Mindful Consumption

With Black Friday and annual sales around the corner, it’s easy to get wrapped up in consumption. Naturally, with tempting sales, social media influencers and advertising online, there is always a rise in consumption towards the end of the year and a risk of excessively buying. Here are some ways in which to shop mindfully this season whilst keeping your spending routine sustainable.

When was the last time you sorted through your wardrobe?

A wardrobe reflection is a perfect way to encourage you to view your wardrobe in a different light. This involves reflecting on items you constantly reach for, as well as re-visiting pieces that rarely get worn.

By realising why you wear certain pieces over and over, you can highlight attractive qualities you value through your wardrobe in future pieces to invest in. For instance, you could admire an item due to the fit, style, feel, or even the brand. Often with curating a sustainable wardrobe, the longevity of an item is something to keep in mind with quality and timelessness as positive features. Through reflecting on your wardrobe and favourite items you can then adapt the way you spend on future clothes, opening the question: Could mindful shopping lead to a change in your personal style?

Here are some of my favourite pieces upon reflection:

Over-sized brown blazer, knitted vest, loose-fitted denim jeans

Events such as Black Friday and annual sales thrive off discount culture and over-production. There is a sense of disposability within impulse purchasing through these occasions that often lead to excess clothes being thrown away or forgotten.

By considering quality over quantity, you can reduce your consumption by favouring timeless and reliable wardrobe staples. Brands reacting quickly to trends' fast turnarounds also relates to excessive buying. It can be addictive leaning into trends and shopping bargains without realising their short-lived nature. Being more mindful about the way you shop could help you analyse what you're influenced by when you purchase trends.

The Minimalist Podcast in their episodes, ‘Shopping Addiction’ and ‘How Can I Stop the Urge to Compulsively Shop’, explores these topics, discussing the issues of fast fashion and over-consumption.

Check out the Minimalist Podcast here!

Another way I love to be mindful about consuming is by following social media creators who embrace a sustainable lifestyle and a minimalistic wardrobe. Chloe Miles is a fashion and lifestyle influencer who promotes a ‘buying less and styling more’ ethos. Her Instagram showcases her unique fashion-finds that are always second-hand and pre-loved. She ditched shopping new altogether and has been styling outfits with her curated capsule wardrobe, encouraging others to do the same. I find her account refreshing in a fashion space that is often focused on owning the newest item or trend.

'Buying less and styling more'

Alongside taking a personal reflection upon your wardrobe, making mindful shopping choices is essential to becoming more sustainable, and is something that everyone can explore this Black Friday and Christmas season.

Thank you for reading!

Ria