Changing Horses

When I was young, I was something of a "clothes horse," as much as my pocketbook allowed. I still like dressing up on occasion, but my lifestyle has changed, and my garment buying habits are changing as well.

Now, I understand that I must ride a “white horse,” absent the unrealistic red and blue of politics, the neon of marketing, and the green of money. I need to dress myself sustainably.

There are clothes in my closet, and I should wear them out, rather than replacing them when they lose my interest. The commercials, ads, and ‘savings’ offers create an odd condition in consumers. One minute we're planning how to curb our consumption habits, and the next minute we're rushing to use that 20% off coupon to make ourselves look younger and sexier. Think “bird” and “shiny object.”

Here's the question I'm now asking as I imagine my purchase: Will I save money if I buy something I don't need, even at a discount? Well, no. I’ll actually spend money on something I wouldn't have bought if the marketing hadn't claimed my attention.

I resolve often to buy clothing secondhand. And then I back off. I used to believe that if I bought new, I was doing some good for my world, leaving the thrift shop and yard sale clothes for those who desperately need them, and keeping garment industry jobs open.

I have come to realize that much of what I buy has been outsourced to other countries anyway, so unless I make it a quest to find only "Made in America" or "Fair Trade" clothing, I'm not helping create meaningful employment. I am contributing to the continuation of slave-wage labor in other less affluent nations. I'm also contributing to the depletion of fossil fuels and the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Imagine the environmental impact of shipping parts of my new fall outfit around the world before I purchase it.

That said, you still haven't often seen me browse the Salvation Army for a pair of jeans or the WCC Thrift Shop for a skirt. That's because I have an attitude adjustment to make. I suffer from false pride and a lack of self-esteem where buying secondhand clothes is concerned.

The false pride is not even foolishly based on what others think of me, but worse: what I think they think of me. I’d like to free myself of this attitude, and will work on it. One day soon, I'll be seen coming out of the WCC Thrift Shop with my reusable shopping bag, having obviously made a purchase. I hope you'll think I have acted in a sustainably reasonable way. If instead you think I must have come upon hard times, perhaps you'll need an attitude adjustment as well

Self-esteem is often formed of our internal evaluation of our intents and behavior. Sometimes, however, it is based on unexamined habit. I have often championed those less fortunate, and have always reassured them that “needing” is not a reflection of one’s character, but of circumstance. I have tried to avoid taking charity myself because (face it now) I don't want to perceive myself as needy. I am a hypocrite in this, but that’s something I'll sort out another time.

More to the point, sharing clothing by handing down, buying secondhand, and trading is not taking charity. It is a sustainable practice in a time when sustainable practices may save the world. Granted, our donations to, and acquisitions from, these sources of clothing often provide for charity. (The WCC and Salvation Army use proceeds for charitable work.) However, our participation in alternate ways to share clothing keeps money at home and in the community, conserves resources, and instills the sustainable habits of reuse and frugality in our daily lives. It’s time to change horses.

If you'd like to comment on these ideas, do so here or e-mail us at sustain@tgryes.org.