For this year’s final column, as we prepare to reflect on 2022 which raced by faster than Usain Bolt, kept and forgotten resolutions, the uncertainty of the new year and the anxiousness to bring this chaotic one to an end, here is an interview with Elsie Harry, who documented a full year of her commitment to no shopping and living more sustainably.
Ashma: What was your motivation behind your commitment to a year of no clothes shopping?
Elsie: The realisation that I had more clothes than I needed, and beyond that, I even had more clothes than I could accommodate in the places allocated to storing my clothes in my home. Rather than add to the problem by allocating more space to clothes, I decided to do the more sustainable thing – reduce the amount of clothes that I owned.
The thought in itself of embarking on #NoShopping2022 – one year of purchasing no clothes, shoes or accessories, actually came to me one day when I was cleaning. When I had finished everything else and it was time to pack up my clothes, I became exasperated because there were just too many. I had no more hangers, no more closet space and no more drawer space. I thought, ok, I’ll put them in storage. But when I checked the storeroom, I realised that all my suitcases were filled with clothes; items I didn’t even remember I owned. I said okay, this is insanity and I’m going to put a stop to this. While minimalism wasn’t my goal, because I am not a minimalist at heart, I was in the process of adopting a more environmentally conscious lifestyle and healthy lifestyle. For example, I began to use locally made detergent and dish soap that could be refilled, to reduce my plastic waste, locally made body butter that could also be refilled, metal straws, glass bottles and the like. I was also eating healthier because I became a pescatarian. So, a reduction in my clothing changeover felt like a natural progression.
Ashma: How did you manage temptation against the fear of missing out on trends?
Elsie: Interestingly, I don’t follow trends. I never have. So I didn’t really suffer from FOMO in this area. What would happen is, I would come across a unique piece that I really liked and I had to remind myself that while I couldn’t get it this year, perhaps I could in the future. So I created a list in the notes section of my cell phone of the items that caught my eye that I might like to get after this period.
The funny thing is, when I would review this list a few months later and look at the photos I stored, 40% of the time, I wouldn’t like the item anymore. Perhaps in that moment it resonated with me, but not permanently. So I continued to save pictures and take notes and review periodically and only the items that remain on the list at the end of the year, I may be inclined to purchase next year; and that list isn’t even a long one. This taught me that sometimes I can be an emotional shopper and perhaps that is how I ended up with so many items, some that I even forget about.
Ashma: Did you engage in alternative shopping habits, eg clothing swaps for a new fix ?
Elsie: I didn’t engage in alternative shopping, even though my friends suggested it, but I did get my fix through gifts. For my birthday especially, my friends resolved to get me items that I vowed not to buy. Also, if I had a particularly important event and nothing that I felt was appropriate to wear, my friends would add a few pieces to my wardrobe.
Recently, for a reception, my friend Ashaka King, the owner of Pieces & Things Boutique, gifted me a beautiful blue gown and my favourite local designer Mwanza Glenn, created an iconic ensemble for me for the Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in Guyana. So there are some new items in my wardrobe thanks to the generosity of my friends.
But here’s the catch, because I remember the feeling that prompted #NoShopping2022, I was mindful of not adding to that burden. Prior to the start of this journey I stripped my closet down to items I felt sure I was going to wear and I gave away the others! So to ensure that I was not defeating the purpose of this process, each time I received a gift, I would put a piece or two into my giveaway pile.
All throughout this year, I’ve given away items and this month I’m giving away some more. As it relates to my higher-end, locally-made designer pieces, I will thrift sell some of those.
Ashma: What would you conclude to be the three biggest hurdles since venturing out into a year of no clothes shopping?
Elsie: 1. Public embarrassment (lol). I don’t know if I had so many that these were neglected and began to die slow deaths and I’m now realising, or the items weren’t meant for this level of wear but I’ve had a few instances where my shoes and bags have died in public. My shoe sole fell off, my shoe heel broke and my bag strap burst.
2. Some days it was emotionally draining. I went from having just about everything that I thought I needed to make getting ready easy right at my fingertips and whatever I didn’t have I would simply buy. Now I had to make whatever I had work and sometimes this took a few minutes, other times it took hours and days to get an outfit together to go to an event. This was sometimes a stressful process.
3. The uncomfortable experience of having persons accuse me of shopping. I made my decision public via Facebook, mostly for an additional layer of accountability. I’ve even got a Public Accountability Committee (lol). But some persons became too engaged in my process, and couldn’t believe, as they said, that I wasn’t shopping and looked so good. So they accused me of being dishonest. It was uncomfortable and most times I ignored it but other times I gave them a sound talking to.
Ashma: From your experience what have been the biggest positives, apart from not breaking the bank?
Elsie: Realising that it is not about the quantity but the quality and versatility of my clothing. The main reason that this experiment was successful is because I take really good care of my clothes. The items that were clogging up my wardrobe were purchased over a long period of time and kept in good condition. For example, I use laundry detergent instead of soap powder. I have now realised that I don’t need to keep every single thing and I don’t need to replace everything that I lose. I can simply continue to invest in quality pieces at strategic times of the year.
Realising that I’ve got excellent fashion sense, I began to post more this year as I fell in love with the creative aspect of this journey that allowed me to mix and match, alter and recreate what I wore and this showcased my talent in this area. I’ve received lots of compliments but I’m also truly proud of myself.
The final one is that I was able to start a conversation and a movement on fashion and sustainability, on reducing excesses, on focusing on and refining personal style, this has been a major highlight!
Ashma: Do you feel as if you are now more in sync with your personal style?
Elsie: Most definitely. My style has been refined even further and is now more a representation of who I am at my core. I no longer just own things, I own pieces that I love. I also understand now why I purchase certain pieces as opposed to others. I’ve become more conscious of the fact that supporting local designers is important to me, and not just items for special occasions, but everyday wear. So I’ll be leaning more into this as I shop more consciously in 2023!
Whatever your goals or hopes are for 2023, I wish you every bit of success. I hope you give yourself the grace and patience to understand it’s not a sprint but a marathon. See you in 2023!
