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People who haven't bought clothes for a decade

theguardian.com

131–140 of 165 posts

Re: People who haven't bought clothes for a decade

#131
post #3

I don't want to buy new clothes either. Where can I find clothes that will last 10 years. The article didn't help with any specifics.

I would recommend military surplus and outdoor/workwear. Not the fashion clothes from workwear brands, the actual chunky workwear.

Obviously you will be a little challenged on the aesthetics, but that is sometimes the price you pay for durability.

Re: People who haven't bought clothes for a decade

#132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For women: it may be worth your while checking out Project333. I have searched for a respective project for men, but haven't found something similar/worthy. When I finished listening to the Minimalists podcast (first 120 episodes) for the second time I was already immersed in minimalism. I donated 90% of my clothes, I now have 5 t-shirts, 4 sweaters, 2 jeans, 10 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of shoes, and some snow/skiing…

> I now have 5 t-shirts, 4 sweaters, 2 jeans, 10 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of shoes I take it you don't live in place with cold winters?

I wear a similar minimalist wardrobe in a place with -40° winters. My winter outfit is the same as summer, plus thermal undergarments and a good coat/gloves/hat. It’s surprising how well layering works.

Re: People who haven't bought clothes for a decade

#133

I make my own clothes. Have been for a bit more than 8 years. It's a nice hobby to have. I also started https://freesewing.org/ which is the most geeky way to get into sewing :)

Shameless plug, but thank you, this looks cool! If your logo wasn't a "scary skull" I would be showing this to my kid in our "where clothes come from" lesson (we do everything ranging from pottery to NASA space missions)(buy scary skulls are a no-no)(let them figure it out when they discover my Iron Maiden albums - many years from now!)

What are you going to do when its time to teach your kid an "anatomy" lesson?

Re: People who haven't bought clothes for a decade

#134
post #33

A guest on my podcast -- Lorna Davis, the key leader behind the largest B Corp to date, Danone USA, and a c-suite executive from Danone and other multinationals -- committed not to buy clothes for a year. Within a few weeks she started getting rid of clothes she didn't wear and even relationships that were distracting her from more meaningful ones. Within months she was sending me contacts of other high-powered execu…

For women: it may be worth your while checking out Project333. I have searched for a respective project for men, but haven't found something similar/worthy. When I finished listening to the Minimalists podcast (first 120 episodes) for the second time I was already immersed in minimalism. I donated 90% of my clothes, I now have 5 t-shirts, 4 sweaters, 2 jeans, 10 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of shoes, and some snow/skiing…

I just took to wearing business casual clothes in my off hours as well as my working hours.

Although I did keep my shorts and tshirts for occasions where I will be outside since it is quite hot and humid in the summer where I live.

Re: People who haven't bought clothes for a decade

#135
post #103
post #69

I had some Levi's 501s that I got at a farm supply store for $12 when I was in college (early 80s). I wore them regularly for about 15 years then occasionally until a few years ago. They had no holes when I donated them. Newer 501s don't last anywhere near that long. Carhartts are more functional for me now, but they wear out after 5-8 years depending on the style (model?). I haven't noticed any change in durability…

Carhartts, Blåkläder - probably other brands that still actually sell work clothes - tend to have separate "fashion" models that sell through typical fashion stores. They're generally higher price and less durable in my experience. In the US it's not hard to find regular carhartts work wear - in Norway I've only seen the fashion stuff. On the other hand, Blåkläder operate a few outlets that are aimed at the business…

I've found my 5.11 pants to last a lot longer than Carhart did. I was really disappointed in the later. Another brand that suppressed me was undrarmor. I avoided them because they were expensive and popular. Then I got a deal on a hoodie and it outlasted many other goodies. Since then I've picked up a few more on eBay and have been just as happy. I want quality that will last for a decade (or more).

Re: People who haven't bought clothes for a decade

#136

I didn't know that the normal way I live my life is anything worth commenting on. I still wear clothes from when I was in college 25 years ago. But this is more from laziness and a generally dislike of shopping, combined with zero fashion sense, than from any altruistic values.

Did you know your lifestyle is now known as "Greta effect" :p

Re: People who haven't bought clothes for a decade

#138
post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or do much in the way of outdoor activities. 2 pairs of shoes Having to decide between wearing my climbing shoes and my ski boots to work would suck :)

I've the same single pair of 20€ shoes since 5 years. Some holes, but they still work well, probably for another 5 years. The only drawback is when it rains, I need to dry them with newspaper. I do a lot of sports (mostly bike (I've no car) for all my commuting, hiking/trail, ..

Okay, but why would you want to put up with drying your shoes with newspaper?

Re: People who haven't bought clothes for a decade

#139

I didn't know that the normal way I live my life is anything worth commenting on. I still wear clothes from when I was in college 25 years ago. But this is more from laziness and a generally dislike of shopping, combined with zero fashion sense, than from any altruistic values.

I try to only buy good quality clothes that are made to last, then I wear them until they develop holes. I repair them and wear them again until they don't really look presentable anymore. At that point they become home/work/workout/concert clothes. When they can no longer be repaired, they become cleaning rags. I did not know that this was something to be applauded for.

How do you know if those clothes are of good quality? What are some of the brands the produce long-lasting clothes?

Re: People who haven't bought clothes for a decade

#140
There is a healthy balance here that seems lost on a lot of people here.

There's not a binary distinction between fashion victim and enlightened minimalist.

Yes, reduce your purchases. Yes, prefer high quality products. Yes, reuse your clothes instead of throwing it away.

No, don't spent your life constantly worrying about what you need to repair before it falls apart. No, don't put people through enduring the summer smell of your only t-shirt. No, don't look awful because appearance matters on a basic level.

Above all, don't virtue signal so hard because it makes you look ignorant to people with more complicated lives.

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