Year End New Clothing Audit, 5th Year
Hello again friends, it's the new year which means it's time to add up how many items of clothing I bought in the past year.
This tradition started after I saw an episode of Hasan Minhaj's show where he said that in the 80s, the average American bought a dozen new clothing items per year, but in the modern era the average is 68!
Since we all know fast fashion is super destructive, I think it's a good idea to focus on quality over quantity wherever we can, and get a few quality pieces that will last rather than many shoddy pieces that fall apart quickly.
In past years, my totals were:
2019: 8 items
2020: 16 (counting masks as a clothing item)
2021: 3 items (counting masks)
2022: 7 items
Drumroll, please:
2023: 6 items
Two hoodies, one pair of jeans, one pair of pajama pants, one denim jacket, and one pair of sneakers.
This is, admittedly, not counting the several socks I received as gifts this year. I'm not sure why everyone decided I needed socks? But I received socks as gifts like four times when I'm usually barefoot and already had a drawer full of socks. Perhaps people thought I was barefoot because I didn't own enough socks? LOL
So I'm pretty happy with my numbers. Again, I would get a few more things if I had more money, so if given the funds I'd probably be more on that 80s average of a dozen or so items. I could use some underwear and thermal shirts at this point, and I've had my eye on another hoodie with a betta and a cat on it so with my two snail hoodies, I'd have hoodie animal fam representation, hee hee. I live in hoodies these days.
But I'm just not one of those people that enjoys clothes shopping. I like to keep it simple. If fashion is really your passion, then cool, but I think for a lot of people it isn't and they just buy so much due to the nature of cheaply made, cheap to buy clothes and our disposable society.
So how many clothes did you buy last year (for yourself, not counting for other family members)? Are you an 80s American or a modern American on average, lol?
Happy new year and have a wonderful week! :)
I guess people realized you love socks a lot and that’s why they kept on buying you socks😂
Sock mania! 😄
Haha. What if they know you like socks that's why they kept buying for you?
If not for an event I needed to attend, my purchase count would be 3 for last year but for that event, the total was 7.
Special events happen! Your numbers are good regardless! :)
Happy New Year @phoenixwren!
That's a great practice, indeed, and I think it takes some determination to be as disciplined as you are, with your ritual:)))
Happy new year to you too!
I like doing it and keeping track. It's mindful for me. Like I didn't remember the pajama pants at first when I started thinking back on what I had bought, and remembered that they were this year only after a bit of thought. It could be easy to lose track if you buy a lot!
Happy new year dear Friend. Welcome to a new year of Positivity
Happy new year to you too! :)
This got me and it makes a lot of sense. It is quality over quantity anytime, any day.
I love how you track the number of items you bought in almost every year, I think I will have to steal this method from you.🫣
Happy new year
I discovered quality over quantity regarding shoes when I went to medical assisting school. We were required to wear white nursing shoes, and I was floored at how expensive they were, because I was raised on "cheaper is better." But then when I wore them my sciatic nerve stopped getting pinched every day and so I wasn't in pain (and sometimes my legs literally gave out on me), and I was sold.
Not to mention, the first time I bought a pair of Doc Martens (they have since deteriorated in quality, so I don't recommend anymore, but) boots, they cost me just shy of $100 and that was on sale. My mother thought I was bonkers. But they lasted me for five years and I wore them everywhere, and walked for miles every day because I've never owned a car. I would have easily torn through five $20 cheap shoes in that time, and instead I had one pair of comfortable boots.
It definitely requires saving up to pay upfront, but in my mind, it's worth it to get one pair of good shoes that don't hurt and will last!
Yeah, I really love this...it was a good thing you went for that 1 pair of shoes and for the fact that it last for 5years wowed me. That's the real definition of quality. I wish everyone knows this logic.