to wear what you wore last year to the holiday party. It’s ok to wear the same thing to multiple events this year.)
Last thing - this is the patriarchy in action. Why do we only judge women for rewearing outfits? Men wear the same suits/khakis/button down shirts over and over and that’s normal. It’s only women who are expected to take all this time and energy away from other more important things to constantly plan new outfits.
Reclaim your time. Rewear your clothes without anxiety.
Do you worry about this?
P.S. It continues to be incredibly important to me to include the ways white supremacy and patriarchy have created unreasonable standards for how we are expected to present ourselves, compare ourselves to each other, and achieve perfection. Interested in working through every aspect of your wardrobe, from defining your style to editing to mindful shopping through this lens? I cover it all in the Making Space group program and the next round starts in January. Go here to get on the list for early access and discounts. If you’re interested in working together one on one, book a short call to see if it might be a good fit.
Style icons from bygone days wore the same thing all the time. Katherine Hepburn pants and white button down shirt, Jane Birkin, jeans and T shirt, etc. We can rename re-wearing as "signature style."
Love this. It made me think of my uncle, who has worn the same sweater every Christmas for as long as I can remember (so about 35 years at this point). Just seeing him in it every year makes me happy and nostalgic, and isn't that a great feeling to conjure with our clothing?