Is it possible to not buy new clothes?

The alterative title to this blog post should be “I have a massive hole in the ass of my jeans and I REALLY don’t want to go clothes shopping” because I have been wondering lately, about clothes shopping. I don’t particularly enjoy it. I like clothes, I like nice clothes, but because of the jobs I do and the life I lead, I tend to live in jeans and shirts, and dress pretty simply and practically most of the time. I don’t wear dresses, I rarely wear skirts, and I tend not to be someone who dresses up. I spend most of my days mixing playdough or paint, or washing up coffee cups, or cleaning out cat litter. This necessitates clothes that can be washed and don’t need dry cleaning or hand washing. I do love soft cosy jumpers and pretty shoes, but mainly I dress pretty plainly, with the odd quirky piece of clothing that annoys my fashion conscious tweenager. 

Recently my most favourite pair of jeans ripped, irreparably, in a place that makes them not really wearable (in other words there is a huge hole in the rear of them, due to wear and them being VERY old, aka before the small boy was born) and I have realised that I need to get myself a new pair. 

Jeans are expensive. Good jeans, that is. I want a pair that will last me another 9 years, that will fit well, and feel comfortable. 

I happened to post my hole in an unmentionable place on Twitter, and the lovely Rosie, who’s blog I am linking to today, sent me a link to a pair of jeans, jokingly saying I could buy them. They were the current trendy ripped all over kind, expensive, and frankly, somewhat stupid looking (even my ever so trendy tween said she wouldn’t let me leave the house wearing them, they are that bad) and we had a chat about how I could spend much less on a whole pair of jeans, and then cut them up to make them fashionable. I could, in theory, go to my local charity shop, spend £10 and create a pair of fashionably torn looking jeans, IF I had the mind to. 

Seriously? Who ACTUALLY wears these and do people really spend money on jeans that are torn to pieces? 

Anyway, it got me thinking. I rarely shop in charity shops. Mainly because I don’t actually like going into actual shops and trying on clothes, and ordering clothes online and trying them on at home is much more convenient. I often don’t have time to go to the shops, and if I have the kids in tow, it’s even less likely I will go clothes shopping, for me. I don’t buy clothes that often, to be fair, but I do need to go shopping for some jeans, soon. 

So, my plan is to try and cruise around the local charity shops near me to see if I can find myself a decent second hand pair of jeans, or maybe even two pairs. I have challenged myself. 

Buying clothes second hand from a charity shop is potentially better for my wallet, the money goes to a good cause, and also, in theory, it is better for our planet. There is less impact on the environment because I am not buying a piece of clothing new, rather, I am recycling clothing. I think that’s the theory anyway. 

So, I am challenging myself. Jeans shopping locally, from a charity shop. 

If that is successful, then I may even consider looking at what I need from my wardrobe this autumn and winter, and instead of ordering online, I might try and buy only from charity shops and see if I can successfully kit myself out for the next few months whilst avoiding buying from shops or online, new. Better for my wallet, better for the planet, money going to some charities and good causes? Is that possible, do you think?

Wish me luck. 

Linking up with September’s Going Green Link too! 

A Green and Rosie Life