Clothes
Almost every morning I stand on my balcony and look at the roof of the building on the other side of the street. Beautiful birds, crows and pigeons, often visit that roof. Each one of them looks the same every day. They look so vibrant, so confident. I'm inspired by non-human animals and how they are in the world. Many years ago I was inspired by a cat I lived with. She empowered me to step on the path of living with very few clothing items. To look the same every day, no matter what occasion it is. For many years, I've lived with a wardrobe that consists of less than 20 items. These days it's just 10, though recently it was 9 because one of the shirts I had wore out. At times, my fellow humans ask me how it feels, if I get tired of the same items, if I ever want to re-invent myself (e.g., to heal from a traumatic event faster), if I'm sure I'm using clothes to my advantage (the most common comment refers to claiming power and being appealing to men).
I think that humans should be able to decide for themselves what they wear. It might even seem that it is indeed the case, especially considering the amount of clothes on this planet, and the number of new styles that appear every day on the market. But there are pressures to consume. Looking different every day and for various occasions has been normalised. On my journey, I observe that the best way (for me) to follow my own path is to simply wear my favourite items and disregard norms and expectations. I want to feel cosy in the world. So I wear plain, comfortable clothes in calming colours. A fellow human might feel their best in bright colours and prints. And that's ok. I oftentimes see something very beautiful in the streets of Copenhagen. A long, flowy linen dress on an elderly woman. A handmade scarf in a window of a small, independent shop. I appreciate these things. But I don't want to own them or something similar. I've noticed that living only with what feels like me allows me to appreciate others' use of clothes as a means of self-expression so much more. To celebrate fellow humans' creativity, confidence, elegance and taste.
Living with very few items of clothing feels incredibly liberating. I don't ever get tired of the items I live with. I feel gratitude towards the cotton fibres that protect my skin (I live with an autoimmune skin condition), the woollen scarf for keeping me warm in Nordic winters.
Changing my wardrobe has never been a strategy for me to deal with traumatic events. One of the most traumatic events that I experienced was almost a year ago. Many of the items I wear now are the ones that were with me during that time. I didn't and I still don't feel the need to replace them. In fact, I was even glad that while a challenging chapter of my life was unfolding, I could still be myself. When something challenging unfolds, I try to be with nature (the sea, the sun, the sky, trees) to remind myself of the actual scale of these challenges. Of the scale of my own life in comparison to the vastness of the universe. I then take a long shower to be with the Water that so gently helps me re-center myself.
As for using clothes to achieve something, it has never been my strategy either. I don't feel that most humans judge me by my clothes. At times, they are curious. At other times, though rarely, they are critical. But in general, wearing the same thing every day doesn't feel like a hindrance. Other things, such as kindness and honesty, matter so much more than the number of dresses/t-shirts/shoes one owns. At times, fellow humans seem to believe that we need to mobilise everything to achieve some goal, including the items we wear. I think that simply being a good person (caring, kind, just, gentle, trustworthy, empathetic and so on) is enough. Some philosophical traditions, such as Bhaskar's philosophy of metareality, even suggest that we essentially are all those things already, and the only thing we need to do it to shed everything that obscures them (false beliefs, desires etc.). It's the simplest, easiest, most natural path of living. Whether it is so in reality or not, it is certainly part of my philosophy of life.
A major downside of living with very few items is that everything wears out faster. The poor job that some businesses do becomes obvious. It's interesting to observe how different things wear and wear out. When something has a lower quality than should be the case, I contact the company and share my feedback. I think people should do that every time something does not perform well. It's an act of activism.
Because I wear everything I live with so often, I avoid inviting into my life anything that is difficult to maintain or that sheds microfibers. There are no delicate, very thin, dry clean only items. No occasion items. No lace. Certainly no polyester (apart from the jacket and my winter shoes), nylon, acrylic. There is nothing that feels uncomfortable or is overstimulating. I also avoid inviting into my life anything that is difficult to wear for all occasions. For example, I choose sweatpants that are not baggy and shorts that are long enough to lecture in them. I choose t-shirts that are not too transparent so I can wear them to more formal meetings. I never, ever invite into my life anything that is for others. For example, I do not buy anything that is supposed to look sexy. I celebrate those women who wear such items for themselves. But oftentimes such items are sold to make women look sexy for men. Like my fellow women, I try to develop a healthy, loving and caring relationship with my body, the home of my soul. My preferred way to do it is to appreciate my body, the stretch marks, and the signs of ageing without any clothes.
In my wardrobe, there is 1 jacket, 2 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of sweatpants, 1 shirt, 2 basic tops and 2 t-shirts that I appropriated from my partner. Not long ago, he bought t-shirts from several sustainability orientated businesses to see which t-shirt is the best one. I took the ones he is not wearing anymore.
It's getting colder here in Copenhagen. In winter, I will continue to wear the same items, but I will also wear a large woollen scarf very often. If it gets incredibly cold, I will borrow a woollen sweater from my partner. If I get pregnant, I will borrow men's clothes in a large size.
When the linen shirt wears out, I do not plan to replace it. I prefer plain t-shirts without any extra details such as buttons and collars.