1. Setting goals and reaching them enables you to conquer anything you set you mind to. This challenge came about for a few reasons. Firstly, as an MFA fashion design student I focus on sustainability from concept to construct to after market care. To really understand what I was trying to create I needed to live it first hand. Secondly, I needed to find the cash to pay for alternative medical expenses (Chinese and Homeopathic) and organic foods and products as my studies led me to make changes throughout my entire lifestyle. As you can see it made total sense to quit the retail shopping and spend on better products for my family, home and the environment.
2. Not shopping is actually liberating! There was no more “Do I need it?”…”What would my husband say?”…”Do I need to buy shoes to match?”….”Can I really afford it?” I always found there was a lot of anxiety and guilt involved with shopping. At times I find something that I have absolutely no doubts about, which is ideal. However, the mantra “I shop, therefore I am” is antiquated, absurd and risky and for the last 11 months I haven’t had to bother with these dilemmas.
3. If I really want it “it” will be there when I need it. With this challenge I have likened my wardrobe to a vehicle. It must run properly and if any part breaks down I need to replace it. Therefore, if I bust a heel or lose my sunglasses I find the best substitue it. In the past year I have replaced nearly all my beauty and body care products with organic or “clean” ones. I also took this one step further and replaced all bathroom, cleaning, laundry and kitchen products with clean/organic/natural products. (It isn't as expensive as it sounds as some of the best products for the beauty and cleaning are already in you the pantry.)
4. Throwing something “away” is a fallacy as “away” doesn’t exist. The size of my wardrobe makes me feel wary rather than special, which led me to form my first rule of shopping. Don’t buy something until I am willing to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of the product. While some consider retail therapy a viable path to enlightenment I now consider the true value of a product; where it was made, by whom and where it will end up when I am done with it.
5. I know my needs and my consumer habits better than ever before. I have inventoried my entire wardrobe, which is extensive, as I have taken very good care of my clothes since my early teens. I identified what I have worn out, what has never seen the light of day and the difference between the two. In the past 11 months I have mended, altered, re-purposed and re-designed a lot of garments. However, I now find myself responsible for a load of clothes that I simply don’t want so I have found local markets in Dubai to resell them before I donate the rest.
6. I need practical and emotional connections to my clothing otherwise it just isn’t worth it. My most prized pieces are hand-me-downs, vintage or contemporary pieces that have served me well over and over again. There is so much crap in the world that if I am going to give it space in my life it better be special.
7. I have found a formula that works for me. It has taken many years to find an aesthetic language that fits my personality, lifestyle and body type. I am thrilled that I know myself well enough that I no longer need to waste time, money and resources trying to reinvent myself or boost my self worth with a new look or wardrobe. My wardrobe reflects a sophisticated hippy chic with a flare for vintage and tailored looks and isn’t afraid of androgyny.
8. I shop and design based on a practical chic philosophy. I start with the idea of throwing a few pieces in luggage and still be ready for the beach, a club… a business meeting…. picnic wherever I land. It took me 2 months of back packing around Europe seeking out artists and designers to write about for thestraythread.com to render a sartorial formula right for me. With nearly two decades of travel under my belt, I knew I wanted to be extremely mobile AND chic. I decided to opt for neutrals that I could mix and match to the max. It involved a lot of black, white, grey, stripes thereof and textures with a few statement accessories. That experiment in sustainable dressing has helped define my style and design philosophy.
9. Not all fabrics are created equal. After an extensive study of fiber technology I have come to understand the good, the bad and the ugly of textiles. The average consumer doesn’t have an opinion or rule about what types of fibers they wear or how they care for their clothes, BUT THEY SHOULD! I have cut back buying clothes made from virgin petro-chemicals like polyester. Unless they are recycled I am not putting harsh chemicals near my skin. That includes the residue left on clothes from dying and conventional dry cleaning, which have known carcinogens and ozone depleting chemicals. As I replace staples in my wardrobe I try do so with items made from companies that use sustainable resources and practice fair trade.
10. I love fashion and my personal style is a primary source of self-expression for me that luckily I don’t have to sacrifice my ethics for these days. I have always enjoyed supporting independent designers. I can’t stand malls, I don’t follow trends and I like to support alternative ideas and practices. I even like hunting for them in new cities and online. It makes fashion more fun and sustainable, where the exchange of goods and services is equally beneficial. Since redirecting my money from conventional products to smarter, cleaner and ecologically friendly I understand how important my purchase as a vote is on what kind of world I want to live in.

Barbara Kruger
Untitled (I shop therefore I am)
111" by 113"
photographic silkscreen/vinyl
1987