Spending less on clothing
When it comes to more sustainable living, I feel that there is a trade-off between quantity and quality. Not so many humans can buy high-quality, more expensive items in large quantities. And ecological products are often more expensive than conventional options. Like many fellow humans, I cannot afford to buy many expensive products. Neither do I want to buy more for ecological and other reasons. Some other reasons are spiritual (I intentionally want to live with less), aesthetic (I prefer empty spaces), social (I would rather donate money than buy more stuff). There are of course ways to be more sustainable and have more at the same time. One can shop second-hand, borrow, get objects free of charge from swap shops, receive objects as gifts. While these are some ways to approach sustainable consumption of clothing, I prefer to simply live with a lot less than what is the norm in our society (I live in Denmark). At times, I borrow clothes from my loved ones (even when the size is not perfect for me), but in general I feel that I have enough. What helps me spend less on clothes is the following:
Having a uniform. Every day in winter, I wear sweatpants, a t-shirt, and an oversized linen shirt. In summer, I wear the same thing, but when it's warm I wear shorts. I wear exactly the same thing when I am relaxing at home and when I teach.
I only wear basics. Apart from two linen shirts, all the other items are basics. I do not own any occasion wear. I teach in sweatpants, t-shirt and socks. At times I teach and present my academic works barefoot. My knowledge does not diminish because of this. Some may think that it is disrespectful towards the audience, but I strongly believe that claiming power via wearing more expensive/smarter clothes than what my students are wearing is disrespectful.
Excluding many categories from consumption. I don't have handbags, sports clothing (I wear cotton shorts and a t-shirt when I go jogging), swimwear, smart clothes and shoes. I understand that it is not possible for everyone to exclude these categories, and my aim is not to convince my fellow humans to avoid these categories of consumption. Rather, my aim is to show that it is possible to have a meaningful life while living simply, if one so wishes, has an opportunity to do so, and desires to try this mode of being.
I do not wear a bra and have not worn it since my late teens. At that time, I realised that this was not something I wanted to do in my life. I wanted to develop a close connection with my body and pursue comfort. I wanted to embrace my natural (and imperfect) body shape. I want other women to feel comfortable doing so too. When I was younger, I wish there were some role models who would say to me that this is absolutely ok.
I limit the colours that I wear. I only wear the colours I love and never get tired of. And everything matches and looks calming to me.
I repair my clothes. Even though I'm not very good at it, I try. And it works well enough. I'm not seeking perfection.
I embrace imperfections such as stains and holes and do not feel the need to replace an item as soon as a small hole manifests. I see beauty in such imperfections.
Wearing only fabrics such as organic cotton and linen helps because they are durable, so I don't need to replace clothes often.
Caring for clothing well and correctly also helps. I read care instructions every time a new object comes into my life. I avoid anything that requires special care, such as dry cleaning.
As much as possible, I avoid items with too many details or accessories that can break or age quickly. I don't wear lace and avoid zips and buttons, where possible. Personally I find very basic items the most aesthetically pleasing.
I am very much supportive of naturism as a philosophy of connecting with nature. Here in Denmark it is ok to swim without clothing, and I use this opportunity. My fellow humans who know about my love towards naturism often joke about it. They ask how I would practise it in winter here in Copenhagen. I don't do it, but I go for the next acceptable option which is wearing basics and a uniform that I mentioned above.
When I was much younger, on a few occasions my friends, who had very different styles, and I swapped clothing. It's more sustainable than buying new items. But I realised early on what exactly I wanted to wear, and stepped on a path of wearing a uniform.